Stepping into a new role can be exciting and stressful. It can be even more stressful if you’re needing to do work that you have little experience doing beforehand: managing people.

When you step into a management role, it can be tempting to want to deliver results straight away to make a great first impression, get some ‘runs on the board’ and reward the trust of the person who employed or promoted you. But using some of your first days and weeks to build strong relationships and earn your team’s trust can make a bigger difference to your success in the long run.

Luis Velasquez and Jenny Fernandez are executive coaches with decades of experience between them. They recommend new managers focus on three key things at the start to ensure long-term success: building connections, learning from your team, and adapting your communication and message.

As a manager, “the majority of your successes will come through the success of others,” Velasquez and Fernandez say. “Your role is to ensure your colleagues feel inspired to work towards a shared vision and perform at their best under your leadership.”

Here are the three things Velasquez and Fernandez say new managers should focus on first up, to succeed in the long term.

1. Build genuine connections

Before you can lead people, you need to build connections and create a foundation of trust.

“In a management role, you are less of a doer, and more of an enabler pushing others to succeed,” write Velasquez and Fernandez.

“Your direct reports, peers and seniors need to trust your authenticity, your ability to empower them and your empathy as someone who cares about them, their growth and the company’s growth.”

One of the first things to do is set up one-on-one time with your team members and get to know them. Ask questions like: ‘What excites you about the work you do?’ ‘What does success look like for you?’ and ‘How can I best support you with your goals?’

Authenticity in leadership is key to forming genuine connections, and it requires a certain level of self-disclosure on your part as well. When you meet with your team, share openly about your own goals and what lights you up. You could also share challenges you’ve had in the past, and what you’ve learned from them.

Importantly, being authentic isn’t about laying all your emotions out on the table or exposing every truth – it’s about aligning your external behaviours with your existing internal values. When team members see you show up in this way, they’re more likely to recognise you as a leader with integrity.

Velasquez and Fernandez add that similar advice applies to meeting with senior leaders in your organisation.

“When you are presenting to others, be clear about your plans, as well as what your aspirations are as a manager and people developer,” they write.

“Be sure to ask: ‘What are the biggest risks and opportunities you see? What recommendations or advice do you have for me? Is there anything else I might be missing?’ Asking for advice and sharing this level of vulnerability will help you earn their respect.”

2. Be open to learning from your team

Nothing sends a stronger signal of trust than being open to hearing and learning from the perspectives of others. We all know what it’s like when someone is truly listening to us – it makes us feel heard and encourages us to share more.

In interviews for their coaching clients, Velasquez and Fernandez often hear comments like: “If I work with someone who cares about what I have to say, I will be more willing to express my opinion.”

This is why it’s important in those initial one-on-one meetings with your new team (and throughout your leadership) to practice active listening. Showing that you are open, present and receptive to what your team members have to say not only strengthens relationships – it also creates an environment where everyone feels safe to contribute.

To show you are actively listening and open to learning from your team:

• Close your laptop, put your phone on silent mode and focus fully on the person you are speaking with. Show through your body language – an affirming nod, an inward lean or clear eye contact – that the person has your full attention.
• Ask questions that invite the person to expand on what they are saying. Use open-ended prompts like, “What possibilities do you see?” or clarifying questions like, “What could be another way to do this?”. Velasquez and Fernandez also suggest avoiding starting your sentences with “But…”, as they might unintentionally negate the point being made.
• Restate the key points from the conversation in your own words and check you’ve understood correctly. This not only shows you’re listening, but also helps clarify both the detail and intent behind what’s being shared.

If you have disagreements or differences of perspective with team members, try not having the last word. it can be more effective and increase your own influence to allow yourself be influenced, especially on issues that are not high-stakes.

3. Adapt your communication style

Communication not just about getting your message across – it’s about delivering it in a way that genuinely connects with the person in front of you.

Great communicators read their audience (whether it’s a group or individual) carefully and adapt how they deliver their message to ensure it has cut-through.

After all, not everyone responds to the same message in the same way.

“Most of us have a preferred method of communication that is specific to our style and tends to favour either the heart (like telling a story to make your point) or the mind (like providing lots of evidence to support your point),” Velasquez and Fernandez point out.

As you get to know your team and your own manager, ask them about their values and motivations. These usually give you a good insight into what matters to them and how best to tailor your communication style.

If you’re communicating to a boss who appreciates stories and big-picture thinking for example, Velasquez and Fernandez suggest crafting your message as a story that highlights out-of-the-box solutions.

“You should still cover updates on the financial impact and tactical execution of the project you are pitching to give them confidence everything is on track,” they write. “But put yourself in your boss’ shoes and ask yourself: Is there a new creative way to tackle this problem? What is the big idea or story behind this process?”

Every new manager will feel the pressure to deliver results quickly and make a strong first impression in their role. But prioritising time to build genuine, trusting relationships with others can be worth its weight in gold over time.

Carving out space to connect meaningfully with team members and ensure they feel seen and heard not only builds trust – it also creates the conditions for them to do their best work and achieve lasting success.

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