Educating New Managers to Become Leaders
"Before being promoted, I was a competent manager. But, unfortunately, I am only an adequate manager at the moment."
That is how one first-time manager characterized the disappointment associated with being promoted from individual contributor to team leader. She is discovering that the talents and characteristics that made her successful previously are ineffective for leading others, and she is at a loss for what to do differently.
Another newly promoted manager now oversees direct reports who were previously his colleagues. He explained that transitioning from friend to boss is more difficult than he anticipated.
Both of these circumstances are understandable, as they represent some of the most prevalent difficulties encountered by new managers. Unfortunately, far too frequently, the new leader and their company overlook how challenging it can be to transition from technical or operational expert to people leader.
The numbers bear this out:
According to their subordinates, 20% of first-time managers perform poorly.
Twenty-six percent of first-time managers felt unprepared to lead others.
Almost 60% reported receiving no training when they assumed their first leadership post.
Unsurprisingly, 50% of managers in firms are judged incompetent.
Senior executives and talent professionals know that frontline management positions can be challenging. They witness new managers struggle – or fail. First-time managers are on their own without an attentive employer and a supporting organization. Some do, but the majority do not.
What can businesses and senior executives do to bolster their leadership pipelines through manager development?
Three Ways to Assist in the Development of New Leaders
We recommend three critical steps to boost their chances of success based on our decades of research and experience producing first-level managers:
Describe the difficulties inherent in the transition from individual contributor to manager.
Recognize the truth of the difficulties people face.
Assist new managers in anticipating obstacles and recognizing the natural learning curve. Being the boss of those who were once your peers is frequently a challenging adjustment. Leading a team; engaging, motivating, and teaching others, developing connections, and resolving conflict constructively are just a few of the unique obstacles that new managers encounter.
Many new managers feel isolated as if they are the only ones who suffer from the transition to management. They are probably too self-conscious to confess they are struggling as if doing so would demonstrate they did not deserve the promotion in the first place.
When new managers attend our leadership development seminars, they are frequently shocked — and relieved — to learn that the troubles they are having are relatively typical and that many of their peers face similar issues.
Demonstrate your support.
Developing new leaders entails assisting them in shifting their identity away from the belief that success is entirely dependent on their contributions. Their new reality is that success requires collaboration with and through others. Communicate with new managers and provide them with feedback on their performance. Inform them that they perform critical work and provide official acknowledgment when performing well.
This form of assistance makes a difference: our study demonstrates that when employees feel supported, they are less likely to leave and report better work satisfaction and commitment. Therefore, it is vital to provide organizational scaffolding and boss support.
Equip new managers with the necessary expertise and tools. Customize development to meet individual requirements.
You want to build leaders, not simply bosses; thus, it is critical to assist new managers in developing the new mindset and behaviors required for their role. Training geared to the unique issues of first-level management may be beneficial. For example, while new managers may understand the importance of communicating with and providing feedback to direct reports, their approach may be ineffective. The one way to change and improve is to experiment with new habits rather than depending on what appears to be the most apparent or most straightforward.
When providing leadership development to first-time leaders (either in-house or through external partners), ensure that the content is relevant to them, not generic, to help them develop their core leadership skills and an understanding of the various leadership roles they must perform.
To develop new managers, it is necessary to accurately assess their existing leadership style, strengths, and flaws.
We believe one of the most critical concepts for accelerating leader development is to be thoughtful in tailoring experiences to an individual's most pressing developmental requirements. Therefore, assist new managers in developing essential leadership competencies necessary for success — particularly those required of frontline managers — and consider providing access to 360-degree feedback to promote self-awareness. (However, they must handle their assessment data appropriately to have a meaningful and enduring influence.)
Ensure that learning is continuous.
In a one-time training session, assist new managers in moving beyond the a-ha! moment.
We are constantly looking for strategies to enhance learning transfer – the capacity to apply what has been taught. Our programs for creating future leaders are grounded in real-world requirements and essential abilities. Additionally, we use procedures such as goal setting and action planning, follow-up coaching, online resources, and accountability partners to help individuals grow and retain their learning throughout time.
To provide further assistance and development for new managers, consider offering access to continuous executive coaching and assuring new leaders have a coachable and development-capable boss.
Create learning networks for new managers to help them continue their education.
Consider establishing a structured program to provide an opportunity for first-level managers to share their successes and failures, discuss lessons learned through experience, and act as a support system for one another.
If there is a cadre of volunteer mentors available to assist new managers, it is fantastic. However, even if a formal mentoring system is not established, merely providing time and space for these new leaders to connect and act as peer mentors for one another can go a long way toward ensuring they feel supported and valued by the organization.
Developing Future Leaders Requires Purposeful Effort
Finally, improving the caliber of leadership on the front lines of your business needs dedication and deliberate work. First-level managers are likely the majority of leaders in your organization, as they lead the majority of people.
Do not set them up for failure – be deliberate in your efforts to turn new managers into leaders.
Are You Ready to Take Up the Next Step?
Contribute to the development of new leaders inside your organization: Our latest manager training assists first-time managers in making the transition from successful individual contributors.
Overview
Jim Woods is the President and CEO of Woods Kovalova Group's Denver, London, and Kyiv offices and head of the Diversity, Equity & Inclusion Practice. He works exclusively in the banking sector with senior executives and leadership teams to create a significant and sustainable impact in DE&I to create the kind of inclusive environment that allows companies to attract, retain, and get the best out of their employees and serve their communities. Better.
Experience
Jim has more than two decades of experience driving change in the banking industry around performance, growth, and innovation. He's designed and led complex transformation initiatives in companies linked to globalization, demographic changes, sustainability, shifting business models, and new technologies.
Earlier in his career, Jim served in the United States Navy, taught fifth-grade math and science, including university human resources and leadership. Also, Jim has taught at Villanova University. He has authored six business books on DE&I, and leadership.
Education
Capella University, MS in Organizational Development and Human Resources