ABSTRACT

Reflecting on years of reading about management development and trying to make it happen, it appears that it is essentially about presenting the manager with the right level of challenge; one that is big enough to stimulate without overwhelming the individual. This idea applies both to challenges in Key Result Areas which can serve to develop the manager across a broad front and also to challenges aimed at developing specific underlying competencies. This chapter explores a process for coaching around priority competencies. The development process is a user-friendly process for both boss and the job-holder manager, because all of the judgements are relative to the individual's strengths and weaknesses and do not suggest that the individual is absolutely bad at anything. Any such unacceptable performance would need to be addressed, as it arose, outside of an annual development process. The development process is likely to identify competencies which both parties are interested in developing.