From Researcher to Manager: How Oxygen Turned Good Instincts Into Real Tools

Manager Success Spotlight: Kristen Clemens, Manager at the Human Rights Foundation

Overview

Kristen Clemens didn't set out to become a manager. A researcher by background, she moved into overseeing one of the Human Rights Foundation's flagship projects and, almost overnight, found herself responsible for a team of about a dozen people. She had strong relationships and good instincts, but no formal toolkit. She isn't unusual in that. By some estimates, nearly 60% of new managers receive no training before stepping into the role.

When HRF brought her on full-time and enrolled her in Oxygen's Management Essentials program, the timing was ideal. What she gained wasn't a personality transplant. It was a set of concrete frameworks for accountability, feedback, and managing up that turned her general sense of "what makes a good manager" into something she could actually use. Her story is a clear example of what happens when a capable individual contributor is finally given the tools to lead. She joins colleagues like Michelle Gulino among the HRF managers who have been through the program.

Key Takeaways

● Kristen was promoted into managing a dozen people with no formal training, a path Oxygen's program is built to support

● Small, specific changes, like letting direct reports lead one-on-ones, produced an outsized impact on engagement

● Frameworks for targeted feedback and difficult conversations replaced vague encouragement with something repeatable

● Coaching with her instructor, Michael, helped her crack the "managing up" challenge that so many middle managers face

● Clear expectations and deadlines measurably improved her remote team's output and ownership

Thrown Into Management, Then Given the Tools

Kristen had been with HRF for four years, mostly as a contractor in research-focused roles, when she took over research for a major project and began managing the team behind it. By the time she started Management Essentials, she was leading roughly a dozen people.

"I was kind of thrown into the managerial process without a lot of experience or tools. So when they signed me up, I was like, this is great, this is very good timing, because I could use all the help I could get."

She came in with a clear sense of what she lacked.

"I had really good relationships with all of my direct reports, but I was missing that next step. How do I get better about accountability and making sure deadlines are actually met? How do I manage up? As a middle manager, how do I meet the needs of my direct reports but also stay in line with what leadership is looking for?"

Small Changes, Big Impact

One of the most valuable shifts came from a simple change to her one-on-ones, suggested by her instructor, Michael.

"One of the tips Michael had was, in our one-on-one check-ins, letting them lead the meeting and set the agenda. Before, I always raised my things first. Reversing it and giving them much more space, I've seen my direct reports open up a lot more about their questions and concerns, and feel more comfortable. My whole managerial style hasn't drastically changed, but making these small changes has made a huge impact."

Feedback That Actually Lands

Two frameworks stuck with Kristen: the LOVE framework for knowing when to listen versus when to offer solutions, and a structured approach to specific, targeted feedback.

"I've been trying to give very specific feedback rather than just saying, 'This is great, good job.' Things like, 'You did a great job leading that meeting,' or 'You asked very good questions in that call.' I've heard really positive reactions from my direct reports. They appreciate it."

That instinct is well supported: Gallup finds that 80% of employees who received meaningful feedback in the past week are fully engaged. With three new hires in recent months, Kristen has leaned on specific feedback to guide them quickly.

"This is good, this is something that maybe needs a little more work, but this is something you're doing really well, keep it up. That's been really helpful for them."

Clear Expectations on a Remote Team

Managing a fully remote team made clarity even more important. Kristen learned that vague timelines left people struggling in silence.

"Working with a fully remote team, they aren't always asking questions, and they might feel like they're struggling on their own if I'm not clear about expectations. So I've been reiterating in our meetings and notes: here's the order of priority, here's the deadline, please get in touch with questions."

The results showed up in the work itself.

"I've seen their products come out better. They're producing more of what we're looking for, because I'm taking that extra time to be very clear about expectations. And I've seen more engagement in general, more clarifying questions, more ideas. They feel like they have a real stake in the project."

Cracking the "Managing Up" Problem

The challenge Kristen found hardest was the one many middle managers know well: translating leadership's priorities into concrete direction for her team. She brought it to Michael in one-on-one coaching.

"Michael helped me figure out what kinds of questions I need to ask leadership. We'd just launched a project, so it was a good time to ask, what are our priorities, what's the funding, what are the goals, and how can we implement that?"

When she found gaps in leadership's direction, she used a framework-driven approach to fill them from the bottom up.

"I went to the team and said, you've been working on this research for three years, you know where the interesting stories are, what should we pursue? We put together three ideas, proposed them to leadership, and they said great. That brought a lot of agency for the direct reports, and now we're pursuing those projects."

A Cohort of People in the Same Boat

Kristen was nervous about the group setting at first, but the cohort quickly became comfortable. Paired repeatedly with managers from other organizations in live breakout exercises, she found the challenges were strikingly universal.

"Even though we have very different roles and organizations, we have a lot of the same issues, like a direct report who isn't communicating, or the managing-up issue. After that first meeting, I was very comfortable with everyone. It never felt alienating."

Why Manager Training Is a Retention Strategy

For Kristen, the case for investing in manager training is personal and direct. She has watched good people leave because of bad management.

"I don't remember the exact stat, but people don't quit bad jobs, they quit bad managers. My experience is that's 100% true. I've had colleagues quit because of a bad manager. It's not that they're bad people, they just never got these tools."

The data backs her up. Gallup has found that one in two employees have left a job at some point to get away from their manager. Kristen sees Oxygen's training as the antidote, especially in mission-driven work.

"If you want to retain people, if you want them to feel connected to the work and safe enough to raise concerns, manager training is really important. Having a manager who can navigate those conversations, who can be supportive and transparent while translating the needs of the organization, that's how you keep a strong team."

She also points to how HRF has absorbed the program's structure organization-wide, from KPIs to clearer job descriptions, outcomes Oxygen sees across its programs.

"Knowing that others went through the training, that we're consistent across our managerial approach, is really great. A lot of us were thrown into manager positions. One day I'm a researcher, the next I'm managing 10 people."

What Kristen Tells Managers on the Fence

Her advice for anyone hesitating over the six-month commitment is unequivocal.

"Absolutely worth the time. I know it feels intimidating that it's six months. But it turned my general notions of what it is to be a good manager into usable tools, resources, and strategies. I can go back and reference those tools when I'm feeling stuck. I have more confidence knowing I have these things in my toolkit. I'd recommend it to anybody."

Ready to give your managers more than another online course? Explore the Management Essentials program or see what other managers have to say.