Skills Managers Need to Thrive in 2024: Part One

Which skills are chronically underperformed and how to close those gaps

Estimated reading time: 2.5 mins

Abstract

This white paper examines the challenges front-line managers face in a rapidly evolving world.

The role has seen an influx of younger, less experienced people, technological change, and digitization even as the pandemic and inflation have changed the customer base.

In addition, collective trauma has profoundly affected managers, but there has been little time or budget for training or upskilling. This paper proposes Deliberate Practice as a best-practice learning solution.

It focuses on developing four skills—empathy, curiosity, attention, and clarity—as essential for managers to build psychological safety, attend to the well-being of their staff, customers, and themselves, and be better equipped to handle difficult customers and foster understanding and collaboration among their teams.

Situation

Front-line managers have spent the last three years learning how to adapt faster—to catch up to changes from COVID, to work-from-home, to the Great Resignation, the Great Reshuffle, the Great Application to Quiet Quitting.

But that’s not all that is changing. The role has seen an influx of younger, less experienced people. Technological change and digitization are constant. And the pandemic and inflation have also changed the customer base, resulting in the rise of a less patient, angrier customer base.

We analyzed five years of performance data and identified four broadly applicable skills where managers consistently underperformed. These four essential skills are empathy, curiosity, attention, and clarity. You’ve seen the data. Let’s explore each skill in turn.

However, there’s been little time or budget for training or upskilling despite a clear and present need to help these managers take better care of themselves, their teams, and their customers. If 2023 is the year to invest in learning and development then targeted and incisive learning solutions are required.

These solutions must be time-efficient and personalized. They must address as many gaps as possible. They must also align with the learning styles of younger generations. Deliberate Practice, focusing on developing four broadly applicable skills, is indicated as a best-practice learning solution.

The four skills that managers underperform:

For a detailed breakdown of the four skills, see Part Two of our series: “Understanding the four skills and why they are critical to manager success”.

Complication

Although it is not widely recognized or acknowledged, collective trauma profoundly affects managers tasked with leading teams through rapid and unpredictable change. The pandemic's emotional toll and economic instability have caused stress and anxiety, while the influx of younger, less experienced workers has led to a disconnect between generations.

In response, managers must be equipped with the right skills to build psychological safety and attend to the well-being of their staff, customers, and themselves.

Solution

So where should organizations focus their development efforts? In addition to building a foundational understanding of collective trauma and psychological safety, learning and development efforts should focus on experiential skill development. For efficiency, the skills should apply to leadership, coaching, and client experience.

Conclusion

In summary, the role of managers is critical in today's rapidly evolving world. Managers must develop empathy, curiosity, attention, and clarity skills to ensure success and customer satisfaction. With the right training, managers can understand the effects of trauma, build psychological safety, and prioritize the well-being of their staff, customers, and themselves.

See Part Two of our series: Understanding the Four Skills and Why They Are Critical to Manager Success