Management by panacea – the training implications

The various pressures that managers are under to accept ready‐made solutions to problems that they face are identified. However, if the causes of the problems are not carefully diagnosed in the first instance it can be a matter of luck whether the solutions work or are actually counter‐productive. Management training needs to include an emphasis on diagnostic techniques and to enable managers to look beyond departmental boundaries for both the causes of and solutions to problems. Managers also need to learn how to deploy the right mix of people to tackle problems and in so doing demonstrate to others the importance of a diagnostic and integrated approach to problem solving.