Everyone makes mistakes—the path to success is full of them! New managers are especially susceptible to slipups, especially if it’s their first time leading a team. It can be a tough transition! But knowing about, and ideally avoiding, these common new-manager mistakes can help you make an easier, more graceful transition to leadership.

As a new manager, you should avoid:

1. Doing the day to day. When you stay bogged down in the small stuff, you won’t be effective at managing the team who should be doing those tasks. In fact, your meddling in the day-to-day will confuse your team and create more work. You might even become a dreaded micromanager. It can be tough to let go, but remember, your job is to oversee others’ work now, not to jump in and do it yourself.
2. Acting like the “dictator” manager. “Because I said so” is never a great answer, even in the business world. So don’t stomp around like a tyrant, expecting your team to bow to your will because you’re the boss. Good results come from building a rapport of trust with your team, not from leading with an iron fist.
3. Acting like the “friend” manager. Just as you won’t build great rapport as a dictator, you won’t build great rapport as a loosey-goosey “friend” manager. You’re the boss now; you can’t look the other way when Joe arrives an hour late every day, or when Sandra tells you she feels bullied by Betty. Nor should you have lunch with George every day and never invite the rest of your direct reports. You have to prioritize fairness above friendship.
4. Forming premature political alliances and opinions. Office politics are treacherous to navigate, so even if you’ve promoted from within, don’t assume you understand leadership-level politics or whom to align with. Get to know each key player from your new perspective. See whose success, influence, and values match who you are and how you hope to grow.
5. Badmouthing your predecessor. Badmouthing and bullying can destroy a team, especially from the top down. Remember, you have the power to create and change the office culture! So be careful what you say, and never speak ill of your predecessor, even if they were the worst manager ever. You never know which of their mistakes you may be repeating.
6. Changing things you don’t understand. You had a great strategy that completely overhauled your last organization, and you can’t wait to implement it here! But wait . . . what worked at one company may not work at another. And if you promoted from within, your knowledge and ideas as an individual contributor may suddenly seem incomplete now that you’re a manager. So take a moment to understand how things work before you rush into change. You’ll have plenty of time to make your mark!
7. Committing to too much. As a new manager, you’re bound to hear a lot of wish lists. And while you’ll want to say “yes” to please everyone—you might even be afraid to say “no” before you’ve established a foothold—not finding your voice can quickly lead to overcommitment. And you know what happens when people overpromise and underdeliver…

By avoiding these common new-manager missteps, you can skip some growing pains and work on leading your team to great things. After all, you were chosen to lead for a reason!