Beware of Accidental Managers

‘Recent research found that a huge 71% of businesses don’t train their new managers effectively, if at all…’

One of the biggest challenges you face as a successful small business owner is managing your growing team.

So, to make your life easier, what do you do? You pluck your very best person from the comfort of a job they excel at, and promote them to the lofty heights of management.

Fabulous! Reward for their great performance, and a signal to the rest of the team that there is potential for progression within your business.

But then what happens?

Reality sinks in, and without any training or coaching your highly-motivated new manager begins to flounder. The team begin to lose confidence and the mutterings start around the coffee jar. Your new manager goes from loving their job to dreading coming to work.

Sound familiar?

It’s a sad truth that managers are less likely to receive training than any other type of employee.

Recent research found that a huge 71% of businesses don’t train their new managers effectively, if at all; managers who have responsibility for developing team members, measuring performance, maybe controlling a budget and other resources to deliver results for the business. Scarily that means that a hefty percentage of businesses are being run by managers simply flying by the seat of their pants.

I’m sure the natural leaders and gifted organisers will thrive on the challenge, but what about the rest?

Those who are ‘consciously incompetent’ have a chance of improving – they’ll recognise their shortcomings and do what they need to, to develop the skills they lack.

The dangerous ones are the ‘unconsciously incompetent’ – those who think they know what they’re doing and plough on regardless: a downward spiral of the ignorant leading the ignorant. The damage they can do to your team, and your business is immeasurable.

Give your managers a chance to be the second line you need them to be. Focus on their training and continuous development, and they will do the same for your team.

(If you want help with this, check out our Manager’s Development Programme – created to develop the second line managers of people just like you). 

One final word on management training. Some highly productive and talented people are not suited to management, or simply don’t want to be managers, so be prepared to build a development plan for them that isn’t a management ladder.

Training is an investment, and a big one at that, no question. But the return it delivers both to your bottom line and to your time freedom, makes it worth every penny and every minute it takes.

Do one thing: have a look at your training plan; how much of it involves management development?

​Good luck and thanks for reading 🙂