Talent Issue? Middle Managers

March 23, 2010 Steve Roesler

Here’s a lead from a Management-Issues article that caught my attention:
“The focus of many
American businesses on nurturing and grooming
their top-level talent is masking a growing crisis further down the
management scale – with more than half admitting they are suffering
from a “critical” shortage of middle managers.”Quite a bit of our client work relates to developing talent, so it really jumped off the page. I’m not surprised at the implied shock value because headlines are supposed to grab attention. And, the
survey quoted was conducted by a talent management firm whose purpose is
to drill down and find out what is happening in their specialty area.That doesn’t mean that there isn’t something that really needs to be
addressed. Bersin
& Associates is a very solid firm and you can read some
in-depth resources at their site. For those with limited time, here are:Some immediate thoughtsPart of the answer lies within the opening sentence itself.
Corporations have ignored the training and development of supervisors
and managers for a number of years now.Leadership is more glamorous. Leadership is also more strategic
and less results-focused day to day. Engagement is about employees and their immediate bosses.
Performance? The same. Customer service? There’s no one in the executive
suite helping customers fall in love with product.Flat organizations give the illusion that there aren’t as many
managers. Not true. Someone is responsible for managing some group of
people, regardless of what their new title happens to be. Check your own
organization and you’ll see that this is true.Colleges and universities are graduating thousands upon
thousands every year, in all disciplines. They come out of school as raw
talent.What to do?If your company has a supervisory/middle-management talent
problem, check out whether or not you’re enabling them to learn what
they’re supposed to do and how to do it.Shift your focus from what’s glamorous to what builds
performance.If your company is reading and ranting about “Execution,” look
at where the employees are who have to get it done day in and day out. Oh–and when people start learning more and executing
successfully as a result of good training and development, they’ll most
likely be more loyal, more engaged, and more likely to think twice
before leaving.What do you think?Photo
attribution: people.deas.harvard.edu/…/lecture_4.html
Link to original post

Steve has designed and delivered leadership and communication programs for some of the world's largest organizations, and has more than 30 years in training, development, and high-level executive coaching. His Roesler Group has created and delivered leadership and talent development internationally for corporations such as Pfizer, Minerals Technologies, Johnson & Johnson, NordCarb Oy Ab, and Specialty Minerals--Europe. Steve is currently involved in the latest update of his Presenting With Impact program, a cross-cultural presentations workshop that has been delivered on five continents to more than 1,000 participants representing nearly 60 nationalities.

Talent Issue? Middle Managers

March 22, 2010 Steve Roesler

Here’s a lead from a Management-Issues article that caught my attention:

“The focus of many
American businesses on nurturing and grooming
their top-level talent is masking a growing crisis further down the
management scale – with more than half admitting they are suffering
from a “critical” shortage of middle managers.”

Quite a bit of our client work relates to developing talent, so it really jumped off the page. I’m not surprised at the implied shock value because headlines are supposed to grab attention. And, the
survey quoted was conducted by a talent management firm whose purpose is
to drill down and find out what is happening in their specialty area.

That doesn’t mean that there isn’t something that really needs to be
addressed. Bersin
& Associates is a very solid firm and you can read some
in-depth resources at their site.

For those with limited time, after 30 years of consulting and training:

Some immediate thoughts

Part of the answer lies within the opening sentence itself.
Corporations have ignored the training and development of supervisors
and managers for a number of years now.

Leadership is more glamorous. Leadership is also more strategic
and less results-focused day to day.

Engagement is about employees and their immediate bosses.
Performance? The same. Customer service? There’s no one in the executive
suite helping customers fall in love with product.

Flat organizations give the illusion that there aren’t as many
managers. Not true. Someone is responsible for managing some group of
people, regardless of what their new title happens to be. Check your own
organization and you’ll see that this is true.

Colleges and universities are graduating thousands upon
thousands every year, in all disciplines. They come out of school as raw
talent.

What to do?

If your company has a supervisory/middle-management talent
problem, check out whether or not you’re enabling them to learn what
they’re supposed to do and how to do it.

Shift your focus from what’s glamorous to what builds
performance.

If your company is reading and ranting about “Execution,” look
at where the employees are who have to get it done day in and day out.

Oh–and when people start learning more and executing
successfully as a result of good training and development, they’ll most
likely be more loyal, more engaged, and more likely to think twice
before leaving.

What do you think?

Photo
attribution: people.deas.harvard.edu/.../lecture_4.html