Close Menu
    Facebook X (Twitter) Instagram
    • Our Story
    • Partner with us
    • Reach Us
    • Career
    Subscribe Newsletter
    HR KathaHR Katha
    • Exclusive
      • Exclusive Features
      • Research
      • Point Of View
      • Case In Point
      • Dialogue
      • Movement
      • Profile
      • Beyond Work
      • Rising Star
      • By Invitation
    • News
      • Global HR News
      • Compensation & Benefits
      • Diversity
      • Events
      • Gen Y
      • Hiring & Firing
      • HR & Labour Laws
      • Learning & Development
      • Merger & Acquisition
      • Performance Management & Productivity
      • Talent Management
      • Tools & Technology
      • Work-Life Balance
    • Special
      • Cover Story
      • Editorial
      • HR Forecast 2024
      • HR Forecast 2023
      • HR Forecast 2022
      • HR Forecast 2021
      • HR Forecast 2020
      • HR Forecast 2019
      • New Age Learning
      • Coaching and Training
      • Learn-Engage-Transform
    • Magazine
    • Reports
      • Whitepaper
        • HR Forecast 2024 e-mag
        • Future-proofing Manufacturing Through Digital Transformation
        • Employee Healthcare & Wellness Benefits: A Guide for Indian MSMEs
        • Build a Future Ready Organisation For The Road Ahead
        • Employee Experience Strategy
        • HRKatha 2019 Forecast
        • Decoding and Driving Employee Engagement
        • One Platform, Infinite Possibilities
      • Survey Reports
        • Happiness at Work
        • Upskilling for Jobs of the Future
        • The Labour Code 2020
    • Conferences
      • Rising Star Leadership Awards
      • HRKatha Futurecast
      • Automation.NXT
      • The Great HR Debate
    • HR Jobs
    WhatsApp LinkedIn X (Twitter) Facebook Instagram
    HR KathaHR Katha
    Home»Leadership»Why do organisations need a ‘connector manager’
    Leadership

    Why do organisations need a ‘connector manager’

    mmBy Kartikay Kashyap | HRKathaNovember 19, 2019Updated:November 19, 20195 Mins Read35880 Views
    Share LinkedIn Twitter Facebook
    Share
    LinkedIn Twitter Facebook

    The primary characteristic of a progressive and growing company is its learning culture. Yes, we need learning interventions, and technological advancement in the learning and development (L&D) space has further helped organisations to make their employees learn better and keep evolving. Still, we cannot neglect the managers’ role in coaching and mentoring their employees and teams. Apart from carrying out their regular work, managers also create leaders for the future. That is how a company evolves and gets an edge over its competitors.

    In one of the studies conducted by Gartner, the following four types of managers were identified, who help enhance the skills in their team members.

    Teachers – These are the managers who coach and mentor team members through their knowledge and experience.

    Cheerleaders – These managers will encourage their team members to build on their skills and let them find their own path to develop those skills on their own.

    Always-on – This type of manager will constantly give and take feedbacks, and give regular coaching to the team members.

    Connector managers – They are the ones who help their team members to the best of their capacity, sharing with them their expertise and further connecting them to the right people who can guide and coach the employees to develop the desired skills.

    The Study reveals that while most managers do enhance the performance of the employees, it is the ‘connector managers’ who do it the most.

    Organisations would do well to have connecter managers in leadership positions.

    “We do not consciously identify and look for connector managers while hiring people in leadership roles, but at the back of my mind I do look at people who are well connected and have a wide network in the industry,” explains Kamal Vatnani, India leader- culture and people experience, Ensono.

    For those who wish to hire a connector manager, there are specific traits and skills to look for in the candidates.

    Kamal Vatnani

    “We do not consciously identify and look for connector managers while hiring people in leadership roles, but at the back of my mind I do look at people who are well connected and have a wide network”

    The most important asset in connector managers would be their wide network in the industry.

    To check that, the candidates can be asked about the attrition rate of their team in their previous organisation. The right candidate should also be capable of convincing a person to not leave the company by helping her/him fit into some other role in a different department. Simply put, the right candidate should be able to build a network internally.

    In addition, the common connections that such people may have on social media platforms is a great indicator of their ability to connect and network with the relevant people.

    Seema Bangia, chief people officer, Mahindra Defence System, adds, “We can also identify connector managers by exploring their journey so far and their team size; by finding out whether they were individual contributors; how their team members grew in the team and organisation; and how they deployed resources; and what criteria they used to identify skill sets for the role.”

    There are also other skills or traits that help us identify connector managers, because such people are:

    Demand driven – They recognise the skills their team members require to stay relevant in the future and today. Also, they will be aware of how technological interventions will impact the business of the organisation.

    Seema Bangia

    “We can identify connector managers by exploring their journey so far and their team size; by finding out whether they were individual contributors; how their team members grew in the team and organisation”

    Self-aware – While some managers misguide their teams with regular coaching and feedback, connector managers will be aware of their own capabilities and learnings. Therefore, they will ensure that the team members are given accurate guidance. They will encourage their teams to imbibe the required set of skills by either helping them to their capacity or connecting them to the right people who can guide and coach them to get the desired skills.

    Understand their employees – Connector managers will get to the root of the problem which is disturbing their team members. They will understand what kind of challenges their employees are facing and what kind of support they need to overcome them.

    Apart from hiring, a company can also build and develop connector managers in their organisation.

    First, the organisation can encourage them to brand themselves and create an image of a thought leader. This will allow them to build network.

    A company can also put leaders into a peer coaching programme, where they get to find solutions and solve problems through discussions with other leaders in the company. This will allow them to build a network internally.

    While hiring leaders or developing people in leadership roles, it is natural for employers to seek out people with certain skills which are necessary for the role. But a connector manager is someone who can build leaders for the future.

    “When you want to create best employee experiences, it is very important to look for a leader who can further create future leaders,” concludes Bangia.

    Connector managers Ensono Gartner Leadership Mahindra Research
    Share. LinkedIn Twitter Facebook
    mm
    Kartikay Kashyap | HRKatha

    A mass communication graduate Kartikay is a quick learner. A fresh bake, yet a prolific writer, he is always keen to learn and discover new things. He is an easy going gallivanted and just likes to chill out when he is not chasing news. He loves watching movies as well.

    Leave A Reply Cancel Reply

    4 × 2 =

    Related Posts

    “The agility of a startup with the legacy of a giant: Haleon’s formula for success,” Priyank Parakh, Director-HR, Haleon

    June 27, 2025

    OPG Mobility expands leadership team, appoints 3 senior executives

    May 13, 2025

    Layoffs trigger cultural crisis; employee loyalty takes a 216% hit: Report

    April 23, 2025

    How Urbanic India blends humanity with high performance

    April 21, 2025

    QUICK HR INSIGHTS

    EDITOR'S PICKS

    The 5-to-9 Trap: Is Gen Z’s quest for perfect evenings fuelling a new burnout?

    July 9, 2025

    How AI is creating a workforce of the mentally walking dead

    July 8, 2025

    The tortoise and the hare: Which leadership style conquers chaos?

    July 4, 2025

    The heart versus the head: Why startups struggle to balance culture and capability

    July 3, 2025
    Latest Post

    Centre rolls out digital service books for all government employees

    News July 9, 2025

    The Central government has mandated the implementation of digital service books across all ministries and…

    ZS to hire 4,000 globally; strengthens GCC operations in India

    News July 9, 2025

    In response to the growing global demand for Global Capability Centres (GCCs), ZS, a management…

    Himachal Pradesh expands paramedical education to address healthcare staff shortage

    News July 9, 2025

    In a major step toward strengthening its healthcare system, the Himachal Pradesh government has announced…

    Sudden layoffs at startup spark social-media outrage

    News July 9, 2025

    A sudden round of layoffs at a tech startup has triggered widespread backlash on social…

    Asia's No.1 HR Platform

    Facebook X (Twitter) Instagram LinkedIn WhatsApp Bluesky
    • Our Story
    • Partner with us
    • Career
    • Reach Us
    • Exclusive Features
    • Cover Story
    • Editorial
    • Dive into the Future of Work: Download HRForecast 2024 Now!
    © 2025 HRKatha.com
    • Disclaimer
    • Refunds & Cancellation Policy
    • Terms of Service

    Type above and press Enter to search. Press Esc to cancel.