management and leadership capabilities.

In our recent episode of the “I Love It Here” podcast, Caleb and Paul sat down with the charismatic Saad Qureshi from Metron College to chat about the ins and outs of management development. Saad shares his personal journey from managing at 17 to becoming a senior executive, highlighting the importance of equipping managers with the right skills, especially since many stumble into their roles unprepared.

The team talk about the evolution of management, the blending of leadership skills, and the need for adaptability in today’s dynamic work environment. So we wanted to give you the best bits of the biggest developments in the world of management development and what’s being done to move it forward. 

1. lack of comprehensive managerial training

There is a significant gap in training for managers, especially at the induction level, with only 23% of companies having specific induction programs for managers. This lack of basic and ongoing training leads to managers who are not adequately equipped for their roles.

2. challenges of remote work management

The shift to remote work has highlighted struggles with trust and communication. Managers find it challenging to adapt to remote workforce needs, often defaulting to micromanagement due to a trust deficit and difficulty in maintaining team cohesion and motivation from a distance.

3. transition from individual contributor to manager

Employees often face challenges when transitioning to management roles, not only in mastering new skill sets but also in adapting their thinking towards long-term strategic planning and engaging effectively with people at all levels of the organisation.

4. alignment of organisational incentives with mission

There is a need for organisations to better align rewards and incentives with their overall purpose and mission. This misalignment can lead to lack of motivation and engagement among employees.

5. recognition of leadership skills beyond technical expertise

Selecting managers based solely on their technical skills, without considering their managerial or leadership capabilities, often results in leaders who lack essential people skills and fail to see potential leadership aptitudes in others.

Addressing these pain points requires a structured approach in training, better support systems for transitioning roles, improved communication frameworks, and a more holistic view of leadership qualities beyond just technical expertise.

Saad describes solving the problem of inadequate management training through Metron, which focuses on training individuals to become managers. This initiative addresses the gap in necessary skill sets often missing in conventional management training.

Additionally, Saad is working on building an external induction program aimed at providing basic training for managers, recognising the outdated nature of current management training methods. This approach is aimed at improving the induction processes for managers, with only 23% of companies having specific induction programs for managerial roles, indicating a significant area for development.

We identified several crucial needs for businesses which focuses on training individuals to become effective managers.

1. development of comprehensive induction programs

Saad Qureshi highlights a significant gap in management training, noting that only 23% of companies offer specific induction programs for managers. He emphasises the need for well-structured induction programs that adequately prepare new managers for their roles and developing mediums rather than just relying on an LMS.

2. addressing the outdated nature of current management training

There’s a need to update and modernise management training to align with contemporary business challenges and the evolving landscape of the workforce, including the integration of remote work practices.

3. blended skill sets in management

The business recognises the necessity for managers to possess a mix of both managerial and leadership skills, rather than having a strict separation of the two roles. This includes capabilities in understanding people (psychologist), effective communication (linguist), and team development and innovation (entrepreneur).

4. adaptability and personal development

Emphasising the importance of managers being adaptable to various situations and possessing the ability to reflect on personal experiences and learnings to improve their management style.

Targeted management training and making the effort to fill skill gaps enable effective leadership. Customers benefit by gaining essential managerial and leadership capabilities, ensuring smoother team operations, higher morale, and better business outcomes, significantly enhancing individual performance and organisational success with well-rounded, competent managers. If you want to learn more about how we can excel your business, get in touch with the team today.