7 common pitfalls of new people leaders

Transitioning from an individual contributor to a people leader is a big moment in one’s career and feels a lot like jumping into a deep lake. As an HR professional, I’ve helped countless leaders take this plunge and have coached them through their journey. I’d like to share with you what I’ve learned about leadership through my observations and learnings of watching others make this transition through the years.

Here are 7 common pitfalls of becoming a new people leader (and not so new leaders as well!):

1. Not having standing 1on1 meetings with direct reports – this sounds so basic I know, but you’ll be surprised how many leaders I’ve worked with that do not have standing 1on1 meeting time with their direct reports. I understand we all have zoom fatigue and there are many other modes of asynchronous communication. However, if you really want to build a strong relationship with your direct report and support them in their work, it is critical that you set aside time to meet with them at least bi-weekly. These meetings shouldn’t be about you as a leader but should focus on what you can do to help your direct report with their work. The best leaders I’ve seen coach their direct report, giving them the autonomy to solve their own problems and helping to remove roadblocks as needed. 1on1 meetings also signal that you value your direct report enough to dedicate this time for them. Make sure you do not get in the habit of cancelling or rescheduling these 1on1 meetings, as your direct report will definitely read into it that they are not important. And most of all, be present during these meetings. Please do not multi-task!
2. Micromanaging and not delegating – this is the perfect example of “what got you here, won’t take you there”. Usually what has made someone successful as an individual contributor is their attention to detail, their excellence in their craft and being just so oh on top of everything! And bam! Just like that, they are now a people leader and what worked yesterday may not work anymore. New people leaders have a tendency to micromanage, afraid to let go of the work, wanting control because they are so good at what they do. They resist delegating to their direct report, as it is easier to do it yourself than to explain to someone else how you want it done (and besides, no one can do it as well as you anyway!). This leads to your direct report feeling suffocated by a micromanaging leader and ultimately leads to disengagement. Meanwhile, you as the new leader is working extra-long hours as you feel like you have to do EVERYTHING. So how do you break out of this vicious cycle? You begin with a mindset shift. Think of yourself as a coach. Your job is to teach your direct report to fish so they can fish for themselves and not do it for them. You begin delegating and trust them to do the work. You check in during your 1:1s and coach them through their learnings. You provide support as needed and quarterback them.
3. Knowing all the answers – it is a common pitfall for new people leaders to think that as leaders, they should have all the answers. Besides, they worked hard to get here, so they must know more than their direct reports, right? Wrong! The truth is no one will have all the answers. If you want to create the psychological safety for your direct reports to share their ideas with you, you must put aside this expectation of yourself as the all-knowing teacher or superior. Instead, you should be curious and ask questions. Ask them what they think, how they would solve the problem. Together you can brainstorm and throw ideas around to get to the best idea.
4. Telling and not asking questions – we are all busy, I understand. Sometimes it is easier to tell someone what to do, so they do it the way you want it done. Besides, you’ve done their job before as an individual contributor, so I’m sure you know the best way to do it. This is a common pitfall of new people leaders. If you spend your time telling more than asking questions, you run the risk of discovering a better way to do something. Maybe your direct report has seen it done differently and have a different idea that may be good. Second, you are making assumptions that the situation is similar to what you’ve been through. There could be a nuance that would make the situation completely different. If you lead with curiosity and ask questions, you will be able to get a better idea of what the problem at hand is actually and have your direct report own the problem and the solution, rather than telling them what to do.
5. Being too professional – pre-Covid, I have walked into some leader’s offices and noticed that there are no photos of their family. I also observed that they don’t talk about their personal life to their direct reports. The reason most new people leaders do this is that they are afraid to be vulnerable in front of their team. They think that in order to gain their direct reports’ respect, they need to project a professional self. I would like to prove them wrong. The best leaders I know are authentic and bring their whole self to work. They are not afraid to talk about their personal lives and build connections with their direct reports through day-to-day life experiences. Wouldn’t you rather work for someone who shares how he goes jogging every morning and takes his son to daycare rather than someone who just shows up to work and doesn’t talk about any of that and acts very “boss-like”? The truth is, being vulnerable and authentic does not preclude you from being respected as a leader.
6. Forgetting to communicate – One of the most common insights I hear from first-time people leaders is that their job is now to communicate. We often take for granted as an individual contributor how much leaders work to communicate and share with us what is happening. This is a new muscle that new people leaders need to build. If you don’t communicate the company vision, new projects on the horizon, shifts in strategy or other company news, you may be leaving your direct reports in the dark and they may not be able to pivot their project based on this new information. Some leaders think they can rely on the CEO to do the communicating, but the truth is, whatever top-down communication is happening, as the direct people leader, you need to translate it to what it means for your team and for the individual, hence the importance of you doing the communication. Tip: I was in a team where my leader always reserved time for “pass-downs”, sharing information she learned from meetings she attended. I have always appreciated this section as it kept me informed and enabled me to do my job better.
7. Being half glass empty – I supported a leader once where I noticed she did not give out any praise for her direct reports. She told me that if she did, it would make her team complacent, and she was challenging them to do their best work. She also believed the skills in her team are lacking and they could all do better. This sentiment is not uncommon. I’ve seen this play out many times. I’m sure there is some truth to what the leader believes in and that her team may not be performing to her expectations and hence does not deserve any compliments. In this situation, I challenged the leader to give out 3 compliments in every meeting. To catch her direct reports when they are doing something right. To see the glass half-full. In a few months, her direct reports started performing better as they feel encouraged to take a step in the right direction with the praises. With praise, you are pointing the person to the behavior you want to see, which is how behavior change happens.

Most people remember the first time they are made a people leader. This is a big moment in one’s career. I encourage you to read leadership books to get up to speed on leadership concepts. To experiment and try new behaviors that scare you and know that leadership is a learning journey. To know that going out of your comfort zone means you are growing. To ask your direct reports for feedback and truly be open to receiving them. Be humble on your impact to others and have a big heart. Trust that you will find your own leadership voice and a style that will work for you. Most of all, be your authentic self.

We offer executive coaching for people leaders. Book your free introductory session now at www.leadershipwow.com.