[steerpike]

100% agree with this. I would say that the other highly likely mistake new managers make is trying to code their way out of problems. It makes sense, right? Previously when you're an IC and a project ran into issues you could just "code harder" and get through it, but that's rarely the right solution when you're a manager and will likely exacerbate the problem itself if you disappear into the trenches trying to code your way through a critical path. Your role is no longer primarily solving coding problems it's solving people problems.

[anotheracc88]

Indeed. Purposefully stay off the critical path! Do coding that helps you keep up with what people are talking about. Not coding that is urgent!

[ad_hockey]

I made that mistake as a new manager by picking up a small but important task in an area I knew well. I thought it would help unblock the team, but I didn't realise I was about to go into three days of back to back meetings. After the third stand-up in a row of reporting zero progress I sheepishly reassigned the ticket to someone else, and didn't make that mistake again.

Refactors, doc fixes, low priority bug fixes, and tech debt are all fair game for managers to pick up. I do think it's important to keep your hand in.

[osigurdson]

If you are not going to add anything technically, you should probably have 20+ reports.

[diatone]

It depends!