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7 People Management Tips for First-Time Managers (from Top Leaders)
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Updated on:
January 12, 2026
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Being a first-time manager often means learning people management without a playbook. According to Gartner Research, 85% of first-time managers receive no formal training when stepping into leadership roles.
This guide breaks down 7 practical lessons top leaders use to build trust, give feedback, and lead confidently — even without formal training.
While research can't replace formal development, we’ve synthesized the most critical people management lessons from some of the top voices in leadership:
As well as some industry best practices, free resources we provide, and modern performance management and leadership technology available to leaders today.
Before we start, you can also, listen to these conversations in full right here: The Team Check-In
People management is one of the most critical and misunderstood skills a new manager needs to master. It’s often confused with administrative HR tasks, but it’s something far more nuanced and human-centered.
Unlike human resource management, which often deals with compliance, benefits, and compensation, people management is about daily relationships, how you listen, coach, problem-solve, and build trust.
It’s how you turn a group of individuals into a cohesive, motivated team.
Good people managers don’t just delegate tasks. Instead, they:
And when done right, effective people management directly impacts retention, productivity, and morale.
The shift into management is rarely seamless, and for first-time managers, the learning curve is steep. Without strong people management skills, it’s easy to fall into patterns that hinder team performance and morale.
Here are some of the most common challenges first-time managers face:
Why does this matter?
Because without a strong people management skillset, even talented new managers can struggle.
Developing key people management competency framework early on helps first-time managers avoid these pitfalls and lead with clarity, empathy, and confidence.
Why This Matters for First-Time Managers: New managers often fear that being "too close" to the work will undermine their authority or lead to micromanagement. In reality, isolation is what kills trust.
What Top Leaders Do Differently
How to Apply This as a New Manager
Leadership Insight: Aakash Gupta (EA Games Veteran)
Manager Takeaway: Authority isn't found in a separate office; it's built through shared struggle and availability.
Why This Matters for First-Time Managers: It's easy to focus on your own "managerial success metrics" to prove you're doing a good job. This internal focus often creates friction with the very people you're supposed to support.
What Top Leaders Do Differently
How to Apply This as a New Manager
Leadership Insight: Mitch Warner (The Arbinger Institute)
Manager Takeaway: You are successful only when your team is successful. Switch your lens from "self" to "service."
Why This Matters for First-Time ManagersA team that always agrees with you feels good, but it's often a sign of "groupthink" or fear. True alignment requires processing different perspectives before committing to a path.
What Top Leaders Do Differently
How to Apply This as a New Manager
Leadership Insight: Steve Cadigan (LinkedIn’s first CHRO)
Manager Takeaway: Agreement is easy; alignment is earned through healthy conflict.
Why This Matters for First-Time ManagersTraditional feedback feels like a "judgment." When people feel judged, they stop listening and start defending themselves.
What Top Leaders Do Differently
How to Apply This as a New Manager
Leadership Insight: Anna Wildman (CEDAR Model Creator)
Manager Takeaway: Feedback isn't something you do to someone; it's a conversation you have with them.
Why This Matters for First-Time ManagersManagers often feel they must have all the answers. This creates a "hub-and-spoke" model where the manager is the center of every decision, leading to burnout and slow progress.
What Top Leaders Do Differently
How to Apply This as a New Manager
Leadership Insight: Daria Rudnik (Ex-Deloitte & Team Architect)
Manager Takeaway: Your goal is to build a team that can function brilliantly even when you aren't in the room.
Why This Matters for First-Time ManagersMany managers view Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion (DEI) as a corporate checkbox. In reality, it is the foundation of high-performance talent management.
What Top Leaders Do Differently
How to Apply This as a New Manager
Leadership Insight: Bonnie Dilber (Recruiting Leader at Zapier)
Manager Takeaway: Inclusion isn't an "extra" task; it's how you ensure you're getting the best out of every individual.
Why This Matters for First-Time ManagersGood intentions don't scale. Without a system, 1-on-1s get skipped, feedback gets forgotten, and goals become blurry.
What Top Leaders Do Differently
How to Apply This as a New Manager
Industry Best Practice
Whichever software solution you choose for these processes, make sure they are integrated into your main communication platforms. If your organization uses Microsoft Teams for a talent management software, tools like Teamflect are highly rated for standardizing these workflows (1-on-1s, recognitions, performance reviews) without forcing your team to learn a new interface.
Manager Takeaway: Don't rely on your memory; rely on your system.
First-time managers should prioritize building trust and establishing clear communication channels. This involves setting up regular 1-on-1 meetings, understanding individual team member motivations, and shifting from an "individual contributor" mindset to a "leader" mindset.
It is a continuous journey. While the initial transition period typically takes 6 to 12 months, developing deep competencies like coaching and conflict resolution often takes years of consistent practice and self-reflection.
HR management focuses on administrative functions, compliance, and company-wide policies. People management is about the daily relationship between a leader and their team—coaching, problem-solving, and creating the conditions for individuals to thrive.
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