Becoming a leader for the first time is a fascinating and challenging experience. You are no longer an individual contributor because now you are responsible for the actions and productivity of an entire team. Many first-time leaders are used to being successful because of their skills but now they have to deal with people, priorities, and most importantly, themselves. In this article, we will analyse the most common issues new leader have and how they can confidently overcome them.
Common Challenges and Solutions
Moving from Task Expert to People Leader
In the previous roles, success was largely determined by personal outputs. In a leader role, success is determined by the overall performance of the team.
Solution
focus on outcomes instead of tasks. Develop objectives, establish accountability, and then step back and allow team members to pluck their tasks. Have brief regular meetings that both promote accountability and allow autonomy on the projects to avoid micromanaging.
Building Trust and Credibility Quickly
Your team is more likely to assess your actions rather than your words. Trust is built much quicker with consistent actions than with empty words.
Solution
Be consistent, open, and reliable, share the decision behind your actions, admit when you do not know anything, and do what you say you will do. Conducting one-on-one meetings is important so you can hear and understand individual motivations and concerns right from the start.
Delegating Without Hesitation
It’s always easier to just keep the tasks to yourself rather than sharing it with your team, however that defeats the purpose of motivation and growth within the team.
Solution
Use the ‘who, what, why, when’ framework to delegate. Identify the best candidate, explain the task and the goal, set deadlines, and offer support.
Handling Conflicting Priorities
Failure to implement appropriate strategies will cause competing requests to hinder progress, which will result in confusion, wasted effort, and diminished productivity of the group as a whole.
Solution
Construct a basic framework of priorities: Must-Do, Should-Do, Won’t-Do (for now). Eliminate any link to the tasks that are associated with the broader goals of the team or the company.
Mastering Feedback and Difficult Conversations
Not providing feedback damages employee morale and performance and results in unresolved issues in the long term. This leads to loss of motivation which impacts the workplace negatively.
Solution
Make the feedback focused: feedback like “I saw X, it had Y impact, next time try Z” is ideal. Acknowledge success publicly, but corrective feedback should always remain discreet and respectful.
Leading Through Change
Change is something that people question and resist the most, especially when they do not understand the “why.”
Solution
Communicating effectively means that you must state the reason why change is necessary and what is expected and how it will happen. Divide transitions into small manageable steps, celebrate wins, and maintain consistency in your message.
Understanding Your Own Strengths and Weaknesses
Good leaders understand what they’re good at and what they’re not so good. Professional strengths assessments can indicate which talents or skills you might have that you’re not aware of. Try the strengths assessment tool. Outcomes will assist how you decide to delegate, create teams with complementary skills, and even what personal development targets you will set for yourself.
Getting the Right Training and Support
Leaders can avoid taking a trial-and-error approach with the aid of tailored programs for new leaders. These programs equip new leaders with the right strategies, relevant tools, and robust professional networks to help them increase their confidence and accelerate their growth.
30-Day Quick Start Plan
• Week 1: Set ground rules and define team objectives, then conduct a series of listening sessions.
• Week 2: Define roles and responsibilities, establish priorities, and initiate a weekly reporting system.
• Week 3: Initiate feedback dialogues, especially around feedback, and eliminate major obstacles.
• Week 4: Celebrate initial successes, improve strategies, and obtain ongoing coaching or training.
Final Thoughts
Your ability to lead a team will continue to develop throughout your life. As long as you focus on trust, clarity, delegation, and self-awareness, your leadership skills can be built on a strong base. This can also be addressed with structured training, as the right support will turn the challenges that come with early leadership into valuable skills.
