At the end of season three, Michael (Ted Danson) had a meltdown that forced Eleanor (Kristen Bell) into the lead role as the neighborhood's architect. It was an on-the-spot promotion that she didn't ask for. She was, however, the best choice for the job.
And in the beginning, things are going well. Eleanor is confident. She's got a great staff. Michael is functioning again and can mentor her. Janet still knows everything.
Then the problems start, and they are different than the issues she faced in her previous role. And suddenly, her team members - who were so supportive when she was the unofficial team lead - are now angry and frustrated with her failed leadership.
Note what she said: "I did a bad job of being in charge of my own life, and now I'm supposed to be in charge of everyone else's life?"
While the stakes are much higher for Eleanor than they are for managers - seriously, the whole world will not end up in Hell if you make mistakes - it can feel that way. Suddenly, the pressure is more significant, the consequences are greater, and even though you were so sure of yourself in your previous role, the current one can seem overwhelming.
This is what being a new manager is like. And while the fate of humanity doesn't rest on your shoulders, you can learn a lot from Eleanor and Michaell in this scenario. Here's what you can learn.