Discovering the Top Three Skills Your Middle Managers Need
In the world of coaching and development, middle managers are gaining more attention. While executives and senior leaders often receive coaching, it's crucial to invest in the growth of middle managers too. These managers are often battlefield promotions and find themselves in leadership roles without proper training or necessary skills. Middle managers play a vital role in a company's growth and success. They turn strategies into action and their leadership affects employee development, engagement, and productivity. As the most vital layer of leadership in an organization, middle managers must have the skills needed to succeed.
The Challenges
Companies experiencing rapid growth often lack the time and resources to provide comprehensive training to mid-level managers. The pressure is on for these managers to quickly acquire the necessary skills, yet the available time and on-the-job learning opportunities are limited. Consequently, it becomes crucial for middle managers to identify and develop the skills they need most urgently.
Prioritizing Important Skills
With an overwhelming number of leadership skills to choose from, it's essential to focus on the most critical ones. Attempting to develop all skills simultaneously would be overload and result in little retention. The key is to build habits and develop leadership behaviors that drive tangible results. By carefully selecting two or three skills that align with your company’s strategy and goals, leaders can make significant progress.
Aligning Skills with Strategy and Goals
There isn't a one-size-fits-all set of skills for all middle managers. The most important skills vary between companies based on their strategies, cultures, and goals. As companies evolve and change their strategies and goals, the skills needed by their leaders also change. It's important to evaluate the company's specific needs and determine which skills are essential for success.
To identify the critical skills middle managers need, it's essential to start with the company's strategy and business goals. By understanding the strategy and desired outcomes, leaders can determine the necessary skills to achieve those goals effectively. This process often involves ensuring the leadership team understands and aligns with the strategy, leading to a sharper focus and greater cohesion.
Key Questions to Consider
To find the most critical skills for your middle managers, ask these questions of the executive leadership team:
What is our business strategy?
What are our top three business goals?
How will we measure if we achieve these goals?
Which skills and behaviors are necessary to execute the strategy and achieve our goals?
Which skills need improvement or development?
What challenges do our leaders face the most?
Among the identified skills, which three will have the biggest impact on our success?
Caveat: These questions are simple to ask. Getting to the real answer is often much more involved than expected. We have led entire leadership retreats to explore these questions. Set aside enough time to really discuss and debate them. Be careful with the first three questions. It is easy to skip over them because “everyone knows” or “we’ve already written those out.” Often, even when the work has already been done, there isn’t a common understanding and alignment around the strategy, goals, and how success will be measured. Allow time and openness to the possibility that the process of choosing the skills middle managers need may open up a much broader discussion.
Looking Ahead
In the next blog, we will explore effective strategies to develop leadership behaviors and improve leadership skills. Our focus will be on cultivating these skills rather than overwhelming managers with excessive information.
If you need assistance determining the most critical skills for your organization or developing those skills in your leadership team, please contact us. We are here to help you succeed: www.PeopleCap.com.
