When I think about leadership development, I go back to my years in the military. One thing the military consistently does well is learning and development. When you are promoted, or even before being promoted, you attend a school that prepares you for the next level. You’re not thrown into a leadership role and told to figure it out. You are trained, coached and equipped before you ever take responsibility for people.

This dynamic is almost completely missing in many organizations. Promotions often happen because someone does their current job well, not because they are prepared to succeed in the next one. 

Someone leaves, and suddenly the conversation becomes, “You perform the best: Do you want the role?” A strong technician becomes a manager. A high-performing employee becomes a supervisor. A reliable team member becomes the next shift lead. But their new role actually requires a completely different skill set — and in most organizations, no one teaches it to them.

An ‘overnight identity shift’

Frankly, one of the most difficult transitions in any organization is moving from front-line employee to front-line leader. You are no longer their co-worker, hang-out partner or drinking buddy. You now set schedules, give guidance, provide direction and hold people accountable

It is an overnight identity shift and it can be extremely difficult to navigate.

New leaders are suddenly expected to handle accommodation and leave conversations, coach employees, address attendance issues, recognize good performance, manage conflict, write documentation, conduct investigations and communicate expectations clearly —  all without ever teaching you how.

Most supervisors are not struggling because they are poor leaders. They are struggling because nobody prepared them to lead.

Leadership training is treated like a one-time event in many organizations: A workshop. A presentation. A seminar. People sit, listen, take notes, and then return to their teams hoping they remember something when a real situation occurs. 

Best practices to develop managers

Leaders do not need long lectures. They need clarity. They need skills. They need confidence. They need short, practical guidance they can use the moment they walk out of the room.

I believe in a blended approach to leadership development, which is why I created a “pathways to leadership excellence” training program. In those sessions, we used scenarios that mirrored actual workplace situations. Leaders worked in small groups, large groups and individually; they practiced public speaking and coaching conversations; they built skills in writing evaluations, disciplining employees, prioritizing tasks effectively and developing ideas for future business opportunities.

We intentionally mixed seating, so leaders worked with people from other departments. We engaged with all kinds of media where it made sense: Videos created internally and externally that reflect our environment and challenges, games to reinforce concepts in different ways, and books providing different perspectives on teamwork and communication. 

We also assigned homework so leaders had to think, practice, and apply what they learned between sessions. Participants wrote book reports to explain what they learned, what stood out and how they planned to apply each concept. 

The goal was not to overwhelm them. The goal was to stretch them, strengthen them, and develop them in ways that actually mattered.

Real examples, real responsibilities, real results

Because the sessions were practical and the concepts were delivered in focused segments, leaders applied what they learned immediately. Over time, they became more confident. Employee relations issues decreased. Conversations improved. Consistency increased. Turnover decreased. Time to hire improved. Performance ratings more accurately reflected individuals' work. 

Leaders across departments began speaking the same language and culture strengthened, because expectations were clear and leaders finally had tools they could rely on. Leaders became empowered.

Our approach worked because leadership development should be continuous and aligned with real responsibilities. Leaders are busy. They do not need long, theoretical workshops. They need straightforward guidance. They need time to practice. They need reinforcement. And they need training that respects the reality of their day.

When we prepare our leaders, we prepare our entire organization. And when we invest in their growth, leadership becomes a strength — not a vulnerability.