Coach new managers

Who this is for

Founder led lower-middle market companies with 5 to 50 million in annual revenue that promote from within.

The quick answer

Give a starter toolkit. One on one agenda, feedback model, and a simple plan for goals and reviews. Shadow the first tough conversations. Pair each manager with a peer coach. Hold a monthly managers circle to share wins and fixes. Measure team health and delivery so coaching ties to outcomes.

The method in seven steps

Share the toolkit
One on one agenda, feedback script, goal template, and a light review form.
Shadow early
Sit in on the first performance or conflict conversations and debrief after.
Pair with a peer coach
Match managers across teams to trade notes and practise.
Run a monthly circle
One hour to compare what is working, what is not, and to role play a sticky situation.
Tie to outcomes
Track output, quality, retention, and engagement for each team so coaching is grounded in results.
Provide just in time templates
Hiring rubrics, onboarding checklists, and escalation paths.
Review progress each quarter
Managers self assess, leads give feedback, and the coach pairs tune the plan.

Example

After launching a manager circle and toolkit, a company saw fewer escalations and better handoffs between teams.

Pitfalls and fixes

Training without practice. Role play in the circle.
Coaching that ignores results. Use team health and output.
One and done sessions. Keep a monthly rhythm.

Checklist

Toolkit delivered
Shadow plan
Peer coach pairs
Monthly circle calendar
Team metrics dashboard