New Managers Continue to Struggle Almost two-thirds of new managers underperform during their first two years. And those that survive develop bad habits that stay with them throughout their career.
With 85% of new managers receiving no formal new manager training prior to taking on their new leadership role, we are not surprised that new managers aren’t performing as well as those who promoted them had hoped.
Without the opportunity to properly develop and practice the fundamental skills needed to lead others, how can we expect newly promoted managers to be equipped to excel?
But beware. Generic training is not enough to change behavior and performance.
Only 10% of respondents to a recent McKinsey survey said their companies’ frontline manager training is effective in preparing managers to lead. Our own training measurement research found that only 1-in-5 learners change their behavior from stand-alone training.
Leading people is not easy. Changing behavior is not a one-time event. To get it right, treat new manager development as an ongoing change initiative.
There are some important new manager communications, that if done well, make an outsized difference to employee engagement, retention, and performance.
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