First Time Managing People? Don’t Panic - Thrive!

Running a company and chasing a dream can be one of the most exhilarating and awe-inducing experiences there is. Then you have to deal with people.


Some people come to it naturally, and seem to do a great job in all aspects of the job. Other people inspire the sort of following that causes people to simply fall in line with what they want to do. Then there are the hard-charging leaders who know how to police themselves and stay perpetually inspiring, but it’s a struggle.

Great news, you don’t have to be the next big motivational speaker or the best coach in the world to successfully manage people. There are a few specific skills and practices anyone can do to increase their ability to successfully lead.

Become a Better Communicator

First, you need to understand what you are doing in a way that can be explained. Some leaders and entrepreneurs are so intuitive they really do just “know” how to get things done. Often, these people struggle to communicate that “thinking” with their team. You have two options here. One, you could learn to be a better communicator. Or, you could hire someone who “gets” you and the business and use them as your designated translator. It might seem like an extravagance, but the number one cause of issues in any interpersonal relationship is poor communication. You could kill a great thing ignoring this problem. Don’t be that guy.

Take time to listen to your people. Bring them in and ask specific leading questions. Get inside their heads. You will learn more about them by listening than you ever could by giving direction. This is a great way to create a question you may not be prepared to answer. Namely, where is their head at, and how did it get there? Why do they think the way they do, what do they see as their job and your priority…and how did they come to that conclusion. Their answers will be very revealing.

Don’t spend so much time working on the business that you lose touch with what’s happening in the business. It’s true you hired These People to operate the business so you could focus on what you need to focus on to build the business. But that doesn’t mean you can set it down and walk away.

Be the Example

Be the example you need them to emulate. This sounds like guru stuff, I realize, but it’s important. You will set the tone in your business for what’s expected and what’s acceptable. Set the bar high and then resource your people so they can reach it.

Finally, be consistent. You might be an emotional person, and you may love the up and down roller coaster of getting really excited about a challenge and chasing it until it works or it doesn’t. Fine, I get that. But in all that exciting risk and reward, don’t forget that your employees probably don’t share that personality, at least to that extreme. They need consistency of vision and direction to make sense of their world. It’s your job to give it to them.

So what about you? Did you see some places you could make improvements in your own ability to lead?

Elie Hirschfeld is a real estate developer in the NY metro area.