From Doing to Leading: Helping New Managers Succeed
A new manager is feeling a lack of self-confidence in her new role
Promoting an individual contributor (IC) or subject matter expert (SME) to a manager is more than a title change. It’s a significant shift in their purpose, identity, and responsibility. The job is entirely different and so many new managers aren’t receiving the training, support, or scaffolding to fully succeed in their new role. Guiding this change can make all the difference.
Why New Managers Struggle
Picture this: Sarah was amazing at her job. She could solve any technical problem thrown her way. Then came the promotion to manager. Suddenly, her world turned upside down. The skills that made her great at her old job weren't the ones she needed to lead a team.
This happens every day in companies around the world. We take our best workers and make them managers, but we forget one crucial thing: leading people is a completely different skill set.
The Cost of Not Supporting New Managers
When we don't help new managers grow into their roles, bad things happen:
Good people leave because they don't feel supported
Productivity, performance, and engagement can suffer
The workplace can become a place where people dread coming to work
I was talking with an HR leader at a manufacturing company recently and they told me a story about how one of their new managers keep siding with their team when the higher-level leaders rolled out new mandates. That new manager still felt like “one of their teammates” instead of an owner of the changes that were being rolled out. This behavior created an ‘us vs. them’ mentality between this team and the senior leaders when it came to the new changes, which resulted in a feeling of friction and mistrust of the senior leaders. This is one example of what happens when managers aren’t provided a smooth onboarding process. Transitioning into a manager role can be a big shift, that requires more structure and support.
A Better Way: The Manager Foundations Program
We've found a way to help new managers succeed. Our program isn't about boring lectures or on-demand content that’s never used. It's about real transformational growth over six months through interactive workshops, application, and small group support where new managers gain:
Clarity about what it means to be a manager at your company
Self-awareness and better communication skills
Confidence in managing individuals through effective 1:1s, feedback, and coaching
An understanding for how to build cohesive, high-performing teams
An ability to delegate and prioritize the work effectively
New managers get the support they need to try new practices, reflect, and improve through small group coaching sessions. These sessions provide a safe space to explore day to day challenges, and build a community so managers feel less isolated.
What’s really special about our program is that we tailor it to address your company’s most critical needs. We know every organization is different, so we don’t do cookie-cutter training. We want to ensure you get real transformational change in the areas that matter most.
A Real Story of Change
Let’s bring this to life. A recent client we worked with was a fast-growing tech company that needed help. They were doing well, but their managers were struggling. They had the smarts and the drive, but needed guidance on how to lead. Like many fast-growing companies, they didn’t have any manager development offerings yet, and so there were a lot of inconsistencies in how managers were leading.
We worked together to tailor our Manager Foundations program just for them. The result? Their managers learned how to:
Talk to their teams in ways that really connected
Help their people grow and improve
Get work done through others instead of doing it all themselves
Handle change without losing their way
Better collaborate across the organization
Here's what their Head of People said: "Regroup's program changed everything for us. They really got what we needed and helped our managers become real leaders. They didn't just teach us—they transformed how we work together. Their collaborative and adaptive approach resulted in significant improvement.”
How to Help New Managers?
After a over a decade of helping new managers make this leap, here's what I've learned matters most:
Start with Identity
Help new managers understand who they are as leaders. “Why is this role important? What kind of leader do I want to be?” It's not just about what they do—it's about the values that matter most and how those values are expressed in a leadership role.
Make Success Clear
Show them what good leadership looks like. “What are the traits or behaviors you expect at different leadership levels? How do your organizational values translate into expectations for leaders?” When people know what success looks like, they're more likely to achieve it.
Give Them Time to Learn
Create a clear plan for their first 90-days. Offer mentoring and a new manager onboarding program to provide them with tools, structure and support to be successful. Provide a way for them to practice new skills and receive 360-degree feedback on how things are going.
Connect Them with Others
Match new managers with experienced leaders who can guide them. There's nothing more powerful than having someone who's been there before to talk to. Ideally, this is someone who’s neutral and doesn’t impact their performance scores, perhaps an external coach. This allows the new manager to be more vulnerable in their conversations.
The Human Side of Leading
Remember: becoming a manager isn't just about learning new skills. It's about growing as a person. The best new manager programs create space for:
Connecting with other new managers
Talking about challenges and victories
Building self-awareness and a commitment for development
Practicing tough conversations in a safe space
A Final Thought
To every executive reading this: your new managers are the future of your company. Supporting them isn't just nice to do—it's crucial for your success.
And to every new manager feeling overwhelmed: we see you. This journey isn't easy, but with the right support, you can become the leader your team needs.
Leadership isn't about being perfect. It's about growing a little bit every day and helping others do the same.
Questions for Reflection
As you consider your organization's approach to developing new managers, I invite you to reflect:
Looking Beyond Skills: When was the last time you sat with a new manager and asked not about their challenges, but about their fears? How might creating space for vulnerability transform your management culture?
The Legacy Question: A year from now, what story do you want your new managers to tell about their leadership journey at your company?
The Systemic Element: If leadership development is a bridge, what are the emotional and structural supports your managers need—not just to cross it, but to help others cross it too? What barriers may be getting in the way?
Remember: Every great leader started as someone who dared to question, to learn, and to grow. In supporting their journey, we don't just build better managers—we create ripples of positive change that transform entire organizations.
An Invitation to Possibility
If this article sparks ideas for how you onboard and support new managers, please reach out and say hello. We’d love to hear from you!
