If You Got Promoted to Management Stop Working and Start Leading

A few years ago, I met a young manager in the tech industry let’s call him Tom. Tom was a brilliant programmer, the kind of engineer everyone relied on when things got tough. Naturally, when a management position opened up, he was the obvious choice.

Fast forward six months, and Tom was drowning. He was still coding late at night, fixing issues himself, and reviewing every piece of code his team wrote. His team? Frustrated. They felt micromanaged, untrusted, and stuck. Tom wasn’t managing — he was just coding with a fancier title.

This is a pattern I see all the time. Many managers are promoted because they were rock stars in their previous role. But here’s the catch: being a great individual contributor has nothing to do with leading people. Management isn’t just a new job; it’s a completely different profession.

Leadership Is About Creating Leaders

Here’s the real problem: A manager who doesn’t lead isn’t just holding themselves back — they’re holding their entire team back. Leadership isn’t about doing the work yourself; it’s about empowering others to do it, grow, and eventually lead themselves. A true leader creates more leaders, not more followers.

So, how do you make the shift? Here’s one simple but powerful tool: let go of something only you know how to do.

Your Challenge: Delegate One Thing Today

Think of one thing you’ve been holding onto because “only you can do it.” Maybe it’s writing critical reports, making key decisions, or solving complex bugs. Whatever it is, teach someone else how to do it. Yes, it’ll take longer at first. Yes, they’ll make mistakes. But in the long run? You’ll have a stronger, more capable team — and more time to actually lead.

If you’re a new manager, stop trying to be the best at what you used to do. Instead, become the best at making others successful. That’s the difference between a manager and a leader. Which one do you want to be?