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The paradigm of work is shifting. People’s jobs are no longer solely based on need, but on a strong desire to experience meaning and belonging, do work that matters, and grow as individuals. Work is no longer seen as separate to people’s lives, but as a synergistic part of it. 70% of employees today say their sense of purpose is defined by their work, yet only 18% get as much purpose from work as they want.
As people start to view themselves, their careers, and their workplaces differently, organizations are being forced to react. They can no longer default to the industrial age command-and-control paradigm. They now need to create environments and utilize tools that attract and retain great employees, motivate them, and facilitate effective and collaborative work in ever-complexifying dynamics.
Training and development programs for managers can be the answer to creating meaning across the entire organization. According to the 2018 Workplace Learning Trends study, 94% of employees would stay longer if companies invested in staff development. When managers are given the tools and training to support their employees, team members have the chance to develop their skills and grow, and they become more engaged and invested in their work.
Though tools exist in the market to support manager training within organizations, they tend to fall into two buckets:
Most organizations will use one or the other. For example, they’ll hire a corporate trainer to conduct a yearly or quarterly leadership training session, which can be inspiring and motivating to managers at the outset, but all too often the methods get lost in the shuffle of the day to day. This is also known as passive learning, which occurs when learners simply receive information one-way. The result of this passive learning style is that employees rapidly forget the knowledge they acquired once the training is over. Studies show that 70% of what employees learn is forgotten within 24 hours, and 90% of what they learn is lost within the first week!
Another option is to adopt a digital platform solution where managers can log in and handle their training initiatives and track progress. The main problem with using a platform on its own, is that it lacks the personalized touch of a human coach, and without that, becomes just another task on the manager's growing to-do list.
Enter: the people + platform approach. This approach combines the personal training element with the digital platform as a way to enrich the leadership training experience and drive sustainable long term impact. Using a people + platform approach is a highly effective way to encourage active learning, which involves participant input and two-way communication (the opposite of passive learning!). With active learning, people can achieve up to 90% knowledge retention and experience 50% more engagement with learning content.
A people + platform approach to leadership development is a powerful way to cultivate effective managers who can drive innovation, growth, and transformation within their teams and organizations. Let’s break down each component and look at how the two can be used together to maximize value.
A people-first approach places the individual at the center of the process. This approach recognizes that every team member has their own unique strengths, weaknesses, and goals, and tailors the development process to their specific needs. A people first approach is heavily focused on leadership coaching sessions.
A focus on in-person training is highly important for most employees- over half (55%) of employees say they need additional training to perform better in their role.
This approach helps team leaders and contributors not only grow in their roles, but also builds their confidence, and works to unlock their full potential.
A platform approach emphasizes the use of a digital platform that directly supports the methods taught in the coaching sessions. With a digital platform, managers are provided with the right tools to reinforce what they've learned and the ability to turn the learning into action through a series of prompts, intuitive guides, and more.
Using a people + platform approach recognizes that effective leadership doesn’t occur in a vacuum. When leaders feel supported with expert-led group coaching backed by a digital platform that allows them to make use of tangible tools like guides and templates, science-based action prompts, and peer-based support, the methods become sticky, and they are more likely to put the training methodologies into practice.
By prioritizing the development of individual leaders and providing them with personalized training and a digital platform, organizations can drive long-term success and create a culture of continuous improvement.
Across every industry, organizations need to adopt new mindsets, tools, and processes to keep up with the shifting paradigm of work life. Drumbeat has been and will continue to be at the forefront of that change. That is why we’ve built a comprehensive, yet simple and cost-effective Manager Platform for managers to drive world class engagement in the face of the many challenges in today’s hybrid work reality.
The platform uniquely supports managers directly with expert coaching and ongoing support, along with digital access to the most effective, science-based ways to connect with and support their teams.
If you’d like to learn more, click here to sign up for your free demo.
