When we think of the impact leaders make in an organization, it is not what they say or think that matters, but what their subordinates actually do. If a team is underperforming, the need is articulated to develop its manager. Many cases smart buzzwords, spectacular training sessions or a never-proved-but-extremely-well-sounded-flash-experience is where the story ends.
Billions of dollars have been spent on leadership trainings in the corporate world over the last few decades. Tens of thousand of books were published and offered to managers open for self development. Despite all these efforts, engagement surveys carried out across a wide range of industry sectors yield devastating results.
At last, we have the data! But before sharing our research results with you, I would like to offer some background information and context. For over a decade, we have been dedicated to find ways how we can influence managers to change their people management habits for the better, benefiting their subordinates, the company and themselves at the same time. HR professionals and even training providers have had to observe with disappointment that neither business school programs, nor corporate training events were successful in igniting lasting behavioural change.
I often get the question from leadership development program participants if people can be motivated by punishment. I thought it would make sense to put together a self-interview here to share my own experience as well as related thoughts coming from my leadership and psychology readings.
Developing people management skills is an eternal challenge for most of the companies. Leadership trainings are hard to organize, costly and organizations do not have much information about their efficiency.
There is a bunch of personal effectiveness habits in which most of the renown time management gurus unequivocally agree. However, these are the ones that participants of development programs are most reluctant to apply.
