Many ELT professionals carry out management functions. Managers range from academic co-ordinators to people with responsibility for marketing and finance. Some are in supervisory or middle management positions whilst others hold senior management responsibilities. Topics covered in ELT management include:
- Academic management
- Change management
- Customer Service
- Finance
- Human resource management including staff recruitment, selection, induction and development
- Leadership and management
- Organisational mission and strategy
- Project management
- Quality issues
- Sales and marketing
- Stress management
- Time management
One of the major issues in ELT Management is how professionals in this field receive appropriate training and development. Many individuals start their managerial careers without any formal management training or qualifications and learn on the job, not always from the best of models. The range of developmental options available to managers include:
- Coaching and mentoring
- Modelling and shadowing
- Deputising and volunteering
- Taking courses and qualifications
- Attending and speaking at conferences
- Reading management articles, magazines and books
- Visiting websites devoted to management issues
- Networking and learning from other managers
Another interesting issue in ELT management concerns cross-cultural awareness, as many ELT institutions include staff and students from a range of cultural backgrounds.
As competition is increasing in both the private and public sectors, quality management issues have become increasingly important in ELT.
Many managers in ELT seek to deal with the same time management, stress management and work-life balance issues as managers in other fields.
In the rest of this section you will find ways in which you can develop as an ELT manager through reading articles and books, attending workshops and courses, joining Special Interest Groups and participating in discussion forums.
