Frequently Asked Questions & Answers

Who is The Manager Formula designed for?

TMF is designed for middle manages who have limited access to formal training and development.  The content covered in the online course PLUS the live coaching is built specifically to drive the key management practices and behavior that lead to higher team performance, engagement and retention. TMF can be utilized for individuals, seeking their own development or organizations who have limited access to create their own internal programs but are ready to take the next step in formalizing their manager on-boarding and ongoing training.

What size companies do most participants work in?

Most of our clients work in companies that range from 30-250 employees. However, we do have participants who work in much larger organizations as well. Because we are designed to support organizations who don't have the resources for a structured, consistent manager development program, the start-up/founder-led groups tend to seek out our work. 

What is covered in The Manager Formula?

TMF includes 12 Modules covering the key practices and skills organizations must develop in their management teams. The core topics are:

• Self-Awareness and Managing and Leading Others
• Setting Clear and Consistent Expectations
• Establishing Key Performance Indicators, Individual Productivity and Personal Development Goals
• Accountability Practices and Building a Culture of Accountability
• Consistent Communication and Coaching Strategies for Individuals & Teams
• Conducting Difficult Conversations
• How to Diagnose Performance Gaps
• How to Coach Performance Gaps
• Leading Teams and Individuals through Change
• Managing Ambiguity
• Giving Effective Feedback
• Problem Solving

There are a lot of 'sexy' topics available right now. But the nuts and bolts of managing team performance remain pretty constant. Once your organization has a management team that has mastered the fundamentals (or the Formula), then you can add on all the other tools and fancy bells and whistles available.

If we have Executives and Managers we'd like to enroll, is it okay if they are on the same coaching calls?

As the program grows, we will likely have 'executive' coaching calls and 'manager-level' calls. Because we also have the Coaches' Coaching Calls, our recommendation is to offer the Executive members the option of attending the Coaches Calls, so they can work through their challenges with more discretion.

Can we set up private coaching calls for our organization, exclusively?

The short answer is 'yes'. We can assign your organization a Leadership Coach on our team who will work with your team exclusively. There are minimum enrollment requirements (30 managers or more) in order to qualify for this option. The Organizational Coaches' (or trainer) Calls must all take place as an entire group and those calls are exclusively led by Kris Plachy.

Who are the Coaches in The Manager Formula?

Kris Plachy has been a leader of high performing teams for over 20+ years. During her tenure, she has identified the key practices managers must have in place to build and then replicate top performance. She has trained an exclusive group of other to be trained in her practices and coaching approach and has invited a few of them to also contribute to The Manager Formula as guest coaches.

What's the difference between Coaching Office Hours for Managers and Coaches Calls?

The Coaching Office Hours calls are for managers to come and receive coaching on their specific management challenges.  We will make a request in advance of each weekly call for managers to submit their problem/challenges, and then we will notify the managers who are selected to receive LIVE coaching on the next call. 

The Coaches Calls are for the designated Coach within an organization. In order for the designated organizational coach/trainer to participate in the Coaches' Calls organizations must have (3) additional participants registered (plus the Coach). These calls are designed to embolden the coaches as they support their managers with the content and skill/behavior change activities that drive organizational results.

How does the cost of TMF compare to other options?

Once you've researched other management training programs, you'll find the average daily tuition for ONE DAY is somewhere between $700-900 per participant.  That's for ONE DAY. If you want to hire a Leadership Coach, you're looking at anywhere between $200-$1500 per hour (for a full day's worth of that would be $1600 - $12,000).

Here's what we know: People only retain 10% of what they learn in a face-to-face workshop. Many leaders like face-to-face learning because it's a visual experience they can 'see' happening. But, statistically speaking, face-to-face learning doesn't change behavior. If you want to actually improve yourself and/or your manager's performance and skill, you must include a more substantive, sustainable program.

Coaching is far more effective for changing skills and behavior, but it is cost prohibitive. 

The Manager Formula provides both the CONTENT and the COACHING for a fraction of what you would pay if you invested in both of those options for the managers in your organization. Individual clients pay $2899 for ONE YEAR of both content access and coaching. Organizational partners can pay as little as $1899 per manager for a FULL YEAR of content and coaching access (based on the number of managers enrolled).

The value of The Manager Formula is unparalleled.

Can we purchase The Manager Formula content and put it on our own LMS?

The short answer is no. But, you can enroll as many managers as you would like, use The Manager Formula platform AND use the Coach's Guide to manage how your managers participate and engage in the program. The content remains the property of Leadership Coach, LLC and cannot be replicated to be used with non-enrolled members.

How much time does it take to do the work in The Manager Formula?

Most videos are less than 15 minutes long. We recommend one-two videos per week, plus a page or two in the workbook and don't forget to attend the LIVE coaching office hours each week (one hour). We also suggest connecting with other manager members in the Online Discussion one time per week. If your organization is running this program as a group, there may be an additional assignment they request you complete. So, all-told, we estimate roughly two hours per week, per client.

My senior leadership team doesn't model good management practices. Is it going to make a difference to help managers if the people they work for don't practice what is taught?

Sadly, this isn't uncommon. Most people who manage people aren't prepared with adequate development. So, ineffective practices are handed down from one manager to another. We believe developing managers is an organizational effort and that as many folks as possible should be engaged. BUT, if you can't get the senior leaders to buy in, you can hopefully find a few champions who will support and model the practices we teach in The Manager Formula. 

There is a huge gap in management skill in our workplaces. Given the mass retirement of the baby boomers and the dominance in numbers of the millennial generation, we have collective work to do. There are millions of young, eager leaders waiting to be invested in and we hope The Manager Formula option makes the transfer of fundamental management practices simple and pragmatic.

Now we have a question for YOU:

• How much is it costing your organization to NOT advance the skill of your management team?
• How many difficult conversations are not happening because managers are unprepared to conduct them?
• How many employees are currently not being held accountable for sub-par performance?
• How many employees are not receiving proper (if any) coaching to develop their skills for the next level assignment?
• How many great employees are leaving because their managers are difficult to work for or, at the least, don't do anything to keep them?
• How many employees are disengaged because they aren't challenged in their work?
• How many employees are not receiving credible, valuable feedback to improve their performance?
• How much is not getting done because managers and employees are not onboard with recent changes?

The statistics are still true. 80% of employees leave managers, not companies. If you have poor performance, poor retention and poor engagement in your organization, you have a manager-skill deficit. The Manager Formula will help you resolve this issue NOW and build a development program that will serve to prevent these issues in the first place.

Ready to go?

Schedule an Enrollment Consultation Today.