Here’s the biggest mistake I made as a first-time manager—and how you can avoid it yourself

I remember being so excited for one of my first promotions. It was my very first time becoming a manager, overseeing a team, and finally evolving from doing all of the work to directing some of it. And like many first-time managers, I had no idea that I was actually not prepared to lead.

According to the Center for Creative Leadership, more than 25% of first-time managers acknowledged that they were not ready to lead others. And almost 60% of individuals said they never received training when they started their first leadership role. While Training Industry estimates that $166 billion are spent annually on leadership development in the U.S., there still remains a big opportunity to train and continue to upskill first-time managers.

Because here’s the biggest mistake that I, and so many others, have made as a first-time manager: micromanaging. I couldn’t make the leap from doing to directing. I was overly focused on details that didn’t matter but that I thought offered me some semblance of control. I micromanaged because it was how other bosses had managed me, and I thought that’s what I was supposed to do as well. I also micromanaged because I was scared to step into what I was meant to do: which was not to manage people, but to step up, coach, and lead my team.

Now knowing my mistake, here’s the advice I give first-time managers on how to avoid micromanaging, and how to coach and support their teams:

Focus on outputs

The first time I led a team, I obsessed over details that ultimately didn’t matter much. I would tell my team to swap one image in a deck for another one that looked very similar. I would ask my team to create backup slides for a five-minute presentation just in case we were asked “that question.” I would direct my team to meticulously rearrange product samples on the table at a trade show. I didn’t spend enough time focusing on outputs.

Now, when I work with teams, I focus on outputs and make sure we are all aligned on our objectives. I ensure that we have a shared understanding of what we want the end result to be. Are we trying to get approval for a new initiative? Are we trying to influence a leader to change suppliers? Or are we providing a monthly update on the state of the business?

If there’s a template to follow, we use that. If not, I let my team create a template and advise them on key elements. Whether it be an email, a proposal, or a meeting, I let them know key things I anticipate leadership will want to know, and I coach them on how to present the material to the audience in a way that’s easy to understand.

Coach through mistakes

As a first-time manager, I was proud that I had a very strong bias for action. I wanted to work quickly, move quickly, and make an impact as fast as possible. I didn’t have time to waste; there was just too much to do. So I would send back mistakes my team had made, already fixed for them to simply incorporate: rewriting sentences, redoing calculations, reformatting tables. I thought I was doing all of us a favor; moving quickly so we could move onto the next thing. And I was pitching in and helping; I wasn’t asking them to redo anything. But in the end, by correcting their mistakes, I wasn’t actually teaching them anything.

Great leaders don’t fix mistakes, they coach through mistakes. If you truly want to empower your team, explore opportunities for growth. Discuss why something was factually incorrect, not positioned appropriately, or was a calculation error. Work through mistakes and show your team other options if there’s not just one right answer. Have them correct their mistakes themselves. If you are reviewing something that has already been completed, remind them of how they can apply any lessons learned in the future. 

Don’t be a helicopter manager

When I became a manager for the first time, I knew the opportunity was a privilege and that I was responsible for helping them grow in their careers. And while I had good intentions, the impact of my actions was that I became a helicopter manager. Similar to a helicopter parent, I was always hovering and nearby. I was ready to fight any battle for them at work. If someone argued with them or asked for something last minute, I was right there. I was ready to jump in and help without giving them the time and space to tackle problems themselves. I was overly responsive to group emails and would respond right away without giving my team a chance to answer. I thought I was being helpful.

Give your teams the space to take initiative, to drive and own their work, to test and try things, and also to fail. Clap loudly and proudly for them when they shine. Have their backs and provide cover when they fail. Allow them to grow as individuals. Remember that you are not just a first-time manager—you are a first-time leader. Your job is not to micromanage people. Your job is to step up to coach and lead.

Mita Mallick is a diversity and inclusion leader. Currently, she is the head of inclusion, equity, and impact at Carta.