A recent study of more than 4,500 workers and managers by the Chartered Management Institute, conducted by YouGov, revealed findings that some readers may find disturbing!
82% of newly recruited managers have not had any proper training and the same goes for 52% of managers and 26% of senior managers and leaders.
And have you ever heard the term that people quit bosses, not companies? Well as it turns out, less than a third of workers would describe their manager as ‘highly effective’ and 28% have left a job because of a negative relationship with a manager.
When it comes to managing the performance of others, dealing sensitively with the multiple issues team members often face at work whilst also finding time to crack on with their ever-expanding “to-do” list, is it any wonder managers are reporting that lack of support is having a significant impact on their confidence and wellbeing?
Only last week I had a conversation with a newly appointed first-time manager who had joined an organisation and had reached out for some coaching. She wanted to self-fund so as not to bring to the attention of her new employer that four weeks in she was struggling with her confidence, a steep learning curve and experiencing performance anxiety.
The good news is, the study did discover that those managers who have received formal training are much more likely to feel confident carrying out a management role, to trust their team and to feel comfortable calling out bad behaviour compared to those who haven’t. In addition, the organisation ultimately reaps the rewards in terms of profitability and has a more productive workforce.
It makes sense to invest in some training so with so much out on the market where do you start and how do you know what is right for you?
Start small, invest wisely and help your managers get to grips with the essentials.
Stepping into Management is a 2-day practical “all you need to know about being a manager” programme aimed at those considering a management role or maybe have recently stepped into a new management role.
It allows participants to get curious about what being a manager involves before they commit and gives them practical tools and strategies, they can use in any management role.
It also covers the three key areas a manager will find themselves needing to pay attention to – managing tasks, managing the team and managing the individuals in that team. Each of these needs a different approach and set of skills.
The programme addresses the question “what makes a great team?” and looks at the importance of motivation, delegation and giving and receiving meaningful feedback.
Training only goes so far. Managers need to take action and be held accountable. Ongoing coaching support to help managers implement their learning can be really effective.
When it comes to coaching support, in my experience, we can get some really good results with only a small number of sessions if the person is willing to commit to the coaching process and do the work. If we help managers get off to a good start, they can create the solid foundations from which to build upon.
When it comes to investing in your people the question is not can we afford this but rather how can we afford not to?
If want to explore some options to support a group of aspiring managers in your organisation then please get In touch.
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