Managers are struggling.
In Betterworks’ 6 Steps to Strengthening Your Managers infographic, they note that “Top performers promoted to management don’t necessarily have the mix of skills to be good managers. Many managers feel ill-equipped, inadequately supported, and burned out.”
Let’s break this down. Managers feel ill-equipped because they don’t have the interpersonal and management skills they need to be effective. We’re talking about skills that do not necessarily come automatically, such as coaching, listening, communication, problem solving, motivating, team building, conflict resolution, and delegation.
Managers feel inadequately supported because they are left to sink or swim on their own. Upper management, with challenges of their own, may not take the time to mentor or support their middle managers. They may not be conscious of the need for more frequent communication and interaction. In addition to better communication between upper and middle management, Betterworks proposes that managers need peer-support groups.
Managers are burnt out because they feel overwhelmed, without the skills or support they need to meet expectations. If they knew how to prioritize and then delegate some of their responsibilities to their employees, and if they knew how to request support and guidance from their peers and upper management, they might feel less overwhelmed.
Peer learning groups are an obvious solution to all three problems. They offer peer support while enabling the managers to learn and strengthen the interpersonal and management skills they need. They also offer a safe place for managers to share their challenges and provide advice and counsel, so they know that they are not alone.
What are other ways to help managers feel better equipped, adequately supported, and less burned out?
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