The Apprentice Leader:
Training for New Leaders
The apprentice model of developing leaders depends primarily on learning in the workplace, with lots of support, developmental opportunities, and feedback. But that doesn't imply that training has no place. Quite the contrary.
When a person is promoted from a position as individual contributor to responsibility for the performance of a group, they need training in some of the basic tasks they will need to perform as a manager. They also need an orientation to their new role.
The training should take place in two timeframes. Some basic skill and role training should happen before the person takes over the group he or she will be leading. Other training should take place frequently over the next year to eighteen months, the amount of time it takes a new leader to make the transition to the new role.
Training should also be a point and method of cultural values transmission and a way for the new manager to develop relationships with peers. It should cover four distinct areas.
The training should cover the expectations that the organization has for anyone responsible for group performance. I suggest that the new leaders should learn that he or she now has two objectives: accomplishing the mission and caring for and developing the people. The organization should also be clear about how it expects the leader to act and work.
The training should cover role identification. What does it mean to be responsible for group performance? How does that affect the leader's everyday work life?
The training should cover skills that the leader will have to use in the leadership part of the new job. Here's a brief list.
Set clear expectations for performance and behavior
Analyze supervisory situations
Set objectives for changes in performance or behavior
Follow up to check on how things are going and to coach, counsel, correct, and encourage
How effectively to talk to people about performance and behavior
How to document performance and behavior
Most of this skill training should be conducted using best practices in adult learning. Leadership is not a subject that you learn from lecture. It is more like riding a bike than it is like history. Some training should involve videotaped role practice.
The training should also cover organization-specific duties and expectations. These include policies and procedures, schedules and forms.
The training that happens in the classroom can only handle part of the important learning a new leader needs. The rest should happen back in the work place.
The company should have a peer support system for all leaders. Training should plug the new leader into the appropriate support group.
The company should have some managers whose job includes helping new managers adapt to their new role and responsibilities. This should be part of the senior manager's job. He or she should be evaluated on how well that job is done.
Receiving critical skill and role training early will set the new leader on the path to success in the new job. A strong support and feedback system will help the new leader stay on track during the transition and begin a lifelong development process.
