Common Mistakes New Managers Make

One of the primary goals of small business owners is growth – we all dream of seeing our small venture evolve into a formidable enterprise that transcends time and even our own mortality.

But to have that kind of growth, you’ll need more people and as many small business owners have discovered, managing others is not as simple as they thought.

In fact, many business owners turned new managers find that managing others is a whole new ballgame… one that the existing business owners’ rulebook does not always address.

Now, we could write at length on this particular topic but to get you started, let’s look at a few key mistakes that new managers often make – avoid them and make your journey into management much easier.

#1 – Failing to Delegate

It can be hard to trust that someone else will do what needs to be done, but that’s exactly what you need to do if you want to build a team.

Business owners tend to have a whatever-it-takes attitude… it’s just part of being an entrepreneur and so they’re used to doing it all themselves.

As a result, these same business owners struggle to hand over the reigns when it comes time to delegate the work and this creates frustration throughout the team. The manager/owner ends up being swamped and overworked while the employees feel suppressed and even a little bored.

It’s a lose/lose anyway you look at it.

Instead, you need to figure out where it is that you need help, train your employees to fill those spots, and then let them do what you hired them to do.

And this brings us to mistake #2…

#2 – Failing to Give Direction

While your staff may well have some ideas of their own, they’re still looking to you to define the bigger picture. They need to understand your goals, your vision and the mission of your company. They need to know how success will be defined and how much authority they have to make this success happen.

Simply telling your employees to make more sales isn’t going to cut it – you need to give them some parameters that allows them to reach that goal and measure their progress along the way.

#3 – Micromanaging

On the flip side of #2 is micromanaging, i.e., giving too much direction. Your employees need guidelines and objectives – not a minute-by-minute tutorial on how to use their time at work.

This mistake occurs because new managers feel uncomfortable delegating the work – that is, they don’t want to do it, but they’re not truly ready to let it go.

The result is an “over-your-shoulder” kind of management style that drives employees nuts and hinders any kind of initiative, creativity and individuality.

It probably goes without saying, but your team won’t stick around if you don’t fix this mistake.

#4 – Failing to Think Like A Manager

When it was just you and your business, you called all the shots, you made all the deals and you enjoyed all the success. But now you have a team and like it or not, they need to be included in how your company grows.

You’re not only responsible for your success – you’re also responsible for theirs… at least to the extent that you provide the tools and resources they need to achieve their professional goals. What they do with those tools and resources is of course, up to them but it’s your job to give them the opportunity to achieve something that’s meaningful and personal to them.

That might mean helping them acquire new skills and knowledge or giving them additional responsibility as they prove worthy of moving up the corporate ladder – the point is, simply telling them what to do isn’t what a good manager does.

Your employees aren’t working for you to see you succeed… they’re working for you because they believe you can help them succeed too.

And that means you need to look at your business in a whole different light.