You may have been born to manage but were you born to lead?

Citation

(2002), "You may have been born to manage but were you born to lead?", Industrial and Commercial Training, Vol. 34 No. 1. https://doi.org/10.1108/ict.2002.03734aab.001

You may have been born to manage but were you born to lead?

You may have been born to manage but were you born to lead?Keywords: Leadership, Skills, Training, Managers

Among the greatest challenges for managers is the challenge of real and effective leadership. In a workplace swamped with highly skilled people it is easy to confuse professional skill with good management practice. Video Arts' new learning resource First among Equals focuses on providing managers with leadership skills essential for the job.

First among Equals is presented in Video Arts' classic "wrong way – right way" formula to demonstrate how a manager's attitude and behaviour can directly impact upon the success of their team by empowering the individuals within it. Using a project management scenario, three management training points are emphasised:

1. 1.

   Give team members confidence in the value of their role in the team.

2. 2.

   Give team members confidence in their value as individuals.

3. 3.

   Give team members confidence in their value as part of a team.

Video Arts' customer research highlights the fact that today's companies have skilled and highly talented people who are often promoted rapidly into managerial roles without the experience or even an understanding of good management.

Martin Addison, marketing director of Video Arts, said:

Good management is about effective leadership – the gift of bringing out the best in teams, creating something that together is better than any individual part. Despite what some may think, this is no easy task. Ask many employees why there are problems in their workplace or dissatisfaction in their jobs and you too often hear phrases such as "there's no leadership" and "he's not an effective manager". First among Equals is designed to illustrate some of the principal elements of leadership, and to show that they can be learned.

First among Equals is a Video Arts production starring Martin Ball and Gary Webster. It is suitable for all managers and team leaders and is part of a resource pack comprising the video, course leader's guide, powerpoint slides, delegate worksheets, self-study workbooks and a meeting break video.

For further information contact Amanda Politzer. Tel: +44(0)20 7072 4164; E-mail: apolitzer@gciuk.com