How to design a management development programme

The systematic process of training by which individuals gain managerial skills is referred to as management development. In the modern world, hierarchical organisations tend to rely on management development programmes to deal with the rapid growth of (or a drastic change in) business volume. Creating a managerial development programme can lead to the formation of successful managers who can help the company move forward. Take a look at this article to gain a deeper understanding of programmes and how to design an effective one.

What is a management development programme?

Management or executive development is a prominent area of human resource management and was previously known as the management revolution. Management Development Programme (MDP) is a course designed to strengthen the relationship between managers at all levels (subordinate to executive management). The aim of this programme is to transform managers belonging to intermediate management level into successful leaders. This enables employees at a managerial level to gain the ability to motivate others, thereby, allowing them to effectively manage their teams.

Objectives of a management development programme

• Inducing capabilities to supervise, organise, plan, lead and motivate thereby, enhancing knowledge and skills;

• Developing mutual trust, cooperation and understanding to foster teamwork;

• Improving decision-making abilities with regards to customer satisfaction, relation with employees and vendors and productivity of the organisation;

• Ensuring personal growth which involves increasing the tenure of managerial employees and shaping their future career by giving them the space to grow;

• Developing succession plans to generate future managerial positions within the organisation;

• Preparing new business expansion strategies;

• Promoting high morale and good organisational environment to enhance productivity and profits.

Types of management development programmes

• External(Off-the-job programmes) – this refers to the specialised courses based on management and executive education offered by universities. External management development programmes also includes management seminars, conferences and workshops conducted by management associations or educational institutions. The specialised courses comprise of the following subjects:

o   Marketing management;

o   Export management;

o   Financial management;

o   Personnel management. 

• Internal(On-the-job programmes) – this includes subjects focused on various business concerns and how to solve those issues in a coordinated and planned manner. Technical training is provided to assistants for them to be capable of undertaking the responsibilities of a position held by a superior, at a certain time in the future. The following subjects belong to the internal category of a management development programme:

o   Art of delegation;

o   Job rotation;

o   Promotions and transfers;

o   Understudy method;

o   Coaching by a superior or boss;

o   Multiple management (membership of committees and junior boards).

 Importance of management development programme

• Allows companies to take a proactive approach towards the growth of their business;

• Motivates employees and increases employee retention to build a knowledge-driven workforce;

• Develops a team of innovation managers that can lead to business improvement and product development;

• Ensures professional development of employees, helping them improve their skill set by implementing individual or company-wide training programme;

• Helps to gain a competitive advantage over other companies with the support of skilled managers;

• Promotes management succession planning and encourages staff development that is essential for the business to move forward during inevitable situations;

• Reduces risk and unpredictability related to external recruitment of managers;

• Helps to hire appropriate employees in the management cadre.

 Effective design of management development programme

Step 1: Be aware of the correlation between learning and development −

• Utilising the various opportunities of learning and development that are available;

• Acquiring the knowledge necessary to solve a problem or achieve a certain goal;

• Gaining skills to use new information to accomplish business activities;

• Implementing new observational techniques.

Step 2: Considering different approaches to learn about management –

• Understanding the different approaches to increase your knowledge about management;

• Utilising formal, comprehensive and systematic approaches to accomplish desired business outcomes;

• Maintaining a balance between formal (traditional classroom guidance) and informal (reading books, on-the-job training or keeping a diary) approaches to learning and development.

Step 3: Learning about management –

• Getting acquainted with the organisational context of management;

• Learning about organisational systems, their dimensions, life cycle and culture;

• Acquiring the knowledge and skills required for effective management in organisations.

Step 4: Identifying your learning objectives and activities –

• Getting assistance from a mentor or a personal coach;

• Practising management skills such as planning, organising, leading and coordinating;

• Starting a new project or workplace activity to focus in a new direction, as well as influence others;

• Working towards narrowing performance gaps that are indicated by your supervisor while reviewing your performance;

• Taking advantage of upcoming opportunities to reduce opportunity gaps in your career;

• Assessing your management skills and practices.

Step 5: Considering additional sources of learning –

• Collecting ideas from friends, peers and supervisors about management skills;

• Identifying behavioural traits and qualities of senior managers;

• Taking up an internship that involves persistence, risk and initiative;

• Taking up a management role in an association;

• Volunteering to manage community projects.

A management development programme is primarily designed to enhance and strengthen the leadership capabilities of a student. Therefore, it is considered a dynamic system training programme that provides students with the necessary resources to effectively lead, engage and develop a team. The Management Development Programme offered by the London School of Business and Finance (LSBF) contributes to the development of candidates in the managerial context. Apply for this programme to be up-to-date with the latest socioeconomic trends.

This article was written by Deblina Dam and edited by Anisa C.