Training Industry Quarterly - Summer 2012 - (Page 40)

trACkING treNDs | ken TaYLor First-time managers require an immersive training eXperience First step in leadership development training F irst-time manager training is an important part of any leadership development program, with the need for quality training essential to build a solid foundation to start managerial careers. Understanding the dynamics and preferences of these aspiring leaders is critical to developing successful training programs. A recent Training Industry, Inc. study on first-time manager training focused on a range of best practices, covering program design to preferred delivery methods. We also asked participants to help us understand what topics areas should be covered during training, providing a roadmap of what to consider when creating your company’s first step in leadership development. Qualities of Training Customization was the clear message from research participants. Over 90 percent of respondents believe it is important for training to be based on challenges of real managers and customized to their own company’s internal competency framework. This customization provides first-time managers with relevant examples of what to expect in their new leadership role, as opposed to training that only provides general and non-specific information. It was important to acknowledge that this training was part of a larger competency framework at the company and not an isolated event. With 55 percent of respondents rating this attribute as the most critical quality, it is clear that learners want to attend training events that are a relevant to their career path at the company. Designing a training program with modules that build off one another in a comprehensive curriculum roadmap provides learners with a structure for their learning. It also allows learners to apply basic skills before moving on to more advanced skills. Grounding training in research on trends and the challenges of real managers increases the relevance to learners, and many believe it results in increased learner engagement, retention and application on the job. Topic areas Aside from understanding what firsttime managers want in training, it is also essential to gauge the importance of particular leadership topic areas. Given a list of 30 topics, respondents rated which were most important to them. Below are the five most important topics and the percentage of importance: 1. Coaching employees (64%) 2. Communication (written, verbal) (56%) 3. Giving performance evaluations and feedback (53%) Critical Important Top 5 attributes of Quality First-Time Manager Training Grounded in research on trends/challenges of real managers Customized to company’s internal competency framework modules build off others in comprehensive curriculum roadmap Customized to include company’s own content 49% 44% 55% 35% 36% 50% 42% 39% Customized to company’s brand on learning platforms 0% 30% 20% 40% 41% 60% 80% 100% Percent of Respondents 40 Training Industry Quarterly, Summer 2012 / A Training Industry, Inc. ezine / www.trainingindustry.com/TIQ http://www.trainingindustry.com/TIQ

Table of Contents for the Digital Edition of Training Industry Quarterly - Summer 2012

Training Industry Quarterly - Summer 2012
From Where I Sit: The Leadership Perspective
Table of Contents
Ad Index
Guest Editor: Recipe for Leadership Development Success
The Real Power of e-Learning is Social
Too Big to Know … Too Much to Train?
Where Are You on Your Leadership Journey?
Ideal Behaviors for Building Innovation
Going Local: Six Ways to Keep Leadership Development Alive
Building Your Leadership Brand
How Simulations Develop Leaders
Organizational Burnout: How Training Can Help
Increasing Leadership Performance with Emotional Intelligence
Casebook: General Mills: Leaders Teaching Leaders
Tracking Trends: First Step in Leadership Development Training
Tweet Suite
Company News
Closing Arguments: Nature versus Nurture

Training Industry Quarterly - Summer 2012