It’s no secret that management is a fast-paced environment. From leading a team with different personalities to nailing down targets, sometimes you might feel like you’re going nonstop – especially if you’re a first-time team leader getting the hang of your new position. But the good news is there are three habits you can apply to make sure you become successful in your new role. 

To make it easier for you, I’ve bundled these three habits in one tool you need to use weekly, and in this blog post, I’m sharing all about it, so make sure to stick to the end!

Habits of Successful Managers.

A recent article published by temstage.io revealed that 63% of millennials believe they lack the leadership development they need to succeed. Sadly, I’m not surprised because we were born in an era where success is measured using different standards when, in the leadership world, success is nothing more than achieving a desired outcome.

If you’re all about beating the statistics, you’re my kind of person 🙂. It’s the one tool you need in your management toolbox to exceed expectations as a first-time team leader, and I call it a Manager Date. 

A manager date is simply a time on your calendar used for building, thinking, assessing, and organizing all your tasks and figuring out:

• What came out according to the expected results?
• What didn’t work according to plan?
• What can be improved or changed?

Taking the time off to evaluate, think, and analyze the answers to these questions will help you conduct your role more proactively instead of “putting out fires” and acting reactively. I recommend setting a weekly time or “date” in your calendar to allow yourself to adopt these three habits:

1. Analyze Through Debriefing.
2. Plan by Setting Priorities.
3. Build by Delegating.

We’ll explore each of these in detail, but before jumping in, grab a FREE copy of my workbook, The Ultimate Team Leader Guide, where you’ll learn the five actionable steps new managers must take to gain clarity, build relationships, and lead their new teams effectively.

If you’re looking to uplevel in your leadership capacity, then check out our signature program, The New Manager Accelerator. NMA is our comprehensive step-by-step curriculum designed to help you develop the confidence and skills you need to become an effective and respected leader.

#1. Analyze Through Debriefing.

The first point you want to include in your manager’s date agenda is debriefing. A good debrief allows you to take a step back and assess your work.   It’s all about hitting the pause button to see your results, figure out what’s not working, and what you can do differently. 

Having this space to yourself will help you identify where you’re wasting time and help you focus on solutions rather than reactions. And because we sometimes tend to be so immersed in our roles and daily activities, we don’t realize that a key part of our role is looking for improvement methods. So, instead, try the following things:

• Mark a time in your calendar when you can do this debriefing. I like to do it on Fridays because I feel I’ve completed my weekly work and can dedicate myself fully to this strategic session. 
• Make sure you’re free of interruptions. The last thing you want is to have people popping into  – your office during this time. So, communicate with your team accurately and find a space free of distractions and interruptions. 
• Classify your focus into different “buckets.” I like to call “buckets” the different areas I analyze during my Manager Date. Whether it’s team management, goal setting, or team culture. Having one focus and separating it by buckets helps organize my thoughts and plan accordingly.

This first habit will mark the difference in your management role, allowing you to look for constant ways to grow and adapt to change. Have you tried the Debriefing technique before? Comment below with your experience!

#2. Plan by Setting Priorities.

Planning is probably one of the things I love doing the most during my Manager Date. Because, you know me, I love to understand the root cause so that I can come up with the best solution for a problem. Despite its importance, I’ve seen that one of the most common pitfalls of first-time managers is not preparing for challenging situations. So, at this point on your Manager Date, I want you to flip the script and adopt a proactive approach. 

In the previous step, we classified our focus into buckets, so the next step I want you to do is to select one of those buckets to dedicate your full attention during the week. Doing so will help you:

• Plan with purpose so that you prioritize your buckets and provide your full attention to the matters that must be addressed promptly.
• Make accurate decisions. When your focus is one for the week, you’ll be able to make better decisions for your team.
• Setting the resources where they’re most needed. When you isolate the focus and pinpoint the most important things to address during your manager’s date, it will help ensure you invest your energy and resources where they are most needed.

If you need extra help in this department, check out this video with helpful tips to create an action plan.

#3. Build by Delegating.

One of the most important things we always talk about with my NMA students is the power of delegation and the many benefits it has for you to be a successful manager. So, during your manager date:

• Think about who on your team can take on specific tasks or projects. 
• Consider if building their skillset is necessary when entrusting them with certain responsibilities to help you lighten your load. It will not only help your people take accountability for their actions and results, but it will promote a healthy work environment.
• Document the processes to ensure all parties speak the same language, even when you’re not involved. Adopting this habit as part of your manager date can help develop more people on your team, standardize best practices, and be open to change when necessary. So remember, you don’t need to do it all by yourself. Instead, delegate responsibly and empower people to take accountability for their actions.

If you want to take the extra step in your managerial role and set yourself up for success, check out my NMA program, a personalized coaching program designed to help you develop the confidence and skills you need to become an impactful, respected leader.

So there you have it: three effective management habits bundled in a Manager Date. 

Set yourself up for success by allowing yourself to analyze through debriefing, planning your priorities, and building a team-oriented culture by delegating the necessary tasks and documenting the best practices to implement. 

Don’t forget to share this blog post with a colleague and comment below on what other successful habits have helped you develop your career as a team leader.