Plenty of people become leaders because the moment called for it, not because they set out to. Here’s what we’ve learned about helping them thrive.
With insight from Emma du Parcq, Head of Consulting, Research and Thought Leadership
Ask a room of managers how they got there and you’ll hear a familiar set of stories. Someone left and a gap needed filling. Moving up was the only way to progress. They were very good at their job, so they were asked to lead others doing it. Very few will say they spent years preparing.
The numbers back this up. The Chartered Management Institute estimates that 82% of people who move into management have never had formal management or leadership training. At Roffey Park, we don’t see that as a failing of the individuals involved. It’s simply how leadership can tend to happen and it means organisations need to be ready to support people once they arrive.
Expertise gets you there, but it isn’t the job
Picture a senior clinician suddenly responsible for a service inside a large, complex hospital trust. Or a graduate with an impressive qualification, but little working experience, now running a team on a manufacturing site. Both have been trusted because of what they know. Neither role is just about what they know any more.
The biggest change for a new leader is where their attention goes. Their own output matters less; the output of the people around them matters more. That means lifting their eyes from the detail, handing work to others, making choices about what matters most, and working across boundaries they may never have needed to cross before. Our article on moving from manager to leader looks at this shift in more detail.
It also means letting go of whatever picture of ‘a proper leader’ they’ve absorbed from past bosses, films and headlines. The leaders we see doing well haven’t copied a template. They’ve found a way of leading that fits who they are and flexes with the situation in front of them.
Emotional intelligence matters more than the CV
Emma du Parcq, who leads our consulting, research and thought leadership work, argues that emotional intelligence may count for more in a new leader than the track record that earned them the role. It covers noticing and managing emotions, their own and other people’s, and creating an environment where people feel safe to speak up. Importantly, it can be developed.
It’s especially tested when someone is promoted to lead the team they used to be part of. Stay too close and it becomes hard to make difficult calls. Pull away too far and people stop telling you things, so you lose touch with what’s actually happening. Finding the middle ground is a skill, and it improves with practice and reflection.
The traits we see again and again
Across the leaders we work with, two qualities show up consistently in those who lead well: curiosity and humility. They spend less energy trying to control outcomes and more on asking good questions, drawing out other people’s thinking and making it easier for the team to solve problems together.
Two habits worth building early
- Turn problems into shared questions. Framing a challenge as something to work out together invites ideas and ownership, rather than waiting for the leader to supply the answer.
- Look closely at what goes well. When something succeeds, take a moment to understand what made the difference, so it can happen again on purpose rather than by luck.
Neither takes long. Over time, both help a new leader move from reacting to events to leading with intent.
How we support new leaders
People who didn’t plan to lead often end up leading very well, because they understand the work so deeply. What helps most is time to reflect, practise and compare notes with others in the same position. Our Leadership & Management Fundamentals programme is built around exactly that, using the real challenges participants are facing. For those who want individual support, our coaching gives new leaders a space to think things through as they grow into the role.
Frequently asked questions
Why do so many people become managers without training?
Leadership roles often open up suddenly, through someone leaving, a restructure or promotion as the main route to progression. Research from the CMI suggests 82% of new managers have had no formal training.
What’s the hardest part of becoming a leader?
Shifting focus from your own work to enabling others: delegating, prioritising, seeing the bigger picture and working across teams.
Can emotional intelligence be developed?
Yes. It can be strengthened through practice, feedback, reflection and coaching.
