# First-time manager support survey

Find support gaps for newly appointed managers.

If nothing was unclear or difficult, say so. Skip questions about steps you did not experience; use not applicable where appropriate.

## 1. Which management task feels least familiar?

Answer: ____________________

## 2. Who helps you prepare difficult conversations?

Answer: ____________________

## 3. What guidance would you use next week?

Answer: ____________________

## Author notes / illustrative keys where applicable

1. The least familiar management task identifies where a new manager needs preparation or practical support. Keep uncertainty separate from a performance judgment.
2. Available help with difficult conversations reveals the support structure behind a new manager's responsibilities. Clarify suitable preparation resources and role boundaries, without asking for private employee cases or assuming advice establishes managerial competence.
3. Guidance someone would use next week identifies an immediate, practical resource to offer; a stated preference does not establish its effectiveness.

Interpretation caution: Do not use responses as performance ratings.


## Illustrative finding and follow-up

Observation: New managers struggle to structure feedback conversations.

Action to test: Offer a practice session with concrete scenarios.

Follow-up: After trying the change, repeat “Which management task feels least familiar?” with people who experienced it. Check whether they still describe the original issue: new managers struggle to structure feedback conversations. Compare explanations and sample context, rather than claiming the change caused an improvement.