New managers, my heart is with you. I became a manager at the age of 16. It was Kissin' Cuzzins Country Candy Store in downtown Milwaukee. I learned a lot: budgets, customer service, inventory -- and don't hire all your best friends from school if you want them to remain your best friends. At 27, I was promoted to news director at my TV station, leading a department where many of my staff members were older than I was and had never worked for a woman before.
Like many of you, I had no formal management training, and learned on the job. I think we deserve more, don't you? Our employees certainly do. That's why I take special interest in the needs of new managers. That's why I've developed these resources for you. Here are past columns that focus on challenges and solutions for new managers:
