Emerging Leaders Programme Practical Leadership for First Time Managers
Five practical modules that help new managers build high performing teams, set clear standards, and lead with clarity, consistency, and confidence.
Emerging Leaders builds strong first line leaders, where day to day standards are set and results are delivered.
Across five practical modules, new managers build the habits, confidence, and standards to lead resilient teams and deliver consistently, even under pressure.
The programme every new manager wishes they had
Your first leadership role is a step change in expectation. The sooner you get clear on standards, conversations, and how you lead, the easier it is to perform with confidence.
Most new managers are expected to deliver results through their team, with very little guidance on how to do it well. You are still doing the work, while also managing people, handling tension, giving feedback, and navigating expectations from your boss and peers. When you are under pressure, it is easy to avoid difficult conversations, become inconsistent, or over-manage. That is when standards slip and problems escalate upwards.
of new managers underperform in their first year. This is often linked to a lack of preparation, training, or support when they are promoted.
Forbes
of people promoted into managerial positions underperform for up to 18 months.
Harvard Business School
of the variance in team engagement is driven by the manager. Unprepared or unsupported leaders translate directly into disengaged teams and weaker performance.
Gallup
of managers enter their first leadership role without proper management training. This “accidental manager” phenomenon significantly contributes to leadership underperformance in the first year.
Forbes
"The ELP was a game-changer. I went from feeling like an imposter in my new manager role to leading with real confidence. The programme didn't just give me theory; it gave me a practical tools and ideas I could use the straight away. Learning how to delegate outcomes and handle difficult conversations has completely transformed my team's performance and my own sanity. It's the most impactful professional development I've ever experienced."
Amy P
Team Lead
Emerging Leaders gives you the confidence and practical tools to lead properly from the start. You will know what to do, what to say, and how to stay calm and consistent when it counts.
The difference this programme makes
By the end of Emerging Leaders, you will be able to:
- Step into leadership with a clear view of what success looks like and how to deliver it through others
- Set expectations that are understood, so your team knows what good looks like and delivers it more consistently
- Lead performance conversations early and constructively, before small issues become big ones
- Give feedback that strengthens relationships, rather than creating anxiety or defensiveness
- Delegate with confidence, so you build capability in others and stop carrying everything yourself
- Manage up and across with credibility, so you feel in control of expectations and priorities
- Create trust and psychological safety while still holding a clear standard
- Build a leadership style that is authentic, effective, and aligned to your organisation’s culture
Who this programme is for
Emerging Leaders is for people who are about to step into, or have recently stepped into, their first formal leadership role, typically within the last 18 months. You might be a high performing individual contributor, team lead, supervisor, or a new manager who wants to feel confident leading people, not just doing the work yourself.
Emerging Leaders also suits founders and entrepreneurs who are hiring and leading their first team and want a practical, structured way to lead well from the start.
This isn't a training course
This is a practical, applied programme designed to change what you do day to day. Every module is built around real scenarios, structured practice, and tools you can use immediately at work.
You will practise the conversations, pressure test your approach and leave each module with clear tools and actions you can apply straight away.
"Before the ELP, I was struggling to get my team to focus in the same direction. The sessions on setting clear standards and managing performance were incredibly valuable. I learned not just what to do, but how to do it in a way that helped me build trust and earn the respect of my team. Now, everyone knows what's expected, and our team work has never been better. It has given me a framework that I can fall back on”
Suzy W
Supervisor
Why Amicus?
Amicus is trusted by leaders and organisations because we bring hard won operational leadership experience and a direct, supportive approach that gets results quickly. We are brought in when leaders need to act, not just talk through theory.
We are a critical friend. We have your back, and we will push you further than you think you can go. Participants leave with confidence, clarity, and practical leadership habits that make an immediate difference to how their teams perform.
Facilitators
The programme is led by Joe Carnegie and Saskia Hart, Amicus Associates who bring years of operational leadership experience and extensive expertise in leadership development. Their style is engaging, direct, and supportive, focused on building confidence and practical capability that participants can use immediately at work.
How do I book?
Choose your format: Open Cohort vs. In-House
Open Cohort
The Emerging Leaders Programme is available in two distinct formats to suit your needs. Our Open Cohort brings together leaders from diverse industries for five one-day modules, offering a rich environment for cross-pollination of ideas and networking.
We will be facilitating our Emerging Leaders Programme across various locations in the UK and Channel Islands in 2026:
Jersey – 24th March-23rd June 2026
Guernsey – Register interest
London – Register interest
Bristol – Register interest
How do I book?
Choose your format: Open Cohort vs. In-House
In-House
For organisations looking for a more bespoke solution, our In-House Programme accommodates up to 25 participants and adapts the core structure to your specific context. This tailored approach includes an additional final day to consolidate learning through a capstone exercise, dedicated support for line managers to help participants embed new skills, and strategic alignment with your senior management team.
In-house partners also gain access to the Predictive Index tool, providing deep insights into behavioural traits and team dynamics to help you hire effectively, manage relationships, and leverage individual strengths to deliver your strategy.
From Technical Expert to Confident Leader
Learn how the Amicus Emerging Leaders Programme helped a new Manager drive team performance and reclaim his time. After enrolling in the Amicus Emerging Leaders Programme (ELP), Matt developed a robust leadership toolkit that transformed his approach. The results were a 20% increase in team productivity, a significant reduction in his own workload, and the newfound confidence to lead his team with clarity and purpose.
FAQs
Yes. Emerging Leaders is designed for people stepping into their first formal leadership role. We start with the fundamentals and build practical capability quickly, so participants feel confident leading day-to-day, setting standards, and handling the conversations new managers often avoid.
If someone has been managing for years, they may be better suited to a more advanced programme. That said, we often see managers with 12–24 months’ experience who have learnt on the job and want to strengthen their approach. If you’re unsure, we can advise on fit.
Yes. If you are hiring and leading your first team, you are doing the same shift that first-time managers face: setting expectations, delegating, giving feedback, handling performance, and keeping standards consistent. Emerging Leaders gives you a practical, structured way to lead well from the start, so the team delivers without everything coming back to you.
It’s practical and outcomes led. We focus on the behaviours that protect standards and performance: clear expectations, feedback, difficult conversations, delegation, and managing up and across. Participants practise using real scenarios so they can apply what they learn immediately.
The programme runs over six full-day modules. Sessions are interactive and include facilitated discussion, scenarios, exercises, reflection, and structured practice.
Yes. We run company programmes for organisations that want to build a consistent standard of first-line leadership. We tailor the programme to your context and goals, and we can include manager check-ins to support transfer into the workplace.
That’s common. We can start with a short diagnostic conversation to understand your context and recommend the best approach, whether that’s a company programme, an open cohort, or a blended solution.
Yes. We run open cohorts for individuals and organisations who want a high-quality programme without organising an in-house cohort. Open cohorts include participants from different organisations.
Yes. Employer-funded bookings are welcome, and we can invoice the organisation. Individuals can also self-fund.
You can book directly via the website or enquire with us. A £500 deposit secures a place, and the balance is due 30 days before the first module.
We encourage full attendance because the programme builds across modules. If a participant misses a session, we’ll discuss the best option depending on circumstances and scheduling. We aim to ensure they can re-engage and keep momentum.
Coaching and mentoring can be added alongside either format where it will help accelerate progress, particularly for managers facing specific challenges or stepping into higher-stakes roles.
The programme is led by Joe Carnegie and Saskia Hart, Amicus Associates who bring years of operational leadership experience and extensive expertise in leadership development.
Participants build confidence and practical capability to lead well day-to-day. Organisations typically see clearer expectations and standards, earlier action on performance issues, and fewer escalations upwards as managers take ownership.
Meet the team
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Emerging Leaders Programme: Practical Leadership for First Time Managers
Five practical modules that help new managers build high performing teams, set clear standards, and lead with clarity, consistency, and confidence.
This is not a training course - This is a practical, applied programme designed to change what you do day to day. Every module is built around real scenarios, structured practice, and tools you can use immediately at work.
