The cost of Accidental Management

What is an Accidental Manager? According to a recent survey conducted by YouGov an ‘Accidental Manager’ is one who has been recruited or promoted into a management position, with no proper training in Management or Leadership.

Of the more than 4,500 workers and managers surveyed by the Chartered Management Institute, a staggering 82% of those entering a management role has had no proper training for the position.

Some think that management and leadership are ‘natural talents’ – that one either is or is not a leader, and that management is simply a natural progression for every employee, requiring nothing more than time to progress.

Exploring the study in more detail we saw that more than a quarter of senior managers and leaders (26%) and over half of managers (52%) have never been given any formal management or leadership training.

You might be wondering why that matters; after all – if such a large proportion of managers, both senior and otherwise, have never had formal training or development specific to that leadership role, surely, it’s because it’s not needed…? Why else would so many organisations be employing or promoting people without investing in developing those skills?

Statistics further in the survey give us some insight into why this is a problem:

Of those 4,500 people 31% of managers, and 28% of workers, have left previous roles or organisations because of a negative relationship with their manager.

Again, surprisingly large proportions of people – leaving otherwise good jobs because of the negative impact a manager is having on their working life. An impact that – with the right training, development and support – need never have happened.

Many organisations, if they’re facing difficult times or economic challenges, will cut back on spending – and, unfortunately, investment in training and development is an area where many will cut costs first – and though it might save money in the short term, the bigger picture shows far more expense.

The expense of losing the skill, experience and industry insight that comes with keeping your team happy, the expense of recruitment and retraining for those new hires, the cost of lost hours and lost business when your team is trying to learn the ropes, and the cost of security, camaraderie and progress that comes with strong staff retention.

**How does someone Accidentally become a Manager or Leader?**

Often people find themselves in a Managerial or Leadership role for entirely the wrong reasons; they may want more money, more power in their team, more control over the direction of the company or the way things are done. They may simply have been in their organisation for a while, and either they or their senior managers feel like they ought to be promoted, simply because they’ve ‘served their time’ – but does any of that make them suitable for the role?

Further details in the report show that 46% of the managers surveyed believe that colleagues won their role / promotion based on their profile, internal relationships and influence, rather than on their ability or performance.

Sadly, when those who are recruiting for those managerial roles aren’t really sure what they should be looking for, or how to recruit for Leadership, it can seem like the safe choice to pick the person who wants it most, or to favour someone from a sense of loyalty, rather than suitability.

Expert to Leader

At ASK, with over three decades in the industry, we are highly experienced in working with organisations, helping to develop the experts they already have in their teams into highly impactful, successful leadership roles.

We know that, though someone does their present role extremely well, and has a lot of expertise, experience and insight, this doesn’t mean they are immediately ready to step up and lead or manage others. The technical aspects which make them great in one position may not translate into the skills required to lead that team successfully.

We work with many organisations, ideally working with your people long before a Management or Leadership role is filled; we utilise selection centres, to ensure the right people are being considered for those future roles, and a wide range of psychometrics which help to identify key areas of development at that all important individual level.

Leadership development is a journey. An investment – in the individual and the organisation. Making sure that your own technical experts are provided the right opportunity to be successful leaders is fundamental to organisational success.

How much does it matter?

Unfortunately, putting the wrong people in positions of power can have hugely negative impact on your team, on your wider workforce, and on the organisation as a whole. Investment in the development and growth of your managers and leaders is also something that, if it is done at all, is done too late, and only when someone is already in the role.

If, instead, your investment is in your future leaders, in the development and growth of other skills, building into Leadership and Management skills, you will be better able to identify who has the potential for great Leadership. Who has the natural skills, the capacity to learn and grow, and the understanding that growth and development are vital in Leadership. Wanting to be a Leader isn’t all the role requires.

The full study – “Taking Responsibility: Why UK PLC Needs Better Managers” – also asked how people rated their current Managers or Leaders: just over a quarter of those surveyed – 27% – rated them as ‘Highly Effective’. Unfortunately, that means that three quarters of respondents don’t think that their management are effective – and of those, more than 50% planned to leave their current company within the next 12 months…and perhaps surprisingly, of those who did rate their leaders as ‘effective’ 21% still plan to move on, because they acknowledge that there still isn’t enough development or training.

Ann Francke, CEO of the Chartered Management Institute, commented that “the research is a wake up call for low-growth, low-productivity and badly managed Britain to take Management and Leadership seriously.”

She added that promotions based on technical competence, but which ignore behaviour and other key leadership traits, have “time and time again resulted in failures that harm individuals and their employers, not to mention the wider economy’s performance.”

Looking at these traits, and the impact they have, 18% of managers reported that they are not confident in their leadership abilities, with 60% saying that though they are confident, they do need more development. Difficulties and challenges they specifically name include the struggle to deal sensitively with many issues their team members face, both at home and in work, and supporting the needs and development of their teams on top of their own challenges.

Of those who have received formal training, 83% agreed that they are more likely to feel confident in their abilities as managers and leaders: the report detailed that “they are significantly more likely to trust their team, to feel comfortable leading change initiatives and to feel comfortable calling out bad behaviour compared to those that don’t have training.”

Leadership and Management are about far more than directing teams and supervising tasks.

Anyone who finds themselves in a leadership position – whether deliberately or accidentally – will acknowledge that the role is far more diverse and involved than they anticipated. That there are skills, behaviours, requirements and communication skills that they never expected to need – and that the overall culture of the organisation, and the wellbeing of their people, is a more significant part of any management role than the technical or industry experience they assumed would be key.

With poor management, and the negative impact just one poor leader can have, it’s absolutely vital that – in every industry, and every organisation – investing in the development and training of your leaders is a significant and key part of your planning.

Perhaps even more important, investing in the development and training of your wider workforce before they take on more senior roles, ensuring that any progress and promotion from within your existing workforce brings that lasting ethos of development, growth, understanding and cohesion.

The culture your people work within – and that your Managers lead within – is dependent on everyone thinking, feeling and behaving in ways that align with the company values – and that’s what your Leaders and Management need to be trained and developed most thoroughly in delivering, in their own work, and in the way they influence, develop and train those below them.

Lead by example. Invest in the future of your people, and in the potential they all hold as leaders, managers and high-performing teams.

For more information about our Expert to Leader programme – or any of the other Leadership Development programmes we offer – download our brochure, or contact one of the ASK team today; we’d be happy to discuss any development needs you have, and how our tailored programmes could help.

Just ASK!

The cost of Accidental Management