Do you notice managers using the same approach, day in, day out, year in, year out? This will last for a while, however times they are a changing and we need leaders for the future! Research is showing that many Australian leadership and management are not well-trained for the job undermining the ability of Australian organisations to address future challenges. Each and everyone one of us has the ability to look beyond our present day situation, consider the future of work and then design a plan through the right training for future success. Your Future is in YOUR hands!
“The definition of insanity is doing the same thing over and over and expecting different results” – Albert Einstein
Significant gaps and weaknesses in Australia’s leadership and management
The SAL Report “Do Australian Leaders Have what it takes” shows that Australian organisations should be concerned about the state of leadership and management capability. The report highlights that “Many Australian leaders are not well-trained for the job. Formal qualifications are not everything, but formal training provides a foundation for the diverse skills associated with leadership and management – from technical skills to solving problems and managing change. One in four senior leaders in private sector organisations has no formal training beyond secondary school. The same goes for majority Australian-owned, and small or medium-sized organisations.”
Training helps Managers Face Challenges!
In a June 2020 SHRM article by Sarah Gallo “3 Challenges New Managers Face and How Training Can Help,” it shows there are many challenges first-time managers face. Perhaps they struggle with delegating or communicating effectively with team members. Maybe they aren’t able to think like a leader, or are having trouble serving as a boss to their former peers. These are common challenges for first-time leaders, and navigating them is critical not only for their own success but their team and their organization. Fortunately, training can help solve the three challenges many face when moving into their first leadership role:
- Developing Leadership and management Mindsets
- Managing Former Co-workers
- Identifying and Bridging Skills Gaps
Manager training should also focus on the skills leaders need to succeed in the future of work. Through research for its “Leading in the Digital Age” program, Achieve Forum identified building resilience and trust, navigating ambiguity and change, engaging networks of stakeholders across “increasingly complex organizations,” and leading with influence as key capabilities Learning and Development professionals should emphasize for 2020 and beyond, says Kim Arellano, executive consultant at Achieve Forum.
Managers for Tomorrow Need to Change
A May 2020 BCG article by Vinciane Beauchene and Molly Cunningham “The End of Management as We Know It,” shows that traditional management has reached a breaking point. Today’s managers are burning out. Junior employees would rather move into an expert position or work for themselves than become the managers of tomorrow. If those statements sound overblown, consider these findings from a BCG and Ipsos survey of 5,000 employees, 30% of them managers, in five countries:
- The Now—81% of Western managers think the job is harder than just a few years ago
- The Future—63% of Western managers do not want to stay in management and 37% believe their management layer will disappear within five years
- The Existential—just 9% of Western non managers aspire to become a manager
The middle-management crisis has been around for decades. What’s different now is both a recognition that the management model is in flux and the emergence of a credible replacement.
Don’t Panic and Jump Ship, Learn to Be a Better Boss!
In my blog “Courage under a Bad Boss,” I highlighted that not every boss is a good boss, and just about everyone has experienced this in their working life. Maybe you’ve never been considered for a promotion, because you’re not one of the boss’s ‘favourite’ employees. Or perhaps they often give you ‘urgent’ work just before the end of the day, insisting that it can’t wait until you get to work tomorrow. No matter what they do, bosses like these can drive us crazy. Bad bosses make us miserable; dealing with their negative behaviours day in and day out is exhausting. It’s all too common, and its bosses, not companies that people are often actually leaving. If you’re dealing with a bad boss, you can make it a good thing for your career. Here’s how.
- Learning Not To Jump Ship Straight Away, Learning How To Deal With Others’ Emotions, And Controlling Your Own Reactions
- Learning How To Be A Better Boss
- Find The Positives In Any Situation
Dealing with a bad boss is never easy, but you need to remember that you can learn a lot from the experience. Using the lessons you’ve learned, you can move forward in your professional development and your career – and that’s worth the misery of a bad boss. Your time with your bad boss will come to an end, so take the time to make sure your next move is a great one!
Build in Leadership Essentials starting today!
LeadershipHQ are excited to be working with Veriskills where our Leadership Essentials Program where you are awarded for Collaboration outcomes. The Leadership Essentials Program is either a self-paced (not Veriskills) or a group and one on one leadership program which takes 6-9 months and gives participants the human capabilities, tools, skills and resources to be the best person and leader they can be. The Human Capability outcomes you will be awarded on completion of our Leadership Essentials program are as follows:
- Initiative and Drive (Level 3)
- Communication (Level 3)
- Collaboration (Level 3)
- Empathy (Level 3)
Click here to learn more about Veriskills™, and the Human Capability Framework.
This program and coaching will take your leadership skills to the next level!
Leadership isn’t easy and sometimes we need help. I am always here.
And, remember, Leadership starts from within, so grab my latest book FIRST COMES COURAGE!
Get in touch today to learn more about building leadership skills and set yourself up for success!
Stay Kind. Stay Courageous.
Sonia x
