Skip navigation

Strengthening employee development: Overcoming managerial weakness

A recent Gallup report highlighted several key strengths and weaknesses of today’s managers.

A diverse group of employees are sitting on a round couch in a common area during an employee development training.

Table of contents

Effective management is crucial, especially in a fast-paced work environment. A recent Gallup report highlighted several key strengths of today’s managers, including:

  • Prompt responsiveness
  • Providing quality feedback
  • Being approachable
  • Understanding their team's projects
  • Emphasizing the impact of work on customers
  • Ensuring their team has the necessary resources

However, the report also identified several areas where managers often fall short. These weaknesses include:

  • Providing meaningful feedback regularly
  • Motivating outstanding performance
  • Removing barriers to success
  • Discussing team members' strengths

This indicates a gap in managerial proficiency in fostering employee growth, underscoring the need for enhanced development strategies.

Strategies for helping managers strengthen their employee development practices

Organizations need to invest in developing their managers' skills to bridge the managerial gaps highlighted in the Gallup report. Here are some strategies that can help enhance the common managerial weaknesses:

1. Regular + meaningful feedback

Managers should be trained to provide regular, constructive and meaningful feedback.

Quality feedback involves specific, actionable insights rather than general comments. Regular one-on-one meetings can help managers stay connected with their team's progress and challenges, fostering a continuous dialogue that encourages growth and improvement.

2. Motivation techniques

Understanding what motivates each team member is critical to driving outstanding performance.

Managers can benefit from training in motivational strategies and techniques. This training should include recognizing individual achievements, aligning tasks with personal interests and creating a supportive team environment.

3. Removing barriers

Managers need to be adept at identifying and removing obstacles that hinder their team's performance.

Removing barriers might involve streamlining processes, ensuring adequate resources or addressing interpersonal conflicts. Leadership training can equip managers with the skills to navigate these challenges effectively.

4. Strengths-based discussions

Focusing on employees' strengths rather than weaknesses can significantly boost morale and productivity.

Managers should be encouraged to have regular, strengths-based conversations with their team members. This approach helps employees feel valued and understood, fostering a positive work environment.

Learn live. Adapt faster.

Latest resources

Learn more about creating a culture of learning throughout our resources below.

Workplace holiday calendar and celebration listings
Electives team
 
Jul 17, 2026

Workplace holiday calendar and celebration listings

Celebrate diversity and foster awareness with our comprehensive workplace holiday resources for HR + people leaders. Plus download our holiday calendar.
Culture + collaboration
AI training for employees: 2026 evaluation framework
Electives team
 
Jul 16, 2026

AI training for employees: 2026 evaluation framework

Choose AI training for employees with a practical 2026 scorecard for rollout, live practice, governance and measurable behavior change.
Innovation + productivity
What is company-wide AI Fluency in 2026
Electives team
 
Jul 16, 2026

What is company-wide AI Fluency in 2026

Define company-wide AI fluency in 2026 and move from uneven AI usage to measurable behavior change.
Learning best practices
How to build AI fluency into manager training
Electives team
 
Jul 15, 2026

How to build AI fluency into manager training

Build AI fluency into manager training with an assess, develop, practice, apply and measure model that changes behavior.
Leadership + management
AI transformation training platform: How to build company-wide AI fluency that changes employee behavior
Electives team
 
Jul 14, 2026

AI transformation training platform: How to build company-wide AI fluency that changes employee behavior

Buying AI tools is easy. Changing how employees use them is the hard part. Here's how live learning and AI simulations build real fluency at scale.
Innovation + productivity
Live AI training beats pre-recorded videos for AI adoption.
Electives team
 
Jul 13, 2026

Live AI training beats pre-recorded videos for AI adoption.

Watching AI videos creates awareness. Live AI training builds the habits, judgment and confidence employees need to actually adopt AI.
Learning best practices

View all posts

ENJOYABLE. EASY. EFFECTIVE.

Learning that works.

With live learning + AI simulations, Electives is a learning platform that makes it easy to design, execute and measure effectiveness.

Request a demo

Request a demo

Learn more

Learn more