Personal and Business Competencies / Management Skills

From colleague to boss - First Time Manager

A two-day workshop training for people taking on their first managerial role — how to move from the role of colleague and specialist to the role of team boss, build authority, master delegation, motivation, giving feedback and conducting difficult conversations.

The first promotion to manager is not a reward for being a good specialist — it is an entirely new job

The best salesperson, programmer or analyst becomes a team manager. And suddenly the skills that earned the promotion are no longer enough. Because a manager’s job is not about doing tasks better than others — it is about achieving results through people. It is a different role, different competencies and different relationships.

From colleague to boss - First Time Manager is a two-day workshop training by EITT for people taking on their first managerial position. Delivered on-site or remotely, it focuses on the most difficult moment of a managerial career — the transition from specialist and colleague to manager.

Who is this training for?

For people who have just become managers — or will soon become one. Especially when:

You have been promoted and now manage people who were recently your teammates
You feel that the technical skills that earned your promotion are not enough to lead people
You do not know how to delegate instead of doing everything yourself, and how to hold people accountable without damaging relationships

Two days: from a change of role to the first managerial tools

The program walks step by step through the transition to the boss role. Day one is devoted to a conscious change of role and building authority — including the former-colleague trap. Day two is a practical set of a manager’s first tools: delegation, feedback in the SBI model, conducting difficult conversations and motivating the team.

After the training, the participant consciously steps into the manager role, is able to delegate and hold tasks accountable, and conduct corrective conversations with former colleagues without losing relationships or authority.

What will you learn during the training?

Consciously moving from the role of specialist and colleague to that of manager
Building authority based on trust, not on formal position
Delegating tasks and responsibility instead of doing the work for the team
Giving constructive feedback and conducting difficult conversations
Non-financial motivation and setting new boundaries with former colleagues

The training is part of EITT’s managerial development path — a natural continuation is Manager Academy: from operational to strategic manager and Dare to Lead — courageous leadership based on the Brené Brown model.

Benefits

Consciously move from the role of colleague and expert to that of team manager
Build a leader's authority based on trust, not on formal position
Delegate tasks and responsibility instead of doing the work for the team
Give constructive feedback and conduct difficult conversations
Motivate former colleagues and set new boundaries in professional relationships
Avoid the most common pitfalls of the first months in a manager role

Who is this training for?

Specialists promoted to their first managerial position

People moving from being a team member to being its manager

New team leaders and managers with no prior management experience

Project leaders responsible for the first time for holding others accountable

HR managers preparing a development path for promoted specialists

People preparing to take on a manager role in the coming months

Prerequisites

No prerequisites — training for people starting their managerial role
Holding or planning to hold a managerial position is welcome

Training program

The five biggest changes brought by promotion to manager — from individual work to working through the team
The former-colleague trap — how to set new boundaries in relationships that did not exist before
Three sources of a leader's authority — position, competence, relationships — and why position alone is not enough
The most common mistakes of a new manager — micromanagement, conflict avoidance, doing everything yourself
Managing up and down — how to talk to your own manager about your role and resources
Exercises: map of relationships in the team, scenario of the first conversation in the new role

Delegating tasks and authority — what, to whom and how to hand over to develop the team, not just relieve yourself
The SBI feedback model (Situation-Behavior-Impact) — how to praise and correct without damaging relationships
Conducting difficult conversations — lateness, poor quality of work, conflict in the team
Non-financial motivation — what really engages people and how to recognize an employee's motivators
Setting goals and holding people accountable in an inspiring rather than controlling way
Exercises: simulation of a delegating conversation and a corrective conversation with a former colleague

Delivery Methods

Online

Convenience of participating from anywhere
Interactive live sessions with trainer
Materials available for 30 days
No travel costs

On-site

Direct contact with trainer and group
Intensive hands-on workshops
Networking with other participants
Full focus on learning

Training Topics

Frequently asked questions

Who is the From colleague to boss training for?

For people who have just taken on or will soon take on their first managerial position — especially promoted specialists who have become the managers of their former colleagues. No prior management experience is required.

Is this First Time Manager training practical or theoretical?

Practical — the program is based on simulations of managerial conversations, case studies and exercises. Participants practice real situations: a delegating conversation, a corrective conversation and setting new boundaries with a former team.

How long is the training and in what format?

The training lasts 2 days (9:00-16:00), available on-site and online. The program combines short theoretical introductions with intensive practical exercises.

How does this training differ from a general management course?

It focuses exclusively on the first months in a manager role — the moment of transition from specialist to boss. This is the most difficult stage of a managerial career, which general management courses tend to overlook.

Will I receive a certificate after the training?

Yes, each participant receives a personalized certificate of completion issued by EITT.