5 Traps First-Time Managers Fall Into

Skip the books, just remember this

One day, "Team Lead" magically appeared on my business card

Everything happens when you least expect it. Becoming a team lead is no exception.

I started my career as a manager at a performance marketing agency before shifting my path to an in-house marketer. Leveraging that expertise, I joined DelightRoom as a performance marketer too. Then, after just one year at DelightRoom, I was suddenly handed the role of Marketing Team Lead.

"What exactly does a lead (manager) even do...?"

I had worked under plenty of managers throughout my career, but leading a team myself was a completely different story. I encountered entirely new situations I had never faced before, and it felt like I was back to being a clueless junior all over again.

The sheer amount of information in countless leadership books only confused me more, and while I sought plenty of advice from the company and other leads at DelightRoom, I ultimately had to figure things out on my own because I knew my team's dynamics best. Over the next three quarters, I failed countless times.

I spent the last three quarters repeating failures in total frustration, but I put together the "5 Core Rules for First-Time Managers" hoping others can get through their rookie phase a bit more smoothly. If you're a new lead, just trying these out is a great start.

Trap 1. You must accommodate all teammates' opinions

As a first-time lead, I wanted to be that ideal manager who respected my teammates' opinions as much as possible. (I explicitly ignored warnings from people around me saying this was impossible.) So, I tried to make decisions that factored in every teammate's input. But as a result, we ended up running conflicting processes with completely different goals, and only then did I realize something was terribly wrong.

Listening to your teammates' opinions is important, but you can't accommodate them all. Ultimately, you have to make a single choice based on your judgment as the lead.

If you focus entirely on somehow reflecting your teammates' input without setting this foundation, you might actually lose the team's direction. The team's direction and priorities must be protected by the team lead. Otherwise, the team can end up adrift in the middle of nowhere.

Trap 2. Giving constructive feedback to a teammate ruins the relationship

You might genuinely worry, "Will pointing out areas for improvement actually crush their desire to grow? What if they start feeling increasingly uncomfortable around me?" However, guiding a teammate's growth direction through constructive feedback is incredibly important, and this is exactly what a lead's job is.

While their motivations may vary, many teammates want to grow. But they can't grow if they don't know what they are lacking or where they should be heading. If a teammate feels they aren't growing, their motivation plummets rapidly, which ultimately negatively impacts the team as well. Constructive feedback is a great tool that directly connects to the growth of both the teammate and the team.

Delivering constructive feedback isn't the problem itself. Usually, when constructive feedback ruins a relationship, it's because the way the feedback was delivered was flawed.

Trap 4. You need charisma for teammates to follow you

When you picture a charismatic person, you probably imagine someone who is somewhat unapproachable and has a strong, intense image. As a rookie lead, you might think you need this kind of tough persona to lead the team better. But that is not the essence of it.

If you look up the dictionary definition of charisma, it goes like this:

• Charisma: The ability to fascinate and influence others.

A tough image might be one way to project charisma. However, for true charisma, simply establishing "my values/vision" as a lead is more than enough. If your thoughts are organized and you know how to present them clearly to your teammates, leadership will naturally follow. The way you deliver your opinions absolutely doesn't have to be aggressive or coercive.

Trap 5. Micromanagement must be minimized

You've probably heard many times that you should be careful with micromanaging because it harms your teammate's autonomy. The core point here isn't that "micromanagement is unconditionally bad," but rather that "you need management tailored to their level."

I consider micromanagement to be "teaching." A teammate who doesn't know anything will struggle to even execute tasks independently. That is why you need to properly guide them through the stages of [Teaching - Managing - Leading] based on their capabilities.

Remember: when used in the right places, micromanagement can also be an excellent tool.

To all the rookie leads still finding their way today

There are already countless lectures and books about leadership in bookstores and on the internet. I've read quite a few books myself since becoming a lead. However, since books mostly introduce abstract concepts, I couldn't really grasp what I, knowing absolutely nothing, should actually try doing right now. That's why I compiled these five things that I hope struggling first-time managers like myself will remember.

There is no single right answer when it comes to leading a team. Ultimately, there are tens of thousands of appropriate methods depending on the lead's personality and the team's current situation. Still, I figured the hardships we face as rookie managers are somewhat similar, so I decided to share these lessons from my own experience. If there's anyone who wants to share their struggles, please feel free to reach out. I'm always open for a coffee chat.

p.s. If you'd like to have a coffee chat, please contact me at sophie@delightroom.com.