Gallup’s main finding after studying 2.5 million teams (!):
👉 Only 10% of managers naturally possess the talent to lead well.
👉 The other 90% need training to succeed.
But here’s the problem—most companies don’t provide that training.
Instead, they take their best individual contributor, promote them to manager, and hope for the best.
What happens next?
Their team disengages. Performance slips. Turnover rises.
You assume they just need time.
But months pass. A year. Nothing improves.
Why?
Because the skills that made them a top performer have nothing to do with leading people. And the worst part? They were set up to fail.
The cost of getting it wrong:
📉 Companies pick the wrong managers 82% of the time
📉 Managers drive 70% of team engagement
📉 Only 35% of U.S. managers are engaged at work
Bad management costs companies billions in lost productivity and turnover.
The fix? Treat leadership as a skill, not a promotion.
1️⃣ Spot leadership potential early – Not everyone is meant to lead. Those who are need training before they’re promoted.
2️⃣ Develop managers before they struggle – The 90% who aren’t naturals? They can succeed—with the right coaching.
3️⃣ Hold leadership to the same standard as any other skill – You wouldn’t make someone a CFO just because they’re good with numbers. So why promote a manager without leadership training?
Leadership isn’t something people just “figure out.”
It’s something they learn.
Are your managers getting the training they need?
The Gallup Study: https://www.gallup.com/workplace/231593/why-great-managers-rare.aspx.
