From: http://www.bizjournals.com/

You took your first management job confident you knew exactly what to do to get your new department humming. Three months later, your hard-charging habits aren’t producing the results you promised.

“You moved too fast,” your boss tells you. “People are overwhelmed, and I’m worried that a couple have become flight risks. You’ve got to get this turned around.”

When your credibility gets questioned, it’s crushing. But don’t get depressed or defensive. Get busy.

You can fix it, but it’s going to take more than bringing in bagels for breakfast. Instead:

Own it. Take an unflinching look at your schedule, your habits and your attitude. Are they working for you or creating obstacles? Do they energize employees or suck the life right out of them?

Acknowledge it. Let colleagues know you realize you’ve been getting in your own way. This feels daunting, but even the prickliest person understands that there are no perfect bosses because there are no perfect people. If you can muster up the courage to say “I realize I’ve been pushing everyone too hard. I’m sorry for that, and I’d like us to regroup and come up with a more workable plan,” you’ll be pleasantly surprised by the generous response.

Work it. When you start making changes, staffers will be a little wary. They’re watching closely to see how consistent you are. If you’ve promised no more late nights, make sure everyone’s out the door at a reasonable hour. If you’ve sworn off after-hours texts and emails, pick up your remote instead of your phone. If you’ve agreed that a weekly staff meeting is the best way to keep everyone updated, show up without fail – and by all means, bring the bagels.

Lapses are inevitable because change is a process. Acknowledge and apologize quickly, then continue on course.

That demonstrates your commitment, which is the greatest credibility booster of all.