New Manager Training Checklist (+Templates)

60% of new managers fail within their first 24 months. Let that sink in. More than half of new managers will be unsuccessful, and the consequences of this will be felt across the organization in almost every key metric. 

Yet, in most cases, these managers may not be to blame for their failure. Unfortunately, many new managers were not prepared by their organization to step into a people management role. This was found in one study where 70% of frontline managers said they were not expecting a promotion to a people leadership role, and 58% of managers said they received no leadership training. 

Simply put, most new managers are unprepared and unequipped with the skills needed to lead people. However, there are ways to overcome these challenges by having a plan and training available for new managers as it’s needed.

In this article, we will take you through a new manager training checklist of activities to complete to identify the exact training needs of your new managers and create a targeted learning plan to set them up for success. 

New Manager Training Checklist

1. Analyze Each New Manager’s Skills
2. Identify Each New Manager’s Gaps
3. Source Training Options 
4. Document Findings to Present Solution for New Manager Training
   
   

Analyze Each New Manager’s Skills

The first step in the new supervisor training checklist is to get a baseline of their skills today. Each new manager will be entering their new role with various strengths and areas for improvement. You will want to evaluate technical skills (function-specific competencies), soft skills (communication, relationship building, etc.), and transferable skills (time management, decision-making, etc.).

To help you do so, conducting a SWOT analysis for each new manager is an easy way to get a pulse on their individual strengths, weaknesses, opportunities, and threats. For each section, you’ll want to answer the following questions.

• Strengths: What are the skills, knowledge, and experience of the new manager that will help them in their new role?
• Weaknesses: What are the limitations or areas of improvement that, if not addressed, will hold the new manager back in their new role?
• Opportunities: What external trends, factors, or market changes could positively impact or benefit the new manager and your company?
• Threats: What external factors pose a risk or challenge to the performance of the new manager?

Identify Each New Manager’s Gaps

After conducting a SWOT analysis for each new manager, you will have a baseline for conducting a gap analysis. For each new manager, you’ll want to explore where they are today, where you want to see them in the future, and the skills that need to be developed to close the gap between where they are now and where they need to be as a manager.

To conduct a gap analysis, you’ll need to answer the following questions for each new manager.

Current State

• Where are they today? 
• What do they do well? 
• What isn’t working that needs to be improved?
  
  

FUTURE STATE

• Where should they be in X months or years?
• What does success look like as a manager at your company?
  
  

IDENTIFY GAPS

• What discrepancies or gaps exist between the current and future state?
• What are the highest-priority competencies that need to be developed?
• Do any of the gaps pose more of a threat than others?

Common Competency Gaps for New Managers

While each first-time supervisor will have unique professional development needs, there will also be some commonalities in the competency gaps for new managers. Here are some of the competencies that most new managers need to develop.

• Communication
• Leading high-performing teams
• Motivating others
• Coaching employees
• Delivering feedback
• Having difficult conversations
• Resolving conflict
• Leading meetings (1:1 and staff meetings)
• Decision-making
• Holding others accountable
• Delegating tasks
• Implementing change
• Collaboration and teamwork
• Emotional intelligence and self-awareness
• Resilience and agility
• Building relationships
• Performance management

Source Training Options

With the insights from the first two items in the new manager training checklist, you’ll be ready to start researching the different leadership training options available to meet the development needs of your new managers. A crucial element to consider is how well the program will teach leadership to new managers, ensuring they develop the essential skills needed for their roles. You’ll want to do your due diligence on each provider to ensure the training content and quality meets your standards. Here are a few questions to help you get started.

Content

• Does the content cover the skills that need to be developed?
• Is the content up-to-date and addresses today’s challenges new managers face?
• Will the training help the new manager reach their development goals?

Format and Delivery Style

• Does the format complement the new manager’s learning style?
• What type(s) of delivery styles do they use?
• Who facilitated the program?
• Does their approach and experience match the new manager’s needs and preferences?

Track-Record

• How long has the training provider been in business?
• Do they have a positive reputation?
• Can they provide references and testimonials?
• Can they provide participant feedback and scores?
  
  

Document Findings to Present Solution for New Manager Training

The last step in the new manager training checklist is to compile your findings in a single document. Doing so will help you track the training your new managers need and give you a single summary sheet to present to stakeholders to gain their buy-in and secure the budget necessary to provide leadership training for managers.

Templates to Help You Follow The New Manager Training Checklist

Now that you understand the sections of the new manager training checklist, it’s time to follow them to create your own training plan for your new managers. We’ve made it easy with the Training Needs Assessment Success Kit. Within it, you’ll find a template for each of the four steps in the manager training checklist, where you can record your findings for each one of your managers.