Empowering New Leaders: Success and Insights from the Global People Manager Program

Discover how a top global coffee company transformed individual contributors into effective managers through a culturally inclusive, blended learning program.

Explore the program’s objectives, timeline, and impactful outcomes that equipped new managers with the skills to excel across diverse environments.


Background and Client Needs 

A leading global company in the coffee industry recognized a critical need to empower employees transitioning from individual contributors to people managers. Each year, around 60 employees across Europe, North America, and Australia move into management roles. This transition requires a significant shift in mindset, new skill sets, and the ability to navigate complex, diverse environments. 

The company sought a training program designed to equip these new managers with the skills necessary to excel in their roles. The program needed to be culturally sensitive, inclusive, and capable of being delivered both in a blended format (combining in-person and online elements) and a fully virtual format to accommodate the global nature of the company. 

Goals and Key Focus Areas

The New People Manager Program was designed with specific, action-oriented objectives across three key areas: 

Managing Self:

  • Adopt a broader perspective that reflects the shift from individual contributor to people manager. 

  • Leverage company values to tackle challenges faced as a New People Manager. 

  • Mitigate the influence of biases in performance reviews and implement strategies to reduce their impact. 

  • Cultivate an inclusive leadership style by addressing critical Diversity & Inclusion dimensions. 

     

Managing Others:

  • Incorporate diverse perspectives to enhance team dynamics. 

  • Delegate tasks effectively to foster team empowerment. 

  • Navigate crucial conversations with confidence as a New People Manager. 

  • Enhance abilities in giving and receiving feedback constructively. 

 

Navigating Organizational Complexity:

  • Audit and monitor networks critical to the role of a People Manager. 

  • Manage stakeholders proactively, extending this approach to the team. 

  • Refine influencing skills to navigate organizational complexity. 

  • Practice assertive (push) and receptive (pull) communication styles effectively, based on the context. 

Program Timeline and Investment 

The program spans 8-12 weeks, with a flexible structure tailored to your organizational needs:

Blended learning journey flow


Feedback and Outcomes  

After the pilot program, feedback was collected from 18 participants across different regions. The results were overwhelmingly positive, highlighting the program's effectiveness in meeting the company’s needs. 

  • Program Structure and Content: 
    Participants described the program as "well-structured" and "highly relevant," with content that was "enlightening" and "immediately applicable." Over 90% of participants rated the content as either "excellent" or "very good," with many noting its applicability even for experienced managers. 

  • Delivery and Engagement: 
    The trainers were praised for their exceptional delivery, with over 95% of participants expressing satisfaction with the learning environment. The combination of in-person sessions and virtual components was particularly effective in building a strong network among participants. 

  • Impact on Managerial Skills: 
    Nearly 85% of participants reported feeling significantly better equipped to handle the challenges of their new roles. Tools and frameworks, such as the T.O.G.A. framework and Influencing Agility Indicator, were highlighted as being invaluable in day-to-day management tasks. 

 

One participant described the program as "the best training and most useful I've ever done," underscoring the transformative impact of the experience. 

Conclusion 

The New People Manager Program effectively addressed the company's need to support employees transitioning into management roles. By combining theoretical knowledge with practical application and peer support, the program equipped new managers with the skills they needed to excel. 

As we continue to refine the program based on feedback, TCO International is committed to further enhancing its impact, ensuring it continues to meet the evolving needs of the company’s growing team of people managers.