When I was in the eighth grade, my English class was given a chance to enter an essay in a statewide competition. The essay was supposed to be about the first governor of Oklahoma. Most of us headed straight for the encyclopedia and state history books and wrote factually accurate but very boring papers. After reading our efforts, the teacher ranted at us collectively for not knowing that an essay was supposed to contain more than dry facts. There needed to be color, voice, something that made each paper unique.
I felt frustrated; I had worked very hard on my paper, and I thought it was good. Was it my fault that I was a product of the very school system that this teacher worked for? The trouble was this teacher expected us to already have knowledge of things she hadn’t taught us. If she didn’t teach us about essays, where were we supposed to get this knowledge? I guess she expected all of our previous teachers to have covered this topic, but did she bother to check? This same problem exists in the work world. Over and over, I see young supervisors being lambasted for not managing effectively. But like my junior high colleagues and I, no one has ever taught them how to do their job. Often they are promoted to a supervisory role because they were good at their previous job which had nothing at all to do with supervising. Later, because they have been given no coaching to help them develop managerial skills, they are not able to advance up the next rung of the ladder.
I realize that businesses do not exist solely as management training programs and bosses have more to do than coach those under them. However, if a company has a policy of promoting from within (which it should) then it needs to have the mechanisms in place to ensure that its people are ready for promotion when the time comes. A good leader is also a good teacher, passing down her knowledge and skills to the next generation.
Another area where I see this problem is in customer service. If people are hired into positions where they will interact with the public, they need to be trained in human relations and customer service. They cannot just be given a uniform, sent onto the floor and expected to perform at a five star level. For some people good customer service comes naturally, a lot of it comes down to having good manners and respect for other human beings. However, some aspects of great service need to be taught.
This is where good management comes in. A leader/teacher will instruct new employees how to interact with the guests, how to handle difficult situations and each customer’s expectations are exceeded. A good leader will also teach by example, not only in her interactions with customers, but also in her dealings with colleagues and underlings.
Keep in mind that I am not a manager, nor do I ever aspire to be one. I am one of the peons and I’m perfectly happy to stay that way as long as I have good managers to work with.
