Do you provide New Manager Training?
58% of managers say they didn’t receive any management training.
Let that sink in for a minute.
All too often, new managers are promoted because they were good at what they did in their past role. They met quotas, achieved the highest CSAT score, or were the most seasoned member of their team. Sure, they’re top performers, but that doesn’t mean they have what it takes to successfully fulfill the responsibilities and tasks of a manager. In fact, 26% of managers said they weren’t ready to become a leader when they started managing others and another study found that 60% of new managers struggle or fail in their first two years. In reality, there are a bunch of managers who aren’t ready to lead and even worse, didn’t get the leadership training they needed to help their team succeed.
Why New Manager Training is Important
We’ve all seen the impact that poor leadership can have on a team or company. Poor management leads to underperformance, disengagement, and high turnover. A Harvard Business Review survey reveals that 58% of people say they trust a stranger more than their own boss. Yikes. If that isn’t a sign that it’s time for a change, we don’t know what is.
On average, there are more than two million people stepping into management roles for the first time every year. There’s no better time for companies to shift their perspective on training. Gone are the days when training was just for new employees. For new managers and their teams to Do Better Work, companies need to create and deliver management training programs that prepare managers for the challenges they will face and the skills they will need in their new role.
3 Management Training Topics
While every company’s management training plan should be designed with their team of leaders in mind, there are a few foundational new manager training topics that all teams should include in their program. Let’s take a closer look at three of our favorite topics for training sessions.
Understanding and establishing goals
Great managers understand company goals, then establish their department’s goals to align with business objectives. While it’s important that every employee has a clear understanding of company goals, new managers, in particular, should receive in-depth training about the implications of every strategic goal. Training for managers and supervisors provides the insight needed to create specific, measurable, attainable, and relevant goals that impact the company’s bottom line.
Giving feedback
Everyone makes mistakes, but a manager provides constructive feedback so that team members can learn from their mistakes. New managers must become experts at giving feedback in a way that builds employees up, rather than bringing them down. New manager training courses give new managers tips and tricks to provide effective, specific, and honest feedback that encourages growth and development.
Coaching employees
In addition to offering feedback, managers need to provide effective coaching. While new managers may have received coaching in their prior role, it takes a new set of knowledge and skills to successfully coach others. Managers with great coaching skills can help improve employee performance, increase engagement, and boost job satisfaction—all of which are essential to building a great team.