Rank: Forum user 
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Like most people I have ambitions and I'm looking for the next step up in my career but I fall down at the same stage all the time which is the lack of experience in managing people and having direct reports. I have had positons such as regional EHS manager in the past but not really managed anyone directly, and I'm unsure how to gain this practical experience. I can read books, watch videos but there is no substitute for practical experience. I'm 100% sure that I can manage as being a safety professional has lots to do with building relationships and sometimes convincing people to do things that they really don't want to do- I suppose articulating and drawing on practical experience is difficult id you have not done it.
At somepoint the EHS leaders of large companies had never managed, curious to know how they made the first step. Are there any leadership managerial courses that are recommended etc. Many Thanks
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Rank: Super forum user 
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Have you managed any safety related works at all? I'm a Building Compliance Cordinator, I don't have any direct reports, so I try and pick up experience through things I do as part of my role such as managing asbestos removal works. ILM Level 5 is meant to be quite a good management course, I'm not sure what it involves but I clocked my manager trying some of what he learned on me :-)
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 1 user thanked jodieclark1510 for this useful post.
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Rank: Forum user 
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What makes you think that managing persons is really the way to take your career to the next level? I either prefer to become a better professional than "losing time" with others.
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1 user thanked bxuxa for this useful post.
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Rank: Forum user
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After doing some multi-site projects I had a foray into production management for five years before returning to safety at a much higher level. Not the most enjoyable 5 years but probably the most developmental I had in many respects. It's not for everyone I know but if you're sure you want to get meaningful people management experience you might think about it.
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1 user thanked Wailes900134 for this useful post.
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Rank: Super forum user
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Mersey, ironically, possibly the most development I have got was by going in the opposite direction to Wailes. On leaving school got a Summer job during which I crashed a fork lift truck. There was a disconnect between what management thought I should NOT do, and what the warehousemen thought I should! Left university and decided to get my hands dirty on the shop floor - lifted and opened crates of dates to go into brown sauce, made a mistake when doing the convenor of shop stewards' job for three weeks which resulted in 10,000 gallons of sauce mix going down the drain (!), then into engineering where I worked on capstan lathes, milling machines, tube bending machines and power presses (amongst other processes) before then becoming a production programmer in a typewriter factory. Roughly 2.5 years of my life and I learnt so much about how bad British management could be and a (very) few examples of good leadership and supervision. Gave me so many lessons that I could then apply in 40 years as an HSE professional.
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1 user thanked peter gotch for this useful post.
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Rank: Super forum user 
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I have also been in the situation of "you can't have the job because you don't have the experience" and being unable to get the experience because I didn't have the job. I did get to stand in as acting line manager to someone whose manager changed jobs in the interval before a new one was recruited but these opportunities obviously can't be counted on.
And yes, I have found that the skills of a H&S adviser are transferable to the skills of a line manager. The Institute of Leadership & Management do some courses that cover many of the essentials and seem to be well recognised. They are aimed at existing line managers but do cater for those with no experience as well by modifying how you do some of the assignments. I did ILM Level 3 and found it useful.
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1 user thanked Kate for this useful post.
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Rank: Forum user 
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Hi,
I think it about it this way, as a Safety Manager you manage everyone. People below you, people above and yourself. You might not have direct reports but you deal with people on the shop floor, contractors, your manager, directors etc you have to liaise with people at all levels.
You might not think about it in terms of people management, but every day it’s what you do. It could be going through a new process with the Management team and putting in place a plan with timescales to get it doneor getting a solution across to the Directors. It’s all people management.
You said it yourself, it’s all about building relationships, how you talk to people, how you come across and by the sounds of it you have these skills already.
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1 user thanked MrBrightside for this useful post.
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Rank: Super forum user 
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Manager - a person responsible for controlling or administering any resources, organizations or group of staff. What you have described is one way you hope to achieve this (building relationships) but nothing about having the esseintial skills required. What experience do you have in preparing budget plans, controlling resources (time sheets, mileage claims, staff training budgets, work scheules, comprising buisness plans etc ?). Have you ever held any supervisory roles? Maybe a rank in the armed services?
Before you can realistically apply for a management position you need to gain some level of experience. Look for a role as assistant manager, supervisor or even administrator if this is your future goal.
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1 user thanked O'Donnell54548 for this useful post.
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