Leadership isn’t Intuitive – It’s Taught

One of the fastest ways to set a new manager up to fail (or just erode their confidence completely) is to promote them into a leadership role without offering the training, tools, or guidance they need to succeed. Especially when that role demands a completely different skill set from what made them successful in the first place.

Unfortunately, this is still all too common. Companies often hand over a new title and a list of responsibilities, along with the pressure of managing people, but forget to equip new leaders with the support they need to thrive. Then, when those managers struggle, whether through micromanaging, indecision, or communication missteps, it becomes a source of frustration for senior leadership or the team itself.

By the time someone steps in to help, it's often too late, and the conversation has shifted to performance management, rather than growth and development.

I’ve seen this happen far too many times across different industries, functions, and experience levels - both personally and through the stories of peers.

 So the question is: why do we continue to overlook one of the most pivotal transitions in a company’s growth? Maybe put this bit in a different font to stand out?

Leadership isn’t something people should be expected to just “figure out.” We have to stop assuming capability based on past performance and start investing in the skills that actually build strong leaders.

That means intentional development in areas like:

• Emotional intelligence

• Clear, effective communication (both upward and downward)

• Accountability and feedback

• Leading with respect over the desire to be liked

• Navigating conflict with confidence

If we want better leaders, we need to build them - deliberately, thoughtfully, and early.