Overcoming the expert-leader gap

Leadership today isn’t just demanding - it can be relentless. Many believe that being a good solo contributor will automatically make you an excellent leader, but this is not always the case. Leaders must make complex, high-impact decisions daily. But the relentless pace of change, conflicting priorities, and rising accountability can be a challenge to some new leaders.

 

People are not always “natural leaders.” In fact, even those candidates who are identified as ‘future leaders’ within an organisation can fail without the right support. A McKinsey study found that as many as 40% of internal job moves to leadership can end in failure.

 

Successful team management is not a matter of chance, but of proactively building high-performance teams and driving strategic thinking. When experts are pulled away from what they do best, they need guidance themselves on how to transition their skills from technical expertise into business leadership.

 

 

The expert-to-leader gap

The existence of the expert-to-leader gap is well documented. According to CEB Global research reported by Arruda, 60% of new managers fail within the first 2 years of starting their role. And it’s not only the new leader who is impacted by the shift in responsibility. Gartner revealed that the direct reports of a struggling transitioning leader perform 15% worse on average and are 20% more likely to leave the organisation or become disengaged.

 

Perhaps that’s why increasing leadership soft skills is a top-five development priority for 2025, according to LHH’s recent Leadership Development Report. 38% of those surveyed also cited retaining top talent as a focus area - something which successful leadership has a direct impact on.

 

The transition from expert to leader remains one of the most challenging career moves in a candidate’s lifetime, but with the right support, organisations can retain their talent, improve team productivity, and create a culture where all staff make a meaningful impact.

 

 

Leading with confidence

When technical ability is no longer the main marker for success, self-doubt can come into play. The psychological shift from doing to leading places enormous pressure on new leaders to deliver against stretching objectives, apply unfamiliar skills and simultaneously maintain previous levels of productivity within their teams.

 

A crucial step is learning what responsibilities to let go of. As experts, many candidates feel compelled to retain ownership of previous work - but this can limit the growth of new teams. Learning how to delegate and trust direct reports leaves space for them to grow and develop in their own capabilities - and creates a more productive working environment for the team overall.

 

Ultimately, stepping into a leadership position is about trusting yourself and supporting others. Perhaps most important is the ability to cultivate emotional intelligence. Listening more deeply, understanding individual challenges, and creating a shared team purpose and sense of belonging create stronger teams to drive long-term success.

 

 

Don’t leave leadership to luck

High-performing teams aren’t successful by accident; they require balance and proactive planning, and by creating the space for others to succeed, successful leaders also create new possibilities for themselves. Leaders should not have to rely on luck but have the skills to create their own success.

 

When leaders are supported, they make better decisions. They build and lead stronger and more effective teams. When candidates are unprepared for the transition in their job roles, it can create tension and impact both productivity and happiness. But when they are supported, with the right training and guidance, this career milestone can instead create opportunities which empower others.

 

To create more successful leaders, the focus within organisations must be on preparing early. Leadership challenges are never one-size-fits-all. Every new leader needs tailored support that meets their specific needs. A structured mentorship approach delivers personalised guidance, stress management strategies, and critical leadership insights that will help leaders navigate complexity while maintaining resilience.

 

The question is not, as is commonly put to HR professionals: what if we train people and they leave? The real question is: what happens if you don’t train people, and they stay? The pace of change will only continue to accelerate, and building capacity, prioritising leadership skills and creating team purpose are key requirements for bridging the expert-to-leader gap and fostering the next generation of talent.

 

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Russell Deathridge is a leadership expert at LHH

 

Main image courtesy of iStockPhoto.com and jacoblund