new manager - never coached before

[quote="mavagan"]
- makes loud personal calls, often
- has a poor attitude - snarky comments, "why do I need to do this", "that's not my job", etc...
- asks me personal questions about other employees
- doesn't really listen to people before saying "i know", therefore missing half of the point, and when they go to perform the task, end up messing it up because they didn't listen, and then say "well how was I supposed to know?"
[...]
My issue is more about the attitude, but also performance due to the attitude. I know I shouldn't care, but I almost hate to say something - I think I'm honestly scared that this person would be mad at me - although I know it doesn't matter. [/quote]

Focus on behaviors. You cannot see "attitude."

Feedback: "Hey Bob, when you speak with a loud voice on the phone I hear it down the hall and it breaks my concentration. (disturbs others etc.) What can you do differently?"

You are the manager and you ARE responsible for results and you DO CARE. It is part of the job. When "Bob" does pause and listen to a customer's need...pour on the positive feedback. Let him know that when he does take the time to listen, you notice, and it shows his competence and assures his manager he's doing a great job.

I recommend you review the feedback, coaching, and O3 casts in http://www.manager-tools.com/manager-tools-basics/

Good luck! Hang in there and keep us posted.

First and foremost: Stop talking about the attitude. You need to focus on his observable behavior.

You call his comments snarky. That's a judgement that you're making. It's not something you can really correct him on. You don't have to answer his questions about other employees.

The answers to his questions (all in a level, conversational tone):
"Why do I need to do this" "Because I'll fire you if you don't do your job"
"That's not my job" "I expect it on Friday. If not, we'll talk about you missing deadlines."
"well how was I supposed to know?" "We told you this when you received the task. Perhaps you should take notes when you're given a task if you're having a hard time remembering."

Some of what you describe is observable. You can easily give correcting feedback on him cutting people off or talking loudly on the phone. You just need to catch him when he does it, explain the impact, and ask how he can change. You're familiar with the feedback model, right?

Next up, what kind of relationship do you have with him? Are you doing one-on-ones? Are you already giving him regular feedback? Are you doing any kind of coaching? If no to all three, then you cannot much blame him for doing whatever he wants. You're just as responsible.

Keep in mind that any changes will come slowly. Managerial change is often glacial in movement. Start building a relationship, work with him, and document everything. In six months, the documentation will show if he's made a good start at improvement or sitting in one place.

No advice, just recommendations. 
What is said below by thte two Toms is quite good.  (Do please note that we use specific terms here, and what you want is NOT coaching..that's something different. ;-) )
You can go one of two ways.  You can give him feedback right away, or you can build a relationship with him first.  I prefer the latter, because it doesn't seem like what he's doing is HIGHLY toxic.  Annoying and irritating and ineffective, but he's not burning down the building yet.
And, you're new, and newness demands slowness. Listen to the casts in the Basics.  Start one on ones.  Listen to our cast on rolling out the Trinity, and then after you've established one on ones, go with positive and then ultimately negative feedback.  It's entirely possible he will change his behavior just because of the one on ones.
I once told a new manager who was itching to give feedback, because it was totally justifiable: You can pick at the scab...or you can stop falling down and scraping your knee.  Go slow, establish the relationship, and then start with feedback.
Keep us posted  - you'll do fine.
Mark

Something I have learned through MT and other sources is to DOCUMENT THE INTERACTION. Personally I write down what I say to them, and what they say back. Anyways initially when you meet with the employee you are speaking to them about their behaviors. If they choose to continue the behavior, now you have a pattern of behavior problems. Ultimately if the issue contines and escilates you'll want to be sure you have notes to go back and look at.