Succeeding at Every Level of Leadership
What if I told you that 40% of new managers fail within their first 18 months in a role? It’s not for lack of potential or ambition—it’s due to one simple, yet critical, factor. They didn’t have the necessary skills and support to succeed.
Promoting the wrong people or failing to prepare leaders effectively not only stalls team performance but also erodes trust within an organization. The truth is, many executives are promoting individuals who simply aren’t ready, banking on charisma or technical expertise instead of equipping them with the tools needed to lead.
Leadership competencies are not universal. The skills needed in one role rarely translate seamlessly to the next, despite good intentions. The real question is this: how do we get leadership development right at every level?
We believe the answer lies in training and preparation that is both universal in some measures and specifically tailored to your team’s unique moment. And here’s the good news—you already have the roadmap to get started!
The 70/30 Rule of Leadership Development
Research reveals that 70% of leadership competencies remain consistent across roles. Cultural, emotional, and basic management skills—these are evergreen. Whether you're a team leader or an executive, you must foster trust, communicate effectively, and own your decisions.
Moving from individual contributor to manager? That’s about learning to delegate while ensuring accountability. Transitioning to a director? Strategic thinking becomes paramount. Rising to the executive level? Now you’re crafting not just deliverables but vision and organizational culture. This is where tailored training is essential.
The other 30% of leadership requires role-specific skills. Those skills can be matched with certificates, CEs, or online courses.
The Common Promotion Pitfalls
Before we map out the ideal road to leadership growth, it’s crucial to understand where the current approach often goes wrong.
Promoting without preparation
People often assume that top-performing individual contributors will naturally excel as managers. But leadership requires a vastly different set of skills—delegation, emotional intelligence, and motivating a team toward shared outcomes. Without preparation, even the most talented employees struggle.
Assuming skills translate upward
A strong manager won’t automatically make a strong director. Each step up calls for a shift in priorities, competencies, and mindsets. Too often, these skills are assumed rather than taught.
Competencies at Each Leadership Level
Here’s a guide to the essential competencies across different levels of leadership, alongside recommended development strategies for success.
Entry-Level Employees → Team Leader
Core Competencies: Emotional intelligence, basic delegation, building trust.
Development Plan: Group workshops on conflict resolution and team-building. A customer success example may include managing a shared inbox or resolving interpersonal tension among peers.
Team Leader → Manager
Core Competencies: Structured delegation, program management, fostering accountability.
Development Plan: Online certificate programs in people management, personalized coaching, and training modules that focus on delivering constructive feedback.
Manager → Director
Core Competencies: Strategic decision-making, big-picture thinking, cross-functional collaboration.
Development Plan: Leadership retreats, industry-specific advanced certifications, scenario-based case studies.
Director → Executive
Core Competencies: Building organizational culture, crafting vision, overseeing high-level strategy.
Development Plan: One-on-one executive coaching, self-paced executive MBA programs, and situational leadership assessments.
At each level, forward-thinking leaders will notice one theme rise to the top—delegation with accountability. This skill set sits at the heart of transitioning to each stage of leadership. The ability to trust others while maintaining oversight is what sets high-performing leaders apart.
Emotional Intelligence Is Crucial (Especially at Higher Levels)
One of the key differentiators of sustainable leadership is emotional intelligence (EQ). Studies show EQ can account for up to 58% of job performance in leadership roles.
This becomes especially critical at the executive level, where every decision shapes the organizational culture. Leaders with high emotional intelligence build stronger teams, inspire loyalty, and foster growth. Conversely, those lacking EQ often leave a wave of disengagement behind.
Here’s a challenge—how are you, as an executive, equipping your rising leaders to develop their EQ?
How to Ensure Leadership Development Sticks
To be effective, leadership training isn’t about a one-time workshop. It needs to be codified and continuous. We recommend embedding leadership development into your organizational culture. Here’s how to do it.
Codify the 70% Training
Create a company-wide leadership framework to address the universal competencies relevant to all roles. Think actionable skills like clear communication, team-building, and emotional intelligence.
Tailor the 30%
Offer customized programs designed for the nuanced requirements of each leadership level. For example, team leaders might benefit from training in delegation, while directors need to master strategic planning.
Combine Learning with Coaching
Research shows that blended approaches to leadership development are most effective. Pair self-paced learning modules with personalized coaching so rising leaders receive both autonomy and feedback.
Measure Impact
Leadership isn’t intangible—measure its success through employee surveys, retention metrics, and performance evaluations. Building accountability into your leadership training culture will ensure consistent progress.
Human Resources Insights
Here’s the truth—charismatic and ambitious leaders will likely rise the ranks the fastest, but they also tend to struggle the most once in position. Meanwhile, steady, intentional leaders might reach leadership status more slowly, but they’ll experience a smoother learning curve.
The challenge lies in recognizing an individual’s natural inclinations and preparing them accordingly. That’s where informed, deliberate training can change the narrative.
Promoting The Right Way
The Leadership Ladder isn't always a straight and easy climb - it is more of a summit with changing terrain and a lack of oxygen. You need a map, you need rhythm, guidance, and the right tools to make the climb.
At Novum, we can help you specialize in designing tailored development plans to help your team succeed at every step of their leadership journey. Our methods combine industry insights, personalized coaching, and self-paced learning to empower your leaders with confidence for the road ahead.
The best part? We help leaders like you create a leadership culture that fuels sustainable success.
Don’t wait for your next leadership promotion to turn into a missed opportunity. Reach out today to explore how we can set your team up for success. Together, we’ll redefine what outstanding leadership can look like for your organization.