Develop New People Leaders: 3 Research-Backed Approaches

Promotion to Management —  How to Develop New People Leaders
A promotion into management is often framed as a milestone. In practice, it can feel more like a shock to the system. Many first-time people leaders quickly discover that leading, managing, and coaching a team is far more complex than excelling as an individual contributor. They are suddenly responsible for people with different roles, skill levels, motivations, and expectations — often without the tools or support to succeed.

The problem is not a lack of potential. It is a lack of preparation. Despite the outsized impact managers have on engagement, performance, and retention, most organizations still underinvest in developing new people leaders at the moment it matters most. Bottom-line results suffer as a result.

Backed by data from our leadership simulation assessments, a recent management study by the Corporate Executive Board found that:

• Only 25% of employees believe new people managers get help transitioning into their first people manager role.
  
  
• 85% of new managers receive no formal management training prior to becoming a new manager.
  
  
• And, not surprisingly, almost two-thirds of new managers underperform in their first year in their new people manager job.

3 Steps to Better Develop New People Leaders

First-time managers tend to collide with the same two challenges — and both are predictable. They lack the core skills required to lead others effectively, and they struggle with the psychological and relational shift from peer to boss. Technical competence does not automatically translate into people leadership, yet many organizations continue to treat it as if it does.

Based on data from our new supervisor training, there are three proven ways to more effectively develop new people leaders:

1. Be Upfront About the Challenges — As Well As the Rewards — of Management
   The upside of effective management is well understood: increased status, higher compensation, and the opportunity to lead a team toward shared goals. What is often glossed over are the tradeoffs and demands that come with the role — and that omission sets new managers up for frustration.
   
   Engaging employees, motivating performance, and coaching others are not extensions of individual contribution. They are distinct leadership capabilities that must be learned. Strong people leadership requires clear communication, sound judgment, and disciplined decision making — frequently in ambiguous situations and in the middle of conflict.
   
   Before promoting someone, ensure they are both willing and able to shift their mindset from personal execution to achieving results through others. That means adopting an ownership mindset for the team’s outcomes, not just their own tasks. Most important, organizations must commit to supporting new managers through the learning curve with timely feedback, practical guidance, and consistent encouragement. When expectations are clear and support is real, first-time managers are far more likely to succeed.
2. Provide the Right Management Development Opportunities
   Generic, one-size-fits-all management training rarely delivers meaningful results. While mastering fundamentals — setting clear expectations, communicating effectively, managing conflict, staying open-minded, and practicing self-reflection — is a necessary foundation, it is not enough.
   
   To truly accelerate new managers, training must focus on the critical situations that matter most in your organization. These are the moments where skillful leadership separates an average manager from an exceptional one — and they are shaped by your company’s unique strategy, culture, and business priorities.
   
   Start by assessing each new manager’s strengths and gaps. Then, customize the content and learning approach to address their specific development needs. Action learning leadership techniques — where managers work on real business challenges and learn in the flow of work while developing leadership skills — are particularly effective, turning training into practical experience that drives immediate impact.
3. Support Continuous Learning
   Training does not end when the workshop is over — effective management development is a sustained behavior-change initiative. New managers must be encouraged to embrace ongoing learning, reflection, and continuous improvement. Just as their direct reports benefit from clear goals, coaching, resources, and accountability, so too do emerging leaders.
   
   Creating structured opportunities for practice and feedback is key. Consider establishing a forum for new managers to discuss common challenges, share best practices, and learn from one another’s experiences. Beyond skill development, these forums serve as valuable networking platforms, helping aspiring leaders build relationships and visibility that can propel them to higher levels of management.

The Bottom Line
Are your first-level managers truly set up to succeed? Developing new people leaders demands more than a training session — it requires sustained investment, thoughtful guidance, and consistent follow-through. Organizations that commit the time, resources, and support needed to build capable managers see stronger teams, higher engagement, and measurable business impact.

To learn more about how to better develop new people leaders, download New Leader Mistakes: The Top 5 Traps to Avoid