First Line Manager - Classroom Courses

Managers play a vital role in the success or failure of a business, and are crucial in helping a business reach its maximum potential. Without them leading from the front, employees will suffer from a lack of direction and team cohesion, which will make them far less effective at achieving the organisation’s objectives.

Market trends, consumer attitudes, legislation and numerous other factors all affect the future of the business, and, as a consequence, the requirements and demands placed upon management.

Although some methods and concepts will never change, managers need to ensure that they keep their knowledge updated and continue to learn, adapt and evolve to a changing environment.

This is a question which causes much debate, and it is hard to come to a definitive answer, although this article here tries to shed more light on the subject.

A number of people believe effective leaders are born with many of the attributes necessary to lead a team, and that any leadership training is unnecessary. Whilst this may be true in part, having personal attributes is only half the story... an individual needs to learn how to utilise these attributes and skills to be a great leader and manager. A course such as the ILM Level 2 Award in Leadership and Team Skills not only teaches new concepts, but will also help current and new managers discover how to employ what they know in order to positively and successfully lead their team. Related Link: ILM Leadership and Management courses.

Although managers and leaders need to be able to give clear directions to team members, simply giving orders or delegating tasks with abandon will soon cause problems. Managers need to be able to motivate their workforce, as well as positively influencing them, so that they will approach tasks with enthusiasm and a will for the company to succeed.

The responsibilities of a manager are extremely varied. From devising targets to project management, motivating employees to disciplinary procedures, and much more besides, a manager will have to perform many functions as part of their job role. As such, they not only need to be well-trained, but will need to make sure that they continue to invest in their future development by attending training courses and keeping up to date with a changing world.