Self-awareness in the workplace is always a superpower, but when you’re new to management, it’s even more important. You need to understand and communicate how you do your best work. Here are two exercises first-time managers can use to develop self-awareness:

• First, identify your work style: Are you more introverted or extroverted? Are you more task-oriented or people-oriented?
• Ask yourself:  Do I do my best work in collaboration with others or by myself? Do I tend to place more value on doing things quickly and efficiently or on bringing people along in the process and generating consensus for the path forward? Where you fall will determine which of four work styles you fall into: the analyzer, the director, the collaborator, or the promoter.
• Then, articulate your values. Imagine yourself late in life, reflecting on your career. In the end, what was most important to you? Write down 10 values that represent your ideal of that fulfilled life. Narrow the list down to five values, then three. Then, write down activities that embody each value. If your value is excellence, for example, an activity might be that you never deliver a project unless it’s nearly perfect.
• As a last step, be open with colleagues and direct reports about your work style and key values so they can understand what motivates you and how best to work with you — and provide feedback on the unconscious biases your values will inevitably create.  You can even create a “Working with Me” document that clearly outlines how you like to work, your management style, your communication preferences, and more.