Being a manager is tough. Here are 10 challenges that every manager faces, with tips on how to improve them. Read more on Officevibe Blog about Leadership and Employee Engagement: https://www.officevibe.com/blog

1. 10
CHALLENGES
THAT EVERY FIRST-TIME
MANAGER
WILL FACE

2. You recently got hired or promoted and you’re in
a new role. How exciting!
It’s an exciting new challenge, but there will be
struggles, whether you like it or not.

3. The key more than anything is
to change your mindset and get
into a new way of approaching
work.
Here are 10 challenges that
every new manager (including
you) will face.

4. 1
Failure To Set Clear Goals
And Expectations
Lack of clarity on the job causes
confusion between employees
and their manager, leading to
disappointment on both sides.

5. GET THE GUIDE
Our Guide To Setting Goals
Can Help You With This:
TIP
1

6. Poor Time Management
In addition to managing your
own tasks, you have to manage
an entire team, putting out fires
and dealing with their
problems.

7. Block time off on your own calendar. Make it clear
to employees that there are certain times that are
only for you.
TIP

8. Unclear Or Inconsistent
Communication
Employees need to know that
they can trust what you’re saying
to be true.

9. Work on your messaging, make it as crystal clear
as possible.
TIP

10. Pressure To Perform
You were just given an
incredible opportunity and
now you want to show that
you were worth it.

11. Just relax. Rome wasn’t built in a day.
TIP

12. Shifting From Coworker To Boss
Picture this – you’re close with your
coworkers and suddenly you’re
promoted to being their manager,
you’re no longer “one of them.”

13. You need to learn how to separate work from
friendship. There’s a time and place for both.
TIP

14. Hiring
Hiring is tough. Hiring is
especially tough for new
managers that have never
done this before.

15. Use a structured interview, where candidates
are asked the same set of questions with specific
ways of evaluating the responses.
TIP

16. Firing
Firing is a tough thing to do
for anyone. It’s a very
sensitive issue that takes a lot
of emotion.

17. Try your best to make it a team decision. If you meet
with your team regularly one-on-one, you’ll be able to
get a sense of who works well and who doesn’t.
TIP

18. Solving Other People’s Problems
You’re part manager, part
psychologist. Inevitably, you’ll
start receiving complaints from
employees and start having to
deal with their problems.

19. Attack any issue early on before it becomes a serious
problem. Monthly one-on-ones can be a great way to
make sure a problem doesn’t last for too long.
TIP

20. Getting The Team To Be
Productive
Everyone is different, requires
different levels of attention,
and works in different ways.

21. Create an environment that’s good for everyone. Some
people like working later, some earlier, some people like
being told what to do, some people like being left alone.
TIP

22. Not Asking For Help
Many first-time managers will
want to prove that they don’t
need any help – big mistake.

23. Don’t be shy to ask around for help. Do whatever
it takes to make you and your team the best!
TIP

24. Most of these challenges are internal,
meaning only you can fix them.

25. ENGAGE YOUR TEAM
View the State of Employee Engagement, a real-time report
with tons of helpful tips for managers to engage their teams.
See The Live Report

26. TIPSTO ENSURE
SUCCESS
AS A NEW MANAGER

27. CHANGE
YOUR
FOCUS
1
In your old role as an employee, your number one focus
was on accomplishing your tasks. Now, your number
one focus is on helping others accomplish their tasks.

28. LEARN
A LOT
- Use monthly one-on-ones to learn more about your team
- Go to networking events to learn more about your job
and connect with others
- Be active in Linkedin groups to learn more about your
industry.
2

29. TAKE
YOUR
TIME
Take the time to fully understand the dynamics of the
team. Be patient, you’ll get there eventually.
3

30. FIND A
MENTOR
Find someone who’s been there before
and pick their brain.
4

31. Sign up for our free 11-day
email course
START THE COURSE
DO YOU WANT TO BE
A BETTER
LEADER?

32. YOU’LL LOVE
THESE SLIDESHARES:

33. Curious about the first step to take to be a better leader?
Try Officevibe now and start inspiring your employees!
Visit officevibe.com