Being a new manager—it's just like riding a bike

I've just returned from an epic trip: over the course of six days, my dad and I biked almost 150 miles from Amsterdam in the Netherlands to Bruges, Belgium.

You might be thinking to yourself, "Wow, that's a lot of cycling! Carole-Ann must ride a lot to take that kind of trip."

And the thing is: yes, that is a lot of cycling, and no, I haven't ridden a bike in 20 years!

So when our tour group assembled to set off on our first day—biking 35 miles from Utrecht to Dordrecht, I was hopeful, ambitious...and very nervous.

I had a lot of time to think while I pedaled through small towns, farmland, and bike paths on dikes along the canals.

And I had some thoughts about how this bike trip felt a lot like being a new manager. Here's how.

1. This ain't your first rodeo

Even though I'd never done cycling like this before, it wasn't my first time on a bike. As a teenager, I ruled the quiet cul de sacs of my grandparent's neighborhood on Cape Cod, flying through the streets on my grandma's forest green 1973 Raleigh Cruiser. That same bike has been gathering cobwebs in my shed for many years, until I took it out this spring and tuned it up for a ride.

Even if you've never had a direct report before, you have leadership experience. It may have been as the project manager of a team project three years ago, it may have been as the president of your college a cappella group (me), it may have been as the captain of your sixth grade hockey team (not me), or it may have been as the big sibling wrangling the cousins at your family's annual fourth of July cookout.

The point is: you are not brand new—that is all relevant leadership experience. It needs dusting off, practice, and refining, but it's a great place to begin.

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2. You're going to be a beginner...in public

Our bike tour group was small—15 of us, with two guides leading the way—and even though 95% of the group was over the age of 70, I was the least confident rider among us.

Thankfully, the terrain was flat, which was why this tour was labeled "Easy." But biking 30+ miles a day in direct sunlight and 90 degree weather? That was not very easy! I was way out of my comfort zone. I was challenging myself. And everyone around me could see it. Especially when I fell of my bike a few times that first day.

It occurred to me: This was the first time in a long time that I did something that I didn't already know I'd be good at.

It's hard to not be good at things when other people are looking—especially as an adult. And when you step up to manage people for the first time, you're going to be a little wobbly. You're going to make mistakes. And people are going to notice.

Expect that. It's part of the process that you simply can't skip over. Embrace the fact that you are challenging yourself and being brave. Which brings me to...

3. You need to take excellent care of yourself

On this trip, I had two options: suck it up and power through the challenges at all costs, or take really good care of myself. Old Carole-Ann would have done the first, but I'm wiser now.

I reapplied my sunscreen four times throughout the day. I brought two water bottles instead of one to ensure I was hydrated. When we got back to the boat after a day of riding, I took some time to regroup alone in my cool, dark room while everyone else socialized over beers, then I reemerged in time for dinner. On day two, my tush hurt so bad that I opted to stay on the boat rather than push through the next 30 mile stretch. After that, I was ready to get out there again.

As a leader, it is tempting to fall into the narrative of sacrificing yourself for the team's good ("Leaders Eat Last" and all that). But that is not a recipe for sustainable leadership or a healthy team.

You need to know what specific activities and supports help you to regroup and sustain yourself, and you need to commit to them for the good of your team and yourself. For some people, that means making the time for movement, either at the gym or a simple walk around the block. For others, it's social connection—prioritizing time with family, or meeting friends for a weekly happy hour. For people like me, it's solitude and time with my hobbies.

Whatever it is that brings you alive, that is an essential part of your leadership practice.

4. When you make a mistake, get right back on the bike

For the first few days of our trip, I was wobbly getting up on my bicycle seat and pushing off. And I was anything but graceful as I came to a stop.

I had several fabulous "dismounts" in which I fell off of the bike. I learned quickly how to let the bike fall and jump away to save myself. I'd throw my hands up in the air like an Olympic Gymnast finishing a floor routine, trying to cover my embarrassment with humor in front of the group.

I had bruises all up and down my legs from knocking a pedal or banging into the seat during a quick stop.

But I didn't let that stop me from riding. I got right back on the bike and kept going.

As a manager, making mistakes is a matter of WHEN, not IF. And when you do, it's important to not let it break you. I coached a manager once who was grappling with a mistake she made overseeing her direct report. "Maybe I'm just not cut out to be a manager. Maybe I should look for an individual contributor role," she told me. She wanted to run away and hide, and I definitely get that. But what she needed more than anything was to get right back on the bike and keep riding. That's how you build confidence. Through imperfect practice, not through being perfect.

On our final day, I surprised myself. Instead of feeling a sense of relief that the trip was finally over, I felt sad to say goodbye to my bike.

Over those six days, I learned to love pushing off for our next stretch. I finally felt skilled at switching to the right gear in the right moment. I savored the feeling of pushing my legs to pedal fast and keep up. I loved the tactile feeling of truly being in a new place, immersed in the streets of a small town and the fields of its farms, growing intimately familiar with the types of wildflowers that grow next to the bike paths.

I can't believe that I did this trip. It was something I wanted and hoped I could do, but I sure as heck didn't know that I could—and then I actually did it! I left with a sense of empowerment and pride. I felt strong in a way that I hadn't yet given myself the opportunity to feel strong.

My dad, my bike, and me—somewhere in Belgium

One more thing: my beloved bike (above) was an e-bike, which gave me an extra boost anytime I needed it. I'd never ridden an e-bike before, and I am now a big fan!

Working with a leadership coach (like me) is like an e-bike for management. When you face a challenging situation, I'm here to help you develop the skill and perspective you need to have a smoother ride—both in the immediate moment and down the road on your leadership journey.