UAE jobs: Promoted at work? 6 ways to be your team’s best boss yet

Question: How can one go from rovide confidential, professional advice.]being a longtime team member to becoming a team leader or manager, especially if they are anxious about their new responsibilities?

Answer: You crushed it as a team player, and now — boom! You’re the boss. Exciting? Yes. Terrifying? Absolutely! One moment, you’re part of the team, the next, you’re leading it. It’s like switching from player to coach mid-game — you know the moves, but now you have to call them. But don’t panic, you’ve got this. Here’s how:

Your days of just ticking off your to-do list are over. Now, you’re steering the ship. Your focus shifts from just getting things done to making sure everyone is headed in the right direction. That means thinking beyond your personal tasks and considering the bigger picture. Great leaders focus on strategy, delegation, and fostering an environment where others can thrive.

2. Communicate clearly, confidently, and with impact

Your team will look to you for direction. Set clear expectations, share your vision, and keep communication open. It’s okay to not have all the answers— what matters is being transparent and approachable. A good leader listens as much as they speak.

Communication goes beyond instructions, it involves making ideas resonate in a way that drives action and engagement. Great leaders use storytelling to connect their team to a shared purpose, making challenges feel more meaningful and lessons more memorable. Whether it’s a personal experience or a lesson from history, storytelling builds trust and strengthens engagement. Strong communication also extends to managing up, ensuring alignment with senior leadership and securing necessary resources. Knowing how to effectively communicate with executives and key decision-makers builds trust, streamlines collaboration, and reinforces your ability to bridge strategy with execution.

3. Make decisions together

If you’ve been promoted from within, you might find it hard to make tough calls, and that’s even harder when they impact colleagues who you may call friends. Effective leadership involves gathering insights from your team and making informed decisions together. Rely on your team’s insights, encourage inclusive discussions, and make collective decisions when possible. Strong teams thrive on collaboration. Your team isn’t just there to follow orders — tap into their expertise, ask for input, and make them part of the process. Research suggests that inclusive decision making is more likely to drive innovation and improve business outcomes.

4. Remember what your bad bosses were like

Think of all the times you said, “I’d never treat someone like that.” The managers you didn’t want to be like — make sure they were lessons, not accidental mentors. Every experience — good or bad — offers something to take forward. Recognise what works and what doesn’t, and use those lessons to shape your own approach.

I still remember my first day as a manager — I thought I had it figured out. I didn’t. I made mistakes, lost a friend, and realised leadership was a whole different ball game. I had no training, no books, and no mentors to guide me. One day I was a high-performing team member, the next, I was responsible for others. It was overwhelming.

Read, educate yourself, and truly understand what motivates people. (Hint: It’s not just money, though lack of it can cause dissatisfaction.)

5. Inspire and connect through stories

Great leaders know how to make ideas stick. A compelling story turns a lesson into something memorable and relatable. A well-told story can motivate your team, connect them to a shared purpose, and make challenges feel more meaningful. Whether it’s a personal experience or a lesson from history, storytelling builds trust and strengthens engagement.

6. Celebrate the wins and give credit where it’s due

Leading a team requires more than solving problems, it means creating an environment where both successes and failures contribute to growth. Mistakes will happen — yours and your team’s. Don’t get disheartened, turn them into learning opportunities. Strong teams treat mistakes as lessons, not disasters. When things go wrong, figure out why, adjust, and move ahead smarter than before.

Your team’s success is your success. Acknowledge their contributions, give credit where it’s due, and never overlook the small wins that keep morale high. Encouragement goes a long way in building trust and motivation.

Growth takes time

Nobody expects you to be the perfect leader overnight. Even the best bosses had their ‘what-am-I-doing’ moments. Laugh at the missteps, learn from them, and keep moving forward. Leadership is a skill — one that improves with practice, reflection, and adaptability. Be patient with yourself, stay open to learning, and trust that with time, you’ll grow into the leader your team needs.

Roujin Ghamsari is an accomplished HR practitioner and fellow of the CIPD, a professional body for HR and people development. Named among the ‘Most Influential HR Practitioners 2023’, she excels at collaborating with C-Suite leadership to craft and implement robust people plans, enabling organisations to deliver their strategic objectives.

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