| An Integrated
Training Experience A third feature of
our approach to applied management development is that the boss plays a key role in the
development of subordinates. A study by AT&T on the selection and development of
managers supports our own research conclusions, namely, that the most important factor in
a manager's success is the developmental skill of the people for whom he or she works.
Managers working for supervisors who set high standards of performance, and who are able
and willing to help them develop their management talents, progress more quickly than
managers working for supervisors who do not provide such support.
The key difference between outstanding and average managers
is their ability to develop people. We have concluded that in order to improve
productivity it is important to design training programs that involve the boss. It is for
this reason that we design training programs that link levels of management together. We
offer programs for managers at each level of our clients' organizations. In this way,
managers at all levels understand the concepts presented in the training program and are
prepared to provide the guidance their people need.
We have found that an immediate supervisor who is not
involved in the training process may be indifferent to a participant's efforts to develop
his or her managerial capabilities. If the supervisor has not attended a similar program
designed for his or her level, he or she may not understand how the concepts presented in
the classroom will produce better results on the job, and may not be in position to
support the employee's development. Without the understanding and support of their
supervisors, managers usually abandon their efforts to apply the knowledge they have
acquired.
To meet this problem, we have designed a comprehensive
systems approach to management education that links levels of management. This integrated
approach provides open, two-way communication between supervisor and employee and ensures
that individual development efforts are supported by senior-level managers and are related
directly to the achievement of organizational goals. By formalizing the monitoring role of
the supervisor, our programs provide a framework for ongoing performance planning,
implementation and review; and by establishing common systems for performance management,
clients are able to set in motion a communication process that promotes a common language,
a common set of values, and a common culture.
We have found that by training people within two or more
levels of an organization we are better able to facilitate the implementation of action
plans on the job. An integrated development program ensures that managers at all levels
understand the concepts presented and are prepared to provide guidance to their people
when they return from the classroom. By training employees at multiple levels, open
communication between managers and their people is facilitated. This integrated approach
enables employees throughout the organization to work together in the pursuit of common
objectives. This organizational focus enables organizations to track and measure the
results of our training. It also helps to identify the course content that is appropriate
for follow-up training.
|
Introduction
How
Managers
Develop
Sterling
Institute's
Approach
to Applied
Management
Development
Feature
1:
A Self-Directed
Development
Process
Feature
2:
An Applied
Development
Program
Feature 3:
An
Integrated
Training
Experience
Feature 4:
Custom Designed
to Ensure
Relevance
Feature 5:
An Ongoing
Development
and Evaluation
Effort |
