Want to transform your managers into true leaders? Here’s how to do it

November 2 2022 - Being a manager doesn’t automatically make someone into a leader. Often people are given the job title without having the necessary skills to excel in the role, which can cause problems down the line. Luckily, however, as a business owner or senior staff member, there are plenty of steps you can take to ensure your managers are up to the task. Here are some of the most effective.

Provide opportunities for professional development

Being a good manager is a skill that can be taught, just like any other job role. That’s why it’s important for you to give your staff the opportunity to take professional development courses that will train them in the art of leadership. If you have a large company, you might like to set up an internal qualification. For smaller companies, enrolling employees on an external course might be more appropriate. Either way, it’s a chance for staff to have formal training on all the ins and outs of being an effective leader.

Offer more chances to gain leadership experience

There’s only so much you can learn through a training course, and actual real-world experience is vital if you want your staff to become good leaders. Lots of this will come from them simply doing their job, but to speed the process up, you could offer people more varied opportunities to practise their skills. From giving a presentation in a high-level meeting to conducting a staff induction or taking the lead in a workshop with clients, the wider the range of tasks you assign people, the more quickly they will improve.

Hire a consultancy for expert guidance

To truly transform managers into capable leaders, it’s sometimes necessary to enlist the help of professionals. A coaching consultancy can help staff to develop their skills more fully and embrace a more effective form of leadership. This, in turn, ensures that all your employees are able to reach their highest potential in the workplace. Plus, with this tip you can level up your own abilities too!

Set up a mentorship programme

Having an internal mentorship scheme to help new managers develop can be an extremely effective tactic. It enables people to get personalised guidance and feedback, plus have someone they can turn to at any time with questions. As a bonus, it also helps those who are acting as mentors to further hone their own leadership skills. One idea is to try matching people with more experienced staff members who understand the specific challenges they face, for example, having a dedicated mentorship scheme for women if your industry is traditionally male-dominated.

Encourage internal and external networking

Networking is valuable at any stage of your career, but there’s no denying that it’s vital for managers. Therefore, you should make it a policy to encourage staff to attend as many relevant industry events as possible. This will enable them to make connections that could prove useful to both them personally and your company, in addition to boosting their confidence and communication skills. It’s also a good way for people to be exposed to new ideas and perspectives that they can then incorporate into their own management style.

• More Human Resource Development Articles