The top executive of a well-managed Government Company decided to organize an early Management

Awareness Program for their first level supervisors. In an own survey, the company identified that many

newly hired young, potential, professionally trained employees were leaving the company for private

employment, where the rewards were thought to be greater. This left the company with something less

than the best qualified candidates for supervision; it also left it with a notably older group of

supervisors.

The Management Awareness Program, four months long, was carefully worked out on the following

lines:

a. A week of formal supervisory training;

b. Assigning the trainees with a supervisor who would act as a teacher and guide, advising the

trainees to enroll in a short course of their choice in any training institute available, discussing

the theory and practice of management with the trainees and evaluating his or her progress;

and

c. On completion of the program putting them to work assignments as available and appropriate.

Several advantages emerged from the program. The trainees were pleased that their careers were a

matter of interest and concern to the higher level executives; candidates could more easily bring

themselves to the attention of their superiors; the company was provided with a group of youthful

candidates at the first level supervision. The brain drain from the company almost stopped. Gradually

more vigor in management levels became evident and young men and women could establish a broader

base of experience to become members in the higher management.

Certain disadvantages also became apparent. Many good newly hired employees failed to apply for the

program because they were not sure of their own career objectives, they did not want to move away

from the places where they were originally staying or they felt too busy to undergo with the training

described (it was in addition to their full time positions). Some complained of inadequate counseling

and many who had failed to apply were later frustrated when they found themselves no longer among

the candidates for supervisory and senior appointments.

The company is now in a mood to reassess its experiences with the program.