Before I begin, you might notice my blogs start to look a little different from before. I’m trialling a more practical , useful format with clear tips, rather than my usual ramblings. Hopefully it will be easier to read and actually use in your business.
Being promoted into management is exciting. It’s a recognition of someone’s hard work, skills, dedication and loyalty to the company. However, it’s also challenging. Most new managers were excellent at their previous roles, that’s why they were promoted, but it soon becomes obvious to all, that doing the job well doesn’t automatically make anyone a good manager. Without the right guidance, small mistakes can have a surprisingly big impact on team morale, customer experience, and overall business performance.
In my work with organisations, I often see managers making similar errors. Errors that could be avoided with a bit of awareness, guidance, and training. After all, one thing is true for us all. We don’t know what we don’t know. Below are some of the most common management mistakes new managers make, and practical ways to address them.
1. Trying to do everything themselves
It’s natural for a new manager to want to prove themselves. After all, they’ve just been given responsibility and want to show they can handle it. The danger? Trying to do everything ends in stress, mistakes, and missed opportunities.
Many new managers I’ve worked with will take on tasks that their team could easily handle, believing it’s quicker or safer. But in reality, this prevents the team from growing and limits the manager’s ability to focus on their leadership responsibilities.
Managers need to learn to:
- Delegate effectively: Identify tasks that can be done by others and give them ownership.
- Match tasks to strengths: People perform better when their skills are being used in the right way.
- Trust your team: Provide guidance and check in, but don’t hover or micro mange.
Remember, delegation is not a weakness. It’s a leadership skill that frees you to focus on coaching, strategy, and team development.
2. Avoiding difficult conversations
One of the most common mistakes new managers make is avoiding difficult conversations. They fear conflict or upsetting a team member. They hope problems will resolve themselves. Usually, they don’t. I used to tell my managers to reframe a difficult conversation to an ‘Essential conversation’ If someone benefits, the manager, the team or the organisation, it’s not difficult, its essential!
When feedback is delayed, issues grow. Team members can become disengaged, underperformance can continue, and resentment can build. This is especially true in organisations where teams are small, and one disengaged employee can have a big impact on the rest of the team.
Managers need to learn to:
- Address issues promptly: Don’t wait for small problems to become big ones.
- Use structured feedback: Techniques like SBI (Situation–Behaviour–Impact) make conversations objective and constructive.
- Focus on behaviour, not personality: This keeps feedback actionable and non-confrontational.
Investing in new manager training in feedback and performance conversations will pay dividends, it builds confidence, prevents team issues from escalating, and helps create a culture of openness.
3. Treating everyone the same
Another common mistake is managing with a “one size fits all” approach. Some managers believe fairness means treating everyone exactly the same. In reality, every team member is different, with unique motivations, strengths, and ways of communicating.
If you manage everyone identically, you risk demotivating high performers and frustrating others who may need extra support.
Managers need to learn to:
- Understand your team: Get to know what drives each person and how they prefer to communicate.
- Tailor your approach: Adjust management style to fit the individual without compromising standards.
- Use tools if needed: Tools like DiSC profiles can help identify behavioural styles and improve collaboration.
The result? A team that feels understood, valued, and motivated to perform.
4. Focusing on tasks instead of people
Many new managers focus on getting the work done and forget about the people doing it. The tasks may be completed, but engagement drops, mistakes increase, and the team’s potential is wasted.
I’ve seen this happen in every sector, from hospitality to IT. Managers are technically competent, but without investing time in training, coaching, mentoring, and recognition, team performance suffers.
Managers need to learn to:
- Invest in development: Regularly check in with your team not just about tasks, but about their progression.
- Celebrate achievements: Recognition doesn’t have to be elaborate, it can be as simple as a quick thank you for excellent work.
- Involve the team: Ask for input on decisions and process improvements. It increases buy in and engagement, and those doing the doing often have the best ideas.
Remember, happy, supported people deliver better results than those who are just told what to do and operate on auto pilot.
5. Not asking for help
Finally, new managers sometimes struggle in silence. They feel they must figure everything out alone. Asking for help is often seen as weakness, they feel that because they have been promoted, they should have all the answers. Actually asking for help is smart leadership.
How to fix it:
- Seek guidance: Talk to peers, mentors, or HR for support and advice.
- Attend training: Structured new manager training builds confidence and practical skills.
- Learn from examples: Observe both good and bad leadership around you, both are valuable teachers. I have always maintained that I learnt as much from the bad managers as I did the good. First hand experience of how NOT to do it!
No manager is expected to know everything from day one. Support and learning are part of the journey.
Why this is important
Spotting these gaps early is crucial. Untrained managers can lead to:
- Reduced morale and motivation
- Increased mistakes or customer complaints
- Higher staff turnover
- Inefficiencies that affect the bottom line
By investing in training, mentoring, and practical guidance, you can turn a good employee into a confident, capable manager who drives both team performance and business results. Management skills can be developed. Most good managers are not born that way.
Key takeaways
- Delegate, don’t do it all yourself. Focus on leadership tasks and trust your team.
- Address problems early. Avoiding difficult conversations only makes them worse.
- Treat people as individuals. Understand what motivates and supports each team member.
- Invest in people, not just tasks. Engagement drives performance.
- Ask for help and keep learning. Training, mentoring, and advice are key to confidence and success.
Mistakes are part of learning, but with new manager training and practical support, they don’t have to be costly.
Action Tip:
Take a moment to review your management team.
Are any of these mistakes happening right now?
What small changes or training could close the gaps and make your managers more effective?
