This company in the manufacturing sector was seeking to enhance the people development competencies of senior managers, and equip them with the skills required to coach and develop team members. After a talent review, development needs were identified in the areas of leadership essentials transitioning from being ‘First Time Managers’ to people managers, and people development in knowledge, skills and attitude.

Based on these and also on the client company’s plans for the future, the company decided to develop and roll out a set of development workshops for its employees.

One of the critical training needs was for a program on leadership essentials. This was for all the middle management staff in the levels of Deputy Managers (Role Level 2). They had transitioned from the level of First Time Managers to the current role. This program needed to be based on the critical competencies for Managing Managers that had been identified by the organization. It was assumed that people development was part of HR’s role. The managers now needed to understand that this was part of their role and acquire the relevant knowledge, skills and attitude for the same.