Leadership Blog for New Managers

A cartoon-style digital illustration of four office workers—two men and two women—standing shoulder to shoulder, all with annoyed facial expressions and rolling their eyes. Above them is a large thought bubble that reads “ANOTHER A&$#⚡?!” in bold, with “ANOTHER” in black and the symbols in red, mimicking a censored swear word to express frustration.

The biggest time-waster most managers accept—and how to fix it

I've asked 20 managers a simple question: "What wastes your time the most?"

The answer was unanimous. But before I reveal it, here's some context - each of them has been:

a manager for over 2 years,
leading a team of at least 8 people,
part of a company of 100+ employees,

Two new managers show extreme reactions to leadership: one thinks “Piece of cake!”, the other “WTF?!”, reflecting overconfidence and overwhelm.

The two extremes that hold new managers back

When someone steps into their first management role, I often see them fall into one of two mental traps:

"This will be easy!"

"This is way too hard!"

Two extremes.

Both wrong.

Both completely normal.

And both in serious need of support.

The first extreme: "This will be easy!"

...

A client asking a leadership coach if he has a coach himself.

Do coaches need coaches?

"Do you have a coach yourself?"

A client—a new manager—asked me that recently.

And I loved that question.

Because I practice what I preach.

Over the last 20 years, I’ve had a number of coaches. Right now, I work with two:

one helps me build my business,
The other helps me grow as a coa...

Gregor prah talking to his son about what it takes to succeed in the modern world

It’s getting easier—because it’s getting harder

The other night, my 17-year-old son caught me off guard with a question that lingered long after our conversation ended.

"Do you think my generation will have a harder time succeeding?"

I paused.

It's a big question. One that deserves more than a cliché or a surface-level answer.

And after a ...

Gregor Prah impersonating active listening as a new manager.

The skill every new manager should master first

Congratulations! You've been promoted to a managerial role. The excitement is palpable, but if you're like most new managers, there's also a nagging question in the back of your mind: What now? You've entered uncharted waters, and the skills that made you successful as an individual contributor w...

Gregor Prah looking at the camera with large cartoon eyes, emphasizing the importance of eye contact

How to master eye contact for confident presentations as a new manager

Audience? What audience?

Well, yes! As a new manager, presenting your ideas, plans, and outcomes becomes an integral part of your role. With the promotion comes your new audience; whether addressing your team, the management board, business partners, or clients, your ability to communicate effe...

The hidden benefits of developing leadership skills

In today's short post, I want to share a perspective on leadership that often goes unnoticed. You see, developing leadership skills isn't just about professional growth; it's about enriching your personal life, relationships, and overall well-being.

Consider the qualities of a good leader:

...

THE BLOG

The first extreme: "This will be easy!"

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