Your first week as a new manager: 7 things to remember

Congratulations, you've landed your first role as a manager! Now comes the really daunting part: meeting your team.

Your first week as a new manager will arguably be one of the most memorable — if not challenging — chapters of your entire career. After all, first impressions always count, but they count a whole lot more when you're introducing yourself to a roomful of people as their new leader.

The good news is that your first week as a manager doesn't have to be traumatic. With a little bit of preparation, you can use week zero to set yourself up for a long and happy relationship with your team.

What should a new manager focus on? What expectations do you set as a new manager? What should a new manager do in their first week?

Check out our seven tips for first-time managers and turn a potentially stressful occasion into an auspicious one!

1. Don't just play the "role" of manager

The first thing to be said about managing a team is to be yourself.

While this may sound obvious, when dealing with first-day jitters and being keen to look and sound the part, many new managers fall into the trap of adopting a "manager persona" of sorts, attempting to emulate the behaviour of their previous bosses or people whose leadership skills they admire.

There's nothing wrong with taking a few tips from your personal heroes. Though it's important to remember (during your first week as a new manager, especially) that you were hired for your skills, experience and suitability for the role - not your ability to mimic others.

Resist the temptation to reinvent yourself for the role of manager. As well as being mentally draining to maintain a false persona, you're unlikely to yield the same kind of results that you would if you were being yourself.

When playing into a role, mistakes can slip through the cracks. People (and especially your team) will connect more to a real person. You want to be there for your team, after all. If they detect a false persona, the less likely they are to come to you.

You were hired, remember. Be yourself.

2. Don't rock the boat too much

(At least, not at first.)

How may have plenty of great ideas and perhaps a few too many fires to put out, but try to hold back from tackling things too soon - as eager as you may be!

The arrival of a new manager is a stressful time for any team. Your team will be anxious to know what kind of boss you'll be and how your leadership will affect their daily lives and enjoyment of their roles.

For that reason, you should avoid making any drastic changes until you've been in your new position for at least a month.

As well as making a potentially disastrous decision based on insufficient knowledge, by changing things up too early, you risk creating feelings of resentment amongst your staff, who will interpret your desire to effect change as an attack on their way of doing things.

During your first week as a new manager, be sure to take plenty of notes, ask questions, and consider alternatives — but don't make any big changes until your team have grown used to you and you're fully up to speed.

3. Know what's expected of you

You probably discussed broader goals and objectives during your interview for the role of manager, but now that you're a bona fide member of staff, it's time to sit down with your immediate supervisor and set some concrete goals.

If you've been brought in to help reduce staff turnover, do you know by how much? If you're heading up an entirely new department, then by what standards will your performance be measured?

The only way you'll be able to hit the ground running is by having concrete goals and clear KPIs in mind right from the start.

As mentioned above, you'll probably want to spend a couple of weeks getting to know your team and getting a feel for how everything works. However, you should aim to meet with your superior as early as possible and hash out exactly what needs to be achieved within the next 6–12 months so that you know what to focus on.

4. Meet your team individually

Providing that the team you'll be managing isn't made up of dozens of people, it's well worth scheduling one-to-one meetings with every member during your first couple of days.

These meetings needn't last more than five or 10 minutes each, but taking the time to sit down with people individually will help you understand the team, see what support they need, and lay the foundations for strong working relationships further down the line (not to mention make it easier to remember people's names!).

Just be sure to keep the conversation light during your first meetings with staff. Some of your team will naturally be apprehensive about your arrival, so the last thing you want to do is give them the impression that they're being subtly evaluated. Again - it's about being yourself!

5. Prepare for your first team meeting as a new manager

You've met your team members informally — now it's time to break out your professional side: the first group meeting with staff.

You should treat your first staff meeting like you would a presentation to an outside company or potential partner. Whatever the topic of discussion, take plenty of time to prepare to ensure that you create a great first impression.

Some things to consider:

• Know your people. It's not enough to know the names of everyone on your team — you should also know what their roles and responsibilities are, so you can call upon the right people without interruption and keep your meeting moving.
• Prepare the space. The way you set up the room can have a big effect on the overall vibe of your meeting. Do you want all eyes to be on you, or would you rather foster more of a 'team' dynamic? Do you want certain people to occupy certain seats, or should everyone sit where they like? Take the time to set up the room so that your meeting goes the way you want it to.
• Set up your gear. If you'll be relying on any visual aids or computer equipment during your meeting, make sure that everything is ready to go. Technical hiccups happen to the best of us, but fumbling about with cables or frantically trying to find your PowerPoint presentation doesn't exactly inspire confidence.
• Stick to the schedule. The best bosses value efficiency and don't take up too much of their team's time. If you set start and end times for your meeting, be sure to stick to them — and remember to thank your team for attending.

Remember: this is your team's first real opportunity to see you in action. Take the time to prepare and use the opportunity to show them that they can put their trust in you.

6. Find a mentor

Management can be a lonely place sometimes. Even if you get along well with your team, you'll always be the person that they report to, and there may be occasions when it would be inappropriate to ask for their input or support.

It's a good idea, then, to have a fellow manager whom you can turn to when dealing with situations of a difficult or delicate nature.

Your mentor doesn't have to work at the same company as you, but if possible, you should make a habit of meeting with either your immediate superior or someone who heads up another department or team to bounce ideas off them.

Remember: you were hired for your ability to manage a team, not because you're infallible. Talk to your peers often and take their advice on board.

7. Be your own model employee

Yes, you're a manager now, and that affords you a few special perks. But your team will be paying close attention to the way that you conduct yourself — and following suit.

One of the best ways to get the most out of your staff and to encourage them to trust you is to lead by example.

Right from your very first day as a new manager, be sure to:

• Arrive with time to spare. You want your team to be ready to work, not just arriving, right the start of their shift. Lead by example and make a habit of showing up for work with enough time to make a drink and greet your team.
• Finish on time. It's fine to do a little overtime when necessary, but generally speaking, you should always aim to clock off when you're scheduled to. As well as encouraging your team to get through their work by the allotted hour, leaving on time impresses upon your staff the importance of maintaining a healthy work-life balance.
• Never abuse your power. No one respects the manager who ignores their own rules. Don't be tempted to slip out for long lunches under the pretence of holding a meeting, or chatting in the kitchen for half an hour just because there's no one around to tell you to get back to work.
• Take holidays. Staff who make full use of their annual leave are generally happier and more productive than those who don't. Encourage your team to make the most of the holiday time they're entitled to by booking your own time off well in advance and taking time to de-stress.
• Keep your cool. There's a big difference between being firm with your team and flying off the handle to make a point. No matter how stressed or annoyed you might find yourself during your time as manager, you should never raise your voice unnecessarily. After all, you wouldn't tolerate it from your staff...

Talking the talk is one thing, but teams respect managers who apply the same rules to their own work as their staff.

Final thoughts

It's natural to be nervous during your first week as a new manager. Rather than trying to adopt a persona or shaking things up for the sake of it, however, it's better to be honest and upfront with your team right from the start.

Ask plenty of questions and really listen to what your team has to say. Talk to them about any problems they've been having, and find out what they think works well in the business before making any significant changes.

Your team will be looking to you to prove yourself as a worthy leader, sure, but they'll also be anxious to know whether they can trust you as a person. Keep those channels of communication open and make a conscious effort to play by the same rules that you set for everyone else — it's hard not to respect the boss who integrates with their team rather than constantly hovering above it.

Good luck!

FAQs

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Managing former peers

Becoming a new manager can be daunting in itself, but when it's a promotion within your team... You're going to be managing your former peers. We go into tips and tricks on how to master the transition and handle awkwardness, boundaries, and common challenges you could face.

Learn more

What should new managers do first?

Other than having a breather, introduce yourself to your team. Whether that's before you start (by, say, email) or that first meeting on your first day. Be sure to have one-to-one meetings with each individual employee, too, to help you get a lay of the land and understand how to support them.

If this isn't a new team and actually one you've been promoted into manager for - well, it's a different story. (We go into tips on managing former peers here.)

How should a new manager introduce themselves?

There are a few ways a new manager can introduce themselves to their team. If it's the same team that you're simply moving on up in, a quick word with the team while you're all together or an email works. For a new manager for a group of people you haven't yet worked with, that first meeting as their new manager is vital.

In both cases, one-to-one meetings with those in your team are essential. But above all? The best way to introduce yourself as their new manager in these ways is to be yourself. That way, your new team faces someone transparent and trustworthy - an immediate positive impression rather than a hard shell or false persona they have to figure out over time.

What is the 30-60-90 rule for a new manager?

A 30-60-90 plan is to help new managers onboard in their first three months (split across 30 days, 60 days, then 90 days). It helps them navigate clear goals and priorities around managing their new team, often focusing on three main elements: process, people, and product. It's an effective way to create a smooth onboarding process for new managers and, in turn, their new team.

What should new managers be trained on?

There's never a limit to the amount of training even seasoned managers can continue to have, whether new or as refreshers.

For new managers, be sure to be trained (or get training within your new role) in:

• Strategic planning
• Conflict resolution
• Employee development
• Communication (like effective one-to-one and team meetings)
• Time management
• The company's policies and regulations

What is New Manager Syndrome?

It has many names. 'New manager syndrome', 'accidental manager syndrome', 'new leader syndrome' - however you like to call it. But one name we're all accustomed to 'imposter syndrome', and it all links back to that.

It's that chronic feeling, that self-doubt, that you aren't quite up to the task. Despite being seen to be fit to be the leader, it's common to believe the opposite, especially as a new manager. Of course, that isn't actually the case.

In the case of 'accidental manager syndrome', this is when someone is thrown into the role without particularly wanting (or expecting) it. This causes much anxiety and can potentially affect them and their team's productivity and well-being.

Editor's Note: This post was originally published in August 2022 and updated for accuracy in August 2025.