For many professionals, the first promotion comes with a new title, new expectations, and a quiet realization: leading people is a completely different job than doing the work yourself.

Jeff Ogren, Illinois State University ’89, has seen that moment play out again and again throughout his career. This year, he turned those hard-won lessons into a practical new resource, Leading From Day One: The Essential Guide for New Supervisors, written for anyone stepping into their first leadership role and wondering, “What do I do now?”

Ogren’s central premise is simple: organizations are often quick to reward strong individual contributors with promotions, but slow to provide the tools those new leaders need to succeed. The result can be frustration on both sides: new supervisors feel overwhelmed, teams feel unsupported, and performance suffers.

His book aims to close that gap with direct guidance, step-by-step strategies, and worksheets designed to turn leadership concepts into day-to-day practice. “You get promoted on a Friday, and on Monday you are in charge,” Ogren said. “A lot of places pat you on the back and say good luck. This is meant to give people the confidence and tools to lead effectively from day one.”

A Delta Sig foundation for leadership

Long before he was advising new supervisors, Ogren was learning leadership in real time as an undergraduate at Illinois State. He joined Delta Sigma Phi’s Epsilon Omega chapter because of what he describes as the chapter’s eclectic, welcoming nature. The house brought together members from different backgrounds, and he quickly found himself encouraged to participate, take responsibility, and try new roles.

That culture of involvement, he says, created an environment where younger members could lead while still having support around them. “When you are that young, having an environment that is forgiving matters,” Ogren said. “You can try something new, make a mistake, learn from it, and keep going.”

Ogren was elected vice president of the chapter early in his time in the house. From there, he stepped into broader leadership across campus, including student government and other roles that stretched his confidence and skills. The fraternity’s expectations and structure, he says, helped him see that leadership is less about titles and more about responsibility, communication, and follow-through.

Those experiences also gave him something many students struggle to identify while they are still in college: practice with real-life management skills. Budgeting, planning, negotiating, delegating, and accountability were not abstract ideas. They were requirements for the chapter to function.

Ogren points to chapter committee work as a prime example. A finance committee collecting dues, balancing budgets, coordinating contracts, and managing vendor relationships is not that different from what many professionals do later in their careers. “You learn how to budget. You learn how to negotiate a contract,” he said. “You learn how to communicate when you are dissatisfied, but also within the confines of what was agreed.”

Why the first leadership jump is the hardest

That early foundation shaped how Ogren thinks about leadership today, including the most common pain point he sees in organizations: the first jump from “excellent doer” to supervisor.

“It is a complete mindset change,” he said. “Up until this point, you have been reviewed on your actions. Now you are evaluated based on what your team does.”

That shift can be jarring. New supervisors often start their roles believing they will simply execute at a higher level, only to learn that their success now depends on coaching, coordination, prioritization, and creating clarity for others. Many also struggle to let go of daily tasks, especially if those tasks are what made them successful and earned them the promotion in the first place.

Ogren says the most effective new supervisors quickly learn two things: how to listen and how to build trust. He emphasizes active listening as an underrated leadership tool, especially in an era of constant distractions. Being fully present with people, hearing what they need, and responding thoughtfully creates momentum, reduces misunderstanding, and strengthens relationships.

Trust, he argues, is the real currency of leadership. Leaders will eventually have to make decisions that disappoint someone on their team. If trust is strong, people may not love the outcome, but they are more likely to understand the intent and stay aligned with the mission.

To keep himself grounded, Ogren follows what he calls a “90-day rule”: spend time learning your people, your policies, and your problems before making major decisions. It is not about indecision. It is about pacing, humility, and relationship-building, especially when entering a new team dynamic.

A book built for action, not theory

Leading From Day One is designed to be used, not just read. Ogren structured the book around the real challenges new supervisors face, including setting expectations, managing performance, navigating conflict, handling difficult conversations, prioritizing time, and leading change. He also includes worksheets with each chapter to help readers apply what they are learning to their own situations.

He describes it as a playbook for those early days when a new supervisor is trying to figure out how to move from individual contribution to team leadership. “There are a lot of leadership books that are great,” Ogren said. “But they do not always get into the nuts and bolts of what you need when you are suddenly responsible for a team.”

That practical focus comes from years spent watching organizations place new supervisors into high-pressure roles without clear guidance. Ogren’s motivation for writing the book was straightforward: he wants workplaces to be better, and he believes better supervisors create better teams.

“I got into teaching leadership out of frustration,” he said. “Not seeing good leaders in positions where we needed good leaders.”

A message for new leaders and the brothers who will become them

Ogren’s story is a reminder that leadership development rarely begins with a corner office. Often, it starts with smaller responsibilities, honest feedback, and mentors who encourage you to raise your hand before you feel fully ready.

For Delta Sigma Phi undergraduates and young alumni, his advice is to take opportunities as they come. Volunteer for the committee. Run a project. Ask questions. Practice communicating expectations and listening to your teammates. Those skills compound.

As he sees it, the sooner someone starts learning how to lead, the smoother the first professional transition becomes. And for anyone already stepping into that first supervisory role, his book is meant to make sure they do not have to figure it all out alone.

Leading From Day One: The Essential Guide for New Supervisors is available now.