One of the biggest questions businesses have when investing in people development is, “How do we make sure that it makes an impact?”
The outlay for an ongoing management development programme (the only type that REALLY works) can feel high in isolation; however, it becomes much more acceptable when viewed in context and against the alternative.
Scarily, 75% of employees feel that their boss is the worst part of their job which makes sense when according to a Gallup survey, only 35% of managers actively engage in their role.
The impact can be phenomenal when a manager absorbs and implements new theories, ideas, and attitudes. The effect on their teams, customers, and the bottom line can be huge.
But how do you make it stick? How do you ensure the behaviours you want to see regularly appear?
Here are three ways you can increase the likelihood of actual behavioural change after a development programme:
- Ensure that you are clear on the outcomes you want to achieve before starting the programme. A good training provider will go through this with you and will ensure that they are achievable from the position you are currently in. What about these behaviours will have the most significant impact on their mindset and those of their teams?
- Create a management community during the development programme. Give the managers plenty of opportunities to work together beyond the training room; breaking down silos adds benefits well beyond their cohort. Support and enable them to generate opportunities to share ideas and challenges regularly, building their confidence and relationships.
- Get the buy-in of their direct line manager, as they should notice the desired changes. Ensure they discuss the programme before it starts, highlighting the critical areas of learning they want to focus on and how it will help them become better managers. They should follow up after each session to help clarify what changes they plan to make and support them to do that.
These three tips will help you ensure that learning and behaviours are implemented and embedded.
For more tips and ideas, click here for our Embedding Learning download.