As a leadership consultant I offer a variety of services, professional development being one of them. During the pandemic, many organizations have pulled back on discretionary spending, like training. As companies navigate through the crisis it is understandable that every dollar must be scrutinized to ensure it will support their survival.
Remaining resilient through a crisis is dependent on a variety of factors. One of them being the capacity to learn, grow and adapt, which requires continuous learning. And there we have it…our dilemma. Eliminating professional development can, in essence, prevent organizations from being able to thrive during a crisis. Especially, if their managers are being cut-off from learning opportunities. So, what can companies do?
Anyone who is a manager knows that we have to function within a certain amount of ambiguity. We deal with complex problems on a regular basis. This makes the workplace a fruitful learning environment and therefore, it should be a key focus of all professional development. But many organizations concentrate mainly on training opportunities.
One of the reasons why I wrote my book, Choose to Be a Leader Others Would Want to Follow, was out of a desire to support managers in learning how to become emotionally intelligent leaders through everyday work, not training. Mostly because when budgets are slashed, training is the first thing to get axed.
My book provides organizations strategies of how to create a climate where continual learning is not only supported but is embedded in workplace culture. This will enable managers to foster a learning environment for their teams. So back to the original question. What can companies do to support learning for their managers? I have three recommendations.
Recommendation #1: Structured Onboarding
Onboarding is defined as the process of familiarizing an employee with the organization. Ask yourself, how are you acculturating new managers into your organization? How are you supporting existing employees who are promoted into managerial positions? Are you giving them a 100-page orientation manual and hoping they figure it out? If so, you are losing out on an opportunity to embed learning through everyday work. Think about how you can structure the onboarding experience to ensure your new managers are learning the four C’s: Compliance, Clarification, Culture, and Connection.
Recommendation #2: Maximize Mentoring
Learning in the workplace is dependent on the relationships and supports (e.g., mentors) employees have. Therefore, it is important that once an individual has been identified as a potential candidate through the succession and management process, they are assigned a mentor(s) to support their learning. Mentors can support new managers in being acclimatized to the company’s culture, norms, and connecting them with other people. Mentors should be selected based on their leadership and managerial competencies, in addition to receiving some training to develop their mentorship skills (e.g., listening, coaching, developing goals, and monitoring the achievement of goals).
Recommendation #3: Restructure the Allocation of Work
For a new manager to be successful, his work needs to be challenging but not too overwhelming. Managers need to have time to engage in thoughtful reflection with their mentor so that learning from experience is more mindful and purposeful. The results from my research demonstrate that slower paced work environments are favourable to learning and ideal in building confidence. Work can be allocated in incrementally challenging duties and tasks through the support and guidance from others (e.g., mentors, peers, and direct reports) an individual can reach their full potential.
When managers work in constantly hectic environments, they can become overwhelmed and struggle to maintain endurance and motivation. Unfortunately, when this occurs everyone suffers, both the team and the organization.
The challenge I present to C-suite leaders is to invest time and effort in workplace learning strategies that will unlock the full potential of their managers and will enhance leadership and employee engagement at every level. Once an organization makes the commitment to invest in their people, they will begin to see their managers transform into confident and capable leaders who achieve organizational excellence and are a source of strategic value.
About the Author
Dr. Johanna Pagonis is the owner of the leadership consulting firm, Sinogap Solutions. She has 20 years’ experience in leadership and organizational development gained throughout her professional and academic career.
Johanna’s book, Choose to Be a Leader Others Would Want to Follow, grew out of her desire to support managers in learning how to become emotionally intelligent leaders that can achieve organizational success while inspiring and motivating others.
Her goal for this book is that people, especially leaders in top ranks, will be motivated to create a workplace environment where managers are supported and encouraged to embrace their vulnerability. Johanna explores the workplace as an enriched landscape for managerial learning and leadership development.
