It's All About People - 3rd July 2025

READ TIME - 3 minute read

When someone steps into their first management role, it’s usually because they’re great at what they do — technically brilliant, reliable, maybe even a natural leader.

But being great at a job and being great at managing people doing that job? Totally different things.

Suddenly you’re not just responsible for your own work — you’re juggling team dynamics, deadlines, 121s, sickness, grievances, someone’s hamster dying, someone else wanting a pay rise, and trying to remember who’s on annual leave next week.

We often hear managers say, “I didn’t realise how much people stuff there would be.”

And that’s the crux of it. The role of a manager has grown far beyond supervising tasks. Today’s managers are expected to:

• Motivate (without a budget)

• Communicate (without over-communicating)

• Lead change (even when they didn’t choose it)

• Stay legally compliant (without a law degree)

• Support wellbeing (without burning out)

It’s no wonder so many managers feel overwhelmed or unsure if they’re “doing it right.”

So if you manage people — or support those who do — take a moment this week to check in with yourself (or them). Ask: Are we supporting our managers to actually manage?

Because when managers are equipped and confident, everything else runs more smoothly.

Until next week…

Best wishes,
Emma

P.S.
We’ve got a brand new CMI-accredited e-learning course launching on 14th July for anyone who wants to build confidence as a manager. No waffle, no lectures — just real, practical development. Claim the early bird offer using code EARLY here.

P.P.S. All our resources in the HR Hub are a huge help to managers. Why not try the HR Hub free for a month here.

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