How to Select and Train Future Management

If you run or manage a business, you may decide to promote employees internally for management roles. Not only will this make the onboarding process easier when it comes to senior positions – as the individual you’ve promoted will already have a good grasp of the company’s practices and processes – but the potential for career progression will encourage great performance in most staff members. So, how do you choose the best candidates for managerial positions – and how do you help them to hone their skills?

The Right Personality

It’s vital that an employee who is being considered for management should have an outlook that suits the role. In general, managers should be personable, articulate, organised, respectful to staff members and stakeholders of all backgrounds, proactive, confident and good at problem solving. Much of management involves influencing others to do great work – and morale among staff is vital. You’ll need to balance an individual’s practical skills against their personality. For example, if a person is excellent at their job but terrible at giving instructions or always liable to rub others up the wrong way, they may not be the best choice. 

The Best Qualifications

If you’ve got your hands on a fantastic employee who seems perfect for management but doesn’t have the right level of education or all of the required qualifications, don’t feel you have to pass them up for someone else who does. More and more companies are arranging for their staff members to attend courses or even to pursue further or higher education in order to get them to the best possible standard on paper. If you have the means, why not enrol the employee in question on a part time college or university course? It’s even possible to become their student loan cosigner to enable them to receive the financial support they require.

A Complete Grounding

Think about organizing shadowing opportunities for your chosen future managers, so that they can better understand what they would be doing should they receive a promotion. Arrange for them to spend an afternoon per week working alongside you or the relevant manager. This will help them to witness the ins and outs of the job, ask questions and develop new skills. It will also enable you to check how well-suited they’re likely to be for the position in practice.

No Pressure

If you’re thinking of promoting an employee, make sure that it’s what they want too. Many staff members will go along with what management says or suggests because they don’t want to get in trouble or they’re worried about causing problems. It may be that the person you’re considering is content where they are, and that a management role would create too much stress for them. Don’t push someone to apply if they do not seem enthusiastic. At the same time, however, a staff member may not realise that they are perfect for the job – so don’t hesitate to gently suggest that they apply. They may be very happy to do so.