6 Lies About Getting Promoted to Manager (That’ll Break You If You Believe Them!)

Read time: 2.5 minutes

Let’s break down the most common lies about getting promoted and the truth behind them:

1. “You got promoted because you’re great at your job.”
Reality: Most promotions happen because of visibility, impact, and being noticed, not just hard work. (The Economic Times, 2025)
✅ What to do: Focus on influence. Be seen. Build trust upward and sideways.

2. “You’ll finally have more control.”
Reality: Managers face pressure from both above and below, often leading to burnout. (HR Daily Advisor, 2025)
✅ What to do: Control your influence, not everything else. Learn to delegate without guilt.

3. “Your team will respect you automatically.”
Reality: Nearly 60% of first-time managers fail within two years, not because of talent but lack of preparation. (InspireOne, 2025)
✅ What to do: Earn authority through consistency, not your title.

4. “Managing is about keeping people happy.”
Reality: 75% of employees say their boss is their biggest source of stress. (McKinsey & Company, 2020)
✅ What to do: Offer clarity, not comfort. Clear expectations build trust faster than endless positivity.

5. “You’ll finally have time to think big.”
Reality: New managers lose up to 40% of productivity to meetings and context switching. (Todoist, 2025)
✅ What to do: Guard your deep work hours like your reputation depends on it, because it does.

6. “You don’t need training — you’ll figure it out.”
Reality: 60% of new managers fail within the first 24 months due to a lack of leadership training. (Executive Education, 2024)
✅ What to do: Learn leadership as a skill. Read, train, and practice... it’s not instinct, it’s education.

How to Stay Ahead?
To grow without breaking, shift from doing the work to building systems and people who can do it well.

• Build influence, not just performance.

• Protect focus, not just time.

• Develop leaders, not followers.

💡Key Takeaway: 

A leader doesn’t carry the weight,they distribute it.