Sound familiar? When new on the job, the ability to achieve your career goals is largely dependent on how well you perform on each new project assigned. But, like Paul, as you begin to progress in your firm, it is almost inevitable that career success will also depend on your ability to manage other people.

There is no denying that the job of supervising the output of one or more professionals is a major responsibility. A firm’s productivity level as well as its ability to retain committed employees depends largely upon the skills of managers throughout the business. But by studying and adopting a few basic techniques you can avoid becoming overwhelmed by your new role, especially when unexpected management challenges arise.

There are two initial steps that are critical to ultimate success as a manager. The first is to clearly define for the team - and yourself - the ways in which your group can best promote and support the strategic mission of the firm. The second is to clarify for each individual his or her role in helping the team achieve these objectives. With this foundation, the staff will be in a much better position to produce quality work from the outset and operate together effectively.

The first step involves building the team’s value as a contributor to the company’s overall objectives. This means weaving strategic messages into everything you do - whether it is setting up a work plan for the group or coaching a staff member who is encountering career dilemmas. Your role is to show employees that the better they understand the firm’s major priorities, the better equipped they will be to achieve their individual career objectives as well as contribute to the success of the company.

The second step addresses the staff’s more "hands-on" responsibilities and brings the larger-perspective issues closer to home. While you do not want to create an over-regimented environment that can stifle employees’ creativity, it is crucial to provide a clear understanding of job duties and how performance is evaluated. To develop a cohesive team, it is also important to articulate how each person’s contributions affect and inform the work of others.

It is likely that some of employees have been with the company for some time, so be careful about how you depict new directions you wish the group to take. Try to give your approaches an exciting, refreshing dimension while at the same time acknowledging the high-quality work standards that already exist in the organization and the ways in which they can dovetail. By soliciting additional ideas from all of the staff, you are more likely to gain acceptance for your new vision and avoid having it perceived as potentially threatening.

One of the most important challenges facing new managers is the art of delegating, or assigning responsibility to others. At its heart is knowing how to match the right tasks with the right people, based on the strategic needs of your department and the unique talents of each employee.

Effective delegation also depends on the ability to apply just the right amount of oversight - too much can be as bad as too little. Once you have assigned projects to individual staff members, your job is not done. You will also need to provide them the authority, knowledge, and resources to complete their tasks properly. Remain available throughout an initiative’s duration to answer any questions or resolve problems that arise.

At the same time, it is equally important not to over-supervise. Resist the temptation to micro-manage or, worse, reclaim work you have already assigned, at your first frustration over a particular employee’s approach. Remember: You cannot do it all, and to achieve the objectives, you are going to need every bit of the team’s help.

Once you have equipped them with the resources they will need to succeed, be willing to give them room to apply their creativity and special skills to the jobs they have been assigned.

Excellent communication skills are not only helpful for a new manager, they are indispensable. Your ability to effectively delegate and inspire employees to interact as a cohesive team is largely dependent upon your facility for expressing yourself clearly and persuasively.

But real communication does not travel just one way. Equally important is your willingness to listen to the concerns and ideas of all members of your team and to establish an open, honest, two-way flow of information. Encouraging them to share their thoughts and suggestions helps unleash the creativity so vital to a fully functional organization.

Build on the open communication style you have established by coaching the team to focus more heavily on results than on procedure. While you need to be fully informed of their progress, putting in place a culture of intensive reporting, tracking and documentation can send the message that you do not completely trust your employees.

In general, people will work harder and contribute more enthusiastically if they feel their opinions are respected and they are allowed to make their own decisions. Establish respect for the "task at hand," making it clear that the work is the ultimate "boss." Communicating that results are what count will empower team members, raise morale and boost creativity.

The most successful managers make themselves available as mentors and coaches for their team members rather than simply as supervisors. They try to get to know each person they manage and, in particular, to understand their employees’ professional aspirations.

Some people may feel that offering this level of support is too time-consuming, considering all the other duties of a manager. However, those who have adopted an active coaching role say it is ultimately among the most important factors in their team’s ability to achieve outstanding results.

Encouraging employees to seek your guidance when they encounter problems can not only head off potential disruptions in the workflow but also demonstrates that you care about your staff’s job satisfaction. Drawing on your experience to help them resolve career dilemmas enhances your organization’s reputation as an excellent place to work.

At the same time, coaching is not just about resolving problems: Be just as prepared to recognize and congratulate those who succeed as you are to counsel individuals who are having trouble.

While the art of managing others is a dynamic pursuit that continues to evolve, as a new manager you can benefit greatly from observing a few basic principles while shaping your own particular style. By interpreting the strategic mission of the firm for your employees, setting clear individual and group objectives and fostering an environment of respect for all ideas you can develop a truly top-performing team.