Variohm's Management Training; People Management Skills.

Here at Variohm, we have just completed another round of Management Training, focusing on people management skills.

We train our managers regularly to challenge them to consider where they could improve, move the business forward and enhance their people management skills. Ten of our Managers took part in the training; Jayne Chalmers, our Group Purchasing Manager, Tony Groom, our Group Quality Manager, Richard Kelley, our Engineering Manager, Emma Hannen, our Documentation Manager, Emma Band our Production Manager, Peter Williams, Pat Goodridge and Alan Disbery, our sales managers, Alan Gilbert our stores manager and Carsten Walther, our German sales manager who came over to the UK especially.

How often does Management Training Take Place?

We tend to have management training every twelve to eighteen months, we ask our team of managers where they feel they could improve and what they require support on. The training is then designed around the feedback and is scheduled when it is necessary. The main focus this time was People Management Skills.

What did the Management Training involve?

The training was conducted by our Operations Director Cathy Donoghue, and our Chairman Colin Edwards. We moved our team of managers off site so that they were completely focused on the training. The training consisted of; encouraging our group of managers to talk to each other and discuss their experiences. Asking them to review the strategies used to handle people management situations, which will help with people management skills. Imparting procedural information and giving them personal development challenges.

What Can Be Taken Away From The Management Training?

We like to know that the people attending our management training have a lot to take away and apply to their management positions. Peter Williams, one of our sales managers, says “I found that each module enlightened me as to the thought processes of other members of the management team.  All areas of the training gave additional scope to my personal management style” having attended other management training courses in the past, he also says “I have found all courses to be refreshing, informative and well presented.”

We have found the discussion to be an important part of the learning process, Peter says “Interesting to witness the varied opinions and approaches that other managers within the group currently adhere to.  Although I would not necessarily agree with all the espoused opinions, I can appreciate that the team as a whole is continually developing to a point where interesting debate of many managerial issues can ensue.”