KINGSTON, Jamaica—Richard Byles says many middle managers struggle after promotion because companies elevate strong technical performers into leadership roles without preparing them to manage people, arguing that the skills that make employees excellent individually can become liabilities at management level.

Speaking at the Make Your Mark: Middle Managers Leadership Conference on Tuesday, the Bank of Jamaica governor said organisations often reward precision, discipline and individual output, but fail to train managers for the transition into leadership.

“They were great technicians. They were promoted because of the quality of their output as individuals,” Byles said in prepared remarks. “But then they fail to make the critical transition from being great at the work to being great at leading the people who do the work.”