In short
A first-time manager (newly promoted to manage 43 people) with no company training asks how to be confident, stay productive, solve problems, and avoid being seen as an “a-hole.”
Guests
Not specified in the transcript (no names or bios provided).
Key claims
Be transparent that you’re learning and will need help; sift through team feedback and apply what improves your job. Management isn’t choosing between compassion and accountability—you can do both. Be decisive; indecision feels bad. Provide direction, explain the “why” behind decisions so people understand and can make aligned decisions themselves.
Notable examples
“I’m learning and need help from all of you”; “being decisive is not being a jerk.”
Written by AI. May contain mistakes. Listen to the episode to check what was said.
Chapters
Tap a time to open that second in VONavigating New Responsibilities
0:22 to 0:47
Discuss strategies for productivity and problem-solving in a new managerial role.
“How do I navigate this new role, be productive, solve problems, and move projects forward without being perceived as an a-hole?”
Balancing Compassion and Accountability
0:47 to 1:31
Explore the misconception that management requires a choice between compassion and accountability.
“You don't have to bend to everyone's feedback, but you have to sift through all the feedback.”
Transcript
Automatic transcript. May contain errors.0:00Amy Bernstein:I've recently had a big promotion and have transitioned from an individual contributor to a people manager overnight. I'm now managing 43 people. Good Lord, that's a lot of people. That's a lot of people. I've had no training, preparation, or guidance from my company. The team is great with a wonderful culture and vibe, but they're not the most productive. How do I navigate this new role, be productive, solve problems, and move projects forward without being perceived as an a-hole? It is no secret to her team that she has been recast in a role that is very new to her. So I would say she should be kind of transparent about this, that I'm learning and I'm going to need help from all of you.
0:47Amy Bernstein:You don't have to bend to everyone's feedback, but you have to sift through all the feedback. and pick out the stuff that's going to help you do your job better. Yep. Right? Yep. One of the misconceptions about management is that you can either be compassionate or you can hold people accountable. And you can do both at the same time. Right. You can. And just think about how you feel, dear listener, when your manager is indecisive. Being decisive is not the same as being a jerk. Yeah. Right? Yeah. People want direction and you are there to provide direction. and you would not be doing your job if you weren't providing direction.
1:25Amy Bernstein:But when you're providing direction, it's important to explain the why behind the what so that people understand how you made decisions and so that they can make decisions themselves in alignment with the goal.
From the publisher
How to Be Confident as a First-Time Manager
22 Apr 2025
---
No training. Big team. Total panic? You’re not alone—and you don’t have to fake it. Amy Bernstein and Amy Gallo share real advice on leading with confidence, clarity, and transparency.
🎧 Listen to HBR’s Women at Work—new episodes every other Monday: https://s.hbr.org/4jEnAhT
Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
