So you just got promoted into your first management position. Congratulations! Now what are you going to do? Believe it or not, everything has changed and you need to adjust accordingly.
Transitioning into a management role for the first time does not need to be hard. But it takes forethought and the ability to be introspective and self-regulatory. It's not business as usual because now, even though you may already have longstanding and strong relationships at work, the expectations are different. It's important that you realize that your focus needs to shift and how you communicate with former peers must change.
As a new manager, you need to set new boundaries with former coworkers. While you can still maintain your friendships, you need to draw these new boundaries in order to establish your authority and credibility. It's not about becoming demanding and asserting yourself in aggressive ways. Rather, it's taking seriously your need to refocus your thinking so that you position yourself as a leader deserving of the respect of others.