One of the things we see again and again is people being promoted to manager because
they’re good at their job but then struggling to make the shift to people management.
Being a people manager requires a completely different skill set from the technical skills that made them great in the first place, but that’s rarely considered. They’re smart, talented and full of potential, but we rarely give them the support to succeed as managers. So, they’re left to figure it out on their own, often without any guidance, support, or even clarity on what’s expected. So how can we help first-time managers succeed?
Why it goes wrong
The move into management is a big shift. But in many organisations, it’s treated like a small adjustment to someone’s role.
What often happens is:
- People are promoted for technical expertise, not people skills
- The requirement for emotional intelligence and relational skills is underestimated
- They’re early in their careers and haven’t had many managers themselves, so they’re not sure what ‘good’ (or ‘bad’) even looks like
- They’re often managing former peers and find the transition from mate to manager difficult
And they’re expected to work it out on their own, without any structured transition or on-boarding into management.
What they find hard
New managers regularly tell us they’re struggling with:
- Giving feedback, especially when it’s developmental or constructive feedback
- Not knowing what or how to delegate
- Struggling to know how to handle disagreement and conflict in the team
- Feeling unsure about how to make the shift to managing people they used to work alongside
- Trying to support their team but not letting go of their own workload
- Not really knowing what being a great manager looks like
They want to do well, they’re just not sure how.
Why it matters
As well as being really tough for the new manager, this impacts the team, the culture, and the wider business.
You start to see disengagement, higher turnover, and more people issues that end up on HR’s desk. Habits such as avoiding conflict, not delegating, and managing reactively are harder to shift later on.
- Business risks: disengagement, attrition, underperformance.
- Cultural costs: psychological safety dips, bad habits spread.
- Operational strain: HR firefighting team issues, wasted potential.
What makes the difference
What really helps is when there’s some structure around the transition and there are lots of simple things that can support, like:
- Having a proper handover or transition conversation before they begin the new role
- Giving them clarity on what’s expected, both in terms of tasks and how they show up as a manager
- Pairing them with a mentor or buddy they can check in with
- Offering focused training that’s spaced out over time (not all at once and forgotten)
- Creating opportunities to connect with other new managers and share experiences
- Making sure there are safe, regular feedback loops early on
None of this needs to be complicated or expensive, but it does need to be intentional. That early support makes all the difference in how confident and capable someone feels in the role.
The skills that really matter
When we’ve supported new managers and heard what they’re struggling with, the same themes tend to come up. We use a framework called CRAFT to shape how we think about what they need. These are the areas that make the biggest difference, especially in those early months when people are still finding their feet.
- Communication – Helping managers get comfortable setting expectations, giving feedback, and handling tricky conversations
- Resilience – Supporting them to stay grounded under pressure and manage their own reactions
- Authenticity – Encouraging them to lead in a way that feels natural, not forced, especially when managing former peers
- Future – Enabling them to delegate, prioritise, and align team efforts
- Transformation – Equipping them to help others grow, develop team culture, and manage change
Becoming a manager is a big shift. If we want people to lead well, we need to treat it that way. That doesn’t mean it has to be complicated, but it does mean giving people the support and training they need to grow into the role. With a few simple, thoughtful steps in place, we can make a big difference – for the manager, their team, and the organisation as a whole.
We’d Love to Help You
If you’re trying to work out how best to support your first-time managers, and make sure that support makes a lasting difference, we’d love to help.
At Willow & Puddifoot, we use our tried-and-tested CRAFT model to help managers build the skills they need to lead well. It gives structure to the messy, people side of leadership and helps you grow confident, capable managers who can take the pressure off you, strengthen your culture, and lead with impact.
We’ll work with you to apply the model in a way that fits your business, so you can be confident you’re investing in something that’s focused, practical, and genuinely makes a difference.
About the Author
Louise Puddifoot is the founder of Willow & Puddifoot, a training provider for organisations looking to strengthen their leadership and management capability. With a vibrant learning and development career spanning over two decades, Louise’s expertise lies in leadership and management development. She is passionate about enabling potential and catalysing growth in individuals and businesses alike.