Becoming a manager for the first time can be stressful. Sometimes it’s because of others, but often it’s because of the misconceptions many people bring into the job.

In this episode, three new managers speak candidly about the surprises, the rewards, and the challenges of leading.

“When I was offered this position, the first thing I said was, ‘Wow, that’s a scary thought,’” one manager tells Women at Work hosts Amy Bernstein and Amy Gallo. “I knew I could do it on a day-to-day basis, but I was totally not prepared to have a vision, to have a strategy on how I would do this long term. And I think I’m still trying to figure it out.”

If you’re a new manager yourself, you’ll hear ideas for building trust across your new team and getting feedback from your direct reports. And if you’re not a manager yet, you’ll learn how to prepare for a leadership role.

Key episode topics include: leadership, managing people, management, personal growth and transformation, building trust, first-time boss, getting feedback, new manager.

HBR On Leadership curates the best case studies and conversations with the world’s top business and management experts, to help you unlock the best in those around you. New episodes every week.

Listen to the original Women at Work episode: The Ups and Downs of Being a First-Time Manager (Oct 2022).
Find more episodes of Women at Work.
Discover 100 years of Harvard Business Review articles, case studies, podcasts, and more at HBR.org.

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