Vital Insight Into Management Training Success

When companies are looking to improve, many focus on training employees to become better leaders. What is often ignored, however, is also training employees to become better managers, which is just as critical to the success of an organization. Although some management and leadership skills are closely related, there are many distinct differences between the two. Let’s explore the distinction between leadership and management, why both are important, and how many development initiatives fall short by failing to address both of these skill sets.

The Central Connecticut State Office of Continuing Education recently published an “Expert Interview” with Todd Macey, the President of Vital Learning. The “Expert Interview” series gathers insights and opinions from various leaders in the education and training industries.

In the interview, Todd shares his thoughts on getting managers fully committed to their own self-improvement, teaching “soft skills” in virtual environments, and developing the skills leaders will need to be successful in the future.  

Want to get a peek at where leadership development is headed and learn more about why many manager training programs are ineffective? Check out Todd’s expert interview here.

Why is investing in management training important for an organization? There’s more to it than a simple answer of professional development, talent management or knowledge acquisition. Having effective leaders and managers is one of the most critical components to long-term organizational success. Good or bad managers can affect employee retention, engagement, quality of service and, ultimately, revenue.

Most people agree that developing employees is important, but proving the value of these initiatives to executives can be challenging. One of the most common objections to leadership development is “aren’t all of these skills just inherent and intuitive?” Or “can’t people just learn these skills on the job?” While many effective management skills are intuitive and simple, the execution of these skills can be quite difficult. And learning leadership skills without structure and guidance is often a recipe for bad habits. Management training takes time, resources and money, so why should your boss invest in it? Stated another way, what are the benefits of developing practical skills among your company’s managers?

A good manager manages. A great manager leads. Bridging the gap between a good manager and a great manager begins with identifying what needs to change.

Leadership training is essential to any organization who aims to give their managers the tools they need to deal with difficult, and sometimes uncomfortable workplace situations. Since the quality of managers account for up to 70% in variance of employee engagement, it is crucial to make sure yours are of the highest quality. If managers at your organization exhibit any of the following traits, you should consider developing their skills so they are better equipped to execute. Below are 5 common issues and signs that your managers need leadership training.

True leaders inspire change within their industries. They keep morale lifted and rally team members to do great things. Some people are born with greater natural leadership capabilities, but leadership and management skills are learned and developed over time – they are not purely innate. To become an excellent leader yourself, it helps to know the qualities these people share. By familiarizing yourself with common leadership qualities, you can identify where your strengths and weaknesses may lie.

The following leadership qualities are beneficial for any leader, but they are especially helpful for leaders within the healthcare industry.

You have two primary options when it comes to selecting the right leadership courses for your team: online instruction or classroom instruction. The major difference between these two options is the setting for which the classes are offered. Online leadership classes offer all instruction and coursework over the Internet. Students can complete the entire course from their phone, tablet, or computer. Classroom courses, on the other hand, are conducted in a in-person classroom setting with a hands-on facilitator.

If you are a human resources manager for a healthcare office or facility, you must realize that times are rapidly changing and becoming even more complex than ever before in the medical field. Leaders must be flexible and all-inclusive when striving to lead a company toward success and prosperity. It is imperative that administrative personnel and other leaders in your organization adapt to the immense changes and set a precedent so that others in the company understand the concepts as well.

Training employees in the manufacturing industry is expensive and time-consuming. When an employee decides to leave, it's essential to have a succession plan in place to easily transition duties without losing efficiency or revenue. But how do you implement this plan?

New hires typically receive some type of training. Entry-level or slightly experienced employees need training to learn how to handle their responsibilities and become acquainted with business operations. Senior managers who have a multitude of important responsibilities also receive additional training to improve their own management skills and to enable them to better oversee their respective departments.

Organizational culture is shaped by many factors, leadership chief among them. The values, vision and goals of your company come from the top down. Management's actions can encourage a quality culture that keeps employees happy, attracts new talent and builds a quality job environment. On the other hand, managers may negatively affect the culture and move it away from its intended form.