Front Line Management Training
Front Line Management Training
Most managers are not front line managers. That is, most managers need ONLY manage the process: they are not asked to simultaneously:
- Deal with members of the public
- Do "the job" itself
- Manage the all the individuals in the working team...........as well as manage the process
Other managers ARE expected to simultaneously
- Deal with members of the public,
- Do the job and
- Manage the individuals comprising the team and
- Manage the process too!
These heroes are called the front line managers.
Front line managers occupy a pivotal position in the organisation because they are the ones who oversee the implementation of the Grand Design.
It is these front line managers who ensure that the right product and service is sent to the right person, at the right address, at the right time.
These managers are crucial to the organisations ability to deliver the service that the sales, marketing and top brass managers have promised to the customer.
You could argue that the front line managers are more important than the higher level managers that remain in the back rooms, who never see a customer and never load a van.
Front line managers need special skills
In order to function well as a front line manager the individual must have special powers! (Skills)
Here is the list
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Front line managers must be able to plan and prioritise
To be more efficient, the front line manager must see that things are done in the correct order of importance and deadline together with a recognition of the correct sequencing.
- The most valuable tasks come before the least valuable
- The most urgent tasks come before the least urgent
- Sequencing: example: The van is loaded in the reverse order to which is must be unloaded
Failure to plan ahead and prioritize will render the team inefficient; prone to delays and errors.
Front line managers must be able to handle complaints
The front line manager will hear complaints emanating from all sides.
- From senior managers down the hierarchy complaining about the performance of subordinate colleagues
- From subordinate colleagues about complaining about the senior staff and grumpy customers
- From grumpy customers complaining about the low quality of service received from the team.
The front line manager is the man in the middle.
So the front line manager needs training in:
- Handling complaints
- Conflict management
- Negotiation
Front line managers must be leaders too
The front line managers have to lead people.
- They have to motivate those staff who are de-motivated
- Front line managers must inspire those who are not inspired
- They must make a team out of people who may not even like each other.
- They must give confidence to those who lack confidence.
Front line managers must display leadership qualities!
And so the front line managers may need special training in the following:
- Confidence building skills
- Team building skills
- Motivational skills
- Leadership language skills
In summary
Front line managers occupy a pivotal position in the organisation
In order to function well as a front line manager they must have special skills
Front line managers must be able to plan ahead to prevent problems from occurring
Front line managers must be able to prioritise to ensure the right thing is being done at the right time.
Front line managers must be able to handle complaints
They need training in:
- Handling complaints
- Conflict management
- Negotiation
Front line managers may need special training in Leadership skills:
- Confidence building
- Team building
- Motivation
If you want help on any of these aspects of front line manager training please do come on the course.
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Definition: front line manager
In business management, a front line manager is a management role that faces the customer, does the daily work, guides the team on shift and controls the flow of tasks so goods or service reach the right person at the right time. Remove any one of these four parts and the role is no longer front line; it becomes a back-office or support post.
Show CG4D Definition
- Deals face-to-face with customers and public
- Carries out core operational tasks while on duty
- Directs and supports team members day to day
- Controls task flow so correct service reaches the customer on time
Article Summary
Front line managers stand where customer, team and job meet; when they master planning, complaint handling and people leadership, they turn bold promises into smooth service and higher output, and focused training gives them those skills fast.
Frequently Asked Questions
Here are some questions that frequently get asked about this topic during our training sessions.
What is a front line manager in simple terms?
Why are front line managers key to service delivery?
Which daily duties do front line managers juggle?
How does planning and prioritising tasks boost front line team efficiency?
Why must front line managers master complaint handling?
What leadership actions help a front line manager motivate staff?
How does conflict management for supervisors help on the front line?
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Did You Know: Key Statistics
The 2024 CIPD Learning at Work Survey shows 68% of UK organisations name first-line managers as their top training priority, up from 54% in 2021. Gallup’s 2024 State of the Workplace report finds teams with trained managers post 21% higher productivity than teams with untrained managers.About the Author: Chris Farmer
Chris Farmer is the founder of the Corporate Coach Group and has many years' experience in training leaders and managers, in both the public and private sectors, to achieve their organisational goals, especially during tough economic times. He is also well aware of the disciplines and problems associated with running a business.
Over the years, Chris has designed and delivered thousands of training programmes and has coached and motivated many management teams, groups and individuals. His training programmes are both structured and clear, designed to help delegates organise their thinking and, wherever necessary, to improve their techniques and skills.
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