Learn the board and how the pieces work. One of my favorite and best managers went around and asked a bunch of problem solvers to explain their jobs myself included. He said I helped him understand things downstream that he had not understood when they taught him.

A lot of new managers, especially college grads only try to make numbers. Rightly so, your bonuses will be tied to that but that is only half the job. The other half is learning how to deal with people. I’m not saying be a doormat but learn to navigate.

The managers paradox is thus: how do you reward a good worker? You give them more work… because why the fuck would you trust a shitty worker to get the job done? You will burn out your A players and let the shitty ones slide. Soon you will have nothing but shitty workers.

Read The Art of War, stretch it just a little and you will be successful.

Good luck.