“Bad management has prompted one in three UK workers to quit, survey finds. Study shows widespread concern over quality of managers, with 82% of bosses deemed ‘accidental’, having had no formal training”.

This extract from a Guardian article on the 15th October really hit home. Why do we promote people? “Because they are good at their job Catherine” – but does that make them good at people management? I think it also made me a bit angry to be honest…. manage your managers to manage or your employees will vote with their feet!

I’ve been a manager and was not given the support to manage well, with consequences for my team and organisation. I have also had experience of leaving a job because of lack of management support.

When I stepped into the L&D world over 20 years ago we were saying the same thing – we need to support our managers to manage the most important commodity we have for success – our people. So why are statistics like those shown in the Guardian still happening?

In a way it doesn’t matter now – whether it’s investment being made in other areas of the business, or a financial climate where there is no room for training and development at all – we need to take action and make changes in our management development proposition.

We remember great managers like we remember great teachers. They engage with us on a personal level, they empower and inspire us to be better. Shout out to Simon Walters, Kirsty Medway, and Liane James who were my shining examples. Who were yours?

We have visceral reactions to people that have the title of ‘manager’. I have sat with friends who constantly bemoan the ‘Management’! Why is that? Why is that still happening?

So what do you need to do to invest in your managers like you do in your graduate, talent and senior executive populations? Below are what I feel are the core skills of management:

• Driving performance and setting expectations

• Performance management, effective 1:1 / feedback

• Effective communication & relationship building

• Empowering, motivating & developing people

• Effective communication & relationship building

• Innovation & creativity.

Added to this, it is essential for current and future success that managers and leaders also possess these skills and behaviours:

• Managing remote teams

• Coaching and emotional intelligence

• Effective change management

• Psychological safety

• ED&I

• Difficult conversations / overcoming conflict.

If this is something you are struggling to get right in your organisation, we can help. From Aspiring Team Leaders, to Stepping into Management and more expert Team Leader Development, we will work with you to design and deliver management development that will help your people be the best they can be.