---
title: "New Manager Training Program: A Guide and Case Study | PPS International"
description: "What a new manager training program should include, with a real case: 200 first-line managers across six regions and a 4.9 satisfaction rating."
image: https://www.ppsinternational.net/hubfs/pps-international/resources/images/pps-resource-560d4ae5162f8d0825d1.jpg
---

[Skip to main content](https://www.ppsinternational.net/resources/case-studies/new-manager-development-a-case-study#main-content)

[![PPS International Limited](https://www.ppsinternational.net/hubfs/raw_assets/public/pps-international/assets/images/logo.svg)](https://www.ppsinternational.net/)

[Expertise](https://www.ppsinternational.net/expertise)

[Leadership Development](https://www.ppsinternational.net/leadership-development) [Talent Development](https://www.ppsinternational.net/talent-development) [Communication & Influence](https://www.ppsinternational.net/communication-influence) [Change & Transition](https://www.ppsinternational.net/change-transition) [Sales & HR Effectiveness](https://www.ppsinternational.net/sales-hr-effectiveness) [Performance Support](https://www.ppsinternational.net/performance-support) [Implementation Support](https://www.ppsinternational.net/implementation-support)

[Solutions](https://www.ppsinternational.net/solutions)

[Assessments](https://www.ppsinternational.net/assessments) [Contract Training & Facilitation](https://www.ppsinternational.net/contract-training-facilitation) [Coaching Services](https://www.ppsinternational.net/coaching) [Instructional Design Services](https://www.ppsinternational.net/instructional-design) [Interaction Styles](https://www.ppsinternational.net/interaction-styles) [Training Administration](https://www.ppsinternational.net/training-administration) [Training Programs](https://www.ppsinternational.net/programs)

[Shop](https://shop.ppsinternational.net/) [Resources](https://www.ppsinternational.net/resources)

[About](https://www.ppsinternational.net/about)

[About PPS](https://www.ppsinternational.net/about) [Who We Serve](https://www.ppsinternational.net/who-we-serve)

[Get in touch](https://www.ppsinternational.net/contact)

Search the site

Search

Search the site

Search

Expertise

[Explore all expertise](https://www.ppsinternational.net/expertise) [Leadership Development](https://www.ppsinternational.net/leadership-development) [Talent Development](https://www.ppsinternational.net/talent-development) [Communication & Influence](https://www.ppsinternational.net/communication-influence) [Change & Transition](https://www.ppsinternational.net/change-transition) [Sales & HR Effectiveness](https://www.ppsinternational.net/sales-hr-effectiveness) [Performance Support](https://www.ppsinternational.net/performance-support) [Implementation Support](https://www.ppsinternational.net/implementation-support)

Solutions

[Explore all solutions](https://www.ppsinternational.net/solutions) [Assessments](https://www.ppsinternational.net/assessments) [Contract Training & Facilitation](https://www.ppsinternational.net/contract-training-facilitation) [Coaching Services](https://www.ppsinternational.net/coaching) [Instructional Design Services](https://www.ppsinternational.net/instructional-design) [Interaction Styles](https://www.ppsinternational.net/interaction-styles) [Training Administration](https://www.ppsinternational.net/training-administration) [Training Programs](https://www.ppsinternational.net/programs)

Explore

[Resources](https://www.ppsinternational.net/resources) [About PPS](https://www.ppsinternational.net/about) [Who We Serve](https://www.ppsinternational.net/who-we-serve) [Shop](https://shop.ppsinternational.net/) [Get in touch](https://www.ppsinternational.net/contact)

Case Study [Leadership Development](https://www.ppsinternational.net/resources?topic=leadership-development) January 6, 2025

# New Manager Training Program: A Guide and Case Study

![New Manager Development: A Case Study](https://www.ppsinternational.net/hs-fs/hubfs/pps-international/resources/images/pps-resource-560d4ae5162f8d0825d1.jpg?width=680&height=572&name=pps-resource-560d4ae5162f8d0825d1.jpg)

A new manager training program is one of the highest-leverage talent investments an organization can make, and research makes a strong case that it is not a "nice to have." Across the research, one theme emerges: managers shape the daily employee experience more than almost any other role. Gallup's meta-analysis on workplace engagement and leadership, popularized in its report and book *It's the Manager*, finds that managers account for about 70% of the variance in team engagement, which means the quality of a manager's behavior has a direct effect on whether employees feel supported, recognized, developed and committed. And we know many new managers are promoted because they are strong individual contributors, not because they have been prepared to lead people. This guide covers what a new manager training program should include and how to design one, then shows what the work looks like in practice, anchored by a real global program we built and delivered as part of our [leadership development](https://www.ppsinternational.net/leadership-development) practice.

## Why new manager training matters

New manager development matters because it influences six important areas of success:

- Reduces early failure risk during one of the most difficult career transitions.
- Improves employee engagement, because managers heavily shape the team climate.
- Strengthens retention, since poor management is a common reason people disengage or leave.
- Improves productivity and execution, because managers translate strategy into day-to-day priorities, expectations and accountability.
- Protects the leadership pipeline, because unsupported new managers may burn out, disengage or decide leadership is not worth it.
- Creates consistency, especially in organizations where manager quality varies widely by function, geography or business unit.

## What should a new manager training program include?

Programs vary by organization, but the strongest ones cover:

1. **The transition itself.** Moving from doing the work to leading the work is an identity change, not just a skills change. Programs that openly help new managers let go of being the best individual contributor in the room provide much-needed support to those who may believe that because they were promoted, they must "already have the skills" needed for success.
2. **Self-awareness and style.** New managers need to understand their own working and communication style, and how it lands on people who differ from them, before they can flex it deliberately.
3. **Performance conversations.** These conversations include how to set expectations, give and receive feedback, coach and deal with poor performance. These conversations are where new (and incumbent) managers most often stall.
4. **How to best delegate and set priorities.** These skills include helping new leaders let go of tasks, match work to people and translate organizational goals into cascaded team goals.
5. **How to access and use the organization's performance management tools.** To use HRIS and other systems well, and to stay in compliance, new managers need exposure to performance management systems, development planning and goal frameworks, and other leadership practices that new managers may never have seen except from the receiving end.
6. **How to engage and retain talent.** Managers play a significant role in whether the workforce is engaged and turnover is low. Strong new manager development programs cover skills such as how to develop, coach and mentor as part of everyday management behaviors.
7. **Access and exposure to internal experts.** New managers have high needs to access subject matter experts from legal and compliance, human resources, accounting and finance, facilities and more. Their new roles require more of them, and having strong connections to subject matter experts can begin during well-designed development programs.
8. **A process for ongoing development planning.** New managers will not learn all they need to know through a single event or even a specific learning journey. Look for ways for managers to continue and deepen their learning. Our guide to [individual development plans](https://www.ppsinternational.net/resources/guides/individualdevelopmentplans) covers the form, the examples and the process.

## A new manager training program case study

PPS supported a global client in creating meaningful, behavior-based manager development.

### Situation

In this large, highly technically-focused global organization, focused on specialized research centers and technology labs, employees transitioning from "doing the work" to "leading the work" often did not receive developmental resources geared toward the transition, and manager capability varied widely across regions. Despite their parent company having a workforce of more than 270,000 employees, with about 25,000 of them being managers, the process for handling new manager development was largely left to individual plans and savvy HR leaders to handle.

### Desired outcomes

- Develop proficiency for core management competencies.
- Give and receive more regular feedback tied to sales goals.
- Use organizational performance management tools to build greater commercial success.
- Set goals that are cascaded.
- Engage and retain talent through development, coaching and mentoring.
- Provide ongoing options for new manager development.

### Our solution

PPS International Limited designed a four-day, instructor-led event, which allowed for an immersive learning experience and provided new managers an opportunity to engage deeply with the content, with one another and with the organization's expectations of its leaders. The immersive format matters for this audience: a cohort of new managers building skills together also builds the peer network they can lean on for years.

### Products and services

- *SOLO IS®* with group debrief session.
- Competency modeling services.
- Custom instructional design & development.
- Facilitation
- Consulting and needs assessment.
- Use of our talent development simulation.
- Reinforcement activities, including learning from experience.

### Success indicators

- Visible senior leader support and sponsorship.
- Formalized reinforcement activities to encourage application and create behavior change.
- Managers of participants equipped to coach behavioral outcomes.
- 200 first-line managers completed the program across six global regions.
- 4.9 out of 5.0 satisfaction rating for program relevance and outcomes.
- Sales leadership attributed increased revenue, customer retention and engagement to the program.

## Designing your own program

If you are undertaking the design of your own new manager development program, focus on a few key areas:

- **Be very specific about behaviors new managers need for success.** Anchor the program to a competency model and observable behaviors, so "better manager" means something specific that managers-of-managers can coach toward. This will also ensure that new managers walk away from the experience being able to meet expectations.
- **Include a style-based assessment or inventory.** For some managers, their new manager development will be the first time they see the dynamic of being influential with others who may not be similar to themselves. Some new managers believe that their new authority will bypass the need for influence. Using a styles-based inventory such as [*Interaction Styles®*](https://www.ppsinternational.net/interaction-styles) or *Everything DiSC* by Wiley can be eye-opening.
- **Build around practice.** Simulations and practice sessions convert concepts into confidence before real conversations in high-pressure situations occur.
- **Design in reinforcement.** Create application assignments, learning-from-experience activities and manager-of-participant involvement to carry the program past its final session; the [70-20-10 model](https://www.ppsinternational.net/resources/articles/streamline-the-learning-options-in-your-70-20-10-model-for-learning) is a practical planning discipline for that mix.
- **Build the program around layers of need.** New managers have anxiety about the details and expectations, and they rise to the occasion with support and structure. Provide plenty of access to experts, exposure to tools, opportunities to connect with peers and problem-solve around cases, and set up momentum for learning after the program.

## Cohort logistics matter

Cohort size with this population is important. Sixteen to twenty-four new managers in the cohort gives enough diversity for rich practice while keeping airtime real; the global program above ran regional cohorts rather than one giant one. Mixing of functions, including cross-functional and cross-regional cohorts, builds the wider network new managers lack, at the cost of some scheduling complexity, and for global cohorts the session design should respect time zones rather than defaulting to headquarters hours. Enroll people within their first months in the role where possible, and run cohorts on a predictable calendar so managers-of-managers can plan around them and no one waits a year for the next seat.

Many organizations and talent development professionals struggle with the issue of timing. Wait too long to enroll a new manager and they may lack the tools necessary for success and stumble early on in their leadership career. But what if the organization doesn't have a high enough volume for holding new manager development at a regular cadence? This is where learning from experience can be especially useful. Create new manager assignments and checklists, with links to existing resources and tools. This stop gap truly leverages existing resources with a population that is often very motivated to learn during their initial first days in the role. PPS International Limited has curated these types of resources and created related micro-learning to support low-volume, but high-importance, skill building in organizations. While not a full substitute for the value of cohort-based, facilitated learning for new managers, it is a practical and necessary tool as a stop gap or in support of full programs.

## The layer above: managers of new managers

The case above demonstrated that the role of managers of managers was a success indicator, and it deserves its own design attention. Participants' managers were equipped to coach behavioral outcomes. New managers return from any program to a boss whose habits either reinforce or erase what was built. Fortunately, equipping managers of new managers takes less effort than creating a parallel program. Be sure to include:

- A briefing on the competency model, the program's language, and the internal systems and resources shared.
- Simple coaching prompts tied to each module.
- A format and structure for the manager of managers to hold one-on-ones.

## Measuring a new manager training program

Measuring any learning effort can be tricky. Here are a few common indicators that your program is having success for the new managers:

- Rapid time-to-productivity: New managers complete essential operational tasks (1-on-1 setups, goal setting, compliance approvals) without hand-holding in their first 30–60 days. A structured [onboarding process for new leaders](https://www.ppsinternational.net/resources/guides/a-proven-on-boarding-process) sets up those first 90 days.
- Self-efficacy scores: New managers self-report feeling confident and equipped in core responsibilities (handling conflict, delivering feedback, using HR tools) on post-onboarding surveys.
- Prompt performance feedback: New managers deliver probationary reviews, performance check-ins and recognition on schedule.
- Lower early team turnover: Reduced voluntary attrition among the direct reports of newly trained managers within their first year in the role.
- Sustained/improved team engagement: Baseline engagement scores hold steady or rise across the manager's team.
- Fewer HR/legal escalations: A low rate of formal grievances, policy violations or performance management appeals stemming from the new manager's team.
- Psychological safety pulse: Early survey metrics showing team members feel comfortable admitting mistakes or raising concerns without fear of retaliation.
- Manager Net Promoter Score (mNPS): High scores on the internal survey question, "How likely are you to recommend your manager to a colleague?"

## An example learning journey for new manager development

While every organization has unique needs for their new managers, some elements are useful throughout the process. Here is an example of what a learning journey might look like:

| When | What Happens |
| --- | --- |
| Week 1 | Welcome-to-the-role package with self-paced resources answering common new manager questions, including a scavenger-hunt-style game that matches existing resources to typical issues a manager must deal with, and a link to take a style preference survey. Participate in a self-paced new manager transition-to-leadership micro-learning program, which emphasizes the importance of role clarity and the definition of success. |
| Weeks 2–4 | Attend a new manager roundtable or networking session to meet key subject matter experts, or self-initiate meetings with SMEs in areas such as HR, finance and accounting, legal and compliance and others. Use a team agenda to hold the first team meeting. Hold a mentor meeting with an assigned mentor (an experienced manager). |
| Within the first 4 months in role | Attend a structured, facilitated new manager workshop focused on building skills in core leadership conversations such as delegating and making agreements, giving and receiving feedback, coaching, handling conflict and dealing with difficult situations; include exposure to SMEs and organizational performance management tools. |
| Months 4–6 | Participate in new manager peer discussion groups using the structured format introduced during the workshop. Hold a team style preference survey and debriefing session. |
| After 6 months | Conduct a manager 360 feedback survey and debrief one-on-one with an expert. Create an ongoing development plan. |

## Build, buy, or blend

Custom programs are worth the investment to design and develop, especially when the organization's context is distinctive. If your organization has limited resources for design and few ready-made assets for learning, yet has specific performance tools or culture-level consistency goals, as in the case above, a custom design may be appropriate. For a shift that reaches beyond one population, see our [team-based development process for culture change](https://www.ppsinternational.net/resources/guides/development-process-organizational-culture). For organizations that want proven off-the-shelf foundations to build into their existing learning journey, we offer programs such as [*Manager as Mentor & Coach*](https://www.ppsinternational.net/resources/programs/manager-as-mentor-coach) and [*Management Skills for New Leaders*](https://www.ppsinternational.net/resources/programs/management-essentials). Many clients blend the two: a standard skills core with customized application, assessment and reinforcement layers. Our [assessment tools](https://www.ppsinternational.net/assessments), including *SOLO IS®* with group debriefs, anchor either path in self-awareness.

## New manager training topics: a working checklist

For teams building a learning agenda, the topics that consistently show up in new manager training are:

- Transitioning from peer to manager.
- Understanding your own style and reading others' (an assessment with debrief accelerates this).
- Setting and communicating expectations.
- Giving feedback and receiving it.
- Coaching conversations.
- Delegation and prioritization.
- Running one-on-ones.
- Goal setting and cascade.
- Using the performance management system.
- Managing former peers.
- Building team climate and psychological safety.
- Where to get help, from HR partners to mentors.

## Where new manager programs go wrong

- **Content without practice.** Feedback models presented on slides rarely survive contact with a real performance conversation. Simulation and rehearsal are the difference between knowing and doing.
- **No avenue for reinforcement.** An excellent event with nothing scheduled afterward tends to rely on a good memory and previous habits. The case above formalized reinforcement, and that choice showed up in its outcomes.
- **Skipping the layer above.** Participants coached by unequipped bosses lose the new behaviors fast; the manager-of-managers briefing is a way to strengthen internal resources for day-to-day support.

## Frequently asked questions

### What training should a new manager have?

At minimum the training should cover the transition mindset, self-awareness of style, expectation-setting, feedback and coaching conversations, delegation and the organization's own performance and development tools, delivered with practice rather than presentation, and reinforced after the program ends.

### How long should a new manager training program be?

The case above used an immersive four-day event followed by formal reinforcement, and that structure translates well to many industries: enough contact time to practice deeply, with application structured over the following months. Shorter formats work when paired with strong reinforcement. Be cautious that a single half-day rarely produces meaningful confidence and skill in new managers.

### What is the 70-20-10 rule for employee development?

A planning discipline holding that most development happens through work experience (70%), a substantial share through other people such as coaching and feedback (20%) and a targeted share through formal learning (10%). For new managers it points to the same shape: an immersive formal core, surrounded by manager coaching and structured application in the real job. See our guide to [keeping the 70-20-10 model manageable](https://www.ppsinternational.net/resources/articles/streamline-the-learning-options-in-your-70-20-10-model-for-learning).

### Is new manager training worth the investment?

Yes. One manager's behavior shapes engagement, retention and execution for an entire team, and the Gallup research linking managers to about 70% of the variance in team engagement puts numbers on it. The case above adds the business-side evidence, with sales leadership attributing revenue, retention and engagement gains to the program. The cost of a program is visible in the budget; the cost of untrained managers shows up more quietly, in regretted attrition and stalled teams.

### When should someone get new manager training?

Ideally within the first months of the transition, when habits are forming and anxieties are highest. Training a manager two years into the role still helps, but by then the habits are well established, and some of the program becomes unlearning.

Keep in mind, it is never "too late" to train and develop managers. We have conducted what could be considered "new manager development" with leaders who were 25 years in the role, in many organizations, across many industries. Perhaps not surprisingly, the frontline manager population almost always appreciates and benefits from learning these skills, and we find that they participate with eagerness and attentiveness. In mixed groups of new leaders and incumbent leaders, the learning multiplies because the more seasoned leader raises nuances that might otherwise be missed.

## Train new managers when they are still in the pipeline

Training a new manager shouldn't begin only after a title change occurs. Organizations maximize their leadership pipeline when they enroll high-potential individual contributors in emerging leader programs *before* the promotion lands. Identifying those individual contributors is a succession planning task; see the talent review step in our [succession planning process](https://www.ppsinternational.net/resources/articles/whos-next-a-succession-planning-primer). Introducing foundational capabilities early—including effective communication, agreement-setting, building cross-functional networks, influencing without authority and leveraging internal resources—prepares candidates to lead on day one. Developing these skills in advance turns the friction of a promotion into a seamless transition, giving leaders the exact support they need, right when it matters.

Start designing a behavior-based development program that turns first-time managers into high-impact leaders from day one by defining expectations for your first-line managers in terms of behaviors. Identify the resources that already exist to help your managers—these can be leveraged for new managers as well.

[Download Our New Manager Development Case Study](https://www.ppsinternational.net/hubfs/pps-international/resources/images/pps-resource-28422de3eb458f757597.png)

[Leadership Development](https://www.ppsinternational.net/resources?topic=leadership-development) [Case Studies](https://www.ppsinternational.net/resources?type=case-studies)

Continue learning

## Recent Resources

### [![](https://www.ppsinternational.net/hubfs/pps-international/resources/images/pps-resource-e0ca14c82b11d27f2a47.jpg) Article Keeping Leadership Development Relevant: How Global Companies Can Evolve Programs Over Time](https://www.ppsinternational.net/resources/articles/keeping-leadership-development-relevant)

### [![](https://www.ppsinternational.net/hubfs/pps-international/resources/images/pps-resource-a0d85894924c99644293.png) Article How to Plan Sales Leadership Development](https://www.ppsinternational.net/resources/articles/how-to-plan-sales-leadership-development)

### [![](https://www.ppsinternational.net/hubfs/pps-international/resources/images/pps-resource-18541a4792de9088a187.jpg) Case Study Microlearning Examples: A Real Deployment Case Study](https://www.ppsinternational.net/resources/case-studies/digital-microlearning-a-case-study)

### [![](https://www.ppsinternational.net/hubfs/pps-international/resources/images/pps-resource-090c6ec1b4a7ba4d8f28.jpg) Video Hybrid Blended Learning: Designing Training That Works](https://www.ppsinternational.net/resources/videos/designing-training-that-works-for-hybrid-participant-groups)

### [![](https://www.ppsinternational.net/hubfs/pps-international/resources/images/pps-resource-b0109635f2767f216114.jpg) Article Networking Activities: A Facilitator's Field Guide](https://www.ppsinternational.net/resources/articles/ways-to-encourage-networking-during-training)

### [![](https://www.ppsinternational.net/hubfs/pps-international/resources/images/pps-resource-cc44abdfc0a991700975.jpg) Article Train the Trainer: A Practical Guide for L&D Leaders Who Want to Use Managers as Trainers](https://www.ppsinternational.net/resources/articles/using-managers-as-trainers)

## We’re ready for you.

We enjoy discussing possibilities and approaches, so please reach out! Contact PPS International Limited today to explore how we can support your talent development initiatives.

[![PPS International Limited](https://www.ppsinternational.net/hubfs/raw_assets/public/pps-international/assets/images/footer-logo.svg)](https://www.ppsinternational.net/)

PPS International Limited is a trusted learning and development partner empowering teams of all sizes with leadership, communication, influence, sales and professional skills training that drives meaningful business results.

## Stay connected

Get practical learning and development insights from PPS.

## Contact

[+1 864-962-6789](tel:+18649626789)  
[info@PPS-SyNetAmericas.net](mailto:info@PPS-SyNetAmericas.net)

<https://www.facebook.com/PPSinternationalLtd> <https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCeHIccCo8DQh4jCffm5tlVQ> <https://www.linkedin.com/company/pps-international-limited/>

## Expertise

- [Leadership Development](https://www.ppsinternational.net/leadership-development)
- [Talent Development](https://www.ppsinternational.net/talent-development)
- [Communication & Influence](https://www.ppsinternational.net/communication-influence)
- [Change & Transition](https://www.ppsinternational.net/change-transition)
- [Sales & HR Effectiveness](https://www.ppsinternational.net/sales-hr-effectiveness)
- [Performance Support](https://www.ppsinternational.net/performance-support)
- [Implementation Support](https://www.ppsinternational.net/implementation-support)

## [Resources](https://www.ppsinternational.net/resources)

## About

- [About PPS](https://www.ppsinternational.net/about)
- [Who We Serve](https://www.ppsinternational.net/who-we-serve)

## Solutions

- [Assessments](https://www.ppsinternational.net/assessments)
- [Contract Training & Facilitation](https://www.ppsinternational.net/contract-training-facilitation)
- [Coaching Services](https://www.ppsinternational.net/coaching)
- [Instructional Design Services](https://www.ppsinternational.net/instructional-design)
- [Interaction Styles](https://www.ppsinternational.net/interaction-styles)
- [Training Administration](https://www.ppsinternational.net/training-administration)
- [Training Programs](https://www.ppsinternational.net/programs)

## [Shop](https://shop.ppsinternational.net/)

© 2026 PPS International Limited. All rights reserved. [Privacy & Legal](https://www.ppsinternational.net/privacy)

```json
{
  "@context" : "https://schema.org",
  "@type" : "BlogPosting",
  "author" : {
    "@id" : "https://www.ppsinternational.net/#organization",
    "@type" : "Organization",
    "name" : "PPS International Limited"
  },
  "dateModified" : "2026-09-18T18:36:37Z",
  "datePublished" : "2025-01-06T12:00:00Z",
  "description" : "What a new manager training program should include, with a real case: 200 first-line managers across six regions and a 4.9 satisfaction rating.",
  "headline" : "New Manager Training Program: A Guide and Case Study",
  "image" : [ "https://51770148.fs1.hubspotusercontent-na1.net/hubfs/51770148/pps-international/resources/images/pps-resource-560d4ae5162f8d0825d1.jpg" ],
  "mainEntityOfPage" : {
    "@id" : "https://www.ppsinternational.net/resources/case-studies/new-manager-development-a-case-study",
    "@type" : "WebPage"
  },
  "publisher" : {
    "@id" : "https://www.ppsinternational.net/#organization",
    "@type" : "Organization",
    "logo" : {
      "@type" : "ImageObject",
      "url" : "//51770148.fs1.hubspotusercontent-na1.net/hubfs/51770148/raw_assets/public/pps-international/assets/images/footer-logo.svg"
    },
    "name" : "PPS International Limited"
  }
}
```