With job creation on the rise, the increased need for new managers follows. Unfortunately, in recent data collected by the Harvard Business Review, the average age of first-time managers is 30, while the average age managers are receiving leadership training is 42. This time gap can lead to workplace complications and a greater sense by employees that managers aren’t in tune with their staff and the best practices for the business.
With job growth accelerating, promoting hard-working employees to manager positions without proper training is increasing. Fear not, there are some great programs available to help get new managers the skills they need to succeed and help their teams reach their goals and career aspirations. Not all companies offer a formal management track, but there are other options companies can utilize to ensure managers are equipped with the skills they need on an ongoing basis to effectively manage other employees.
Companies unable to have a structured management training program might consider offering a training stipend or an additional day off to be used for leadership training. A plethora of industry-related management workshops and training seminars can be found online. Encouraging managers to engage in a minimum number of management trainings per year can help build their skills and keep them up-to-date with current workplace and industry trends. Companies like Front Line Leadership offer a variety of leadership training seminars and programs that can prepare new managers to excel and provide a positive work environment.
Another avenue to help new managers learn while on the job is to offer monthly lunch-and-learns so that all levels of management can meet and openly share ideas, tips, best practices, or ask questions. Not only does this give new managers a more casual opportunity to interact with upper management as well as their management level peers, it also allows all managers to openly share ideas that are in line with the workplace values. These lunch-and-learn sessions are a great time to introduce outside consultants into the management mix. These professionals are able to provide new approaches, train new leadership techniques, and offer outside perspectives on workplace situations.
The buddy system worked in primary school and it still does in the workplace. Developing a mentorship program that pairs new managers with experienced leaders allows new managers the ability to ask questions on a one-to-one basis and have a greater sense of confidence as they gain the new tools needed to perform their new job role. Utilizing the openness and knowledge bank of a trusted mentor can provide new managers with answers to questions that may arise as well as a valued resource for developing management skills without a formal training program.
In this current job boom, we are seeing the greatest growth in management positions being filled by millennials. A recent Gallup poll indicated this generation really appreciates constructive feedback, but rarely do they receive it. Keeping this in mind, instituting a policy where managers meet with each member of their team for regular check-ins every other month can provide the feedback this segment of the workforce is craving and also give new managers better insight into each of their team members and their individual goals, needs, and skills.
Technology is all around us. Many companies use it for common things like communications and project deadlines, but utilizing features that track trainings, goals, and leadership development can make a huge impact in a new manager’s focus on acquiring new leadership skills.
When it comes to preparing your new managers for success, using any of these suggestions or a combination thereof can really benefit your business unit. Learning the necessary skills to become an effective manager will make any manager a greater asset to any company even if this is their first management position. Learning the necessary skills to become a leader is easier than you may think. For more information on how the Front Line Leadership Program can transform your organization, contact Robert Winter at 832-483-5535 or fill out the contact form on our contact page. Impactful strategies for successful leaders start at Front Line. Impactful strategies for successful leaders start at Front Line.