In this interview Paul Hannan, a Senior Growth and Engagement Designer here at Calabrio, talks about his #1 tip for first time managers.

Level Up

First time managers need to stop doing their old job. You may have been promoted because you were the best but your processes and style will not work for everyone. In fact, No one will ever do your old job as well as you think you did. Leadership is not a cloning operation. It’s a symbolic relationship where both you and your reports can make something better together than either of you alone.

Three benefits to letting go

• It’s simple math. There is not enough time in the day to do all the micromanaging of your team and processes while doing the big important thinking, planning, and coordination required of managers. You have more information and need to look beyond the more granular information that used to be important to you.
• Everyone is different. You team is made up of individuals with different likes, preferences, and motivation. By letting go you can trust your workers to choose the best way for them and give tailored feedback based on his or her performance not your personal preferences and habits.
• By respecting and leaning into those differences you team, and thus the entire organization, can perform at new levels. In fact, by making everyone better at their job can you do less management so you can set the stage for something much bigger?