What are the common mistakes of new managers? Good management has been thoroughly studied and is widely understood, but it is still more honored in its breach than in its practice. Most new managers, in particular, get it wrong.

A recent poll found that more than 50% of managers received NO training before starting the job. Here is a list of the most common mistakes new managers make so you can avoid making them too.

1. Think you know everything.

If you were just promoted to Production Manager, you may feel you know everything about production. Even if that were true, and it isn’t, you sure don’t know everything about the most important part of your new job, managing people. Listen to the people around you. Ask for their input when appropriate. Keep an open mind

2. Change everything.

Don’t re-invent the wheel. Just because the way something is done isn’t the way you would do it, it isn’t necessarily wrong. Learn the difference between “different” and “wrong”.

3. Don’t take time to get to know your people.

Maybe you worked alongside these people for years. That doesn’t mean you know them. Learn what makes them excited, how to motivate them, what they fear or worry about. Get to know them as individuals, because that’s the only way you can effectively manage them. Your people are what will make or break you in your quest to be a good manager. Give them your attention and time.

4. Misunderstanding Motivation

Do you know what truly motivates your team? Here’s a hint: chances are, it’s not just money!

For example, people seeking a greater work/life balance might be motivated by telecommuting days or flexible working. Others will be motivated by factors such as achievement, extra responsibility, praise, or a sense of camaraderie.

5. Forgetting to manage up.

Managing up means steering your team to hit goals that the people above you care about. Figure out what matters to your boss, and your boss’s boss, and make that stuff matter to you, too, because you can only impress your boss with your management skill if you are accomplishing things she cares about.

And be loud about your accomplishments. Set measurable goals for yourself and let people above you know that you’re meeting them.