There was a time, not so long ago, when becoming a manager seemed like an end-of-career decoration. We rewarded the best technician, the most efficient salesman or the most advanced engineer by entrusting him with the keys to the team. We started from the principle that he who knows how to do it will necessarily know how to get it done.
Today, this paradigm has been shattered. In a professional world marked by permanent uncertainty, hybrid work and an unprecedented quest for meaning among employees, a burning question arises: is management an innate gift or a discipline that must be learned urgently?
The “Big Leap” syndrome: why improvisation is no longer enough
Imagine a talented surgeon who would be asked to run an entire hospital from one day to the next, without any preparation for the financial, human or logistical challenges. Yet this is what happens daily in our businesses.
The transition from “individual contributor” to “manager” is undoubtedly the most brutal transition in a career. Overnight, your success indicators no longer depend on your own production, but on that of others. Without training, the new manager often falls into two traps:
- Micro-management: For fear of losing control, he checks every comma, stifling the autonomy of his collaborators.
- Disengagement: For fear of offending his former colleagues, he avoids difficult decisions, letting the team drift without direction.
Training in management means first of all acquiring the humility to recognize that leading men and women is a profession in its own right, with its tools, its psychology and its gray areas.
The new challenges: leading in the era of hybrid and polycrisis
If training was important yesterday, it has become essential today. The role of the manager has mutated under the pressure of three simultaneous revolutions.
1. The end of unity of place
With the generalization of teleworking, management “in view” is dead. We no longer manage schedules, but objectives and confidence. How to maintain team cohesion when half of the members are on a video conference? How to detect burnout behind a screen? These “e-management” skills cannot be invented; they require precise communication protocols that only training can structure.
2. The quest for meaning and loyalty
The younger generations (and those not so young) are no longer satisfied with a salary. They require empathy, transparency and alignment of values. The modern manager must swap his “little boss” costume for that of a coach. He must know how to listen, give constructive feedback and embody the company’s vision.
3. Emotional complexity
The days of leaving your emotions in the locker room are over. The manager is now on the front line facing issues of mental health, diversity and inclusion. Without a solid foundation in emotional intelligence, the risk of clumsiness or worse, suffering at work is multiplied.
What’s in the modern manager’s toolbox?
Training in management, okay, but to learn what? Current training programs have moved away from dusty flowcharts to focus on Soft Skills.
The art of nonviolent communication (NVC)
Knowing how to say what’s wrong without pointing out the other person is a rare skill. The training allows you to learn to separate facts from judgments, and to express clear needs to defuse conflicts before they explode.
Performance management through feedback
The traditional annual maintenance is a relic of the past. The trained manager knows how to practice feedback “on the fly”: celebrating victories immediately and correcting things without delay, transforming the error into a learning opportunity.
Time and priority management
Paradoxically, the higher you go in the hierarchy, the less time you have to think. Training helps you delegate effectively — which doesn’t mean “getting rid of chores,” but “empowering your employees” to focus on strategy.
The ROI (Return on Investment) of training: the numbers speak
Some managers are still hesitant, seeing training as a cost or a waste of operational time. However, studies are unanimous: a poorly managed team costs a fortune.
- The cost of turnover: Replacing an employee costs between 6 and 18 months of their salary (recruitment, training, loss of productivity). A trained manager drastically reduces resignations linked to the working atmosphere.
- The commitment: According to Gallup, managers account for 70% of the variance in employee engagement. An engaged team is 21% more profitable.
- The employer brand: In the age of Glassdoor and social networks, a manager’s reputation spreads quickly. A company that trains its executives attracts the best talent.
Learning throughout life: the “Learner” manager
Initial training in business school or university is no longer enough for a 40-year career. The world is changing too quickly. The real need is to move from the status of “he who knows” to that of “he who learns”.
Today, the formats have adapted. We no longer necessarily lock ourselves up for three days in a windowless conference room. Micro-learning (short videos), peer coaching (discussing issues between managers) or reverse mentoring (learning from younger people about digital technology) are all ways of continuing training.
“The greatest danger in times of turbulence is not the turbulence itself, it is acting with yesterday’s logic. » —Peter Drucker
A question of responsibility
So, is training in management a necessity? The answer is a resounding “yes”, for a simple reason: management is not a privilege, it is a responsibility. Having an impact on the daily lives, mental health and career development of other human beings requires impeccable professionalism. We wouldn’t imagine an airplane pilot without a simulator, nor an athlete without a coach. Why should the business world be an exception?
Ultimately, training in management is not only beneficial for the company or for the manager’s career. It’s an act of respect towards his teams. This is the guarantee that work will remain what it should be: a place of collective achievement, and not a source of unnecessary anxiety.
Management is a complex art, of course, but it is an art that can be learned. For everyone’s sake, it’s time to close the book on improvisation.
