Unit competence 08

Develop Teams and Individuals

INTRODUCTION
This training course is based on the national unit of competency Develop Teams and Individuals.
This unit describes the performance outcomes, skills and knowledge required to determine
individual and team development needs and to facilitate the development of the workgroup. This
unit applies to individuals with a broad knowledge of learning and developments, who apply
their skills in addressing development needs to meet team objectives.
Objectives
Dear learner! At the end of this session you will be able to:
Identify Learning and development needs systematicallyand implemented in line with
organizationalrequirements
Develop and implement Learning plan to meet individual and group training anddevelopmental
needs is collaboratively developed andimplemented
Encourage Individuals to self-evaluate performanceand identify areas for improvement
Collect Feedback on performance of team members from relevant sources and compared with
established teamlearning process
Identify learning and development program goals and objectivesto match the specific knowledge
and skillsrequirements of competency standards
Learning delivery methods are appropriate to the learninggoals, the learning style of participants
and availability ofequipment and resources
Provide workplace learning opportunities and coaching/ mentoringassistance are facilitate
individual and teamachievement of competencies
Identify resources and timelines required for learning activities and approved in accordance with
organizationalrequirements
Use feedback from individuals or teams to identify andimplement improvements in future
learning arrangements
Assess outcomes and performance of individuals/teams and recorded to determine the
effectiveness ofdevelopment programs and the extent of additional support
Negotiate modifications to learning plans to improvethe efficiency and effectiveness of learning
Records and reports of competency are maintained withinorganizational requirement
Open communication processes to obtain and shareinformation is used by team
Reach decisions by the team in accordance with itsagreed roles and responsibilities
Develop mutual concern and camaraderie in the team
Actively participateteam members in team activities andcommunication processes
Develop team’s members’ individual and jointresponsibility for their actions
Sustain collaborative efforts to attain organizationalgoals
1. Provide team leadership
1.1 Learning and development needs are systematically identified and implemented in line with
organizationalrequirements
IDENTIFY LEARNING AND DEVELOPMENT NEEDS
In order to effectively organise learning and development, you will need to identify where it is
needed.
The training needs will differ for individuals at different levels and may include:
 Career planning/development.
 Coaching, mentoring and/or supervision.

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  Formal/informal learning programs.
 Internal/external training provision.
 Personal study.
 Performance appraisals.
 Recognition of current competence/skills recognition.
 Work experience/ exchange/opportunities.
 Workplace skills assessment.
TASK ANALYSIS
The first step in identifying training needs is to perform a task analysis. You need to identify the
key skills and knowledge requirements of the tasks that you need completed. Next, you need to
compare employee/worker performance to expectations. To do this, you will need to observe
employee(s)/worker(s) perform their tasks.
You need to identify any discrepancies between the expected processes and the way that tasks
are actually completed. When you identify a discrepancy, consider the reason for it. It may be
due to:
Next you should ask employee(s)/worker(s) for their ideas on where training is required. During
these consultations you should share your own opinions and seek feedback as well as solicit the
ideas of the employee(s)/worker(s). Once you have identified all of the training needs, you
should categorise them. Group particular skills or knowledge together. Use the categorised lists
to prioritise your training needs. You will need to refer to the organisation’s objectives and
determine which needs are most critical.
Learning and development needs
• Coaching, mentoring and/or supervision


• Formal/informal learning program
• Internal/external training provision
• Work experience/exchange/opportunities
• Personal study
• Career planning/development
• Performance appraisals
• Workplace skills assessment
• Recognition of prior learning

ORGANISATIONAL AND LEGISLATIVE REQUIREMENTS

The training needs you identify need to be consistent with the organisation’s purpose and
objectives. You will need to ensure that you are familiar with relevant organisational and
legislative requirements.
The following are some examples:
 Anti-Discrimination.
 Privacy Laws.
 Occupational Health & Safety/Work Health & Safety (OHS/WHS).
 Business plans.
 Codes of practice.
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  Quality standards.
 Ethical Principles.
 Organisational policies and procedures.
ANTI-DISCRIMINATION
Laws about anti-discrimination are made at all levels. These laws provide a range of grounds for
a person to lodge a complaint if they feel they have been discriminated against on the basis of:
 Race.
 Age.
 sex.
 Disability.
PRIVACY LAWS
There are federal and state and territory legislation and regulations surrounding privacy. Under
these laws, you will need to be careful how you handle, store and dispose of personal
information. You may also be required to keep certain information confidential.
OCCUPATIONAL HEALTH & SAFETY/WORK HEALTH & SAFETY
Safety in the workplace is critical to every organisation. Any work conducted should be
undertaken is a safe manner. There are various federal and state and territory legislation and
regulations surrounding OHS/WHS. To find out more about OHS/WHS, go to the website for
your state or territory workplace health authority.
Harmonisation aims to develop consistent, reasonable and effective safety standards and
protections for all Australian workers through uniform WHS laws, regulations and codes of
practice.
Key Elements of the Work Health & Safety Legislation
The following key elements of the WHS legislation will impact the way you do your job, and the
responsibilities of your workplace:
1 There is a primary duty of care requiring persons conducting a business or undertaking
(PCBU) to ensure, so far as is reasonably practicable, the health and safety of workers and others
who may be affected by the carrying out of work.
2 A requirement that officers of corporations and unincorporated bodies exercise due diligence to
ensure compliance.
3 Workers must exercise reasonable care that their acts or omissions do not adversely affect the
health and safety of persons at a workplace.
The legislation also outlines requirements for:
 The reporting requirements for modifiable incidents.
 Licences, permits and registrations (e.g. for persons engaged in high risk work or users
of certain plant or substances).
 Provision for worker consultation, participation and representation at the workplace.
 Provision for the resolution of health and safety issues.
 Protection against discrimination.
OCCUPATIONAL HEALTH & SAFETY/WORK HEALTH & SAFETY
Many specific details relating to WHS will be negotiated within the workplace in accordance
with the legislation. It is important that you speak with your Health and Safety Representative or
supervisor for more information on how these elements will affect your day-today operations, or
if you have any concerns relating to health and safety.

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 Organizational requirements
• Quality assurance and/or procedures manuals
• Goals, objectives, plans, systems and processes
• Legal and organizational policy/guidelines and requirements
• Safety policies, procedures and programs
• Confidentiality and security requirements
• Business and performance plans
• Ethical standards
• Quality and continuous improvement processes and standards

CODES OF PRACTICE
Codes of practice are
a set of ethical
principles guiding the
way the organisation
operates. They may use an industry code of practice. These codes are not mandatory like laws
but are honorary codes. Alternatively, the organisation might have its own code of practice that it
expects you to operate within.
QUALITY STANDARDS
Many organisations comply with international or industry quality standards, such as ISO9001.
These standards focus on continual improvement and involve reviewing and monitoring work
processes in order to improve the efficiency and effectiveness of the organisation. Quality
standards such as ISO9001 have a strong focus on identifying and meeting customer needs and
development of personnel/worker.
ETHICAL PRINCIPLES
Ethical principles are focused on values such as trust, good behaviour, fairness and kindness.
Organisations usually set their own ethical standards.
ORGANISATIONAL POLICIES AND PROCEDURES
Your organisation’s policies and procedures should provide a framework for its activities. Topics
covered should include:
BUSINESS PLANS
Your organisation’s business plan should detail the organisations:
• Goals.
• Objectives.
• Strategies.
• Resource plan.
• Key performance indicators.
• Budgets.
The business plan will provide you with guidance on your key objectives and targets. All
team goals and objectives should relate to the business plan.
1.2 Learning plan to meet individual and group training and developmental needs is
collaboratively developed and implemented
Once you have developed your learning plans you will need to select and apply the appropriate
methods of learning/training delivery. The methods that are applied must be appropriate to the
learning goals and learning styles of the participants.

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Training delivery can include various techniques, including:
• Group Work.
• Case Studies.
• Demonstration.
• Discussion.
• Role Plays.
• Work experience.
• • Formal courses.
• • Induction.
• Coaching and mentoring. Some training can be conducted on-the-job and some training
will need to be conducted externally
If you intend on providing the training internally, you will need to consider the equipment and
resources needed.
Your considerations may include:
 Facilities.
 Funding.
 Guest speakers.
 Technological tools and equipment.
 Time.
 Training equipment such as whiteboards and audio-visual equipment.
There are various ways to find an appropriate training provider to conduct the training. You can
try searching on the internet using a search engine. There are numerous training providers. When
choosing a training provider, look for accredited training providers.
Training providers may either be accredited through your state or territory safety authority, as a
Registered Training Organisation (RTO), or both. Try searching the website for your state or
territory work safety authority or contacting them for recommendations.
In some cases, training may be part of licensing requirements. This will mean that there are strict
provisions on who may conduct the training and/or perform the required assessments to issue a
licence. If this is the case, check with the body who issues the licenses about the requirements for
training organisations. In most cases they will be able to put you in touch with appropriate
training organisations.
IDENTIFY RESOURCES AND TIMELINES
To effectively implement your training you will need resources. Resources are anything you
need to achieve your goals. This can include everyday items or specific resources required for
particular tasks.
In most cases, the resources needed will fall into these categories:
 Work and storage space.
 Communications.
 Equipment.
 Financial.
 Purchasing.
 Human resources.
HUMAN RESOURCES
One of the most important resource requirements is human resources. These are the people who
help to achieve your goals and objectives. When determining the resource requirements, the
following questions need to be considered:

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  What is the current workload of personnel/workers?
 Will the workload of the team allow them to complete all of their required tasks?
 What are the required skills?
 What are the current skills of the team?
 Will training be required in order for the work to be completed?
 Would it be more cost effective to outsource work?
 Can the workload of the existing resources be balanced differently?
A good way to do this is to use a skills sheet that matches the skills of individuals to the required
activities. Remember to include their names, start dates and the cost of their labour.
PHYSICAL RESOURCES
You will also need to consider the physical resources required to complete the work. Consider
the following questions:
 Do you know where you can get the necessary resources?
 Will you need to hire equipment?
 What resource costs are involved?
 Are there limitations to the size or types of resources you can use?
 Are there safety considerations or requirements regarding the resources?
PHYSICAL RESOURCES
To determine the requirements for the physical resources, use an availability sheet similar to the
one below: Activity Workplace inspection Staff inductions Develop of safe work instructions
MEETING TIMELINES
Often your training will be required to be completed within a designated timeline. This may be:
If you have a deadline for your training, you must meet it. To help do this, you will need to
schedule your time. You need to look at the time you have available and plan how you will use it
to complete your training.
Effective scheduling will help you to:
• Understand what you can realistically achieve.
• Make the best use of your time.
• Leave enough time to meet you highest priorities.
• Leave enough time to manage contingencies.
• Minimise stress.
SELECT AIDS AND SUPPORT MATERIALS
In providing learning opportunities in the workplace you may be required to use appropriate aids
and support materials. You will need to consider the aids, materials and techniques that you will
use to support your key concepts. These should enhance the audiences’ understanding and
illustrate your key points.
The following are some examples of the aids, materials and techniques that you could use:
 Computer simulations and presentations, including animation.
 Diagrams, charts and posters, which may be in colour.
 White boards.
 Guest speakers.
 Models.
 Paper-based materials.
 Music and sound effects.
 Humour.

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1.3 Individuals are encouraged to self-evaluate performance and identify areas for
improvement
ENCOURAGE SELFEVALUATION
When you are determining the learning needs of teams or individuals, it is important to get them
involved in the process. A good way to start is to encourage them to perform a self-evaluation.
This involves getting them to consider how they are progressing towards meeting their goals and
objectives.
A self-assessment may be as simple as having them check their progress against specified
targets. If they do not have specific targets to meet, ask them to consider their objectives and
how they are meeting them.
You could also ask them to check:
 Their ability to stick to their budget.
 The quality of their work.
 Their ability to satisfy their clients.
 Their ability to stick to schedules.
One way to assess performance is to benchmark. This involves having them compare their
own performance to others in the team or in similar work roles.
GAIN TRUST AND CONFIDENCE
You will need to establish effective relationships with individuals or teams if you want them to
discuss their own performance and ways of improving with you. If they do not trust you, they
will not be willing to speak openly about their own strengths and weaknesses. To gain trust and
confidence from your team you will need to demonstrate high standards of business practices.
Fair and ethical behaviour and following through on your promises are crucial in gaining trust
and confidence. Confidence is the ability of others to believe in your business. It is this
confidence that you will need to succeed.
To instil trust and confidence, you need to be accountable for your actions.
This involves:
 Knowing your responsibilities.
 Facing facts honestly.
 Admitting your mistakes.
 Doing something about your mistakes.
Being accountable will help people to trust you. They will see that you are being honest and
telling them the truth. You need to be honest and direct at all times, and maintain a consistent
approach. This will help develop a sense of integrity.
You also need to ensure that you follow the quality standards of your organisation and produce
consistently high quality products and services. If your products or services fall below your
quality standards, you will lose the trust and confidence of your customers.
1.4 Feedback on performance of team members is collected from relevant sources and
compared with established team learning process
As part of developing a learning plan, you need to collect feedback on the individual or team’s
performance.
There are several ways that you can do this:
• Consultation.
• Monitor staff.
• Performance appraisals.
• Communicating with individuals and team.

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 CONSULTATION
You can collect feedback by consulting with relevant parties.
Relevant parties may include:
 All staff.
 Internal and external stakeholders.
 Senior management.
 Specific teams or business units.
 Technical experts.
 Clients.
Consultation is a two-way exchange of information.
It should involve:
 Sharing information with employee(s)/worker(s).
 Giving employee(s)/worker(s) the opportunity to express their views or concerns.
 Taking those views into account and reporting back to employee(s)/worker(s) on the final
decisions.
Consultation does not mean simply handing out information, telling employees/workers what is
required or listening to the views of the employees/workers. Employee(s)/worker(s) must play a
genuine part in the consultation process. Involving relevant parties in the allocation of work
activities helps those parties to feel that they have a say. This then helps to build trust and a sense
of ownership and responsibility.
The first stage in consultation is to provide information to those being consulted about:
o What is being considered.
o The process for consideration.
o How a final decision will be made and who will make this decision.
There are varying degrees of formality in consultative processes. Consultation may be as
informal as a one-off meeting between a manager and a team member. However, it could also be
a more formal process where all team members are canvassed.
MONITOR STAFF
Many organisations monitor staff to ensure they are following procedures and meeting standards.
Monitoring staff can be used to:
• Check that staff are following your organisation’s policies and procedures.
• Check the quality of customer service.
• Find out if staff need more training.
• Review staff skills and knowledge.
• Check that staff are safe.
• Check that legal and regulatory requirements are being met.
You can monitor staff by:
 Reading staff emails.
 Checking logs of websites visited by staff.
 Observing them while they are working.
 Recording telephone calls.
 Listening to voice messages.
 Checking logs of telephone numbers called.
 Looking at the work area, desks or equipment.
 Looking at service records, such as number of customers, sales margins, timesheets etc.

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Staff can feel mistrusted or uneasy if they are monitored frequently. To avoid this, you must first
think about:
 The purpose of monitoring staff.
 The benefits of monitoring staff.
 Any personal information that will be reviewed.
 Minimising the intrusion.
 Making the process fair.
 What will be achieved as a result of the monitoring.
When monitoring staff, you need to:
 Tell staff why you are monitoring them.
 Make sure the monitoring is justified.
 Ensure the monitoring is proportionate.
 Tell staff they are being monitored and what information you are collecting.
 Take care to balance the intrusion with staff privacy.
Always remember the purpose of what you are doing and the information you are trying to
obtain. This will help you to stay on track.
PERFORMANCE APPRAISALS
There are numerous ways to conduct appraisals, including: Types of performance appraisals:
Description: Self-appraisals The employee/worker is asked to evaluate his/her own work. Peer
appraisals Staff of equal rank within the organisation evaluate each other. Team appraisals
Employee(s)/worker(s) within a specific team evaluate the team.
Types of performance appraisals: Description: Assessment centre Employee(s)/worker(s) are
evaluated by professional assessors using assessments such as work simulations and activities.
Full circle appraisals Information is gathered from all groups the employee/worker interacts with
and is used to review the employee(s)/worker(s) work. The employee’s/worker’s work objectives
are set in Management by objectives collaboration between the manager and the
employee/worker.
COMMUNICATING WITH INDIVIDUALS AND TEAMS
In order to collect and supply feedback with individuals and teams you will need to have
effective communication skills. These skills will include:
 Maintaining eye contact, except where eye contact may be culturally inappropriate.
 Speaking clearly and concisely, using appropriate language and tone of voice.
 Using appropriate non-verbal communication (body language).
 Actively listening to the other person.
 Questioning and paraphrasing to clarify.
 Responding in the necessary manner.
You may have individuals in your team from diverse backgrounds or with diverse abilities. You
need to be able to communicate with all of these people. Without clear communication you do
not have understanding. There are many barriers to communication that can create difficulties.
These barriers can occur in many ways and may be verbal or non-verbal barriers.
VERBAL COMMUNICATION BARRIERS
Even if two parties speak the same language, there can still be verbal communication barriers.
Local slang or sayings may make communication difficult. To avoid verbal communication
barriers, you can:
 Speak slowly and clearly.
 Use simple words and avoid using jargon/local expressions.

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  Use short sentences.
 Ask questions.
 Paraphrase to check understanding.
NON-VERBAL COMMUNICATION BARRIERS
Non-verbal communication barriers relate to:
 Touching.
 Facial expressions.
 Gestures.
 Personal space.
 Posture.
In different cultures, non-verbal communication cues we are used to may have different
meanings. For example, in some cultures individuals signal “no” by nodding their head. Also, in
some cultures raising your thumb is a vulgar sign. To avoid problems, watch your non-verbal
communication cues. Be courteous and polite and stay aware that the person you are
communicating with may have different meanings or social norms for communication.
DEVELOP LEARNING PLANS
Once you have identified the learning and development needs, you will need to consult with the
team or individual to determine an appropriate learning plan for them.
The learning plan should include all the information that the team or individual need to
understand the proposed learning opportunity.
This should include:
• The goals and objectives of the learning.
• The competencies or performance criteria to be covered.
• The learning strategy.
• Timeframes for completing the learning and achieving the competency.
• Location of training.
• Details of who will be providing the training.
• Details of who will be participating.
• The learning plan needs to be documented and reviewed with the individual or team
regularly.
COMPETENCY STANDARDS
Reviewing competency standards can help you to determine the skill level required. A
competency standard is a document that specifies how people should complete their job.
Competency standards are used by organisations to:
 Nominate how they expect work roles to be performed.
 Judge how competent individuals are in their job role.
There are 2 common types of competency standards:
 Nationally recognised standards that are used throughout the country as a basis of
assessment for formal qualifications.
 Standards developed internally at specific organisations.
To locate any internal competency standards, ask your employer/PCBU or your human resource
manager to help you. To locate nationally recognised competency standards, you can search on
the training.gov.au website.
REVIEW THE LEARNING PLAN
After the learning plan has been developed, it will need to be proofread and reviewed to ensure it
meets your requirements.

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To do this you will need to use your literacy skills to:
 Read through the document first to check it meets your requirements.
 Check through the document more thoroughly for errors or inaccuracies.
 Read it aloud to gauge how it flows.
 Read backwards through the document looking at the headings.
 Double-check the names that were used.
 Double-check any numbers in the document.
 To proofread thoroughly, it may be easier to print the document first.
Feedback on performance


• Formal/informal performance appraisals
• Obtaining feedback from supervisors and colleagues
• Obtaining feedback from clients
• Personal and reflective behavior strategies
• Routine and organizational methods for monitoring service delivery

2. Foster
individual and
organizational growth
2.1 Learning and development program goals and objectives are identified to match the specific
knowledge and skills requirements of Competence standards
Once you have identified the learning and development needs, you will need to consult with the
team or individual to determine an appropriate learning plan for them.
The learning plan should include all the information that the team or individual need to
understand the proposed learning opportunity. This should include:
• The goals and objectives of the learning.
• The competencies or performance criteria to be covered.
• The learning strategy.
• Timeframes for completing the learning and achieving the competency.
• Location of training.
• Details of who will be providing the training.
• Details of who will be participating.
• The learning plan needs to be documented and reviewed with the individual or team
regularly.
COMPETENCY STANDARDS
Reviewing competency standards can help you to determine the skill level required. A
competency standard is a document that specifies how people should complete their job.
Competency standards are used by organisations to:
• Nominate how they expect work roles to be performed.
• Judge how competent individuals are in their job role.
There are 2 common types of competency standards:
• Nationally recognised standards that are used throughout the country as a basis of assessment
for formal qualifications. Standards developed internally at specific organisations.

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To locate any internal competency standards, ask your employer/PCBU or your human resource
manager to help you. To locate nationally recognised competency standards, you can search on
the training.gov.au website.
REVIEW THE LEARNING PLAN
After the learning plan has been developed, it will need to be proofread and reviewed to ensure it
meets your requirements. To do this you will need to use your literacy skills to:
 Read through the document first to check it meets your requirements.
 Check through the document more thoroughly for errors or inaccuracies.
 Read it aloud to gauge how it flows.
 Read backwards through the document looking at the headings.
 Double-check the names that were used.
 Double-check any numbers in the document.
 To proofread thoroughly, it may be easier to print the document first.
2.2 Learning delivery methods are appropriate to the learning goals, the learning style of
participants and availability of equipment and resources
Delivery Methods: Description: Presentation/Demon stration Presentation or demonstration
involves physically showing the audience how to do something. This may be a work process or
use of a product. This is a visual training method that allows the audience to see how things
work. It is used to: Appeal to more than one sense. Set performance standards. Emphasise
sequences. Provide guidance.
Delivery Methods: Description: Case Studies Case studies tell the story of a real person or group
to explain a problem and how they dealt with it. They can be used to: Provoke interest. Help the
audience identify with the information. Illustrate key points. Provide a context for a particular
point. Motivate the audience to take action. Discussion Facilitating a discussion is a good way
for you to encourage your audience to participate and for you to interact with them. It also helps
you to determine their understanding of your key points and to clarify any points of confusion.
Delivery Methods: Group Work Role Plays Description: Group work can be used to encourage
discussions and audience interaction. It allows the audience to support each other and fosters an
informal peer learning system. Role plays generally involve the audience acting out defined roles
in a set scenario. The scenario is usually set around a point that needs to be more closely
examined. Role plays can be used to: Convey core information in a way that is easy to
understand. Appeal to more senses to help the audience remember the information. Entertain the
audience.
Delivery Methods: Role Plays Description: Inject humour into the training. Simulate
questioning. Present multiple arguments. Analyse problems from different perspectives. Convey
complex ideas relating to ethical or emotional decisions. Provide insight and sympathy.
Stimulate audience to present opinions.
Delivery Methods: Description: Work Experience Work experience, as the name suggests,
involves an individual gaining experience performing a type of work that they are unfamiliar
with. In a workplace setting, work experience may relate to the individual working alongside or
under a more experienced peer to develop their skills and knowledge. Formal courses Often in a
workplace, individuals and teams will be encouraged to participate in professional development
opportunities. Professional development includes attending conferences and seminars, and
participation in formal learning courses. Most professional development will be conducted
externally to the workplace, and will often be organised by the workplace.

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Delivery Methods: Induction Description: Before starting a new position, or a new role within
your workplace, you may be required to participate in an induction. The induction process is
designed to familiarise new employee(s)/worker(s) to the business, their roles and
responsibilities, legal requirements, and the workplace processes. The induction process should
allow an individual to become an integrated member of a team quickly, rather than being ‘thrown
in the deep end.’
Learning delivery methods
• On the job coaching or mentoring
• Problem solving
• Presentation/demonstration


• Formal course participation
• Work experience
• Involvement in professional networks
• Conference and seminar attendance
• Induction

2.3 Workplace learning

opportunities and coaching/
mentoring assistance are
provided to facilitate individual and team achievement of competencies
MONITOR STAFF
Many organisations monitor staff to ensure they are following procedures and meeting standards.
Monitoring staff can be used to:
 Check that staff are following your organisation’s policies and procedures.
 Check the quality of customer service.
 Find out if staff need more training.
 Review staff skills and knowledge.
 Check that staffs are safe.
 Check that legal and regulatory requirements are being met.
You can monitor staff by:
 Reading staff emails.
 Checking logs of websites visited by staff.
 Observing them while they are working.
 Recording telephone calls.
 Listening to voice messages.
 Checking logs of telephone numbers called.
 Looking at the work area, desks or equipment.
 Looking at service records, such as number of customers, sales margins, timesheets etc.
Staff can feel mistrusted or uneasy if they are monitored frequently. To avoid this, you must first
think about:
 The purpose of monitoring staff.
 The benefits of monitoring staff.
 Any personal information that will be reviewed.
 Minimising the intrusion.

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  Making the process fair.
 What will be achieved as a result of the monitoring.
When monitoring staff, you need to:
 Tell staff why you are monitoring them.
 Make sure the monitoring is justified.
 Ensure the monitoring is proportionate.
 Tell staff they are being monitored and what information you are collecting.
 Take care to balance the intrusion with staff privacy. Always remember the purpose of
what you are doing and the information you are trying to obtain. This will help you to
stay on track.
2.4 Resources and timelines required for learning activities are identified and approved in
accordance with organizational requirements
IDENTIFY RESOURCES AND TIMELINES
To effectively implement your training you will need resources. Resources are anything you
need to achieve your goals. This can include everyday items or specific resources required for
particular tasks.
In most cases, the resources needed will fall into these categories:
 Work and storage space.
 Communications.
 Equipment.
 Financial.
 Purchasing.
 Human resources.
One of the most important resource requirements is human resources. These are the people who
help to achieve your goals and objectives. When determining the resource requirements, the
following questions need to be considered:
 What is the current workload of personnel/workers?
 Will the workload of the team allow them to complete all of their required tasks?
HUMAN RESOURCES
What are the required skills?
• What are the current skills of the team?
• Will training be required in order for the work to be completed?
• Would it be more cost effective to outsource work?
• Can the workload of the existing resources be balanced differently?
3. Monitor and evaluate workplace learning
3.1 Feedback from individuals or teams is used to identify and implement improvements in
future learning arrangements
FORMAL EMPLOYEE/WORKER FEEDBACK
When you conduct a formal feedback session you need to be prepared and make sure that you
have notified the person in advance of the meeting. Before the meeting date, talk to supervisors
or other key parties to seek their input on the employee(s)/worker(s) performance. In some cases,
you might also ask the employee/worker to complete a self-assessment.
If you identify areas where improvement is required, gather samples of their work. This will help
to illustrate your point. You could also gather samples of work that does meet the performance
requirements. You may also need to gather other records of the employee(s)/worker(s)
performance, including:

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  Attendance logs.
 Minutes from meetings.
 Feedback from clients.
 Emails.
 Documentation completed by the employee/worker.
It is a good idea to also collect samples of good work completed by the employee/worker. This
will help them to see where they are on track and performing to the required standard.
When you conduct the meeting, you need to:
• Let the employee/worker have an active role in assessing their performance and
determining their own goals.
• Keep performance feedback well documented.
• Keep the review focussed on behaviours and results.
Design a meaningful system of coaching conversations that employee(s)/worker(s) find
meaningful and valuable. Investigate causes that underlie poor performance – ask questions,
don’t just assume you know the reason for it. Put a follow-up plan into place at the end of the
meeting – keep it positive and practical. Avoid making the review process about both
compensation to decide salary increase and coaching to improve development – it should be one
or the other.
Ensure the meeting is conducted by someone who has regular day-to-day contact with the
employee/worker. The information and data gathered when evaluating the learning and
development training provided can also be used to determine the effectiveness of development
programs and make improvements.
MODIFY LEARNING PLANS
As you review learning, you may find you need to make changes to the original learning plans.
These changes will be made to reflect the progress the learner has made, and the effectiveness of
the training provided.
NEGOTIATING LEARNING PLANS
When negotiating it is important to separate the person from the problem. You should be aiming
to reach an agreement with the learner that is mutually acceptable. For this reason the focus
should not be on the learner as the problem, but what can be done to assist them.
Make sure that you are flexible, that you actively listen to the learner and that you acknowledge
their ideas and opinions. They may be able to broaden the options available for improving
learning. When you are negotiating changes to learning plans, remember your goal of improving
the efficiency and effectiveness of training, and developing the individual to the required
competency levels.
MAINTAIN RECORDS
All learning and development undertaken will need to be recorded. This includes maintaining
any reports or records of competency, as well as other required documentation in accordance
with the systems used by your organisation, and following your organisational requirements.
Organisational documentation systems may include:
• Electronic systems.
• Paper-based systems.
ELECTRONIC SYSTEMS
Here are many ways to store electronic records. All records should be backed up for security and
the back-ups stored in a different location. There are many different storage platforms that can be
used for files, including an organisation’s intranet.

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An intranet is a set of interconnected computers or networks within an organisation. It usually
consists of: Internal email system. Message board.
• Web sites or databases containing company news.
• Forms.
• Personnel/workers information and contact details.
• Ensure that you are familiar with the electronic systems used in your organisation, including
how information and data must be input, saved, stored and maintained.
PAPER-BASED SYSTEMS
Paper-based systems can be used to record and maintain learning development files. It is
important that you understand your requirements for completing pre-filled reports and other
documentation, and use effective literacy skills such as clear and legible writing. Most
organisations choose to store the bulk of their information electronically.
Paper-based systems require a large amount of physical storage space. This can become costly.
The other problem with paper-based files occurs when more than one person wants to access the
file at the same time. Unless you photocopy the entire file and store it in another location,
creating further costs, it is not possible to back up a paper-based file.
Being highly flammable and easily damaged by water, insects, vermin or other natural causes,
paper is increasingly seen to be less reliable than electronic records. If your organisation uses a
paper-based approach, ensure that you understand how to complete reports, as well as your
requirements for having the documents signed off, duplicated, and filed.
3.2 assess outcomes and performance of individual /teams
Measuring the performance of your employees is a necessary measure if you need to improve
business or simply build upon your current success. There are a wide variety of ways in which
performance can be measured, whether individually, as a whole, internally, or from an external
perspective. If you are looking to measure performance in your company, consider some steps
that have proven effective.
Steps
1Set up random methods of quality control throughout your company. While your
employees are aware of the checks, they don't know when they will occur, so if they are slacking
in some way or not performing to par, that will surface eventually. Suggested areas of quality
control include spot checking products, reviewing phone calls, and inspecting log books.
2Survey your clients about their customer service experience as a way of assessing
employee performance. Ask them if they are satisfied with their product or service. Getting an
outside perspective on performance is smart as it offers an objective analysis. In addition, client
satisfaction should be your ultimate mission, and if your clients are genuinely satisfied, then your
employees are getting something right

3. Evaluate performance of employees by considering all areas of their work ethic and
individual achievements. This method of assessment would look at each employee as a whole
and most likely on an annual basis. If an employee is lacking, this assessment would give her an
opportunity to improve. If an employee is excelling, then the assessment would recognize that,
but still suggest ways of improvement. Under this criteria would be the following:

 How much an individual is able to produce either in product or sales.

 The quality of that product or service.
 How fast an employee produces a product or makes a sale.

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  How reliable an employee is, including how often they are absent or late for work.
 How well an employee adheres to company policies.
 How an employee presents him or herself physically and intellectually.

4 Opt to initiate basic employee appraisals to indicate performance levels in various areas
of the workforce, and both general and job-specific responsibilities. For example, manager
appraisals are intended for supervisors to evaluate the performance of their subordinates. Peer
and team appraisals are intended for employees to appraise each other as individuals or within a
team environment. Self-appraisals are also an option, in which employees are given the
opportunity to appraise themselves.

5 Resort to more comprehensive employee assessment methods if you fear for the future of
your company. Options include hiring a professional assessor who can appraise the everyday
functionality of your business, as well as the performance of your employees. An outside
assessor can provide impartiality and, therefore, feedback that is devoid of personal relationships
and feelings. A 360 appraisal is a second option that subjects an employee to appraisals by all his
or her direct superiors and peers.
3.3 negotiate modification to learning plan
A Learning Plan is a document (possibly an interactive or on-line document) that is used to plan
learning, usually over an extended period of time.

Any entity can have a learning plan. They are often used by individuals to plan and manage their
own learning, but they can also be used by teams, communities of practice or organizations. An
organizational level plan can be the aggregate of its individual’s plans or it can add information
on the emergent learning needs of the overall organization.
The active development and maintenance of a learning plan can enrich a person's life and the
sharing of learning plans can help to strengthen a community.
Components of a Learning Plan
A good learning plan is a well-articulated document with the following components:
A set of 'learning goals' that the person (or organization) hopes to achieve within a specific
period of time. It is often useful to divide larger goals into more manageable sub-goals that can
be realized within weeks or months.
Each learning goal (or sub goal) should have a series of concrete steps or actions that the person
will take to move towards the goal. Actions should be actual behaviours. Writing a quality article
for Wikipedia is an example of an action. Or, if the learning goal is "understand Indian cooking",
preparing and serving a masala to a group of East Indian friends might be an appropriate action.
Each action should be associated with one or more resources and with evidence.
Resources are anything that can be used to realize the actions to be taken towards the learning
goal. One of the best resources is a mentor or coach, but there are many others, including books,
courses, travel, the Internet and especially Wikipedia. Once a resource has been applied to a goal
it is often helpful to rate the effectiveness of the resource, especially in cases where the learning
plan will be shared.
Evidence is used to demonstrate that an action has been taken, that progress towards the goal has
been made, and finally that the goal has been achieved. Evidence can be private, when the person
does not need to demonstrate to other people that the goal has been achieved, or public, when
evidence is required.

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Modes of learning
A learning plan can be used for many modes of learning. One taxonomy is as follows:
 Culture - learning about one's own or other people's cultures
 Financial - learning how to manage money and how money works in the economy
 Physical - physical fitness can be a form of learning and a learning plan can be used to
improve and track a person's fitness
 Political (Citizen) - learning more about one's polity and the rights and duties of
citizenship
 Relationship - things that one wants to learn about people in key relationships, and how
to be more effective in relationships
 Spiritual - deepening one's understanding of the spiritual dimension of life; a prayer or
meditation journal can be part of a learning plan.
 Work - professional learning
A learning plan will often have parts that are strictly private, others that are only shared with
one's intimates, others that are for various groups, and it may have some parts that are public.
Maintaining a Learning Plan
Learning plans are most effective when reviewed and maintained regularly, for devoted learners
daily. One way to do this is to use the learning plan to track a daily activity, preferably one
associated with some learning goal. A cyclist might track how far they cycle each day, a blogger
might maintain a learning plan in the form of a blog, and so on. The key is to integrate learning,
and maintenance of the learning plan, with daily activities.
Learning Plans, Learning Records and the ePortfolio
As a learning plan evolves, goals are attained, evidence is collected and becomes a learning
record. There has been much attention to learning records or the Electronic Portfolio in recent
pedagogy and andragogy. Whereas a learning plan looks forward to what is to be achieved, a
learning record looks backwards to the past and what has been accomplished. Two sides of the
same coin.
3.4 maintain records and reports of competence
You need to know that:
1 You identify legal, organisational and inter-agency policies and protocols for recording and
reporting
2 You clarify any uncertainties about recording and reporting with your line manager or
professional supervisor
3 You use recording and reporting procedures, including the use of information and
communication technology, to produce records and reports that:
• reflect best practice
• are accurate, concise, objective, understandable, legible and accessible
• promote the participation of service users and others in planning, carrying out and reviewing
the effectiveness of provision and services in:
_ meeting their needs
_ identifying and exposing gaps in resources and services and unmet need
_ promoting human growth, development and independent living
_ countering disadvantage, discrimination and social exclusion
• document conflicts, disagreements, unmet needs and any risks associated with these
4 You maintain and update records according to legal, organisational and inter-agency policies
and protocols

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You clearly and accurately record:
 judgements and decisions
 the evidence on which the judgements have been based
 where judgement is based on informed opinion
You record other evidence and reports which:
o support your judgements and decisions
o conflict with your judgements and decisions
o clarify events and decisions
You check and agree the accuracy of the records and evidence with all concerned in the
decision making process, and acquire the appropriate signatures, if required
You record and report any disagreements and actions taken to resolve these
Implement legal and policy framework and protocols for access to records and reports
Competent practice is a combination of the application of skills and knowledge informed by
values and ethics. This specification details the knowledge and understanding required to carry
out competent practice in the performance described in this unit. When using this specification it
isimportant to read the knowledge requirements in relation to expectations and requirementsof
your job role. Values
1 Awareness of your own values, prejudices, ethical dilemmas and conflicts of interest and their
implications on your practice
2 Respect for and the promotion of:
• each person as an individual
• independence and quality of life for individuals, whilst protecting them from harm
• dignity and privacy of individuals, families, groups and communities
3 Valuing, recognising and respecting the diversity, expertise and experience of individuals,
families, groups and communities
4 Maintaining the trust and confidence of individuals, families, groups and communities by
communicating in an open, accurate and understandable way
5 Listening to, respecting, promoting and balancing the views and wishes of individuals,
families, groups, communities and other practitioners
6 Challenging, through your practice: discrimination, racism, disadvantage and other forms of
inequality and injustice
• Direct observation by assessor and/or an expert witness is required for some of the performance
criteria for every element in this unit.
• Prior to commencing the unit you should agree a plan with your assessor regarding the types of
evidence to be used.
• You must provide your assessor with evidence for ALL the performance criteria, and ALL the
knowledge requirements and the relevant parts of the SCOPE as applicable to your workplace.
• The evidence must, at all times, reflect the policies and procedures of the workplaces as linked
to current legislation and valued and principles for best practice within the Health and Social
Care Sector. This will include the National Service Standards for your area of work or client
group.
• Reflective accounts: you describe your actions in (a) particular situation(s) and reflect on the
reason(s) for you practicing in that way, in relation to key people and others.
• Questioning/professional discussion: you and your assessor may agree on questions or
discussion to demonstrate your knowledge, to supplement the knowledge demonstratedthrough

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observations, products and reflective accounts. These can be oral or written but evidence of this
must be recorded.
NB Confidential records are not required in your portfolio, they can remain where they are
normally stored and be checked by your assessor and internal verifier.
4.1. Open communication processes to obtain and share information
All enterprises and organisations deal with information. This unit is concerned with the correct
handling and communication of information.
You are required to gather, store and communicate information relevant to your particular job
role. This may simply entail the accurate passing on of a message, or the completion of standard
records. Alternatively, it may entail the formal processing of information. Records may relate to
production, health and safety or sales, for example.
Throughout this unit, you are expected to communicate clearly and effectively with those that
you come into contact with, whether they are colleagues, suppliers, customers, contractors,
supervisors or managers. You must be aware of the range of ways in which information can be
handled.
Open Communication Defined
Communication, the flow of information between people, is a very important part of the
workplace. Managers must be able to communicate with employees and employees must be able
to communicate with managers in order to have a profitable business.
Communication can be broken into two main types:
 Verbal: Verbal communication requires the spoken word.
 Nonverbal: Nonverbal communication involves communicating without speaking, such
as in writing or body language.
The subtypes of communication include the following:
 Open and closed: Open communication occurs when all parties are able to express ideas
to one another, such as in a conversation or debate. On the other hand, closed
communication occurs when only one person is actively communicating, like a lecture
from your professor.
 Positive and negative: Positive communication occurs when all parties involved feel that
they were heard. Negative communication occurs when people feel like they were not
heard or feel that they were attacked. Yelling, name-calling and arguing are some
examples of negative communication.
 Effective and Ineffective: Effective communication occurs when all parties feel that
they have reached a desired outcome, like a meeting with your supervisor to discuss a
new process.
Hopefully, you would leave that meeting knowing what the new process is, and your supervisor
would feel confident that you understood the new process. Ineffective communication occurs
when one or both parties feel that they have not reached a desired outcome. For example, if you
walk away from that meeting with your supervisor not knowing what the process is, the meeting
was ineffective.
Creating Open Communication in the Workplace
Open communication gives everyone equal participation in the success of the business. Creating
an atmosphere of open communication allows for the flow of energy and creativity. It establishes
an environment where all employees have a good understanding of the goals and what needs to
be done to accomplish those goals.
There are five ways to create open communication in the workplace:

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  Step one: Ensure that all managers are committed to open communication.
 Step two: Keep your message positive.
 Step three: Let everyone know what you're doing and why.
 Step four: Take notice of the diversity in your workplace. Some groups receive
information differently.
 Step five: Establish a grievance system. Let employees know that their complaints will be
kept confidential.
4.2 reach decisions by the team in accordance with its agreed roles and responsibilities
Consensus is defined as "an opinion or position reached by a group as a whole" by the American
Heritage Dictionary. Consensus decision making is the process used to generate widespread
agreement within a group. These instructions will guide you through that process.
Steps
1. Understand the principles of consensus decision making. There are five requirements
of consensus decision-making:
Inclusion. As many community members as possible should be involved in the process. Nobody
should be excluded or left out (unless they ask to be excluded).
Participation. Not only is every person included, but each and every person is also expected to
participate by contributing opinions and suggestions. While there are various roles that others
may have, each person has an equal share (and stake) in the final decision.
Co-operation. All the people involved collaborate and build upon each other's concerns and
suggestions to come up with a decision or solution that will satisfy everyone in the group, rather
than just the majority (while the minority is ignored).
Egalitarianism. Nobody's input is weighed more or less than anyone else's. Each has equal
opportunity to amend, veto, or block ideas.
Solution-mindedness. An effective decision-making body works towards a common solution,
despite differences. This comes through collaboratively shaping a proposal until it meets as many
of the participants' concerns as possible.
2. Understand the benefits of using a consensus process. Consensus decision making
involves a collaborative discussion, rather than an adversarial debate. Thus a consensus
process is more likely to result in all parties reaching common ground. The benefits
include:
 Better decisions- because all perspectives in the group are taken into account. The
resulting proposals are therefore able to address all the concerns affecting the
decision as much as possible.
 Better group relationships- through collaborating rather than competing, group
members are able to build closer relationships through the process. Resentment
and rivalry between winners and losers is minimized.
 Better implementation of decisions- When widespread agreement is achieved and
everyone has participated in the process there is usually strong levels of
cooperation in follow through. There are not likely to be disgruntled losers who
might undermine or passively sabotage effective implementation of the group's
decision.

3. Decide how your group will finalize a decision. A consensus process allows a group to
generate as much agreement as possible. Some groups require everyone to consent if a

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 proposal is to be passed. Other groups, however, allow decisions to be finalized without
unanimous consent. Often a super-majority is deemed sufficient. Some groups use a
simple majority vote or the judgment of a leader. They can still use a consensus process
to come up with their proposals, regardless of how they finalize a decision.
4. Understand what it means to give consent. Consenting to a proposal does not
necessarily mean it is your first choice. Participants are encouraged to think about the
good of the whole group. This may mean accepting a popular proposal even if it is not
your personal preference. In consensus decision making participants voice their concerns
during the discussion so that their ideas can be included. In the end, however, they often
decide to accept the best effort of the group rather than create factions or an "us against
them" mentality.
5. Clearly outline what needs to be decided. You may need to add something or take
something away. You may need to start something new or amend something current.
Whatever it is, make sure that the entire issue is clearly stated for everyone to understand.
It's always a good idea to address why the issue is being raised in the first place (i.e. what
is the problem that needs to be solved?). Briefly review the options that are available.
6. List all the concerns participants want their proposal to address. This sets the
groundwork for collaboratively developing a proposal that most people will support.
7. Test the waters. Before attempting a lengthy discussion, take a straw polls to see how
much support a proposal idea has. If everyone agrees on a position, move on to finalizing
and implementing the decision. If there is disagreement, discuss the concerns that are not
yet met by the proposal. Then adapt the proposal, if possible, to make it more broadly
agreeable. Sometimes a solution is reached by finding a middle ground between all
parties. Even better, however, is when a proposal is shaped to meet as many needs as
possible (win-win) rather than through compromise. Remember, to listen to each and
every dissenter in the effort to get full agreement.
8. Apply your final decision rules. After a strong attempt has been made to get full
agreement, poll the group to find out if the support in the group is sufficient to pass the
proposal. The threshold of support necessary depends on the group's choice of decision
rule. The decision rule used by your group should be decided well in advance of any
contentious proposal being brought before it for consensus-building. There are several
options:
9. Implement the decision. Keep in mind that the goal is to reach a decision the group can
accept, not necessarily a decision that fulfils every member's wishes.

 Emphasize the role of the team in finding a solution to various issues together, not
pitting stakeholders' interests against each other.

 Set aside some time for silence during the discussion. Participants will give more
measured and well-reasoned opinions if they have time to think before they speak.
 For a decision that will require a lengthy amount of time and many people, establish
roles for the discussion. Make sure these people are responsible members of the
group. Also, ensure that participants understand that these individuals are considered
responsible members of the group and the suggestions are to be taken respectfully

22
 and seriously. The role-playing individuals have equal votes among the decision-
makers, their vote counts no more or no less than anyone else. Here are a few roles
that might help:
o Facilitators make sure that the decision making process adheres to both the
rules of consensus building (as described above) and a reasonable schedule.
There can be more than one facilitator, and a facilitator can "resign" from
their responsibility if they feel they're becoming too personally involved with
the decision.
o Timekeepers keep their eye on the time. They let the facilitators and group
know how much time is remaining and can help with steering the discussion
back on track. A separate timekeeper is not always necessary, unless the
facilitators are too busy moderating to keep checking the time.
o Empathizers gauge the "emotional climate" of the discussion to make sure
that it doesn't get out of hand. The goal is to anticipate emotional conflicts,
prevent them or resolve them, and get rid of any kind of intimidation within
the group.
o Note takers document decisions, discussions, and action points of the group
so that leaders or facilitators or any member of the group can recall
previously stated concerns or statements and keep track of their progress.
This role is especially important in a long, varied and drawn-out discussion,
where it's hard to remember who said what.
 Make sure that everyone understands what is meant by "consensus" (see Steps
above) since everyone will want to know when consensus is reached.
 Be patient with people as they learn about the consensus climate. It is often much
different for people (especially individuals from Europe and North America) from
democratic lifestyles.
 Some decision-makers may want to "stand aside". This usually means the individual
does not support the proposal being discussed, but will allow the decision to pass if
necessary. Sometimes, however, a person chooses to stand aside simply because they
don't feel that they are knowledgeable enough about the subject to participate
constructively.
4.3 develop mutual concern and camaraderie
The most successful workplaces are those built on strong relationships between employees and
each other, as well as strong relationships between staff and management. This is also one of the
most challenging goals to accomplish, given the diverse nature of many workforces.
Camaraderie begins from the first day an employee starts a new job.
Here are some of the way how to Createcamaraderie in the Workplace
Have Fun on the Job
 People who are happy tend to work harder and show a higher commitment to their jobs and
employers. Use games in the workplace to motivate workers and stimulate social activity, both of
which contribute to higher camaraderie in the workplace. Define a secret mission one day and
award prizes to the workers who discover the mission and complete the tasks first. Hold a
treasure hunt one day, with prizes hidden in places where workers must pass throughout the day,
such as near the copier, in the break room or under a stack of folders in a common area. Get
creative and assign a committee to come up with new challenges once a month.
Welcome Newcomers with Official Greetings

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 Assign a committee to welcome newcomers on their first days at the workplace. Get involved as
a manager or company owner by allowing time for a tour of the work facility and introductions
to new colleagues. Pay for lunch for an entire department or for a team when it starts a new
project with a new employee. Create a sense of camaraderie on the very first day so new
employees feel welcome and comfortable and can avoid the awkward first few weeks when they
don’t know anybody.
Encourage Friendships
 In one of its studies, Gallup discovered that people who make close friends at work are 50
percent happier with their jobs than those that do not, which contributes to a much higher
retention rate for the company. Allow friends to have input into their schedules so they can
coordinate work shifts together. Also, let friends share breaks and lunch periods and even choose
their desks and offices so they can be near each other.
Allow Employees to Participate in Decision-Making
 Empower employees to take ownership of their work and feel better about what they do each day
by allowing them to provide feedback when you are going to initiate changes or when you need
to make a business decision that affects their work. Hold brainstorming sessions where workers
can share ideas and get to know each other better outside of their normal duties. By fostering an
inclusive culture, you create an atmosphere in which employees feel like they truly are a part of a
team, working together toward common goals
5 facilitate accomplishment of organizational goals
The overall objectives, purpose and mission of a business that have been established by its
management and communicated to its employees. The organizational goals of a company
typically focus on its longrange intentions for operating and its overall business philosophy that
can provide useful guidance for employees seeking to please their managers
5.1 team members actively participated in team activities
Commitment means acceptance of the responsibilities and duties and cooperation means help
and assistance. By developing team commitment and cooperation in a work team you are
assisting the team to meet its goals and objectives. Work teams that are committed and
cooperative are more likely to achieve the goals the business has set.
As team leader you are responsible for the direct support and development of each member of
your designated team of supported employees. This is to be achieved by direct supervision of all
team members, communication with other team leaders and support staff as well as the
monitoring of supported employees' goal achievement as documented in their appraisal. You are
also responsible for addressing day-to-day performance and behavioural issues of members of
your team using agreed strategies. Should members of your work team be temporarily transferred
to duties with other work teams, you will remain responsible for their support through
continuous communication with other team leaders.
Team commitment and cooperation is developed through good communication and effective
decision making, as well as fostering mutual concern and camaraderie between team members.
There are a number of signals that indicate the work team is committed and cooperating. These
include:
 maintaining or increasing quality
 reaching or exceeding production targets
 decreasing complaints from team members
 limited conflict between team members
 fewer workplace injuries.

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Activity: Gaining team commitment
What are the signals that team members in your work team are committed and cooperative? Take
note of the Hint below when developing your response.
Who can you speak to about gaining team commitment and cooperation in your workplace? Take
note of the Hint below when developing your response.
Hint
An important part of gaining commitment and cooperation is getting information from people.
These people could be supported employees, or other supervisors and managers. Information
could also be sought from specialists available to your workplace such as occupational therapists,
physiotherapists or occupational health and safety trainers.
Good communication skills are essential for any team leader. An ability to communicate with
supported employees according to their preferences is a first step in developing team
commitment and cooperation. Without the skills and knowledge to talk and act in ways that
acknowledge the needs of supported employees in the work team, obtaining commitment and
cooperation in the work team is difficult.
Knowing how each member of your team prefers to gather information and how each member
prefers to get advice and to be given instructions will help you to communicate the team goals
appropriately to each team member.
Activity: Work Talk
Take some time now to read the Work Talk series. Your organisation will have copies of these
available. In particular read any parts of the series that are relevant to you and supported
employees in your team.
What additional information or skills do you need to help you communicate effectively with
supported employees?
Who can provide the information?
How can you gain the skills?
What can influence a team member's communication requirements?
A number of things can affect how a team member communicates with you and with other team
members. A specific style of communication, as a consequence of the supported employee's
disability, may be a constant factor. There may be other situations which may arise, however,
which have unexpected results. These could include such things as a change in the medication or
the side effects of a medication, the team member may be ill, or there may have been changes in
the work routines.
Are team leaders always the best people to identify communication preferences and
requirements?
Team leaders are the people who spend the most time working with and observing team
members in the workplace, therefore they are usually the best person to identify communication
preferences and requirements. There will be situations where you are unable to determine a
supported employee's needs and will need to seek advice from other people.
How can team leaders help teams make effective decisions?
Team commitment and cooperation is also based on the team's capacity to make effective
decisions. Many teams need assistance to learn how to make effective decisions and it is part of a
team leader's role to provide this assistance.
Team leaders can help teams make effective decisions by encouraging a work environment that
supports the team and its members to make considered choices, act on them and review the
results of the action.

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Activity:
Provide examples of where you were part of a team that:
Operated with an appropriate and fair value system  
Encouraged the team and team members to act confidently  
Identified meaningful levels of responsibility for team members  
Trusted team members to act responsibly and autonomously  
Presented opportunities for team members to test and stretch their abilities  
Recognised and rewarded excellent performance  
Provided support and encouragement  
Provide examples of how can you contribute to ensuring that your current team:
Operates with an appropriate and fair value system  
Is encouraged to act confidently  
Has meaningful levels of responsibility identified for team members  
Knows that you trust team members to act responsibly and autonomously  
Is presented with opportunities for team members to test and stretch their abilities  
Is recognised and rewarded for excellent performance  
Is provided with support and encouragement  
When should supported employees be involved in decisions relating to the team?
There are degrees of team involvement in decision making. Your knowledge of the skills and
abilities of the team members will guide your decision about the extent supported employees can
contribute to making a decision. There are no rules for when and how team members should be
involved. It is a matter for your judgement. The following diagram shows the degrees of
involvement team members may have. At the highest level of involvement the team identifies
and solves problems, and brings recommendations to the supervisor. At the lowest level of
involvement the team plays no role in the decision making at all. Between these two extremes
the supervisor and team may make the decision together, or the supervisor may outline the
problem and constraints for solving it (time, money,etc) and hand it over to the team to solve.

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Involving team members in decision making, which can include problem solving, should be
based on whether one or more of the following is met:
 The need for acceptance. The greater the need for the team to accept your decisions, the
more you should involve them.
 The effect the decision will have on the team. The more the problem or decision affects
the team, the more you should involve them.
 Their involvement in implementing the decision. If the team will be implementing or
carrying out the decision, involve them.
 The ability and desire of the group to become involved. If the team wants to be involved,
consider involving them, particularly if they have sufficient knowledge or expertise in the
issue involved. Even if they do not, it could be useful for training and development
purposes.

Case Study: Morning tea chaos

Henry, a team leader, was annoyed. He had tried to involve the team in a decision about when to
take a morning tea break and the discussion had ended in two of the supported employees yelling
at each other. He spoke to Lisa, another team leader about the experience.

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'It was awful, I thought I was doing the right thing and asking everyone. We need to get
everyone's input into how we do our work otherwise it's always the team leaders making all the
decisions.'
Lisa's reply gave Henry some ideas about how he would approach similar situations in the future.
She said, 'Henry, you're right that supported employees should be involved with decisions about
their work life. We need to hear and act on what our team wants, it makes us a better team but
sometimes it's the team leader's job to make a decision. This morning you asked people to
change their routine quite significantly but did you really want them to make a team decision? It
sounds as though you had already done that. Jocelyn always takes her medication at 10.30am and
Valerina calls her mother, the change you were suggesting wouldn't have meant much difference
in the team's output for the morning but it meant a lot for some of the members. We need to
choose the times we ask supported employees to be involved in decisions and we have to be
prepared for their responses'.
Do you think Lisa's advice should be useful to Henry? Why?
5.3 sustain collaborative efforts to attain organizational goals
Collaboration is working with others to do a task and to achieve shared goals. It is a
recursive[ process where two or more people or organizations work together to realize shared
goals, (this is more than the intersection of common goals seen in co-operative ventures, but a
deep, collective determination to reach an identical objective— for example, an endeavourthat is
creative in nature[ by sharing knowledge, learning and building consensus. Most collaboration
requires leadership, although the form of leadership can be social within a decentralized and
egalitariangroup. In particular, teams that work collaboratively can obtain greater resources,
recognition and reward when facing competition for finite resources.
Collaboration is also present inopposing goals exhibiting the notion of adversarial collaboration,
though this is not a common case for using the word.
Structured methods of collaboration encourage introspection of behavior and communication.
These methods specifically aim to increase the success of teams as they engage in collaborative
problem solving. Forms, rubrics, charts and graphs are useful in these situations to objectively
document personal traits with the goal of improving performance in current and future projects.

Collaboration and Resource Sharing

When looking at policy or program implementation, it is important to understand that often the
success of a policy or program is dependent upon interagency or intergovernmental collaboration
and cooperation. Key to collaboration and cooperation is the ability of agencies to share
resources. The essence of collaboration is resource sharing since organizational priorities and
institutional pride are based in resource allocation and utilization. Resource sharing represents
commitment to something larger than the single focused organizational goals and objectives and
a shift to enter into relationships with other agencies to achieve shared goals, visions and
responded to mutual interest and obligations.
Resource sharing requires development and enhancement of relationships and commitment to
achieve something through that relationship, which may not otherwise be achievable by an
individual agency or organization.
 Collaboration: literally means working together. Coordination: arrangement in proper
order or proper relation.
 Communication: a giving of information.
 Consultation: the act of seeking information or advice.

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  Cooperation: the act of working together in united effort or labor.
 Clarity: clearness.
 Creativity: the quality of being creative (inventive, productive, constructive).
 Courage: bravery, meeting danger without fear.
Why collaborate?
Perhaps the most important concepts around the issue of collaboration and resource sharing are
found in understanding why collaboration should occur in the first place. To start with, no
program can provide all things to those who are in need of services. No budget can provide the
resources to assist all of those in need. Therefore, it is important to note that:
 Collaboration enhances services, especially for underserved populations such as Indian
children, youth and families.
 Collaboration increases the quantity of resources available to serve clients
 Collaboration increases better use of available resources.
 Collaboration increases the quality of available services.
 Collaboration enables agencies to address their common interests and common goals in
providing services to Indian constituents.
 Collaboration increases opportunities for cultural exchange, thereby increasing cultural
awareness, sensitivity and competence.
 Collaboration helps to view everyone as a resource.
When should resource sharing occur?
Resource sharing should occur whenever it is needed or desired. There are times when resource
sharing or collaboration needs a formal process to accomplish the collaboration. This occurs
when the collaboration is defined by statute (using mandatory or non-mandatory language),
agency policy or procedure, or by intergovernmental agreement. Some examples of
intergovernmental agreements are for information sharing, cross-deputization, multi-disciplinary
team investigations, and special response teams or to transfer cases, share in the development of
predisposition reports, or treatment planning.
Interagency collaboration is not always a formal process. Informal processes may establish
patterns of collaborative behavior, such as protocols, which allow for invitation or active
participation by members outside the agency. The culture of an agency or organization may
traditionally encourage positive interagency relationships. There are also informal agreements
that allow for participation via committees, boards and task forces that informally allow for joint
problem solving. Round table discussions, training events, convocations, and conferences are
some examples for information exchange and cross-training to occur.

Summary
 Many organisations comply with international or industry quality standards, such as ISO9001.
These standards focus on continual improvement and involve reviewing and monitoring work
processes in order to improve the efficiency and effectiveness of the organisation.
 Ethical principles are focused on values such as trust, good behaviour, fairness and kindness.
Organisations usually set their own ethical standards.
 There are various ways to find an appropriate training provider to conduct the training. You can
try searching on the internet using a search engine. There are numerous training providers. When
choosing a training provider, look for accredited training providers.

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 In providing learning opportunities in the workplace you may be required to use appropriate aids
and support materials.
 As part of developing a learning plan, you need to collect feedback on the individual or team’s
performance.
 Many organisations monitor staff to ensure they are following procedures and meeting standards.
Monitoring staff can be used to:
 The learning plan should include all the information that the team or individual need to
understand the proposed learning opportunity. This should include: The goals and objectives of
the learning. , The competencies or performance criteria to be covered.
The learning strategy, Timeframes for completing the learning and achieving the competency
and Location of training.
 Reviewing competency standards can help you to determine the skill level required. A
competency standard is a document that specifies how people should complete their job.
 Many organisations monitor staff to ensure they are following procedures and meeting standards.
Monitoring staff can be used to:
 To effectively implement your training you will need resources. Resources are anything you
need to achieve your goals. This can include everyday items or specific resources required for
particular tasks.

& Check list

You have now completed the competency of Develop Individual and Teamand you need to
check whether you have understood the basic content in this course. If you have a ‘no” answer
for any of the following, you have to go back and read the appropriate section again until you
grasp the important point
Yes No
 Identify Learning and development needs systematically and
implemented in line with organizationalrequirements
 Develop and implement Learning plan to meet individual and group
training and developmental needs is collaboratively developed and
implemented
 Encourage Individuals to self-evaluate performance and identify areas for
improvement
 Collect Feedback on performance of team members from relevant sources
and compared with established team learning process
 Identify learning and development program goals and objectives to match
the specific knowledge and skills requirements of competency standards
 Learning delivery methods are appropriate to the learning goals, the
learning style of participants and availability of equipment and resources
 Provide workplace learning opportunities and coaching/ mentoring
assistance are facilitate individual and team achievement of competencies
 Identify resources and timelines required for learning activities and
approved in accordance with organizational requirements
 Use feedback from individuals or teams to identify and implement
improvements in future learning arrangements

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  Assess outcomes and performance of individuals/teams and recorded to
determine the effectiveness of development programs and the extent of
additional support
 Negotiate modifications to learning plans to improve the efficiency and
effectiveness of learning
 Records and reports of competency are maintained within organizational
requirement
 Open communication processes to obtain and share information is used by
team
 Reach decisions by the team in accordance with its agreed roles and
responsibilities
 Develop mutual concern and camaraderie in the team
 Actively participate team members in team activities and communication
processes
 Develop team’s members’ individual and joint responsibility for their
actions
 Sustain collaborative efforts to attain organizational goals

Assignment
Choose the best answer from the given alternatives
1. Learning and development needs
A. Coaching, mentoring and/or supervision
B. Formal/informal learning program
C. Internal/external training provision
D. Work experience/exchange/opportunities
E. Personal study
F. Career planning/development
G. Performance appraisals
H. All of the above

2. Identify methods of Feedback on performance

A. Formal/informal performance appraisals
B. Obtaining feedback from supervisors and colleagues
C. Obtaining feedback from clients
D. Personal and reflective behavior strategies
E. Routine and organizational methods for monitoring service delivery
F. All of the above
3. One of the following is Learning delivery methods
A. On the job coaching or mentoring
B. Problem solving
C. Presentation/demonstration
D. Formal course participation
E. Work experience
F. Involvement in professional networks
G. Conference and seminar attendance
H. All of the above

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4. The training needs will differ for individuals at different levels and may include:
A. Career planning/development.
B. Coaching, mentoring and/or supervision.
C. Formal/informal learning programs.
D. Internal/external training provision.
E. Personal study.
F. Performance appraisals.
G. Recognition of current competence/skills recognition.
H. All of the above
5. laws provide a range of grounds for a person to lodge a complaint if they feel they have
been discriminated against on the basis of:
A. Race.
B. Age.
C. sex.
D. Disability.
E. All of the above
6. Your organisation’s business plan should detail the organisations:
A. Goals.
B. Objectives.
C. Strategies.
D. Resource plan.
E. Key performance indicators.
F. Budgets.
G. All of the above
7. Monitoring staff can be used to:
A. Check that staff are following your organisation’s policies and procedures.
B. Check the quality of customer service.
C. Find out if staff need more training.
D. Review staff skills and knowledge.
E. Check that staff are safe.
F. Check that legal and regulatory requirements are being met.
G. All of the above
8. You can monitor staff by:
A. Reading staff emails.
B. Checking logs of websites visited by staff.
C. Observing them while they are working.
D. Recording telephone calls.
E. Listening to voice messages.
F. Checking logs of telephone numbers called.
G. Looking at the work area, desks or equipment.
H. All of the above
9. Non-verbal communication barriers relate to:
A. Touching.
B. Facial expressions.
C. Gestures.
D. Personal space.

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E. Posture.
F. All of the above
10. The learning plan should include all the information that the team or individual need to
understand the proposed learning opportunity. This should include:
A. The goals and objectives of the learning.
B. The competencies or performance criteria to be covered.
C. The learning strategy.
D. Timeframes for completing the learning and achieving the competency.
E. Location of training.
F. Details of who will be providing the training.
G. Details of who will be participating.
H. All of the above
11. After the learning plan has been developed, it will need to be proofread and reviewed to
ensure it meets your requirements. To do this you will need to use your literacy skills to:
A. Read through the document first to check it meets your requirements.
B. Check through the document more thoroughly for errors or inaccuracies.
C. Read it aloud to gauge how it flows.
D. Read backwards through the document looking at the headings.
E. Double-check the names that were used.
F. Double-check any numbers in the document.
G. All of the above
12. Check that staffs are following your organisation’s policies and procedures.
A. Check the quality of customer service.
B. Find out if staffs need more training.
C. Review staff skills and knowledge.
D. Check that staffs are safe.
E. Check that legal and regulatory requirements are being met.
F. All of the above

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