Step Up & Lead: A First Time Managers Toolkit for Authentic Leadership
Laura Hounsome
Ex-Amazon Executive Leader & ICF Coach
Amanda King
Ex-Amazon Executive Leader & ICF Coach
.jpg&w=768&q=75)
From Top Performer to Trusted Leader
You got promoted because you were exceptional at your job. But now the job has changed — and nobody handed you a playbook.
Suddenly you're managing people who were your peers yesterday. You're sitting in meetings where you're expected to have opinions about strategy, not just execution. You're giving feedback for the first time and wondering if you're doing it wrong. And the worst part? You can't really talk about any of this with your team or your boss without feeling like you're admitting you're not ready.
You are ready. You just haven't been taught.
This course gives you the practical frameworks, honest conversations, and peer support that most companies forget to provide when they promote their best people. In three intensive sessions, you'll build the confidence and skills to lead authentically — not by imitating someone else's style, but by finding your own.
Workshop agenda
- 3:00AM EDT
You Got Promoted — Now What?
Understand what actually changes when you move from individual contributor to people leader, and why most new managers struggle with the same things.
- 3:30AM EDT
The Leadership Identity
Map out your authentic leadership style using a guided framework. Identify the strengths you're bringing and the IC habits you need to let go of.
- 4:00AM EDT
What Your Team Needs From You (That No One Will Say Out Loud)
Learn what your team is really looking for in their new manager — and how to build trust from day one, especially when you're leading former peers.
- 4:30AM EDT
Feedback That Builds Trust, Not Fear
Practice giving honest, constructive feedback using the SBI framework. Learn to have hard conversations that strengthen relationships rather than damage them.
- 5:15AM EDT
Delegate Like a Leader, Not a Bottleneck
Use the Delegation Matrix to stop doing everyone's work. Learn to hand off with clarity and trust so your team grows and you get your time back.
- 6:00AM EDT
Running 1:1s and Meetings That Actually Matter
Design a 1:1 structure that surfaces real issues and build team meetings around decisions and connection, not status updates.
- 7:00AM EDT
Break
Time to grab a bite to eat
- 7:30AM EDT
Building Psychological Safety in Your Team
Understand the four stages of psychological safety and create team norms that reward candour, encourage early problem-sharing, and make it safe to disagree.
- 8:30AM EDT
Your 90-Day Leadership Plan
Build a concrete action plan using the Listen, Align, Act framework — tailored to your role, your team, and your strengths. Receive Feedback from the Facilitators
- 9:00AM EDT
The Leader You're Becoming
Peer hot-seat coaching session. Pressure-test your plan with your cohort, troubleshoot your biggest challenge, and leave with accountability and confidence.
What you’ll learn
Stop quietly panicking and start leading with intention. Build the skills and confidence your promotion didn't come with.
Reframe your definition of success from personal output to team impact using the Leadership Identity Canvas
Identify and let go of IC habits that undermine your credibility as a new manager
Build a personal leadership philosophy rooted in your authentic strengths, not someone else's template
Practice real-world feedback scenarios using the SBI (Situation-Behaviour-Impact) framework in live role-plays
Learn to deliver difficult messages with honesty and empathy so people hear you, not fear you
Recognise when to coach, when to direct, and when to simply listen
Use the Delegation Matrix to decide what to hand off, what to coach, and what to keep
Overcome the "I can do it faster myself" trap with a trust-building delegation practice
Set clear expectations without micromanaging using a lightweight accountability framework
Design a 1:1 structure that surfaces real issues, not just status updates
Facilitate team meetings that drive decisions and build connection, not drain energy
Use active listening techniques drawn from executive coaching practice
Learn the four stages of psychological safety and how to build each with your team
Spot the subtle signs that trust is eroding before it becomes a retention problem
Create team norms that reward candour and make it safe to disagree
Map your first 90 days into three phases: Listen, Align, and Act using a guided planning template
Identify quick wins that build credibility without overcommitting or burning out
Leave with a concrete, written plan you can execute starting Monday morning
Learn directly from Laura & Amanda
.jpg&w=384&q=75)
Laura Hounsome
20+ years leading at Amazon & IBM. Now coaching the next generation of leaders.
Amanda King
Ex-Amazon Executive leader. Executive coach. 10,000+ leaders trained globally.
Who this workshop is for
High performer eyeing a leadership role. You've been told you have potential but no one's taught you how to lead people.
Newly promoted manager figuring it out alone. You're leading former peers with no playbook. You need practical frameworks, not theory.
Been in role 6–18 months but something's off. Your team isn't gelling and you've fallen back into doing the work yourself. Time to reset.
What's included
Live sessions
Learn directly from Laura Hounsome & Amanda King in a real-time, interactive format.
Lifetime access
Go back to course content and recordings whenever you need to.
Community of peers
Stay accountable and share insights with like-minded professionals.
Certificate of completion
Share your new skills with your employer or on LinkedIn.
Leadership Identity Canvas
A one-page framework to map your authentic leadership style — your strengths, values, and the leader you want to be. Revisit it whenever you need to recalibrate.
SBI Feedback Framework
A simple three-step model (Situation, Behaviour, Impact) for delivering honest feedback that lands well. Practise-tested during the course so you can use it with confidence immediately.
Team Meeting Playbook
A short guide to running team meetings that drive decisions and connection. Includes an agenda template and facilitation prompts you can use straight away.
90-Day Leadership Action Plan
Your personalised plan built during the course using the Listen, Align, Act framework. Tailored to your role, your team, and your goals — not a generic template.
Maven Guarantee
Your purchase is backed by the Maven Guarantee.