You’re not disorganized, you’re doing the wrong job
Why new managers fail at tracking everything (and what to do instead)
Dear Karen,
I got promoted to manager six months ago and I’m completely disorganized. I have seven direct reports doing good work, but I can’t keep track of who’s doing what. My boss asks me questions in meetings and I’m desperately scrolling through Slack trying to piece together answers.
I’ve tried notebooks (can never find the info I need), apps (forget to check them), and spreadsheets (too time-consuming). Nothing sticks and everything’s always out of date. The result is I either forget to follow up entirely or I panic and start asking for updates too frequently, which makes me look like a micromanager.
I don’t want to be the boss who’s constantly checking in, but I also can’t keep showing up to meetings unprepared. My team is capable — I just need a system that actually works for keeping track of their projects without making everyone think I’m hovering.
How do I stay organized without driving everyone (including myself) crazy?
— Drowning in Denver
Hi Drowning,
Here’s the thing nobody tells you when you get promoted: your job completely changed, but your brain hasn’t caught up yet — and neither has everyone around you who may still see you in your old role. You’re still trying to know every detail of every project the way you knew your own work before you got promoted. Except now there are seven people’s worth of details, which is why you’re scrolling through Slack in meetings trying to remember who Richardson is while your boss waits for an answer.
This is not about organization; this is about change.
Your job isn’t to do seven people’s jobs. And it’s not to track seven people’s work. Your job is to make sure seven people’s work gets done. While that may sound similar, it’s completely different and the difference is why you feel like you’re failing.
The notebook, apps, and spreadsheet failed because you were trying to be a tracking system for your team on your own. You were shadowing seven people’s jobs, attempting to maintain a parallel version of their project lists, their timelines, their blockers, and their results. You’re not an actor in the play anymore, you’re the director, and to pretend otherwise is a recipe for chaos.
Here’s what actually works: stop tracking their work and start having them report it.
Set up weekly check-ins with standard questions. 1:1s where everyone comes prepared to tell you: What did you finish? What are you working on? What’s blocked or at risk? What do you need from me? They track their own work while you track patterns, problems, and what needs your attention. Your 1:1 gets canceled/postponed? Ask them to email the update but standardize what information you need from them so everyone gets used to it.
For high-stakes projects, ask for more. If something’s visible to your boss or time-sensitive, tell the project owner you need updates more frequently via Slack or email until it ships. You’re not micromanaging, handling escalated issues is your responsibility and this is where you should be comfortable getting more involved and asking for more information.
Keep one “tracking” list: what needs your follow-up and what you’re waiting for. This is not about seven people’s projects but simply what do you really need to stay on top of. Things like: “Check with Robin on Thursday about the Richardson budget” or “Ask Taylor if they got the needed approval.” The stuff only you can do or need to know about.
When your boss asks about Richardson in a meeting, the right answer is probably a version of “We’re on track for next Friday’s deadline, but let me confirm the latest with Robin and get back to you.” You don’t need real-time knowledge of every detail but you do need to know enough to spot patterns and problems and know who to ask for more.
The hard part is getting comfortable not knowing everything. You got promoted because you were good at your job, which meant knowing your work inside and out. Now you have to trust seven people to know their work inside and out while you know just enough to make sure it’s all moving forward.
That trust gets easier with reps. The first time you say “I’ll check with my team and get back to you” you’ll feel like you did something wrong and you should know already. The tenth time, however, when you realize your team always comes through with good information, it feels like real leadership. This kind of behavior change will not only keep you sane, you’ll earn more respect from your team and your boss.
You’ve got this. Stop trying to be seven people’s understudy and start saying “Action!”
Step up, not in,
Karen
About Mess of the Moment
Mess of the Moment is an advice column for people navigating situations that don’t come with a playbook, including blended families, workplace dynamics, complex extended families, and other relationships where the “right answer” isn’t obvious. Got a question? I can’t promise I’ll have the answer, but I can promise I’ve probably stepped in something similar.
Submit your questions anonymously at this link or less anonymously via motm@karendoak.com. Questions may be edited for length and clarity, but the mess stays intact.
