GoKawiilCareerminds study finds confidence gap between executives and managers on leadership readiness
A Careerminds study released in August found that 98% of people managers and 97% of HR professionals believe managers are prepared to lead, but fewer than half of managers rate themselves as highly prepared for the specific challenges they face. The gap widens at senior levels, with 66% of C-suite executives calling managers very ready compared with just 42% of managers themselves.
GoKawiil's interpretation of the reporting above, not reported fact.
The disparity suggests organizations may be overestimating how equipped their managers actually are, which could leave leadership development gaps unaddressed until problems surface. An executive coach cited in the discussion argues the issue often traces back to promoting people for individual expertise rather than team-leadership skills, implying companies may need to rethink how they prepare new managers for enterprise-level responsibilities.
- Nearly all executives and HR professionals believe managers are prepared, but fewer than half of managers agree.
- The confidence gap widens with seniority, with C-suite leaders most likely to overestimate manager readiness.
- Coaches suggest the gap stems from promoting workers for individual skills rather than leadership capabilities.
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Published there as: “The Instincts That Got You Promoted Are Now Working Against You. Here’s How to Replace Them.”
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