{"id":183,"date":"2018-06-06T19:59:38","date_gmt":"2018-06-06T19:59:38","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/danielvlopes238992071.wordpress.com\/2018\/06\/06\/what-to-do-and-not-do-during-your-first-2-weeks-as-a-new-manager\/"},"modified":"2025-02-28T13:29:36","modified_gmt":"2025-02-28T21:29:36","slug":"what-to-do-and-not-do-during-your-first-2-weeks-as-a-new-manager","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/canopy.is\/blog\/2018\/06\/06\/what-to-do-and-not-do-during-your-first-2-weeks-as-a-new-manager\/","title":{"rendered":"What to do (and not do) during your first 2 weeks as a new manager"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

You\u2019ve just been promoted\u2026 Now what? Here\u2019s what 1,000+ leaders across the world had to say about what a new manager should do during her first 2 weeks on the job.<\/h4>\n\n\n\n
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A friend of mine was recently promoted to being a manager for the first time. It\u2019s a slightly terrifying thing, for those of you who remember it (or are going through it now!)<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Naturally, I invited her into the Canopy community and I sent her a few pieces I\u2019d written for managers (I\u2019ve shared them below, as well). But it got me thinking\u2026<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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What should a new manager do in their first two weeks <\/strong>in the role?<\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n\n\n\n

I posed this question to the 1,000+ leaders from all over the world who are a part of our online community. Here\u2019s what they had to say.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

#1: Go on a \u201cListen and Learn Tour\u201d.<\/h4>\n\n\n\n

Before anything else as a new manager, you must first earn your team\u2019s trust\u200a\u2014\u200aand that starts by listening<\/em> to what your team members have to say, not telling them what to do. You\u2019ll gain an understanding of your team\u2019s problems and concerns, and from there, create the right environment in which the entire team can succeed, said one community member:<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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\u201cYou\u2019re going to be able to see how the team can improve with your fresh eyes, but your first step is to gain the team\u2019s trust, and that is done by listening and getting a deep understanding of the team\u2019s problems so that you can work on creating the right environment for that team to excel in.\u201d<\/em><\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n\n\n\n

This was by far the most emphasized piece of advice. Many leaders even suggested doing this \u201clisten and learn tour\u201d for even longer than just the first two weeks.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

#2: Ask specific questions to each team member, one-on-one.<\/h4>\n\n\n\n

The only way you\u2019ll know what the current state of the team is and what should be done is if you ask. Don\u2019t make assumptions that something is broken or people are feeling a certain way: Ask first.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Leaders in Canopy strongly recommended asking these questions to each team member individually, one-on-one. Specifically, you can ask questions around \u201chow did they get to that job, their aspirations, their dreams, their doubts and frustrations, their visions for them in the company,\u201d You can also ask about more tactically about the work, as to what tools they use\u200a\u2014\u200aone leader suggested this as a way to start thinking about how to help build a more productive environment for them.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Here are also some questions to ask during this one-on-one.<\/a><\/p>\n\n\n\n

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\nLooking for more detailed guidance on one-on-one meetings?<\/strong>\nMake sure to check out our 1:1 module in Canopy.\n<\/div>\n
\nLearn more<\/a>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n

#3: Interview fellow leaders in similar positions in the company.<\/h4>\n\n\n\n

Your peers who are also managers might just be your greatest ally as a new manager. These can be leaders in the same division\u200a\u2014\u200aor even from other parts of the company, but who runs a team that is similar in structure (for example, a similar amount of people, similar time zone distribution, etc.). Ask if you can get their advice for 30 minutes, and find out about how they run their<\/em> teams, what works, and what doesn\u2019t. Here are some possible questions that one member suggested asking:<\/p>\n\n\n\n