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Leadership & Management

Bespoke Leadership Programme
Commercial · Face-to-Face

Mate to Manager

A 10-Module Leadership Development Programme

The transition from peer to leader is one of the hardest in any career. This fully bespoke programme gives your new and aspiring managers the mindset, skills and confidence to lead with impact — from day one.
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Who Is It For?
  • Newly promoted managers and team leaders stepping up from peer-level roles
  • Aspiring leaders identified as part of succession or talent pipelines
  • Supervisors and frontline managers who need structured leadership foundations
  • Senior leadership teams (half-day SLT session available as a programme opener)
Programme Structure
Modules10 themed workshops + optional 1-2-1 coaching
FormatGroup workshops, 10am – 3pm, once per month
Duration10 months (flexible to operational needs)
DeliveryFace-to-face, on-site at your premises
CohortManagers & team leaders combined (with breakout sessions by role)
SLT SessionOptional half-day for senior leaders to preview topics & activities
FlexibilityModule order, topics and content fully customisable
The 10 Modules
Module 1
Leadership Identity
Self-awareness • Your leadership style • Trust through candor & transparency • Connecting vision to action
Module 2
Communication as a Leader
Techniques to connect • Raising the bar • Actions vs outcomes • Listening, curiosity & barriers
Module 3
Coaching & Feedback Toolkit
Feedback techniques • Coaching models • Understanding the “why” • Helping others succeed • Difficult conversations
Module 4
Empowerment & Delegation
Effective delegation • Knowing when to let go • Monthly planning • Empowering your people • Time management
Module 5
Strategic Thinking
Thinking strategically • Accountability • Getting out of comfort zones • Commercial awareness
Module 6
Decision Making
How motivation really works • Knowing your people • Being consistently different • Better decision-making
Module 7
Emotional Intelligence
Flexible leadership styles • Self-management • Using EQ to resolve conflict • Communicating effectively
Module 8
Supporting Change
Change: friend or foe? • People reactions • How to support change effectively • Solving the right problems
Module 9
Stakeholder Management
Communicating messages • Communication at different levels • Finding your presentation style
Module 10
Presentations & Impact
Present on your leadership impact • Peer learning & sharing • Action planning • Future objectives
What’s Included
  • Full design and customisation of all 10 modules to your business context
  • Face-to-face delivery at your premises by expert TESS facilitators
  • Optional half-day SLT preview session
  • All programme materials, workbooks and resources
  • Combined manager & team leader sessions with role-specific breakouts
  • Post-module action plans and accountability frameworks
  • Programme completion recognition
  • Ongoing flexibility to adjust module order, topics and content
Benefits

For Your Organisation

  • Smoother peer-to-leader transitions with fewer growing pains
  • Consistent leadership standards across all levels
  • Improved team engagement and retention
  • Stronger pipeline of capable, confident managers
  • Reduced reliance on external recruitment for leadership roles

For the Individual

  • Clear framework for the mate-to-manager transition
  • Practical tools applicable from day one
  • Increased confidence in leadership situations
  • Enhanced self-awareness and emotional intelligence
  • Peer network and shared learning community
Our Approach
  • Key modules delivered as a combined group for managers & team leaders, building shared language and culture
  • Separate follow-on sessions for managers or team leaders depending on role-specific development needs
  • Workshop format (10am–3pm, monthly) designed to fit around operational demands
  • Module content, order and topics are fully flexible — we shape everything to be absolutely fit for purpose
  • Capstone Module 10 gives participants the chance to present their leadership impact to peers and senior leaders

Optional: 1-2-1 Leadership Coaching

Alongside the group programme, we offer dedicated 1-2-1 coaching sessions for individuals based on their specific development needs. Whether it’s building confidence, navigating a difficult team dynamic, or accelerating their growth — personalised coaching ensures every participant gets exactly the support they need on their leadership journey.

Why “Mate to Manager” Matters

Research consistently shows that the transition from individual contributor to first-time manager is the single highest-risk moment in a leader’s career. Without structured support, new managers revert to “doing” instead of “leading” — driving disengagement, increased turnover, and lost productivity. This programme gives your people the skills, self-awareness and confidence to make that transition successfully, creating a leadership culture that compounds year on year.

What Delegates Say

“Going from team member to manager was the hardest transition of my career. This programme gave me the tools and confidence to do it well.”

— Workshop Delegate • New Manager

“The 'managing former peers' module addressed exactly the awkwardness I was feeling. Practical advice that I could use the very next day.”

— Workshop Delegate • Newly Promoted Team Leader

“I wish I'd had this programme when I first became a manager. It would have saved me two years of learning the hard way.”

— Workshop Delegate • Operations Manager

“The blend of theory and practice is spot on. Every module ended with something I could implement immediately with my team.”

— Workshop Delegate • Shift Supervisor

Ready to Upskill Your Team?

Book a free discovery call to discuss your team's needs and how we can tailor this programme for your organisation.

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No obligation • Tailored to your team • Nationwide delivery