Shall We Be Undervaluing Management Techniques?

There’s much emphasis nowadays on leadership kills. Nearly every organisation talks of the necessity to develop these and nearly every manager or ambitious manager is inspired to build up them. However in the race to take a position frequently huge sums of time and money into leadership development programmes, are we forgotten or in some way demeaned the critical skills of managing others?

My colleagues and that i spend considerable time coaching, either 1-2-1 or perhaps in workshops, in a number of private and public organisations, across all kinds of industries, and you will find some issues that can come up again and again. Our encounters, and up to date, large-scale research has shown:

– Over 70% of individuals leave jobs due to relationship issues, and many of individuals are using their immediate supervisor. – Managers typically lose 25% of the day-to unnecessary conflict, argument and misunderstanding. – Sixty-six per cent of staff feel undervalued at the office. – Managers are among the finest causes of stress at the office.

Exactly what does this really mean for both you and your organisation?

Inside a company of 100 managers, as well as an average earnings of £40,000 per year per manager, then your cost to the organization is going to be £1,000,000 per year – and that is not counting the greater staff turnover costs, missed possibilities, absenteeism, low morale and poor working together!

And, for that manager themselves, they lose confidence, feel frustrated, and risk their status.Somewhere, in the middle of this problem for developing leadership skills, shall we be neglecting the necessity to ensure managers understand how to manage?

The thing is, we feel leadership is all about “searching out”. It comes down to market awareness, about vision, contributing to strategy. Its vital for that organisation – but will we need every manager to pay attention to and prioritise leadership skills? Management is all about “searching in”. It comes down to handling the sources you need to best effect, to be able to hit the targets set through the vision.

And the most crucial and costly resource you’ve like a manager is the people. The manager who will get his/her people management right, will improve the conclusion for his or her company, in addition to their own credibility.

The 80 – 20 rule? Within our opinion, a company encouraging managers to pay attention to leadership takes a lot of eyes off delivery – a lot of time. For very senior managers, MD and Chief executive officer level, spending 80% of times on “searching out” isn’t just sensible, it is important.

However for managers, possibly the main focus ought to be reversed? Managers should focus 80% of time on “searching in” – on client satisfaction, on delivery, as well as on engaging and motivating their staff so that they are solution focused, productive and, dare I only say it, happy.

Which is not fluffy bunny land! Happy staff – are engaged staff. Engaged staff tend to be more productive, more willing, more available to change, more creative, focused, more reliable and much more flexible.

It’s my bet you’ve managers inside your organisation who consistently produce exceptional results. You will also have individuals whose teams appear to consistently under perform, taking up HR time due to conflict situations, where performance surveys consistently reveal dissatisfaction, both inwardly and outwardly with customers.