The first 90 days in your new management position

The road to your first management role is often rough, characterised by concerns and numerous hurdles. In an interview, Thomas Hoffmann, Senior Director North at Robert Walters, shares valuable insights from his many years in the recruitment industry and his own leadership experience. With his recommendations, he wants to make the transition easier for prospective managers and prepare them for potential stumbling blocks.

What are the biggest concerns for newly appointed managers in the first 90 days?

"Taking on a management position always brings with it a lot of additional responsibility. There is often a fear of failure due to the pressure to fulfil one's own and others' expectations. It is particularly challenging that the number of stakeholders whose requirements you want and have to fulfil increases. Self-doubt and even existential fears are not uncommon, especially when it seems almost impossible to return to the previous position. Finally, a change of position is often associated with changes in living conditions, including the significant step of relocating."

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Expectation vs. reality

"Many people work towards this position for a long time and set their expectations very high, but these can differ from reality. The experience of looking over your manager's shoulder is very different from actually looking after the concerns and private lives of your own employees. Added to this is the pressure of having to be in charge of achieving specified KPIs or sales targets. At first, of course, everyone is delighted with a promotion. But the reality of the new role can differ significantly from previous expectations and lead to serious problems or even burnout."

How does the relationship with colleagues and peers change?

"The group of colleagues and peers with whom you have previously been on the same level – your peer group – also changes when you take on a leadership role. The change in this circle can lead to isolation, as relationships with former peers change. In this context, such a leadership role often makes you lonely, as the distance to your old peer group grows and you are now faced with challenges and decisions that you have to deal with alone. You also face the task of establishing yourself in a new peer group and gaining recognition there."

What questions should be answered before taking on a management position?

Thomas Hoffmann recommends answering the following questions before applying for a management position:

1. What really drives me to want to take on management responsibility?

2. How will my work and day-to-day business change?

3. How does my environment / my current manager assess my suitability for the desired role?

4 What support can I access?

5 Where might difficulties arise?

6 What are the requirements for promotion?

7. What is the ratio of operational to strategic tasks in the new role?

What advice would you give to prospective managers?

"Talk to people who already hold similar positions to weigh up the positive and negative aspects. Think about whether the potential extra work is worth the financial or status-related benefits. Are you resilient enough to devote the necessary attention to your employees' concerns alongside your day-to-day business and to deal with the increased pressure? Bear in mind that the entire communication chain is changing: Information only reaches you in a filtered form and, conversely, you have to be sensitive about how you pass on information."

What qualities are essential for managers?

"It is particularly important to have a high level of stress resilience, be able to deal well with pressure and be a strong communicator. Empathy is also increasingly becoming a decisive factor, especially because of the current shortage of skilled labour and the changing demands of younger generations. You should also be able to cope with the fact that numerous additional obligations characterise your everyday life and that you often only get to the core tasks of your department outside of regular working hours."

What strategies are there for coping with the new challenges?

1. Find a mentor

"Find a suitable mentor who can offer you valuable support and advice. Build up a new peer group, a network of helpful contacts."

2. Set yourself a trial period

"Keep calm during your first time as a manager. Nobody expects you to master every one of your new tasks perfectly right from the start. Ideally, give yourself a kind of probationary period. Set a period right from the start in which you actively familiarise yourself with your new tasks and in which you do not lose sight of your focus. Take stock of yourself after this period: How have you fared during this time? What do you still need to work on and what specific goals can you set yourself to overcome the weaknesses you have uncovered?"

3. Take care of your health

"Don't neglect yourself on your journey. Continue to look after your physical and mental health. Stay active in sports and maintain a healthy lifestyle. Because a harmonious balance between private life and career is the key to lasting satisfaction and success."

What should be the motivation behind taking on a management position?

"The drive to take on a management role should primarily stem from the joy of working with people and the desire to develop them. Few things are as fulfilling as seeing a person who was initially unsure and faced with challenges gain confidence and success through your support. The pride you then experience is the real reward. You know that it was worth all the effort. However, if your motivation is to earn more money or achieve a certain status, then there are more effective ways to achieve these goals. In such cases, a specialist career path or a role as a recognised expert in a specialist area would probably be more suitable for you, as these paths are more directly aimed at deepening and applying specific expertise without the broad leadership responsibilities that a management position entails."

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