Management Training: The Ultimate Guide

You’ve heard the phrase, “lead by example.” However, this is easier said than done without the proper management training for your C-Suite and team members. And to make matters worse, untrained management actually drives employees away from your company. 

According to a recent Gallup survey, out of the more than 1 million employed U.S. workers surveyed stated their reason for quitting their jobs was from a bad boss or immediate supervisor. And 75 percent of these employees voluntarily because of their supervisor.

This can all be solved by developing a training program for managers.

What is a management training?

Management training is a program offered by organizations that allows employees to learn and develop the skills required for managerial positions. Management training programs vary by industry and department but focus on building core leadership skills such as improved communication, problem-solving, mentoring, and planning.

Why is management training important?

Management training is important to an organization because it teaches the valuable skills necessary for managers to effectively lead teams, designate work, and complete business goals. Once management is equipped with well-designed training programs, they'll provide employees with a better structure to successfully get the job done.

Benefits of management training

Employee and management training has been seen to build a better company culture, work environment, and valued employees. As you can see the need to train your managers is vital for your organizational development and employees well being.

Here are a few benefits that stem from effective management training:

1. Increases employee engagement

The more a manager motivates their team members, the more engaged employees will be. Plus, the more feedback from a manager, the more employees feel their job matters. Interaction recognizes that each employee is a valuable team member. And in return, employees are more present on-the-job.

2. Trains junior employees

By training your managers, you are also training your more junior-level team members in the process. A great manager will teach what they know to their team members. Through this process, younger employees reap the benefits of increased skills and knowledge of the company. And when these individuals are ready to step into a more managerial role, they will be prepared for the increased responsibility.

3. Adds consistency

All managers enter an organization with various soft skills like corporate communication and decision making. These different degrees within management can cause inconsistencies across the company. By proving the same management training across all teams, will help unify managerial style.

4. Protects against lawsuits

Part of being a great manager is dealing with problems employees may be causing. Without proper training, a potential issue can escalate quickly turning into a lawsuit for the company. And this is a costly mistake that can be easily avoided if managers know the proper responses.

5. Makes employees happier

No one likes coming to work in a toxic environment. A bad manager can make situations worse for employees. So for example, if a supervisor is constantly negative or passing the blame onto team members, this bad attitude only drives a wedge into team comradery and makes employees shut down. On the other hand, management training can teach leadership strategies to make happy employees.

6. Transitions are smoother

There are certain times when companies make major shifts in direction. Say there is a new branding campaign being rolled out or a new customer service program. Well-trained managers can teach their employees how to respond to these changes without disrupting productivity. They can also explain why changes are being made which helps employees better field questions they may receive. 

7. Creates better teams

A manager’s job is to look at the big picture. If there is an undervalued team member, what can be done to use this individual’s talents to the fullest? Or if a team is underperforming, why is this happening? A well-trained manager can figure out these issues and make corrections. The end result is a better-performing team overall.

Management training topics

Now that we know why it's important to train managers and the benefits an organization can gain in doing so, it's time to choose the optimal areas of training. These training types be anything from improving a manager's mindset, communication skills, and how they handle workplace situations.

Here are a few management training topics to incorporate into your program:

1. Coaching and mentoring
2. Develop soft skills
3. Digital collaboration
4. Planning
5. Company culture
6. Professional development
7. Problem-solving
8. Executive presence

1. Coaching and mentoring

It’s hard for a manager to lead if none of the team members feel empowered. A manager is given a position because of their skillset and the company's expertise. So it’s important he or she passes on the skills they have learned in the position, to their team. Since not everyone is a natural coach, it’s important to develop training courses that teach managers how to mentor. That way everyone on the team learns on the job and becomes a more valuable employee.

2. Develop soft skills

Soft skills like communication and problem solving are key to being a great manager. Build courses with scenarios and tough situations in which a manager must navigate. There may be habits or patterns that a manager follows that he or she may not be aware they are doing. Building these soft skills can help managers lead in a better direction and make employees respond more favorably. 

3. Digital collaboration

In this technology-driven world, teams rely on project management systems. These are great for keeping teams organized and on task. However, managers still need to steer the projects to completion. So, management training should include how to collaborate more effectively with these tools. 

4. Planning

Managers are responsible for creating plans and executing these to completion. However, a lot goes into planning. There is everything from creating a plan, to organizing the team tasks, to unforeseen issues along the way. So, planning is an important managerial skill to have. It can also better organize a manager and provide a clearer direction to meeting key business objectives. 

5. Company culture

Many employees leave companies due to poor company culture. Either they don’t feel accepted by their team or they feel the company mission is not being carried out effectively. Managers have a responsibility to create a strong company culture. Continual learning can help guide managers to reinforce company goals and make sure team members feel they have a voice within the company. 

6. Professional development

Different from mentoring or coaching, each employee has personal goals they want to achieve within the company. Managers need to understand and build these skills with a training plan for each team member. However, this skill may not come naturally to some managers.

Managers need to develop the skills to spot gaps in employees' skills, then suggest or even create a learning path for each employee. It's important to know which employees need training and their individual skills or expertise.

7. Problem-solving

You can plan for everything, but not everything goes according to plan. That’s why problem-solving is another necessary topic for management training. Problems arise with projects, but they also happen within a team or with a particular team member. A great manager needs to know how to solve these issues in order to keep the workflow consistent and the team dynamic working well.

8. Executive presence

Executive presence is the way a manager portrays their leadership qualities, the combination of confidence, communication, and body language. Besides managers needing to get the job done with problem-solving and planning skills, they also need to display a professional work presence.