Breakout Session

From Manager to Leader: Making the Shift That Matters

Holly DePalma Managing Director, MEA Services & Behavioral / PI Consultant

This session is intended to help people leaders recognize the crucial difference between managing tasks and leading people. Most managers are promoted because they were strong individual contributors—but the habits that made them successful in the job don’t always translate to effective leadership. This presentation outlines the mindset and behavioral shifts needed to evolve from a task-focused manager to an inspiring, people-centered leader. 

We will discuss: 

  • The key differences between managers and leaders 
  • Why most leaders default to managing (and how to grow beyond it) 
  • Common pitfalls that keep people stuck in “manager mode” 
  • Practical leadership behaviors like sharing the big picture, coaching instead of fixing, empowering others, and modeling culture 
  • An interactive exercise to identify specific shifts each participant can make right away 

The session combines relatable insights, real-world examples, and actionable tools to help attendees walk away with clarity—and confidence—about how to grow their leadership impact starting now.