Human Resource Management International Digest

Effective training for first-line managers: An emphasis on soft skills is important

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(2017) "Effective training for first-line managers: An emphasis on soft skills is important", Human Resource Management
International Digest, Vol. 25 Issue: 7, pp.27-29, https://doi.org/10.1108/HRMID-08-2017-0140
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 Effective training for first-line managers
An emphasis on soft skills is important

Is the training appropriate?

Successful training and development is critical if an organization is to remain competitive.
Management training is especially important in this respect. Both new and established
managers alike need relevant guidance to acquire and hone essential skills.
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However, evidence suggests that the suitability of much training directed at new managers
remains somewhat questionable. The tendency prevails to focus on the knowledge and
capabilities pertinent to their more experienced counterparts. But such skills are deemed
too advanced for individuals taking their initial tentative steps on the managerial ladder.
These first-line managers (FLMs) need to develop more fundamental capabilities as they
adapt to their role. Researchers have identified various competency areas which can
essentially be classified as technical, conceptual, and human skills.

The critical nature of non-technical skills

Where FLMs are concerned, the latter are arguably most crucial. In times where
collaboration is invariably viewed as king, new managers must acquire the non-technical
skills needed to successfully work with and manage people. Training and development is
a proven way of enhancing interpersonal and other so-called soft skills.
Like many other things, training comes in different shapes and sizes. Some firms opt for
workers to learn on-the-job. With others, more formal types of in-house programs are the
preferred option. External training delivered by outside providers is another popular
approach.
External training is a thriving area. For instance, in the UK it accounts for a sizeable chunk
of the £49 billion reportedly spent on training each year. With such an investment,
companies naturally want to know that they are getting a decent return for their outlay.
So are they? Do the programs delivered by private training providers (PTPs) include
content appropriate to the needs of FLMs? Development of soft skills is imperative;
otherwise, there is a substantial risk that individuals will approach middle management
positions with a worrying void in their portfolio of capabilities.
Perhaps part of the problem is the standardized nature of course content. Lack of
customization ensures that little variation exists in the materials and content each customer
receives from the provider. Insufficient emphasis on certain non-technical skills will thus
disadvantage new managers who must interact productively with colleagues.

Identifying core soft skills

It does not help that determining which soft skills FLMs should acquire has not been adequately
addressed in the literature. Evaluation of existing PTP training programs is problematical as a
result.

DOI 10.1108/HRMID-08-2017-0140 VOL. 25 NO. 7 2017, pp. 27-29, © Emerald Publishing Limited, ISSN 0967-0734 HUMAN RESOURCE MANAGEMENT INTERNATIONAL DIGEST PAGE 27
 Yeardley approaches this issue by using different competency models to establish a
benchmark that such programs can be measured against. The three models used are
comprehensive in the sense that they reflect different areas associated with the
business sector. These models respectively originate from a leading HR organization,
a non-governmental body, and a PTP.
Differences exist in the terminology used to describe the variety of soft skills incorporated within
the models. An attribute defined as “self-management” was the one to appear in all three,
whereas certain other soft skills appeared twice. All these attributes were subsequently used to
create the foundation of a framework for best practice. Further research led to the addition of
other elements to expand the initial structure.

Why training programs can be inadequate

Next move was to ascertain to what extent current FLM programs offered by PTPs in the UK
covered the best practice soft skills. Examination of course content during 2011 revealed
considerable difference in emphasis. For instance, self-management and “teamwork”
accordingly figured in 32 and 31 of the 45 FLM courses scrutinized. This contrasts with
“planning and organizing”, which featured in just 12.
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That only around two-thirds of the programs focused on communications was seen as a
surprise, given its value as a core competence. This might indicate a mistaken assumption on
the part of providers that new managers were already proficient communicators and thus not
in need of training in this area.
At least equally alarming to Yeardley was the presence of control and delegation as the most
taught topic by PTPs. It verifies the continued existence of command and control management
models, which sit rather uneasily alongside the collaborative approaches heavily favored in
today’s business world. The prominence of “conflict solving” also raised concerns about its
suitability for this early stage of management training.
Managers are likely to perform better if they fully understand the role and how their decisions
and actions impact on others. It therefore seems an error of judgment for the majority of PTPs
that did not include “the meaning and characteristics of management” in their programs.

Is provision changing for the better?

Similar research was conducted four years later to ascertain if and where training provision had
evolved. Would PTPs have addressed their earlier course shortcomings?
Initial analysis revealed:
 greater flexibility with regards to course duration. Participants can enroll on programs
that last anything from 90 min to five days;
 an emergence of online training options; and
 many courses remain similar to those offered in 2011.
The flexibility is a welcome development but whether courses of a minimal duration can cover
sufficient content is seriously debatable. Online options will undoubtedly appeal too, especially
to younger managers and those where time constraints pose logistical problems.

However, evidence suggests that the suitability of much

training directed at new managers remains somewhat
questionable.

PAGE 28 HUMAN RESOURCE MANAGEMENT INTERNATIONAL DIGEST VOL. 25 NO. 7 2017

 In times where collaboration is invariably viewed as king, new
managers must acquire the non-technical skills needed to
successfully work with and manage people.

One course now incorporates all six soft skills from the core framework. This is obviously a step
in the right direction. But the fact that the overwhelming majority of programs still do not cover
all the basics does temper any enthusiasm about this news. It is likewise disappointing that
other key core skills like self-management and planning and organizing are still only present in
less than half of the courses.
More encouraging is the significantly greater prominence afforded to management
characteristics and role. It is now the most taught element, which implies that PTPs are taking
context more into account. The stronger focus in this area should increase manager
understanding of the behaviors expected of them. But a case might be made that
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“self-awareness” should come before management characteristics. However, this skill remains
conspicuous by its absence from most courses.
Delegation does not feature in any of the soft skills models used to create the framework. Yet
it continues to occupy a priority position on FLM courses. Such emphasis on this facet of
top-down management could have a detrimental effect on efforts to enhance a new manager’s
interpersonal skills. On a brighter note, greater onus is now being placed on communications.
But so it should be. Amazingly though, it is still not included in around a fifth of programs. Similar
scope exists to increase the attention paid to the input of technology for soft skills development.
This research can:
 alert HR practitioners to the lack of consistency of FLM training provision among PTPs;
 highlight new manager soft skills that are inadequately covered in the programs;
 draw attention to the need for training courses to be constantly reviewed to ensure their
relevance and effectiveness. The growing reliance on technology for interaction
purposes illustrates why monitoring is necessary; and
 ensure that FLM programs are focused properly and prioritize such as interpersonal
skills, communication, and teamwork.

Comment
The review is based on “Training of new managers: why are we kidding ourselves?” by Keywords:
Yeardley (2017). Training of new managers is a critical yet seemingly neglected task. Program Soft skills,
content delivered by external training providers is often too advanced for those just embarking Management training,
on a management career. This raises concerns about individuals progressing toward the First-line managers,
middle management phase while lacking some fundamental skills and capabilities. Private training providers

Reference
Yeardley, T. (2017), “Training of new managers: why are we kidding ourselves?”, Industrial and
Commercial Training, Vol. 49 No. 5, pp. 245-255, ISSN 0019-7858, doi: 10.1108/ICT-12-2016-0082.

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VOL. 25 NO. 7 2017 HUMAN RESOURCE MANAGEMENT INTERNATIONAL DIGEST PAGE 29