Invest In Management Leadership Training
There is an old business saying that goes something like this: “You manage things and you lead people.” When you think about it this statement really makes sense and it’s sound business. The statement is telling us that people are not to be managed, but led. In order for management to lead effectively they have to have management leadership training.
This is how management usually evolves in a company. A person has some type of expertise. The expertise could be to make something or provide some type of service. The person then takes that expertise and starts a business. They hire a few people to work and the business starts to grow. As the business grows they need to hire more people because the owner cannot manage everything that is going on. So the owner takes Ralph, one of the best workers, and makes him a manager. Ralph has never been a manager before so Ralph has no idea what to do. He makes it up as he goes.
As the business gets larger more people are promoted to managers. And on and on it goes. What happens is the organization reaches a level that it can’t break through because the ability of the management to lead is limited.
Without management leadership training new managers will often imitate people who have been their managers. Let’s face it, that’s not the formula for success. Managers need proper training to execute both the managerial and leadership functions.
Why Management Leadership Training
The leadership abilities usually need the more development than the managerial functions. The reason that is the case is because most businesses have processes in place already. Those processes at least work well enough to produce some type of satisfactory result. It is the ability to get results through people that often are gravely lacking.
When managers lack the ability to get results thorough people, they usually end up doing the work themselves. After all, the reason they got the job as manager was because they were a great worker. When this happens a cycle is started of subsidizing the work of someone else. You can easily see the domino effect this can have on the organization. The manager starts to subsidize for the worker. Now someone has to subsidize for the manager because they are doing the worker’s work. Then someone is doing the work of the someone who is subsidizing the manager. Pretty soon everyone is just subsidizing and being subsidized.
The way to break the cycle is to have managers lead and achieve organizational results in the right way. Therefore managers need to learn the skills of motivation, communication, goal setting, delegation, problem solving, and decision making. When managers have these skills they can lead with confidence.
The only way for managers to develop these skills is through management leadership training. There are a number of things to look for in getting training for leadership. First and foremost you want to evaluate the actual process they use for the participants to learn the material. Material that is presented all in one sitting is not the best way to learn leadership skills. Material that is presented over a period of time has proven to be more effective.
At the end of the day, you want to invest in your leaders so that the organization can achieve results beyond what currently is being produced. Don’t leave the effectiveness of your leaders to chance.


9 Responses to “Invest In Management Leadership Training”
Management Leadership Training – Breaking The Cycle Of Poor Leadership on May 18, 2010
[...] What does “You manage things and you lead people” mean? When you consider it this declaration certainly makes sense and it’s good business. The declaration is revealing to all of us that individuals are definitely not to be managed, rather they are to be led. In order for management to lead efficiently they have to get management leadership training. [...]
Why Management Leadership Training Is Important | MDTS Career Coach on May 26, 2010
[...] There is an classic business saying that goes something like this: “You manage things and you lead people.” When you consider it this statement really makes sense and it’s sound business. The statement is revealing to us that individuals are definitely not to be managed, but led. In order for management to lead efficiently they have to have management leadership training. [...]
re: management systems - T. Welch on June 4, 2010
I agree with your article that good leadership skills don’t just happen, they are learned and cultivated.
Even though management should delegate tasks, thereby freeing up time for strategy planning, they often jump in and do the work themselves. I think this is largely due to a lack of visibility of the progress of a specific task. If managers could easily track what their subordinates are doing -without needing to verbalize it in a staff meeting (which is very time consuming), then they would feel more comfortable in delegation. After all, management must answer to stockholders / owners of the business.
Andre on June 4, 2010
Yes, T. Welch, the leadership has to get results through people. A software solution could aid in that process. Thanks for your contribution to the conversation.
What You Need To Know About Management Leadership Training « Ruth Antoine International on June 15, 2010
[...] There is an classic business adage which goes something like this: “You manage things and you lead people.” When you think about it this assertion really makes sense and it’s good business. The declaration is telling all of us that people are definitely not to be managed, rather they are to be led. In order for management to lead successfully they must have management leadership training. [...]
Why Management Leadership Training Is Important « Blogg on June 18, 2010
[...] “You manage things and you lead people” is certainly a tried and true business axiom. When you think about it this assertion really is sensible and it really is sound business. The statement is informing all of us that individuals are not to be managed, but led. In order for management to lead successfully they have to get management leadership training. [...]
Key Points About Management Leadership Training on June 21, 2010
[...] “You manage things and you lead people” is certainly a long standing business principle. When you ponder on it this statement truly is wise and it really is good business. The declaration is informing all of us that people are definitely not to be managed, rather they are to be led. In order for management to lead effectively they have to have management leadership training. [...]
What You Need To Know About Management Leadership Training – life coaching training online| personal development| health and wellness tips| free debt freedom tips| free online marketing tools on September 20, 2010
[...] There is an classic business adage which goes something like this: “You manage things and you lead people.” When you think about it this assertion really makes sense and it’s good business. The declaration is telling all of us that people are definitely not to be managed, rather they are to be led. In order for management to lead successfully they must have management leadership training. [...]
Strategy Management Software on May 14, 2011
Leadership is definitely an art. As you say, there is a significant problem where managers have been promoted above their comfort zone and are not exactly contributing at they level they could.
Leadership training and coaching is one option and it definitely has value as young leaders face new challenges. The other option is for more experienced leaders to take time and deliberately share their view of the world. By sharing the challenges at hand (that managers typically are working on) and the bigger challenges that lay on the horizon (the ones senior leadership is usually focused on)senior leaders will be able to groom decision makers who understand both the operational and strategic level of thought.
While it’s not the only option, developing a balanced scorecard can also help middle management understand what measures really matter when it comes to making decisions and evaluating end results from the highest levels. As a team develops a balanced scorecard and begins reporting on it – they may consider automating the task with a powerful strategy management software tool like ClearPoint Strategy.
ClearPoint charts data, evaluates data for trends, records relevant analysis and recommendations for emerging issues, provides ownership for accountability and gantt charts to compare progress with plans. The best part is that ClearPoint is a web-based tool that runs on any computer with an internet connect. It’s housed in a secure US facility and supported by highly competent US based engineers and strategy management experts.
Visit http://www.clearpointstrategy.com today to learn more, look at examples of other organizations in action, and start a free demo version for you organization. And if you have any questions along the way, be sure to contact the support staff – they take pride if getting new organizations set up with an effective system quickly.