Coaching Managers, Managing Upward, and Dealing with Peers who Challenge your Leadership [Office Hours #023]

Your questions. Answered.

👋 Welcome to a 🔒 subscriber-only edition 🔒 of our Office Hours newsletter with our founder, Ian Hallett. Every Tuesday, Ian tackles reader questions covering the most demanding challenges of management and leadership.

See all Office Hours editions here.

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In this week's edition, Ian answers:

1. How do you coach a manager on your team who’s technically strong but struggling to lead their own team effectively?

2. How do you manage upward when your own manager is unclear, unavailable, or constantly shifting priorities?

3. How do you deal with a peer who subtly undermines your leadership or tries to take credit for your team’s work?

Let’s get started…

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Question 1:

Sophia from Melbourne
How do you coach a manager on your team who’s technically strong but struggling to lead their own team effectively?

Response:
Dear Sophia,

Leading people is fundamentally different from mastering tasks—and not every manager makes that shift naturally. The transition from being a great individual contributor to being a people leader requires new mindsets, not just new skills. Your job is to guide that shift with clarity, support, and real-time reflection.

1. Frame the Gap as a Growth Opportunity

Start with affirmation, then open the door for development:

"Your technical strengths are clear—you’ve built real credibility. Now, the next level is leading people in a way that brings out their best. That takes intention, and I’d love to work on that with you."

This positions the conversation as a partnership, not a correction.