Being a line manager isn’t always straightforward. One minute it’s rewarding and energising, the next it can feel frustrating or overwhelming no matter how experienced you are. There are so many different challenges to deal with it’s not surprising our two-day Line Management course is one of our most popular courses.

We asked our trainers to share some of the questions that regularly come up in our training rooms and what advice and conversations follow.

Q: How do I manage upwards or how do I manage my manager?

I remember one manager saying:

It’s hard enough managing my team. I don’t want to have to manage my manager as well!

And yet, most of us find we do have to manage up as well as down the line.

A simple way to manage upwards is to use positive reinforcement. So, when your manager does something you like, give them a reward of acknowledgement. In this way, you can point out what they do that really helps support you, and explain the positive impact on you, the team, or maybe the project. So you’re giving them feedback on how to manage you for the best results. It’s win-win!

One participant tried this after our course and told us her manager actually laughed and said,

Well, that’s good to know, I’ll do more of that then.

Sometimes it’s as simple as that.

Q: How do I manage my friends and peers?

This one can feel really tricky. Often, people say to us,

It’s odd having to give feedback or delegate to someone I see socially and consider a friend.

It’s all about creating boundaries you both acknowledge, and the best approach is honesty. You’re still you, even if your role has changed. A conversation that says:

I know this is a bit different now — shall we chat about how we make it work?

often diffuses the awkwardness.

You can tell them when it’s a formal conversation and you’re speaking with your manager’s hat on as opposed to your mate’s hat. This will help them adapt to the different circumstances as well as you. Authenticity and vulnerability go a long way here.

Q: My role always feels chaotic. How do I manage my time better?

Time management often comes up with a sigh. It can feel like you’re firefighting from the moment you walk in the door at work.

What can help is linking tasks to your natural energy levels – your circadian rhythm.

Try saving progress tasks (deep thinking, problem-solving) for the part of the day when you’re sharpest. Use your dips in mid-morning or after lunch for maintenance tasks like emails. It’s a small shift, but managers often say it makes the day feel more doable.

For yourself and your team it’s a good idea to sit down and work out what the blocks are to completing particular tasks. Sometimes these are practical and sometimes they are psychological. A little time spent in a coaching conversation can save hours of procrastination further down the line.

Q: How do I deal with someone who keeps coming in late?

It might be a good idea to start with concern and check what is going on with the team member by asking,

I’ve noticed you’ve been late a few times. Is everything alright?

One manager told us he found out a team member had been doing the school run because childcare had fallen through. Once they talked it through, they were able to agree on a different start time for a while.

If there’s no obvious underlying issue and it keeps happening, then you can move to talking about the impact the lateness has on colleagues, or maybe on meetings, or clients. That reflection step often helps them realise they need to change, and you can ask them what they can do to make sure they arrive on time.

If they still can’t seem to change their time keeping, there may be some wider issues around how they feel about their role, in which case you might need to set some time aside for a more formal one-to-one conversation and take it from there.

Q: How do I give good feedback?

This one comes up in almost every group. People often admit they avoid giving feedback because they don’t want to upset anyone. One participant laughed and said,

I rehearse it so much in my head that I talk myself out of it completely.

Here’s what can help:

First of all, try to adopt a mindset of “I’m OK, you’re OK.” This means approaching the conversation in an open, adult way and expecting and trusting that your team member can do likewise.

• Think about why you’re giving the feedback — what’s the purpose?
• Be specific — vague comments like “be more confident” might not land well.
• Share the impact of their actions — positive or negative.
• Invite dialogue — feedback is a two-way conversation, not a download.

There’s a phrase we love: clarity is kindness. When we’re clear, specific, and open, feedback stops being scary and starts being useful.

Q: How do I handle different points of view in my team?

Give yourself credit first. If your team feel safe enough to disagree, you’ve done something right.

Different perspectives can make teams far stronger, more creative, and more resilient.

Look for what you can agree with in each point of view and acknowledge that.

As a manager, you can help the team move from “who’s right?” to “how do we work together?” That’s where collaboration and often the best solutions come from.

Q: How do I delegate more effectively?

Delegation is another favourite. One manager admitted,

I say I’ll delegate, but then I grab the task back when I get nervous.

Start by asking yourself if this is a trust issue or a risk issue.

If it’s risky, try talking about it openly and letting them know that this task carries a bit of risk. You could suggest tackling it together to start with or coaching them through it. Bear in mind, there’s a difference between coaching and telling, or doing it for them. As you coach, give them space to try and find solutions and work it out for themselves. Then, if they stumble, ask them what they might do differently. You can always catch them if they fall. That way, you’re building their skills without feeling like you’ve lost control. Remember, if you always jump in and fix things, they will always rely on you to do just that!

Sometimes, if you can mitigate the risk, the best help you can give your team is stepping back and letting them have a go, even if they don’t do it quite the way you would…

Final Thoughts

These are just some of the questions that come up time and again in our training rooms. Sharing the challenges with other line managers as well as the trainers can be a real relief as people learn from the wide and varied experiences in the group.

That’s why we run the Aspire Line Management public course . It’s to bring managers together, share real experiences, and give you tools that genuinely work in practice. You’ll leave knowing you’re not alone, with strategies you can use straight away to make your life a little bit easier.