Why stepping into management roles is leading to burnout and overwhelm

For many employees, receiving their first promotion into management feels like a natural next step. They’ve proven themselves as a reliable team member, excelling in their role. But according to AIM WA Learning and Development Specialist James Stanton-French, the transition from technical expert to people leader is often far more challenging than most expect.

“The day someone becomes a manager is the day the rules of their working life quietly change,” James said. “They’ve been promoted because they were good at the job, and then almost overnight they’re expected to lead people, manage performance, and be accountable for outcomes they can’t deliver on their own.”

Many new managers feel deeply unprepared for this shift, as organisations continue to promote high-performing employees into leadership roles without formal training or support.

One of the biggest misconceptions about management, James explained, is that it’s simply a reward for good work, rather than an entirely different kind of work.

“People imagine the role as their old job with a bit more authority attached,” he said. “The reality is that you stop being measured on what you produce and start being measured on what your team produces, and that’s a profound psychological shift.

“Leadership is a craft, and like any craft, it must be learned and practised. And yet, we put pressure on ourselves to just ‘get it’ when we step into a leadership role.”

That transition can be particularly difficult because technical expertise and leadership capability rely on very different skill sets. While technical roles reward precision, knowledge and individual performance, leadership requires communication, emotional intelligence and the ability to guide and develop others.

“Being a great accountant, engineer, nurse or tradesperson doesn’t automatically make someone a strong leader,” James said. “Leading people rewards listening, coaching, having difficult conversations and being comfortable with ambiguity.”

Without training, many new managers fall into common traps during their first year. According to James, avoiding difficult conversations, taking work back from team members instead of delegating effectively, and prioritising being liked over being respected are among the most frequent mistakes.

“The temptation is to keep doing the technical work because that’s where people feel competent,” he said. “But when managers do everything themselves, they burn out and their team never develops.”

The impact of underprepared leadership can extend well beyond the individual manager. James says poor management can significantly affect team culture, productivity and staff retention.

“People don’t usually quit a company; they quit a manager,” he said. “When leaders are left to figure it out alone, teams disengage, good people leave, and small problems grow into bigger cultural issues.”

Research increasingly shows that leadership quality plays a critical role in workplace wellbeing, making leadership development a growing priority for organisations looking to retain talent and build healthy workplace cultures.

For emerging leaders, James believes several skills are critical to develop early: active listening, effective delegation, honest but empathetic feedback, and the confidence to have difficult conversations.

“Learning how to have the conversation you’d rather avoid is one of the most important leadership skills,” he says. “It’s almost always the conversation that ends up making you feel your best as a leader.”

Formal leadership training can play a significant role in helping new managers build both confidence and capability. James said structured learning environments allow leaders to practise difficult conversations, learn from others in similar situations and develop practical frameworks they can apply in the workplace.

“Formal training creates a space where you’re allowed to be a beginner,” he said. “It compresses years of hard-won lessons into a structured experience so people can build capability without having to learn entirely through trial and error.”

As organisations continue to navigate evolving workplace expectations, James said supporting new leaders should be seen as an investment, not an afterthought.

“Becoming a leader is one of the most significant transitions in a working life,” he said. “The people who go on to lead well almost always had someone, or some experience, that helped them make sense of it early.”

AIM WA empowers individuals and organisations through practical leadership, management and professional development programs, helping Western Australians build workplace capability, strengthen teams and develop confident leaders across industries. Visit the website for more information.