Are you first time manager? If you’ve ever wondered what are some management tips for new managers, this article is for you.

If there is one thing that I have learned in my many years working in the management field, it’s that employees don’t ever quit because of the job. They quit because of the management.

I know this because I have been that employee. I have also been that manager.

Every person you ever have the experience of teaming up with, whether it be a sports team, other employees at work, or any other collective group of people striving for one goal, there will always need to be somebody there to help that team along the way.

That person is you.

Nothing is worse than a hostile work environment that you hate being a part of, and to be honest we’ve all been there.

But who’s job is it to make sure that the employees want to come to work everyday? To enjoy what they are doing?

To not have to worry about Jane in accounting wishing she could quit but staying simply for the money? It’s the Manager’s job.

My goal for you is that at the end of this strategy guide, you will have the skills necessary to take your team to the ultimate goal, and make it through the finish line, all while having a mutual respect for eachother, and those around you.

That all being said, there is a reason why you decide to read this article today, and I can guarantee you will not be disappointed.

These tips for the first time managers can be used anywhere, especially in the workplace, and as long as you implement them into your everyday life, you can be the difference that your employees need.

Let’s get down to business.

Top 4 Management Tips For New Managers:

1. Know Your Team

Every expert knows their business inside and out.

They know the tools that they are using, and how to use them with infinite precision. As a Manager, or Team Leader you are an expert in the art of leading people, and your team are your tools.

You need to make sure that you know every little detail about your tools so you can use them effectively, otherwise just like any other piece of equipment ( drill, hammer, screwdriver, etc.) your employees will get dull, and burned out.

When that happens they will be less willing to get the job done.

One of the most important things a Manager forgets to do when coming into command for the first time is getting to know their team.

I’ve seen too often that new Managers take over a team and immediately begin forming opinions on the employees simply based on what the other members of the team are saying about them.

Remember when you start working with a new team, some of them may be eager to load you up with gossip about other employees so they can get a head start to getting you on “their side”.

This will not benefit anybody, especially you.

As a Manager you need to make sure to make a conscious effort to get to know every single one of your employees.

Find out what makes them tick.

Watch them and learn what their strengths, and weaknesses are. Find out what drives them, and what may hinder them.

This may sound simple, and it is.

However it requires you to have an astute eye and ear. Most employees will never tell you what bothers them, or if they are even bothered at all.

A good way to make sure you are effectively engaging with your team is to have one on one meetings with them regularly, and assess how they are doing.

Not only should you ask them questions about how they are feeling, but also be sure to praise them on things that they have been doing well on the job.

This is probably one of the most important steps that many managers seem to forget.

SEE ALSO: How To Become An Effective Manager: 5 Key Tactics You Should Know

2. Create A Roadmap

Nothing is worse than being thrown into a situation completely blind, with no idea of where to go or what to do.

It is essential as a new Manager that you understand the importance of setting a clear and concise goal for your employees, and laying down a concrete plan that they don’t have to think twice about.

I have been on the receiving end of blind instructions as employee, and there is nothing more frustrating than having your boss criticize your work because it isn’t “How they imagined it”, even though there was no instruction prior.

You will want to first make sure that YOU understand what the goal is you are trying to accomplish, and that you have a clear understanding of how to get there yourself.

After all, if you don’t know the path, how can you give others the proper direction?

Some ways I have found helpful to do this are to write down notes, create a “mind map” by writing down your goal in the center of the paper, and connecting thoughts & ideas to it through lines drawn out from the center.

I have also found it helpful to record yourself speaking the ideas and plans aloud while recording into a device for playback.

In the age of technology you should be able to do this with a simple push of a button on your smartphone or tablet.

Even computers have record options 90% of the time.

Once you are clear with yourself on what your ultimate goal is, get ready to present it to your team.

Remember, as you are presenting your plan be sure to be as clear as possible of what the ultimate goal is.

This could be done by giving the employees a handout with a picture & outline of the goal, or maybe a “classroom” style presentation if possible.

Making sure they clearly understand what the endgame is, means there is less of a chance for an error to occur along the way.

Now that they have a complete understanding of what the goal is, I recommend asking them questions.

You already have it in your head about how to achieve the goal, but they may have some insight you didn’t think of.

By asking them how they plan to achieve the goal you can make sure they are on the right path, whether it be by the ideas you generated or the ones they generated.

Now you have created a roadmap.

You have given your employees a starting destination, an end destination, and the path to get there.

This ensures a smooth process for you and your employees, and will give you the peace of mind that they can accomplish the task smoothly, and without error.

3. Give Feedback

This is quite possibly one of the most important things for a new Manager to remember.

During the process, and after your team has reached the goal, make sure to give the employees feedback on their performance.

This is a crucial part because it will remind the employees that you were paying attention to their work, and that you are thankful for their help.

Remember they are people too, and you are all on the same team so make sure to treat them as a peer, and not just another cog in the machine.

When an employee communicates an issue to you, it is your duty as a coach to make sure you give them constructive feedback on how to fix the issue, how they can improve their performance, or how well they did the job.

Make sure to reassure your employees (1) and keep the message you are giving as positive as possible, but don’t be afraid to hold back if something needs to be corrected.

You must always be honest with your employees, as you would expect them to be with you.

Make sure when you are giving them feedback, you remember to:

Be Exact & Precise

Give Examples

Do Not Sugar Coat It

Tell and Show them how it was to be done if it was done wrong.

Remember that when all is said and done, and the goal was achieved, give praise where it is due.

Constructive criticism is only constructive if it helped them to get better, and accomplish what they started out for.

Let them know you were paying attention, and that they used your criticism the right way.

SEE ALSO: How To Stay Focused At Work For 8 Hours To Produce Better Results

4. Listen & Understand

Managers often times get so wrapped up in what they are doing, that they aren’t paying attention to what’s happening on the frontlines.

This is crucial for any Manager because if you cannot identify what’s happening with your team, then how can you expect to correct it.

A lot of this comes down to the simple task of listening.

The key thing to remember here is that Listening and Hearing are not the same thing.

Listening is the process of absorbing the information that’s being given to you, and actually processing it so that you can make an educated response.

This will lead to an actual understanding of what is going on.

So many employees out there have told me, “My Managers don’t listen to my problems”, or “They said they would fix it, but when I checked back in with them they had forgot”.

Those are examples of a Manager that heard what they said, but did not actually listen.

If they had listened they would have addressed the issues instead of putting them on the back burner.

The best way to make sure your employees know that you are understanding what they have to say, is to repeat the issue back to them, lay out a plan to address it, and make sure to check back in with them after the fact so you can make sure things are going smoothly.

Problems amongst your team will ultimately lead to poor morale, and a lack of motivation to work properly (2).

Thus, it is important that you always be aware of what is happening among your employees and listen when they come to you with an issue.

Final Thoughts

While this may not have been a novel, my hope for you is that you take these steps,

and apply them in your management style. Let’s recap:

Get to know your team. Nothing worse than a Manager who doesn’t know a thing about their employee.

Create a clear and concise goal for your team, and work with them so they know how to properly get there.

Give them feedback during and after the process to make sure things go smoothly, and give them praise for doing a great job when necessary.

Listen. Listen. Listen. Employees like to know that their boss is listening to them when they have an issue. Make sure to reassure them that you understand what the issue is, lay out a plan to fix it, and follow up with them.

Making sure you follow these simple steps will ensure that your team operates like a well oiled machine, with fewer hiccups along the way.

Remember you are a team, you are on the same side and have the same goals, so make sure that you all work together.

Thank you for reading this article about management tips for new managers and I really hope that you take action my advice.

I wish you good luck and I hope its contents have been a good help to you.