How do I manage people as a first-time manager?

Becoming a manager for the first time is one of the strangest jumps in working life. Yesterday you were judged on your own work. Today you are judged on other people's, and no one really hands you the manual. Feeling unsure is not a sign you are wrong for the job. It is a sign you understand how different the job is. The most common mistake is thinking managing means having all the answers and directing everyone. It does not. Good managing is mostly about making your people effective, clearing their path, giving them clear expectations, and noticing what they need. You succeed now through them, not around them. That is a shift in where you point your effort. Start with regular one-on-one conversations with each person, where you ask more than you tell. Learn what they are working on, what is in their way, and what they are aiming for. Do that consistently and you will grow into the role. You do not need to have it all figured out. You need to stay curious about the people you serve.