How to build a manager’s mindset

If you aspire to lead, you’re likely a strong performer. But getting results from a team will require a whole different skillset—and a whole new way of thinking about work.

Below are some key approaches of effective managers. Strengthen these mindsets now and you’ll become an even more capable team member—and be well-prepared to take the leadership opportunities ahead.

 

1. Think in terms of team success—rather than just individual success.

The measure of your performance as a manager won’t be how many deals you close or how terrific your analysis is—it will be how many deals your team closes and how terrific their analysis is. This shift might sound simple, but many new managers struggle to accept that their success depends on the collective achievements of their direct reports.

To embrace this mindset now:

In order to do your current job well, you already rely on others, including your peers and boss. And you likely contribute to group initiatives.

To take things a step further, go through your top priorities and consider each one in terms of your team’s and company’s goals. Ask yourself:

• How does what I’m working on contribute to these larger aims?
• Am I being proactive about updating others on my progress and challenges—and learning where they stand?
• Where could I offer more help or input on work that’s high priority for my team?

And ask your manager and teammates what you can do differently to contribute to the group’s success. Try questions like:

• “What are your top goals? And what are some ways I could better align my work to help you meet those goals?”
• “Am I communicating all the information you need about X?”
• “How can I contribute to important project Y?”

 

2. Connect with your co-workers as people.

Think about the managers you’ve most enjoyed working for. Chances are they didn’t view you as just another cog in the machine—but saw you as a human being with likes and dislikes, goals, and valued opinions. You were motivated to do good work because they made you feel noticed, appreciated, and like they wanted you to excel.

To embrace this mindset now:

Make time to learn more about your teammates and others you work with, especially those you don’t know well, to help them see that you recognize and support them. You might connect informally over chat, meet for virtual or in-person lunches, or set up regular peer 1-on-1s to talk about your and their work and to troubleshoot challenges together.

Ask curious, open-ended questions like:

• “What do you love to do outside of work?”
• “What values are most important to you—and how do you incorporate them into your life?”
• “What drives you to do the work you do?”
• “What are you finding most challenging at work right now?”

Then listen carefully and empathetically to what they say.

 

3. Choose your words (and actions) wisely when giving feedback.

As a manager, you will be responsible for evaluating your direct reports’ performance, so they’ll look to you for feedback on where they stand. Delivered well, feedback is one of the most powerful tools you’ll have to clarify your expectations, give others insight into the impact of their actions, and provide clear direction on what they should do more and less of. It can also be a huge motivator—showing your direct reports that you recognize their efforts and care about their progress.

To embrace this mindset now:

You might not be a manager yet, but you still give feedback—verbal and nonverbal, formal and informal—like in work reviews or by looking at your phone while someone shares an idea with you or thanking a teammate for pitching in.

To become more mindful about the feedback you give:

• Regularly ask yourself, What feedback, implicit and explicit, am I sending to others—and is it the feedback I want to send? 
• Before offering your feedback, first seek to understand how the other person sees the situation (e.g., by asking, “What do you think about this issue?”).
• When you share your feedback, explain your intent in giving it. For example, “I noticed that when the customer raised a concern, you seemed to downplay it. I worry that customers could think we don’t take their concerns seriously. I’m sharing because I want to help our team build strong customer relationships.”

 

4. Seek tough feedback—and receive it gracefully.

Managers are under a microscope—everyone pays attention to what they say and do. But great leaders welcome that all eyes are on them as a chance to improve by seeking others’ feedback and handling it with grace and gratitude.

To embrace this mindset now:

Get some practice receiving tough feedback and you’ll be less likely to freak out or shut down when feedback stings, now and in the future. To do it:

• Consistently ask for feedback from your peers, mentors, and manager about what you could do better. It may be uncomfortable or even painful to open yourself up to criticism. But it’s critical in order to build self-awareness—and to help you course-correct before a behavior of yours damages your work, relationships, or career.
• When you get tough feedback, focus on remaining calm and courteous. Take a couple of deep breaths. If needed, ask for a break and suggest a time to revisit the topic (e.g., “I’d like a little time to think through the important things you’ve said—could I schedule some time for us to meet tomorrow?”). And when you respond to the feedback, start by thanking the giver, even if you disagree with what they said.

 

5. Get more comfortable with ambiguity and change.

With shifting company strategies, unclear priorities from higher-ups, and changing business conditions, many managers feel like they don’t have a lot of control. But as a manager, it will be your job to chart a path forward for your team. If you’re easily rattled by uncertainty—rather than learning to be resilient and adaptable—you could cause your team to feel unmoored, too. (Plus, you won’t be very effective at getting stuff done.)

To embrace this mindset now:

Change is a constant in work life—for people at every level—whether it’s deadline shifts, new customer habits, or something else. The sooner you learn to stay flexible and find opportunities in the change the better.

Consider how you typically react to uncertainty and change so you can be equipped to manage your emotions and weigh the opportunities and challenges in front of you. How balanced is my response? Do I default to worst-case scenarios—or try to suppress any negative feelings with relentless optimism? And how might my default approach help me or hold me back?

And when you’re navigating a big change, ask yourself questions like:

• What information about the change might I be missing? Whom could I ask to learn more?
• What do my teammates and I stand to gain and lose from this change?
• What’s one thing I can do now to help this change succeed?

 

6. Manage your time and energy to work without burning out.

When you’re a manager, your days will get cut into slivers by meetings, questions from direct reports, and mentally toggling between smaller tasks and big-picture thinking. In an attempt to get everything done, you might be tempted to cut corners by, say, skipping exercise, eating at your desk, or letting work spill into your off-hours. But if you do that, you risk burning out—and your chronic overwork will set a bad example for your team.

To embrace this mindset now:

It’s as true now as it will be when you’re in a leadership role: You need a clear mind and healthy body in order to focus, make good decisions, and do great work. To start:

• Prioritize your most important tasks. With your manager, determine your top three or four priorities and what trade-offs you might need to make to focus on them. And keep in mind that one of those “most important” items is your own self-care.
• Assess which habits may be raising your risk of burnout—and what you can do to change them. Depending on where you need to focus, you might set and communicate a new work/life boundary, take more consistent and restful breaks, schedule regular exercise, and/or try tactics to get better sleep.