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Management Development
It is not an easy task to define the term 'management development'. Perhaps the term 'management development' should altogether be abandoned and replaced by 'people development'. This then could be defined as any processes, which are implemented in an organisation with the aim of furthering employees' potential and growth. Traditionally, this has often been conducted within the realm of a one-to-one supervisor/ subordinate relationship, with regard to a variety of aims such as improving performance, appraising salaries and devising personal development plans (Fletcher, 1997).Recently, a number of new initiatives have taken hold though, including the prevalence of multi-source or 360 degree feedback as an input into reviews or appraisals (e.g. Fletcher & Baldry, 1999). Here, a manager would not just get feedback from his superior, but from individuals who work above him/her, below him/her and with him/her. It has been argued that this provides a more rounded assessment, that precludes personal bias which is often present in one-to-one appraisals. Other organisations are utilising multi-modal assessments, so-called development centres which have been adapted from assessment centres (traditionally used for selection and promotion), in order to identify development needs and potential or even as a learning experience in their own right (Carrick, Chance & William, 1999). Many organisations continue to make use of one-to-one relationships, not only by appraising salaries and performance, but also through developing people with mentoring and coaching.
It is the role of occupational psychologists to evaluate which processes work best for employees with certain personal characteristics, and in which environment. Moreover, thorough evaluation should also help to give clues as to whether any of these processes actually do what they purport to do: facilitate individual development.
© Almuth McDowall - 04/05/2010 12:22:00
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