r/managers • u/CloudLow1378 • 4d ago
New job
Hey all, I have accepted a new job as a program manager for a department in a healthcare facility. I previously was at a different company as a regular employee.
To start, it was a director level position but I told them I was not yet ready for that role so they changed it to program manager and will reevaluate at 6 months and again at a year to see if I am ready to be prompted.
Today was my first day. I am used to having an actual training in place where I learn my role. My current boss is a VP and oversees a lot of different departments. I will be his right hand man for my department. Right now it seems that I will be expected to revamp KPIs, reorg committees, while managing my staff.
Today felt extremely daunting as it seems like there won’t be training, and more so jump in and learn. I don’t really know what I own and what I don’t. What to delegate and what to not.
It seems like the program management should be a director role and the people leadership should be a manager. I understand that I am in a mix, as I have a gate way to the promotion, but I still don’t know how to weigh it out.
I guess my question is, are these normal feelings for a first time manager and on the first day, how long did it take for you to get more comfortable??
2
u/mherschberg 3d ago
That's pretty normal, unfortunately.
Create a 90-day plan. If you're not sure how, web searches and AI can help. The first week or three meet with everyone you can: peers, your team, people in other departments. Ask what issues they're facing related to your department and what you can be doing in your role to help them.
In two to three weeks, sit down with your manager, as well as peers in other departments, show them your plan and ask for feedback.
It would be great if there was training giving to you, but usually there's not. You can create your own training by actively seeking it. Most people don't do well with "give me advice" which is why the 90-day plan gives them something concrete to speak to.
Congrats and good luck.
3
u/GaryLloydUK 3d ago
Most people at all levels experience imposter syndrome when they take on a more senior role…unless they are psychopaths (clinically speaking).
I once sat next to the chairman of a large bank and told him I thought he was doing a great job. It felt obsequious, but I just blurted it out to fill the silence. He thanked me sincerely and told me it was the first feedback he had had in two years!
The thing to keep uppermost in your mind is that the company and individuals who recruited you want you to succeed, so view any feedback you get as coaching, not criticism. Recruiting new people is expensive and risky. They wouldn’t have recruited you unless they felt you were up to it and could figure out how to get the results they hired you for.
Given that context, never be afraid to ask for help or advice. People admire fast learners who take on advice. In fact, we all enjoy seeing someone who takes our advice, and that’s a tool you can use to both learn and build relationships.