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BSBMGT605 Learner Guide
BSBMGT605 Learner Guide
Student Name
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Table of Contents
Unit of Competency...............................................................................................................................5
Application..........................................................................................................................................5
Performance Criteria...........................................................................................................................6
Foundation Skills.................................................................................................................................8
Assessment Requirements..................................................................................................................9
1. Communicate organisational mission and goals...............................................................................11
1.1 – Clarify objectives, values and standards in accordance with organisation’s strategic direction...12
1.2 – Establish linkages between organisational objectives, values and standards and the
responsibilities of relevant groups and individuals...............................................................................12
Clarify objectives...............................................................................................................................12
Standards and values........................................................................................................................12
Linkages.............................................................................................................................................13
Activity 1A.........................................................................................................................................14
1.3 – Ensure media and language used is appropriate to individuals and group circumstances...........15
Using appropriate media and language............................................................................................15
Media................................................................................................................................................15
Audience...........................................................................................................................................15
Language...........................................................................................................................................16
Activity 1B.........................................................................................................................................17
1.4 – State clear expectations of internal groups and individuals and explain in a manner which builds
commitment to the organisation..........................................................................................................18
Team management...........................................................................................................................18
Making decisions...............................................................................................................................19
Stating expectations..........................................................................................................................20
Activity 1C.........................................................................................................................................21
1.5 – Address expectations of the organisation....................................................................................22
Managing performance.....................................................................................................................22
Activity 1D.........................................................................................................................................23
1.6 – Investigate incidents promptly and communicate results clearly to relevant groups and
individuals.............................................................................................................................................24
Managing problems and issues.........................................................................................................24
Manager’s responsibilities................................................................................................................25
Communicating results.....................................................................................................................26
Activity 1E.........................................................................................................................................27
2. Influence groups and individuals......................................................................................................28
2.1 – Build trust, confidence and respect of diverse groups and individuals through positive role
modelling and effective communication and consultation...................................................................29
Gaining support.................................................................................................................................29
How to influence others....................................................................................................................29
Activity 2A.........................................................................................................................................32
2.2 – Embrace, resource and effectively implement improvements to organisational and workplace
culture...................................................................................................................................................33
Conducting employee reviews..........................................................................................................33
Establishing the most suitable strategies for your business..............................................................33
Monitoring financial performance....................................................................................................34
Considering other business factors...................................................................................................34
Workplace culture.............................................................................................................................35
Activity 2B.........................................................................................................................................36
2.3 – Demonstrate understanding of the global environment and new technology in work activities.37
The global environment....................................................................................................................37
New technology................................................................................................................................37
Activity 2C.........................................................................................................................................38
2.4 – Ensure actions convey flexibility and adaptability to change and accessibility............................39
Flexibility and adaptability................................................................................................................39
Accessibility.......................................................................................................................................39
Policies that reflect adaptability and flexibility.................................................................................40
Activity 2D.........................................................................................................................................41
2.5 – Ensure consultation and participation in decision making occurs with relevant groups and
individuals where appropriate..............................................................................................................42
2.6 – Ensure decision making takes into account needs and expectations of both internal and external
groups...................................................................................................................................................42
Decision-making processes...............................................................................................................42
Activity 2E.........................................................................................................................................44
2.7 – Ensure decision making occurs in accordance with risk management plans for all options, and
within appropriate timeframes.............................................................................................................45
Conducting a risk analysis.................................................................................................................45
Activity 2F..........................................................................................................................................47
2.8 – Ensure that the organisation is represented positively in the media and community.................48
Positively representing the organisation...........................................................................................48
In the community..............................................................................................................................48
Media content guidelines..................................................................................................................48
Activity 2G.........................................................................................................................................49
3. Build and support teams..................................................................................................................50
3.1 – Assign accountabilities and responsibilities to teams consistent with their competencies and
operational plans..................................................................................................................................51
Accountability...................................................................................................................................51
Clear communication........................................................................................................................52
Operational plans..............................................................................................................................53
Team competencies..........................................................................................................................53
Activity 3A.........................................................................................................................................54
3.2 – Ensure teams are resourced to allow them to achieve their objectives.......................................55
Ensuring teams are resourced...........................................................................................................55
Objectives.........................................................................................................................................55
Activity 3B.........................................................................................................................................56
3.3 – Empower teams and individuals through effective delegation and support for their initiatives..57
3.4 – Create and maintain a positive work environment......................................................................57
Being a role model............................................................................................................................57
Recognition.......................................................................................................................................58
Continuous feedback........................................................................................................................58
Activity 3C.........................................................................................................................................59
3.5– Encourage teams and individuals to develop innovative approaches to the performance of work
..............................................................................................................................................................60
Encourage team performance...........................................................................................................60
Employees and innovation................................................................................................................61
Activity 3D.........................................................................................................................................62
4. Demonstrate personal and professional competence......................................................................63
4.1 – Model ethical conduct in all areas of work and encourage others to adopt business ethics.......64
Business ethics..................................................................................................................................64
Modelling ethical conduct.................................................................................................................65
Activity 4A.........................................................................................................................................66
4.2 – Adapt appropriate interpersonal and leadership styles to meet particular circumstances and
situations...............................................................................................................................................67
Leadership styles...............................................................................................................................67
Activity 4B.........................................................................................................................................68
4.3 – Set and achieve personal objectives and work program outcomes.............................................69
4.4 – Ensure self-performance and professional competence is continuously improved through
engagement in a range of professional development activities............................................................69
Personal performance.......................................................................................................................69
Development activities......................................................................................................................71
Activity 4C.........................................................................................................................................73
4.5 – Participate regularly in industry/professional networks and groups............................................74
Networking.......................................................................................................................................74
Group meetings.................................................................................................................................74
Activity 4D.........................................................................................................................................75
Summative Assessments.......................................................................................................................75
References............................................................................................................................................77
APPLICATION
This unit describes the skills and knowledge required to demonstrate senior leadership behaviour and
personal and professional competence. Business ethics are also addressed in this unit.
It applies to individuals who have a role in inspiring and motivating others to achieve organisational
goals and to model professionalism in their organisation and industry. Leadership is seen in the context
of the organisational mission.
No licensing, legislative or certification requirements apply to this unit at the time of publication.
UNIT SECTOR
2.Influence groups and 2.1 Build trust, confidence and respect of diverse groups and
individuals individuals through positive role modelling and effective
communication and consultation
2.2 Embrace, resource and effectively implement improvements
to organisational and workplace culture
2.3 Demonstrate understanding of the global environment and
new technology in work activities
2.4 Ensure actions convey flexibility and adaptability to change
and accessibility
2.5 Ensure consultation and participation in decision making
occurs with relevant groups and individuals where appropriate
2.6 Ensure decision making takes into account needs and
expectations of both internal and external groups
2.7 Ensure decision making occurs in accordance with risk
management plans for all options, and within appropriate timeframes
2.8 Ensure that the organisation is represented positively in the
media and community
3.Build and support teams 3.1 Assign accountabilities and responsibilities to teams
consistent with their competencies and operational plans
3.2 Ensure teams are resourced to allow them to achieve their
objectives
3.3 Empower teams and individuals through effective delegation
and support for their initiatives
3.4 Create and maintain a positive work environment
3.5 Encourage teams and individuals to develop innovative
approaches to the performance of work
4.Demonstrate personal and 4.1 Model ethical conduct in all areas of work and encourage others
FOUNDATION SKILLS
Get the work 1.1, 1.2, 1.6, 2.2-2.7, Accepts responsibility for planning and sequencing
done 3.1, 3.2, 3.5 complex tasks and workload of self and others,
negotiating key aspects with others taking into
account capabilities, efficiencies and effectiveness
Applies problem solving processes to identify risks,
evaluate options and determine solutions
Facilitates a climate in which creativity and
innovation are accepted as an integral part of
achieving outcomes
Actively identifies systems, devices and applications
with potential to meet current and/or future needs
TOPIC 1 - COMMUNICATE
ORGANISATIONAL MISSION AND GOALS
Clarify objectives
Before providing leadership across an organisation, you must first understand its objectives and clarify
these to the relevant personnel. Once you comprehensively understand the organisation’s objectives,
you will be able to clarify and convey them to your staff and other managers - to ensure everyone is
heading in the right direction. The overall strategic direction of the company will include carefully
considered objectives, values and standards.
General legislation such as discrimination laws, compliance with harassment and other
laws
Quality control
Linkages
Linking together staff responsibilities and organisational objectives and standards is an important part of
the management role. As mentioned above, ensuring staff have well-defined job expectations which
incorporate standards and values with obvious objectives will ensure efficient and well-focused workers.
Media
Media that can be used in the workplace to communicate takes on a variety of forms. You need to
decide upon the most appropriate and effective media to present and communicate in the correct
manner. By choosing the best form of media, you will ensure that your message is delivered to the
appropriate people and in the most concise and effective way.
Posters
Emails
Written letters
Informational videos
Audience
The audience that may view your organisation’s different types of media will vary depending on your
organisation. However, it can generally be broken down into three different categories.
Potential customers:
Potential customers can be anyone who would take an external interest in your business. They may
need to interact with your business for information, even if this is not paid for. Customers will usually
interact with an organisation’s media through social media accounts or targeted emails.
Employees:
Employees will have access to any internal media channels that an organisation uses, this will usually be
in the form of emails or PowerPoint presentations, though it will depend on the type of technology that
is used within your organisation.
Stakeholders:
Stakeholders will cover a wider area of media usage, as they are generally defined as anyone who has a
certain interest regarding your organisation. Potentially any of the above-listed types of media could be
accessed by stakeholders.
Language
Using the correct language is just as, if not more important that the correct media. The language you
choose to use will reflect upon all the messages you try to convey; it will also be present on almost all of
the media you choose to use. The language used by the leader should be consistent with organisational
expectations. This is important to convey a consistent message across the organisation. In addition to
this, leaders are expected to avoid language that could be perceived to be offensive or potentially
discriminatory. By treating employees with respect and equality, you can hope to create a respectful
environment where goals are achieved through the team’s effort, under effective leadership.
Team management
An effective manager or leader will need to encourage team members to take responsibility for their
own actions within the team environment.
A high-performance team works well together, gets the work done is efficient and understands the
value in working as part of a team versus working alone. An effective and high-performance team
understands synergy and works well together to achieve organisational objectives and outcomes.
It is usually led by an effective and exceptional manager who demonstrates integrity and
professionalism, shows and understands credibility and can be trusted to do the right thing, every time.
These managers or leaders know the importance of allowing all team members to participate in the
decision-making process.
The more they are encouraged to participate in a process, the more likely they will be to take ownership
and assume a level of accountability towards helping to drive the success of the process.
Peter Drucker discusses Pillars of Management that incorporate allowing staff to have:
Responsibility
Authority and
Accountability
… for their actions. A similar model to use has been discussed previously in other units and
encompasses "Above the Line behaviour" and "Below the Line behaviour" as follows:
Exceptional managers encourage team members to operate from ‘above the line’ by taking
accountability for their actions, assuming responsibility towards the decision making processes that the
organisation has in place, and by taking ownership of their job roles and the consequences of the
decisions they make.
When there is a performance gap, managers will usually find that team members are working from
‘below the line’ and are usually lacking confidence or not feeling part of the team environment.
A good manager or leader should empower team members to take responsibility for their actions and
decisions, therefore, expecting them to operate from ‘above the line’ at all times.
Managers need to be aware that teams need to have a clear focus on their objectives and the
organisational objectives in order to function in an effective and efficient manner.
Effective managers or leaders will always be looking for ways to improve their team. They can
implement continuous improvement practices, work with integrity, they can ensure they have open and
honest communication and that they can solve problems as soon as they arise.
Making decisions
As a manager or leader, there are a number of different types of decisions you may need to make on a
daily, weekly or even monthly basis.
Some of these types of decisions include:
Routine decisions
These occur every day and are generally small or minute in terms of details or repercussions. They can
include things like what time to schedule a meeting, who to invite to the meeting etc.
Management decisions
These decisions relate to the overall organisational function and involve deciding how the management
structure could be carried out. They may need careful consideration at times and include things like
deciding who to put on a project, who to delegate a task to, who to involve in the workload, who to
advise about a situation etc.
Stating expectations
To clearly state your expectations across the organisation and on an individual level, you must be
prepared to communicate them clearly. Expectations can include values and objectives that are
expected to be worked towards on an ongoing and daily basis, and they can include individual
expectations for members of staff.
To gauge the effectiveness of how you are communicating expectations, it can be a good idea to
investigate. You may be able to assess how well they have been understood by the content of your
staff’s work or by feedback. A general feedback form or a more targeted expectations feedback form
can be a good way to confirm the understanding. You could also hold follow-up sessions after the initial
sessions have taken place with individuals.
Managing performance
The performance management system should be a process or set of processes for establishing a shared
understanding of what an individual or group is to achieve, and managing and developing individuals in
a way which increases the probability it will be achieved in both the short- and long-term. It should also
account for relevant industrial agreements.
Work plans and organisational expectations should be highlighted as part of the performance
management system. Employees should be aware of their individual responsibilities and the standards
that they are expected to achieve. The employee’s performance should be monitored on a continual
basis and they should be given regular feedback detailing the positive aspects and possible
improvements.
It is important for supervisors and managers to meet with the employees when establishing the
performance management system. There should be discussions about the allocation of responsibilities
and desirable levels of performance. The objectives should be realistic and achievable in order to
motivate the employees. It is essential for work to be within the scope of employee skills and
knowledge. They should be provided with the necessary resources and assistance.
The development of the performance management system should be a seen as a means of ensuring the
continuous progression of your organisation. It should allow for the evaluation of work and
measurement of standards against objectives. It should also enable you to identify systems that are not
working effectively and improvements that could be made.
Some of the ways in which a manager can manage these issues appropriately include:
Determine issues as they arise
Identify what is really happening to cause the issues
Identify what is stopping these issues from being resolved
Helping to resolve the issues in a professional manner while protecting the self-esteem
of everyone involved
Acting in a way that will resolve the issues for the best of all concerned.
Manager’s responsibilities
When a value displayed by a team member appears to be detrimental or damaging to the organisation,
managers should intervene and resolve this as quickly as possible.
Advise the team member(s) of what they expect in terms of changed behaviour
Implement appropriate support to ensure the situation does not occur again
Provide feedback as required to ensure the team member knows what is expected.
The organisation will have a list of policies and procedures, a Code of Conduct and various other
methods of keeping track of what it requires and expects from its employees.
Managers and team members should be familiar with these policies and regulations, in order to ensure
they are working in line with objectives at all times.
One other thing to consider within an organisational environment is the unwritten Code of Conduct.
This is usually determined by the ‘organisational health’ of a company. Organisational health is a term
used to describe the way in which an organisation is known, both by its internal staff members and by
the market externally.
An organisation can have what appears to be the best vision and mission statement, incredible
underlying values, but its health is not aligned with these statements or values.
This can create a negative atmosphere in a company, both with internal staff and external customers
and clients.
Communicating results
Part of a manager’s role will be to communicate the results of investigations and incident resolution to
their staff members. The simplest way of communicating these results will be to provide feedback to the
appropriate staff members. This can be done in the form of a one-on-one meeting or by providing the
feedback via –email or printed letter.
Gaining support
An important aspect of the leader’s role is to gain support from the team. As stated earlier, the leader
cannot function alone – they rely on the support and engagement of their team members in order to
deliver the leader’s job responsibilities. It is much easier for a leader to achieve the results they are
seeking if the team is supportive of them. At best, an unsupportive team will
only grudgingly comply with instructions and standards. At worst, they may
resist or even sabotage the leader’s efforts.
The ability to influence the team – to win hearts and minds – is a key skill for
an effective leader. Influencing may take several different forms and should
vary depending on the context of the situation and the matter over which
people’s acceptance and support is required. The approach taken to
influence the team to comply with a slight change in procedure will be very
different from influencing them to a major restructure and reallocation of
responsibilities, etc.
This style invites the team members to take part in the situation in which the leader is attempting to
influence them. It adopts the idea that people are more likely to be accepting of information and ideas if
they are involved in their creation. A team is more likely to follow a procedure that they have designed
themselves as opposed to one that has been imposed on them by others. A leader using this approach
will ask questions of the team, invite their ideas and input and show that they trust the team to do the
right thing.
A TV advert for anti-wrinkle cream, for example, might include details such as:
Scientifically proven to reduce the signs of ageing
This data is designed to make the person think ‘That’s a good product – I should buy that.’ The basic
principle of this style is to set out the positive points relating to the information or idea. In terms of a
leader attempting to influence the team, this might be translated into key benefits associated with a
proposed change in procedure, for example.
All of the above approaches are equally valid. There is no single style which is guaranteed to bring
successful results every time. The key is to assess the situation and to use the style which is most
appropriate given the particular set of circumstances that are being faced. As mentioned earlier,
different approaches would be used when influencing the team to adopt a minor change in procedure
compared with a major restructuring exercise.
Follow some of the general tips below to gain positive support from your team:
Be positive
Where the team’s ideas are not taken up, say so and explain why this is
Invite their questions and suggestions, and answer their questions as much as you can
Recognise that they may be feeling confused; angry; disappointed; frustrated; etc.
Be sincere
Allow time for the team to get used to the new information you have given them
Make yourself available to people so that they can approach you with comments or
concerns individually
Follow up with people from time to time to find out what they are thinking or feeling
Rating scales – ratings may be established for different aspects of performance and
applied consistently to the employees
360-degree evaluations – these evaluations should draw upon the knowledge and
experience of the workforce. Employees will be encouraged to give detailed appraisals
of their colleague’s work.
You should consider the performance review options and apply your chosen methods to employees at
all levels of your organisation. Managers and supervisors should be committed to the review process
and appreciate that there is always scope for improvement. You should also ensure that employees are
aware of how their performance will be evaluated and when review meetings will take place. Reviews
should take place regularly throughout the year.
Effective business management will involve the monitoring and evaluation of performance, in
accordance with your organisational goals. You may have established key performance indicators (KPIs)
relating to the amount of money that is being generated and the levels of customer satisfaction.
Managers may need to change and adopt new strategies if the targets aren’t being met.
Measurable
Achievable
Realistic
Time specific.
You are encouraged to use the following methods of analysis and evaluation:
Benchmarking – This will involve the comparison of your business against rivals, both
within, and outside your target market. You should consider the respective strengths
and weakness of any systems and processes that have been implemented. The levels of
performance should be measured over a defined time period
Social media monitoring – You may build a presence on various social media networks
and follow the profiles of your business customers for feedback on performance
Business meetings – You should ask your employees to regular meetings and encourage
them to provide perspectives on business efficiency and performance. They might
identify causes for concern and solutions that hadn’t previously been considered
Quantitative employee analysis – Quantitative research will allow you to gain a variety
of valuable insights regarding the performance of your employees. Consider the impact
of procedural changes on productivity. Take account of sales, contribution, and profit
directly attributable to the work of each employee.
Workplace culture
Your workplace’s culture is the character and personality of your organisation. A culture is developed by
the organisation’s values and standards and how people believe they are treated. Culture can also be a
result of procedures and the nature of the work environment. Your organisation will have a negative or
positive workplace culture. Things may need to be adjusted to improve it, such as procedures, the
workplace environment or even certain company benefits that staff can access.
Being aware of competitor activity in the global environment is also an essential skill that comes with
leadership. Many organisations will monitor their competitors closely, in order to react where needed
and imitate successful initiatives to benefit their own business.
In the age of information and within the fast moving nature of business, it is simply unacceptable to be
ignorant of the wider global environment. Many organisation leaders job roles with have the remit of
environmental awareness written into their job description.
Competitor activity
New thinking or
disciplines relating to the job
role
Stock market
movements.
New technology
Technology changes at an alarming rate, being able to interpret this amount of change and how it can
be employed to benefit your organisation is one skill a leader needs to possess in the modern world.
Depending on your industry the technology that is relevant to your company will vary greatly. Although
there are a few items that will work across many industries. These items will include changes to office
based software, and programmes that can make work more efficient for your organisation. Work
activities can be greatly improved and augmented by new technology and it is important to know how
you can achieve this. Activities can also be enhanced by knowledge of the global environment by
incorporating your knowledge into the activities of your organisation.
Increased
likelihood to take
stakeholders
suggestions on
board
More of
an ‘open mind’
More
likely to resolve
problems
Increased
likelihood of success in a changing environment
Accessibility
Being an accessible leader means to have an open door policy, so that anyone can walk into your office
at a reasonable time and have a chat about anything. It also means responding in good time to phone
calls or emails. By doing this, you will ensure that any conflicts or disputes can be resolved quickly as
you are easy to get a hold of. Having an open door policy breeds confidence in your ability as you put
yourself on the ‘front-line’ with your staff every day. If anything happens to go wrong during the change
process, you are never far from being reached, this aspect of your accessibility is an important factor
that should not be overlooked.
Decision-making processes
Sometimes, decisions have to be imposed without consultation and involvement of the team members.
In instances where the organisation is changing its direction or restructuring, for example, it’s unlikely
(but not impossible) that team members will be involved in making the ultimate decisions. Of course,
there are exceptions in some organisations where employees are very closely involved in the running of
the business. However, in the main, we have to accept that it is not always possible or desirable, for a
number of reasons, for team members to be consulted prior to decisions being made.
Team members are likely to have first-hand knowledge of the matter under
consideration and therefore have better ideas about the actual problems and proposed
solutions
Team members are more likely to engage with a decision (and implement it
successfully) if they have been involved in making it.
Demotivation
Suggestion schemes
Involvement in working parties to propose decisions
Involvement in panels to make decisions
Input to developing action plans, etc.
The method used to invite team member participation will very much
depend on the issue under consideration. A simple review of procedures in a department may be done
through one or two team meetings, whereas a complex overhaul of all procedures across the whole
organisation may benefit from a series of consultation events and working parties, etc.
When asking people for their input and participation, they need to have adequate information made
available in good time to enable them to contribute effectively. So if you are running a consultation
event, don’t surprise them at the meeting with the details of what it’s all about and how the session will
be run – tell them in advance, so that those who want to can prepare in advance. Similarly, if you are
going to ask individuals to participate in a working party, brief them for their role and give them access
to all the information they will need in order for them to make a useful contribution. Don’t just let
people turn up, uninformed and bewildered as to what it’s all about as they are likely to contribute little
that is of any value. If managed poorly, this part of the decision-making process can lead to criticism and
undermine what you are trying to achieve.
It is very important that, if people have been invited to participate, they know what happens to their
contributions. If a decision has been shaped specifically in response to team members’ input, tell them –
this demonstrates that their views have been taken into account and goes a long way to build trust and
confidence in the relationship between the team and the leader. Equally, if team members’ input has
not been acted up, tell them – let them know why their input has not been acted upon. This also shows
that their views have been given due consideration and will encourage them to input in similar
situations in future.
Three things are important to bear in mind when planning to invite team members to
participate in decision-making processes:
Give them enough information to enable them to make a considered contribution to
the process
Use appropriate methods to enable their participation
Tell them how their contributions have been used/acted upon (or otherwise).
The first step of your risk analysis should be to identify the various risk events and the likelihood of
them occurring. You should consider all of your business processes and attempt to establish the root
causes of any problems. You should also arrange group meetings and brainstorming sessions for the
identification of issues which wouldn’t otherwise be considered.
The next step will be to estimate the level of impact that risk events may have upon your organisation.
You should gauge the likelihood of the possible negative events that have been identified. It will then be
necessary to consider the probability of such events in association with the costs that may be incurred
by your organisation. You should identify possible ways of managing and limiting the risks.
Matrix nomograms
Codes of practice
Standards
Guidelines.
Risk matrix
A risk matrix provides an overview of potential risks for the identification of areas of concern and
priorities for your organisation. This is a useful way to assess any probabilities of risk. The following risk
matrix template shows the scale for risks.
You are advised to design a specific matrix for your particular needs and carefully monitor individual
risks throughout. If you don’t follow these steps, then the matrix will not give you a clear indication of
risk.
Extreme
L LM M MH H
High
L LM M MH MH
Moderate
L LM LM M MH
Low
L L LM M M
Very low
Key:
L – low risk
LM – low/medium risk
M – medium risk
MH – medium/high risk
H – high risk
Moderate, with specific responsibility allocated for the risk, and monitoring and
response procedures implemented
In the community
Your company may be involved in a number of community outreach programmes, or it may be involved
in the local community in other ways. It is important that anyone who represents your company
behaves and conducts themselves in the proper manner while being out of the office. Your company
will more than likely have a code of conduct that covers this thoroughly. It may be necessary to review
and amend the code of conduct to more effectively reflect the company’s ethos with regards to current
affairs. You must personally set the best example and behave and conduct yourself in a manner that is
beyond reproach and as you would expect your staff to do themselves.
Accountability
When people are working well in their roles, they have a good understanding of what is expected of
them, and they get on with it! People need to know and understand the job role and the expectations
associated with it. If things change (e.g. priorities; deadlines; standards; procedures; etc.) they need to
be informed about this so that they can act accordingly. It is exceptionally frustrating to do a job
believing it to be meeting the required standard, only to find later that the rules have changed and that
the requirements are no longer what you believed them to be. At best, this causes frustration and
annoyance. At worst, it can lead to resentment and damaged working relationships. Someone who is
feeling resentful is very unlikely to offer much in the way of ‘discretionary effort’ and so it is important
to avoid putting people in a situation where things change and they are not told about it.
Briefings can be used to remind team members of the standards and expectations –
these are useful for advising people of any changes or developments that affect their
work, etc.
Accountability is important because if people are held to account for the work that they do, they are
more likely to take a pride in delivering what is expected of them and to take responsibility and initiative
when things are likely to go wrong.
I didn’t realise...
These are excuses which are avoidable if team members have adequate communication about their role
and responsibilities. However, many leaders make the mistake of thinking that ‘giving information’ to
people is the same as ’communicating’ with them. It is not sufficient to simply give a job description to
people and expect them to understand the expected standards of performance, etc.
Team members need to have a clear understanding of their role if they are to have any chance of
delivering it effectively. Using a range of methods to communicate this information gives a greater
chance that the individual will understand it.
Clear communication
One step that is commonly missed is checking that the person has understood the information provided
– we often assume that if we have provided information, then the other person must understand it in
the way we intended. This is simply not the case. We have complex ways of processing and interpreting
information which is unique to each of us. One person’s interpretation is not always the same as
someone else’s. Think of optical illusion pictures which can be interpreted in more than one way – very
often people will have different interpretations of the same image. Imagine the myriad interpretations
that are possible with the written or spoken word!
Let’s take a seemingly simple instruction: ‘Can you move that box over there later?’
Clarity is key. Precision in the use of language is an important way of preventing confusion and
misunderstandings. So, instead of ‘Can you move that box over there later?’, a better, clearer
alternative might be:
‘Within the next 10 minutes, I’d like you to move that box and place it on that shelf so that we can make
room for the delivery that’s coming in’.
Operational plans
An operational plan is a detailed plan or document that is designed to paint a clear picture of a how a
specific team will contribute and work towards achieving an organisation’s strategic goals.
Areas of vulnerability.
Your organisation’s operational plan will align with your organisation’s overall mission and its standards
and values. This means that if implemented properly, and operational plan will help everyone move
towards the same goal, and at the same time working with the organisation’s standards and values in
mind.
https://www.dlsweb.rmit.edu.au/toolbox/leadership/toolbox/op/op_c03.html
Team competencies
In the modern business world, teams must perform well to achieve their set goals and to help
organisations move forward. Ideally, they will all have the following competencies.
Resources are not confined to finance, however, and may include a wider range of items, depending on
your industry or organisation. It is up to you to determine the effectiveness of resources that may be
needed and develop provision for them accordingly.
Additional manpower
Employment of specialists
or consultants
Further hardware
acquisition
Possible office-based
expansion
IT infrastructure
improvement
Objectives
Objectives can be achieved more resoundingly if a team is properly resourced. By granting your teams
the money and backing, they may require you can expect to see a certain improvement in their work
output. If you haven’t identified a need for certain things yourself, your team leaders will more than
likely approach you with resourcing requests.
Others will emulate what the leader does, whether this is positive or negative behaviour or
performance. If the leader models negative behaviours, it is increasingly likely that the team members
will display similar behaviours. For example, if the leader has a habit of coming in to work late, using
their mobile phone for personal calls and playing computer games during working time, it is very
tempting for the team members to behave in a similar way.
The leader doesn’t necessarily have to display negative behaviours themselves for it to be a bad
influence on the team. By ignoring poor behaviour from others, there is a tacit implication that the
leader is approving the behaviour and that there will be no consequences as a result. This can lead to a
culture in which ‘it doesn’t matter what you do as the boss doesn’t mind....’
So, for example, if the leader turns a blind eye to offensive language in the workplace, some people will
carry on using it knowing that it is unlikely to be dealt with. Over time, this can lead to a culture where
offensive language is the norm in that workplace – this makes for a very uncomfortable working
environment for those people who don’t engage in using offensive language and it creates a very poor
impression for customers and other external parties.
When leaders model negative behaviours themselves, this makes it extremely difficult for them to
tackle similar behaviours in the team. This makes performance management very complex and
awkward.
We have examined the possible effects of role modelling negative behaviours so let’s
turn our attention to the benefits of role modelling positive behaviours:
It communicates and demonstrates the expected standards of behaviour to team
members
It helps team members to understand what is considered to be acceptable or positive
behaviour
It is easier to manage performance issues around behaviour when the leader is
demonstrating positive behaviours, etc.
There are some practical steps that can be taken to ensure that
leaders provide a positive role model for others:
Familiarise yourself with the expected standards of behaviour and performance, and
any codes of conduct
Think before acting – remember that people will observe and emulate what you do
Consciously adopt a positive mindset if it’s difficult to so naturally from time to time –
we all have bad days, so it might be necessary to ‘put on a brave face’
Ask others for their feedback about you as a role model that you are, etc.
Recognition
There are numerous ways of recognising the positive work of employees. You may say a simple thank
you or go out of your way to meet with an employee and state your satisfaction at the end of the
working day. It is important to be specific and highlight the positive effect that employee contributions
have had. You should ensure that recognition is given as soon as possible and that your statements are
sincere. You are advised to reflect upon the association between the employee’s work and the
achievement of recognised organisational objectives. It is also important to ensure that employees are
recognised and rewarded consistently.
Personalised gifts
Financial bonuses
Continuous feedback
The provision of continuous feedback should also have a positive effect on employee motivation and
engagement. You should provide a mixture of positive and constructive feedback as appropriate.
Employees should recognise the importance and benefits of maintaining good standards of
performance.
By encouraging employees to be honest and open and top share ideas they will be able to
explore different initiatives without fear of reprisal.
Look for employees who are passionate about their work and who have diverse backgrounds
and capabilities. You should also seek out people who are different from you but share a similar
vision.
Lead by example
Have a process
Implement quickly
Where possible, implement ideas quickly. Employees will be extremely motivated to continue to
share ideas, work towards the success of the idea and encourage productivity of other
employees when they see that they are in fact influencing the direction of the business.
Reward employees
Even if the idea is not implemented, the employees should be encouraged to suggest all ideas.
Rewards can be for individuals or even teams or for the whole workforce.
Business ethics
Potential stakeholders and shareholders will usually not invest in organisations that have a negative
impression within the marketplace. They may also avoid organisations that have values that do not align
with their own, for example, the tobacco or gambling industry or the alcoholic beverage industry.
As for the internal health of an organisation, there will often be in place policies and procedures that
relate to theft, unethical conduct, use of the internet for private use, mistreating other employees or
customers, etc.
Leaders and managers need to ensure that they are keeping their staff aligned with the core
organisational values and beliefs, whether they are actually written into a Code of Conduct or assumed
as unwritten rules within the company.
When managers and leaders are open in terms of their expectations of ethical behaviour within their
team, and when they address issues as soon as they arise, there is less likely of differences escalating
beyond the control of the manager and less likely to have negative impact on the company.
Employee handbook
Most business organisations will have a comprehensive employee handbook that outlines acceptable
behaviours and practices within the workplace.
Professional codes
Models for business ethics can also be found in codes adopted by various professional organisations. As
with other such codes of conduct, professional codes are designed to assist members of professional
organisations in resolving the ethical dilemmas.
Government codes
Models for business ethics can also be found in the codes of ethics adopted by government agencies;
these will usually cover things such as anti-harassment policies and inclusivity acts.
http://smallbusiness.chron.com/models-ethical-behavior-business-62697.html
Leadership styles
There are a number of differing decision-making styles that can be incorporated into any working
environment. Effective managers need to determine which style can best suit the needs of the team and
the situation which requires a decision to be made.
Democratic
This style involves everyone making a decision as a group. Facts and information
are gathered and the team members work together to make a decision.
Autocratic
Consensus
This is when every team member has a say in what decision is made and the manager gives control of
the decision making process to the team as a whole. They all have buy-in or support for the decision
making process.
Participatory
This style is used when input is required from other stakeholders and team
members that do not necessarily have a vested interest or buy-in into the
decision but could provide valuable advice or input to help with the process.
Personal performance
Anyone in a leadership role is representing not only themselves but their department and the
organisation as a whole in everything that they say and do. Leaders’ personal performance and
behaviour is frequently scrutinised both by those who report to the leader and others who have an
interest (e.g. other departments; senior managers; external parties; etc.).
There is an expectation that leaders have secured their role due to the
fact that they have proved themselves to be competent candidates.
There is an expectation that they will deliver sustained performance at
a competent level. Any leaders who fail to do this quickly lose
credibility and support of those around them.
When leaders fail to deliver the expected standards, whether in terms of job performance or personal
behaviour, not only is this a disappointment but it can have a potentially damaging effect on the
organisation as a whole. We sometimes hear of senior level people who have found themselves in the
media spotlight as a result of an error of judgement, a misjudged or inappropriate remark or some other
behaviour which is inappropriate. What often happens in these situations is that the organisation
quickly distances itself from the individual’s remarks or behaviour as a way to mitigate the damaging
effects. Even seemingly simple things like someone posting a comment on social media can result in a
publicity storm which leads to a retraction of the comment, an apology and sometimes the resignation
(voluntary or otherwise) of the perpetrator. Those in leadership positions are expected to behave with
integrity and credibility and the consequences can be harsh for those who step out of line! However,
the scenario described is an extreme example, but it does show the potentially damaging effects of
inappropriate behaviour, whether or not it was intentional.
There are several guidelines that leaders can bear in mind to enable them to
contribute to the development of a reputable organisation which include:
Have an open approach to the role – have nothing to hide and be willing to be
scrutinised over your decisions and transactions
Consider the wider implications of your actions (e.g. using social media)
When in doubt, seek advice or guidance from someone senior to you, etc.
Leaders have responsibility not only for their own behaviour and performance but that of their teams
too. A member of staff whose behaviour is inappropriate reflects on the individual and on the leader as
well. For example, imagine a team working in a warehouse is highly trained in safety procedures, but
then the warehouse manager ignores a team member stepping over a broom which has been left lying
on the floor. Not only has the team member’s performance been poor (they should have picked up the
broom and stored it safely), but so has the manager’s for failing to act upon the breach in procedures.
By ignoring poor performance or behaviour, the leader is also demonstrating weakness and poor
performance themselves as they are failing to manage situations that conflict with the organisation’s
requirements.
So, leaders not only have a duty to ensure that their own performance is consistent with the
organisation’s requirements, but that of the team also. Leaders are like guardians of the organisation’s
standards – they should be demonstrating high standards themselves and taking action to promote and
maintain the same high standards in others.
Taking appropriate action to deal with any instances of poor performance or behaviour
As already stated, leaders have a responsibility for self-managing – that is, being aware of their own
behaviour and standards of performance and adjusting these where necessary to ensure compliance
with the organisation’s requirements.
Development activities
Leadership development activities are used to further develop a manager or a leader’s ability to meet
the daily requirements of leadership.
One of their biggest challenges in the workplace is dealing with resistance from all angles. Co-workers
and clients can offer a serious blockade when they disagree with any calls that management has had to
make. It is important to learn how to deal with these situations.
Team building exercises are an incredibly useful tool for managers. Immersive team experiences are the
perfect platform for managers to learn when to work in a team and when to step up to the plate as the
ultimate leader.
Knowing how to conduct oneself in a meeting is an invaluable skill. Training courses which simulate this
particular environment are a fantastic management training device.
While team coaching programs have a lot of merit, one-on-one leadership coaching can be a very
fulfilling process. Having some insight into the life of someone who has walked a similar path can often
be encouraging. Your coach can give you specific leadership development activities where you learn to
lead by leading.
http://learn2.com/top-10-leadership-development-activities-for-managers/
Networking
As a leader, it is very important that you use some of your professional time to network with other
leaders of similar organisations, colleagues and industry professionals.
This will ensure that you are able to keep well informed of current events within your industry and to
keep an eye on competitors. Networking and attending groups will also give you experience and wider
confidence dealing with industry professionals.
Your colleagues will look to you as a role model in this setting, so it is important that you conduct
yourself in the correct manner.
Meetings with
other professionals
Expos and
trade shows
Competitor
meetings
Board
meetings
Industry talks
and lectures
Sales events.
Group meetings
Group meetings are a large part of the networking process. They can also mean several different things,
but generally boil down to one ingredient; industry professionals attending a meeting. All the attendants
may not be from the same company, but they will all be relevantly well versed in your particular
industry. As a leader, it may be necessary to take along colleagues from your own organisation to attend
these meetings. If this is the case, you will be expected to lead by example, making their experience
worthwhile and something they can gain knowledge and experience from.
References
These suggested references are for further reading and do not necessarily represent the contents of
this unit.
Websites
https://www.dlsweb.rmit.edu.au/toolbox/leadership/toolbox/op/op_c03.html
http://www.pacificintegral.com/new/homepages/leadership-consulting-and-training/seven-critical-
competencies-of-teams/
http://www.business.vic.gov.au/marketing-sales-and-online/growth-innovation-and-
measurement/improving-business-innovation-and-examples
http://smallbusiness.chron.com/models-ethical-behavior-business-62697.html
http://learn2.com/top-10-leadership-development-activities-for-managers/
All references accessed on and correct as of 08/03/2017 unless other otherwise stated.