Hi Reader,

We set managers up to fail.

Or, at the very least, to struggle because we haven’t given them the proper tools to be successful at a very complex job—the job of:

• managing the professional development of their people,
• ensuring the emotional well-being of their teams, and
• manifesting the ideal organizational culture espoused on the company’s marketing materials.

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When I received my first promotion at my last job, it was because the CEO recognized my individual performance, my strategy, and project management skills.

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I also had expertise that spanned two departments in need of leadership. However, what wasn’t considered—nor even discussed—was my ability to manage people.

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Suddenly, I was overseeing a team of 35, spread across Los Angeles County. This team was diverse in every way—age, race, ethnicity, gender, and neurodiverse.

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They ranged from five years younger than me to 30 years older, and I had to navigate disengagement, dissatisfaction regarding pay and schedules, unresolved interpersonal conflicts, and tensions across field offices.
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On top of that, I was tasked with supporting their career growth and professional development.
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I was never assessed for my ability to do these things before the promotion. And I’m not alone.
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This is how we under-prepare most managers when we offer them the gift of career advancement.

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And the cost? It’s paid by both the manager and their teams.

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Intentional Shift From Individual Performer
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Many people excel as individual performers, consistently delivering high-level work and catching the eye of their supervisors. This often gets them promoted to leadership positions, where they are now expected to manage people.

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But being a top performer doesn’t automatically mean they have the skills to lead a team, develop others, or navigate interpersonal dynamics effectively.

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Too often, we hope these new managers will figure it out on their own. We don’t equip them with the tools to manage conflict, nurture team growth, or align the team’s actions with the organization's inclusive vision.

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When an organization establishes a people-centered culture and posts its vision, values, and goals on its website, we rarely provide managers the training to execute those principles on the ground.

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This disconnect between the aspirational culture we publicize and the reality inside the organization is why so many teams struggle.
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We Don't Prepare Managers​
​I read a stat years ago that said people don’t quit their jobs or the organization; they quit their manager.
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If managers aren’t prepared to lead with inclusion, clarity, and vision, we set them up for failure—and their teams suffer as a result.

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Deloitte found that 63% of millennial employees (workers aged 28-45) believe they aren’t receiving adequate leadership development opportunities from their employers.

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Additionally, a report by Brandon Hall Group found that only 20% of organizations believe they are “very effective” at developing leaders.

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And when we track mentorship, sponsorship, and professional development opportunities for under-recognized and historically marginalized groups (e.g., BIPOC, women, LGBTQIA+), these development opportunities are often far lower.

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At Wilson and Associates Coaching and Consulting, we’ve partnered with organizations to ensure their leaders have the skills and tools to manage effectively and build inclusive, people-centered teams.

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When individuals thrive, team cultures thrive, leading to increased morale, productivity, and innovation across the organization.

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What We Expect of Managers (But Don’t Train Them For)​
​New and existing managers are often expected to step into roles that demand skills they haven’t been trained for. Organizations frequently overlook training in areas such as:

• Designing and Facilitating Meetings: Managers are expected to create effective meeting agendas and facilitate productive conversations that move the team forward.
• Managing Change: In today’s fast-paced work environments, managers must guide their teams through transitions, ensuring stability and engagement through uncertainty.
• Fostering Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion: Building and maintaining a team culture where every voice is heard and valued takes intentional effort, but many managers are left without the tools to make this happen.
• Navigating Conflict: Teams inevitably face conflict, and it’s up to managers to address issues before they escalate to HR. Proactive conflict resolution can make the difference between a healthy, collaborative team and one fractured by ongoing disputes.
• Communicating Effectively and Transparently: Especially in times of change, managers are expected to communicate clearly and transparently, even when full transparency isn’t possible. This balance is crucial to building trust and maintaining morale.

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Without training in these areas, we expect managers to take on responsibilities for which they are not prepared, often leading to frustration, missteps, and high turnover.
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The Solutions We Offer​
​We offer a variety of programs specifically designed to address these leadership gaps:

• Skill-Building Workshops + Coaching: We offer one-time skill-building workshops that can be facilitated live, with the option of adding a virtual learning community space for peer learning and technical support after the live session has concluded.
• Custom Professional Development Programs: We also have the ability to build custom in-house professional development programs for your organization. These programs are tailored specifically for your team, with only your leaders participating. Two examples of these programs are:
  • Your North Star: This program is designed for new managers, helping them discover their own leadership style and manage the most common dynamics and challenges that surface for those who are relatively new to people and project management. Several companies are exploring this program for internal adoption for 2025.
  • ​Equitable Leadership Table: Recently sold to a company for internal implementation, this program teaches leaders the core competencies for building equity and inclusion as a result-focused practice and leadership habit at the team level.

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Work with Us​
​If you’d like to bring any of these programs into your organization, or if you'd like to discuss the specific competencies you'd like to develop within your management team, send us an email.

In an free alignment call, we can complete a diagnostic to help identify which training might best fit your team and support your goals of strengthening leadership and cultivating a truly inclusive culture.

Our programs are designed to supplement your training efforts and inclusive culture goals, ensuring your leaders have the skills to create environments where everyone can contribute and thrive.

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It's time to set our managers up for success.

Warmly,

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