The Case of the Accidental Manager
Sue Garner
According to the Chartered Management Institutes’ Better Managed Britain* report, 82% of UK managers have no management or leadership training. We explore the impact of
According to the Chartered Management Institutes’ Better Managed Britain* report, 82% of UK managers have no management or leadership training. We explore the impact of securing a role without learning the necessary skillset.
As an accidental manager, you typically have a proven track record. You’ve excelled in a technical or sales position and are top of your field. To reward performance, the next step up the ladder is a leadership role. Understandably, you desire an increase in status and salary, so accept the position. You may not have aspirations to be the boss, but this is career progression.
The issue is that management demands a very different skill set. It is one thing to motivate yourself and drive your success, and quite another to be a strategist who can engage and inspire others. Therefore, to make that leap you need management training and/or leadership coaching to help navigate the intricacies of the role and responsibilities.
Unfortunately, many companies fail to invest in management and leadership training. They expect you to run with the role and make it work. I have worked with many accidental managers and in my experience the lack of training is evident.
Inadequate confidence and competence are also evident to employees. Studies by the Chartered Institute of Managers** and Unmind reveal that around a third of employees have left a role due to poor managers.
We’ve all been in roles with a poor manager and it is the biggest demotivator. You do what you have to, but nothing more. What’s more, it leads to a toxic and divided work environment and that sinking feeling in your stomach on a Sunday evening.
A bad manager doesn’t recognise your abilities, fails to keep you informed and never asks for your ideas. Their lack of planning is often evident, leading to tight deadlines and constant pressure. In the worst cases, they discriminate against you, whether intentionally or not.
When I first meet untrained accidental managers, they often fit into one of these categories:
Feeling under-equipped and overwhelmed, they’ve been thrown into the deep end and are doing their best to stay afloat. They are reactive, dealing with things as they arise, but lack a clear plan and often feel anxious.
They expect everyone to work like them. When this isn’t the case, they get frustrated and start picking up on the smallest detail to bring people in line. They want to control everything and lack the trust or respect to recognise the skills of the team.
Hitting cruise control, they languish in the superior role and let the team get on with it. They fill their day with meetings and talk the talk, but aren’t using their time productively. What’s more, they are happy to take credit for success and apportion blame for failures.
It is demotivating for the team to work for any of these bosses. Therefore, if 82% of UK managers are untrained, it is no wonder that we have a workforce that wants to leave, has high absenteeism and would rather work from home.
What we all need is someone with a vision, who can communicate, collaborate and empower us to contribute to that vision. We need someone approachable and supportive who isn’t afraid to deal with issues. To gain respect, we want someone who leads by example, is fair and takes an interest in us.
If you’ve been promoted into a leadership role, it doesn’t mean you are a bad manager. You might discover talents and abilities that help you and the team to excel. This could be your calling and your team could gain someone who inspires and innovates. Are you the person who turns things around and makes the team, department or business a success?
However, when leadership training and coaching are offered, the chances of you finding your feet and making it work are greatly increased. I love being involved in the transition process, helping to draw out your potential. When leaders are upskilled, the whole team benefits and this drives a positive work culture, productivity and employee retention.
The reality is that not all of us are suited to leadership roles. Strategising and managing others may not come naturally. However, it is beneficial for everyone taking on a management role to have leadership training as you can learn and develop many of the necessary skills.
Through observation, learning and feedback, you can be better equipped to engage the team, tackle conflict and discover hidden potential in yourself and others. With training, you can learn techniques to prioritise and plan, to reduce the pressure of fire-fighting. In addition, you can build the critical and creative thinking skills that are essential for success.
In addition, leadership coaching offers a sounding board to discuss and reflect on your responses. No manager gets it right all the time. However, the ability to share, be challenged and see the situation from different perspectives offers an opportunity to adapt your leadership style and keep improving.
If you are promoting employees or recruiting new managers, equip them to undertake the role with Leadership Training and coaching. I work on a 1:1 basis or with groups to prepare and develop talent that can future-proof your business. You don’t get great managers by chance, so let’s give them the best chance to do a great job.
Email me with your requirements or call me to discuss on 07775 624724.
According to the Chartered Management Institutes’ Better Managed Britain* report, 82% of UK managers have no management or leadership training. We explore the impact of
Learning and development are essential for business growth. When we invest in individuals, they gain new skills and the company reaps the rewards. However, training
Employment law is being updated to better reflect the modern workplace. It is now widely recognised that when all employees are treated with respect and
