95% of managers who completed a 3-month management training course showed improved performance according to themselves and their supervisors, with 62% rating themselves as much or very much improved and 64% of supervisors agreeing. Follow-up surveys found that 90% of managers receiving coaching found it significantly improved their skills and confidence, and 100% said it increased various aspects of their staff's performance. Management training, coaching and consulting helped reduce staff turnover at one agency by 7% per year, saving $5.4 million over 12 years. These evidence-based management techniques, such as increasing group supervision and training, led staff to feel more recognized and collaborative.

1. EVALUATING THE IMPACT OF
MANAGEMENT TRAINING, COACHING AND CONSULTING
Christopher S. Amenson, PhD April 23, 2015
95% of managers completing 3-month management courses improved their performance as a
manager as rated by the course participants and their direct supervisors; 62% of participants
and 64% of their supervisors rated them as much or very much improved.
Rate the degree to which the participant’s
performance as a manager has changed since
the beginning of the course
Self-rated
Improvement
Supervisor-
rated
Improvement
Very much improved 19% 6
Much improved 43 58
Somewhat improved 34 31
A little improved 4 5
No improvement or worse 0 0
In 6-month to 2-year follow up surveys of participants who received management coaching:
 90% of managers rated the coaching they received as having significant or very much
impact on their skills and confidence as a supervisor.
 100% of managers rated coaching as increasing the performance of their staff in quality
of services, team work, morale and professional growth, with 80% describing an
increase of more than 5%.
 86% of managers rated coaching as increasing the performance of their staff in
providing client service hours and documentation, with 50% describing an increase of
more than 5%.
 75% of managers rated coaching as having significant or very much impact on their
satisfaction as a supervisor and commitment to, and plans to remain with the agency.
The LEAD project management training, coaching and consulting is partially responsible for
reducing staff turnover by 7% per year, saving a large behavioral healthcare agency $5,460,000
per year for 12 years. The synergy of LEAD and other agency efforts in which Dr. Amenson
was involved produced the reduction in staff turnover.
Time period Average annual
% staff turnover
Five years before LEAD 29
National average for similar agencies 30
Twelve years of LEAD 22
Christopher S. Amenson, PhD 626-203-9621 amensonconsulting@gmail.com

2. Management consultation increased the use of evidence-based management methods
including:
 Doubling group supervision and in-service training produced a 25% decrease in drop-in
individual supervision. Many managers reported that adding group supervision and
training actually reduced the total time they spent supervising staff.
Supervisor intervention % of Supervisor Time
Before LEAD
% of Supervisor Time
After LEAD
In-service training 3 7
Group supervision 8 15
Scheduled individual
supervision
49 51
Drop in supervision 40 27
 Shifting program, team, group and one-to-one meetings toward a vision- and strengths-
based focus. Staff felt recognized for their strengths and that they and their supervisors
had similar visions and values. With this stronger, vision-based supervision alliance,
staff became more collaborative and solution-oriented when discussing billable hours
and documentation.
 Increasing supervisor focus on staff professional growth resulted in 23 of 24 staff rating
their manager more favorably in 360-degree evaluations with 22 staff citing an increased
focus on quality and professional growth as the major factor.
Typical comments on the impact of management courses and coaching on the manager
 helped me grow as a leader in my self-knowledge, confidence, and skills. It has also given me
wonderful feedback to increase my self-awareness.
 provided a support system for me that has several advantages. I am able to get ideas from other
managers for how to handle difficult program issues. I get feedback in regards to how my chosen
strategies for managing a problem may be helping to solve or possibility contributing to the problem.
 learned management strategies to focus on improving outcomes/deliverables while also inspiring staff
to perform at the optimal level while implementing measures to hold the team accountable.
 allowed me to lead my team in an effective, culturally responsive manner while maintaining a focus
on core values and vision.
 increased my level of confidence in implementing my role and providing guidance/support to staff.
 I had no prior supervisory experience and I feel that this class played an instrumental part in my
success as a manager. The important foundational pieces were solidified.
 I have found that when I am growing my staff are growing (and our clients are growing). These are
parallel processes that the management coaching supports.
 integrated the skills more deeply into my work with each passing year; I utilized my monthly coaching
group to sharpen my skills and remember learned concepts that I have not yet fully integrated.
 improved use of Socratic questioning has also created a better learning environment for my staff.
Rather than solving problems for them, I am much better at guiding them through the process of
finding solutions. This results in better services to clients and greater staff growth in skills.
 developed plans in order to address specific issues or problems that arise. Many times I would not
have come up with the strategies developed in the coaching group.
 assisted my ability to hold staff accountable for their work expectations.
 played a big role in staff's response to constructive feedback and how I go about disseminating this
feedback. Also, it has given me concrete ideas of how to track staff progress especially with those
who have struggled and need more of a directive approach.