People are the beating heart of every business. Whether it is the lone entrepreneur or a company of multiple teams, it pays to make sure that every human resource is properly managed to ensure that everyone is well aligned and works toward the company’s goals.
In this article, we’ll discuss the complexities of people management. Are you trained in it? If not, read on to equip yourself with the knowledge and skills needed to effectively manage your company’s most important resource.
Are you a people manager?
Not all managers in a company are people managers. It should also be noted that not all people managers are equipped with the skills needed to look after the company’s workforce. In fact, according to Gartner, 85% of the people managers they surveyed received no formal training upon promotion or were promoted for reasons other than good managerial performance.
This lack of training results in managers feeling unprepared and resorting to fake their effectiveness until they get the hang of the work. This is because they need to live up to the expectations of their team and the leaders who put them in their current position, and feel like they need to deliver a performance worthy of their newly earned pay grade.
People managers need training
People management is rife with challenges, from getting the right talent into the company to ensuring everyone is working in harmony and contributing to the company’s growth. This can be very overwhelming for new managers, especially those not trained for the job.
In other words, the job is simply difficult. As such, training is needed for people management regardless of the manager’s existing skill or the circumstance of their promotion. For those who were not oriented for the role, there’s no need to feel overwhelmed. Here are some tips to turn this lack of training around:
- Be humble. Don’t let your promotion get to your head. Remember, you might not really deserve it performance-wise, so keep your feet on the ground and your mind open to feedback.
- Keep learning. Don’t treat your lack of training as a metaphorical quagmire. Instead, be active in seeking knowledge and advice that will help you become a more effective people manager. This should not be hard, especially since you have access to the Internet and its massive library of information that can get you up to speed.
- Be self-aware. You should acknowledge that you may not be fit for the role – at least for the time being. This self-awareness should help you open up to various opportunities for learning.
- Seek mentorship. As an untrained people manager, you are statistically not alone. There are others like you, many of which have overcome the same struggles you’re experiencing. These folks may be able to mentor you and help bring out the effective people manager in you.