5 Key Strategies For Crafting an Effective New Manager Training Program
Stepping into a new manager role is exciting, but it can also feel like you’re diving into the deep end without a life jacket.
I’ve seen firsthand how challenging it can be for new managers to balance their new responsibilities while developing the leadership skills needed to guide their teams effectively. This is especially true in a startup environment. In fact, most new managers are often left unsupported and without the guidance they need to set their teams (or themselves) up for long-term success!
And this harms much more than just new managers:
According to a report from GoodHire, 82 percent of workers would consider quitting their jobs because of a bad manager.
It’s why creating a structured new manager training program is so important. Management skills training for new managers sets the foundation for long-term success and helps support all aspects of work, including employee engagement and retention.
In this post, I share some of the key strategies for crafting an effective new manager training program. Whether you’re looking to build communication skills, foster team collaboration or boost emotional intelligence, these tips will help you design a program that truly prepares new managers for the challenges ahead.
1. Define clear objectives for the training program
When creating a new manager training program, it’s essential to define clear objectives from the start.
This should be obvious, right? Right.
Here’s the thing, though – I’ve seen firsthand just how much this crucial step is often overlooked. I’ve seen clients overemphasize on technical training and ignore leadership development, and I’ve seen new managers struggle to rally their team around a common objective as a result.
By realigning the objectives of your new manager training program, you can successfully strike a balance between hard and soft skills, helping managers feel more prepared for their roles.
Your new manager training program should include a variety of capability training, including:
Time management and prioritization: Learning to manage time efficiently and prioritize tasks to maximize productivity enables new managers to stay organized and lead their teams toward high-impact outcomes.
Communication and interpersonal skills: Focusing on effective communication, conflict resolution and building relationships helps new managers lay the groundwork for a supportive and productive team environment.
Decision making: Developing a structured approach to decision making helps them rely on both data and intuition, which allows new managers to drive informed results for their teams.
Performance management: Setting goals, providing feedback and evaluating employee performance are essential practices that guide team progress and ensure alignment with broader objectives.
When it comes to leadership development, your new manager training program should also include:
Emotional intelligence: Understanding and managing your own emotions (and the emotions of your team) will empower new managers to navigate workplace challenges with empathy and resilience.
Team building: Fostering teamwork, collaboration and a positive team culture is a baseline expectation for new managers. This vital skill is often overlooked, but with practice it can lead to stronger team-wide performance.
Change management: Preparing for and navigating organizational changes effectively is the cornerstone of effective leadership.
Strategic thinking: Aligning short-term goals to long-term vision allows teams to make progress while staying on course with the rest of the organization.
2. Incorporate CliftonStrengths to build self-awareness
To successfully strike a balance between hard and soft skills, though, it requires a framework. The Gallup CliftonStrengths assessment can be a game-changer in this process.
By understanding each manager’s unique strengths, you can personalize development plans to focus on what each manager naturally excels at – like relationship-building or coaching – while still addressing company-wide goals.
This strengths-based approach to management training ensures that every new leader walks into their new role with both the technical capabilities and interpersonal skills required to succeed.
Want to learn more about the CliftonStrengths Assessment?
🚨 Read our complete guide here 🚨
3. Provide practical, hands-on experience
There is no substitute for hands-on experience. It’s one thing to understand leadership concepts, but another to practice them in real scenarios.
I’ve found that role-playing exercises, simulations, and on-the-job learning allow new managers to test their skills in a safe environment. Icebreaker exercises, for example, are a great way for new managers to establish themselves as a leader and bring a new group together. Exercises like this not only build confidence, they also reinforce key lessons in areas like decision-making, communication, and team dynamics.
Whether it’s practicing how to give feedback or navigating a difficult conversation, there’s no match for real-world “on the job” learning – it’s an invaluable part of preparing new managers for the challenges they’ll encounter day-to-day.
4. Build coaching and mentorship opportunities
New managers benefit greatly from having experienced leaders to turn to for guidance, advice, and feedback. I’ve seen this firsthand with clients who paired new managers with seasoned mentors. It not only helped accelerate their growth, it also helped new managers build a support network that made them feel more confident in their roles.
Regular check-ins and coaching sessions allow new managers to reflect on their progress, address challenges, and continue developing their leadership skills. And when up and coming leaders have mentors and coaches invested in their success, they’re more likely to thrive and foster a strong leadership culture within their teams. As reported by Forbes:
75 percent of executives credit their success to mentors.
90 percent of employees with a career mentor are happy at work.
5. Emphasize accountability and results
Finally, we come to accountability. According to research from CEB Global, 60 percent of new managers fail within their first two years. Holding new managers accountable to their (and their team’s) performance, then, is a critical way to mitigate this failure rate.
But accountability isn’t just about meeting targets — it’s about fostering a culture of transparency and building trust within teams.
Regular feedback loops, progress reviews and open communication help managers stay aligned with their team’s objectives while addressing any performance gaps. By emphasizing accountability from the start, new managers are better equipped to lead their teams toward sustained success and foster a high-performance environment.
The right new manager training program sets the stage for success
Effective new manager training is essential for setting new leaders up for long-term success. What’s more, investing in a structured, strengths-based approach to training ensures your new managers have the tools they need to lead confidently and contribute to a high-performance culture.
To learn more about how you can deliver fast and effective new manager training at your organization, explore our Startup Manager Training course.