4 Tools to Develop and Grow Effective Managers

After that promotion into the ranks of management, who remembers being whisked away to a multi-day intensive training for their new position requirements, managing people? Not many, I’m sure. For most new managers, they get a “congratulations” and a list of subordinates. According to a recent Gallup poll, over 70% of people who manage people lack the necessary competencies to be great managers. Also according to Gallup, 67% of employees are disengaged or actively disengaged. What connects these two statistics? What drives engagement AND disengagement is the same factor – an employee’s relationship with his or her boss. If an employee has a good manager, he or she is more likely to be engaged. Conversely, bad managers lead to more disengaged employees.

The disconnect in most workplaces is that most managers are individual contributors that did so well at their job function, they were asked to manage people who are in a similar job function. People accept managerial positions not because they think they will be good at managing their peers, but rather because it’s a path to accelerate career growth and compensation. When the typical new manager is shifted from their individual contributor role to a managerial position, they are given very little training. Most organizations underinvest in selection, training, and development of their people leaders. The thinking is “if you’re a great accountant, I’m sure you can manage other accountants!”.

So we know that a void exists, but what can we do about it? Companies need an easy and effective way to help managers better understand what engages and drives the people who report them. Managers who have guidance and tools to manage their subordinates will have a better chance of being successful if managing people is not currently in their wheelhouse.

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