
LEADERSHIP TRAINING FOR MANAGERS
Mastering Leadership: Essential tips for new managers
Stepping into a management role for the first time can be both exciting and daunting. When tight talent pools or tight budgets limit your hiring efforts, developing new leaders internally becomes an essential post-hire practice. Whether you’re a new manager navigating this transition or an HR leader looking to support your team, the journey to effective leadership requires a blend of strategy, self-awareness, and strong communication skills.

Introduction to management
This guide offers practical new manager tips to help anyone in a leadership role. Whether you’re managing your own team or mentoring others, you can cultivate the skills needed for long-term success. With the right tools and insights, you can ensure that managers are not only prepared, but also empowered to excel in their roles.
What are the traits of a good manager?
To be a successful manager, it’s crucial to develop certain core traits that drive both team performance and personal growth. You might be tasked with coordinating team-building exercises to boost team cohesion.
Here are key traits for any effective manager:
- Empathy: Connect deeply with your team to build trust and open communication.
- Strategic Thinking: Set clear long-term goals and align team efforts with priorities.
- Effective communication: Simplify ideas, prevent misunderstandings, and provide feedback.
- An understanding of behavioral data: Tailor your approach to team members’ behavioral drives.
- Appetite for learning: Continuously learn, mentor, and adapt to workplace challenges.


How to navigate challenges faced by new managers
Not all managerial challenges are equal. Experience gives more tenured leaders a leg up in certain situations, as does familiarity with the faces and personalities on the team. New managers face a unique learning curve that may include:
New managers often face the challenge of managing people who were once their peers. This requires establishing new boundaries, while still maintaining trust and respect. Setting clear expectations and balancing the shift in authority can help navigate this tricky transition.
Managers need to identify signs of disengagement and cultural friction within their teams. Addressing these issues early helps maintain a positive team culture and prevents long-term productivity loss.
Handling conflict effectively is key to maintaining harmony within a team. Good managers can’t fear conflict. Managers should be proactive in addressing interpersonal issues and creating a safe space for resolution.
Recognizing underperformance and initiating difficult conversations are essential skills for any manager. Setting clear performance improvement plans and maintaining accountability can help team members meet expectations.
With remote work becoming more prevalent, managers must adjust their leadership style to suit the behavioral preferences of remote employees. This includes finding ways to keep remote workers engaged and productive.

Support new managers through this ebook

How to learn people management skills
Understanding one’s own leadership style is critical to effective management. Self-awareness allows managers to recognize their strengths, weaknesses, and blind spots. By being aware of how they lead, managers can adapt their approach based on team needs.
Worksheet: How’s your leadership fit?
Self-awareness also plays a role in improving emotional intelligence. Managers who can control their emotions and respond thoughtfully to team dynamics are better equipped to lead in challenging situations.
Managers should tailor their communication styles to each team member’s preferences. Personalized communication helps build trust and encourages open dialogue.
Additional resource: 1:1 Meeting Templates for Managers

Try our 6-minute assessment to uncover your strengths.

How to effectively manage and lead teams with behavioral insights
Behavioral insights are only valuable if you put them into everyday practice. For managers, that means applying an understanding of people’s strongest drives and needs to 1:1 interactions and communications, but also in assigning projects, delegating tasks, and managing conflict.
Leveraging behavioral data helps managers understand their team’s diverse work styles, communication preferences, and motivations. Aligning roles with behavioral strengths can lead to better team performance and collaboration.
Managers can adjust their leadership approach based on the behavioral profiles of their team members. This ensures that high-performers and those needing more support receive the guidance they need.
Behavioral insights can also help foster better communication and collaboration within teams. Identifying potential friction points between team members and addressing them early reduces conflict.

Access the Practical Guide to Managing Teams for step-by-step advice.

HR training for managers: How HR can support and upskill managers across the organization
Human Resources and People Operations teams are the hub connecting every spoke throughout the organization. The best people leaders have their finger on the pulse of the business. They can use that sense to enable managers and other aspiring leaders in a number of ways.
HR leaders play a crucial role in developing leadership programs that provide ongoing training for managers. These programs should be structured to ensure consistent development across all levels of management.
Data-driven insights, such as performance reviews and behavioral assessments, can help HR leaders identify gaps in managerial skills. Personalized learning paths based on these insights enable managers to grow in areas that need improvement.
Introducing tools like PI Inspire can help HR leaders scale leadership development across the organization, providing personalized training that grows with the company.

Dive deeper into how PI supports managers.

Essential resources every manager should have
Managers need access to templates, reports, tools, and e-books to help them navigate day-to-day challenges. The Ultimate Management Toolkit provides a one-stop resource for managers to tackle common issues.
Access the The Ultimate Management Toolkit to enhance your management skills.

The payoff
Investing in new managers strengthens the future of your organization. By building key leadership traits, using behavioral insights, and supporting ongoing growth, you create a more engaged, productive, and resilient team. Whether you’re an HR leader or a manager, the right tools can empower your team to thrive.
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