When a company promotes an employee to a manager position, this is probably because they’re an incredible individual contributor and can effectively manage themselves. However, high-performers don’t always make the best people managers.

How can companies bridge the gap?

To keep it short, managers need training and support when transitioning into this role. It’s the company’s responsibility to make sure managers have the resources to oversee team members from diverse communities and backgrounds, whether they’re in a remote, hybrid, or office environment. This is also the key to driving an innovative work culture.

A recent Gartner survey found that HR leaders’ top two priorities in 2024 are leader and manager development, and organizational culture to maximize talent and business outcomes. When companies invest in making managers inclusive people leaders, they are not only addressing these key priorities but also laying the foundation for a culture that fosters diversity, equity, and inclusion.

What is an inclusive people leader?

Managers who are also inclusive people leaders look beyond delegating tasks or managing deadlines. They don’t need a senior title to have an impact on the company culture and team members’ professional growth. They show up as an ally every day to make sure their team members feel valued, heard, and supported in their roles. They encourage people to share diverse perspectives and give feedback, and recognize the unique strengths of each team member.

When someone is transitioning from an individual contributor to a manager role, the company must have systems in place to provide ongoing training. Here are three key strategies for developing inclusive people leaders.

Provide continuous DEI and inclusive leadership training

Managers play a pivotal role in creating a psychologically safe workplace where all employees feel valued and respected. However, to do so effectively, they will need education and training.

Companies can provide DEI training to raise awareness of unconscious biases, understand privilege and power dynamics, learn how to lead diverse teams, and address microaggressions. Leaders can also be trained on how to improve their conflict resolution skills and encourage open and honest communication with team members.

These trainings can take various forms, including in-person, virtual, one-on-one, or group workshops to meet different learning styles and foster authentic conversations around inclusive culture building.

Connect managers to senior leaders through mentorship and sponsorship programs

To support managers in their growth as inclusive people leaders, companies can establish a formal mentorship program that pairs managers with senior leaders. This program should include regular meetings or check-ins where managers can discuss their goals, seek feedback on their performance, and learn from the experiences of senior leaders.

Manager burnout is also very prevalent. Senior leaders should ensure that this mentorship space is supportive and conducive to open dialogue, allowing managers to share their challenges and create an action plan to advocate for the support they need.

Ensure managers are talking to employees about their career goals and employee experience

Managers should have regular conversations with their employees about their career goals and how they feel about the company culture. This gives managers a better understanding of how to invest in their team members’ development and share feedback with senior leaders on the employee experience.

Related: 12 career questions leaders can ask employees

In addition to talking about goals and performance outcomes, inclusive people leaders also want to know more about an employee’s preferred communication style, how they work best, and how they’d like to receive feedback.

These leaders also recognize employees’ impact on the company inside and outside their main role. For example, if a team member is leading an Employee Resource Group, managers should also recognize the value of this work and how it benefits the culture.

Learn more about developing inclusive leaders and building a high-performing culture

Download our latest white paper, “Reimagining the way we work” for strategic tips on how to embed DEI in talent programs to improve performance.

Get a copy of our Inclusive Leadership Guide full of strategies on how to lead with empathy, practice allyship, and make decisions rooted in equity.

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