From Teammate to Team Leader: A Blueprint for Frontline Manager Development

“Next person up.” This is how most frontline managers get the job.

According to DDI, frontline managers are the most important people in the workplace. They lead 80 percent of the workforce and influence every part of the employee experience. But most never planned to do this job. In fact, 70 percent of managers didn’t anticipate their promotion.

Companies rely on these managers to turn strategy into action. “As a result, the work piles on, and 40 percent of managers feel burned out,” according to The Deskless Report 2024. This leaves little room for development. Even a 30-minute quarterly webinar is a stretch.

Traditional leadership development isn’t built for the frontline. It’s designed for people with steady schedules, not those running the floor and putting out fires all day. Managers are asking for help, but they need a different approach—one that fits into their reality, rapidly builds capability, and boosts on-the-job confidence.

Here’s a better way.

Start with guidance

Before building any courses, make sure managers have access to real-time support. Provide a knowledge base with proven practices and answers to everyday challenges, such as:

• What happens if we miss a delivery or run out of stock?

• What’s the process for approving shift swaps?

• What do I say in a write-up conversation?

Make this knowledge easy to find and apply. Use AI to provide managers with a digital assistant that’s always available to answer questions, share advice, and help them stay focused.

When managers can solve everyday problems on their own, training can shift from teaching processes to building the skills that drive outcomes.

Focus on what’s most useful now

Skip the leadership theory—at least at first. New managers need practical skills that enable them to run the operation without letting things fall apart.

Start with the basics, then build up. Restructure your manager training into job-relevant phases:

• Manage a shift. Build core confidence in leading daily operations.

• Navigate disruption. Provide the knowledge and tools needed to handle the unexpected.

• Lead a team. Focus on building trust, improving communication, and coaching to performance.

• Lead initiatives. Help them take ownership of projects and excel in stretch opportunities.

• Pursue opportunities. Foster the skills that will get them to the next role.

Personalize the path so each person can progress at the right pace. Strong operators may move fast. Newcomers might need more time to build the basics. Make sure the manager and their team are confident they can handle the next shift—because it’s tomorrow.

Foster peer networks

“Training has limits. There’s only so much you can cover in the time available. It’s no surprise that 67 percent of frontline managers say they’re making it up as they go,” according to The Deskless Report 2024.

Microlearning and reinforcement are essential for ongoing development, but a manager’s most valuable resource is fellow managers. They’ve been through it. They know how topics discussed in the classroom play out in real life. Make it easy for managers to connect with peers who can share advice and offer support in difficult moments.

A frontline manager might be the only one in their location, and that location might be the only one in the city. But they shouldn’t feel alone. Foster community. Create space for real conversations and judgment-free guidance. The support they need is often one text message away.

Design for reality

Leadership development is falling short, and most companies know it. “75 percent say their programs don’t deliver value,” according to Josh Bersin.

This gap is even wider on the frontline. Managers don’t need theories and slide decks. They need actionable training that fits into their free moments. They need tools to solve real problems and lead through the daily chaos.

Fixing leadership development doesn’t mean lowering the bar. Instead, L&D must design for the reality frontline managers face every day—and give them a real chance to succeed.