Ch#16 “Why Training Is The Boss’s Job”

The problem Grove is describing in the last chapter of his novel is that “Most managers seem to feel that training employees is a job that should be left to others, perhaps to training specialist”. (Grove, p.222) When all along throughout each chapter he stresses his key ideology that, “The output of a manager is the output of the organizational units under his or her supervision or influence”. (Grove. 1983) As Grove implies in his mantra throughout the chapters, the way to accomplish proper leveraged output is through raising the individual performance of subordinates by increasing motivation while also increasing individual capabilities of subordinates through proper training. In my opinion I believe Grove hits the nail dead on the head in regards to why training is the boss’s job. The “training specialist” that Grove implies mangers believe ought to train subordinates, are the managers and peers of the organization themselves. Grove advocates managerial leverage is the upmost important aspect of a productive managers arsenal of tools to employ and furthermore, training is one of the highest leverage activities a manager can and should implement in order to achieve such outcomes. By properly training subordinates with skills in strategic planning, constructive confrontation and problem solving. Employees throughout the workforce can become suitable role models and potentially have an exponential influence on company growth and dynamic.
As a manager or superior to a subordinate or group of subordinates, it is the boss’s job to make sure that the subordinates are both qualified and perform the tasks delegated, the same if not better than the boss could do himself. Subordinates to a manger are a reflection of themselves. If they are at fault then their superiors are to blame. I believe Grove’s methodology is key