Case Studies

Challenge:

Google faced the challenge of employees being asked to move into managerial roles before they had received any preparation for their new responsibilities. New managers often struggled with shifting to a management mindset, effective communication, team and individual development, and performance management. Many were experiencing difficulties with delegation, decision-making, and setting expectations for their teams. Some new managers felt overwhelmed and lacked confidence in their new responsibilities, which affected their own performance.

Solution:

To address this challenge, the New Manager Flagship programme was created. Once developed and rolled out, the programme evolved from a multi module event across 6 months to a more intense immersive experience over 3 days, designed to equip new managers with essential leadership skills, practical tools, and strategies to excel in their roles. The training covered the following key areas:

• Leadership Mindset: Understanding different leadership styles, building confidence, and fostering a positive work culture.
• Effective Communication: Enhancing active listening, crafting and delivering feedback, and conducting difficult conversations.
• Team and Individual Development: Learning coaching skills and techniques, recognising the value of, and a process for, delegation, and strategies for motivating employees.
• Emotional Intelligence: Developing the awareness and skills to interact effectively at all levels and build exceptional working relationships.
• Performance Management: Setting clear expectations, conducting performance conversations, and handling underperformance effectively.

The course used a combination of interactive workshop sessions, real-life case studies, role-playing exercises, and group discussions. Rostrup led the learning sessions that encouraged practical application and knowledge retention. Participants also received resource materials and access to coaching for ongoing support.

Outcome:

The New Manager Flagship programme significantly improved participants’ confidence and competence in their managerial roles. Key outcomes included:

• Enhanced Leadership Abilities: Participants demonstrated stronger leadership skills, leading to improved team engagement and morale.
• Improved Communication: Managers developed the ability to communicate effectively, reducing misunderstandings and fostering an even better collaborative work environment.
• Higher Productivity: Teams led by trained managers showed increased efficiency and goal achievement.
• Stronger Decision-Making Skills: Managers became more strategic in problem-solving and decision-making, leading to better business outcomes.

Feedback from participants indicated a positive shift in management capability. The course was deemed highly effective in preparing new managers for leadership challenges, reinforcing the need for continuous learning and development in managerial roles. As a result, the organisation committed to making this training an integral part of its leadership development strategy with over 300 participants across 9 programmes per year, for 9 years.