When front line high performers receive recognition for their good work, it is frequently given through receiving a promotion to management as a first line supervisor. The premise is, of course, that because they are high performers, they are well equipped to handle the next step in a career. It is also true that when these high performers receive these promotions, failure is all too often the result. Why is this?
One of the biggest contributors to poor employee engagement is the lack of a structured employee development program. Several sources suggest that about half of organizations have no employee development program. Some that do have such a program, describe it as broken, or outdated.
Just as with anything, creating an employee development plan involves strategy and prework. This prework begins long before anyone makes a hire, advertises an opening, writes a job description, or even before someone decides what positions the organization will fill. What ideas can an organization implement to ensure that an employee development program is successful?
Organizations need employees with up to date skills. “So, develop them already!”, you say. Certainly, there is no scarcity of avenues to pursue for development. A recent study lists six: 1) formal off-the-job training, 2) formal on-the-job training, 3) upward and 4) lateral internal job transition, 5) job resource autonomy, and 6) skill utilization. However, employee development is not without its issues. According to one CEO, it’s difficult to keep up as the need for different skill sets changes rapidly. The other is the fear that an employee who enjoys development on your dime, will take those newly developed skills to your competition. Ouch!
According to the same study, there is only one development technique that encourages employees to go elsewhere and that is a promotion. However, there is a way to combat that by offering portfolio careers. Portfolio careers are careers in which individuals contract their skills and knowledge to multiple organizations, thereby building a portfolio of skills and experiences. Of course, any development program must be effective and here are a few ideas.
Why was the First Time Managers Coaching Program Created?
As a former manager in human resources, witnessing the promotion of unqualified people to management was heartbreaking. And the failure rate was proving costly. As an executive coach, I can see these failures manifest when there is a lack of solid leadership training.
New managers rarely have the training they need, and certainly don’t have any of the experience an executive possesses. Indeed, most new managers are promoted primarily because they are doing a good job in their current position. That doesn’t necessarily make them management material.
The executive staff are the people who get the resources such as training, off-site retreats, and coaching. Of course, it is a good idea to put resources behind the executive staff because, after all, they are carrying a lot of risks for the success of the organization.
But think about this. New managers are the people who could one day fill the shoes of an executive in your organization. I dare say that any executive you speak with wishes he or she had more “care and feeding” about how to manage and lead as they started up and continued to climb the ladder into the executive suite.
That’s why I’ve created a coaching program specifically designed for managers with zero to three years’ experience. This program is affordable, so the organization can not only justify, but recoup the investment, and reap benefits the company will profit from for years to come.
How does the First Time Managers Program Work?
The new manager takes the TriMetrix HD Assessment, and receives a report consisting of:
Behavioral research suggests that the most effective people are those who understand themselves, both their strengths and weaknesses, so they can develop strategies to meet the demands of their environment. This report measures the four dimensions of normal behavior: dominance, influence, steadiness, and compliance.
TriMetrix HD tells how the new manager will perform.
*Source: HR.com
Knowledge of an individual’s driving forces helps tell us why a person behaves a certain way. 12 Driving Forces ™ measures an individual’s top four of driving forces to tell a story of how a person derives meaning from life and work.
TriMetrix HD illuminates what drives this individual’s behavior – the why behind their actions.
An individual’s hierarchy of competencies, including his/her leadership score, is key to their success. Knowing what they are is essential to reaching one’s goals. This report is designed to assist managing and developing a career. For many jobs, personal skills are as important as technical skills in producing superior performance.
TriMetrix HD describes what this individual “has done” in 25 research-based competencies related to the business environment.
Acumen Capacity Index:
The Acumen Indicators section is designed to help individuals truly understand themselves and how they analyze and interpret their experiences. A person’s acumen, keenness, and depth of perception or discernment is directly related to performance.
TriMetrix ACI explores both how a person’s judgment impacts interaction with the external world, and his or her own self-perception.
In addition, the assessment reports contain self-coaching strategies that will guide the new manager beyond the coaching initiatives of this program.
Program Structure
Online assessment administration
3 months or 12 hours of coaching (Bonus: 1 extra hour at no charge in the first session!)
Unlimited access to the coach via phone and email during the coaching program
Bonus I:
One complimentary extra hour of coaching in the first session, for a total of 14 hours of coaching.
Bonus II:
Diane’s eBook, How to Give Dull, Boring Meetings a Swift Kick in the Agenda. This book provides the new manager with insights on:
Bonus III:
A complimentary “check-in” call 3 months after our final session to help ensure the new manager is still on track. This brings the total number of coaching hours to 15!!
Let's get started to give your managers the leadership foundation they need to make it all the way to the Executive Suite!
Working out of my home office one day waiting on a client, I looked out the door and saw an elderly woman walking up the driveway and saw her car was in the street partially blocking access to the driveway. Walking out to meet her and to see what she wanted, she stated that her car had broken down and needed assistance. I asked, “Who can you call?” She replied, “I don’t have a phone.” I immediately began looking behind trees to see who might be backing up this woman and her scam claiming she had no phone. As it turns out, this poor woman didn’t have an auto club membership, had no phone, had no credit card, and had no debit card. The reason? She was trying to protect her privacy!! Has managing our personal data come down to choosing between privacy and personal safety?
Businesses of all sizes provide some form of perks, benefits, or resources to their employees. The larger the organization, the more benefits, and perks. This is a tougher challenge for the small business owner. However, to compete, they must provide some attractive incentives. If a company can afford expensive benefits and incentive packages, great. But there are benefits that are budget friendly, such as a career path program. Of course, while the benefit of a career path program is obvious for the employee, this begs the question, what is in building a career path for the company and how do you do it anyway?