Leadership Training for New Managers: Why It Matters + Free Toolkit

There’s a common challenge I’ve seen play out time and time again across organisations, and perhaps you have witnessed it too? New managers are often promoted without sufficient training for their new responsibilities. While they may be a star individual contributor and be excited about the promotion and the new responsibilities, there’s often a gap in skills between what made them successful in their previous position and what they need to succeed as a manager.

This gap has real consequences — for the new manager, for the team, for HR and the entire organisation. Without proper training, you risk lower team performance, declining morale, and costly staff turnover. Studies from Gallup and McKinsey show that well-trained managers can reduce turnover by up to 30%, which directly impacts your company’s bottom line. And for HR Managers it can mean hours of additional support, performance conversations and the ‘putting out of fires’.

Let me show you how this plays out with an example of a client I once worked with—let’s call him Garret. Garret was promoted to manage a team after excelling as a top performer in his creative department. On paper, it made perfect sense—he knew the work inside and out and had great ideas.?

But within a few months, his team’s performance dipped. People became disengaged, and turnover spiked. Garret found himself overwhelmed and frustrated, questioning not just his abilities but whether he was even right for the role. Despite his expertise in writing, design, and animation, his technical knowledge hadn’t prepared him for managing people—a situation many of your high performers are likely to face when promoted without the right training.

As the saying goes, “people leave managers, not companies.” Poor management is one of the top reasons people leave their jobs (CMI Study ). Garret’s communication style, which worked when he was a peer, didn’t inspire or guide his team as a manager. He took on too much himself without delegating and he lacked the self-awareness to realise how his leadership style (or lack thereof) was impacting motivation and performance.

I worked with Garret to help him turn things in his team around by focusing on three essential skills for new managers: self-awareness, communication, and time management. Investing in these core skills makes all the difference. Not only does it help managers feel more confident and capable, but it has a direct impact on team performance, engagement, and even the bottom line.

As HR leaders and managers, you know how critical it is to set your people up for success, especially when they’re promoted into leadership roles.?

Download and share our new Essential Skills for New Managers Toolkit to empower your new managers with the skills to lead themselves and others.?

Stay tuned for the next toolkits in our Leadership Training Series for middle management and executive leaders!

At LeadMe Academy we’ve seen that leadership development doesn’t just benefit the individual—it positively impacts the entire organisation. If you’d like to learn more about our flagship Leadership Development & Coaching Programme, reach out to me here or email [email protected] .

Onward and upward,

Jackie?

LeadMe Academy is an online Leadership Development & Coaching Programme designed to empower your managers with the skills they need to lead confidently. Our scalable and accessible lessons, combined with personalised coaching, create a common leadership language and foster a culture of continuous learning and growth.

If you'd like to measure your company's current leadership development capabilities, start our free assessment here .