One topic I find very interesting is management development, particularly the development of young managers. By starting to develop people into managers early, they become much more effective over the course of their career.
What got me thinking about this recently was a visit to the local Navy Cadet unit. One of the older more experienced cadets showed an exceptional ability to manage the others, to the extent that I wanted to congratulate her! It really made me wish that the type of managerial experience she had gained over her time there was mandatory for all new managers.
The point of this post isn’t to suggest all managers should take on a five-year course to develop their skills. The point is to draw attention to management development for young managers.
Far too often young managers are placed into their first management position without any advice, training or development. With such a poor level of preparation by middle and senior managers, what can we expect? Several years of below average performance, as the new manager learns “on the job”.
We can, however, shortcut this learning curve. There are a plethora of ways to develop your young managers faster. For example, some of the services that keyXI Consulting deliver for clients include coaching for new line managers, the establishment of mentor programs, and of course traditional management development workshops or training courses. Which is the best option? All three. They each serve a different purpose, and help your new managers to develop the skills they’ll need to become effective within your organization.
When it comes to your best bright young managers, do not under invest. They provide perhaps one of the best return on investments in the management development arena. If you invest in their future, it’s hard to go wrong.