New Manager · First-Time Manager · Leadership Transition
Management is a different job. Not a better one.
The skills that made you excellent as an individual contributor don't automatically transfer to management. The transition is harder than anyone tells you - and the first 90 days set a trajectory that's difficult to reverse.
Why the first 90 days make or break new managers.
Most new managers are promoted because they were excellent individual contributors. Then they're handed a team and expected to figure out the rest. The result is predictable: they manage the way they were managed, avoid hard conversations, and try to stay involved in the technical work that made them successful.
René Cole has spent two decades watching this pattern play out - from the hiring side, the coaching side, and the organizational side. She knows what separates managers who build trust quickly from those who spend their first year recovering from early mistakes.
The first 90 days are about listening, not proving yourself. About building relationships, not demonstrating authority. About understanding the team before you try to change it. Getting this right sets a trajectory that compounds for years.
What we work on together
The First 90 Days
A concrete plan for your first three months - what to listen for, what to change (and what not to), and how to build the trust that makes everything else possible.
Managing Former Peers
The relationship has to change - not end, but change. Specific language, clear boundaries, and a strategy for establishing authority without alienating the people you need most.
Giving Hard Feedback
Most managers avoid difficult conversations because they haven't practiced them. We'll work through your real situations and build the language and confidence to deliver feedback that lands.
Frequently asked questions
I was just promoted to manager. What should I focus on first?
The first 90 days are about listening, not proving yourself. Your job is to understand the team, build trust, and identify the one or two things that will have the most impact. Most new managers make the mistake of trying to change everything immediately - and lose the room before they've earned it.
How do I manage people who used to be my peers?
This is the most common challenge new managers face, and it's genuinely hard. The relationship has to change - not end, but change. René will help you navigate the transition with specific language, clear boundaries, and a strategy for establishing authority without alienating the people you need most.
I'm struggling to give critical feedback. How do I get better at it?
Most managers avoid hard conversations because they haven't practiced them. We'll work through the specific situations you're facing - real people, real dynamics - and build the language and confidence to deliver feedback that lands without damaging the relationship.
How do I know if management is right for me long-term?
That's a question worth taking seriously. Management is a different job, not a better one - and the skills that made you excellent as an individual contributor don't automatically transfer. We'll help you assess honestly whether the management track fits your strengths and what you actually want from your career.