Archive for February, 2010

Want to improve productivity? – then get supervising!

Wednesday, February 24th, 2010

How often do we stand back and think about the value of applying effective people management practices – especially the value to the productivity of our business or organisation? Take a look at this piece of research: 

 

Proudfoot Consultings (www.proudfootconsulting.com) Productivity Survey shows that in the UK 33.3% of the time spent in work is unproductive. Taking into account that they estimate that the optimum ‘labour utilisation’ time is considered to be 85% this means that UK businesses are wasting just over 18% of working hours.

 

Here’s what they say about the reason

 

‘Whatever business you’re in, pay particular attention to the calibre and capabilities of those who directly supervise frontline workers. Poor worker supervision has always been a prominent reason for wasted working time in our Business Reviews and in the last two years has risen to become the dominant factor’

 

That’s just short of a day a week, then, lost due to poor supervision

 

Before we explore this issue further I should point out that this report is based on research of large businesses (with turnover in excess of £100m). Clearly, managing and supervising staff in a smaller business or organisation can be very different. For example, there’s less likelihood of there being a long ‘chain of command’ and it’s clearly more difficult for staff members in a small enterprise to be unproductive, at least intentionally. However I’d say it’s worth all organisations, whatever the size, periodically taking a critical look at how they supervise their staff

 

Here are a few questions you can use to assess your people management and supervision practices:

 

1. Are staff crystal clear on what’s expected of them? Do they have agreed descriptions of what effective performance looks like for their job? Are these agreed descriptions written as performance standards or objectives?

2. Is the staff member’s actual performance monitored against the standards or objectives on an ongoing basis? Are staff involved in monitoring their own performance?

3. Is the staff member’s performance reviewed on a regular basis (every 3 months is standard good practice)? Are they given objective, evidence- based feedback? Are areas of outstanding performance identified and how these can be built upon agreed? Are any areas for improvement discussed and strategies for improvement agreed? 

4.Is the staff member’s job satisfaction discussed with them so that ways to maintain or enhance their satisfaction are agreed?

 

Do you now feel like having a lie down? I do know this all sounds like an awful lot of work and it certainly does take some time commitment to manage and supervise staff effectively. However research does demonstrate again and again that not only does effective people management and supervision positively impact productivity and business performance but it also positively impacts your staff’s job satisfaction. A win for the organisation, a win for the staff member and not nearly as hard as it sounds with the right tools and techniques

 

 

Joan Henshaw is the author and presenter of the video management training series ‘The 10 Minute Management Toolkit’ – the flexible, cost effective and time effective way to help managers, business owners, team leaders and supervisors learn how to motivate their staff to high performance. Want to learn more about how to motivate staff to high performance? Watch videos and claim your free e-book at http://www.10mmt.com 

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Using video in your in-house management training

Wednesday, February 10th, 2010

Why use video in your in-house management training?

Short answer? Using a video such as the 10 Minute Management Toolkit saves you time. As a learning or training professional I feel sure you could research, design and deliver any number of management training workshops – if you had time. And of course you could buy in a whole range of management training programmes – if you have the budget. The purpose of  the 10MMT is, simply, to save you time and save you costs in providing engaging, effective management training

So how can we use the 10MMT in our in house management training?

Some options;

1. As a series of short, focused management training courses

Each video workshop comprises three sessions which take around 10 minutes to watch. With time for group review of exercises and discussion you could estimate 45 minutes. Just about right for a ‘breakfast briefing’ or ‘lunchtime learning’ session

Short, effective, engaging training with minimum preparation

2. To enhance your current training programmes

This is about using the videos as an expertise resource. Here’s an example. You are delivering some training on project management (your area of expertise). Maybe there needs to be a short session on what to do when a project team member does not perform effectively. If this is not one of your areas of expertise you could use ‘How to motivate your staff to improve their performance with positive criticism’ to cover that session

In short, the videos could be used to compliment or augment your current training programmes with your ‘plug in and play’ subject matter expert

3. As a ‘co-trainer’ in your management training programmes 

For a change of pace, a change of face, a different style and a different medium. You can use the videos to support your learning objectives and to illustrate your key learning points – with a co-trainer you can use only when you need them   

A flexible, easy way to achieve higher learner engagement by appealing to different learning styles and preferences

 

Joan Henshaw is the author and presenter of the video management training series ‘The 10 Minute Management Toolkit’ – the flexible, cost effective and time effective way to help managers learn how to motivate their staff to high performance.

 

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Using video in your management coaching

Monday, February 8th, 2010

Why Use Video in Your Management Coaching? 

Here’s a scenario. You’ve been asked by a manager to help them work out how to deal with a ‘difficult staff member’ – a staff member who’s been upsetting clients. You’re glad to help. In the initial meeting you identify that the manager needs to understand how to a) describe in clear, objective and non judgemental language what the staff member is doing that’s causing a problem b) explain the results and consequences of those behaviours –so that the staff member can see the need for change and c) structure a performance improvement discussion. In short, before you can begin your coaching, they need some training. Assuming there isn’t a handy training course available in the next couple of weeks, what should you do?   

You could train the manager yourself. Here are a few questions to help you decide if that is the best option;    

Is training is an effective use of your coaching time?

Is training is an effective use of your coaching skills (isn’t coaching more about helping the manager explore, plan, take action and reflect)?

Are training and coaching one and the same thing – so there’s no great benefit keeping them separate?

Does the manager want you to train them, or coach them?

Here’s another idea. Why not use a management training video to provide the practical training, while you focus on the coaching?  

Here’s how it could work using, as an example, the 10MMT DVD ‘Motivating your staff to improve their performance with positive criticism’

How to Use the 10MMT in Your Management Coaching  

1.  Coaching session One – Agree the purpose of the coaching and the coaching plan

Purpose – ‘to learn and apply a structured approach to giving positive criticism in order to gain agreement from staff member A to improve their performance ’ 

Coaching plan – as follows

2. The Manager watches the 10MMT DVD 

When they want and at their own pace    

 3. Coaching session Two – Planning to apply the learning 

The Manager talks through their A.R.C. plan and shares the supporting documentation. The Coach tests and challenges any lack of clarity. The Manager talks through the planned structure of the performance improvement meeting and describes the strategies they plan to use for overcoming difficulties and gaining agreement. The Coach supports, challenges, advises etc

 4. The Manager applies the learning

By undertaking a performance improvement discussion

5.  Coaching session Three – Reviewing the outcomes and next steps   

The Coach guides the manager to reflect, draw conclusions and learning from the experience of undertaking the performance review discussion and the outcomes. Any further coaching needs identified and a plan agreed on how these will addressed

In Summary

It’s all about you, as the Coach, focusing your time and attention on what you do best and what best meets the needs of manager, with the training taken care of my the 10 Minute Management Toolkit

 

Joan Henshaw is the author and presenter of the video management training series ‘The 10 Minute Management Toolkit’ – the flexible, cost effective and time effective way to help managers learn how to motivate their staff to high performance.  

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Why use videos for self managed learning?

Wednesday, February 3rd, 2010

What’s the purpose of self managed learning?

It’s all about meeting the immediate training and development needs of, for example, managers, supervisors and team leaders. Needs that might be expressed as;

I’ve just been promoted to team leader. The next management training course is in 6 months time. What can I do in the meantime? How can l learn the basics of how to manage people – quickly?

I’m based in an overseas office. I just can’t get to the UK for management training .How can I access some management development training here, at my office?

 I need some ideas on how to tell my staff member they need to improve their performance. How can I gain their agreement to improve?

It’s appraisal time again. I need a quick reminder of how to prepare and how to deal with any disagreements. My first appraisal meeting is next week. What can I do?

How does video training meet these needs?

Let‘s take the example of the 10 Minute Management Toolkit (so there’s a surprise!). The 10MMT is a series of three management training video workshops designed to enable you to provide flexible, cost effective, and time effective management training – on demand.  Each video workshop provides proven, practical training on how to manage and motivate staff to high performance

Each of the training workshops are broken down into easily digestible, bite sized sessions – around 10 minutes long – that managers can study

Where they want

When they want and

At the pace they want

This means managers can use the videos, and the downloadable workbooks, to learn in a way that

Meets their immediate needs

Best fits their style and preferences and

Best fits into their working day

Newly appointed managers can begin their management training on day one. More experienced managers can access some refresher training or gain some new tools exactly when they need it. No more waiting for the next available training course and using ‘trial and error’ (often with the emphasis on error) in the meantime

For learning and training professionals it’s about having a flexible resource that saves you time and still get’s great results

 But will managers use videos to learn?

Self managed learning is self driven. It’s about managers, supervisors and team leaders accessing the management training they need and, more importantly, want. If they know how to access the training they need and want, they will use it – again and again

 

Joan Henshaw is the author and presenter of the video management training series ‘The 10 Minute Management Toolkit’ – the flexible, cost effective and time effective way to help managers learn how to motivate their staff to high performance.

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