The promotion felt like a win – until Monday morning arrived and you realised nobody taught you how actually to manage people.
If you’re in any management role and have felt this way, you’re not alone. Every day, brilliant employees get promoted to management roles based on their expertise, only to find themselves struggling with the people side of leadership. The spreadsheets they mastered won’t help them navigate difficult conversations, motivate a disengaged team member, or handle conflict between colleagues.
It’s important to note that this isn’t a failure of the individual; it’s a gap in how we prepare people for management roles.
The skills that make someone excellent at their job are completely different from the skills needed to lead others effectively. Yet, many organisations expect new managers to figure it out as they go along, often with costly consequences.
In this article, we’ll break down the core skills team leaders need, share practical approaches to training that really work, and give you a roadmap for developing confident, capable managers who can bring out the best in their teams.
The Cost of Skipping Manager Training
Let’s start with the tough reality: poor management is expensive.
Research consistently shows that people don’t leave jobs; they leave managers.
When someone quits, it could cost between £11,200 and £74,900 to replace them, factoring in recruitment, training, and lost productivity.
But the thing is, the impact goes beyond even the numbers.
Untrained managers often struggle with performance conversations, letting issues fester until they become major problems. They may inadvertently create legal risks through the inconsistent application of policies or the mishandling of sensitive situations. They might micromanage out of uncertainty, stifling creativity and engagement, or swing the other way and provide so little direction that teams feel abandoned.
The workplace has changed dramatically, too. Today’s managers need to navigate hybrid working arrangements, manage multi-generational teams with different expectations, and support employee wellbeing while maintaining productivity.
All of this paints the picture of a role that requires a person with a very specific and sophisticated skillset. The question is, what skills would make this person the best leader?
What Skills Should A Team Leader Have?
So, what skills do team leaders ACTUALLY need? Let’s break down what separates struggling managers from successful ones.
Communication sits at the heart of everything. This isn’t just about being able to give clear instructions, though that’s important. Effective managers master active listening, learning to truly hear what their team members are saying rather than just waiting for their turn to speak.
They can give constructive feedback that motivates rather than deflates, and they’re comfortable having difficult conversations when performance or behaviour issues arise.
Emotional intelligence is equally important. Great managers can read the room, picking up on tension or disengagement before it becomes a major issue. They understand their emotional triggers and can remain calm under pressure. They recognise that each team member is motivated differently and adapt their approach accordingly.
The art of delegation represents one of the biggest mindset shifts for new managers. Moving from doing the work yourself to enabling others to do it requires trust, communication, and the patience to let people learn through their mistakes.
Some new managers struggle here, either micromanaging because they’re worried about quality, or completely hands-off because they don’t want to seem controlling.
Performance management is about much more than annual reviews. Effective managers set clear expectations from the start, provide regular feedback, and address issues early before they escalate.
They understand the difference between coaching someone to improve and managing someone out when improvement isn’t happening.
Decision-making skills become critical when you’re responsible for a team. Managers need to know when to make decisions independently, when to consult their team, and when to escalate to senior leadership. They need to be comfortable with ambiguity and able to make reasonable decisions with incomplete information.
Conflict resolution is an inevitable part of management. Whether it’s personality clashes, disagreements over priorities, or performance issues, managers need to spot tension early and address it constructively. This requires courage, empathy, and practical skills in mediation and problem-solving.
All of these points considered, it’s easy to see why the mindset shift of going from an individual contributor to a leader can be complicated.
Success is no longer measured by what you accomplish personally, but by what your team achieves collectively. This requires letting go of control while maintaining accountability – a delicate balance that takes practice to master.
Training That Actually Sticks
Now that we understand what skills matter, how do we develop them effectively?
Traditional team leader training often fails because it treats management as a theoretical subject rather than a practical skill.
The most effective people manager training uses a blended approach. Start with foundational workshops that cover core concepts, but immediately follow up with opportunities to practice.
Role-playing exercises might feel awkward, but they’re invaluable for building confidence in difficult conversations. Scenario-based learning helps managers think through real situations they’re likely to encounter.
Peer learning is particularly powerful. When managers share challenges and solutions with each other, they often find practical approaches that work better than textbook theories.
Regular practice opportunities with feedback are essential. This might involve shadowing experienced managers, practicing performance conversations with HR support, or receiving coaching on specific challenges.
The key is creating safe spaces where new managers can make mistakes and learn from them without serious consequences.
Effective people manager training must also cover the legal basics. Managers need to understand discrimination and harassment laws, proper documentation procedures, and when to involve HR. They should be equipped with mental health awareness training, understanding how to support struggling team members while maintaining appropriate boundaries.
Common training mistakes include:
- One-and-done sessions that dump information without follow-up.
- Overly theoretical content that doesn’t relate to day-to-day challenges.
- Generic programmes that don’t reflect your organisation’s specific culture and challenges.
The best training is ongoing rather than event-based. Management skills develop over time through practice, reflection, and continuous learning. Building this into your approach from the start sets realistic expectations and creates better outcomes.
Your Action Plan for Growth
So, how do you implement practical manager training that creates lasting change?
Start with honest self-assessment: Help new managers identify their natural management style and potential blind spots. Some people naturally gravitate toward detailed oversight while others prefer a hands-off approach – neither is inherently wrong, but both need to be conscious choices rather than default reactions.
Create individual development plans that recognise each manager’s starting point and growth areas: One person might need to work on delegation while another needs help with difficult conversations. Tailored approaches are more effective than one-size-fits-all programmes.
Establish structured one-to-ones between managers and their team members: Many new managers skip these or treat them as status updates, missing the opportunity for real connection and development. Train managers on how to use these meetings effectively – asking the right questions, providing meaningful feedback, and identifying growth opportunities.
Build feedback loops that help managers understand their impact: This might include regular pulse surveys, 360-degree feedback processes, or simply creating cultures where team members feel safe providing upward feedback. Many managers have blind spots about how their behaviour affects others – creating visibility helps them adjust and improve.
Measure what matters: Track metrics like employee engagement scores, retention rates by manager, internal promotion success rates, and improvements in 360 feedback scores. This data helps you identify which managers are thriving and which need additional support.
Ultimately, the goal is creating a culture where management development is seen as an ongoing journey rather than a checkbox exercise.
Investing in Your Leaders
Well-trained managers create more engaged teams, better business results, and stronger workplace cultures. The investment in comprehensive team leader training pays for itself through improved retention, higher productivity, and reduced legal risks.
Great managers aren’t born – they’re developed through thoughtful training, ongoing support, and opportunities to practice and grow.
Your next steps are straightforward: assess your current management capability honestly, identify the most pressing training priorities, and create a development plan that starts with willing early adopters.
Begin with your newest managers or those who are struggling, but don’t neglect experienced managers who may need skills updates for today’s challenges.
Management is a skill that can be learned, and the organisations that invest in developing these skills consistently outperform those that leave management development to chance. The question isn’t whether you can afford to train your managers – it’s whether you can afford not to.
Let’s talk about creating a training programme that fits your culture and challenges.
Great managers are the foundation of great organisations, and with the right support, your managers can become the leaders your business needs to thrive.