The Ken Blanchard Companies just closed out a research survey with over 500 people in management roles to ask them about their experiences when they first stepped up into management.

The company will be sharing the results of the research as a part of the rollout of its new First-time Manager program, but some of the initial top level statistics are ready for sharing now (see infographic).

These experiences, reported by the managers, paint a picture of the challenges new leaders face and help explain why 60 percent of new managers underperform—or even fail—in their first two years.

With over two million people stepping into leadership roles for the first time, it is essential for organizations to put together a structured program that prepares these new managers for the challenges they will face when they become responsible for the work of others in addition to their own.

Blanchard recommends that new managers focus on four performance-related conversations—Goal Setting, Praising, Redirecting, and Wrapping Up, as well as four essential communication skills—Listening, Inquiring, Telling Your Truth, and Expressing Confidence.

Three of the four conversations are drawn from the three key principles in Ken Blanchard and Spencer Johnson’s best-selling book The New One Minute Manager®—and they are joined by a new, fourth conversation, Wrapping Up, which is about bringing closure to goals and tasks. The four communication skills come from Blanchard’s coaching services practice and represent the listening skills most needed by managers.

In a recent webinar, Master Certified Coach Linda Miller, who serves as Blanchard’s global liaison for coaching, asked participants which of the four conversations and which of the four skills they thought were most difficult for new managers.  The number one most difficult conversation identified was Redirecting—getting somebody back on track when performance wasn’t where it should be.  The second conversation identified as difficult was Goal Setting. Among communication skills, Listening and Telling Your Truth ended up in a tie as most difficult.

How does the information in the infographic match up with your experience?  Does your organization have a structured program in place to get new managers off to a good start?  Don’t let your new people sink.  Provide them with the support they need to succeed.