How to Develop Your Front Line Leaders Beyond Just Training
What We’re Hearing
Here’s a brief story I’m hearing with more regularity when I ask colleagues and clients about their leadership development:
“Our senior team is operating pretty smoothly and we seem in sync around the direction of our firm/organization. But, we have to find ways of helping our managers and directors who oversee the people delivering our work. These are our future senior leaders, so we want them to see career potential here, and we want to invest in the best way possible. What we typically do is send them to new manager training once they are in the position, and then maybe pair them with a mentor to help along the way. But, in looking at some feedback from our staff we still seem pretty inconsistent in how our teams are being managed, and I’m worried about our culture and retaining our best people (especially our young talent).”
Front Line Leaders
I’ve been hearing some version of this story when I speak with senior leadership at our client firms and organizations. There’s a sense that more can be done to support supervisors, managers, and directors who lead the people that deliver for clients and customers. These leaders are often considered “front-line leaders.” The job of these leaders is more important than ever given the demand for talent, the emphasis on mental and physical well-being, the growing diversity of teams, hybrid work environments, and the overall speed of change and pace of work.
The Forgetting Curve
Sending new managers of people to training courses can be helpful, but it’s nowhere near enough to equip them with the skills, strategies, and support they need for the challenges listed above. First of all, training programs all have a “forgetting curve.”
This means that when someone comes back from training, they retain less of the learning as each day passes where they aren’t using the new skill or having it reinforced at work.
How Do We Help?
So, how do we help this incredibly important group of leaders prepare to navigate the day-to-day puzzles of managing people?
Have a shared vision for leadership and talk about it…a lot
First, it’s so important to have a foundation for leadership that is unique to your organization. There should be alignment about what everyone can expect from leaders. It all starts with having a clear and meaningful vision, mission, and values that will serve as a compass for guiding decisions and behaviors.
One of the clients we are working with spent time as a leadership team to define their firm’s direction and values, but also began having conversations about what it means to serve as a leader. This allows leaders to have directional alignment when discussing real problems like, “How should we respond to growing concerns about burnout?”
When leaders are left to make decisions like these on their own, there’s a risk of handling things inconsistently which may erode the culture. And, if you don’t have a shared vision for leadership, then each leader is on their own even more so.Make sure the training you select aligns with the vision
If that first tip sounds right, then it should also make sense that the teaching in those courses, classes, workshops, etc. resonates with the values and culture of your organization. Those new skills and strategies that leaders learn should support the vision for leadership.
Let’s say your organization decided that it should empower employees to help define how work gets delegated on their teams as a way of creating more agency and ownership. Of the thousands of “Delegation” training options out there, I’m guessing several teach a more top-down approach to defining tasks, making assignments, removing work, etc. These offerings would teach skills that might create some issues once applied in the workplace.Integrate coaching/mentorship regularly
We’ve found that getting groups together to teach new strategies and skills is an efficient use of time. But, then how do we navigate around that “forgetting curve?”
One of the best solutions we’ve found is to pair leaders with a coach or mentor that can help with the application of new skills and strategies in the context of each individual’s work situation. These folks can be external or well-trained internal coaches who ask great questions, offer insights, and are tuned into the overall leadership vision.
This dramatically boosts the application of new learning. It helps it all stick.Get leaders together to share and problem solve
Everyone is busy, and there’s barely enough time to get the work done each week. Leaders on the front line are engaged in delivering for customers/clients and keeping the lights on in general. So, conversations about how best to lead teams are few and far between. Some organizations create the space and time for leaders to come together and do this on a regular basis by forming communities of leaders.
A large health system has created a virtual space for leaders to post, search and contribute to questions and ideas. Another company we work with is encouraging leaders to join monthly round tables to share and support each other.
The work of leadership should certainly not take a back seat in today’s environment.Take action on new insights
Leaders pick up new ideas from a number of sources: podcasts, training, experience, round tables, coaching, etc. Each of these can turn on a light bulb that could help to improve processes, policies, and techniques for leading people.
One recent cohort we taught focused on ways to leverage strengths. As a result, one of the leaders suggested the firm’s performance management process should include a greater emphasis on strengths. The senior team listened and is working on revising the process.
Innovation and improvement is a form of learning at the highest level, which “sparks” excitement and a feeling that leaders are listening and working to make the organization better for everyone.
These suggestions can help shape an overall environment where leaders can grow together and culture can blossom. They require a greater level of engagement of senior leadership, HR, and employees. We should not assume that an investment in training alone will prepare and support this incredibly important group of leaders for the challenges and opportunities in front of them.
Every time I receive a request for a training program, I immediately think about these additional elements because we have to ensure that we use the time and resources in the right ways to grow leaders who will grow our teams.
If you’re looking for more help delivering feedback, send us an email or book a time to chat further. We love problem-solving with you!
