Throw in at the deep end!

So, a few years back in of my first few meetings in a new role with a London based organisation, I was with a Director and one of his team members who we were giving the happy news of promotion to Project Manager and stepping up to lead a team of 6. This was not a battleground promotion and had been deliberated for some time.

The newly promoted Manager asked what support could she receive as a new team manager and the Director responded - 'that's the easy part, in a few months you'll get a hang of it and find your managerial style. There will be a few trials and errors and he rattled a couple of names of books and advised to google on managerial style.

My jaw dropped to the floor and picking it up with great difficulty I added, lets set up a follow-up conversation in a few days to discuss developmental plans.

So, is this how we equip new People managers? The ever debate of getting HR a seat on the table has now thankfully shifted to HR adding value to the Leadership board or the critical role of HR. However, upskilling our new People managers still for many organisations remains to be done.

Organisations that do have the development of first-time managers on the agenda, pretty much wrap it up with People Management 1.00 and People Management 2.00. Two days and you are ready to roll! And this is knowing that the task of the Manager is increased fourfold and requires new skills- the role changes fourfold from managing self and managing self deliverables, to managing team deliverables, managing self deliverables and ensuring well being, engagement of the team, and of course, management self in the change.

The one commitment and investment that we must make to new managers is Coaching and mentoring. Giving the new manager space, time, and support to develop to take on the responsibilities of not only additional delivery and the wellbeing, development of others.

When we don't leave driving a bus or a vehicle to trial and error, or expect that it would come naturally why do think people management can? In both scenarios, the individuals are responsible for the safety and wellbeing of others.

On googling managerial development I got about 60,900,000 results. If one could google their way through people management, engagement scores would be skyrocketing, there would be no absences due to stress or grievances and organisations will be surpassing their productivity matrices!