You can't do what you don't know how.
Expecting people to be successful with new tools or
technology, without training, is foolish. If managers
lack communication skills and can't plan effectively,
they'll never lead their people forward.
Research shows that top-performing companies invest
substantially more time and money in skill development
than an average organization.
Skill development is the difference between being
able to master change, rather than be mastered by it.
Developing skills in leadership, problem solving,
time-management and new technology allow change to be
seen as an opportunity, not a threat.
Building new skills is more than just knowing about
it. Behavioral science shows that we act our way into
new ways of thinking far more easily than we can think
our way into new ways of acting.
Training needs to be focused on real needs and
identified gaps. Opportunities to use the new skill
should be built into the training and as part of the
training follow-up.
Having senior managers get trained by the trainers,
then train the next level, has some powerful benefits:
- Attendance improves as your boss or higher is
teaching.
- Course attendees pay more attention, as they
realize they have to train their staff.
- Teaching a course helps managers develop a
deeper understanding of the course material and
skills.
- Costs go down as consultants are used as a
resource.
This type of training is not without risks, as
managers who are poor communicators, make poor teachers.
Gap analysis is a good way to focus training on real
needs.
Because most managers overestimate their leadership
skills, they under develop them. Feedback from those you
are leading is vital to keeping you grounded in their
perceptions of your skill reality.