Why do so many new managers struggle and even flounder?
According to research conducted in 2019 by CER Global (now Gartner), a shocking 60 percent of new managers fail within two years of starting their new role in leadership.
That is an alarmingly high number – especially if you consider the effect that every unsuccessful new manager has on direct reports, team success and retention rates. As the saying goes: People don’t leave bad companies, they leave bad managers.
Why are the failure rates of new managers so high? And why particularly when, so often, it’s a star employee who got promoted into the management role? The key issue is something our coaching clients from across all business sectors have raised with us consistently over the years: There is little to no leadership training provided to new managers before they are promoted or in the initial months as they transition from being exemplary employees to leaders.
Technical Experts vs. Leaders of the Technical Experts
It’s important to understand the difference here and why the gap in knowledge and skills matters.
Technical experts have expertise in the specific skills required of their profession. They are very competent and deliver results because they are good at the function they deliver.
Leaders of technical experts are not only experts in their field, but they have leadership skills to oversee a team and help them do their best and succeed.
Over and over, we work with leaders who were high achievers and extremely successful in their field. But being the best sales person, top software engineer or a talented marketing executive does not mean they have the leadership skills to deliver success through a team of direct reports. Sometimes there are even high flyers who don’t play nice with others.
The reality is that managers need different skills to manage people effectively than they did as technical experts. However, new managers are rarely given any leadership training to prepare them to lead people. They’re left feeling defeated, frustrated and often unhappy in the new management role.
From Functional Expertise to People Management
When our Padraig coaches discussed their thoughts on leadership, it was clear that being a good leader involves many more people skills than technical skills.
Having a solid “technical” understanding of the work is valuable, but being able to build trust and strong relationships is critical.
When we reviewed the top 6 skills every leader needs, not one was related to technical expertise. In addition to being able to delegate effectively, give and receive feedback well and identify goals and achieve them, leaders need to be humble, self-aware and have a desire to serve others.
At Padraig, our model is to say that leaders move from Leading Self to Leading Others to Leading Organizations.
The most effective leaders are able to inspire others and bring out the best in them while they motivate team members to work together to achieve a shared goal.
Making the Transition from High Performer to Manager
There are several ways to narrow the gaps in knowledge so that new managers can adapt more quickly as they build a solid foundation of leadership skills.
- Consider learning needs. Reflect on ability and areas for improvement because effective leadership starts within. In addition to self-reflection, ask for the input of others. What are the priorities for learning? Are you responsible for any challenges? Are there damaging assumptions being made?
- Determine leadership style. Each of us has a different leadership style. Understanding how your style interacts with others can be very helpful to improve productivity, teamwork, trust and communication.
- Tailor learning to the individual. Provide education that gives new managers relevant content and develops the most critical skills to accelerate their leadership competencies. There might also be practical considerations for whether the manager attends leadership training at in-person courses or via online learning. Personalizing professional development targets priority learning needs, making it a much more efficient use of the manager’s time.
- Offer opportunities to build and practice leadership. Find ways to apply the theoretical lessons to practical situations. This brings learning from the textbook to the workplace. For example, learn how to use a Coach Approach and then try using it with a high performer who needs help with solving a problem.
- Seek ongoing improvement and growth. The most successful leaders are committed to lifelong learning and improvement. They actively seek feedback and are able to handle criticism well. They pursue personalized leadership development through peer leadership groups and live online leadership courses and communication workshops.
When organizations properly prepare staff for management roles, they are able to motivate and inspire others to do their best. The benefits include improved recruitment and retention, higher employee satisfaction rates and building stronger teams.
Coach’s Questions
As a leader, what would you like to be able to do differently? Why is this important to you? What leadership behaviours will enhance performance and drive success?
