Employees remain optimistic about their career growth, but many lack the development opportunities and manager support needed to build new skills, according to new research from the American Management Association (AMA).
The Ambitious Employees. Underprepared Managers. A Growing Organizational Risk. study included more than 1,000 respondents globally from a range of professional backgrounds, industries, and organizational experiences. Researchers examined employee and manager perspectives on talent development, leadership preparedness, workplace performance support, and organizational learning culture. Eighty-seven percent of respondents reported feeling somewhat to very confident about their future advancement opportunities, even as only 30 percent said they had sufficient opportunities to develop new skills.
Manager support falls short
The study points to managers as an important part of the development gap. Only 27 percent of respondents described their managers as highly effective, while 66 percent reported not receiving frequent support, guidance, or feedback. When asked what would most improve manager effectiveness, 55 percent identified better communication and clearer expectations, followed by stronger decision-making at 43 percent and more consistent feedback and coaching at 40 percent.
Those capabilities have direct relevance for laboratory leaders, who often balance technical and operational responsibilities with coaching, performance management, and staff development. Lab managers can strengthen those skills by making feedback and development part of regular interactions with staff rather than reserving them for annual reviews or formal training. Practical approaches include using active listening, providing timely and specific feedback, and encouraging employee autonomy as part of everyday coaching conversations.
Technical expertise does not automatically translate to leadership
AMA also found that 51 percent of respondents reported being promoted into people management without formal leadership training. The report describes this as the “accidental manager” phenomenon, in which strong individual performers move into management without adequate preparation for responsibilities such as communication, coaching, and performance management.
The issue is particularly relevant in technical workplaces, where strong scientific performance can place employees on a path toward management even though leading people requires a different set of skills. Laboratory leaders can begin identifying and developing leadership capabilities early, before employees move into formal management roles, by intentionally observing how staff handle collaboration, problem-solving, and responsibility in day-to-day work. At the same time, ongoing leadership development for current lab managers remains essential, helping them strengthen the communication, coaching, and decision-making skills needed to support their teams effectively.
The AMA study also found that respondents saw some of their greatest skill needs outside purely technical expertise. Forty-seven percent identified clear communication with diplomacy and tact as helpful for performing effectively, 46 percent identified leadership and people management, and 43 percent selected both critical thinking and problem-solving and time management and prioritization. Separately, 46 percent identified making decisions with limited information as a significant day-to-day challenge.
Embed development into daily lab work
AMA recommends combining formal learning with ongoing coaching, mentoring, feedback, peer learning, stretch assignments, and opportunities to apply new skills during everyday work. Respondents identified lack of time, limited manager support, competing workplace priorities, and insufficient integration of learning into daily work as major barriers to development.
For laboratories, that can mean using cross-training, project leadership, method implementation, process improvement, and other routine responsibilities as development opportunities. Even when an immediate promotion is not available, giving employees meaningful opportunities to expand their skills and responsibilities can provide another route for professional growth.
“Managers are often the link between employee potential and organizational performance,” said Manny Avramidis, president and CEO of AMA. The findings suggest that preparing managers to develop others—and giving employees opportunities to practice new skills during their regular work—should be treated as part of day-to-day operations rather than as a separate training activity.
This article was created with the assistance of Generative AI and has undergone editorial review before publishing.
