Posted by & filed under Leadership.

Motivated, hard-working employees strive to take on more responsibility and leadership as they advance in their careers, but how ready are most people for a management role? According to a CareerBuilder survey of employers and workers released in March 2011, they may not be nearly prepared enough. More than one-fourth (26 percent) of managers surveyed said they weren’t ready to become a leader at the time they started managing employees, and 58 percent said they didn’t undergo any kind of management training.

It is interesting to note that the top three challenges of being a manager, according to those working in a management position, all have to do with interpersonal issues. These problems were: dealing with issues between co-workers on the team (25 percent), motivating team members (22 percent) and handling performance reviews (15 percent).

On the other side of the coin, most workers surveyed (59 percent) felt that their direct supervisor was doing a good or even a great job. A substantial number of employees (20 percent), however, categorized their manager’s performance as poor or very poor. All of the top concerns expressed again involved interpersonal communications:

  • Plays favorites – 23 percent
  • Doesn’t follow through on what he/she promises – 21 percent
  • Doesn’t listen to concerns – 21 percent
  • Doesn’t provide regular feedback – 20 percent
  • Doesn’t motivate me – 17 percent
  • Only provides negative feedback – 14 percent

The results of this survey reinforce the very real need for management training for people in leadership positions. Managing others, like any other skill, requires knowledge and practice, and it is important to empower supervisors to do what is best for their teams.

Benefits of Management Training

Building a strong foundation
Good managers have a broad base of leadership, communication, performance management, conflict resolution and other valuable skills. Training new leaders and keeping the knowledge of veteran supervisors up to date will ensure that the management team is well-educated and well-prepared for real-life challenges.

Increasing morale
Managers who are given training and development opportunities that strengthen their skills and help them take on more responsibility will be more likely to feel supported and valued by the organization. The return on investment for effective management training is enormous: confident, competent leaders who are dedicated to their work and their employees.

Improving work relationships
Supervisors who receive training to become better managers will gain the knowledge and skills they need to prevent or remedy the complaints listed above. They will know how to communicate and listen, how to treat employees fairly and how to provide regular coaching and feedback for better performance.

Why do you think management training is important?

Learn more about EDSI’s leadership courses. 

Leave a Reply