17 Lessons Most First Time Managers Make the Hard Way

Good lessons......and yes, many of these are usually learned the hard way. For purposes of the people on this site, I would just add that you need to make a transition in your leadership style when you leave the service and enter a leadership role in civilian life. In the military, you can bark out orders, and they will be followed. Not so simple in the civilian work place. There, you have to be aware of many factors in order to get your staff to perform to your expectations. You have to learn what motivates your people, and keep your focus on those factors. A lot of "we" and "us" and very little "I" and "you" is critical. And you have to be able to delegate.....if you try to do it all yourself, you will take the heart right out of your staff.......resulting in performance that meets the bare minimum, and nothing more. You need to be approachable and fair......but don't try to be everyone's best friend. And accept the fact that not everyone will do things the same way you would have done them......they are not "mini" you.

Good article! As I look back at my experience as a military, private, and public sector manager, I think I had the most trouble with 1, 2, 4, 6,13, 15, 16, and 17. The equality and fairness point is particularly applicable in todays hyper sensitive work environment. In my early years as an officer, I witnessed the second round of social engineering in the Services as we learned how to be more sensitive to race and how to treat people equally regardless of race or ethnicity. Then we integrated women into previously all-male units (WAF, WAC, WAVE units disbanded) bringing a whole new set of challenges in the military workforce. By the time I was an Army Civilian about 20 years later, the emphasis was on Sexual Harassment and Abuse.

Excellent article that you should take to heart whether in the military or civilian sectors. My only issue with articles such as this is that they imply a person needs to be one or the other. In fact the situation you are faced with dictates the style that should be used. I imagine that over the course of my careers every lesson mentioned could be applied to me and that's not necessarily bad. Situation, Situation, Situation!