Avoid the Nine Common Mistakes New Supervisors Usually Make

Every manager messes up now and then. Good managers respond with grace and professionalism and immediately put plans in motion to correct the mistake. However, if you’re a new manager or supervisor, you often don’t have the experience or resources yet to do this. And there are certain mistakes almost every new manager makes. So how do you avoid them?

These are the nine most common mistakes that new managers make, and the steps that can be taken to avoid them:

1. Indecision

You were promoted because you have valuable skills and knowledge to do a good job, so trust yourself to know what you’re doing. Some new managers become afflicted with “paralysis by analysis,” or even imposter syndrome, and can't decide on certain things. If you come up against this, it's perfectly acceptable to ask for help. It’s actually a sign of strength and confidence to admit to your colleague or employees that you don’t have all the answers and want their advice.

2. Making all the decisions

This is just as bad – or perhaps even worse – than indecision because it's an easy way to make your staff feel like they have no autonomy and that you don't trust them. Instead, show strength by including your people in decision-making. Sure, the final decision will still be yours, but giving your people a sense of ownership in the success of your team or the company as a whole. 

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3. Lack of a plan and goals  

While you don’t have to hit the ground running on your first day with detailed plans and goals set for the next five years, you should at least have a general idea of where you want your department to find success. Think of what changes you'd like to see happen, and think of how best to actually implement them.

4. Not meeting with your employees immediately

Moving into a manager’s role is a busy time and can seem overwhelming, but you need to meet with your employees as a group as soon as possible. This is an important step towards establishing good relationships and trust. This applies whether you’re new to the company or that particular department, or if you’ve been promoted from within. Even if they already know you, the dynamic of manager/employee is different than that of employee/employee. Take the opportunity to establish what type of manager you'll be with them.

5. Trying to fix all the problems at once

It's human nature to want to make a splash and solve a big problem right away. But trying to get it all done at once will drive you crazy and could increase employee stress. Plus, you’re telling your new staff that everything they had been doing before was wrong, which puts a major hit on your credibility. Instead, engage your new team in what they’d like to see changed to help them do their jobs more efficiently and effectively. 

6. Not giving your employees the authority to do their job

Being a micromanager is perhaps the biggest thing that can derail any productivity in your department. Instead, tell your people what you want for the result on a project and then let them do it the best way they know how. You’ll be showing faith in them, and they will do all they can to reward your faith. It’s perfectly acceptable to ask for updates throughout the project, but let them have the authority to get it done.

7. Not supporting your employees

Providing psychological safety to your team and them knowing that you’ll have their back is the greatest gift you can give an employee. Knowing that trying something and failing isn’t the end of the world boosts creative problem solving for your team. Innovation only works when employees feel safe to try new things and take calculated risks.

8. Resisting delegation

In today’s business world, there’s virtually no way any boss or manager can accomplish everything that needs to be done by themselves. New managers are often reluctant to delegate assignments and projects to their staff because they don’t want to appear weak or unable to do something. Ironically, assigning projects to others and letting them do it independently is the biggest sign of a strong leader. Start with small assignments first, then gradually build up to bigger projects.

9. Failing to give credit

The attitude of all great leaders is that when things are going well, it’s because of the team. When things aren't going well, it's because you didn't do enough as the leader. If you live by this credo, your credibility with your entire organization will soar through the roof. And, you’ll be that leader that everyone respects and wants to work for.

Everyone makes mistakes; they're inevitable, especially when you're new to management. But if you're proactive about solving them, and don't play the blame game, your team will have an easier time trusting you. By using the tips above, you can refrain from making the most avoidable mistakes, and start your new job on a positive note.  

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