21% of British employees surveyed by Glassdoor have resigned due to a terrible boss.

Effective management is one of the most crucial elements to running a successful business. But as the above statistic proves, there are still a lot of bad bosses out there

An effective first line manager needs to be a motivator, a problem solver, and sympathetic to their team’s feelings. They also need to keep things ticking over for their own managers, and keep the needs of the company and the customers at the forefront of everything they do. 

Being pulled in all of these different directions can be incredibly draining and sometimes bewildering. It’s therefore crucial to equip your management staff (especially those in the lower levels of management) with adequate guidance on how to manage effectively and lead a productive and fulfilled team.

This is where first line management training comes in.

What is First Line Management Training?

First line management training gives those in your lowest levels of management the confidence and skills to become effective leaders. Through coaching and mindset guidance, first line management training helps create managers that bring a team together and keep their staff feeling engaged, valued, and fulfilled.

Why is it Important to Train First Line Managers?

Because first line managers potentially have the most to juggle. They generally have the largest teams to directly manage, the most upline managers to please, and fewer opportunities to delegate tasks. This delicate balancing act can arguably be a very stressful one; especially if the manager doesn’t have much prior management experience.

On top of this, many lower level managers tend to feel that they can’t influence the behaviour of their staff, and that attitude problems within their team are totally out of their control. Training gives managers clarity about what they can do to bring out the best in their staff, and make the team a more happy and productive place to work.

First line management is the lifeblood of your organisation; it’s their responsibility to keep your front line staff eager and driven in order to bring in more business. It’s not always an easy spot to be in.

So How is First Line Management Training Different to Senior Management Training?

The roles of first line managers and senior managers are very different, and therefore their training has to meet a very different set of needs. Senior roles tend to be more focused on looking at the big picture and moving the business forward through long-term strategy. First line roles are much more hands-on; involved with the day to day operations, dealing with the immediate needs of their team, and handling the demands placed on them from higher-ups.

Though these roles are very different, it must never be forgotten that all levels of management should be singing from the same hymn sheet, and all staff - not just managers - play a role in the business’s performance.

What Does First Line Management Training Look Like?

Though there are all kinds of trainers out there with their own ways of doing things, our management training doesn’t follow a set plan or curriculum. Each company is different, and each faces different struggles that they are seeking to solve through training.

When you speak to us about training, we will always lead with tough questions like “why have you decided to take on training,” and “what problems and opportunities have you identified that you hope to address through working with a trainer?”. This is because we believe that any management training should be uniquely tailored to a company’s individual culture, the problems they need to overcome, and the successes they wish to achieve.

By having an open and frank conversation about where you are as a company, we then put together a cohesive training plan that is completely bespoke to your organisation.

How Will First Line Managers Benefit?

The managers who receive the training will leave with confidence, motivation, and clarity about their role as a worker and as a leader. Many first line managers feel that they can’t directly influence the behaviour of those that report to them, but this is incorrect. If they lead with enthusiasm, intelligence, and empathy, those qualities will start to come forward in their staff.

When a manager takes ownership of their role as a motivator and an agent of positive change, they bring out fresh determination and zeal in their team. The team’s new-found confidence in turn helps to drive results and keep the whole company thriving.

First line management training also helps managers deal with the stressful elements of being a manager, so they feel less helpless in the face of difficult management decisions. The right training can help your management staff become better strategists and problem solvers as well as making the best of their team.

How Will Front Line Staff Benefit?

Motivated, confident and emotionally intelligent managers pave the way for motivated, confident and emotionally intelligent staff. Front line staff can experience feelings of dread, frustration, and apathy if they’re poorly managed. However a manager who has received management training is better equipped to solve the problems that run behind those feelings, leaving the staff feeling valued and fulfilled. Management training brings out the ability to inspire the team and to pull them together as a cohesive unit.

Poor managers tend to blame individuals for any apparent shortcomings, when those situations may well be improved by better management. Apathetic staff may be berated for not pulling their socks up, but in truth they may feel that their voice simply isn’t being heard. Mistake-prone staff may consistently be called out about the quality of their work, but they may simply need a little more training and patience than others. Always-complaining staff may have legitimate criticisms that could be worth looking into, or are relatively easy to solve.

Management training helps managers listen to their staff, keep their teams driven, and make the working environment a more pleasant and productive place to be.

How Will the Company Benefit as a Whole?

When managers at all levels are confident, open, honest, and understanding, the company eventually becomes a better place to work. Fulfilled team members are generally more productive; happier customer-facing staff are better equipped to create happy customers; and companies are usually more profitable when their employees are satisfied, positive, and well-informed.

Nobody wants to be a bad boss, but many fall into bad habits without proper leadership training. Ultimately, we believe that a team should be led on a strong basis of cooperation and understanding, where other people’s points of view are something to be worked with rather than against.

Using an integrated system of blended learning, coaching, workshops, and ongoing support, Chilli Pepper Development provide comprehensive management and leadership training to help your teams be the best they can be. If this interests you, get in touch with us today on 0333 305 6516 or drop us a line at [email protected].