Workplace leaders such as managers and HR professionals are crucial to keeping the business afloat and keeping employees engaged and productive. That’s why it’s extremely important for new workplace leaders to start off on the right foot. Here are some common mistakes that a lot of rookie managers and HR professionals make and what you can do to make sure you don’t fall victim to them.
Having confidence in yourself is an important quality for HR professionals and managers. But sometimes workplace leaders who have just started their new position can make the mistake of being overconfident. You’re starting a new and exciting journey so it’s natural to feel proud of yourself but overconfidence means that you are more prone to being underprepared and setting unrealistic goals and expectations. You could also isolate your employees if you can’t or don’t follow through on your ability to perform. A great way for new managers and HR professionals to earn respect in the workplace is to show that you are confident but that you know you’re not perfect and are always looking for ways to improve. Your employees will appreciate that you are human too.
For some reason, there’s a perception out there that the business world needs to be cold and extremely formal. Countless TV shows and movies depict workplace leaders as being void of human emotion and caring. Perhaps managers and HR professionals did behave this way in the past. Somewhere along the way being warm and kind became linked with weak and ineffectual leadership. But this simply isn’t true. New HR professionals and managers should shy away from presenting a cold demeanor. This doesn’t mean you can’t be firm, but employees are constantly reporting that they respond best to and respect workplace leaders who show an interest in them and genuinely care. A warm personality is actually very useful in building trust with your employees.
But on the flip side, new workplace leaders, whether in management or in HR, need to have a handle on their emotions. Keep your anger in check and don’t rush to judge a situation or person when a problem comes up. New managers and HR professionals need to learn quickly that even though everyone has impulses and bad habits, their own personal impulses and bad habits shouldn’t be advertised in the workplace. Employees won’t feel respect for a workplace leader who seems like they don’t have self-control. Learning the ropes for a new workplace leader can certainly be an emotional and challenging time, but always remember to keep a level head. Take a step back and get some space so that you can come back to the problem with a calm, fresh perspective.
A new position as a manager or HR professional is an opportunity to learn and grow, but you and your employees will be most successful when you can start strong and minimize any rookie mistakes. You’ll learn as you go along, but it’s best if you can avoid the most common blunders to make the transition as easy as possible for everyone involved.