6 Essential Skills for First-Time People Leaders

Leading people is a big responsibility. If it’s your first time doing it, you know there’s a steep learning curve, which might make being in charge feel overwhelming.   

Chelsea C. Williams, founder and CEO of Reimagine Talent Co. in Raleigh, N.C., presented six must-have skills and the foundational building blocks that people leaders must develop to support their teams. She spoke March 26 at SHRM Talent 2025 in Nashville.   

Williams said that what makes leading people for the first time so challenging for many is the lack of experience, training, and resources, in addition to the consequential shift from being an individual contributor and peer to being a leader of your peers. “That’s a huge challenge — how to start to delegate while managing relationships with former peers,” she said. 

That transition in mindset from performing transactional tasks and routines to being responsible for the process of transforming others is key, Williams said.  

“Unlike traditional managers who may focus primarily on tasks and performance metrics, people leaders prioritize employee engagement, growth, and well-being while also driving team and organizational results,” she explained. 

Being able to lead others starts with being able to lead yourself, Williams said. “Take a moment to understand who you are so you can be effective in supporting other people,” she said. “Build self-leadership through self-awareness, self-motivation, and self-accountability.” 

She recommended organizations provide leadership development training for first-time leaders to help them succeed in their new roles. 

SHRM's People Manager Qualification (PMQ) teaches people managers how to empower teams, transform workplaces, and cultivate a high-performing staff.

Building trust is another foundational step for motivating people. “You can build trust in three ways: by experience, expertise, and authority,” Williams said. “Authority is often the challenge for first-time leaders. Trust will be earned by the way that you show up in support for your team.”  

She said that HR’s role in this process is as an advisor, communicator, and resource provider.  

“About 60% of polled first-time people leaders say that they never received any training when they transitioned into their first leadership role,” Williams said. “HR needs to train on processes, practices, and programs, as well as being resources themselves. First-time people leaders need to build interpersonal skills like relationship building, intrapersonal skills like self-management, and the technical skills necessary for the job.” 

SHRM Members-Only Toolkit: Developing Organizational Leaders

6 Leadership Skills

Below are six crucial skill areas for first-time managers. 

Adaptability. The majority of people fail within the first 18 months of taking on a new leadership role, Williams said. First-time leaders are often overloaded. HR can help by providing timely plug-and-play resources such as toolkits and consistent touchpoints to support people as they adapt to a new role.     

Delegation. Leaders who struggle to delegate end up spending the majority of their time on tasks best suited for others, Williams said. “This is common,” she said. “This is the work maybe you were celebrated for in the past, but now you need to shift it to others so you can take on additional responsibilities and grow.” 

Strategic thinking. Strategic thinking is the most valued skill in business, but most leaders are not viewed as strategic, Williams noted. “Think about how what you do connects into the broader organization,” she said. “Share data trends across departments and invite first-time leaders to help connect the dots.”      

Resilience. Companies with resilient leaders can adapt more quickly to market disruptions. “Lead above the disruption and stay focused,” Williams advised. She said HR can offer peer learning and facilitate communities for guidance to help build that resilience muscle: “Resilience is best supported through community.”    

Communication. Well-connected teams that communicate effectively see an increase in productivity, Williams said. If the desired results are clear, the team is more likely to get the job done well. She recommended pairing new leaders with experienced leaders to observe how they run meetings, give feedback, and handle tough conversations. 

Coaching. “This might be an unused skill for many first-time leaders,” Williams said. “It’s important because employees with emotionally intelligent leaders are less likely to leave their jobs. I don’t believe you can coach or develop your team without being emotionally intelligent.” Williams said HR can also leverage self-assessment tools to help leaders evaluate their current coaching style and identify growth areas.