We all face pressures in our professional lives and no doubt there are always going to be additional stress and pressure when you are promoted into the role of a manager.  Like any new job we start we think we are being scrutinised and become paranoid regarding our abilities. Some key tips regarding taking on a new management role:

Be yourself – remember you got that job because of who you are.  You do not have to pretend to be someone else.  Be authentic and be yourself. Remember being a manager does not change who you are, it changes what you do.

Build trust – this is particularly relevant when you take on a team, trust has to be built.  Many new managers want others to see them as being perfect and of course naturally not wanting to be seen making a mistake. The reality is that trust can be built better if you as the manager admit your failings or where you see yourself as an area to improve.  Being bulletproof or pretending to be bulletproof never works; others are likely to support you if you admit you need help and therefore trust can be built.

Communication, communication, communication – what I am about to tell you is a reality and you need to know this.  Most managers are poor communicators and this probably includes you.  They over-rely on the use of electronic communication and presume everyone understands what they are talking about.  Always look to communicate personally where possible.  Moreover and especially when working in a small team, test that others understand what you mean; do this by effective questioning.

Take a brave pill - do not be afraid of conflict, when this happens we have artificial harmony which is never good and conflict gets pushed underground.  If you need to address a situation, do not back down.  When you need to, be assertive and be in control. Individuals need to see that you will not be disrespected or walked over and sometimes you have to be brave.

One small step each day - Remember we don’t have to change or incorporate changes straight away.  This is likely to scare people and cause fear, people don’t like change.  If things need to change take it one step at a time.  Remember, in any kind of change there will be resistance, this is perfectly normal.  Take it easy and take things slowly; look for an opportunity every day to learn something new. This will benefit you much more than making huge changes straightaway.

There are always going to be pressure when taking on a new job, it's inevitable and particularly as a new manager.  Follow my tips above and I guarantee it will release some pressure.

Ralph Moody is the founder of Target Training and specialises in trainer and management development.  You can read more about him here.  To see courses where Ralph delivers see our website here.