30 October 2008
Young managers lack communication skills
Coaching might be OK – but who wants to be micromanaged?
A famous TV show highlights communication skills as a young managers’ main development need, say learning and development experts.
"Apprentices" need better communication skills
The Apprentice TV series – where aspiring business tycoons are challenged each week until only one remains – reveals that communication ability is in short supply for young would-be hotshots.
New research says a third of employees feel micromanaged by their boss.
UK conference and business learning awards organizer, The World of Learning 2008, recently surveyed 267 learning and development experts about the program. Experts were asked, “Which skills do you believe The Apprentice highlighted for young managers to improve?”
Communication skills top the results, suggesting these are the main weakness for a young “Apprentice”. Survey respondents say “communication” (71%) is in need of the greatest improvement, closely followed by better “leadership” (62%) and “team working” (59%).
Employees feel micromanaged by bosses
The development of communication skills and leadership abilities lend themselves well to coaching, which many organizations now undertake as a matter of course. However, new research says a third of employees feel micromanaged by their boss – and some of this could result from ineffective coaching.
Global consultants BlessingWhite recently conducted a telephone survey of 524 employed Americans:
- 37.4% feel they're frequently or at least occasionally micromanaged by their boss.
- Men are less likely (34.9%) to complain than women (40.6%).
- Older employees (27% of the over-55s) are also less likely to complain.
However, more than 40% of the under-34s feel micromanaged.
Coaching could be a problem
This could be a problem if bosses leap too quickly for coaching as the panacea for what they perceive to be a lack of skill in younger employees.
BlessingWhite’s coaching practice leader, Cathy Earley (pictured right), says “micromanagement” generally means managing with excessive control or attention to detail. Complaints of micromanagement are hardly new, but she believes the problem is probably made worse by the popularity of coaching.
“Successful coaching has to be based on a trusting relationship. Without trust, a conversation can seem like an interrogation and a simple check-in like micromanagement,” she says.
For tips on how to build managers' communication skills, see the sidebox, below.
Micromanagement leads to disengagement
Earley suggests managers should try to unleash team-member potential, not control it. “See your role as being a leader, not always the expert. Focus on the what, not the how. Explain the big picture, and what the individual’s role is in it.”
The micromanagement problem has organizationwide implications – if not curbed it leads to disengagement.
“It’s certainly not a marginal concern in today’s organization, but goes to the heart of the challenge of how to motivate and empower individuals to get the best performance,” Earley says.
Micromanagers are often well-intentioned
Micromanaging supervisors imply an employee’s work or judgment is not trusted. “The result is a disengaged worker who puts in time but little else, and the person’s apathy eventually infects colleagues in the workplace,” she adds.
Ironically, a micromanaging supervisor may be well-intentioned – often smart, achievement-oriented and knowing the best way to do things.
“They’re eager to help and enjoy solving problems, but find it hard to delegate. This saps the initiative of team members. In fact, micromanagers quash organization innovation and deliver the wrong kind of results,” Earley concludes.
Have your say
Do you agree that younger managers need to improve their communication skills? The Hub wonders if this is not so much a new phenomenon – but an existing situation highlighted by Gen X and Y taking on more responsibilities earlier?
Coaching has long been accepted as a good way to improve leadership and communication skills – what advice do you have for managers in terms of coaching without micromanaging?
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