As people progress in their careers many of them decide the route of management is the one they would like to pursue. They decide that management is of interest to them and believe they have the competencies required to be good general managers.

They believe they have the ambition to rise to levels where they will be responsible for major policy decisions and where their own efforts will make the difference between success and failure.

There is another group who unlike the first, do not or have not, for whatever reasons considered the managerial path as one they were destined for. It may just be that it is too early in their careers for such considerations or alternatively they feel they do not have the necessary attributes to become good managers.

Both groups will recognise the necessity to understand several functional areas well and accept they need to be fairly expert in their business or industry to function well in a management position.

Key values and motives for each of the two groups will be the same - advancement to higher levels of responsibility, opportunities for leadership, contributions to the success of others and of the company as a whole and the possibility of a high income.

When people first enter the business world they have aspirations to get ahead in a very general sense. They speak openly of their ambitions and how they plan on rising through the ranks. Where the problem comes in is that few have any clear idea or realistic picture of what is actually required in the way of talents, competencies, motivation and personal values to make it to the top.

With experience it becomes clearer, especially to those who have committed themselves to a specific company and a defined career path that they not only need a high level of drive and personal motivation to reach the top, but also need a mixture of specific competencies, talents and skills.

This is what separates the two groups and this is where succession planning and defining a career path with employees becomes so vitally important. One group feels driven and competent to follow the managerial rout while the other is unsure and hesitant. The latter is hesitant not through lack of confidence but more from a fear of the unknown and a desire to feel more empowered and equipped to deal with the challenges.

Companies must identify with both groups and must be prepared to give opportunities to demonstrate leadership ability to both. For far too long companies have only concentrated on those from the first group and have overlooked or lost quality leadership talent. The companies who take the time to prepare and train staff from both groups for potential leadership roles are the ones who will reap the rewards.

A company specific supervisory or management development programme can make all the difference. It is important to have a pool of potential managers from which can be chosen the best candidate for a specific position. Promoting individuals to management or supervisory positions can have disastrous consequences if the candidate has not had previous exposure to, and understanding of leadership and responsibility.

In developing a company specific SDP or MDP it is imperative to ensure the programme is company specific and not generic in content or alternatively that candidates can by means of a consultancy type approach deal with company specific problems and issues.

Candidates should be afforded opportunities to gain exposure to what it takes to work at a strategic level and to be further exposed to making strategic decisions that will impact on their fellow employees and the department or division.

Candidates need to be exposed to situations where they can apply innovative thinking and should also be permitted to make mistakes and learn from such mistakes.

The candidates need to gain an understanding of the relationship between responsibility and accountability while at the same time understanding that delegation does not exonerate one from accountability.

Management and management training as we have known it has changed over the years. The role managers and leaders play in a company has changed dramatically over the past 10 to 15 years and will continue to change into the future. It is imperative that when succession planning at any level is being considered that the right candidates are available.

Companies must change their approach and train employees in terms of the company brand and the company vision and values.

Potential managers must be potential leaders and must be equipped to lead others and not just manage situations.

Leadership is about trust, it is about people, it is about action and it is about results. Leadership is about getting results with and through others as a result of having earned their trust.

For more information or to discuss "Consultancy Based Training" contact Des Squire – AMSI and Associates - 082 800 9057

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