3 Things You Should NEVER Do as a New Manager - February 14, 2026

Most new managers fail in the first 90 days. I've led teams at Bell, Rogers, and CIBC, and I see the same traps every time. If you want to actually lead, here are three things you should never do. One, never try to be the smartest person in the room. You weren't promoted to do the work anymore. You were promoted to enable the team to do the work. If you're still micromanaging the how, then you aren't leading. You're just a bottleneck. Second, never walk in and change the process on day one.

You don't know why the current system exists yet, so listen first, learn the culture, and you can fine tune it later. Respect the history and the culture before you try to rewrite the future. And third, never cancel your one-on-ones because you're too busy. Those meetings are the most important part of your job. When you skip them, you're telling your team, they don't matter. You're a leader as coach now, so be present. Stop being a manager and start being an architect for your team's success. That's how you become a segment of one. Do you need to fine tune your leadership style? Connect with me and let’s talk.