As leading Kansas City recruiters, Morgan Hunter knows the situation happens time and again. A high potential middle manager is promoted into the big leagues. They hit the ground running…only to fall short a few months later. What gives? And how could such budding talent fail so miserably?
The problem may not lie with the manager themselves; it may actually lie with your leadership development process. Even the most promising individual needs training and support to become a great leader. And when they’re not given proper guidance, they’re unlikely to be able to deliver on expectations.
What can you do? Here are some tips to help you transform your middle managers into strong leaders:
Recruit right.
Middle managers are often times in a tough spot. They’re responsible for a staff of employees and must also provide accountability to senior level managers. As a result, they must come into the job with the ability to properly manage both relationships.
To find the right talent for these positions, it’s vital to develop an effective job profile and description, including 4-5 must have traits for success in the position. Think of other employees who have performed well in the same or a similar position in the past to pinpoint characteristics. Also, during the hiring process, ask behavioral questions, rather then general ones to learn about a candidate’s past successes and failures. Be sure to use assessments to test out candidates as well.
Focus on training and mentoring.
Organizations tend to focus on new and senior managers when it comes to training, with middle managers often left out. However, if you want a manager to achieve their potential, you need to enable them to continue developing their skills.
One of the most effective ways to do this is by providing training programs in which managers can learn from their peers, as well as other senior managers, and then go on to train new managers. By collaborating with and then teaching others, middle managers can learn more, reinforce skills and truly improve their performance.
Plan for the future.
Succession planning is the ongoing process of identifying, assessing, and developing talent to ensure leadership continuity. One key benefit of careful succession planning is that insiders know the culture, the people and the nuances of both.
But in order to groom middle managers for future leadership roles, you need to have a solid succession planning process in place. It should include steps like giving high potential managers projects in different areas, where they have an opportunity to influence and collaborate with others. Challenge them with difficult goals and assess how they perform under stress. And move them around to evaluate how easily they can adapt. As time goes on, you’ll begin to see who are your A-players – and the next generation of senior leaders.
Do you need more help hiring for your company’s leadership positions? Call Morgan Hunter. As a leading Kansas City recruiters, our experts can work with you to learn about your staffing needs and objectives, and then strategize the most cost-effective plan for meeting them. Contact Morgan Hunter today to learn more.