Why are First-Time Managers Unsuccessful in their Roles

First-time managers often have difficulty succeeding in their new roles. There are a number of reasons for this. First, they may not have the necessary experience to effectively manage a workplace. Second, they may be unfamiliar with the workplace culture and norms. Third, they may not have the necessary people skills to manage and motivate employees. Fourth, they may not have the needed organizational skills to keep track of tasks and deadlines. Finally, they may not have the required knowledge to make decisions that will improve workplace productivity. As a result, first-time managers often struggle in their new jobs and may eventually be replaced by more experienced managers.

It's a commonly held belief that people who have never managed before are bound to struggle in their new roles. After all, managing a team of employees requires a completely different skillset than being an individual contributor. First-time managers often find themselves struggling to adjust to the new demands of their jobs. They may be uncertain of how to delegate tasks, handle conflict, or give feedback. As a result, they may start to feel overwhelmed and bogged down by their new responsibilities. Additionally, first-time managers may also have difficulty establishing authority within their teams. Without the proper guidance, they may resort to micromanaging or using punitive measures in an attempt to assert their authority. However, these tactics usually backfire, leading to resentment and low morale among team members. Ultimately, first-time managers often do poorly in their jobs because they are unprepared for the challenges that come with the role.

Janice, a first-time manager at a technology company, lacked self-control, disorganized and unprofessional. She was frequently frustrated with the teams she managed especially when they had questions that she could not answer. She was not as skilled as she had claimed during the interview process. When there were tech challenges, she either feigned like she knew how to solve the issues, blamed others or ignored her team's concerns. She boasted about having leadership skills; however, she had led a student group back in high school. She was not a seasoned professional.  To stay in her role, she promised to improve and assured management that she would do better.  Challenges continue to occur between her and the team members. Unfortunately, many have left and more have been hired under her poor leadership.   

Bob, a seasoned employee in a performance-based team role, lacked professionalism. He was often impatient, insulted fellow workers, and participated in and encouraged unethical behaviors at work.  His actions led to the entire team being punished causing all to come in last in overall team sales. The ripple effect was that most either quit working for the company or were terminated. Bob made excuses for what had occurred with his prior and current teams and used great sales pitches to remain in his position.

Incompetent upper management who chooses to ignore or tolerate patterns of unprofessional behaviors cost companies much time and money. They also do not provide the necessary tools early on to new managers so that inexperienced managers are weeded out from the successful ones.  Leaving both the strong and weak team leaders to fin for themselves.