You’ve probably promoted someone to team leader because they’re technically brilliant. They know the job inside out, get things done, and are the person others go to when things get tricky. They’re reliable, consistent, and well regarded. It’s only natural to think they’ll make a great team leader … in which case you might think that they won’t need any team leader development support.
And they might make a great team leader — but the very qualities that made them an excellent team member don’t automatically make them a capable leader.
This is the moment when leadership development activities really matter.
Too often, businesses promote someone and hope they’ll figure out the leadership side as they go; leaving the new team leader to wing it. But hope isn’t a team leader development plan — it’s a gamble. New team leaders need structure, guidance, and support to build the skills that help them lead people, not just manage tasks.
If you’re the manager of a new team leader, or you’re running a business where people are stepping up for the first time, there’s a lot you can do to set them up for success, and it doesn’t need to cost the earth. Team leader development can take many forms, formal, informal and somewhere in between. Here we guide you through what we think are the most effective team leader development activities.
Let’s look at what works.
Choose team leader training that’s spread out, not squashed in
One of the biggest mistakes I see is businesses sending new leaders on an intensive two- or three-day course and expecting that to do the trick. They come back energised and full of ideas (or totally overwhelmed and to an overflowing email inbox), but within a few weeks, most of that learning fades.
Leadership isn’t theoretical — it’s lived. It’s the daily conversations, decisions, and moments of self-awareness that shape a great leader.
That’s why the best team leader development programs are the ones spread out over several weeks or months. They give new leaders time to absorb, apply, and reflect. They can try something, see what works, come back with questions, and refine their approach.
It’s a bit like going to the gym. You wouldn’t expect to get fit from a single weekend of intense exercise — the same goes for leadership. Learning needs consistency and repetition to stick. When development becomes part of a leader’s day-to-day reality, it’s far more likely to translate into real, sustainable growth.
Keep the conversation going
Formal training is only part of the story. What really embeds learning is what happens after the training session ends.
If you’re managing a new team leader, have regular check-ins to talk about what they’re learning, what’s working, and where they’re struggling. Ask open questions like:
- What’s one thing you’ve tried differently this week?
- What’s been your biggest leadership win lately?
- What feels hardest about leading right now?
These aren’t performance reviews — they’re conversations that build reflection and confidence. Think of them as coaching, not checking up. By keeping the dialogue open, you show your team leader that their development matters. You’re not just focused on outcomes; you’re investing in them. And that message can be incredibly motivating.
Use psychometric testing to build self-awareness
A lot of leadership development starts with a mirror — not a manual.
Before you can lead others effectively, you have to understand yourself. That’s where psychometric tools can be invaluable.
Maybe your new leader is highly analytical but avoids delegation because they think others won’t meet their standards. Maybe they’re empathetic and supportive but shy away from conflict. Psychometric testing helps uncover those patterns — the strengths to leverage and the blind spots to work on.
When you combine that insight with coaching and tailored learning, you move from a one-size-fits-all approach to something truly personal. Self-awareness is the foundation of emotional intelligence — and emotional intelligence is what separates good leaders from great ones.
Use 360-degree feedback to track growth
If psychometrics are the mirror, 360-degree feedback is the window — a way to see how others experience your leadership.
Collecting feedback from a leader’s team, peers, and manager provides a well-rounded picture of how they’re showing up. It’s not about catching them out; it’s about growth.
Doing this regularly — say at 6, 12, or 18 months — helps track progress over time.
You might discover, for example, that a new leader’s communication style comes across as abrupt, or that their habit of taking on too much makes the team feel excluded. With the right feedback, they can adjust before those habits become entrenched. Regular 360s also send a clear message: leadership development is an ongoing process, not a one-time event.
Provide mentoring and peer support
Being a new team leader can be lonely. You’re not “one of the team” anymore, but you’re also not part of senior management yet. That middle ground can feel isolating.
That’s why mentoring and peer networks are so powerful. Pairing a new leader with a more experienced one gives them someone to talk to, ask questions, and get real-world advice from.
Likewise, creating a small cohort of team leaders who are learning together can make the journey less daunting. They can share challenges, swap tips, and reassure each other that it’s normal to find some things tough at first. Leadership growth is a lot easier when you know you’re not the only one figuring it out as you go.
Model the behaviours you want to see
The most powerful leadership development tool in any organisation is the behaviour of its existing leaders.
If you want your team leaders to delegate, communicate openly, and look after their team’s wellbeing — show them what that looks like in action.
Talk openly about your own leadership journey. Share the lessons you’ve learned, the mistakes that shaped you, and the things you’re still working on. It makes leadership feel more human — less about perfection and more about progress. When people see authenticity at the top, they’re far more likely to lead that way themselves.
Social intelligence training and coaching
Have you heard the saying “the best mechanic in a factory may fail for lack of social intelligence”? This really gets to the core of why someone technically brilliant could fail as a manager. A good social intelligence training program requires self-reflection (and feedback from direct reports, peers and manager, to build full awareness of a leader’s working style, and how it can impact on others. But a fantastic social intelligence training program will take that further, by helping leaders to understand others’ needs and working styles better, and then use that information to adapt their own behaviour for different people. This then builds influence, respect and trust.
Setting your new leaders up for success
Developing great team leaders takes time, attention, and structure. It’s not about a one-off training session or ticking a compliance box. It’s about building capability, confidence, and character.
So, resist the urge to throw new team leaders in the deep end and hope they’ll swim. Give them the tools, feedback, and space to grow into the kind of leaders who bring out the best in others.
Because when your team leaders thrive, so does your business. And that’s the kind of return on investment every senior manager or business owner should be aiming for.
Want help building your leadership pipeline?
At Epic People, we design tailored team leader development and leadership development programs that grow capability from the ground up — practical, spaced out, and grounded in real-world leadership challenges. Get in touch to chat about how we can help your emerging leaders thrive.
