Leading Your Team to Success

However it also unveils a new landscape of challenges – testing your leadership, adaptability and problem-solving skills like never before. Here’s a few tips to help new managers settle into their new role.

Setting expectations

New managers should first establish or clarify role expectations.

Although this may have been outlined in the job description or discussed during the interview process, having a conversation with higher management will help identify any gaps in responsibilities and highlight leadership and communication requirements.

Providing clarity will help better communicate your expectations to your team members by clearly defining roles, performance standards and goals. Doing so helps foster alignment by ensuring team members understand what’s expected of them.

It also a crucial step for performance management as clear expectations provide the foundation for evaluating progress, offering feedback and addressing issues. In a hybrid work environment where face-to-face interactions may be limited, well-communicated expectations will help maintain accountability and drive team performance.

Managing in hybrid working environment

While many companies continue to support hybrid working arrangements, these arrangements also presents challenges such as maintaining consistent communication and fostering team cohesion. This can be especially difficult for new graduates who miss out on in-person interactions that traditionally help them learn about company values, communication styles and office dynamics.

To address this, companies often require a minimum number of days in the office, with teams coordinating for better in-person collaboration. Managers should consider how to use these days to build connections and develop relationships. It can be as simple as arranging for a team lunch, bringing a team member along to a meeting or sitting next to a junior employee to make it easier to ask questions throughout the day.

Social activities are another great way to strengthen team bonds. While the office might organise after-work drinks or Christmas parties, choosing activities that reflect your team’s interests—such as a potluck morning tea or an afternoon activity like an escape room, can help foster connections in a relaxed environment.

Developing your team

Depending on your role, you could be managing ongoing projects or work streams that require time to learn processes, deliverables, and resources. While this takes time, stepping back into an analyst role temporarily may help manage workloads but your focus should be on overseeing your team’s progress and providing support when needed.

Effective management is not just about workflow oversight; it also involves fostering the personal and professional growth of your team members.

Understanding their work experience is key. By assessing their strengths and growth areas, you can better assign tasks that align with their skillsets, supporting the team’s daily function while also promoting individual development. A well-rounded team is not just more confident and productive but it also contributes to a positive work culture.

Another thing to consider is your team’s career aspirations. As a manager, you play a vital role in helping them grow in their careers and knowing their goals strengthens your working relationships and contributes to long-term success.

One-on-one conversations are valuable for this, so use these meetings effectively. It’s easy to let these sessions become routine ‘check-ins’ but try and focus on development and feedback. While a formal agenda isn’t necessary, guiding the conversation with questions like “What’s top of mind for you this week?” or “What can I help with before our next meeting?” can help keep the discussion productive.

Encouraging a culture of continuous feedback is also essential as upward and downward feedback offer valuable insights for growth. Try creating dialogue to ensure that discussions for improvement or opportunities occurs regularly as this will help limit surprises during formal performance reviews. 

According to Gallup^[1], the best way to encourage feedback is to lead by example, e.g., could you give me some feedback or what would you like more feedback on?

Handling difficult conversations

Even with clear expectations and regular feedback, there will inevitably be times when you need to have a difficult conversation. Yet if approached with clarity and empathy, these discussions can lead to positive outcomes.

Go into these conversations by being prepared and having an open mind as having a clear understanding of the issue and gathering feedback or supporting information, will help you drive the desired outcome.

For instance, if a team member’s work quality has declined, you might approach the conversation by saying, “I’ve noticed some aspects of your recent work seem a bit different from your usual standard. There have been a few small issues, like… I just wanted to check in— is there anything on your mind or affecting your work that you’d like to talk about?” This invites dialogue rather than assigning blame, allowing you to understand the situation better before focusing on solutions.

Before offering advice, try coaching by asking, “How do you plan to address the issue moving forward?” as this method encourages accountability. If necessary, continue probing for possible actions based on their experience. Only at the end should you ask, “What can I do to help?” ^[2]

Challenging conversations may also arise with peers or senior colleagues, if things such as a project is behind schedule. Be prepared with a factual list of reasons for the delay and come with possible solutions—such as reducing scope or adding resources—to show accountability and drive the conversation toward finding a solution.

If you’re feeling anxious about these conversations, don’t hesitate to seek advice from your manager or HR team for guidance.

Take your time…

It’s important to recognise that management styles vary. Your style may be influenced by past managers or your personal preferences. Some managers are results-oriented, while others may prefer a structured, task-focused approach. Understanding your own style while also considering the needs of your team, will allow you to lead more effectively.

Remember your management toolkit will evolve over the course of your career. As actuaries, we receive extensive technical training, but just like our management skills, they were developed over time. There are countless resources—articles, books, and courses—on management and leadership, so remain open to learning. And of course, nothing beats good old-fashioned on-the-job experience!

References

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