How can you train managers on an ongoing basis?

You may ask your staff to accomplish a task like schedules, replan, review, or budgets and it does not get done. They make a commitment for a new date and it comes and goes without success. What should you do? Do you admonish them? Do you fire them? Do you train them? This entry concerns the last question.

Clearly it is unacceptable for your employees to miss delivery dates. Make sure they know they are accountable have to inform you early about potential misses. But you need to look at the root cause. Some employees may not have competence and you should manage them appropriately but others just have not been trained.

We know that most managers in engineering have not had management training. Part of your job as a manager is to train them. Take the time and have patience. Do not be surprised if employees with big titles are missing some key skills. Train them and they will not only be more productive but they will learn how to train their own staffs.

Here are the basics for a missed task:

• Set a new deadline for a task.
• Notify your employee that if they miss the new date, then you will work on it together.
• If they miss the task, call a meeting and allocate enough time to complete the task together.

I often use the term "lock the doors until it is done". Then you have to complete the task together. Like any other learning situation you have to be careful to not do the work yourself but you need to be in the room and guide the task until completion.

Once employees learn about this method, you can tell them they can ask for this help before they miss a deadline. Be open and generous in the process. If they feel like they are being punished, you may not get what you want out of the process.

You certainly should explore training classes for employees as a proactive tactic to minimize some of the need for this technique but you should still expect to do this kind of training.

Create a learning atmosphere and your team will learn how to succeed.

More later ...