I Became A Manager — Then Gen Z Immediately Humbled Me

I’ve spent more than a decade in media and content, jumping between broadcast, multinational brands, government agencies, SMEs, and everything in between. I recall my days fondly as an Assistant Producer hustling scripts at 2am, the freelance editor doing client revisions until my eyes blur, the social media specialist planning campaigns over Slack, and the writer polishing punchlines for articles like this one.

But through all those years of grinding, I was always in one familiar role: the team player. I had managers. I had creative leads. There was always someone else responsible for the bigger picture, someone to escalate to, someone to sign off, someone who would ultimately shoulder the pressure if things went south. I just had to do good work, stay in my lane, and deliver.

Deep down, though, I always felt like I was ready for more. Ready to lead. Ready to step into a role where I could shape creative culture, not just contribute to it. So when the opportunity came to become Creative Head at a local social media agency, I jumped at it.

And then reality hit.

Suddenly, I wasn't just a creative anymore. I was the Creative Lead. Ten people reported to me. Juniors, seniors, editors, interns … each with different personalities, different deadlines, different expectations. I wasn’t just managing campaigns; I was managing humans. And the minute things got real (i.e. someone fell sick unexpectedly, workload disputes surfaced, someone questioned my decision over text in a tone sharp enough to slice tofu), my imposter syndrome came rushing in like a bus that saw its stop too late.

Was I really ready for this?
Was I smart enough?
Was I capable enough?
Was everyone secretly thinking, “Eh… how did this guy become our manager?”

Some days, even I wondered that.

But a few months into this role, here are some lessons that smacked me in the face and helped me stay afloat:

IMAGE: PEXELS

Imposter syndrome hits hardest when you finally reach the room you’ve been trying to enter

People often talk about imposter syndrome as if it only happens when you feel unqualified. But sometimes it shows up when you finally get what you worked for like the promotion, title, team and suddenly you're terrified of losing it.

It wasn’t that I thought I couldn’t do the work. It was the fear of being seen doing it imperfectly. When you're a contributor, mistakes are feedback. When you’re the leader, mistakes feel like exposure.

I realised this: feeling like an imposter doesn’t mean you’re unworthy. It means you care enough not to mess things up.

Being a high performer and being a leader are two entirely different skillsets

In every previous job, I just had to be great at my tasks. Write well, edit well, ideate well, deliver well. Easy… well, easier.

Suddenly, "my work" wasn’t my only work. Now my job was also included solving my team's roadblocks, checking in on mental health and burnout, mediating disagreements, assigning workloads fairly, handling emergencies and last-minute gaps, making creative calls with confidence, and yes… being the person juniors secretly gossip about at lunch.

I used to be the one whispering, “Why does management always do things like that?”

Now I am the management. And it turns out, sometimes things are done “like that” because deadlines, budgets, client moods, and fire-fighting leave little room for magic. That humbled me fast.

IMAGE: PEXELS

Leading a Gen Z team means balancing empathy and accountability

My team is mostly made up of Gen Zs. They are insanely creative, highly sensitive to culture, passionate, opinionated, and not afraid to speak up (or text up). I love that about them.

But they also expect transparency, emotional awareness, mental health consideration, and direction, all at once.

Old-school leadership says: “Do first, don’t ask so much.”
Modern leadership says: “Let’s discuss why this matters and how you feel.”

The truth lies somewhere in the middle. Sometimes they need flexibility and empathy; other times, they need structure and standards. I’m learning that leadership isn’t about choosing vibes or discipline, it’s about knowing when each one matters.

Delegating doesn’t mean losing control, it means gaining trust

My first instinct as a new manager? Micromanage. Check everything. Approve everything. Stress over everything.

I quickly realised two things:

One: If I do everything myself, what’s the point of a team?
Two: When I do everything myself, I am the bottleneck.

Delegation isn’t laziness, it’s belief in other people. 

If I never let others own creative decisions, I am only proving to myself that I don’t trust my leadership. The day I learned to step back, the team stepped up.

IMAGE: PEXELS

Leadership is a muscle and I’m still training it

There's no “Congratulations, you are now a perfect manager” certificate. Every day, I learn something new, sometimes from success, often from discomfort.

A colleague once questioned my call and sent a text that felt borderline rude. A younger me might have reacted defensively. Instead, I took a deep breath, replied professionally, and later had a calm conversation about boundaries and communication. We’re good now, but it took emotional maturity I didn’t know I had.

Being a manager isn’t about being flawless. It's about being aware. About growing, adapting, trying again tomorrow.

Still scared? Good. It means you care.

I used to think managers always had the answers. Now I know: managers learn as they go just like everyone else. The difference is, we don’t get to run. We stand there, steady ourselves, and figure it out.

Yes, imposter syndrome still whispers sometimes. But instead of letting it shrink me, I let it push me. To be better. To listen harder. To lead with empathy. To trust my instincts and my team.

Because a company is only as strong as the people guiding it. And if that responsibility scares me a little? Good. That means I’m taking it seriously.

I’m still learning. Still growing. Still building my voice as a leader. And honestly, I wouldn’t want it any other way.

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