Don’t Only Promote Your Star Players, Invest in Their Transition

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According to the Work Institute’s 2025 Retention Report , the cost of management-related turnover hit a six-year high in 2024. This same report states that “managers are the linchpin for employee retention,” and Gallup estimates that over half of US employees are actively seeking or watching for new jobs. It is no surprise then that C-Suite Analytics’ Gallagher Report claims that 66 percent of HR executives considered employee turnover their #1 challenge in 2025.

According to the Work Institute’s 2025 Retention Report, the cost of management-related turnover hit a six-year high in 2024. This same report states that “managers are the linchpin for employee retention,” and Gallup estimates that over half of US employees are actively seeking or watching for new jobs. It is no surprise then that C-Suite Analytics’ Gallagher Report claims that 66 percent of HR executives considered employee turnover their #1 challenge in 2025.

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Successful individual contributors are deservedly promoted within their organizations to managerial roles, but nearly 30 percent of new managers leave their organizations within the first year and a half of promotion. One reason is that new managers are often promoted for their technical skills rather than their leadership skills. The Center for Creative Leadership reports that almost 60 percent of new managers say they received no training when they transitioned into their first leadership role , leaving them feeling overwhelmed by their new responsibilities.

Successful individual contributors are deservedly promoted within their organizations to managerial roles, but nearly 30 percent of new managers leave their organizations within the first year and a half of promotion. One reason is that new managers are often promoted for their technical skills rather than their leadership skills. The Center for Creative Leadership reports that almost 60 percent of new managers say they received no training when they transitioned into their first leadership role, leaving them feeling overwhelmed by their new responsibilities.

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Providing leadership training and tools for new leaders to prevent burnout and turnover, and to increase employee satisfaction with their new supervisors, is a key, but underutilized, lever we all need to implement today. In this article, we propose a leadership development framework for individual contributors transitioning to leadership roles based on a new executive education program, Leading People, Building Teams . Designed specifically to meet the challenges new managers face, the program is built around three interconnected topics: personal leadership, talent management and coaching, and building effective teams.

Providing leadership training and tools for new leaders to prevent burnout and turnover, and to increase employee satisfaction with their new supervisors, is a key, but underutilized, lever we all need to implement today. In this article, we propose a leadership development framework for individual contributors transitioning to leadership roles based on a new executive education program, Leading People, Building Teams. Designed specifically to meet the challenges new managers face, the program is built around three interconnected topics: personal leadership, talent management and coaching, and building effective teams.

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The transition from individual contributor to people and team leader can be very challenging and has significant individual and organizational consequences. The move requires a shift in mindset from “doing the work” to “enabling the work.” Now measured by their team’s outcomes rather than just their own tasks, new managers need to let go of being “the expert” and focus instead on helping others develop their own expertise and potential, and on building effective teams. Speaking with learners in our new program, we find that high-performing individuals who have just been promoted, or are on the cusp of being promoted, all face similar challenges regardless of gender, sector, or geography. These challenges include: a struggle to define their new leadership identity and role; knowing how best to relate to their direct reports (some of whom might have previously been peers); and understanding their role in creating effective team cultures.

The transition from individual contributor to people and team leader can be very challenging and has significant individual and organizational consequences. The move requires a shift in mindset from “doing the work” to “enabling the work.” Now measured by their team’s outcomes rather than just their own tasks, new managers need to let go of being “the expert” and focus instead on helping others develop their own expertise and potential, and on building effective teams. Speaking with learners in our new program, we find that high-performing individuals who have just been promoted, or are on the cusp of being promoted, all face similar challenges regardless of gender, sector, or geography. These challenges include: a struggle to define their new leadership identity and role; knowing how best to relate to their direct reports (some of whom might have previously been peers); and understanding their role in creating effective team cultures.

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This framework addresses these three challenges and provides practical tools and approaches to help build the specific skills new managers need. To be clear, this is not a comprehensive leadership development framework, but a set of related building blocks designed to help kickstart a new leader’s journey and reduce the stress and uncertainty they experience in their first leadership position.

This framework addresses these three challenges and provides practical tools and approaches to help build the specific skills new managers need. To be clear, this is not a comprehensive leadership development framework, but a set of related building blocks designed to help kickstart a new leader’s journey and reduce the stress and uncertainty they experience in their first leadership position.

Personal Leadership

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Emerging leaders need time and resources to explore and understand their leadership style, their purpose, and their guiding values. The Authentic Leadership Framework articulated by Bill George provides an opportunity to establish a reflective leadership practice and develop a growth mindset. My colleagues and I believe that leadership is about driving change, and that leadership is both a verb and a journey. Everyone can learn to lead, and effective leaders are, above all, self-aware. With self-awareness comes the ability and confidence to act consistently and build trust.

Emerging leaders need time and resources to explore and understand their leadership style, their purpose, and their guiding values. The Authentic Leadership Framework articulated by Bill George provides an opportunity to establish a reflective leadership practice and develop a growth mindset. My colleagues and I believe that leadership is about driving change, and that leadership is both a verb and a journey. Everyone can learn to lead, and effective leaders are, above all, self-aware. With self-awareness comes the ability and confidence to act consistently and build trust.

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To help new leaders embark on a reflective leadership practice, tools such as the Big 5 Personality test and the Taproot Values assessment can deepen their self-awareness and confidence. It is also important for new leaders to understand power as more than authority based on a position. My colleague Julie Battliana’s new book, Power for All , is a great resource that highlights the importance of personal and relational power in leadership and how team leaders can tap into these sources within their teams to drive change.

To help new leaders embark on a reflective leadership practice, tools such as the Big 5 Personality test and the Taproot Values assessment can deepen their self-awareness and confidence. It is also important for new leaders to understand power as more than authority based on a position. My colleague Julie Battliana’s new book, Power for All, is a great resource that highlights the importance of personal and relational power in leadership and how team leaders can tap into these sources within their teams to drive change.

Talent Management, Coaching, and Culture

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New leaders also need tools and frameworks to support the mind shift described above and help them gain confidence in managing people for the first time. We have found that two specific frameworks can be helpful: the Talent Management Lifecycle, described in detail in this article , and the 9-box grid. The 9-box grid is widely used but increasingly controversial. Critics highlight the fact that it is subjective and can exacerbate bias. This article provides a good analysis of the pros and cons of the 9-box grid. If used thoughtfully, the 9-box grid can be a very helpful organizing tool, helping new managers to develop tailored approaches and strategies to support their direct reports.

New leaders also need tools and frameworks to support the mind shift described above and help them gain confidence in managing people for the first time. We have found that two specific frameworks can be helpful: the Talent Management Lifecycle, described in detail in this article, and the 9-box grid. The 9-box grid is widely used but increasingly controversial. Critics highlight the fact that it is subjective and can exacerbate bias. This article provides a good analysis of the pros and cons of the 9-box grid. If used thoughtfully, the 9-box grid can be a very helpful organizing tool, helping new managers to develop tailored approaches and strategies to support their direct reports.

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By tapping into and honing their emotional intelligence and using coaching frameworks such as GROW, popularized by Whitmore, new managers can develop the skills to build trust with their direct reports and help them reach their potential. A number of free emotional intelligence assessments are available online, with some offering specific recommendations based on the test results. The GROW coaching framework is simple and widely adopted. It can help new managers incorporate a coaching approach into the management of their direct reports. You can find a good article that reviews this model here .

By tapping into and honing their emotional intelligence and using coaching frameworks such as GROW, popularized by Whitmore, new managers can develop the skills to build trust with their direct reports and help them reach their potential. A number of free emotional intelligence assessments are available online, with some offering specific recommendations based on the test results. The GROW coaching framework is simple and widely adopted. It can help new managers incorporate a coaching approach into the management of their direct reports. You can find a good article that reviews this model here.

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We have also found that when prompted well, ChatGPT and other large language models can be very effective at modeling the role of a coach using the GROW coaching model. My colleague Julia Minson’s new book, How to Disagree Better , is another helpful resource for new leaders learning how to engage in difficult conversations or interact with colleagues who have different opinions and ideas. New managers in particular often feel unprepared to have challenging conversations, and Minson offers a useful framework proven to increase respectful dialogue.

We have also found that when prompted well, ChatGPT and other large language models can be very effective at modeling the role of a coach using the GROW coaching model. My colleague Julia Minson’s new book, How to Disagree Better, is another helpful resource for new leaders learning how to engage in difficult conversations or interact with colleagues who have different opinions and ideas. New managers in particular often feel unprepared to have challenging conversations, and Minson offers a useful framework proven to increase respectful dialogue.

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Finally, in an era of change and uncertainty, creating resilient organizations and teams is becoming an increasingly important leadership skill. This McKinsey article, Raising the Resilience of Your Organization , articulates four key capabilities of resilient organizations: building agility, creating self-sufficient teams, promoting adaptable leaders, and investing in talent and culture. The article provides examples that can be strategic inspiration for new leaders.

Finally, in an era of change and uncertainty, creating resilient organizations and teams is becoming an increasingly important leadership skill. This McKinsey article, Raising the Resilience of Your Organization, articulates four key capabilities of resilient organizations: building agility, creating self-sufficient teams, promoting adaptable leaders, and investing in talent and culture. The article provides examples that can be strategic inspiration for new leaders.

Building Effective Teams

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New team leaders have two key roles when creating effective teams: They must manage the process and the people. While somewhat dated, Hackman offers a succinct framework for managing an effective team process. He suggested that effective teams need five conditions to be successful: a real team, a compelling direction, an enabling structure (including established norms), a supportive context, and expert coaching. Managing people in a team involves fostering psychological safety, as described by Amy Edmondson, and encouraging the free flow of information and ideas.

New team leaders have two key roles when creating effective teams: They must manage the process and the people. While somewhat dated, Hackman offers a succinct framework for managing an effective team process. He suggested that effective teams need five conditions to be successful: a real team, a compelling direction, an enabling structure (including established norms), a supportive context, and expert coaching. Managing people in a team involves fostering psychological safety, as described by Amy Edmondson, and encouraging the free flow of information and ideas.

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It is worthwhile highlighting a few specific internal barriers to team performance, the hidden profile issue, and groupthink. The hidden profile issue occurs when a team member holds unique information that, if unshared, tends to lead to suboptimal decisions. Often driven by fear of conflict, a lack of trust, or the dominance of a few voices, hidden profiles can negatively impact team effectiveness by leading to incomplete analysis and missed opportunities for innovative solutions. Groupthink can also result in less-than-optimal team decisions. Anchored in the desire to create harmony and cohesion among team members, it can lead to self-censorship, stereotyping outsiders, and an illusion of unanimity.

It is worthwhile highlighting a few specific internal barriers to team performance, the hidden profile issue, and groupthink. The hidden profile issue occurs when a team member holds unique information that, if unshared, tends to lead to suboptimal decisions. Often driven by fear of conflict, a lack of trust, or the dominance of a few voices, hidden profiles can negatively impact team effectiveness by leading to incomplete analysis and missed opportunities for innovative solutions. Groupthink can also result in less-than-optimal team decisions. Anchored in the desire to create harmony and cohesion among team members, it can lead to self-censorship, stereotyping outsiders, and an illusion of unanimity.

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New managers can counter groupthink by encouraging everyone to speak up and voice dissenting opinions, using a devil’s advocate approach, diversifying teams, seeking external perspectives, conducting a pre-mortem, and promoting active listening. We have found that the most effective training for creating effective teams is the use of team-building simulations by Human Synergistics and others.

New managers can counter groupthink by encouraging everyone to speak up and voice dissenting opinions, using a devil’s advocate approach, diversifying teams, seeking external perspectives, conducting a pre-mortem, and promoting active listening. We have found that the most effective training for creating effective teams is the use of team-building simulations by Human Synergistics and others.

Bottom Line

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To conclude, new leaders often experience loneliness and isolation. As you consider leadership development programs to help your top talent transition into managerial roles, think about programs that your new leaders can do together as a cohort or alongside other new leaders from different organizations and sectors. The shared experience of completing a leadership training program and addressing common challenges together can create opportunities for peer-to-peer mentorship and a network of support.

To conclude, new leaders often experience loneliness and isolation. As you consider leadership development programs to help your top talent transition into managerial roles, think about programs that your new leaders can do together as a cohort or alongside other new leaders from different organizations and sectors. The shared experience of completing a leadership training program and addressing common challenges together can create opportunities for peer-to-peer mentorship and a network of support.

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By recognizing the challenges your star players may face as they are promoted and actively investing in their transition to leadership, you can reap both immediate and long-term benefits in retention and job satisfaction. In fact, new leader development training may offer the best return on your talent development dollars.

By recognizing the challenges your star players may face as they are promoted and actively investing in their transition to leadership, you can reap both immediate and long-term benefits in retention and job satisfaction. In fact, new leader development training may offer the best return on your talent development dollars.

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