3 lessons I'm taking as a first-time manager from The Making of a Manager

I have lots of questions as I become a first-time manager.

How do I transition from my role as an individual contributor to a manager? How do I hire and develop team members? What’s the best way the team can work together? Is the team going to be happy?

I know it’s going to be difficult, it’s going to take time, and it’s going to need experience.

Julie Zhuo’s The Making of a Manager helped me answer some of these questions. These are three lessons I’m taking from her book:

My role will shift from contributor to multiplier

“Your role as a manager is not to do the work yourself, even if you are the best at it, because that will only take you so far. Your role is to improve the purpose, people, and process of your team to get as high a multiplier effect on your collective outcome as you can.”

A big challenge will be knowing what I should take control of and what I should let go of.

My time will shift from projects to people

“The most precious resource you have is your own time and energy, and when you spend it on your team, it goes a long way toward building healthy relationships.”

I will use this time to understand whether the right processes are in place, make sure the team is developing the right skills, and discover their motivations to do great work.

I should encourage regular feedback

“The key is to treat your manager as a coach, not as a judge.”

I’ve had a fear of judgement from my managers, but this sentence shifted my thinking. We can succeed if we ask our managers for help. It’s what they’re there for. This is something I need to act upon myself and share with my team.