3 Tips for Training Support Managers
Training support engineers is tough. With all the technical training that’s required, there’s a lot to learn, even for new hires with support experience, as each support team has its own methods for managing knowledge and resolving cases, and its own nuances when it comes to tools. However, in larger support groups, there’s enough volume to create learning assets and learning events to ensure that all new hires get consistent information. The volume of incoming support managers is much smaller so training for them is rarely structured and relies on the resourcefulness of the individuals. Here are 3 tips to greatly improve your new manager training program–without breaking the bank.
- Piggyback on the support engineers’ training
- Stress hands-on practice
- Validate
Piggyback
Managers need to know what their team members do. Sure, they are not expected to troubleshoot cases or create knowledge articles, but they need to understand how it’s done–so all the training assets used by new support engineers can be repurposed for managers. Don’t bother recreating watered-down versions of the engineer training since the managers don’t need as much detail. Instead, concentrate on creating the learning assets that are for managers only. Those assets can be wikis or other self-led learning options that are more flexible than IRL training. See the matrix, below that shows how manager training builds onto individual contributor training, both for the support group and the larger organization.
Practice
I’ve always been struck by how lonely the life of managers can be. Much of what they do, from backlog management to coaching, is performed with just one witness, the support engineer who is the recipient of the feedback, and there’s very little sharing or collaborating with other managers. While it’s completely reasonable to expect new managers to read documentation about processes independently, do provide structured hands-on practice in a realistic environment, including feedback. You can do this in a real or pretend situation, but do not assume that they can do it competently without practice, and feedback.
Validate
Since much of the training for managers will be self-led, require some type of validation, either in written form or via hands-on. If you choose hands-on validation, be sure to provide practice opportunities independent from and prior to validation. Instructional design principles and common sense dictate separating practice from assessment.
How do you train your managers? Please share in the comments.
I like all that you said. Although difficult I would encourage as much participation from lead trainers as possible. And pass on some tips and stories – sometimes just 1 keyword resonates and helps people remember the most important part. Time permitting I also liked to show how the untrained might fuddle through in a disorganized messy fashion before showing how powerful it can be when someone has the knowledge. And of course use video and record and allow on demand access.
You of course have to use email templates. It confirms, reassures, and commits to follow up. With the email responses we all get these days, it might be good to make the templates slightly more personal. But still professional. There should be standard content in every template that can not be changed – shows our professionalism and committed to work as a team.