By Michael Page

One of the biggest challenges facing businesses today is how to create effective management training programs to prepare up-and-coming managers to become its next round of strong leaders.

If you’re involved in or can influence your organisation’s management training programs, here are key factors to keep in mind.

Align expectations and business objectives

Before putting someone into a managerial role, it’s important to have a conversation with your management trainee about their expectations, their future career progression pathway, what their expectations are, and what skills they feel they need to develop.

Up-and-coming managers also need to understand your company’s business objectives, and how their role and their team will work together to get the company there. According to author and consultant William Schiemann, only 14 per cent of companies polled in a study revealed their employees have a good understanding of the company’s strategy and direction.

Assign them a mentor or coach

The first few years of a new managerial position can be difficult. By assigning a mentor or coach as part of the management development training, up-and-coming managers will be better set up for success going forward and will have already had initial support they need in order to thrive.

Connecting a new hire with a more experienced manager not only provides employees with guidance and a sounding board during the early stages, it also helps keep new managers aligned with the company’s expectations and objectives.

The benefits of mentoring can even have a profound effect on leaders in top management positions: the Harvard Business Review reported 84 per cent of CEOs surveyed said mentors helped them avoid costly mistakes and become proficient in their roles faster.

Focus on developing key skills and competencies

There are some skills that help managers perform better in their roles, and incorporating these into your company’s leadership skills training can fast-track a manager’s performance and productivity.

In an internal study codenamed Project Oxygen, Google identified six habits of highly effective managers, which can act as the foundation for leadership courses for all organisations:

• Mindset and values
• Emotional intelligence
• Manager transition
• Coaching
• Feedback
• Decision making

Build a supportive company culture

After promoting someone to manager, it’s crucial to provide them with ongoing support and training, as well as an open environment to discuss any challenges they’re facing. On-going training will help managers avoid common coaching pitfalls, such as micromanaging or infrequent feedback.

Whether through brief informal conversations or scheduled monthly check-ins, fostering a supportive company culture is key to a successful and productive team of employees. If you’re looking to cultivate strong managers in your company, you first need to invest in the ongoing training and development of your leaders.

When it comes down to it, having well-trained managers are key for any company to succeed. By setting your up-and-coming managers with the foundations for success, you’ll foster the growth of great managers – and your whole organisation will reap the benefits for years to come.

If you're looking for your next role in Western Sydney, or need help with staffing, contact a Michael Page specialist today.