Newly promoted managers who struggle with the people side
If your newly promoted managers are great at the work and shaky with their teams, you don't have a motivation problem. You have a practice problem, and the fix is reps with coaching, not another book. Kestryl Edge runs in-person workshops that give promoted engineers and first-time managers the conversations they actually need to have this quarter, measured before and after, so you can see what changed.
Who this is for
- You just promoted a group of senior individual contributors into manager roles. They know the work. They freeze when they have to run a 1:1, give feedback, or redirect a project.
- You already tried a book club or an online course and the behavior on your team didn't change.
- You want measurement, not vibes. You want to know whether the training stuck.
Who this isn't for: people who don't want to be managers. If you're pushing someone into the role, the workshop isn't the right first step. Call us anyway. We'll help you have a different conversation first.
What a new manager actually needs
A new manager is the mentor in the room now. Every new leader is on their own hero's journey; our job is to make sure they aren't the lonely-knight version of it. Three capabilities tend to decide whether the promotion sticks.
Running a 1:1 that surfaces the real issue. Not status updates. Not surface-level check-ins. A structured conversation where your direct report can tell you what's actually in the way. The Kestryl Edge field guide on 1:1s covers the questions. The workshop gives your managers the reps.
Giving feedback without putting the team on the defensive. New managers either go hard (and lose trust) or go soft (and lose standards). We teach the specific moves that keep both: how to name a behavior, name its impact, and leave room for intent. See giving feedback like a coach, not a critic for the shape.
Protecting the team's focus without burning out. Manager calendars become bottlenecks fast. We help your leaders decide what to shield the team from and what to let through, so they stay available for the work only they can do.
How a workshop works
Three stages, measured end to end:
- The Leadership Baseline. Every manager completes a short assessment and a 360-style read before the workshop. This becomes Phase One of the engagement. We get a specific picture of what each manager is good at, what's missing, and where the team wants more.
- The workshop. In person, with their team in the room where that makes sense. Short research-backed inputs, then live practice: 1:1s, feedback, hard conversations, decision-making under pressure. Short enough to hold attention, hands-on enough to build habits.
- The measurement loop. We re-measure right after, at three months, and at six months. You get a report that shows behavior change, not just satisfaction scores. If something didn't stick, we see it.
Pricing gets scoped on the fit call. Team size, format, and whether the Baseline is standalone or Phase One of a workshop are what move it.
What the research says is different about this
Most leadership training doesn't change behavior. The reason is that practice, feedback, and reinforcement are missing and the training ends before the habit forms. We built the format around what the research actually supports: coaching, group practice, structured follow-up. See leadership development that changes behavior.
What people have said
"I love that there is authentic levity in how you present — you are relatable and you make the information accessible to your audience." - Lindsey
"The flow felt like we built a foundation, and then from there built up more skills and confidence." - Zi
"The ideas the group synthesized, built together, and expanded on. The core content, flow, and components are great." - Nate
"If you want the real deal in EQ and leadership development that isn't run of the mill, you need to call them." - Lindsey Kay
What to do next
Book a 20-minute fit call. We'll walk through your team, what you've tried, and whether a workshop is the right next step. If it isn't, we'll tell you.