Training For Experienced Managers – What Can You Teach Them?
New managers typically understand that there is a lot they need to learn on the job.
While they can be experts in their given fields, the art of leading other people is not innate to many, and new skills are essential to take on to be an effective manager.
However, not many experienced managers feel that they should continue to learn and develop their leadership skills.
That is unfortunate because not only do new theories and methods on management develop over time, but many managers simply forget what they learned in the beginning, and can benefit from refreshers.
Here are some skills to focus on when training experienced managers:
Difference Between Management and Leadership
When training experienced managers, one of the most important skills to focus on is leadership, and how that is different from simple management.
Managing employees involves concentrating on tasks, while leading them concentrates on the people themselves. Managers hire new candidates, give out assignments, make sure they are done correctly and discipline employees.
They make decisions with their teams as opposed to for them.
Leadership is more of a team-oriented experience rather than a dictatorship.
Active Listening
Seasoned managers are often so focused on getting the job done that they get very comfortable giving out directions and expecting simple yes/no answers.
A great skill to teach experienced managers is active listening, which requires them to slow down, ask questions and stop multitasking long enough to listen to their staff. When this occurs, bosses are surprised by how much a few minutes of listening can actually help the team.
What they often forget to realise is that their team members are experts in their own rights with important things to say that can lead to innovation and positive change.
Persuasive Communication
New managers need to focus on being direct and gain the respect of their employees, while experienced managers can benefit from learning more advanced skills, such as persuasive communication.
Instead of telling your staff that they must do something and make them feel inferior to you, try persuading them to see things your way, which will include them in the decision making process.
To be persuasive, you should focus on the benefits that your employees will get from doing things a certain way.
For example, they can cut down on their work time by learning a new system.
Providing context and being open to discussing certain pitfalls is also important to be persuasive rather than dictate what needs to be done!
New managers typically understand that there is a lot they need to learn on the job. 
