If you have recently been placed in a managerial position for the first time, the chances are good that you are feeling a little apprehensive. Whether your company designs custom printed t-shirts or it's dedicated to the business of baking beautiful cakes, a few simple guidelines will help you on your way to successful leadership.

Experts suggest that one of the most common mistakes that new managers make is to spend too little time in and around the office in which the team is working. While you may not be required to be on the ground with the troops, as it were, it is vital that you cultivate a presence in the office.

This will help you to establish yourself as a leader, and will also allow your employees access to you as their leader. They will be able to come to you directly with issues and queries, and this will foster a healthy working environment.

In addition, you will be able to keep very close tabs on the way things in the office are functioning, and this will help you to pick up weak points and glitches in the system quickly and easily. Again, this will help you to identify and fix problems even before they have properly manifested.

In short, as a new manager, it is vital that you do not alienate yourself from your workforce. Instead of retreating into the upper echelons of the company, make sure that you spend a good deal of time with your team.