The Development of a Mission Statement

At its most basic the mission statement describes the overall purpose of the organisation. If the organisation elects to develop a vision
statement before developing the mission statement, ask "Why does the organisation exist -what is its purpose?" This purpose is often the
same as the mission. 
 
A mission statement varies slightly to your vision statement. The mission statement outlines the ways in which your organisation as a
whole is going to work towards achieving your vision. Your mission statement should describe the organisation in terms of: 

 what it does, 
 who it does it for, and 
 how it does it. 

When writing a mission statement, include: An outline of what the organisation is, what it aims to do, who your target audience is and
how it does that work. 
 
The aim of the mission statement is to: 

 Communicate what you do and how you do it 

 Provide a focus for any work that you do -including your strategic planning. 

It is quite unusual for a mission statement to change over time, however if your organisation undergoes a significant change in some
way, then you will need to change your mission statement to reflect that change. So, it is useful to revisit your mission statement
whenever you are reviewing your strategic plan, as this is the time when you will gain the most insight into how your organisation is
changing. 
 
Ultimately, the mission statement is an overall guiding principle that allows you to provide context to your work and your strategic
planning as a whole. 
 
The Development of a Values Statement
We now know our vision and our mission. It is time to begin writing the values statement. A values statement outlines any values that
underpin the work you do. These are generally shared by all members of your organisation and help you in the forming of relationships
within and external to the organisation as a whole. They outline: 

 What you think is the right thing to do 

 What you think is the right way to deal with people 
 What you think is the right way to deal with the world at large. 

The values that you outline for your organisation, put simply, allow you as an organisation to grow and become the organisation that you
ultimately want to be. Think about the value statement of Google "Do no evil'; this guiding principle allows everything they do to be
measured by asking a simple question -"if we do this would we be seen as evil?" 
 
It can be very difficult trying to distil your values into a few simple sentences, but they do allow you to have an important guide when
you are making important workplace decisions. When you are making decisions, always think back to your values in order to judge what
would be seen as doing the right thing.
The Development of a Vision Statement
The vision statement of an organisation is where it all begins. It is the building block of your strategic planning and allows you to answer
the important questions with regards to the strategic planning ... Will any plan allow us to contribute to our overall vision? 
 
The Mission, Vision and Values are the structure under which the expectations of the organisation are stated. They must be clear and
easily understood to allow teams to comply and meet the expectation stated therein. 
 
It is the role of Managers, Supervisors and Team Leaders to convey these concepts to their teams and for appropriate stretch goals to be
set. The goals need to be clear, concise and measurable. They should present a challenge but be attainable with stretch. 
 
This communication will focus and galvanise teams. It provides direction and motivation and all team members know precisely whether
they meet the expectations of the organisation and to what extent.
Organisational Needs 
As we previously stated, the Mission, Vision and Values of an organisation are the compass for the teams within that organisation. Let's look at
some of the more common needs of organisations:

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management of the environment

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occupational Health and Safety

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product safety

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service
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values and ethics

There are many more potential expectations within an organisation. You need to look closely at your organisation's details and discuss with your
managers and team how you contribute and how you can increase or improve your contribution. 

The manner in which you deal with incidents is an opportunity to contribute.

Incidents
Most organisational values care for their workers as well as quality of their product. Incidents are described by the Macquarie Dictionary as "an
event or occurrence -something unimportant that happens in connection with something else". 

Incidents in the workplace may include an emergency response, environmental event such as emissions, noise etc, product failure or a workplace
accident and they may be unimportant, however they must be reported to ensure that there are no ramifications in the short or longer term. 

When there is an incident, it must be reported to initiate investigation and determination as to whether action must be taken or not.
Why Investigate?
When you are attempting to investigate incidents, the main outcomes of this should be: 

 Determining a cause so that you can prevent the incidents from reoccurring in the future 
 Identifying any new hazards that exist in the area. 

Incidents cause considerable costs to any organisation in terms of: 

 Disruption to work 
 Suffering 
 Pain 
 Loss of reputation 
 Loss of earnings 

Which means that we must ensure that all incidents are properly investigated so that we can minimise these costs and look for ways to
improve the overall systems to prevent the incidents from occurring in the future?   In order for any investigation to be effective, it is
important that it takes place as soon as possible after the incident, so that you can be sure that the information you obtain is as accurate as
possible. The longer the time between the incident and the investigation, the less likely it will be that you will find a cause. 
Some further important factors that need to be considered include: 

 Ensuring that your investigator is objective and does not have any interest in the results of the investigation. The investigation
needs to be undertaken with an open mind and including an individual with an interest in the outcome is likely to lead to
ineffective results. 
 Ensure that open ended questions are used in the investigation and ensure that those involved are not led into providing
information that the investigator wants to hear. 
 Investigations attempt to find a cause, but not apportion blame. Try not to make others feel like you are trying to find someone
to blame, but rather you are trying to find ways to make the processes better. 
 It can be quite difficult to get people to change -rather it is much easier to attempt to find ways to make the environment in
which people are working change than it is to get the people themselves to change. 
  Investigations need to change processes, procedures and outcomes rather than the people themselves. 
 Try to avoid emotion in your investigation procedure. Stay objective and look for causes. 

Let's think of an example. Let's say you work in a warehouse and you find that a large amount of material has been poorly stacked and it
falls over. You may seek the cause and find that it is poor stacking technique. However, the cause is likely to be more than just this: 

 The shelf may not be the correct type

 The materials may be better shelved in a different way
 The staff may not be properly trained 
 The procedures for stacking may be inadequate 
 There could be a need for better equipment or more training 

In order to conduct an investigation 

1. Start by making sure everyone is okay and safe. 

2. Take control of the scene by erecting barriers around the scene and making sure no one can get in. 
3. Begin investigating the cause as soon as possible. You may like to start interviewing the staff involved immediately. 
4. Make sure that the staff involved can be assured of their privacy so they can speak openly about the investigation. 
5. Check with the witnesses their version of events so you can be assured that you have the information correct. 
6. Be positive and don't make the witnesses think they might be in trouble. 
7. Look for ways to take action right away to resolve the issue. 
8. Report on the investigation. 
9. Ensure that there is follow-up on the action taken to ensure that it is correct. 

What sort of questions could you ask in your investigation?   

 Who was involved? 

 Who witnessed the event? 
 What materials were involved? 
 What processes were involved? 
 Was there any defect present? 
 Where did the event occur? 
 What exact time did it occur? 
 What shift was working? 
 What time in the shift did it occur? 
 What sequence of events occurred? 
 How did this differ from what you might expect? 
 What direct causes can you find? 
 What indirect causes can you find? 
 What can you do to prevent it from happening again? 

 
This section addresses the following performance criteria:

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Build trust, confidence and respect of diverse groups and individuals, through positive role modeling, and effective communication and
consultation

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Embrace, resource and effectively implement improvements to organizational and workplace culture

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Demonstrate understanding of the global environment and new technology in work activities

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Ensure actions convey flexibility and adaptability to change and accessibility

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Ensure consultation and participation in decision making occurs with relevant groups and individuals where appropriate

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Ensure decision making takes into account needs and expectations of both internal and external groups

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Ensure decision making occurs in accordance with risk management plans for all options, and within appropriate timeframes
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Ensure that the organization is represented positively in the media and community

As a manager, the way that you and your co-workers behave with one another is crucial to the way that your relationships develop. Good
behaviour among co-workers and managers is likely to result in positive and effective relationships. Positive relationships will cause workers to
be more "successful in meeting the overall objectives of the organisation. However if the opposite occurs, you are likely to have negative
relationships and consequently your organisation will likely fail to meet its objectives. 

As a manager there is a range of attributes that you should be able to demonstrate in order to be effective. These behaviours are described below. 

Mutual trust is a shared belief that you can depend on each other to achieve a common purpose. A more comprehensive definition may be that
trust is the willingness of a party (also known as the trustor) to be vulnerable to the actions of another party (trustee) based on the expectation that
the trustee will perform an action important to the trustor, regardless of the trustor's ability to monitor or control the trustee. 

People sense how you feel about them. If you want to change their attitudes towards you, change the negative attitudes you have towards them.
Building relationships requires the building of trust. Trust is the expectancy of people that they can rely on your word. It is built through integrity
and consistency in relationships. 

Trust is also crucial if you are to get your staff to act in the way which you want them to. If your staff do not trust you, they are unlikely to be
particularly cooperative. To gain the cooperation of those around you, you need to make a strong argument for what you are asking of them as
well as ensuring that your staff still trust and respect you as their manager. Not an easy thing to do!

Getting Staff Response (a sign of Respect and Trust)

Do not just tell people to do something, also let them know why you want it done. This can
help in ensuring the task is properly understood.
Don’t get impatient. This often leads to anger and frustration.

Don’t assume you are always right.

Give the benefit of the doubt.

Show sensitivity – it is often things like this that add greatly to a positive working relationship.

Ensure you always have accurate information.

Show integrity.

Value ideas of others.

How to Maintain Trust

Let's now look at trust and how this can be sought in the workplace. Trust is all about trying to build strong relationships and one of the best ways
of doing this is to stop trust being destroyed in the first place. If you can do this, then you have no need to actually rebuild trust in yourself. 

This means that as a leader, you need to establish ways of showing your integrity and your commitment to your staff. If you can do this, then you
are in the best position to having your staff trust your decisions and the way that you do your work. 
Some of the best ways of building trust include:

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Open and honest communication

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Making decisions that are transparent and logical

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Providing information on your decisions

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Being clear about what you want to achieve and ensuring all staff are aware of this.
There is no easy way to gain someone's loyalty and trust, but many of the same things that hold true in a personal relationship apply in an
employment relationship as well. The keys to a positive relationship are trust and respect. When employees feel respected, they will generally
respect you and the business in return. Here are some hints for gaining an employee's respect and trust:

Gaining Trust and Respect

Always listen to everything that your employees have to say. 

Treat your employees well, they should be partners in your organization.

Be polite.

When an employee does something well, recognise it.

Allow your employees to provide input into how things are done.

Allow your employees to feel empowered in their work by giving them more responsibility.

Treat them fairly and equally.

When making decisions, always be firm.

Admit mistakes, never hide from them.

Give credit where credit is due.

Be concerned about problems.

Always keep staff members informed about what is going on.

What Not to Do

Never treat staff as inferior. 

Never lie to your staff. 

Be honest, do not build false hopes. 

Never take their ideas as your own. 

Never swear. 

Never be wishy-washy in your decision making. 

 Don't treat your employees like they are 5 years old. 

Don't be intimidated by your employees.

You will find that once your staff feel they can trust you and the entire management of an organisation, that there will be a more positive
environment within the workplace. You will find people start to care about each other and that there is an increase in the overall quality of the
work being done in the workplace.

Being Professional
Page 5 of 17

It's often very difficult to walk the line between trying to develop a relationship of mutual trust and respect and getting personally involved with
your employees. While there's no law that says you can't get personally involved in your employees' lives apart from harassment laws -it's not a
good idea. 
No matter what happens, you are still in a professional relationship with your employees and that requires a certain amount of distance. Some of
the problems that crop up when you do get too personal are:

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Employees might try to find ways to make you overlook any mistakes or problems that they create.

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Some staff members may feel like you are playing favourites and this can lead to resentment among your staff.

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Staff members may feel like you are harassing them if you get too close -or others around the office may feel this way.

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If you develop a strong personal relationship or friendship with a staff member it is very easy to feel like you cannot make decisions that may
harm them.

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Getting too close can damage your integrity.

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If you have staff who are your friends, you may find yourself in a position of telling them things that you should never have told them.
As a manager, it is important that you show concern and care about your employees, but there is a boundary between being professional and
being unprofessional that you must be careful not to cross. Deal with your staff in a sensitive manner, but do not cross the line and become too
personally involved, as this can lead you to becoming a weaker leader.

This Means

Demonstrating interest when someone mentions an issue that concerns them. 

Creating opportunities for meaningful discussion, e.g., inviting an employee to sit and talk in a
relaxed environment. 
Deferring judgment on what someone is saying and, instead, focusing on finding out more. 

Recognising underlying concerns or feelings in a co-worker that they may not be expressing. 

Thinking beyond the immediate issue to look at root causes of behaviour. 

 Focusing on the individual circumstances that are driving someone's behaviour and tailoring
your response accordingly.
This Doesn’t’ Mean

Giving lip service to concerns but then ignoring the issue that has been raised. 

Quickly getting the facts from someone and rushing on to the next thing. 

Jumping in with a solution when someone is starting to express their concerns. 

Accepting what is said at face value without considering non-verbal cues. 

Ignoring concerns unless they are explicitly brought up by your co-worker. 

Focussing on solving someone's immediate problem. 

Relying on -stereotyped explanations to account for someone's behaviour and giving canned
responses.

Telling someone what the solution is to their problem.

Adjusting Communication Style

Information, and its flow, is key to any organisation -and while working as a team leader or manager a key part of your role is to ensure that
upper management, your staff and all other relevant stakeholders are kept informed of what is going on in your organisation. In this section of the
manual, we will be examining communication and the flow of information around an organisation as it relates to working within a team.
Managing Communication
Communication is one of the most critical aspects of modern organisations. It is open and effective communication that keeps a modem
organisation running. However, in order for any organisation to have effective communication processes in place, the organisation must
be organised in a way that facilitates effective communication. So what is it that makes an organisation able to communicate well with its
staff? There are a number of factors that must be in place for this to happen: 

1. There must be strong communication and a consultative managerial style in place in the organisation.  Managers must be
willing to listen and take action based on the information that they receive. 
2. Leadership must be participative. Some leaders and managers instil their will on staff will not allow for effective
communication. There must be a strong level of participation in place -with staff being able to express their opinions. 
3. There must be trust exhibited by managers. Staff must know that they can speak their mind without fear of reprisal or any
other action. 
4. Staff should be rewarded for any work in their team that promotes open and honest communication - this will act as
reinforcement that this type of behaviour is acceptable. 

Once you have established an atmosphere in an organisation that encourages open communication, you need to know how to
communicate yourself. In this section, we will be examining communication channels and how to use these with each type of
communication in detail.

Communication Channels

Within any organisation there exist a number of communication channels. These are the ways in which information is communicated around an
organisation. You will find that communication becomes most effective when the information is relevant, timely and appropriate to the task. By
selecting the most effective communication channel, you are able to communicate your information in a way that will ensure that it is delivered in
a way that will meet each of these objectives. 
The first major way communication channels can be defined is based on their level of formality. Once this has been defined, you can look at
subgroups of each type of channel and use this to select the most appropriate method of communication.
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Informal: This communication channel involves networks that are set up by individuals within the organisation -they are not formally
established by the organisation. For example, you may decide to just call up the leader of your team to discuss a matter rather than follow set
communication procedures.
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Formal: A formal communication channel is aligned to the various groups in your organisation. For example it may be aligned to people or
processes -communicating from department to department or communicating to a level above you or below you.
Each of these communication channels has specific uses within an organisation -and each type of channel is made up of various sub-channels
each of which may serve a specific purpose. 
Open communication should be easy to understand. This means that you should be careful in how you express yourself. Use plain English
wherever possible. Keep sentences short, use words that are easily understood and stop using jargon unless it is absolutely necessary! Make sure
your sentences are complete and give all the required detail. Avoid being overly negative and don't use words that could be seen as emotive or
controversial. 
Be empathetic in your communication -try to look at things from the receiver's point of view. Listen to their message carefully, being sure not to
judge too quickly -judge a message on the content not on the person delivering it (or the way it was delivered).

Leadership
When a manager knows what the department they work in should be doing and who should be doing it, the job becomes one of creating the
Circumstances in which employees will do what is required of them. Managers must be leaders. Leading is a management function of influencing
people to act or not act in a certain way. What makes leadership work is what we will be examining in this section. A variety of leadership styles
will be described and we will then move on and examine how you can influence individuals and groups.
What Makes a Good leader?
When you look at someone, and try and determine whether or not they are a good leader, there are a range of traits that leaders all have
in common. These traits are all good indicators that a person holding them is a good leader. Some traits that might be considered
significant indicators are: 

 A sense of humour: If you have a good sense of humour you are often seen as being more fun to work with and work for.
This can make a big difference when you are trying to influence others to follow you. 
 Self-confidence: A manager who believes in their ability to get the job done will convey confidence to their employees. 
 Sense of responsibility: A person who is promoted to a managerial position is given responsibility for the work of others as
well as for their own performance. Managers must be willing to take this responsibility seriously. 
 Empathy: When settling problems, answering an employee's questions and, understanding needs, supervisors and managers
must be sensitive to the feelings of employees and higher management. 
 Internal focus of control: This is a belief that the primary cause of what happens to yourself is within your control. People
with an external focus of control tend to blame the people around them or events that are beyond their control. Those with
an internal focus bf responsibility make better leaders because they try harder to bring about change -not just accept what
happens.

Selecting a Leadership Style

In selecting a leadership style to adopt, a smart manager will consider their employees as well as themselves. Employees who are at their
most creative and productive when they have a lot of freedom will dig their heels in if their supervisor is authoritarian - even if it is that
leader's natural style. What should you look for when deciding on the kind of leadership style that your employees want? Some of the
characteristics that will influence you include: 

 Need for independence: People who want a lot of direction will welcome autocratic leadership. 
 Expectations: Some employees expect to participate in making decisions and solving problems. Others will think that a
manager who does not tell them what to do is not doing a good enough job! Cultural standards can also have an influence
on employee expectations. 
 Knowledge and experience: Employees with the knowledge to solve problems in the workplace are more apt to want to
help find a solution. Furthermore, their input will be invaluable to the manager. Thus someone who is new on the job will
probably need a manager who is both task and people oriented.
 Tolerance for ambiguity: Employees who are tolerant of ambiguity will accept a leadership style that gives them more say in
solving problems. 
 Understanding of, and identification with, goals and objectives: Employees who understand and identify with
organisational goals and objectives will want to play an active role in deciding how to meet those goals. Furthermore the
supervisor will find that such employees are reliable in carrying out their responsibility. Employees who do not understand
or identify with the goals of the organisation may need more active direction and control from the manager.
 Build and Support Teams
This section addresses the following performance criteria: 

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Assign accountabilities and responsibilities to teams consistent with their competencies and operational plans

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Ensure teams are resourced to allow them to achieve their objectives

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Empower teams and individuals through effective delegation and support for their initiatives

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Create and maintain a positive work environment

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Encourage teams and individuals to develop innovative approaches to the performance of work

Enhancing Teamwork
Teams are often considered to be merely a group of people. However, there is much more to a team than simply being a bunch of people. A team
is generally considered to be a group of people who work together over an extended period of time in order to achieve a common goal. You will
note that we referred to a common goal. This is the major difference between a group and a team. If there is no common purpose among the
members of a group then they cannot be considered to be a team. 
The specific set of goals you will be working towards as a group or team are your objectives, or outcomes. This is the first stage of the problem
solving process. In order to determine what your team is attempting to solve you need to define and describe the problem in detail. To fully
examine what the problem is you need to understand the larger picture, how the problem relates to your organisation at large. In order for your
outcomes to be effective they must be clear, concise and documented in an agreed format.
Clear
Clarity of expression is an important aspect of defining the outcomes of a group or team. In order for all members to be fully aware of
what they are working towards, they need to understand the outcomes. Therefore you should ensure that the outcomes that you write are
clear enough to allow for all members of the team to fully understand the outcomes required. Try to avoid the use of overly complex
terms and jargon. Attempt to write in plain English. You may also find it useful to include measurable terms in your outcomes. This
assists you in being specific rather than vague. 
 
Consider the following: 
"By the end of this meeting we will be required to have a good understanding of the problem."
 
What does "good" mean? Who are "we"? This is vague, and needs to be tightened up in order to be clearer. 
 
"By the end of this meeting, all team members should be able to define the problem, and list its causes."

This objective is much better, as it states specifically who is required to be able to meet the objective (all team members) and defines the
"good understanding" from the previous outcome (define the problem, and list its causes). 
Concise
In many respects clarity of expression and being concise are intimately related. If you are concise, it goes that you are also being clear.
Try to keep each outcome of the meeting to one or two sentences. If your outcome is longer than this, re-read it to ensure that all the
information in a specific outcome is required. You will often find when writing an outcome that you repeat a single specific outcome two
or three times in different words. Being concise also assists the readability of anything that you write. Creating a list of long outcomes,
which is two pages long, is less likely to be read than creating a short concise list of outcomes. Therefore, creating a shorter, more
concise list is likely to lead to more effective meetings, as everyone will be more likely to read the outcomes. 
 Documented in an Agreed Format
Ensure that your outcomes are documented in a manner with which your organisation is happy. Generally your outcomes should be
documented in the form of an agenda, which is submitted to all the meeting participants. The format of the agenda is outlined in more
detail in the following section. Bullet points are a useful means of documenting the outcomes of a meeting in a manner which is easy to
take in. 
 
You should also attempt to make any outcomes that you prepare for the meeting to be realistic. This is important, because there is only a
certain amount of work which you will be able to achieve in a one or two hour meeting. Do not attempt to place too high expectations on
yourself. It is better to create outcomes which slightly underestimate what you will achieve in a meeting, than define outcomes which
you couldn't possibly achieve.

We Need to Agree
The terms of reference for a group or team defines the group or team's reason for being, that is why the group or team was brought into existence.
It defines for the team or group members why the group was assembled, as well as providing other crucial information such as:

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The group's objectives: What it is that is hoped to be achieved by the group (this is discussed in more detail in the next section).

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The boundaries within which the group operates. This is an important facet of the terms of reference, as it is the boundaries which define what
the group may and may not consider as possible solutions to the problem. It also assists in reducing conflict between the groups recommendations
and the rest of the organisation, as it states guidelines from within which the group may not make changes. This is important as it ensures that the
group are aware of any restrictions placed against them by management.

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Boundaries may also be set in terms of budgetary constraints. If the team is aware of what budget has been allocated to them, they have an
idea of what recommendations are feasible for implementation.

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Problem solving methods to be utilised may also be, referred to in the terms of reference set for the group or team.  This will allow them to
know the methods which will be used, and so will be able to prepare accordingly.
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Completion date. A date by which the process should be completed, so that the team are aware of any constraints in terms of time placed against
them.
Terms of reference must be agreed upon by the group or team in question. Agreement about the terms of reference means that they are fully
aware of these important boundaries and constraints. Without agreement by all members of the team, you may and that the process becomes
disrupted by some members discussing measures outside the terms of reference, and thus wasting precious time. There may also be problems
whereby the team are not going to fully support any process to which they don't agree; therefore if they don't agree to the terms of reference set
for them, conflict may arise during meetings. 
As mentioned in the previous section the terms of reference set for a group or team will contain the overall objectives and outcomes which are set
for the team. As with all objectives, these should be clear and concise. As well as these requirements, there are five other requirements which
should be met for objectives to be seen as effective.  
These can be summarised under the acronym of SMART.
S
Specific
It is important that your objectives are specific. It is not useful to write objectives which are vague, as this does not allow your group or
team members to fully understand what is required from them. Use action verbs to describe exactly what is required to be done. Also
avoid terms such' as "most departments" (which departments exactly'), "several managers have comments"(who are they? what are their
responsibilities?),"problems have recently" (when?),"delays are causing some concern" (how much concern?), "management are not
entirely happy" (what does this mean? how happy are they? are they angry?). The key to writing objectives is to be specific with regard
to what is required, if you aren't specific there may be room for interpretation by members with regard to what is required, and this may
result in recommendations which are not acceptable.
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Measurable
As well as being specific, it is also important to include some form of measure against which the objective can be compared. The
problem has already been identified, but in order to ensure that it is being addressed effectively, the team will need to be able to measure
the results of their recommendations. For example: 

 Non-measurable objective: "Improve productivity in the fabrication department" 

 Measurable objective: "Improve productivity in the fabrication department by 15%" 

Note that in the non-measurable objective, the group would not have known by how much productivity had to improve, and so the
recommendations may not have been geared towards improving productivity by the level that was required.
A
Achievable
While it is important to state what you would like to achieve in your objectives, it is a good idea not to make them too difficult to attain.
If an objective seems impossible to achieve from the outset the members of your team may be less likely to try to achieve it. Be realistic
with your expectations.
R
Realistic
Objectives should be based within reality.  Very similar to “achievable” objectives, they must relate to the job at hand and not be outside
of the role of the position.
T
Time Based
By setting time limits on your objectives, you make them more concrete. The team has an objective to work towards, and so you can
ensure that they reach it. If no time limit is set you may find the group will drag out the project longer than you had anticipated.

Making the Decision

Group or team meetings are the core of group problem solving. It is during these meetings that you will conduct the problem solving and decision
making process. This process should be planned in advance, so that you are aware of the steps that need to be taken in order to best solve your
problem. Briefly the steps that need to be taken during your meeting are:

 1

Make a general description of the problem condition as the group sees it: What seems to be the crux of the problem, how does it influence
you? Talk over the problem in general terms, trying to outline the parameters.

 2

Describe what the defined condition would be like in an ideal but reachable state:  Here you are trying to establish a sense of the changes that
would have to occur by looking hypothetically at, for example, how production operations in a factory might need to differ, how the attitudes of
people might change etc. Again it is important to talk over the ideal condition and obtain a feel for it. This in itself will often help sharpen the
focus of the real problem. The concern is for what could be done, rather than how to achieve it.

 3

Identify the specific discrepancies that exist between the present view of reality and the ideal state:  The problem should begin to take on a
different shape as a result of this analysis.
 4

Analyse the nature of the condition more thoroughly: Do this by asking a series of critical questions, and discussing it amongst the group.

 5

Now in light of all the new information about the problem condition, redefine it as dearly and succinctly as possible:  Again, it is not
negative to discover that there are several problems. But for the group's purposes it is necessary to isolate one that is the most important to solve
and that might have the greatest impact on other existing conditions. By selecting the problem that can be solved and that might have a positive
ripple effect, one can assume than the time in the meeting will be put to good use.

 6

Without considering the implications of a particular solution, generate as many alternatives as possible: Potential solutions might result
from reflection back on any of the previous steps. The key in this stage is not to worry about implementation or consequences, but simply to
develop real, concrete choices that presently are not available to you. Thus, what strategies might remove a previously identified block or benefit?
This is where the group can get their minds working; techniques such as brainstorming are particularly useful for this.

 7

Consider the consequences -the price to be paid -the impact on individuals, groups or the organisation if each of the selected alternatives
were to be implemented: Then decide on whether to alter the objective, either to improve its effectiveness or to reduce the negative
consequences that will result. This step is often overlooked because of the enthusiasm felt towards the selected alternative. This is a down-to-
earth, practical step, and its purpose is to make an objective workable, or to discard it. Questions should be raised by the group, and each of these
discussed to ensure that the consequences do not make the alternative unworkable.

 8

Monitor and develop appropriate support systems to ensure the stabilising of the implemented alternative:  The generation of alternatives
is the easiest part of problem solving. Getting those alternatives into action often proves to be impossible. Looking at the consequences and
building support systems will prove helpful. For changes to work, the group will need to accept some form of accountability when the results of
the change will be assessed. This will assist in making any changes 'stick'.
 9
9

Evaluate problem-solving efforts to decide what steps should be taken next: There are a number of approaches which are relatively simple
that the group can take to evaluate the problem solving efforts.

Group Decision Making

Page 13 of 17

Teams also need the knowledge to make effective decisions. There are a wide range of decision making tools that can be used and as a team
leader, you need to know which tool to use and when. Here are a few of the major tools that can be used:
Decision by Authority
 Process: Here the leader will make all decisions without reference to the team members. 
 When to use it: This method is best used for simple and routine decisions. These may need to be completed quickly or may
simply not require the full team to be involved.

Expert Opinion
 Process: In this method for decision making you are asking someone with considerable knowledge to make decisions on
behalf of the group. 
 Appropriate Times for use: Where you have a clear choice of expert, and they demonstrate solid knowledge in the area.

Considering individual Opinions

 Process: Ask each team member what they believe and find a solution that is in the middle of all opinions. 
 Appropriate Times for use: This method can be used to make a decision quickly as there is no discussion, rather each person
just gives their opinions.

Team Leader makes decisions after discussion

 Process: Here, the leader will have a discussion with all team leaders, and after this has ended the leader will consider
everyone's opinions and make their decision. 
 Appropriate Times for use: Here, you will have enough time to have a discussion, but not the time to try to find agreement,
which can be very time-consuming. It is also useful for decisions that are likely to be difficult to agree on.

Decision by Minority
 Process: Here, you will bring as many people as possible together to make a decision even if a majority of the group is not
present. 
 Appropriate Times for use: Here, you will have enough time to have a discussion, but not the time to try to find agreement,
which can be very time-consuming. It is also useful for decisions that are likely to be difficult to agree on.

Voting
 Process: This method is the most traditio.nal method, and it involves voting on a decision until at least 51% of the group
agrees on a given decision -which is the one that is implemented. 
 Appropriate Times for use: You have to keep all staff members as happy as possible with a decision and the decision needs
to be made relatively quickly.

Consensus
 Process: The group works together, communicating and' finding a solution that all team members are happy with. 
 Appropriate Times for use: This can be quite time consuming, so you need to be sure there is time for the decision to be
reached.

These decision making processes vary quite significantly, so your team needs to understand each of the different solutions that can be used. The
best solution to use will depend on the time available to make the decision and how much you need your team to be involved and committed to
the decision being made.
 Demonstrate Personal and Professional Competence
Page 14 of 17

This section addresses the following performance criteria:

 bullet

Model ethical conduct in all areas of work and encourage others to adopt business ethics

 bullet

Adapt appropriate interpersonal and leadership styles to meet particular circumstances and situations

 bullet

Set and achieve personal objectives and work program outcomes

 bullet

Ensure self performance and professional competence is continuously improved through engagement in a range of professional development
activities
 bullet
Participate regularly in industry/professional networks and groups
As a manager, you are expected to behave in a manner that is fitting to your role within an organisation. In this manual, we will be examining
how you as an individual can act professionally, ethically and in a manner that is considered to be socially responsible. If you are able to act in
such a way, you will demonstrate your ability to manage in a way that shows you are committed to providing excellence to your organisation and
its internal and external customers.  
The first stage in improving your management skills is to analyse and develop a framework around which you can develop your skills. Such a
framework will look at the concepts and issues that are involved with respect to the practice of ethical, professional and socially responsible
behaviour. You can use this framework and its components in such a way that you are able to assess your own behaviour. 
Before we begin let’s define the types of behaviour that are required of modern managers:

 bullet

Professional and ethical behaviour and practice relates to the need to establish and maintain appropriate standards of behaviour and practice when
managing others and in relationships with other relevant stakeholders. The organisation and its stakeholders, and the job holder's professional
colleagues have a right to expect that personal integrity, respect for people, impartiality, and respect for the law will be demonstrated at all times,
together with technical expertise, personal effectiveness, and continuing professional development.
 bullet
Socially responsible behaviour and practice relates to the need for managers to be aware of, and be influenced by, trends and evolving norms in
the wider community of the organisation and its environment. This includes, for example, respect for the principles of human rights legislation,
recognition of the diversity and intrinsic value of individuals, and awareness of community concerns over business ethics and standards.
We will begin this section by analysing the concepts and issues involved, and attempt to identify some of the concepts that are involved in these
types of behaviour:
Organisational policy
All organisations have sets of policies and some have practice standards. These two documents are listings of what an organisation
expects from its staff members in terms of their duties and behaviour. All managers should be familiar with both of these documents.
Organisational policy (as we shall see) has a significant effect on the way in which you manage your functions. It will determine how
you may manage people and resources. You should attempt to adhere to organisational policy as much as possible, as these policies are
what are expected of you by your organisation. If you cannot follow these instructions you are not able to meet the expectations of your
organisation. If at any time you are unsure of what you should do in a given situation, it is always useful to check whether your
organisation has standards on how to act to provide you with the information you need to act in the best interests of both yourself and
your organisation.
Practice standards
If organisational policy governs how to act in a given situation, practice standards govern how to act in your workday life. As mentioned
above you may find that not all organisations have formal practice standards, but you should enquire as to whether yours does. Such a
document states explicitly what standards of behaviour are required by an organisation's staff members and will assist you in determining
exactly how you should act when you are working within your organisation. These standards are usually explicit in that they state exactly
what's required of you.
Codes of practice
A Code of Practice is not a law. It is a set of standards which people and companies who are subject to that Code agree to comply with. It
is similar to practice standards, as discussed above, but it is more formal in that those subject to it have formally agreed to how to
behave. Normally codes of practice are set for organisations rather than for individuals. If your organisation is subject to a given code of
practice, it is important that you as a manager are familiar with that code and are aware of the expectations that the code provides in
terms of how you are expected to behave.
Current good practice
This refers to those policies, processes, and procedures in any aspect of management that take account of contemporary knowledge,
skills, and techniques. Current good practice is something that is constantly changing, and which you should keep abreast of. A good
example of current good practice is the application of equal employment opportunity principles (as defined by organisational policy and
practice and I or the requirements of legislation). This is a facet of management that has emerged in recent years, but which organisations
and industry have taken as being the best practice for human resources management.
The nature of the workplace relationship
The nature of those whom you are working with will also playa part in determining the best practices in terms of working with people.
Formal relationships will require a higher level of care than those relationships that are less formal. Some relationships such as superior-
subordinate relationships will require a careful evaluation of the law to ensure that everything .is done according to the law.
Limits of own competence
Finally, it is important to consider the limits of your own competence. This may seem counterproductive, but it is important to remember
that you are not able to do everything. A professional manager realises the importance of delegation, or of ensuring that if there is
something that you do not know how to do, you hand the job to someone who is able to do the job correctly. Taking on work that you are
not certain how to do can lead to poor performance and quality which ultimately negatively affects the organisation. Therefore it is
important to know your own limits.
We have now discussed exactly what professionalism, ethical and social behaviour is, as well as looked at some of the components of such
behaviour. Let's now take a Look at some of the other concepts and issues that are involved with respect to professional, ethical arid socially
responsible behaviour, and attempt to determine exactly how these are related to your own behaviour in a given situation. 
Norms and Standards 
The behavioural expectations we must adopt and adapt to are referred to as norms. Norms are the standards or rules of behaviour that provide
order, allow for an understanding of the group's activities and will ensure that we direct our attention to the group's performance. The norms of a
group or within your organisation are a set of assumptions or expectations by members of your organisation that tell you what type of behaviour
is wrong or right, good or bad. 
It is important that these norms are consistent with the overall organisation's norms. If this is not the case, there may be discomfort among group
members about what is acceptable and what is not. Norms are established through the behaviours being performed within the workplace or
organisation.
Relationships
Your framework for behaviour must also take into account the relationship of individuals to organisations and organisations to wider society.
Think about how you are related to your organisation, and also think about how your organisation is related to wider society. We do not exist in
isolation, and neither do the organisations that we work for. Therefore it is important that we think about our relationship to both the organisation
and to wider society. 
When you examine your relationships, consider who you relate to in your organisation, and the type of relationship that you have with those
people; are you their boss, manager, supervisor, and friend? Sometimes the types of relationship that you have will impact on your behaviour. For
example if you are a friend to an individual, but also their manager, will you be more lenient on them than if you were merely their supervisor?
This brings about issues of professionalism and ethics, in that the types of relationship that you have with an individual should not have a
significant effect on the way you behave towards them. 
Relationships externally also need to be considered, as often the way our behaviour appears to outsiders has an effect on the perceptions people
have. An organisation has many external relationships, with the community around them, customers, government, suppliers and the like. Your
behaviour and actions have an impact on how your organisation is perceived, therefore you need to take into account all relationships, both
internally and externally when considering the framework that exists around the work that you do. Think widely, and look at internal and external
relationships, attempting to establish the extent of the relationships and the effect that you may have on them.
Duties and Responsibilities 
The types of duties and responsibilities that you have within your organisation will also affect your own personal framework. The higher the level
of responsibility within an organisation, generally the stricter a behavioural framework is likely to be. Those at higher levels of the organisation
are more likely to be seen by the public or have higher profiles within the organisation; therefore it is these individuals who have stricter
guidelines on professionalism, ethics and social responsibility. Duties will also have an effect. Duties that bring individuals in contact with the
general public or with sensitive issues may require a greater level of professionalism. So when developing a personal framework, look at the
duties and responsibilities that you have, and then attempt to bring these into line with the types of behaviour that are expected of you during the
course of a normal working day.
Nature of Professionalism, Ethics and Social Responsibility 
We defined professionalism, ethics and social responsibility earlier in this section. Within the framework that you develop for your own
behaviour, you must take into consideration the nature of these concepts. You should note that these types of behaviour are not noted in law,
however; your organisation, and organisations affiliated with your organisation may have strict guidelines that must be adhered to in terms of
behaviour by their members. Therefore even though you may not be required by law to follow these guidelines, adherence to them may be
required by organisations and thus they still must be followed. 
The nature of professionalism, ethics and social responsibility means that you should develop your own personal framework -that is the
framework that one person exists in will differ to the framework you or any other individual may need to work in. It is a very personal thing.
Aspects of your life such as your upbringing, personal beliefs and the like will also have an impact on your personal framework. However, given
that while at work you are working for your organisation and all behaviour reflects on your organisation as well as yourself, you should attempt
to meet the requirements of your own organisation wherever possible. 
When operating within a professional, ethical or social framework in the workplace it is important that you identify and work within the
boundaries of any workplace relationship. This is important as the boundaries set rules and procedures that will govern the way in which you
manage. If you step outside these boundaries your workplace relationship may become strained and you may find yourself being a less efficient
manager because of it. 
Boundaries are particularly important to being a professional manager. As we mentioned in a previous section professionalism in management
refers to the ability to manage your relationships within a workplace, and thus respecting boundaries and being able to work within them is an
important component of professionalism. 
Before we examine the boundaries that may constrain any given managerial or business relationship, let's further examine whom you as a
manager may build workplace relationships with. While you may consider the manager's typical relationship to be with those they manage, it can
be much deeper than this, and include various other people both within your organisation and external to it who visit your workplace at various
times:
Self as manager and those who one manages
The primary relationship any manager has is with those whom they manage. You may like to call these individuals subordinates, or they
may be members of your team or workgroup depending on the organisational structure that is in place within the given workplace. This
relationship is most important because one of the primary goals of a manager is to attempt to manage the relationships with those whom
one is in charge to maximise their performance and attain organisational goals. Therefore the ability to act within the given boundaries of
such a relationship allows you as a manager to ensure that you are acting in the best interests of your staff, and by doing this you should
be able to show your staff that you are a professional manager. If you are able to give this impression to your staff, they will respect you
and be willing to follow you, making the management process that much easier.
Self as manager and one's supervisor(s)
Even though you are a manager it is likely that you have staff members that you are responsible to in your duties. This relationship
should be one of mutual respect. Think about how you would expect a relationship between you and your subordinates to be, this is most
likely the level of respect and authority that your supervisor expects of you. As you are both managers, there is an expectation of
professionalism, and if you are able to show how professionally you take your job, and you build a professional working relationship
with set boundaries, you can expect the same in return.
Self as manager and other relevant stakeholders
Stakeholders are those individuals and groups, both inside and outside an organisation, which have some direct interest in that
organisation and its behaviour, actions, products or services. Stakeholders may include owners, shareholders, suppliers, customers,
special interest groups, statutory agencies, and other regulatory bodies outside an organisation, and managers, employees, employee
organisations, and other employee representatives within an organisation. Stakeholders are integral to the success of any organisation as
they provide a wide range of information and services, and by showing professionalism in your relationships with them, you will build
stronger working relationships that will serve to improve you organisation overall.
So, now we know the three major working relationships that can exist within your professional life, let's take a look at some of the boundaries
that can exist within these relationships and what they actually mean to you in your everyday working life:
Agreed objectives
Within your working life, there will be a number of objectives that either you have set with other individuals, or objectives that you have
agreed to meet. These objectives become boundaries in that they may constrain your work and the way you do things within your job.
Objectives constrain in that they may restrict you in doing one thing, if an objective says that something else is more important.
Therefore, you should always consider the objectives you have agreed to when working with individuals -even if those objectives are not
related directly to the individual you are dealing with they may constrain any relationship you may wish to build with them.
Confidentiality
This is a boundary in that it will restrain what you may and may not reveal to certain individuals. This may in some cases be a problem in
that it may mean that you are not able to give 'the big picture' but there are privacy rights and laws that must be adhered to. This
boundary is the mark of a professional manager. If you are able to correctly ascertain what should and should not be confidential you will
be able to build trust among your staff and those you have a relationship with within the organisation.
Roles and responsibilities
Your role and responsibilities (as defined within your job description) also are an important aspect to consider. These responsibilities
define what your job involves. It is therefore extremely important that you abide by these roles and responsibilities rather than taking on
roles that are beyond the normal scope of your position.
Possible conflicts of interest
We are going to discuss conflicts of interest in greater detail later in this section, however, it is important to remember that conflicts of
interest constrain your behaviour. If you believe that you have a conflict of interest it is important that you let the other parties subject to
the given relationship know this fact, and then you are able to decide how to handle the situation if it is known by all parties.
Procedures relating to complaints, discipline, and grievance
 Your organisation may have procedures that govern how complaints, discipline and grievances are to be handled. Like laws, these are
boundaries that should not be crossed, and if at any time such an event occurs you must ensure that you abide by the procedures.
An important part of the job of any manager is decision making. A professional manager should have the ability to make decisions in such a way
that they will enhance the organisation which he or she works for, and increase the level of any working relationships they may have. The ability
to decide among various alternatives and enhance working relationships will make you stand out as a professional manager. 
What is also important in terms of decision making is the ability for you to make decisions that are consistent with your own level of knowledge
and expertise. Trying to make decisions that you are not fully conversant with can result in extremely poor decisions being made, which make
you seem like an unprofessional manager. In management it is more appropriate for you to seek further information and help than just to work
blindly and make poor decisions. 
As well as in decision making, it is always appropriate to try to seek out support and advice from staff within your organisation in order to ensure
that everything you do as a manager is ethically sound, professional and socially responsible. There is a broad range of individuals to whom you
could go to in order to get the support and advice that you may need:
• Mentors
Often as a manager it is appropriate to have a mentor. Mentors are individuals who you can approach whenever you need advice or
support. The mentor may be formal, or informal -that is they may be assigned to you, or it may simply be someone whom you trust to
approach. In either case a manager may be able to provide you with advice and support when you require it.
• Co-workers
It is also possible that your co-workers have faced a similar situation that you are facing; therefore they may be able to provide you with
advice as required. Seek advice from co-workers whom you trust whenever you have doubts about appropriate actions to take.
• Management
Sometimes you may face decisions or situations that you simply are not sure how to approach. Do not feel that you are alone; your
managers should be willing to provide you with advice and support as required. You could also approach specialists within your
organisation for further support and advice, for example the human resources department could advise on issues regarding problems with
employees.
• Friends
Sometimes it is appropriate to discuss ethical issues with friends and family. They may be able to advise you on how other people would
feel about a decision, that is how it will affect society in general. By asking for support or advice or opinions from individuals outside the
organisation you can judge how responsible and ethical a decision is.
• Professional bodies
Industry bodies can also provide advice and support -they can help with what is regarded as good current practices within the industry.
This advice helps you make decisions that are in line with professional standards and decisions.
As a manager, professional development helps in improving your overall skills base. A sign of a professional manager is the ability to undertake
professional development. While professional development is often associated with training, there is a much broader range of activities that you
may undertake in order to enhance managerial skills, knowledge and abilities. In this section we will examine a number of different types of
professional development. (For the purposes of your assessment, you will need to provide evidence of at least three forms of professional
development). 
So let's look at some of the methods that you can use to develop your skills, knowledge and general management abilities:

 1

Participation' in activities of professional bodies: Many professional bodies, such as industry training boards, or groups that you may be a
member of, may hold regular meetings during which discussions are held of important issues facing the industry. Attendance at such activities is
an important way of enhancing your knowledge of current practice, and issues that are affecting your industry. This can then be applied to
situations you may face in the future.

 2

Attendance at professional education and training events: Conferences and formal training events are also a way of developing your skills
and knowledge. Often these may be held by professional bodies, or they may be organised by your organisation and involve private training
organisations (such as Precision Group) providing skills based or professional training in a number of areas. For the most part, organisations are
happy to provide training opportunities that are related to your own organisation. You should approach your training and development officer for
information on what is available.
 3
3

Participation in trials of new techniques and processes: In a sense. participating in trials of new techniques is similar to a stretch project or
assignment, in that it provides an opportunity to try something new. It allows you to take ownership of a new process, and make it your own. You
can attempt to find ways of improving the new process, and build up knowledge of new techniques through research and the like. Such an
 assignment is particularly useful in professional development because it combines training in specific techniques, problem solving, and decision
making and stretching in to a single project.
In order to demonstrate that you are totally committed to professional, ethical and responsible business and management practices, it is important
that you, as a manager, are able to demonstrate to senior management a commitment to the principles of ethical and professional behaviour. 
This is a very difficult thing to teach, however there are a few guidelines that you should follow in order to demonstrate this commitment. For the
purposes of your assessment, you will need to provide evidence of your commitment. This commitment can come in many forms, however
generally the most acceptable form of evidence will be job appraisals from management that demonstrate your ability to show ethical,
professional and responsible standards of behaviour. 
The most effective way of demonstrating your commitment to responsible, ethical and professional behaviour and practice is through the work
you do every day. If you can look back at the work you have been doing, and say to yourself, "I am happy I made that decision': you will have.
taken all due consideration of the various factors that encompass social responsibility, ethics and professionalism. If you have any nagging doubts
about a decision then there may be some issues that you did not address completely. 
The decision making and problem solving processes are generally the aspects of working that you will undertake most often. Whenever you
approach a decision or problem, it is important that you take other people's perceptions into account. This should be at the forefront of your mind.
Although outside of the scope of this manual, the problem solving process effectively generates a list of possible actions that could be taken to
address a particular problem. 
During decision making, as a professional manager, you should take each of these possible actions and evaluate them in terms of their ethical and
social impacts, as well as the impacts it will have on your organisation. This wide point of view is the mark of a good manager. It shows that you
are willing to take on board the viewpoints of others, and not simply rely on yourself as being all there is in terms of knowledge and skills. 
In terms of this manual, demonstrating your commitment to these types of behaviours essentially is about making sure that you are continually
operating within the framework you established for yourself. Your framework would have listed all the different considerations you must make,
all the policies and rules you should follow, and your own personal points of view. Demonstrating a commitment to this framework is all about
adhering to this framework. 
A full evaluation of your framework is a useful way of demonstrating your commitment. Go back to your framework, and attempt to establish
just how well your working life meets with that framework. Are there any areas where you feel that you have exceeded your framework, gone
outside the boundaries set? If there are, go back and look at why this happened and what can be done to prevent it from occurring in the future.
Let's look at some circumstances where a possible conflict or interest may arise. The major type of conflict of interest is likely to arise if your
own work and decisions made during the course of your work affect:

 bullet

Your close family or persons you have a strong personal link to;

 bullet

Organisations you are actively involved in -for example clubs and associations, a church or religious organisation, a hobby group Or common
interest group, a political organisation; or
 bullet
Work done by you on a voluntary basis for community organisations.
Another type of conflict of interest may arise if you take gifts from parties who are involved in decisions that you are likely to make. Even though
nothing untoward may be occurring, the perceptions of outsiders may not see if that way. 
It is sometimes wise to evaluate your conflicts of interest before getting involved in a decision making process. Think about the types of conflict
that you may have and then state these clearly so that everyone is aware of your possible conflicts. 
You can not simply rely on your judgement on many of these issues. The key problem is that there is such a· huge range of situations that you
may come across, so it is vitally important that you understand the relationships between causes and effects before you can really understand
what may have gone on in a conflict situation. 
The test for a possible conflict of interest is:
"Would a reasonable person believe that the interest you have, could influence your action / decision?"

Personal Ethics
Page 15 of 17

Ethics is all about morality -or put another way, it is about doing what is right. Personal ethics concerns:

 bullet

The expectations of the general society about behaviour.

 bullet

They are principles that we like to see in other people.

 bullet

They often are not formally expressed in any way.

 bullet
They are something we just know about.
Principles of Personal Ethics 
 bullet

Concern for the well-being of others

 bullet

Respect for the autonomy of others

 bullet

Trustworthiness and honesty

 bullet

Willing compliance with the law (with the exception of civil disobedience)

 bullet

Basic justice: being fair

 bullet

Refusing to take unfair advantage

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Benevolence: doing good

 bullet
Preventing harm
Morality is norms of right and wrong that people 'should follow in their conduct. In some way they are binding on us as human beings, not as
doctors or lawyers or garage mechanics or engineers. They relate to matters of serious consequence for humans. They are not created or altered
by governments. They are impartial. 
As previously mentioned, personal ethics is the study of our own personal good and what promotes it, as well as our obligations as individuals
toward individuals and social units, etc, and how we should apply them to concrete cases. In it we should define the differences between the good
and the right. 
We have previously examined personal ethics, now let's move beyond this and examine organisational ethics. Essentially here we are applying
basic ethical principles to an entire organization. So what are the principles of an ethical organisation? The following are four principles for
highly ethical organisations;

 1

They are at ease interacting with diverse internal and external stakeholder groups. The ground rules of these firms make the good of these
stakeholder groups part of the organisations' own good.
 2

They are obsessed with fairness. Their ground rules emphasise that the other persons' interests count as much as their own.

 3

Responsibility is individual rather than collective, with individuals assuming personal responsibility for actions of the organisation. These
organisations' ground rules mandate that individuals are responsible to themselves.
 4
4

They see their activities in terms of purpose. This purpose is a way of operating that members of the organisation highly value.

Summary
Page 16 of 17

In this module, we have covered a number of aspects of the way that you become an effective leader in the workplace. Each of these key ideas
has been related to a single theme. That theme is managing positive working relationships with workers and customers in your workplace. 
Given the nature of the modern work environment, an understanding of human nature and the ways in which you can work to provide others with
assistance in undertaking their work can make you a positive leadership force in your organisation, In this module we have looked at a range of
ways that you can contribute to effective working relationships. These are: 

 bullet

Providing others with relevant and useful information.

 bullet

Building trust and confidence in your abilities.

 bullet

Reviewing your own and others' performance and working to improve them.
 bullet
Undergoing professional development.
All of these methods are crucial to you being an effective leader in a modern organisation and making a positive contribution to the relations you
have in the workplace.