New managers face a whirlwind of challenges.
They’re expected to lead with confidence. But, delegation and communication can prove particularly tricky. Strong leadership doesn’t come overnight.
Such hurdles are very common. Yet, overcoming them is crucial for success. With the right new manager training, new managers can master these challenges, boost their management skills, and shine in their roles.
The importance of training new managers
Leaders have both power and influence in an organization.
However, companies often miss the importance of training new managers, who are often tasked with more responsibility than ever before. Here’s what the numbers suggest:
- 82% of new managers start their roles without formal training, becoming “accidental managers” who don’t have the right manager skills to lead effectively. This study also showed that one out of three employees left their jobs due to bad work culture, and half of those with bad managers plan to quit within a year.
- 92% of managers find training important. Yet, only 41% have received training specific to their role over the past month.
- Leadership and management training is a top priority (36%) among the mandatory training employees want.
- Soft skills training for new managers contributes to a healthier workplace culture, according to 30% of employees in the software industry.
- 74% of employees believe their managers need upskilling or reskilling.
With these in mind, let’s examine why focusing on leadership training programs is important. Plus how it prepares new managers to lead their teams effectively and navigate organizational changes.
Develop essential leadership skills
New managers need to develop crucial leadership skills to succeed in their role. Communication, delegation, motivation, and conflict resolution are all essential skills for managing teams. They also create a positive work environment.
Ensure consistency and organizational alignment
Training for new managers ensures that every manager understands the company’s policies, procedures, and values. This alignment is important for keeping a cohesive organizational culture and achieving specific goals.
Boost performance and employee engagement
Training for new managers equips them with techniques for setting clear expectations, providing constructive feedback, and handling performance issues. These underpin effective management practices, which, in turn, improve team performance and boost employee engagement and retention.
Stay compliant and adaptable
New managers should be aware of employment laws and regulations to avoid legal issues. Training ensures they are compliant with these laws and ready to navigate and lead their teams smoothly through organizational changes.
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Increase confidence
A robust leadership training program for new managers helps them feel comfortable in their roles faster. This boosts their confidence. Plus, it ensures they have the management skills and tools they need to succeed in their new position.
Improve retention
Managers with the right skills directly influence employee retention. Good managers know how to make their teams feel valued by showing how they contribute to the company’s success. They also inspire loyalty and motivate employees to keep working hard in a company that values their contributions.
Challenges new managers face
Every change comes with challenges. The same applies to people in a new managerial position.
Let’s explore the most common challenges new managers face.
1. Dealing with employee stress
It might be difficult for new managers to control their own stress and that of their team. In 2023, Gallup found that 44% of workers worldwide reported feeling stressed. This matches the unprecedented high recorded in 2021.
For new managers, controlling this high level of stress is essential. It has an immediate effect on output and worker satisfaction. Managers devise plans to lessen stress at work and foster a more positive atmosphere.
2. Retaining employees who are quiet quitting
One major challenge new managers face is quiet quitting, where employees only do the bare minimum required.
59% of employees seem to be disengaged in their current job, which suggests that they are probably quitting quietly. To re-engage these individuals, new managers need to create a culture of recognition, offer opportunities for development, and match team objectives with personal goals.
3. Building trust and credibility
Establishing trust and maintaining credibility can be challenging for new managers. But mastering this is vital. But it takes time.
Usually, new managers don’t have an impressive leadership resume. So, team members might be a little skeptical of a new manager’s abilities to lead.
According to Gallup, a manager’s activities account for 70% of the variance in team engagement. To gain the trust of their teams, new managers should demonstrate fairness and empathy, and offer continuous support. They should communicate openly and honestly and remain receptive to the needs of their team.
New managers should consistently show integrity, keep their promises, and be transparent about their decisions and actions. They can build trust by showing true interest and care for their teams’ wellbeing and professional development.
4. Establishing authority
It can be hard for new managers to establish their authority, especially if they were peers with their team members.
It’s essential for them to discover the right balance between being approachable and maintaining professional boundaries. To gain respect more quickly, they must demonstrate their knowledge, competence, and fairness.
5. Navigating conflict
As businesses change, miscommunications and misunderstandings often arise. This means managers need to be able to mitigate and resolve conflict.
Great managers have the skills to handle difficult conversations and build an environment where issues can be openly discussed and resolved. So, new managers must learn how to address conflicts promptly and fairly, mediate disputes, ensure fair treatment, and maintain harmony within the team.
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6. Supervising employee performance
Performance management involves setting clear objectives, monitoring progress, and offering regular feedback.
New managers might be uncomfortable with giving feedback or asking for it. Or they might not know how to coach individuals who have amazing potential but aren’t just there yet.
People are unique and complex. So, managing employee performance can be tricky in the learning curve of a new manager.
7. Managing different generations
For the first time, five generations coexist in the workplace. And each offers unique perspectives, strengths, and challenges. This diversity boosts the dynamics in an organization, but might also cause miscommunication and conflict if not properly managed.
New managers should navigate these generational differences. With open communication and respect, they must create strategies to leverage all the strengths of a multi-generational team. And reap the benefits of a more innovative and forward-thinking work environment.
New manager training: 12 essential skills to focus on
How can new managers become top-notch leaders contributing to a positive and productive workplace? Here are 12 essential manager skills to focus on in your leadership training program:
1. Leadership styles
New managers must be able to understand and implement various leadership tactics depending on the situations that come forward. Or discover and use their own personal leadership style.
For instance, transformational leadership is amazing for inspiring and motivating employees. Transactional leadership, on the other hand, can be useful for achieving specific goals.
2. Decision-making
A good manager can obtain relevant information, weigh options, and make decisions that benefit their team and organization. Management training that boosts decision-making should include problem-solving techniques and risk assessment.
3. Strategic thinking
Managers need to be able to see the big picture. And understand how their teams contribute to the organizational objectives. This involves setting long-term goals and planning accordingly.
4. Effective communication
Clear communication is crucial for managers. Training must enlighten managers on sharing thoughts and instructions clearly to avoid misunderstandings. Communication training also allows managers to ensure that all team members are on the same page.
5. Active listening
To fully understand employee input and feedback, managers need impeccable active listening skills.
Active listening is a powerful soft skill. But it doesn’t only entail listening. It’s about mastering techniques of communication, like maintaining eye contact, using and interpreting body language, and being able to summarize what’s been shared in the conversation.
6. Giving feedback
Providing regular, constructive, and actionable feedback is what pushes employees to improve and grow.
All managers must provide specific feedback with clear actions and steps. They should also ensure the evaluation input has an encouraging tone. And then be able to coach and mentor employees toward their agreed-upon goals and skill development.
7. Trust
Trust is the foundation of every strong team.
New managers should be trained to use team-building activities to boost trust. At the same time, they should learn to be transparent and consistent in their actions.
8. Conflict resolution
Conflicts cannot be avoided by any team. This is why managers must know the right techniques to address and resolve conflicts before escalating. The key is to maintain team harmony and focus on solutions.
9. Delegation
Managers must trust their team with responsibilities, offer the right resources, and hold employees accountable.
To achieve this, they should know how to delegate tasks based on an individual’s strengths and development needs.
10. Prioritization
It’s crucial for managers to be able to identify which tasks are urgent and get involved with those first.
This means they should be able to understand deadlines, the impact of tasks, and how to manage their time effectively.
11. Setting SMART goals
Specific, Measurable, Achievable, Relevant, and Time-bound (SMART) goals helps managers and their teams stay motivated and focused.
12. Work-life balance
Long-term productivity and well-being are associated with maintaining a healthy work-life balance.
Great managers should always model this behavior for their team. Plus, encourage employees to take regular breaks and share tips for managing stress effectively.
New manager training programs and methods
We’ve just seen the management skills employees should develop.
But how will they receive a comprehensive and well-rounded development? Which methods have been proven to help new managers lead effectively and efficiently?
Here are the best training programs and methods for management training in four main categories; formal training, on-the-job training, experiential learning, and self-directed learning.
1. Formal training
Formal leadership training allows employees to develop skills in a controlled, monitored environment with a clear structure and specific desired results.
- Workshops and seminars are structured learning sessions that focus on particular management topics. These include leadership, communication, and conflict resolution. Workshops usually involve interactive, hands-on activities, and group discussions that boost learning.
- Online training and webinars allow for more flexibility when it comes to self-paced learning. Offer courses on management A-Zs, project management, and emotional intelligence through your LMS.
- Corporate training programs, tailored to the organization’s culture and needs, include all types of formal training. It’s the most well-rounded approach, with training sessions, eLearning modules, and assessments to track progress.
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2. On-the-job training
While formal training is essential, on-the-job training can do wonders for new managers. It can significantly boost their confidence as they observe what other, more seasoned managers do in practice.
- Job shadowing allows employees to observe experienced managers and learn more about what they do daily, how they make decisions, and which styles of management they implement. It’s a great hands-on approach that offers valuable insights and practical knowledge.
- Rotational programs help new managers gain a more holistic view of the company by offering them the chance to experience different departments or roles in the organization.
- Mentorship and coaching provide employees with guidance, support, and feedback. Mentors share their experiences, offer advice, and help managers navigate challenges in a more practical way.
3. Experiential learning
By engaging with experiential learning, new managers can learn through direct experience and active participation. They also have the opportunity to reflect on their actions and outcomes during learning.
- Simulations and role-playing mimic real-life management scenarios. This helps employees practice their skills in a safe, risk-free, and controlled environment. Simulations can include crisis management, performance reviews, and leading team meetings.
- Team-building activities boost collaboration, communication skills, and trust among teams. They can cover group projects, problem-solving tasks, and even outdoor challenges.
- Case studies and real-world scenarios encourage critical thinking and problem-solving. New leaders analyze case studies and discuss real-world scenarios, which helps them understand how to apply theory in practice.
4. Self-directed learning
While all structured learning methods and training programs are absolute must-haves for boosting managerial skills, self-directed learning is also essential.
Through self-directed learning, people initiate the planning, execution, and assessment of their learning activities. This happens independently and at their own pace.
- Research and reading books, articles, surveys, and reports help a new manager stay informed about management topics and improve their skills. It also fosters a continuous learning culture within their teams.
- Networking and peer learning offer opportunities to learn from each other’s experiences, share best practices, and build a strong support network. New managers should join professional channels, attend industry conferences or webinars, and participate in peer learning groups.
- Reflecting on their own experiences, successes, even missteps, allows emerging leaders to develop self-awareness. Encourage them to keep a journal, ask for feedback, and set personal development goals.
Mastering new manager training challenges and skills
Leadership training is an exciting journey packed with growth and discovery.
But it’s essential to tackle challenges head-on and master essential skills. This way, new managers transform into confident leaders. Invest in new manager training and see your organization thriving tomorrow. Empower your managers, and they’ll empower your teams.
