Building Great Leaders: Training First-Time Managers By Jeremy Miller First-time managers display a lot of enthusiasm, determination, self-discipline, and of course those key skills that earned them the promotion in the first place. Yet they face an overwhelming variety of challenges that they have not been trained or groomed for when first promoted to managerial positions. No longer are they responsible solely for accomplishing projects on their own; they are now evaluated on how well they build and mobilize a team to meet company goals. The challenge to transition from a solo performer to a new manager is like moving from single life to life as a parent. The focus shifts from the individual needs to the needs of others, and it is a much steeper learning curve than anyone ever imagines. To be successful in their new role, first-time managers must be able to communicate, delegate, mentor, motivate, and solve problems on a team level -- abilities that they probably had neither the opportunity nor the need to develop in their previous positions. When it comes to being effective leaders, first-time managers can only be as good as the support and training that the organization gives them. Without adequate training, it's easy to make mistakes. Some micro-manage; some run into interpersonal problems; some fail to delegate. To help fledgling leaders avoid such pitfalls, first-time managers should undergo a focused training program tailored to each individual. No classroom program can comprehensively cover all of the skills a first-time manager must