I can’t tell you how many times I’ve heard it. I know it’s cliche, but if I had a dollar for every time…
Leadership and management training is in a tough spot right now. On one hand, there are a ton of people talking about this stuff. A simple web search for “manager training” gives more material than you could digest. The leadership space is full of writers, teachers, speakers, and thought leaders. Some of these folks are excellent, while some are well known only for having opinions. Where should a regular manager start?
As a manager in the retail/food service space, I’ve engaged with this material for 10 years. I’ve learned so much, but I keep running into the same problem over and over again. No one is writing with me in mind. Lots of material exists for C-suite and MBA corporate types. More may exist for those interested in a life of entrepreneurship and micro business! But what about us retail managers?
As of this writing, the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics estimate the number of “First Line Managers/Supervisors of Retail Workers” to be 1,073,100 and “Food Service Managers” at 356,400. There are more than a million of us in the United States alone, and I’m sure there are others in similar situations not counted here. So what should we do to better ourselves?
If you do what I do, you read anything you can get your hands on and then play your translation game. Much of this information is universal and applies across industries. As a Director of Operations though, I’ve seen plenty of managers who aren’t as excited to do this translation work. I don’t blame them! You shouldn’t have to use materials that someone produced with others in mind.
Managers can develop a “never been trained” mindset when no one is talking to them. Their supervisors expect them to know how to do their job. Their direct reports expect the same competence. In spite of this, this group of 1 million plus is almost completely ignored. There are corporate training programs, but they will tend to focus on the corporate priorities. “Never been trained” shows a leadership culture built on insecurity and ignorance. All of this is fixable!
My name is Christopher Mowers. My colleague Mandy Mann and I are on a mission to help fellow “regular“ managers. We are doing this by making text, audio, and video content, and hosting in person sessions. Neverbeentrained.com exists to improve leadership and management skills in our field- the field of the ”regular” manager in a small to medium sized business. We hope to build a community that inspires and makes a difference in peoples lives. Stick with us!