Upgrade People Management Skills through WSQ courses

The Workforce Skills Qualifications (WSQ) is a national credential system created to boost workforce productivity and achieve lifelong learning through quality training and skills assessment. WSQ is partially funded by Skills Future Singapore. Individuals can also use their Skills Future credits for selected WSQ courses.

The Leadership and People Management Workforce Skills Qualifications (LPM-WSQ), part of the Skills Framework, was designed to help individuals and managers from all levels to upgrade their leadership and management skills progressively. Managers will also get to know the latest trends and up-to-date practices through a structured learning approach.

Before we delve into the individual types of LPM-WSQ courses available today, let us look into the reasons why companies need to send their managers for training.

Why do Managers need to Upgrade Their Skills?

1. Moving Towards an Autonomous Workforce

Some may not be aware that the traditional top-down management approach was being replaced by what we know today as the Autonomous Workforce. Millennials and talents today prefer to work independently and freely in their own space. It is best without the interference of the supervisors.

Despite that, the role of the manager is somewhat more quintessential now. It has morphed into what we have known as autonomous leadership, where the leader empowers his or her team to succeed by working independently and making relevant decisions for the organisations. The leader is more like a coach or a cheerleader who entrusts the work to the team by giving them the freedom, confidence, and resources to fulfil their tasks.

Without proper training on the latest trends in leadership and people management skills, the company may not grasp the full capability of today's autonomous workforce.

2. Retrained for Better Survival

In a commentary article by Channel News Asia, the writer mentioned that reskilling and upskilling are akin to survival in the job market. There is no longer a thing called an 'iron rice bowl' where you can count on a job for life.

Everyone needs to upgrade their skills. The writer also mentioned that no worker is "untrainable" unless he or she is unreceptive to training. Hence, it boils to the individual. He or she needs to know that learning is even more critical after graduation. From the company's perspective, better-trained managers will ensure better efficiency and survival for the company.

Prime Minister Lee Hsien Long once said,

"You always have the possibility to advance, to improve yourself, to take another step as long as you are working, as long as your mind remains fresh and active, and you dare to go."

(Source: National Day Rally 2014)

3. Progress Steadily

In Today's article, Mr. Teo, the founder of Jew Kit Hainanese Chicken Rice, enrolled himself and four senior managers in an LPM-WSQ course. The key is to groom leaders to manage his expanding chicken rice chain.

From here, we learned that managers need to step up their leadership skills before assuming more significant responsibilities when the company is undergoing a business expansion process.

Other than contributing to a manager's vertical career progression, WSQ courses can also help the manager progress laterally. In Industry 4.0, intelligent automation, AI computer learning, and data analytics are becoming part and parcel of the new-age companies today. By keeping up-to-date with new technologies and relevant management skillset, the manager can therefore navigate his work efficiently.

Understanding the Leadership and People Management WSQ Framework

WSQ has a highly successful learning framework for its LPM courses called 'the Competency Map.'

The courses were structured into six competency categories: ' Lead with Vision,' 'Drive Change,' 'Build Relationship,' 'Develop People,' 'Achieve Results', and 'Personal Effectiveness.'

Here are what one will learn from each competency category.

Lead with Vision

Learn how to set a vision for the company and create a commitment to fulfil the vision. Also, learn about corporate governance, organisational culture development, and corporate social responsibility.

Drive Change

Learn how to create a conducive working environment to drive organisational change and embrace innovation. Moreover, learn how to inspire the team to break through the status quo and make changes for the organisation.

Build Relationship

The manager needs to to promote team cohesiveness and positive working relationships within the company. He or she also needs to learn how to handle conflicts, build networking, and respect diversity.

Develop People

Managers who are equipped with this skill set will be able to encourage and empower the staff through mentoring and coaching. They will also learn how to engage with staff and develop their full potential.

Achieve Results

To achieve the targeted results, leaders must have the skills to give clear direction to the staff, exemplify accountability for the results, organise the resources, develop performance management and crisis management.

Personal Effectiveness

Influential leaders show self-awareness by leveraging their strengths and improving on their weaknesses. Personal effectiveness is an essential core competency in which the leader can lead by example and positively influence others with better communication skills.

These core competency categories are further grouped into six different levels. Levels 1 and 2 are known as the Operational Levels, catered for frontline workers, and contributors. Moreover, Levels 3 and 4 are the Managerial Levels catered for supervisors, team leaders, assistant managers, managers, and high potential executives. Levels 5 and 6 are the Transformational Levels that target CEOs, managers' managers, and senior executive officers.

To apply for the course, the HR manager will first need to identify the position of the staff-to-be-trained, based on their individual levels of competency.

Then, decide on the core competency skill that the company wants the staff to acquire.

As the supply of training places is limited, it is essential to check the course calendars of the training agencies in Singapore to plan the training and development schedule for its managers and staff.

Browse our latest Course Calendar here.

To end, here is a quote from our current Minster of Manpower, Tan See Leng, who is also an excellent example of lifelong learning where he switched to the public sector after more than 30 years in the private sector.

"I think it's healthy. You need to have a healthy sense of fear of mediocrity. Fear of what if you didn't do this right - that keeps you going, that motivates you and pushes you." (Source: The Straits Times)