FACT: Most people spend more on their daily coffee than they invest in their own development.
I have met many people who hold management positions who have never attended a single day of management development training – ever. These are people who have been appointed to manage others and deliver results for their organization. Now I find this interesting. I also find it shocking. I wonder if we would trust other people who have never been trained for their role. People such as the plumber fixing our gas boiler, the person who maintains our car and perhaps replaces the brake pads, our dentist. There is an expectation that as we move through our career management skills appear – we learn through osmosis. This is clearly not working. So many have learnt bad habits and continue to fail to get the best for their business, the best for themselves. Crucially, the negative impact this has on staff, team effectiveness and morale is stifling.
Mr John Van Reenen, director at the London School of Economics says ‘In terms of management standards, “Britain looks like a mid-European country”’. I am sure you agree this is shameful.
If that is not enough one of the top minds on management globally, Henry Mintzberg, Professor of Management, McGill University states: ‘This is not a financial crisis, it is a management crisis. Who on earth was managing those banks?’
How many people do you hear say they work for a fantastic manager, and how many do you hear say they work for someone not so good? Many organizations see the development of their people as a cost rather than an investment. When budgets are under pressure some organizations think it is an easy option to defer training and therefore cut the budget till times get better. Interestingly though, this is the exact same time that other organizations decide to pick up speed and invest in their people. I am sure you know which will be the stronger.
The final thought in this article is how much of your own money do you invest in management development? Curiously, even well paid people seem to think that it is the responsibility to of their employer to pay for their development. Well, a sure fact is if you are not investing in yourself you are becoming obsolete. Just the price of your daily coffee would make start to make a difference. Why not learn 69 ways to make yourself an awesome manager for some quick wins.
Are you worth it, or are you still smelling the coffee?
My best wishes,
Peter
