TRAINING PROGRAMS FOR MANAGERS

The training needs of managers may be classified into four areas: decision-making skills,
interpersonal skills, job knowledge, and organizational knowledge.
The decision-making skills of the manager may be enhanced through any of the following
methods of training:
1. In-basket where the trainee is provided with a set of notes, messages, telephone calls,
letters, and reports, all pertaining to a certain company situation. He is expected to handle
the situation within a given period of 1 or 2 hours.
2. Management games is a raining method where trainees are faced with a simulated
situation and are required to make an ongoing series of decisions about that situation.
3. Case studies this method presents actual situations in organizations and enable one t o
examine successful and unsuccessful operations. It emphasizes the managers world,
improves communication skills, offers rewards of solving a mystery, possesses the quality
of illustration, and establishes concrete reference points for connecting theory with
practice.
The interpersonal competence of the manager may be developed through any of the following
methods:
1. Role playing is a method by which the trainees are assigned roles to play in a given
case incident. They are provided with a script or a description of a given problem and of
the key persons they are to play. The purpose of this method is to improve skill of the
trainees in human relations, supervision, and leadership.
2. Behavior modeling- this method attempts to influence the trainee by showing model
persons behaving effectively in a problem situation. 12 The trainee is expected to adapt
the behavior of the model and use it effectively in some instances later on.
3. Sensitivity training- under this method, awareness and sensitivity to behavioral patterns
of oneself and others are developed.
4. Transactional Analysis is a training method intended to help individuals not only
understand themselves and others but also improve their interpersonal communication
skills.
In acquiring knowledge about the actual job the manager is currently holding, the following
methods are useful:
1. On-The-Job Experience this method provides valuable opportunities for the trainee
to learn various skills while actually engaged in the performance of a job.

2. Coaching this method requires a senior manager to assist a lower-level manager by

teaching him the needed skills and generally provided directions, advice, and helpful
criticism. The senior manager must be skilled himself and have the ability to educate,
otherwise the method will be ineffective.
3. Understudy under this method, a manager works as assistant to a higher-level
manager and participates in planning and other managerial functions until he is ready to
assume such position himself. Once in awhile, the assistant is allowed to take over.
In the attempt to increase the trainees knowledge of the total organization, exposure to
information and events outside of his immediate job is made. In this regard, the following
methods are useful:
1. Position rotation - under this method, the manager is given assignment in a variety of
departments. The purpose is to expose him to different functions of the organization.
2. Multiple management - this method is premised on the idea that junior executives must
be provided with means to prepare them for higher management positions. To achieve
this, a junior board of directors is created consisting of junior executives as members. The
board is given the authority to discuss problems that the senior board could discuss. The
members are encouraged to take a board business outlook rather than concentrating on
their specialized lines of work.

PERFORMANCE APPRAISAL
Performance appraisal is the measurement of employee performance. The purposes for which
performance appraisal is made are as follows:
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.

To influence, in a positive manner, employee performance and development.

To plan for future performance goals

To determine training and development needs; and
T o assess the promotional potential of employees.

An employees performance may be measured using any of the following methods:

1. Rating Scale Method where each trait or characteristic to be rated is represented by a
line or scale on which the rater indicates the degree to which the individual possesses the
trait or characteristic.

2. Essay Method where the evaluator composes statements that best describe the person
evaluated.
3. Management by Objectives Method where specific goals are set collaboratively for
the organization as a whole, for various subunits, and for each individual member.
Individuals are, then, evaluated on the basis of how well they have achieved the results
specified by the goals.
4. Assessment center Method where one is evaluated by persons other than the
immediate superior. This method is used for evaluating managers.
5. Checklist Method where the evaluator checks statements on a list that are deemed to
characterize an employees behavior or performance.
6. Work Standards Method where standards are used for the
7. Ranking Method where each evaluator at ranges employees in rank order from the
best to the poorest.
8. Critical-Incident Method where the evaluator recalls and writes down specific (but
critical incidents that indicate the employees perform behavior results in an unusual
success or failure on some parts of the job.
EMPLOYMENT DECISIONS
After evaluating the performance of the employees (managerial or otherwise) the
management will now be ready to make employment decisions. These may consist of the
following:
1. Monetary Reward these are given to employees whose performance is at par or above
standard requirements.
2. Promotion this refers to a movement by a person into a position of higher pay and
greater responsibilities and which is given as a reward for competence and ambition.
3. Transfer - this is the movement of a person to a different job at the same or similar level
of responsibility in the organization. Transfers are made to provide growth opportunities
for the persons involved or to get rid of a poor performing employee.
4. Demolition this is a movement from on position to another which has less pay or
responsibility attached to it. Demolition is used as a form
Separation is either a voluntary or involuntary termination of an employee. When made
voluntarily, the organizations management must find out the real reason. If the presence of a
defect in the organization is determined, corrective action is necessary.

Involuntary separation (or termination) is the last option that the management exercises when an
employees performance is poor or when he/she committed an act violating the company rules
and regulations. This is usually made after training efforts fail to produce positive results.