Leadership Essentials for New Managers
Myra Deshmukh
ex-Amazon leader, CEO at Leadership Lab
The real skills you need to manage effectively
The skills that made you a high-performing individual contributor won’t make you a great manager — and relying on them too long will hold you and your team back. Most new managers are expected to just figure it out: manage former peers, scale themselves without losing visibility, build trust, handle difficult conversations, and balance execution with people leadership — all without real training or a playbook.
This course teaches the must-have manager skills you were never taught.
You’ll learn how to shift from doer to leader, set clear expectations without micromanaging, build trust and accountability, and handle tough conversations with confidence. We’ll focus on practical systems, mechanisms, and habits that keep you on top of the work without doing it yourself.
This is a two-day intensive workshop. You’ll leave with usable frameworks, checklists, and a manager playbook you can apply immediately — with much of the work completed in-session so you’re ready to roll come Monday. You’ll also get access to 1:1 coaching and peer circles for continued support and skill-building.
What you’ll learn
Leave with clear priorities and confidence to manage your team
Identify the top 5 IC habits that break at manager level and replace them with manager behaviors
Build your personal Manager Operating Checklist for what you own now vs. your team owns
Run your first 30–60 day manager focus plan instead of reacting day to day
Create intentional and effective ways to build common understanding and expectations with each member of your team
Install 3 simple reporting mechanisms so you know status without chasing updates
Define clear decision rights (what your team owns vs what needs your input) and how to bring this to each team member
Use a trust-building manager cadence (1:1s, priorities, follow-ups) your team can rely on
Create upward visibility updates that build confidence with your manager
Audit and update your existing stakeholder mechanisms to ensure the right level of visibility across key partners
Use a step-by-step difficult conversation framework
Practice common scenarios so it becomes second nature
Respond effectively to ad hoc situations with a replicable framework
Run high-impact weekly 1:1s using a repeatable agenda template
Implement a team operating rhythm (updates, priorities, risks, decisions)
Build your Manager Playbook: meeting structures, checklists, and templates
Learn directly from Myra
Myra Deshmukh
ex-Amazon, Founder of Leadership Lab, Communication Coach
Who this course is for
You’re an IC who just became a manager and are overwhelmed with how to pivot from owning everything to trusting your team to deliver
You’re a new manager who never received formal training and you're expected to seamlessly lead the team AND support business goals
For new managers in any function. Focused on people leadership and team operating mechanisms — not job or function-specific skills.
What's included
Live sessions
Learn directly from Myra Deshmukh in a real-time, interactive format.
Templates and tactics
You'll leave with template and tactics to implement immediately, and in most cases we'll do the work in the session itself.
Time to Implement in the Session
It's critical that you take back the learnings from class into your day-to-day. After each module, we will take time to operationalize these learnings - schedule the new meeting, draft the email, create the template. So you can hit the ground running on Monday.
Peer and tenured manager support
After our training weekend together, you will have access to 3 mentor circles. Through these sessions, you'll get mentoring and support from tenured leaders and your peers
1:1 Support and Feedback
We don't just discuss the ideas, we practice them. You'll get personalized feedback so you can continue to develop and improve. Plus you'll get a 1:1 coaching session to address your specific needs.
Maven Guarantee
This course is backed by the Maven Guarantee. Students are eligible for a full refund up until the halfway point of the course.
Course syllabus
Week 1
May
9
Day 1 Live Training
Day 1 Materials
May
10
Day 2 Live Training
Day 2 Materials
Week 2
May
15
Manager Mentor Circle
Schedule
Live sessions
10 hrs
10 hours of live training across two days plus manager mentor circles following the live trainings
Sat, May 9
4:30 PM—9:30 PM (UTC)
Sun, May 10
4:30 PM—9:30 PM (UTC)
Fri, May 15
4:30 PM—5:30 PM (UTC)
Testimonials
Myra's training session provided me with an opportunity to evaluate my Leadership & Communication skills through a framework that was actionable. Her high energy & personal experiences made the session truly enjoyable and engaging.
Workshop participant
PublicisMyra breathes life into even the most complex topics, using relatable real-world examples that make learning engaging and accessible. She delivers it in such a way that you don't want to miss a minute of it. Before you know it, the session is over!
Lead
Amazon Grocery's Talent AcademyMyra is a remarkable speaker and facilitator who brings high energy and engagement to complex problems. She uses simple and effective frameworks that are easy to understand and use right away. She structures and guides hands-on activities to be both fun and rewarding, Illuminating immediate opportunities that can have lasting impact.
Workshop participant
AmazonMyra has an uncanny way of approaching tough conversations with stakeholders that made them feel understood, and gained alignment even when the path forward was far different from what they requested. She helped me personally re-frame my thinking and more effectively represent problem statements I brought to my leadership team to garner support.
L6 Manager
AmazonMyra’s communication skills set her apart - she is able to create clear and concise messaging with even the most complex topics. Her strong ability to earn trust and influence others is a testament to her effective communication strategy.
Director
Amazon