[ Update: BSE Higher Skills Project ]
Initial findings Broad support
There was broad support among those interviewed for the aims of the project. Participants agreed that a credible management skills framework would help the sector as a whole to raise standards in terms of the recruitment, appraisal and development of senior managers. One interviewee’s comment reflects the general view: ‘I think in this industry, and probably many others, we do not hesitate in promoting people to management positions based on their technical skills and ability, as this is often unquestionable. But, as you know, managing and engaging in people is just as important. More needs to be done to develop these skills.’
It was acknowledged that some companies run their own learning and development programmes that include management training. Indeed, many of these are well established and highly respected in the industry. However, in the main, in-house programmes are customised to meet company-specific training needs. Even representatives from companies with training arms agreed that the shortage of management skills is a problem for the sector as a whole, and that any BSE-wide initiative to address these skills gaps should be supported and encouraged. It is, therefore, clear from the initial feedback that a broad framework, which clearly defines career paths and skills requirements for senior managers, would benefit the industry as a whole.
Sector consistency, job role discrepancy The consultation exercise found that, in terms of management structures, job roles and functions, there was a great deal of consistency across the sector. This was encouraging and allowed us to produce a draft framework that provides an overview of management levels, role descriptors and illustrative job titles. This draft framework is currently under consideration and will require feedback and comments from a wider sample before it can be developed further. It is essential to get confirmation that the framework is accurate, relevant and meaningful if the project is to be successful and deliver real benefits to the sector.
It is clear that, when drilling down to detailed job specifications for managers, discrepancies exist across the sector. For instance, the role of project manager in some companies includes responsibility for financing, whereas other firms allocate financial matters to commercial managers. These inconsistencies in job descriptions are to be expected and do not necessarily invalidate the project. One option is to omit detailed specifications and competency statements from the framework, making it less prescriptive but retaining its value as a descriptor of generic functions and management career paths. Another is to focus on the specification of management tasks rather than job roles, which will allow for the inclusion of competency standards and benchmarks for management performance. These options will be discussed at a later stage.
Middle managers An important finding from the research was the apparent lack of investment in the development of ‘middle managers’ holding positions such as ‘project manager’, ‘design manager’, ‘construction manager’ and ‘commercial manager’. Managers
at this level are considered to be crucial to effective operations and to business performance. There are a number of routes into middle management, but many will have progressed to their management role from a purely technical background. They may have had some supervisory experience, but several will have had no management training or development. The lack of training at this middle management level appears to be particularly serious, and some of those interviewed for the project believed that that there was an urgent need to clearly define and improve skills at this level.
Future skills needs Work is now under way to develop and implement a mechanism to take forward the findings across the sector. There was general agreement that rapid change in an increasingly competitive, complex environment puts more pressure on managers to think, behave and perform differently in the future. Different management skills are going to be required to take businesses forward, and our research found a remarkable consensus about what skills are likely to be most important in the next three-to-five years: n The ability and readiness to innovate, adapt and manage change;
n The responsibility for winning business and to be client-facing;
n The ability to engage and manage people (teamwork); and
n Multi-disciplined managers (‘all-rounders’) rather than specialists.
The challenge for the BSE sector is to create a credible
and meaningful framework for management skills that is endorsed by the industry, which clearly articulates performance standards for managers and helps to attract talented, ambitious people to the sector. It sounds like a daunting task and there is certainly a lot of work involved. But the goal is achievable. The most important first step has already been taken, and that is to recognise that there is a problem. At a time when many organisations are suffering from short-termism, the association deserves credit for its determination to plan for the sector’s future.
May 2012 ECA Today 67
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