Why we must communicate before we set out to educate

Jul 19 2005 By Brenda Kilgallon, The Journal

Brenda Kilgallon examines the challenges facing managers who want to develop their skills.

The pressures facing business today are immense. Increased competition and rapid change mean that collaborative ways of working and more authentic ways of communication are essential.

The key lies in the ability of managers to provide clear focus and the kind of leadership that people actually want to follow.

Being technically brilliant is of little use if a manager has poor people skills. Managers need to be able to anticipate the future, meet challenges head on and work with staff to put into practice effective solutions and innovative ideas.

Essentially, this requires dynamic thinking and `in-the-bones' leadership. Before a manager can fully function they must be able to get the management of themselves right first.

Not only is this necessary to build trust and credibility, but it also means they can interact with others effectively thereby creating good relationships both within the business and with customers and suppliers.

Management development needs to concentrate on building the manager's self awareness and capacity to self-lead before it considers the many management tools available to manage others and improve their performance.

Management training should also reflect the importance of creating role clarity, with regard to the individual manager, the role of their team or department and the organisation's role. It should then offer opportunities for managers to become more self aware, in order to build on skills and attributes as well as addressing and redressing limitations.

Any development initiative should have at its' heart communication, as it is the bedrock of sound management. Those charged with training and development need to understand what makes the organisation tick.

External consultants need to determine what their client's long term business plans are and what is driving marketing strategy, in order to design programmes that meet the realities of the client's workplace.

For management development to produce the kind of results most organisations want to see, there must be real commitment from the key people, such as the CEO and the Directors. They need to support those being developed by creating a culture that both allows and encourages the freedom to change, challenge and fully participate.

Sometimes the senior players in an organisation are reluctant to step back and give the necessary amount of space needed to produce the learning required for sustained and positive change. Continuous learning and growth is absolutely essential if organisations are to survive.

Those professionals delivering management training need to give serious thought to how they work with the client. Because change is not a one-off event, and development takes place over time. The working relationship should be grounded in honest communication.

It should work as a flexible partnership. Helping to create high performance managers is a both a challenge and a pleasure. It should result in greater organisational success and improved customer relations. Definitely creating a win-win situation all round.

Brenda Kilgallon is MD of Kilgallon Consulting.