by Mark Evenden @ Developing People
In the current tough economic climate, I believe that networking is probably an even more important marketing tool than it has ever been before. The wider your network, the more likely you will have contacts in businesses and organisations that are less affected by the general economic slow-down. At the end of the day, people have always bought “people” people. We all like to know who we are dealing with, what they are like, how they can help us and whether we trust them.
However, just networking face to face is not enough. In today’s technological times, it is also important to build your network of people via social and business networking sites.
Here are some tips that I use and you can too to improve your on line presence and build your network.
1. Don’t mix business and pleasure. Be careful about the way you use your business networking sites (for example, LinkedIn) as opposed to the way you use your social networking sites (for example, Facebook). If possible, keep business and pleasure completely separate online – don’t invite professional contacts to link with you on social networking sites, and vice versa. The last thing you want is your professional contacts reading about how you get hammered at the weekend, or that you had to take a sick cat to the vets!!
2. Take the time to look up old contacts. By adding just one contact to your online network, you will often gain access to hundreds more people who are interested in a similar vein of work, or who have professional skills that may be useful to you. Take the time and trouble to look up people you haven’t contacted in a while, and make use not only of their skills, but also of the skills of the people they network with.
3. Be careful how you come across. Remember that the written word does not have the advantage of body language to emphasise its true meaning. Words can easily be misunderstood across a computer screen, so if in doubt, leave it out!
4. Think what your legacy will be. Where as the spoken word is gone the moment it has been said, the written word has a much more lasting legacy. Never type anything out in temper, as it may be difficult to retract it, by which point the damage is already done. Be polite, courteous and professional at all times.
5. Beware of addiction! Networking sites can be incredibly time-consuming. Whilst they are a very important and useful resource, stay aware of how much time you spend using them, and don’t let this become proportionally imbalanced to the amount of work you generate from networking in this way.
Monday, 8 August 2011
Friday, 29 July 2011
Nurturing the Talent Within Your Business
by Lucy Cadman @ Developing People
I have been with Developing People for a year and a half now, and it is sad to admit that at 35 years old, this is fast approaching the record for the longest time I have ever remained in one job. My role has changed probably 80% from what I first came here to do, but those changes have taken into account both the growth and development of the business, and the skills and abilities that I have brought to the role. As a result, the business has acquired vital and useful resources, and I feel as an employee that my ability is recognised and my talent is being nurtured, which makes for a win-win situation all round.
Today’s businesses, organisations and markets are constantly changing, developing and evolving. With this comes the fact that it is not possible to simply find someone who has potential and leave them to get on with a job. If you want a high quality performance from a high flying manager who is going to stay committed to your organisation for the long term, then you need a programme of Talent Management and Leadership Development firmly rooted into the very core of your company. Your people and your business need to be able to move constantly with the times.
As an employer, how should you tackle this? Here is a guide to making the most out of your talent.
• Make talent management and development and issue at Board level. The Board should be able to clearly articulate the strategy of the business and where it is going, and therefore define the types of skills, behaviours and people the business will need in the future.
• Identify who the potential leaders of the business are in the next 5, 10 and 15 years. Does the business have a mechanism in place to identify the leaders of tomorrow? What are the key criteria that the business is looking for? How will the criteria be measured and assessed?
• Make sure that your talent is aware of the fact that they are ‘talent’, and continually cross-check their expectations and desires alongside yours. At the age of 27, an aspiring manager may be willing to travel the world. At 37 and with a young family, their priorities have probably changed.
• Be open and clear with your high potentials about what it is they need to learn. What is it that will add the greatest value to their performance and careers?
• Don’t assume that management training is the answer to all your talent development needs. Ask yourself what development activities will they benefit most from - coaching, mentoring, project work or a secondment?
• Provide ‘on and off the job’ opportunities for your talent to flourish. Could they perhaps lead a local community or charity project? Generally people will raise their performance to what is being requested of them. If you never ask someone to step outside their comfort zone you will never find out!
• Make sure that you are focussing on the individual’s ‘development’, and therefore provide opportunities for self-direction and self-learning as well.
Ultimately the competitive edge of your business and its long term success resides with the abilities of your future key managers and leaders. Surely the nurturing and development of your talent is far too an important business issue to be left to chance?
I have been with Developing People for a year and a half now, and it is sad to admit that at 35 years old, this is fast approaching the record for the longest time I have ever remained in one job. My role has changed probably 80% from what I first came here to do, but those changes have taken into account both the growth and development of the business, and the skills and abilities that I have brought to the role. As a result, the business has acquired vital and useful resources, and I feel as an employee that my ability is recognised and my talent is being nurtured, which makes for a win-win situation all round.
Today’s businesses, organisations and markets are constantly changing, developing and evolving. With this comes the fact that it is not possible to simply find someone who has potential and leave them to get on with a job. If you want a high quality performance from a high flying manager who is going to stay committed to your organisation for the long term, then you need a programme of Talent Management and Leadership Development firmly rooted into the very core of your company. Your people and your business need to be able to move constantly with the times.
As an employer, how should you tackle this? Here is a guide to making the most out of your talent.
• Make talent management and development and issue at Board level. The Board should be able to clearly articulate the strategy of the business and where it is going, and therefore define the types of skills, behaviours and people the business will need in the future.
• Identify who the potential leaders of the business are in the next 5, 10 and 15 years. Does the business have a mechanism in place to identify the leaders of tomorrow? What are the key criteria that the business is looking for? How will the criteria be measured and assessed?
• Make sure that your talent is aware of the fact that they are ‘talent’, and continually cross-check their expectations and desires alongside yours. At the age of 27, an aspiring manager may be willing to travel the world. At 37 and with a young family, their priorities have probably changed.
• Be open and clear with your high potentials about what it is they need to learn. What is it that will add the greatest value to their performance and careers?
• Don’t assume that management training is the answer to all your talent development needs. Ask yourself what development activities will they benefit most from - coaching, mentoring, project work or a secondment?
• Provide ‘on and off the job’ opportunities for your talent to flourish. Could they perhaps lead a local community or charity project? Generally people will raise their performance to what is being requested of them. If you never ask someone to step outside their comfort zone you will never find out!
• Make sure that you are focussing on the individual’s ‘development’, and therefore provide opportunities for self-direction and self-learning as well.
Ultimately the competitive edge of your business and its long term success resides with the abilities of your future key managers and leaders. Surely the nurturing and development of your talent is far too an important business issue to be left to chance?
Tuesday, 19 July 2011
Performance Appraisal - Common Pitfalls to Avoid
My own view of appraisal processes is that they are extremely useful but only if set up properly and used in the right way. The purpose of an appraisal process should be to optimise the success and contribution of each employee. If this is achieved, then improved performance from the majority of employees will ultimately positively impact the performance of the business. While this theory is fine, in practice appraisal systems too often don’t’ delver on their promises and end up with a bad name. Too often I have seen a business that did not get the full benefits from their appraisal processes mainly because managers make one or more basic mistakes.
Here are just a few of the most common pitfalls to avoid.
1) The board and other senior managers think that appraisal is ‘for everyone else’. For appraisals to be successful, they must be lead from the top and clearly linked to the business’ strategies and goals. My own view here is that leading by example is key – if you are a senior manager and don’t take appraisals seriously, then why should your managers?
2) Nobody is accountable for implementing the appraisal process properly in the first place. When implementing an appraisal process, appoint a project manager to implement the new process. Use the project manager to monitor progress and report completions to the board. In this way everyone wit understand what progress has been achieved and what else needs to be done.
3) Implementing a highly complex/comprehensive system. I have seen incredibly comprehensive and complex systems that in theory might be great but in practice turn off managers and staff, so they don’t use it. Therefore start with the basics first - use a simple paperwork system to record targets/objectives and an annual (or biannual) review of achievement. As managers and staff recognize the value of the process, more ‘features’ can be added in such as a 360° appraisal.
4) Have a system that ranks staff. Ranking your staff will kill an appraisal system. I have seen sales staff not pass on leads to their colleagues because they want to top the league table. It is often easier for an individual to improve their ranking by undermining the performance of others than it is to improve their own performance. The result of this is destructive and divisive ways of working, which will not improve business performance (remember the purpose of appraisal?)
5) Setting vague or inappropriate targets. It is vital to set clear and realistic performance targets, and not simply tell you staff to ‘do your best’. How will you or they objectively measure whether they have ‘done their best’? It is a recipe for disaster.
6) Having conflicting targets and measures. It is important to have congruent targets and measures across the organisation. I once worked for an business whose supply chain manager had a target to reduce purchasing spend, and the production managers had targets to maximise productivity. Guess what happened? The supply chain manager complained bitterly that deliveries were frequently late and the production managers blamed the supply chain manager for buying cheap paper that slowed the printing presses down!
7) Reviewing performance inadequately, for example by focusing on one specific incident rather than reviewing the entire period which the review covers. Also avoid the "halo" and "horns" effects. Just because an employee performs badly in one area does not make his/her overall appraisal bad. The same goes for good appraisal. The key to successful reviews is to gather factual data about an individual’s performance and then assess it objectively.
8) Not providing adequate development support for staff. One key aspect of the appraisal process is the development of staff to provide them with the capabilities to achieve their targets. People can only improve their performance if they are given the right opportunities to learn and develop. This may be in the form of on the job guided learning or on a formal management training course. Businesses that ignore this step do so at their peril.
As I mentioned at the beginning, my belief is the purpose of an appraisal process is to optimise the success of each employee and ultimately the business. By taking steps to avoid pitfalls I have highlighted managers should have every opportunity to realise this goal.
Here are just a few of the most common pitfalls to avoid.
1) The board and other senior managers think that appraisal is ‘for everyone else’. For appraisals to be successful, they must be lead from the top and clearly linked to the business’ strategies and goals. My own view here is that leading by example is key – if you are a senior manager and don’t take appraisals seriously, then why should your managers?
2) Nobody is accountable for implementing the appraisal process properly in the first place. When implementing an appraisal process, appoint a project manager to implement the new process. Use the project manager to monitor progress and report completions to the board. In this way everyone wit understand what progress has been achieved and what else needs to be done.
3) Implementing a highly complex/comprehensive system. I have seen incredibly comprehensive and complex systems that in theory might be great but in practice turn off managers and staff, so they don’t use it. Therefore start with the basics first - use a simple paperwork system to record targets/objectives and an annual (or biannual) review of achievement. As managers and staff recognize the value of the process, more ‘features’ can be added in such as a 360° appraisal.
4) Have a system that ranks staff. Ranking your staff will kill an appraisal system. I have seen sales staff not pass on leads to their colleagues because they want to top the league table. It is often easier for an individual to improve their ranking by undermining the performance of others than it is to improve their own performance. The result of this is destructive and divisive ways of working, which will not improve business performance (remember the purpose of appraisal?)
5) Setting vague or inappropriate targets. It is vital to set clear and realistic performance targets, and not simply tell you staff to ‘do your best’. How will you or they objectively measure whether they have ‘done their best’? It is a recipe for disaster.
6) Having conflicting targets and measures. It is important to have congruent targets and measures across the organisation. I once worked for an business whose supply chain manager had a target to reduce purchasing spend, and the production managers had targets to maximise productivity. Guess what happened? The supply chain manager complained bitterly that deliveries were frequently late and the production managers blamed the supply chain manager for buying cheap paper that slowed the printing presses down!
7) Reviewing performance inadequately, for example by focusing on one specific incident rather than reviewing the entire period which the review covers. Also avoid the "halo" and "horns" effects. Just because an employee performs badly in one area does not make his/her overall appraisal bad. The same goes for good appraisal. The key to successful reviews is to gather factual data about an individual’s performance and then assess it objectively.
8) Not providing adequate development support for staff. One key aspect of the appraisal process is the development of staff to provide them with the capabilities to achieve their targets. People can only improve their performance if they are given the right opportunities to learn and develop. This may be in the form of on the job guided learning or on a formal management training course. Businesses that ignore this step do so at their peril.
As I mentioned at the beginning, my belief is the purpose of an appraisal process is to optimise the success of each employee and ultimately the business. By taking steps to avoid pitfalls I have highlighted managers should have every opportunity to realise this goal.
Friday, 15 July 2011
How to give constructive criticism
by Lucy Cadman @ Developing People
I had a dance lesson last night, and danced with a new partner for the first time. I have always been used to being the more experienced member of my previous partnership, and as a result have been used to being the one who has had to lead, remember, and generally be in charge. However, my new partner has infinitely more experience than me, and as a result I found myself in a completely new situation where I was struggling to keep up with what I was learning rather than being the one doing the coaxing, the supporting and the teaching.
When I succeeded in fluffing the same set of Foxtrot steps twice in a row, it led to an almighty angry outburst from my partner. “It isn’t like that!” he literally shouted at me. “You’re not doing the right steps!” And with that, he walked away.
I am not averse to being corrected if I am wrong, but there were a million things wrong with the way he approached this situation. Here are five simple steps that would have helped him to provide clear and constructive feedback:
Plan – have a clear idea of what topic(s) you need to discuss, exactly what you want to say, and most importantly of all, how you are going to say it. Make sure that you leave scope for discussion. The key is to be flexible, whilst still getting your points across. Always make sure that you give feedback whilst it is still fresh in your mind, and always make sure that you give feedback in private.
Praise – Focus on the positives first. Help the person to feel valued and a worthwhile part of the team, even though you are about to offer some feedback on what they can improve on. Feedback should not just be about negative things.
Clear constructive feedback – be clear. Be concise. You will need to tailor your approach according to the person you are speaking to. Some will prefer you to be blunt and to the point – some will prefer you to be more gentle. As a Leader or Manager, it is up to you to know your staff well enough to understand which people will require which approach. Specific details are infinitely preferable and easier to approach.
Praise again – move the focus towards solutions. Build the employee back up again by giving them the confidence that they can solve any situations that have arisen, and by showing them that they have your support to do this.
Follow up – always agree the actions that are required as a result of the meeting, and schedule another meeting with the employee to follow up on how things have gone as a result of the feedback. This is your opportunity to be able to hopefully praise the employee on how well they have handled the situation, and on the changes that have been made since the discussion.
Had my partner followed these rules, I would not have been left feeling two inches tall in front of the rest of our class, and I would probably have left with some idea of what the steps actually should have been, instead of still completely none the wiser. I may print out a copy of this blog in good time for next week … just in case!!
I had a dance lesson last night, and danced with a new partner for the first time. I have always been used to being the more experienced member of my previous partnership, and as a result have been used to being the one who has had to lead, remember, and generally be in charge. However, my new partner has infinitely more experience than me, and as a result I found myself in a completely new situation where I was struggling to keep up with what I was learning rather than being the one doing the coaxing, the supporting and the teaching.
When I succeeded in fluffing the same set of Foxtrot steps twice in a row, it led to an almighty angry outburst from my partner. “It isn’t like that!” he literally shouted at me. “You’re not doing the right steps!” And with that, he walked away.
I am not averse to being corrected if I am wrong, but there were a million things wrong with the way he approached this situation. Here are five simple steps that would have helped him to provide clear and constructive feedback:
Plan – have a clear idea of what topic(s) you need to discuss, exactly what you want to say, and most importantly of all, how you are going to say it. Make sure that you leave scope for discussion. The key is to be flexible, whilst still getting your points across. Always make sure that you give feedback whilst it is still fresh in your mind, and always make sure that you give feedback in private.
Praise – Focus on the positives first. Help the person to feel valued and a worthwhile part of the team, even though you are about to offer some feedback on what they can improve on. Feedback should not just be about negative things.
Clear constructive feedback – be clear. Be concise. You will need to tailor your approach according to the person you are speaking to. Some will prefer you to be blunt and to the point – some will prefer you to be more gentle. As a Leader or Manager, it is up to you to know your staff well enough to understand which people will require which approach. Specific details are infinitely preferable and easier to approach.
Praise again – move the focus towards solutions. Build the employee back up again by giving them the confidence that they can solve any situations that have arisen, and by showing them that they have your support to do this.
Follow up – always agree the actions that are required as a result of the meeting, and schedule another meeting with the employee to follow up on how things have gone as a result of the feedback. This is your opportunity to be able to hopefully praise the employee on how well they have handled the situation, and on the changes that have been made since the discussion.
Had my partner followed these rules, I would not have been left feeling two inches tall in front of the rest of our class, and I would probably have left with some idea of what the steps actually should have been, instead of still completely none the wiser. I may print out a copy of this blog in good time for next week … just in case!!
Wednesday, 29 June 2011
Management Training - How to get the promotion you REALLY want!
by Mark Evenden at Developing People
You may have recently started out on your career journey and want your first promotion or you may be well on your way but would like a broader or more senior leadership role. Burt how do you go about getting the promotion you want, and what things should you consider? The following are a few hints and tips that I have picked up over the years that will hopefully help you on your way!
1. Look at the bigger picture. I believe it’s important to start by asking yourself what you want to achieve, not just at work but also outside, with your family, friends, where you want to live etc. The reason for this is will a promotion fit with your broader life goals? Taking on a more senior role will require some sacrifices (certainly in the short term), and you need to be clear whether or not the price is worth paying (and my own personal experience is sometimes it isn’t!).
2. Understand the role you want. Do you really know what it will be like in a more senior role? Are you prepared to take on additional responsibility, be more flexible, cope with the organisation’s politics, work the extra hours etc? My own experience is that the best way to find out is to ask. Find people who are already doing a similar role and ask them what they think and feel about the job. They will be able to help you think through whether or not the job is right for you.
3. Get a mentor. Mentors are invaluable. They understand how the organisation works and have a great network of contacts. I have had mentors in the past and they acted as my critical friend, commenting on things you I did well and identifying things that I could improve on. They also helped to introduce me to the right people, and open the right doors.
4. Tell people how good you are! I, like most find this uncomfortable and unnatural. However, senior managers and others within an organisation may not know you or your achievements. Therefore, make sure you have your name on a least one important success and let others know about it.
5. Work outside your comfort zone. Try to do things that you haven’t done before. Offer to work on a cross functional project, stand in for your boss, get involved in a presentation to the board. I have found that the things that built my confidence the most were those that were uncomfortable and even downright scary!
6. Keep learning. Attend management training programmes aimed at developing the skills you need. In addition, read books, attend seminars, and become a member of a professional body. In this way you will demonstrate to the organisation that you are committed to learning, development and continuous improvement.
7. Be a great resource. People get noticed when they take responsibility for issues and resolve them. Think about the problems that your organisations faces. Identify some solutions and present them with your recommended course of action to your boss.
8. If you really want that promotion ask for it! Your boss will not be a mind reader so unless you let them know what your hopes and aspirations are, they will not be able to help you.
9. Finally, have a contingency plan. Your organisation may not have the right opportunities in the short to medium term, or alternatively you may find yourself redundant as the result of a restructure or downsizing process. But don’t give up. Remember, there are many different ways of achieving your career goals, just as there are many different ways of travelling from town to the next. I have been made redundant twice, and have had to take a sideways step as well as a backwards step (in terms of salary) before, but ultimately I now have the job I always wanted.
You may have recently started out on your career journey and want your first promotion or you may be well on your way but would like a broader or more senior leadership role. Burt how do you go about getting the promotion you want, and what things should you consider? The following are a few hints and tips that I have picked up over the years that will hopefully help you on your way!
1. Look at the bigger picture. I believe it’s important to start by asking yourself what you want to achieve, not just at work but also outside, with your family, friends, where you want to live etc. The reason for this is will a promotion fit with your broader life goals? Taking on a more senior role will require some sacrifices (certainly in the short term), and you need to be clear whether or not the price is worth paying (and my own personal experience is sometimes it isn’t!).
2. Understand the role you want. Do you really know what it will be like in a more senior role? Are you prepared to take on additional responsibility, be more flexible, cope with the organisation’s politics, work the extra hours etc? My own experience is that the best way to find out is to ask. Find people who are already doing a similar role and ask them what they think and feel about the job. They will be able to help you think through whether or not the job is right for you.
3. Get a mentor. Mentors are invaluable. They understand how the organisation works and have a great network of contacts. I have had mentors in the past and they acted as my critical friend, commenting on things you I did well and identifying things that I could improve on. They also helped to introduce me to the right people, and open the right doors.
4. Tell people how good you are! I, like most find this uncomfortable and unnatural. However, senior managers and others within an organisation may not know you or your achievements. Therefore, make sure you have your name on a least one important success and let others know about it.
5. Work outside your comfort zone. Try to do things that you haven’t done before. Offer to work on a cross functional project, stand in for your boss, get involved in a presentation to the board. I have found that the things that built my confidence the most were those that were uncomfortable and even downright scary!
6. Keep learning. Attend management training programmes aimed at developing the skills you need. In addition, read books, attend seminars, and become a member of a professional body. In this way you will demonstrate to the organisation that you are committed to learning, development and continuous improvement.
7. Be a great resource. People get noticed when they take responsibility for issues and resolve them. Think about the problems that your organisations faces. Identify some solutions and present them with your recommended course of action to your boss.
8. If you really want that promotion ask for it! Your boss will not be a mind reader so unless you let them know what your hopes and aspirations are, they will not be able to help you.
9. Finally, have a contingency plan. Your organisation may not have the right opportunities in the short to medium term, or alternatively you may find yourself redundant as the result of a restructure or downsizing process. But don’t give up. Remember, there are many different ways of achieving your career goals, just as there are many different ways of travelling from town to the next. I have been made redundant twice, and have had to take a sideways step as well as a backwards step (in terms of salary) before, but ultimately I now have the job I always wanted.
Friday, 17 June 2011
Management Training รข€“ What to Focus on?
I have worked for many managers who think that they are good at what they do. From the ones who have “got it right” through to the ones that have “got it SO wrong”, they have all had high opinions of their skills! However, according to a poll conducted for Investors in People by YouGov, almost one in three employees would swap their manager if they could – with nearly one in four claiming they could do a better job themselves, given the chance!
However, that number is not surprising when you consider how few managers receive any kind of formal management training. If think you are a good manager, then check out the practices below to see how you measure up. You may need to incorporate some of the findings into your management style, or include them as part of a formal management training program to enable your own managers to learn.
• Communicate where the business is going.
If you want your staff to be committed to your organization, they need to know where they are going and why. People need to understand how their work contributes to the company's success. After all, having meaning and purpose in your work is highly motivating and rewarding. Interestingly the ability to communicate effectively was listed as the most important quality for a successful manager by respondents in the YouGov poll, yet nearly one in three said their manager was not good at communicating with them.
• Set clear expectations.
Be clear with your staff both in terms of ‘what’ needs to be achieved and ‘how’ it should be achieved. Setting clear goals and targets with staff can help them understand what needs to be done and keep them focused. However, it is also important to talk to them about ‘how’ they should go about achieving their goals. For example it is not acceptable to achieve a target at any cost. In the YouGov poll, honesty and integrity was ranked in the poll as the second most important quality amongst managers, but nearly a fifth of employees believed that their manager had, at some stage, claimed credit for their work.
• Delegate work.
Don’t over control your staff’s work. The more you control others work it will only encourage behavior that necessitates control. Most people want the freedom to complete a task in the way that they think is best, and this is backed up by the YouGov poll which also shows that the most popular types of manages are those who are prepared to delegate.
• Regularly review performance.
Employees need regular feedback about their performance to improve their skills and grow professionally. Make sure you regularly sit down with your staff (at least 6/7 times per year), to discuss with them what they do will and identify with them what they should do differently.
• Deal with problems immediately.
Stay in tune to your staff so you can be proactive and resolve situations before they escalate. If you notice a change in an employee's work habits, performance or behaviour, try to get to resolve the problem before it starts affecting the rest of your team.
• Recognize people’s efforts.
Everybody appreciates being recognized for a job well done. Monetary rewards aren't the only way to thank employees for a job well done. In fact the easiest way to recognize someone’s contribution is simply saying "thank you" — simple words but too often overlooked.
• Be a coach and mentor.
As a manager, one of the greatest things that you can give an employee is by sharing your knowledge and experience. Showing your employees first-hand how you deal a task, what works and what doesn’t is far more effective than just talking them through it.
• Be firm but fair.
The YouGov research also showed that the most popular types of manages are firm and also fair. For example, family emergencies other unplanned events will always arise, and its part of a managers role to show compassion by being flexible with work hours and time off so their staff can tend to important matters. Employees always appreciate a sympathetic boss, and as long as your work and business doesn’t suffer, make every effort to accommodate workers who have special needs.
In summary – you have to put in time an effort to be a manager. Too often during busy times when work is piling up, people forget to be a manager and concentrate on their own tasks. However, employees depend on their manager’s strength, guidance and support especially during tough times and this takes time, time to listen, time to discuss and time to coach.
How many of the above habits do you demonstrate? How many of them are incorporated in your Management Training programs? Think about what you need to do and take action now.
However, that number is not surprising when you consider how few managers receive any kind of formal management training. If think you are a good manager, then check out the practices below to see how you measure up. You may need to incorporate some of the findings into your management style, or include them as part of a formal management training program to enable your own managers to learn.
• Communicate where the business is going.
If you want your staff to be committed to your organization, they need to know where they are going and why. People need to understand how their work contributes to the company's success. After all, having meaning and purpose in your work is highly motivating and rewarding. Interestingly the ability to communicate effectively was listed as the most important quality for a successful manager by respondents in the YouGov poll, yet nearly one in three said their manager was not good at communicating with them.
• Set clear expectations.
Be clear with your staff both in terms of ‘what’ needs to be achieved and ‘how’ it should be achieved. Setting clear goals and targets with staff can help them understand what needs to be done and keep them focused. However, it is also important to talk to them about ‘how’ they should go about achieving their goals. For example it is not acceptable to achieve a target at any cost. In the YouGov poll, honesty and integrity was ranked in the poll as the second most important quality amongst managers, but nearly a fifth of employees believed that their manager had, at some stage, claimed credit for their work.
• Delegate work.
Don’t over control your staff’s work. The more you control others work it will only encourage behavior that necessitates control. Most people want the freedom to complete a task in the way that they think is best, and this is backed up by the YouGov poll which also shows that the most popular types of manages are those who are prepared to delegate.
• Regularly review performance.
Employees need regular feedback about their performance to improve their skills and grow professionally. Make sure you regularly sit down with your staff (at least 6/7 times per year), to discuss with them what they do will and identify with them what they should do differently.
• Deal with problems immediately.
Stay in tune to your staff so you can be proactive and resolve situations before they escalate. If you notice a change in an employee's work habits, performance or behaviour, try to get to resolve the problem before it starts affecting the rest of your team.
• Recognize people’s efforts.
Everybody appreciates being recognized for a job well done. Monetary rewards aren't the only way to thank employees for a job well done. In fact the easiest way to recognize someone’s contribution is simply saying "thank you" — simple words but too often overlooked.
• Be a coach and mentor.
As a manager, one of the greatest things that you can give an employee is by sharing your knowledge and experience. Showing your employees first-hand how you deal a task, what works and what doesn’t is far more effective than just talking them through it.
• Be firm but fair.
The YouGov research also showed that the most popular types of manages are firm and also fair. For example, family emergencies other unplanned events will always arise, and its part of a managers role to show compassion by being flexible with work hours and time off so their staff can tend to important matters. Employees always appreciate a sympathetic boss, and as long as your work and business doesn’t suffer, make every effort to accommodate workers who have special needs.
In summary – you have to put in time an effort to be a manager. Too often during busy times when work is piling up, people forget to be a manager and concentrate on their own tasks. However, employees depend on their manager’s strength, guidance and support especially during tough times and this takes time, time to listen, time to discuss and time to coach.
How many of the above habits do you demonstrate? How many of them are incorporated in your Management Training programs? Think about what you need to do and take action now.
Monday, 13 June 2011
Do you want to improve your productivity? Take time off work!
by Mark Evenden @ Developing People
Are you working long hours? If you are then perhaps it is time to tell your boss that time off work is great for productivity, according to a paper published in the Journal of Applied Psychology by Sonnentag and Fritz.
You might not feel that you need a university professor to tell you breaks are good for you personally, but the scientific data proves it. Taking leave really does recharge the batteries. You are happier and more energetic when you return to work after a good break.
Sabine Sonnentag, a professor of work and organisational psychology at the University of Konstanz in Germany, studied the performance of 221 workers before and after they took a holiday, as well as what they did on it. The results showed people were happier and less tired and found tasks easier to accomplish for at least two weeks after their return from holidays than before they took time off.
Interestingly Sabine found that the beneficial effects are maximised if people use the time to learn a new skill as well as switch off from work, and I would agree with their findings, as my own experience is in line with this research.
On our leadership development programmes, we encourage participants to take time out to think about their role and their business while they are away from their day to day pressures. The feedback is invariably positive with participants being clearer and more motivated about what they need to do, when they return to work.
Sonnentag and a colleague, Charlotte Fritz, found those who mastered a new skill or tackled a challenge felt more energetic two weeks after returning to work than before the holiday. They also found it was good to practice positive thinking on holidays.
Sonnentag found the positive effects of holidays faded quickly if people faced an extra workload on return. Those who brooded on work politics and dwelt on unfinished business were more likely to report feeling exhausted soon after their return than those who switched off in the holidays or reflected on the good things about work.
As a footnote, I think it is worth reflecting on a number of recent studies in the UK that indicate as many as 20% of Britain’s working population take less than their full holiday entitlements – so make sure you take yours!
Are you working long hours? If you are then perhaps it is time to tell your boss that time off work is great for productivity, according to a paper published in the Journal of Applied Psychology by Sonnentag and Fritz.
You might not feel that you need a university professor to tell you breaks are good for you personally, but the scientific data proves it. Taking leave really does recharge the batteries. You are happier and more energetic when you return to work after a good break.
Sabine Sonnentag, a professor of work and organisational psychology at the University of Konstanz in Germany, studied the performance of 221 workers before and after they took a holiday, as well as what they did on it. The results showed people were happier and less tired and found tasks easier to accomplish for at least two weeks after their return from holidays than before they took time off.
Interestingly Sabine found that the beneficial effects are maximised if people use the time to learn a new skill as well as switch off from work, and I would agree with their findings, as my own experience is in line with this research.
On our leadership development programmes, we encourage participants to take time out to think about their role and their business while they are away from their day to day pressures. The feedback is invariably positive with participants being clearer and more motivated about what they need to do, when they return to work.
Sonnentag and a colleague, Charlotte Fritz, found those who mastered a new skill or tackled a challenge felt more energetic two weeks after returning to work than before the holiday. They also found it was good to practice positive thinking on holidays.
Sonnentag found the positive effects of holidays faded quickly if people faced an extra workload on return. Those who brooded on work politics and dwelt on unfinished business were more likely to report feeling exhausted soon after their return than those who switched off in the holidays or reflected on the good things about work.
As a footnote, I think it is worth reflecting on a number of recent studies in the UK that indicate as many as 20% of Britain’s working population take less than their full holiday entitlements – so make sure you take yours!
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