How to Transform Managers into Great Leaders

Leadership is a transformation, not just a title or authority. Many organizations promote high performers into management roles without providing the necessary skills to lead effectively, resulting in teams that are managed but not inspired or developed.

The transition from manager to leader requires a fundamental shift in mindset and behavior. While managers focus on processes and outcomes, leaders focus on people, potential, and culture. 

Traditional leadership training often fails because it prioritizes theory over practice. Telling someone to “be more strategic” or “think like a leader” is meaningless without concrete methods to develop those abilities. What’s needed is a structured approach that rewires default managerial instincts into true leadership behaviors through deliberate practice, real-world application, and ongoing reinforcement.

Managers in the public sector who obtained executive coaching following their leadership training showed an 88% boost in productivity. With 26% of first-time managers feeling unprepared to lead, 60% receiving no transitional training, and 50% proving ineffective, organizations fail to equip new leaders with the essential skills and support they need to succeed.

This guide provides a proven framework for training managers to become leaders. It moves beyond abstract concepts to deliver actionable training methods that create lasting change.

The Differences Between Managers and Leaders

Managers focus on processes, tasks, and outcomes, ensuring efficiency and meeting short-term goals. They are responsible for overseeing day-to-day operations, maintaining control, and minimizing risks. Leaders, on the other hand, inspire, develop people, and shape culture, focusing on long-term growth and potential.

They guide teams toward a shared vision, empower others to innovate, and foster a positive organizational culture. While managers enforce policies, leaders motivate, unlock capability, and drive change.

Leaders who focus on people development have teams that perform 27% better, compared to those who focus solely on meeting immediate targets.

True leadership is about influence, development, and vision. The following steps will show you how to cultivate these qualities systematically, turning competent managers into exceptional leaders.

Phase 1: The Mindset Shift (From Control to Empowerment)

Managers typically focus on task oversight, emphasizing control and short-term goals. In contrast, leaders prioritize empowering their teams and fostering long-term growth. The core challenge in shifting from a manager to a leader lies in changing the mindset from task management to people development.

Managers often operate with the belief that they must directly control the outcome, whereas leaders recognize that developing their teams is the key to achieving sustainable success. The primary training method in this phase is the Leadership Mirror Exercise, where managers reflect on their last 10 decisions and categorize them into Manager Moves (focused on control and short-term fixes) or Leader Moves (focused on empowerment and long-term growth).

The key insight from this exercise is that most managers will realize they operate primarily in the Manager Move mindset, often focusing on task oversight rather than team development. This awareness is the first step toward making the shift to leadership. Through self-assessment, managers become more aware of the patterns in their decision-making, which helps identify areas for change. The leadership transition requires shifting three core beliefs:

1. From “I Own Results” to “I Develop People Who Deliver Results”: Managers focus on controlling outcomes, while leaders focus on developing people to achieve results.
2. From “Authority = Control” to “Authority = Influence”: Managers use control authority, while leaders use influence to inspire and guide.
3. From "Avoiding Mistakes" to "Learning from Failures": Managers may avoid risks, but leaders see mistakes as learning opportunities that lead to innovation.

The Leadership Mirror Exercise allows managers to reflect on their decisions, categorize them as either Manager Moves or Leader Moves, and identify the need for mindset change. This exercise works by promoting self-awareness and highlighting the differences between managing tasks and leading people.

The Decision Transformation Table:

The table above illustrates the key behavioral shifts from manager default behaviors to leader behaviors, emphasizing empowerment, innovation, learning, and development.

The impact of these shifts is significant, as teams experience faster skill growth, more process improvements, greater innovation rates, and higher retention when managers embrace leadership behaviors focused on people and long-term outcomes.

Ultimately, by reflecting on their decision-making patterns through the Leadership Mirror Exercise and making intentional behavioral changes, managers can effectively transition to leadership roles, driving long-term success for both themselves and their teams.

Phase 2: Core Leadership Skills Training (Not Just Theory Practice Under Pressure)

Traditional training often focuses on theoretical knowledge, which can be ineffective when real-world challenges arise. Phase 2 focuses on putting managers through high-pressure scenarios to help them develop practical, actionable leadership skills. Through crisis simulations, feedback mastery drills, and delegation exercises, managers learn to handle real leadership situations with confidence and skill.

Decision-Making Under Pressure & Mastering Feedback

Decision-Making Under Fire:

In this exercise, managers are placed in crisis scenarios, such as sudden budget cuts or key employee resignations. They must make quick decisions that consider team involvement and explain the reasoning behind those decisions.

Studies show that 57% of workers who leave their jobs are fleeing bad leaders. Another 32% are seriously contemplating leaving because of their manager.

By simulating high-pressure situations, this exercise helps managers identify their decision-making tendencies, whether autocratic or inclusive, and improves their ability to lead through uncertainty.

Feedback Mastery:

Providing effective feedback is critical in leadership, but many managers fail to deliver feedback that drives improvement. The SBI Model (Situation-Behavior-Impact) provides a structured way to deliver constructive feedback. This exercise helps managers avoid vague feedback, acknowledge effort, and provide clear next steps. 

Why It Works: These exercises ensure managers can handle difficult situations whether making decisions under pressure or delivering critical feedback while focusing on team collaboration and employee development.

Delegation That Develops (Not Just Dumps Work)

Effective delegation is a cornerstone of leadership. Rather than simply offloading tasks, leaders should focus on developing their team’s skills through delegation. In this exercise, managers practice delegating tasks using the 70% Rule, where they delegate when an employee can perform a task 70% well, coaching the remaining 30%. This method emphasizes growth and development for employees rather than just task completion.

Performance Management → People Development

Traditional performance management focuses on meeting KPIs, often with punitive consequences for failure. In contrast, effective leaders focus on developing their team members’ skills to help them meet targets. In this training, managers role-play performance reviews where they focus on growth opportunities rather than just performance gaps.

Why It Works: Shifts the focus from blame to development, helping employees grow and improve.

Why Core Leadership Skills Training Works

This phase integrates neuroscience and behavioral science to ensure lasting leadership development. Immediate feedback accelerates habit formation, allowing managers to reinforce their leadership skills in real time.

Implementation Guide:

• Frequency: Weekly simulations (minimum 8 sessions) for consistent practice and skill reinforcement.
• Group Size: 4–6 managers per group for optimal peer learning.
• Technology: Utilize Virtual Reality (VR) for crisis scenarios. VR training has been shown to yield 37% better retention compared to traditional role-play methods.

Key Training Areas Overview

Phase 3: Breaking Managerial Habits (The 30-Day Leadership Challenge)

In Phase 3, the focus shifts to creating lasting change in managerial behaviors. Many leadership training programs fail because they focus on knowledge rather than real-world application. Managers often revert to old habits unless they are actively forced to practice new behaviors consistently.

The 30-Day Leadership Challenge addresses this by systematically rewiring default behaviors through daily, deliberate repetition and accountability. This phase emphasizes real, actionable leadership changes that stick.

The Science Behind the 30-Day Leadership Challenge

The 30-Day Leadership Challenge is grounded in principles of neuroscience and behavioral science, particularly neuroplasticity. Neuroplasticity refers to the brain’s ability to reorganize itself by forming new neural connections in response to learning and repeated practice.

It’s widely acknowledged that it takes between 21 and 30 days of daily repetition to shift automatic managerial behaviors into intentional leadership habits. On average, it takes about 66 days for a new behavior to become fully ingrained as a habit. This aligns with the idea that small, consistent actions, such as replacing one command with a coaching question each day, have a compounding effect.

Over time, these incremental changes build stronger leadership skills and make them more likely to stick than more intensive, short-term workshops. Additionally, research supports the power of public commitment. Managers who write down and share their goals are significantly more likely to achieve them, with a higher success rate.

Why This Works for Leadership Development

• Brain-Based Change: 30 days aligns with dopamine-driven habit loops.
• Behavioral Momentum: Small wins build confidence and avoid overwhelm.
• Social Accountability: Public pledges trigger loss aversion (no one wants to fail visibly).

These principles underpin the 30-day challenge, ensuring that managers make small, consistent shifts in behavior that lead to lasting change.

Daily Accountability Tasks for Managers

Days 1-10: Replace Commands with Coaching Questions

• Objective: Transition from directive management to coaching leadership.
• Task: Every day, replace one command or directive with a coaching question. For example, instead of saying, “Do it this way,” ask, “How would you approach this?”

Why It Works: This change forces managers to pause before issuing commands, encouraging them to develop empowering leadership habits. This method helps build muscle memory for coaching, which leads to a more collaborative leadership style.

Days 11-20: Daily Public Recognition of Team Members

• Objective: Shift focus from individual performance to team acknowledgment and appreciation.
• Task: Publicly recognize one team member’s contribution each day, whether in a team meeting, email, or stand-up session.

Why It Works: Recognition plays a significant role in motivating employees and fostering a positive team culture. By consistently acknowledging individual contributions, managers shift from controlling behaviors to cultivating a culture of appreciation. 87% of employees feel that meaningful recognition impacts job satisfaction.

Further, highly engaged employees lead to a boost in profitability of 21%, lower turnover rates of 31%, and an 80% consumer retention rate. Recognition increases employee engagement, productivity, and performance by 14%.

Days 21-30: Surrender Control on One Decision

• Objective: Empower the team by allowing them to make decisions that would typically fall under the manager’s control.
• Task: Let the team make one decision each day that you would usually control, such as workflow adjustments or meeting formats.

Why It Works: Giving employees the authority to make decisions builds trust and encourages a sense of ownership. This exercise reduces micromanagement and fosters a more engaged and accountable team.

How to Ensure Success

To ensure the 30-Day Leadership Challenge yields lasting behavior change, incorporate the following practices:

• Daily Journaling: Managers are encouraged to log their actions each day, boosting accountability and reflection on their progress.
• Peer Check-Ins: Weekly small-group discussions provide opportunities for managers to share insights, challenges, and strategies, reinforcing the learning process.
• Manager Shadowing: Senior leaders observe and debrief with managers on their new behaviors, offering guidance and feedback to reinforce growth.
  

Ultimately, the 30-Day Leadership Challenge forces managers to consistently practice and implement new behaviors, ensuring that the transformation from managerial to leadership behaviors is both deep and lasting.

Challenges New Managers Face in the Transition

The transition to management is filled with unique challenges that can leave new leaders feeling uncertain and overwhelmed. Understanding these challenges and having strategies in place to address them is crucial for success.

Below are common hurdles faced by new managers, along with training solutions designed to help them navigate this transition:

Dealing with Self-Doubt and Imposter Syndrome

Imposter syndrome is a common experience among new managers. The feeling of being a fraud or not deserving of the role can undermine confidence. A solution to this challenge is creating peer circles where managers share their experiences of self-doubt and imposter syndrome. By hearing others share their stories and struggles, managers realize they are not alone and that these feelings are a natural part of leadership growth.

Sliding Back to Old Role

When transitioning from peer to manager, new leaders may find it difficult to resist the temptation to revert to their previous role as a team member. They might fall into old habits of focusing on tasks and outcomes rather than leading people. To counter this, assigning an accountability partner is essential. This person can provide timely feedback, pointing out when the new manager slips into old patterns, and help them stay on track with their leadership development.

Managing Former Peers

Managing people who were once peers can create a unique set of challenges. New managers must learn to assert authority without alienating their former colleagues. A training solution here is role-playing scenarios where managers practice handling uncomfortable situations, such as addressing a friend’s poor performance. These role-playing exercises help build confidence in navigating power dynamics and ensure that managers can assert their leadership without sacrificing relationships.

Time Management and Visibility

Effective time management is crucial for new managers. Balancing managerial duties, personal tasks, and team responsibilities can be overwhelming. A practical solution is a “Leadership Calendar Audit.” This exercise involves analyzing how much time a manager is spending on tasks versus people. It provides insight into whether enough time is dedicated to leading the team and building relationships, which ultimately fosters stronger leadership.

How to Drive Engagement and Retention in Leadership Training

One of the most significant challenges in leadership training programs is ensuring that they lead to lasting change. Many programs fail to keep managers engaged and often do not result in meaningful behavior shifts. This failure is primarily due to programs being too theoretical, lacking real-world applications, and failing to address the unique challenges faced by individual managers.

Additionally, without continuous reinforcement, new skills tend to fade, and managers revert to their old habits. To truly make leadership training stick, it’s essential to incorporate strategies that engage participants and provide ongoing opportunities for practice, feedback, and real-time reflection.

Why Most Programs Fail to Keep Managers Engaged

Many leadership training programs fall short because they focus too much on theory without providing actionable, real-world applications. These programs often take a generic, one-size-fits-all approach that doesn’t take into account the unique challenges and experiences of each manager.

As a result, the content feels disconnected from their everyday responsibilities, which diminishes engagement. Furthermore, when there’s no reinforcement or ongoing practice, skills learned during training quickly fade, and managers revert to their old behaviors.

Pitfalls of Generic or Overly Theoretical Programs

• Lack of real-world application: Training that is too theoretical often fails to connect with the immediate needs of the managers, making it harder for them to apply what they’ve learned in real-world scenarios.
• One-size-fits-all approach: Generic training overlooks the fact that each manager faces unique challenges. Without a personalized approach, managers struggle to see the relevance of the training to their specific roles.
• No reinforcement: Training programs that don’t include follow-up, practice opportunities, or continuous feedback miss a critical element in behavior change—sustained reinforcement. Without these elements, new skills are likely to be forgotten.

What Works in Manager Training: Effective Tactics

To ensure that leadership training drives long-term change and engagement, certain proven strategies can make all the difference. These approaches emphasize the importance of personalization, real-world relevance, and peer support.

Why These Strategies Work

Real-world leadership training that incorporates personal stories, peer support, and personalized content helps managers connect with the material, collaborate with colleagues, and apply practical solutions to their current job challenges.

Sustaining Leadership Growth (Beyond the Training Room)

Effective leadership development doesn’t stop once the training session ends. To ensure that leadership growth is sustained over time, organizations must create ongoing opportunities for reinforcement and accountability. 

Consider that public sector managers who underwent executive coaching after leadership training, for example, portrayed an 88% increase in productivity. 

The following tactics are designed to prevent regression and ensure that managers continue to evolve into impactful leaders.

Tactics That Prevent Regression

• Leadership Circles: Monthly peer groups where managers come together to share real challenges they’re facing and receive constructive feedback. These peer groups foster a collaborative environment where managers can learn from one another, gain new perspectives, and troubleshoot issues in real time.
• “Shadow of the Leader” Program: Pairing managers with senior leaders for quarterly shadowing sessions. This program allows managers to observe and learn firsthand from experienced leaders, gaining insights into decision-making, communication, and strategic thinking.
• Promotion Criteria Update: Tying promotions to demonstrated leadership, such as team development metrics, rather than just individual output. This shift in promotion criteria reinforces the importance of leadership behaviors and encourages managers to prioritize the growth of their teams.

Why It Works

These strategies work because they embed leadership into the fabric of day-to-day operations. Accountability and cultural reinforcement solidify the transformation from manager to leader. Instead of viewing leadership development as a one-time event, these tactics make it a continuous, evolving process that is woven into the daily responsibilities of the manager.

Post-Training Reinforcement Plan

Embedding Leadership in Daily Operations

• Growth Update Meetings
  Instead of traditional status update meetings, leaders should hold “growth update” meetings where the focus is on learning and development. In these meetings, team members reflect on what they have learned and how they’ve applied their leadership skills. This shift encourages a growth-oriented mindset and reinforces the importance of continuous learning.
• Promotions Tied to Demonstrated Leadership
  Promotions should be based on individual performance and on how effectively managers have developed and supported their teams. For example, managers might be asked to show how they’ve helped a team member grow in their role or develop new skills. This approach ensures that leadership becomes a key factor in career advancement.

These strategies help sustain the growth of leadership abilities, prevent regression, and integrate leadership into the fabric of the organization.

A Case Study: Transforming Managers Into Effective Leaders – The Case of Essilor

Client: Essilor
Location: Headquartered in Charenton-le-Pont, France
Size: 69,000 employees

Challenge:

Essilor, a global leader in ophthalmic optics, recognized a gap in its leadership development for frontline supervisors. Despite having a global leadership curriculum, there was a lack of training for basic management skills tailored to the company’s growing and diverse workforce.

Solution:

Essilor partnered with the Center for Creative Leadership (CCL) to create a blended online learning solution. The program offered:

• 54 monthly online modules covering key leadership competencies.
• Live webinars and coaching guides to reinforce learning.
• A cascading learning framework that spread from senior leaders to frontline supervisors, ensuring consistency across regions.

Results:

• Global Reach: Training deployed across 48 countries, ensuring consistent leadership practices.
• Leadership Foundation: Established strong leadership skills across frontline managers, preparing them for senior roles.
• Improved Managerial Effectiveness: Managers became more confident and capable of handling everyday leadership challenges.
• Cultural Alignment: Customized content aligned with Essilor’s values, creating a unified leadership approach.
• Leadership Pipeline: Built a sustainable internal leadership pipeline, supporting career growth and internal promotions.

Ultimately, Essilor’s leadership program effectively transformed managers into leaders, positioning the company for future growth and aligning leadership across all regions.

Final Word: Leadership is a Daily Practice

Transforming managers into true leaders isn’t a one-time event it’s a continuous, cultural shift within an organization. To create effective leaders, leadership development must be a daily, ongoing practice. The best training programs don’t just focus on theoretical skills; they emphasize the mindset needed for leadership, use real-world drills to simulate actual challenges, and ensure continuous reinforcement to cement new behaviors.

The Three Pillars of Effective Leadership Development

• Start with Mindset, Not Just Skills: The first step in any successful leadership program is shifting the mindset of managers, helping them understand that leadership is about empowering others and fostering growth, not just overseeing tasks.
• Use Real-World Drills, Not Just Lectures: Knowledge without action leads to stagnation. The most impactful programs use real-world drills and simulations that allow managers to practice leadership in dynamic and high-pressure scenarios. This hands-on approach ensures skills are not just learned but applied under actual conditions.
• Reinforce Relentlessly, Not One-and-Done: Skills learned in a training session can quickly fade without proper reinforcement. The best programs incorporate ongoing support, accountability, and real-time application, ensuring that new behaviors become ingrained in everyday work.

Now, take a moment to audit your current training program. Does it check these three boxes? If not, it may explain why your managers aren’t evolving into effective leaders. The gap between manager and leader is bridged by consistent practice and a focus on mindset, application, and reinforcement.

Edstellar: Building Leaders Who Build Teams

Edstellar recognizes that developing leadership is a continuous journey. Their programs are designed to break down the traditional approach to training, offering managers the tools and resources they need to thrive as leaders. The organization’s Corporate Leadership for Managers course offers an instructor-led training program designed to equip managers with advanced leadership skills. The course focuses on building communication, motivation, and leadership strategic thinking to foster a supportive work environment.

Through scenario-based learning, peer feedback, senior leadership alignment, and on-the-job assignments, Edstellar ensures that leadership development is not just theoretical but deeply rooted in practice.

With Edstellar, effective leadership growth becomes a daily discipline, providing managers with real-world challenges and ongoing reinforcement to help them transform into empowered, high-impact leaders who can build stronger teams and drive organizational success. The future of leadership training starts with a mindset shift—and with Edstellar, that shift is just the beginning.

Final Test: If your managers can confidently say, “My team succeeds because of how I empower them, not how I control them,” the training worked.