Many times, employees seek greener pastures because they are unhappy with their supervisors. Sometimes this seems unjustified, but other times employees do have legitimate complaints. Let's be honest, bosses management styles have a huge impact on employee satisfaction. And few technical professionals receive any significant management training as part of their studies, yet many assume management responsibilities anyway.

When employees are so dissatisfied with their supervisor that they leave the firm, studies have shown that it's usually due to issues such as a lack of attention and feedback about their performance, the need for more recognition, and an inability to communicate with management to resolve ongoing difficulties. Some of these problems can be curtailed with management training, and training can also aid recruiting, as happy employees are likely to speak well of the firm.

When employees change jobs because of their bosses, they rarely say so to management. Some companies use neutral third-party consultants to try to uncover the real reasons employees jump ship. Sometimes, noting that one part of the firm has much higher turnover than the others can be an indication of management problems in that area and that training is needed.

It can be difficult for some to swallow their pride and sign up for Remedial Management 101, but if you address the problem as an opportunity for managers to advance their careers, it will be easier for them to accept. Here are a few suggestions on how to implement a management-training program:

• Determine the skills bosses need to have. Non-technical, people skills such as conflict resolution, being adept at listening, remaining open to criticism, keeping cool under pressure, and learning from mistakes are qualities important to good management. More specific skills and behaviors can differ from firm to firm. Deciding what skills your managers need depends on your business goals. Let's say, for example, that your firm aims to grow quickly by entering new markets and through acquisitions. In this scenario, it would be crucial for your managers to be comfortable implementing far-reaching changes. They should be prepared for resistance to change from their charges.
  
  Well-trained leaders deal effectively with employee concerns by keeping employees abreast of the status of acquisitions, discussing how they will personally be affected by organizational changes, allowing workers to express concerns or fears about reorganization, and keeping up morale. Training can help managers improve in these areas.
   
• Determining how your managers measure up. Once you identify the desired skill sets for your firm's leaders, determine the skills those leaders already possess. There are behavioral surveys that can reveal data about leadership skills and abilities under several different workplace scenarios. But first, it's important to have some consensus among upper management about what constitutes desired responses on the survey.
  
  Be open about this process. Talking about the skills your firm desires in managers and why they are necessary for success can help defuse fears of the process. Get buy-in from managers by presenting the training program as a net positive for managers and the entire organization. Having upper managers attend some training sessions will foster a "we're all in this together" attitude.
  
  
• Assess strengths and weaknesses. The management skill survey should yield information about what types of training are most necessary. Firm leaders should determine which type of skills need the most improvement on a firm-wide basis. From there, decide which types of training seminars and programs would be most effective. Incidentally, this step can also help in your hiring efforts if you decide to shore up certain management areas with new hires that have the skills that current managers lack.
  
  
• Choose appropriate training methods and providers. There are many ways to provide management training, and each firm should choose the most appropriate methods based on needs, budget, and the training styles best suited to its needs. For instance, a combination of individual and group programs can be most effective for many firms. Mentoring, coaching, traditional classroom course work, short-term assignments, and self-study can be combined. Evaluate training providers carefully. Find out how they measure results and check references.
  
  
• Provide incentives for skills improvement.
  To instill skill development in the firm's culture, make it part of managers' performance evaluations, and provide bonuses and/or recognition for demonstrated improvement. Improvements in employee turnover would be one indicator of success. It is often necessary to get input from managers' subordinates-anonymous surveys are a good tool for this process-to assess management performance. An atmosphere of fairness and trust is essential for this process to work.
  
  
• Stay committed. The best-case scenario is that all managers improve their skills and develop into the type of managers the firm needs. Some, however, may not be suited to their positions no matter how much training you provide. You may have to reassign these folks to positions that have less hands-on management demands or in extreme cases, let under-performing managers go. Otherwise, the training program will lose credibility. Remember, employees look to those at the top to set the tone, so if you truly want to improve your firm's management acumen, you've got to stick with the program-literally.