The past few years have been a tumultuous time for managers. Facing stressor after stressor of workforce reductions, economic uncertainty, and rapid organizational change, they have often been expected to navigate these ongoing trials with little more than resilience and sheer determination. While their efforts have been commendable, the strain of these experiences has undoubtedly impacted their leadership capabilities and, consequently, the overall performance of their teams.

The reality is that many managers have been operating in survival mode, prioritizing immediate needs over long-term development. While this reactive approach has been necessary to some extent, it has left a void in terms of foundational leadership skills. Without a strong foundation, managers may struggle to inspire, motivate, and develop their teams effectively.

The repercussions of this leadership gap are far-reaching. Without skilled managers at the helm, organizations risk decreased employee engagement, lower productivity, and higher turnover. Additionally, the absence of strong leadership can hinder innovation, collaboration, and overall organizational performance.  

To position organizations for success in 2025 and beyond, a strategic shift is imperative. It’s time to invest in our managers by providing them with the tools and support they need to thrive. A robust manager development program should be at the core of this strategy. By focusing on core leadership competencies such as coaching, communication, and emotional intelligence, organizations can empower managers to become effective catalysts for change.

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How can HR leaders grow managers to be their most effective?

Start With Core Coaching Competencies

At the heart of effective leadership is the ability to coach and develop others. Managers who can inspire, guide, and empower their teams are instrumental in achieving organizational goals. By fostering a culture of continuous learning and growth, coaching-oriented managers create high-performing, resilient teams.

Key Coaching Competencies

• Communication: Clear, concise, and empathetic communication is essential for building trust, fostering collaboration, and aligning teams.
• Accountability: Establishing clear expectations, providing regular feedback, and holding employees accountable for their performance.
• Developing a Performance Environment: Creating a culture of high performance by setting challenging goals, providing necessary resources, and recognizing and rewarding achievements.

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Define Key Manager Behaviors

What are the behaviors that drive these competencies? At Rhabit we start with small, observable behaviors that are easy for managers to perform on the job, and simple for their subordinates to provide objective feedback on. Another critical part of building your manager development strategy is to keep it simple. Define 4-6 behaviors for each competency so managers will not be overwhelmed and likely to abandon this development intervention.

An example of a cluster of these behaviors could looks like this:

• Developing a Performance Environment:
  • Offers support and resources to learn a new skill.
  • Is available to coach team members when needed.
  • Provides actionable and useful feedback.
  • Offers team members opportunities to learn new skills.
  • Actively creates learning opportunities or stretch goals for team members.
  • Understands what my unique strengths and developmental areas are.

You'll notice each behavior is concise, easy to understand, and objective. Unlike many of the legacy organizations that build verbose, lengthy competency models, Rhabit clients have experienced accelerated results due to our concision and simplicity.

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Build a Plan of Action for Developing Managers into Coaches

To address the leadership gap and build a pipeline of high-performing managers, consider the following action points:

• ‍Leadership Development Programs: Offer ongoing leadership development and feedback opportunities to equip managers with reinforce and grow the leadership competencies managers need to coach their teams.‍
• Leadership Assessments: Deploy a leadership assessment get feedback on managerial capabilities to identify skill gaps and development priorities.‍
• Customized Development Plans: Create tailored development plans for managers based on their individual needs and career aspirations.‍
• Mentorship Programs: Pair experienced managers with high-potential talent to foster knowledge sharing and skill development.‍
• Performance Management Overhaul: Implement a performance management system that focuses on development and growth, rather than simply rating employees on KPIs.

By prioritizing manager development and fostering a culture of continuous learning, organizations can unlock the full potential of their workforce and achieve sustainable success. Investing in manager coaching skills is not merely a nice-to-have; it's a business imperative. By equipping managers with the ability to coach and develop their teams, organizations can foster a culture of high performance, innovation, and employee satisfaction. The time to act is now. Let's prioritize manager development and build a foundation for long-term organizational success.

Join us on August 27th to earn .5 SHRM recertification credit, and learn how to transform your managers into high performing coaches. Space is limited, register now.

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