Your managers don’t have a knowledge problem - they have a skills problem.

That may sound counterintuitive at first. After all, most organisations have policies, procedures, and template letters easily at their fingertips. There’s probably an HR team just an email or phone call away, too. Everything managers need is there, right?

Yet we still see managers avoiding difficult conversations, hesitating to tackle performance, or simply putting off those vital 1-1s that build trust and engagement.

Why?

Because knowing what to do is not the same as having the skill to do it.

The most underdeveloped and underestimated skills in management today are curiosity, candour and courage.

Curiosity: a powerful mindset shift

 Managers often worry that they need to “have all the answers,” or that they must go into conversations to “win the argument.” That’s the mindset that traps them.

We advocate for the “spirit of curiosity” in managerial conversations: particularly the difficult ones. Curiosity is a skill that needs practice. It’s about going into conversations with an open mind and a genuine interest in hearing the other person’s perspective.

Curious managers lean into the unknown and listen carefully, creating a dialogue rather than a one-way directive. They understand that they don’t need a policy clause in hand; they need questions like:

  • “Can you tell me more about what’s been going on?”
  • “What would help you feel more supported in this role?”
  • “How are you feeling about this conversation so far?”
  • “Can you tell me why you think that…?”

Curiosity breaks down walls and builds trust — and it’s a skill that is eminently teachable.

Candour: balancing care and honesty

Being radically candid is the skill of being direct while demonstrating that you truly care.

Radical candour is about more than blunt honesty. It’s the practice of offering constructive, truthful feedback in a way that respects the person receiving it: and ultimately that you give because you really care about them.

Managers who harness and develop this skill can say what needs to be said without breaking trust – and team members appreciate them for it.

Courage: knowing its difficult, doing it anyway

It’s not that managers don’t know they need to speak up — most do. It’s fear, anxiety and a lack of practical skill that stops them from stepping into that space.

And that’s perfectly human.

Imagine telling someone their performance isn’t where it should be, or sharing difficult feedback. Even with the best templates and policies in the world, those moments will feel daunting.

Courage is what enables managers to do the thing they’d rather avoid. It is built when managers practice handling discomfort — starting small and gradually expanding their capacity for those brave conversations. And it helps when they’ve got practical tools and frameworks that they can rely on to help them along the way.

The solution?

Knowledge is easy to access. Skills must be taught, practiced, nurtured, and supported.

That’s exactly what our Liberate course is designed to do. Our sessions help managers shift from “knowing what to do” to actually doing it – packed with practical tools and frameworks, and real-world examples.

And that’s the secret: when managers grow in curiosity, candour and courage, they don’t just manage better — they inspire their teams to thrive.

If you’d like to liberate your managers from their fear and help them feel equipped, empowered, and excited to lead, let’s talk.