From Managing Yourself to Managing Others: Key Steps and the Change Process

Transitioning from managing yourself to managing others is a significant shift. It requires new skills, new ways of thinking and a conscious change process. Success in this transition is less about applying more effort and more about shifting perspective and approach.

1. Recognise the Change in Focus

When managing yourself, performance is largely under your direct control. As a manager of others:

• Your success depends on the performance, motivation and development of your team.

• Time and effort must shift from task execution to guidance, support and coordination.

This requires acknowledging that your influence is indirect and measured through outcomes achieved by others.

2. Develop Self-Awareness

Effective management begins with understanding your own strengths, weaknesses, habits and leadership style. Consider:

• How do you respond under pressure?

• What assumptions do you make about how others work?

• Where might your preferences create blind spots in leading a team?

Self-awareness allows you to adapt your behaviour and communication to meet the needs of others.

3. Learn to Delegate Effectively

Delegation is a key skill in moving from self-management to managing others. It involves:

• Clearly defining outcomes and expectations.

• Choosing the right person for the task.

• Providing support without micromanaging.

Delegation allows you to focus on leadership responsibilities while enabling your team to grow and take ownership.

4. Shift from Doing to Enabling

Your role changes from executing tasks to enabling others to perform. This requires:

• Coaching and mentoring team members.

• Facilitating problem-solving rather than solving problems yourself.

• Setting a vision and clear priorities while allowing autonomy in execution.

The shift involves letting go of the comfort of control over direct outcomes.

5. Develop Communication and Relationship Skills

Managing others requires consistently effective communication. This includes:

• Setting clear expectations.

• Giving timely and constructive feedback.

• Listening actively to understand challenges and motivations.

Strong relationships build trust and engagement, which are essential for team performance.

6. Understand the Change Process

Moving into management is not an automatic step; it is a psychological and behavioural transition. Key aspects include:

• Letting go of old habits and the mindset of being the sole contributor.

• Learning to tolerate uncertainty when outcomes are influenced by others.

• Continuously reflecting and adjusting your approach.

Research on leadership transitions emphasises that many new managers struggle because they fail to recognise the behavioural shift required and continue to operate as a high-performing individual contributor.

7. Create a Learning and Feedback Loop

Finally, continuous learning is essential. Steps include:

• Seeking feedback from peers, mentors and your team.

• Reflecting on successes and challenges.

• Adjusting strategies based on what works in practice.

Management is a skill developed over time through observation, reflection and deliberate practice.

The move from managing yourself to managing others is a fundamental career shift. It involves changing focus, developing new skills, letting go of control and guiding others to achieve results. By approaching this transition deliberately, cultivating self-awareness, building relationships and creating feedback loops, new managers can navigate the change process effectively and lay the foundation for long-term success.

If you like coaching support to help you with this transition get in touch enquiries@managingchange.org.uk.

Reference

Charan, R., Drotter, S., & Noel, J. (2011). The Leadership Pipeline: How to Build the Leadership-Powered Company. San Francisco: Jossey-Bass.