A new survey published this week by the HR Group Penna and the Chartered Management Institute (CMI) found that 43% of managers found their managers ineffective.
The main criticisms of managers include not setting clear direction, failing to manage conflict well, not providing development opportunities and not asking for feedback on their performance. As a result staff felt less committed to their organisations.
Manager effectiveness is closely linked to business performance with 80% of managers in high-performing organisations rated as effective compared with39% in low-performing organisations. We are in challenging times for businesses and developing effective managers allows them to make better decisions and release the potential of the people who work for them this increases how engaged they are and this impacts on the bottom line.
Managers and Leaders Underqualified
By 2017 the UK will have a requirement for a further 2 million new managers and there is little sign of preparation to meet this need. One problem is that the UK’s managers are severely underqualified compared with other professional groups, with ONLY one one in five holding a management-related qualification. The research found that young managers often take on their first management role without any training and feel they are in a catch-22 situation – they cannot get training unless they are managing people but then if they apply for a management role they have not got any experience or training.
What Type of Leadership and Management Training is Required
The research found 26 types of development in use and a real gap between what managers rate as effective and what companies provide.
Managers rate MBAs, management qualifications and management programmes by external providers highly but the most the most commonly provided development by organisations includes on-the-job experience, professional body membership and appraisals/skills audits. The research found that:-
- Short management courses by external providers are best for developing teams
- MBAs improve creativity and strategic awareness
- On-the-job experience led to managers making fewer mistakes
- Coaching improved how managers managed their emotions
Accredited Leadership and Management Courses Rated Highly
Leadership and management courses with qualifications, including CMI and Institute of Leadership and Management (ILM), are rated highly, particularly by younger or first line managers which suggests that new managers need to learn the techniques of management before they are effective.
Coaching is rated as very effective by experienced managers. However in spite of the enthusiasm for development only 47% of managers report that they get the chance to use the skills they gained suggesting that organisations need to provide development which is relevant and then provide opportunities for managers to build on their training.
For more information on the CMI survey click here.