Perils and pitfalls: stay prepared after a promotion.

While newly promoted employees have a lot to prove in the big chair, there are also a lot of things they could do wrong. Thomas J. Neff and James Citrin, authors of You're in Charge--Now What? (Crown Business, 2005), identified these eight common mistakes:

1. Unrealistic expectations. This is one of the most seductive and common pitfalls for new leaders, according to the authors. "Real pressures lead to this, such as the all-too-human need to impress your higher authority--the board or your boss--or the media, to demonstrate that you are in charge," the authors noted. If the goals become expectations, however, they become a baseline against which the entire organization gets measured.

2. Rash decisions and "Analysis Paralysis. "Taking bold actions simply to act or making premature pronouncements lowers your credibility. On the flip side, succumbing to "analysis paralysis"--the fear that you have to be absolutely certain before making a decision--eats up time and sets a pattern of risk aversion.

3. The Know-It-All. Leaders who make rash decisions generally don't gather input from knowledgeable sources, according to Neff and Citrin. But in reality, know-it-alls typically don't know what they don't know. "Being a know-it-all invariably leads to quickly alienating your colleagues and employees," the authors noted.

4. Let go of the past. Leaders who have made their reputations ascending through the ranks often talk too much about their past accomplishments. This failure to disenfranchise from a past life manifests itself in numerous ways--from decorating the office with awards earned elsewhere, to refusing to tailor a management style to suit a new job in a new industry--and none of them are positive, Neff and Citrin warned.

5. "The Emperor's New Clothes." As in the classic fable, corporate or department leaders can suffer from an inability to get honest answer from those below them. Worse, they can give the impression that everything they're doing is right. "The higher up you go in an organization, the less likely other people are to give you the straight scoop," the authors noted.

6. Stifling dissent. The authors called this the greatest pitfall of all. Executives who smother dissent at the workplace eliminate a chance to see and correct problems. They also drain the company of talent. "Hesitant employees are given a draconian choice: 'It's my way or the highway,'" the authors noted. "Usually, only the mediocre talent ends up submitting to work in such an atmosphere."

7. "Savior Syndrome." Business saviors believe they are personally responsible for a company's success. In some cases, they may even believe they are above the rules everyone else follows. A "lone wolf" cuts himself off from valuable input and feedback. "Even if you are on the right track, you will invariably burn out, which will only further hurt the organization ... (and) you will make your managers feel disenfranchised, alienated and impotent."

8. Misreading the true power sources. A common mistake by new executives is failure to understand all the people they must impress in their jobs, according to Neff and Citrin. Typically, new leaders might satisfy their immediate boss but forget about higher-up officials who carry more clout. This can extend to outside the company. "Sometimes a large investor or even the whole board can appear to give you a mandate," the authors noted. "But if true power lies elsewhere, you need to take care not to do too much too soon."

Alan Naditz Senior Editor