Training & development of people within any size organisation can be expensive and is very often the area that gets slimmed down in times of austerity. However the benefits of looking after your people…who at the end of the day are your most expensive and therefore most valuable asset, is key to the success of the business going forward.
It is therefore delightful to see the senior management of a multi-million pound business that I am working with at the moment, fully involved in the management development programme that I am running. Not only does each of the three Managing Directors come and present to the group but the Group Finance Director and Chairman spend quality time with their managers in support of their development during the programme.
What does this do for the people attending the course? Well imagine how valued they feel and how important their contribution to the business is…the fact that five senior managers take time out of their busy schedule to attend speaks volumes about the ethos of the business. They actually believe and show that their people are their greatest asset!
How does this help the learning? Well instead of having delegates who have been ‘told to come’ and who are therefore not engaged with the learning I have 12 very attentive, eager to learn managers who see the value in the programme. So not only does the event go well but the learning that is achieved by the managers is increased and is translated back into the workplace in how they treat their people.
As a manager you are only as good as the last interaction, decision or instruction you gave so you have to consistently value the contribution of all of your team. Invest some time in them…not necessarily training, but just taking some time out of your busy schedule to make a difference. This is what these senior managers do and it costs, maybe a couple of hours, once a quarter....can you afford not to do it?
So translate that into your world and take a few minutes to spend some quality time with your people, it will pay you dividends in the long term.
Thanks for your time, Suzanne Unsworth
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