11 Expert Strategies to Help New Managers Succeed as Leaders

Becoming a manager is a major milestone—and a big responsibility. From adopting a laissez-faire leadership approach to taking a more hands-on style, every manager develops their own way of leading a team. 

Whether you’re just stepping into a leadership role or helping a new manager find their footing, this guide offers practical advice for anybody looking to develop strong, effective leadership.

Strategies for new manager success

As a new manager, how you start your leadership journey sets the tone for everything that follows. Here are practical strategies to help you start strong and ensure your team is supported.

1. Overcome personal barriers and imposter syndrome

Inexperienced managers may doubt their abilities as they step into leadership roles. Whether you’re feeling imposter syndrome—a mindset in which you feel undeserving or unprepared for a role you earned—or struggling to push through other personal barriers, it’s important to find ways of overcoming them to better serve your team.

One of the best ways to build confidence is to focus on leadership development itself. 

"The biggest challenge is the mindset shift—moving from 'I do' to 'I lead others to do,'" explained Sardor Umrdinov, an Investor, Entrepreneur, and Founder of Home Alliance. “Focus development around emotional intelligence and communication, delegation and trust, and coaching and feedback.”

[Read more: Imposter Syndrome: 4 Ways to Combat It and Build Resilience]

2. Build trust and earn respect through consistent actions

Whether professional or personal, trust is the key to maintaining a successful relationship. For a new leader looking to build trust with their team, it starts with being consistent in approach and clear on expectations.

"The best leaders earn trust through competence, consistency, and courage—and they use that trust to help their teams grow into the best versions of themselves," said Adam Rosen, Co-founder and CEO of Email Outreach Company.

One way to demonstrate consistency is through how you deliver feedback. Say two employees submit a report and each forgets a key element. A consistent leader will ensure they give feedback to both employees in a similar manner and with the same level of professionalism. On the other hand, an inconsistent leader would scold one employee for their mistake while overlooking the other’s.

3. Invite input through coaching and mentorship

Part of a manager’s responsibilities is to oversee their people—not just the work they do, but their professional development and success. To be a strong leader, encourage your employees to communicate openly with you and seek your support when they need it. Many will look to you as a coach or even a mentor, and opening that door can make them feel more comfortable reaching out.

As you develop your own leadership style, it’s helpful to remember what defines strong leadership potential in others and use that to shape your approach.

"A strong individual contributor is ready for leadership when they start thinking beyond their own performance and begin improving the system around them," Umrdinov explained. "They naturally mentor others, help their teammates succeed, and take ownership of outcomes that go beyond their job description."

4. Respect lifestyle and communication differences

Every employee communicates differently, shaped by their personality, lifestyle, and responsibilities. Understanding these communication differences can help you build stronger relationships across your team. 

Here are four main communication styles you’ll likely encounter on your team: 

• Passive: Often quiet and adaptable, passive communicators are non-confrontational and may use nonverbal cues.
• Aggressive: Appearing as overconfident or even narrow-minded, they can dominate the conversation without a manager's intervention.
• Passive-aggressive: A passive-aggressive communicator may be hesitant to speak up, exhibit nonverbal cues that conflict with what they’re saying.
• Assertive: Strong yet personable communicators, assertive individuals advocate for what they believe in.

Recognizing how each employee expresses themselves and communicates most comfortably helps create a more inclusive environment where employees are empowered and motivated.

[Read more: 6 Affordable and Efficient Tools for Boosting Employee Communication]

5. Don't undermine more experienced employees

When you take on a new role, you may be in a position above someone else who is more experienced. It’s important to acknowledge their insights and contributions, and encourage your team to do the same.

Seek the input of employees with more experience and be willing to listen, despite how novice you are in your role. Setting ego aside makes it easier to view others’ experiences as opportunities to strengthen your team.

6. Focus on results—not processes—to avoid micromanagement

Micromanaging wastes managers’ time by diverting their focus from their own tasks, and limits employees’ autonomy, making them feel like nothing they do is right. Instead of controlling how employees perform tasks, focus on what they produce: the results. 

When managers focus too much on process, they can stifle creativity and prevent the team from reaching its goals. In contrast, trusting employees to handle tasks can help them work more efficiently with methods they prefer, thereby reducing poor performance while encouraging innovation. This sense of independence can act as a vote of confidence that uplifts employees and helps them feel ownership over their roles.

7. Give timely, two-way feedback and handle performance issues fairly

It’s up to managers to set a precedent for timely feedback and to open the door for employee input. Positive feedback is essential for motivating employees and reinforcing good habits, but you also need to be willing to deliver negative feedback.

“One of the greatest challenges in leadership is learning how to hold others accountable,” Rosen said. “It’s uncomfortable for many people at first, but accountability is the backbone of every high-performing organization.”

Don’t ignore performance issues just because those conversations aren’t comfortable. If an employee’s performance isn’t improving or a performance improvement plan (PIP) is the next step, ensure you follow the policies outlined in your employee handbook to avoid potential legal issues or repercussions.

8. Set clear expectations, boundaries, and multi-channel communication norms

Start on the right foot by setting clear expectations with your team members. Outline any recurring team meetings or obligations you plan to schedule, clarify your preferred communication channels and working hours, and explain how you’ll provide feedback and recognition. 

"Strong systems and courageous leadership go hand in hand," Rosen noted. "When expectations are clear and feedback is consistent, people thrive—and that’s when both individuals and organizations reach their full potential."

[Read more: How to Create Long-Term vs. Short-Term Goals]

9. Delegate strategically and manage people, projects, and time effectively

Being a manager means learning to delegate with intention based on each team member’s skills and capacity. Rather than looking at delegation as a way to offload work, use it to empower your team while freeing yourself to focus on higher-level priorities. For instance, if an employee stands out for their organizational skills, you may delegate scheduling or workflow coordination to them so you can handle strategy and project management. 

To effectively delegate, ensure you understand the work you’re assigning. You should have a clear vision of the goal and understand the potential challenges and support needed to succeed. If you can’t clearly explain the goal or process, employees won't be able to meet your expectations.

10. Replace outdated management habits with modern practices

You don’t have to follow bad management habits just because those before you did. In fact, obsolete practices can diminish your effectiveness as a leader. 

When honing your leadership style, avoid adopting these techniques: 

• Equating physical presence with hard work.
• Using money to motivate your team.
• Waiting until annual reviews to provide feedback.
• Withholding information or only sharing it among senior leaders.
• Prioritize tenure over talent.

Instead, adopt a growth mindset. If you have a better way of doing things, be ready to implement and lead those changes.

"The leaders who thrive in today’s remote, technology-enabled world don’t just do great work; they make the work itself better for everyone around them," Rosen noted.

11. Be accountable, support your team, and lead by example

As a leader, you need to be a role model if you want your team to follow and trust you—which means holding yourself to the same standards you expect from your employees.

"Leadership takes courage—the courage to hold others accountable and the courage to hold ourselves to the same standard," Rosen said. "The best managers understand that accountability isn’t criticism; it’s commitment. It’s how people grow, and how teams consistently perform at a high level."

Be a mindful leader by taking time to understand your employees, their roles, and their pain points. Then continually look for ways to better support them. When employees know you have their back, they’re more likely to stay engaged, take initiative, and do their best.

How to support new managers as a senior leader

As a senior leader, you can have a significant impact on a new manager’s success, especially in the early stages of their journey. Because of this, it’s important to set expectations and provide clear objectives up front to give new leaders a goalpost and help them understand what they’re working toward.

"The first few months set the tone for their leadership journey," Umrdinov explained. "I make sure new managers have clear expectations, early wins, and strong mentorship."

Taking a hands-on approach and working one-on-one with new managers gives them space to reflect, share their struggles, and learn from your experience. These dedicated conversations create opportunities for personal growth, allowing new leaders to analyze how they handled situations, what they will do differently next time, and where they succeeded. Recognizing both wins and lessons early on helps to develop sustainable, healthy managerial habits.

"The key is to create an environment where they can learn fast, fail safely, and feel supported," Umrdinov said. "Confidence grows from clarity and consistency."

Jessica Elliott contributed to this article.

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