How To Tackle Your First 100 Days as a First-Line Manager

Over the past 20 years, I’ve had the privilege of coaching many first-line managers.

There’s a certain magic to stepping into the role of a leader for the first time, and that’s the beauty of first-line management. It’s why I love marketing coaching.

The definition of a first-line manager or first-line supervisor is more or less someone who supervises non-management employees and is someone people can report to within the company.

When someone gets promoted to be a first-time manager (I remember my first promotion), their eyes always sparkle with excitement, their faces light up with radiant smiles, and their hearts brim with the readiness to conquer the world. By talking with them, I sense their passion, talent, and desire to learn and make an impact.

So, as a new manager in B2B marketing, what do you do after you receive the wonderful news?

The first thing you do is to share with your family and loved ones.

Go out, celebrate, and have a wonderful dinner. Yeah!

I always ask marketing-specialists-becoming-supervisors what they will do first during my coaching sessions.

It’s funny that everyone has a different answer; these range from moving to a new office, to having 1:1 meetings with the previous manager, to getting to know their new team members.

There’s so much to cover, so much to learn, and so little time.

I advised first-line managers to approach their roles like a newly inaugurated US president. Just as most presidents have a plan for their first 100 days, outlining key initiatives and laying the groundwork for the next 6-12 months, first-line managers should similarly develop a strategic plan for their initial period in the role.

So, what do your first 100 days look like as a new leader? [See your 100-day check list]

Your First 100 Days

You can tackle your first 100 days in four areas:

• People
• Processes and Meetings
• Plan and Goals
• Skills

People You’ll Work With

The first thing I’d do is to talk to the direct manager and understand their expectations for your typical duties and responsibilities. I’d also ask them how they measure success. You can get that from your direct manager. Just ask the questions!

I’d also recommend that you get a list of people you need to talk to. Your direct manager should be able to give you one, but you can also get it from your staff.

In general, the people you should be familiar with are:

• Direct manager
• Direct staff and team members
• Internal stakeholders
• External agencies and contractors

Get a list of names and start booking 1:1 meetings with them to introduce yourself, learn what they do, and establish what they expect from you and what you expect from them.

Spending Rules & Internal Processes

Go where the money is. The #1 thing you should get familiar with is the budget and PO processes. Maybe you have a budget, maybe you don’t.

Understanding your budget and the spending rules is critical to complying with purchasing guidelines before spending it.

I’d also make sure to understand the processes for each marketing channel, such as:

• Martech stack for each channel and campaign
• Working with IT and marketing ops
• Communication process with agencies and peers

Having a firm grasp of your company’s marketing communication processes can help you allocate your spending wisely.

Meetings

Knowing what meetings you need to attend is also critical. Find out by talking to your direct managers, staff, and internal stakeholders.

Direct managers will tell you which meetings you should attend, and your internal stakeholders may also invite you to various meetings.

It’s also crucial that you host weekly or bi-weekly staff meetings to do pass-downs from top management or review the status of various projects.

Attending meetings is a great way to get up to speed and know your tribe quickly.

Create A Plan and Set Goals

Once you know the lay of the land through meetings you attended and processes you understand – you can start drafting your plan.

If your direct manager has created an overall plan, I’d study it and see where you can provide value-add, as well as determine your team’s deliverables and contributions.

Use the existing plan as a baseline to create your own plan.

If the direct manager doesn’t have a plan, I’d look at the company objectives and revenue target to determine how you and your team can help. Then, create your plan based on that.

Make the best possible effort to create a preliminary plan in the first 6-8 weeks. If you craft your plan based on company goals or the department plan, it should be a great starting point.

Here is a quick and easy template with an example that you can use to structure your initial plan:

Master Managerial Skills

There are many skill sets that you should possess over time as a leader, but it’s not something you can expect to master in just the first 100 days.

However, you should be cognizant of these leadership and management skills because they will help you move up the corporate ladder.

Listening skills:

I’d argue that the most important skill to possess is the ability to listen, especially between the lines. Understanding implied messages is key.

Problem-solving skills:

During your 1:1 meetings with direct reports and internal stakeholders, you’ll find that people will often come to you with issues and challenges. You don’t need to know the answers right away, but what can you do to help? What can you suggest?

Communication skills:

Both written and verbal communication is critical. Clarity is key. What and how can you say in such a way that you’re able to provide a sense of clarity for everyone?

Technical knowledge:

I often find that having technical knowledge helps to work with subject matter experts and drive a more productive conversation. You need to know enough to be dangerous.

Leadership skills:

We all have different leadership styles. Some people lead with an iron fist, others by staying on top of tasks, some by charisma, and some by being in the trenches with their teams. You need to figure out your own leadership style. Be cognizant of your own style.

Master the 100-Day Mindset

It’s OK to make mistakes

No one is perfect. We are all bound to make mistakes; the key is to understand your mistakes and learn from them.

Listen for feedback

When people share their feedback with you, don’t get defensive. If you agree, acknowledge it and do better next time. If you disagree, acknowledge it and let people know why you did things in certain ways.

Help your direct staff to help you

I believe in servant leadership. As a manager, your job is to remove barriers for your team and shield them from unnecessary politics and company BS so they can do their jobs better.

100-Day Report Out

Provide a report-out to your direct manager, internal stakeholders, and direct staff.

Ideally, you should provide a status update based on the plan you put together. Also, this shouldn’t be presented as a completely separate deck.

Be transparent about what you have accomplished and what you haven’t. Let them know what you will do for the next 100 days.

Continue to learn from your job, and constantly seek feedback from your staff, peers, internal stakeholders, and your direct manager.

Remember –  nobody’s born to be a good manager, but if you intentionally learn and hone your skills, knowledge, and ability to lead, you can become one.

Keep forging forward. You’ve got this. Here is the checklist to get you started.

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Need more front-line manager or marketing coach support? Book a call with Pam Didner,