If you want your training dollars to make a difference, face-to-face management training is a much better bet than e-learning courses or virtual training.
Management Skills are Interpersonal
Management skills are interpersonal. They depend on clear communication with employees who have different personality types, attitudes, and motivational needs.
Assigning work, delegating, coaching, teambuilding, motivating, listening, negotiating, meeting management, and managing change all require interpersonal communication skills.
Because they are interpersonal, the best way to learn and practice them is face-to-face with other managers.
Face-to Face Practice is Needed
The operative word here is “practiced.”
It is one thing to learn what to say. A manager can achieve this through an e-learning course or a virtual training program.
It is an entirely different thing to become comfortable saying what needs to be said and adapting to different circumstances.
That takes practice. It typically involves role playing as the manager with another training participant who takes the role of the other party, possibly another manager, an employee, or a customer.
Only face-to-face practice enables the manager to view and respond to both the verbal and the nonverbal cues of the other person: facial expression, tone of voice, and body language.
Learning Between the Lines
Face-to-face practice is not the only benefit of on-site participatory management training.
Learning activities only begin the process of learning.
The participants learn as much, if not more, from their interactions with the other managers.
We are social beings. We enrich the learning environment when participants can informally confer with each other, learn from each other, share stories and experiences, and support and reinforce each other’s learning.
Additional Benefits
When we conduct participatory training on-site, the managers get to know each other as they learn together. This strengthens their mutual understanding, building greater trust as teammates.
They gain a common language along with their new skill sets.
They are also able to discuss current job issues and challenges, applying their new skills to identify and test out potential real life strategies and solutions.
Their role-playing activities are much more realistic since the managers know the employees and how they are likely to react.
And last but not least, there is a greater probability of learning transfer and retention because their peers are applying the same skills.
Interpersonal Interactions
Managers have continual interpersonal interactions with other managers, employees, and customers. These interactions require communication competence that can only be developed through face-to-face practice.
Do you agree?
If your managers need to develop their skills, please book a call to discuss a tailored management training program. https://laurelandassociates.com/contact/
May your learning be sweet,
Deborah
#facetofacemanagementtraining #managementdevelopment #professionaldevelopment #interpersonalskills
