Does your organization promote new managers from inside? When you promote employees from within your organization, you already know they fit your culture and are excellent performers. However, the skills that made the new manager successful in the past may not be adequate as they grow into leaders.
Organizations can guide the “management to leadership” journey by providing developmental experiences that include the competencies and expectations specific to their company’s definition of success. Since the knowledge and skills required are not the same for top leaders, middle managers, and supervisors, organizations need a curriculum management development approach.
A stepping stone approach considers the transition from a previous role to a new set of skills and targets specific topics relevant for the individual’s place in the management journey. A good place to start your training plan is to develop a list of expectations and skills for each category. Here are a few ideas to get you started:
- Supervisors: Supervisors are transitioning from doing the work themselves to delegating work. From being the technical expert to teaching skills to others. Skills and knowledge required include: Coaching technical skills and communication skills for delegating and directing the work of others as well as interpersonal skills to interact with a diverse workforce.
- Middle Manager: Managers are transitioning from focusing on their small team to a larger group that may contain multiple functions or shifts. Instead of coaching technical skills they coach supervisors on how to create a motivational climate. They begin to see the bigger picture of the whole organization while participating with peers on project teams. Skills and knowledge required include: Project management, team building and coaching/discipline skills for challenging workplace situations. A basic knowledge of employment law is critical.
- Leaders: Transitioning to leader broadens prospective to understanding how the marketplace and various external factors impact the business and industry. Leadership is a one-to-many relationship which will require a comfort level for speaking to large groups of people internally and externally. Skills and knowledge required include: Aligning the organization around a vision, platform skills and negotiating skills.
Targeting your management development program around specific management groups will increase the engagement of your participants and ensure transfer of skills to the workplace.
To discuss how we can partner together to create your manager to leader curriculum contact us at info@ManagementSkillsInc.com or call 972 881-5282. We have solutions for instructor led programs or “do it yourself” training kits for your delivery.