1.      pro-active management,

2.      re‑active management, and

3.      crisis management.

People with management responsibilities will each have their personal style of doing things.  In the same way, groups with management responsibilities will have a collective style.

It is important that managers and management groups know and understand their own management style – and that of the management group.   Best way to do this is for a manager to ask the people under her/his management!

Typical behaviours of a proactive management style:

This is the style of management where the possibility of problems or opportunities is examined, where the manager thinks ahead, initiates action and therefore takes the lead in preventing problems, creating possibilities and projecting the interests and needs of his/her staff and his/her areas of accountability and responsibility.

1. Open to new ideas
2. Trust among managers
3. Open flow of information
4. Support for people who show initiative
5. Humanistic attitude toward staff and customers/service-users
6. Clear and specific focus on staff and customer/service-user needs
7. Higher level of staff satisfaction
8. Participative and consultative decision making style
9. Entrepreneurial in acquiring resources
10. Careful coordination of new initiatives with existing commitments
11. Confident about keeping other managers – and their own staff – aware of priorities and plans

Typical behaviours of a re-active management style:

This is the style of management where decisions are made absolutely and only in response or reaction to a problem or opportunity – where no action is taken to prevent problems or create opportunities, and very rarely is anything planned or initiated by the manager.

1. Suspicious of new ideas
2. Competition among managers
3. Restricted flow of information
4. Suspicion of people who show initiative
5. Swings between humanistic and custodial attitudes towards staff and customers/service-users
6. General focus on staff and customer/service-user needs
7. Lower level of staff job satisfaction
8. Less participative and consultative decision-making style
9. Internal initiatives are direct reaction to available resources
10. Sees each initiative as separate – could be poor at coordination
11. Selectively informs other managers – and their own staff – of selected aspects of priorities and plans

Typical behaviours of a crisis management style:

This is the style of management where nothing new or different is considered unless and until a situation of crisis proportions is reached, where the status quo reigns and problems or opportunities are ignored or bypassed until a crisis is reached, emotions are exposed and war is declared!

1. Closed to new ideas
2. Distrust among managers
3. Only a privileged few have access to information
4. Intolerance of people who show initiative
5. Custodial attitude toward staff and customers/service-users
6. Focus on staff and customer/service-user needs only when convenient or forced
7. Lowest level of staff job satisfaction
8. Closed decision-making style
9. Status quo is the norm – unless there is no option
10. Each initiative is kept separate – does not encourage coordination, as this could present a challenge to authority
11. Only informs other managers – and their own staff – of selected aspects of priorities and plans when formally requested or forced to do so

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Role clarity is a requirement and right for any person employed, contracted, sub-contracted or invited by the Management Group to perform tasks and undertake responsibilities as determined and endorsed by them.   Where job satisfaction is increased or enhanced, the quality of contribution and level of confidence are also increased or enhanced: where it is reduced, consistency in operational performance can also be reduced. 

Role clarity

Each person in your organisation should know what is expected as a result of their effort, skills and abilities, competencies and endeavour on behalf of the organisation.

Role clarity is a requirement and right for any person employed, contracted, sub-contracted or invited by the organisation (either paid or unpaid) to perform tasks and undertake responsibilities as determined and endorsed by the appropriate level within the organisation.

Key factors include:

1. position descriptions that adequately and clearly detail the nature and extent of authority, areas of accountability and specific responsibilities allocated to each position,

2. policies and procedures that cover the advertising, selection, appointment and orientation of paid and unpaid workers,

3. adequate and appropriate supervision and support for all personnel,

4. opportunities for professional development in order to acquire and maintain skills and qualities at levels necessary to achieve and maintain the organisation’s standards and requirements,

5. easy access on request to industrial and professional information, and to the responsibilities of the employer,

6. clear policies and procedures for the recruitment, placement, supervision and support of volunteers,

7. an adequate personnel records and salary system ensuring that all legislative and employer requirements are being met, and

8. a work environment conducive to the required level of performance and standard of quality.

Job satisfaction

The concept of job satisfaction is defined as the balance between meeting the ‘needs of the individual’ and the ‘demands of role in the organisation’

•  the needs of the individual includes being genuinely valued and respected, being able to make a valued contribution and receiving an appropriate reimbursement for effort, ability and skill in a safe and secure work environment.  Individual needs apply to both paid and unpaid positions.
•  the demands of the role in the organisation are expressed in the role description, in workplace policies and procedures, work practices, performance measures and organisational objectives

It is possible to enhance and increase each person’s job satisfaction in relation to:

• tasks, including procedures,
• working relationships, including teamwork, and
• actual work environment, including the physical work location and work station.

The key question to ask is whether an individual’s level of job satisfaction is gained or can be increased by accomplishing the task, working with other people or making sure that the environment is suitable and acceptable. 

It is important to realise that another person’s behaviour that seems without any value to you may well be a behaviour that is highly valued by that person: therefore you are wise to understand that another person’s behaviour is simply demonstrating their own values and offering you a point of entry into their thinking or for negotiation. 

Initially concentrating on organisational policies and procedures in my consultancies, I quickly realised that these can produce very few positive results unless human factors are taken into account.  If an organisation is able to understand and anticipate human behaviours, they are much closer to increasing:

• individual job satisfaction at governance, management and operations levels of activity,
• organisational efficiency and productivity – which means that available or accessible resources are wisely invested in service/product/component design, delivery and conformance, and
• confidence in capitalising on opportunities as they arise or are created. 

Where the level of job satisfaction is increased or enhanced, the quality of contribution and level of confidence are also increased or enhanced.  Where job satisfaction is reduced, morale and personal and professional credibility are also reduced.   Note that job satisfaction can only be measured by the individual concerned.

Where one component becomes increasingly demanding and upsets the balance, the worker (paid or unpaid) may reduce their organisational performance or their individual needs to a token level and gain their ‘satisfaction’ from the component that is not as demanding. 

Two examples:

• where the worker’s personal life becomes extremely demanding, their organisational performance may suffer and the worker needs care and nurturing to get them through a difficult time
• where the demands of the worker’s role are difficult to understand, accept or fulfil, the worker may turn to their private or non-work life for ‘satisfaction’ and just offer a minimum performance in the work-role. 

In either case, it is possible that the worker may experience increasing burn-out, which can lead to a high level of personal and organisational risk.

Related reading includes my book, The Left and Right Brain Business - available on this website at $16.50 GST and P&P included.

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• A Management Group Activity to assess the effectiveness of internal policy and procedure manuals (0)
• A Management Group Activity to assess the effectiveness of a statement of philosophy (0)

The purpose of this Group Activity is to determine whether a statement of philosophy exists, and if so, the effect and impact of the statement upon individual and organisational conduct, behaviour and performance.    Most importantly, the statement of philosophy should be examined as to:

• the desired individual and organisational effect and impact of the statement,
• likelihood of misunderstanding or misinterpretation,
• assessment of the current effect and impact, and
• scheduling of appropriate improvements.

1.            Pose this question to the Management Group: is the Group aware of the existence, effect and impact of a statement of philosophy?

 Discussion should follow along these lines:

• is there an existing statement of philosophy, and how is it displayed, communicated, applied and monitored throughout the organisation,
• is it likely that any individual within the organisation could misunderstand or misinterpret either the statement itself, or the value placed on the statement in the manner in which the organisation operates,
• what procedure has been followed for the development, acceptance, endorsement and implementation of the statement – and is it appropriate today,
• is the statement reflected in practical terms by the Group in decision-making and planning, and
• is the statement accessible, and used as valuable and important information in the  orientation of new staff.

 2.            From this discussion, the current importance and acceptance of the statement will become apparent. The opinions of the Group members should be noted as discussion continues.

 3.            Attention needs to be given now to the record of opinions.  Is there agreement that particular actions, including consultation, need to be taken to:

• establish a statement of philosophy in the event that none exists,
• review the existing statement to ensure it is suitable, acceptable and appropriately used and respected, and/or
• review and formalise the procedure for the development, acceptance, endorsement and implementation of the statement.

4.            Allocate responsibilities – and resources – for agreed actions, and agree on completion dates.

5.            Turn attention now to the practical use and application of the statement of philosophy, including:

a)      role clarity – is each individual and team confident of the expectations and requirements of the demands of their role in the organisation,

b)      role behaviour – is it possible for an individual or team to impose their own philosophy through misinterpretation or absence of an endorsed statement, and do we understand the level of risk if this occurs?

c)      individual job satisfaction – does the endorsed statement contribute in a practical manner to the level of individual job satisfaction among operational staff, and

d)      does the statement present an acceptable,  practical and positive basis for assessment of individual and organisational behaviour and performance.

Suggestions that may be useful for the Management Group in this activity:

 1.     Use and application of a social or theoretical model as a basis for the statement of philosophy.  such a model should consist of three levels:

• the purpose of the model,
• the components which together comprise the model, and
• the elements which comprise individual components – which is the level of practical application.

2.     Where a social or theoretical model is to be followed, be sure to use language and style that are:

• appropriate and relevant to the currently endorsed strategic priorities, financial limitations, and the agreed  stage within the organisation’s life-cycle (eg establishment, innovation, maintenance, evaluation/review),
• easy to understand, taking account of differences and diversity among operational staff,
• avoid misunderstanding or misinterpretation – whether accidental or intentional,
• can be applied and followed easily, with safety, and with positive effect and impact on operational activities, functions and responsibilities.

3.      Be assured that, where an organisational statement of philosophy does not exist or is not known or respected, individual philosophies will surface to fill the void: this can lead to confusion and distrust – with distortion of the Management Group’s expectations and requirements for individual and operational performance,  

 4.     The following extract from my book, The Left and Right Brain Business, is just one benefit from a statement of philosophy that is respected by the Management Group and operational staff:

• I have found that identifying and respecting the reasons for particular actions and re-actions contributes to resolving many of the problems inherent in employing staff, building teams, allocating responsibilities and achieving desired results.  It is most important to understand and predict human behaviour in a specific environment when creating effective business and workplace relationships – which means understanding:
  • how and why people think, feel and act differently,
  • how to recognise and manage ‘people’ problems,
  • how to create opportunities for yourself and others,
  • how to build organisational success through Business Brainpower, and
  • how to improve your business, workplace and personal relationship.

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• A Management Group Activity to assess the effectiveness of internal policy and procedure manuals (0)
• A Management Group Activity to address role clarity and job satisfaction (0)

The purpose of this group activity is to determine whether policy and procedure manuals exist, and if so, the care with which they are developed and applied.   Commercial and nonprofit organisations will benefit from developing statements of principles and objectives to guide all decision making in relation to functions which are repeated, and to ensure consistency in approach and value.  Most importantly, policies and procedures should always reflect the current philosophy and bottom-line. 

Policies and procedures may be kept in the same manual or in separate manuals.

 1.            Pose this question to the Management Group: is the Group aware of the value and importance of policies?

 Discussion should follow along these lines:

• what is the internal procedure for developing a new policy
• what is the internal procedure for changing an existing policy
• does a policy manual exist, containing copies of all policy decisions made  over (at least) the previous three years
• is the policy manual up-dated as new policies are made, or out-dated policies amended
• is the policy manual used as a major reference by the Group in decision-making and planning
• is the policy manual accessible, and used as valuable and important information in the  orientation of new staff

 2.            From this discussion, the current importance of internal policies will become apparent.   The opinions of the Group members should be noted as discussion continues.

 3.            Attention needs to be given now to the record of opinions.  Is there agreement that particular actions need to be taken to:

• establish a policy manual in the event that none exists,
• review the existing policy manual to ensure it contains all current policies, and/or
• review and formalise the procedure to develop, implement or evaluate policies?

4.            Allocate responsibilities – and resources – for agreed actions, and agree on completion dates.

5.            Turn attention now to procedures, eg to satisfactorily complete a task or carry out a responsibility to the required standard.  

Procedures should:

• apply equally to functions which are repeated (ie where policies are appropriate) and to those which are ‘one-off’, and
• provide instruction and guidance, thus ensuring a basis for measuring quality in performance

 6.          Pose this question to the Management Group:  is there a clear understanding of the link between policies and procedures?

• a policy is written for a function carried out frequently within the organisation, and each policy requires a written procedure to ensure it is implemented according to internal requirements
• a procedure is written for functions covered by a policy, as well as for one-off functions or activities for which a policy is not required

 Discussion should follow along these lines:

a)    is there a clear understanding of the responsibilities associated with any procedure, such as:

• what needs to be done, in sequence from start to finish
• why it needs to be done
• how it needs to be done, and to what standards
• how often it needs to be done
• who is accountable, and to whom, for the satisfactory completion of the procedure
• who is responsible for each stage of the procedure
• who else is involved in each stage
• what is the time-frame for the total procedure
• where do the various stages take place
• what resources or facilities are required to satisfactorily complete the total procedure
• how will progress be monitored
• how will the total procedure be evaluated

b)    is this sequence already in place, and who is responsible for writing procedures and monitoring their implementation:  if there is no sequence currently in place, what is the best way of introducing such a sequence

c)    does a procedures manual exist, containing copies of all formal internal procedures to be followed

d)    is the procedures manual up-dated as new procedures are developed or out-dated procedures amended

e)    is the procedures manual used as a reference manual to monitor quality and standards within the organisation

f)    is the procedures manual accessible, and used as valuable and important information in the orientation of new staff

7.            From this discussion, the current importance of internal procedures will become apparent. The opinions of Group members should be noted as discussion continues.

8.            At the conclusion of discussion firstly on policies, and secondly on procedures, agreement is needed to:

• establish relevant manual/s if neither exist,
• review existing manual/s to ensure all current policies and procedures are included, and/or
• review and formalise a consistent procedure for developing, introducing and evaluating policies and procedures.

Related posts

• A Management Group Activity to address role clarity and job satisfaction (0)
• A Management Group Activity to assess the effectiveness of a statement of philosophy (0)

This article features my responses to three of the issues raised and discussed in working with small and medium business owner/managers – who need to use their knowledge, skills, observations and experience in guiding the development of their business.    These issues all apply to the day-to-day application of the difference – and relationship – between ‘Management’, ‘Leadership’, ‘Innovation’ and ‘Entrepreneurship’.

 1.    Statements/quotes presented or quoted to owner/managers as sound business wisdom    

These are statements/quotes that appear in business articles, advertisements, 30-second grabs, busy business books, power-point presentations or rapid-fire conversations.  Similarly, they appear in lengthy newspaper and journal articles written in general terms, for a broad audience.   Whether intended or not, these tend to display the speaker’s or author’s knowledge, experience or background rather than offer something of practical value for the owner/manager as listener or reader. 

Such statements/quotes lack what I call a ‘therefore’ suggestion.  

For information or knowledge to be useful, it needs to be followed immediately by ‘therefore, here’s something you can try or do to test or apply this information or knowledge, and aim for an immediate practical benefit’. 

If there is no ‘therefore’ suggestion, owner/managers can experience confusion.  Are they supposed to already know what it means, or what to try or do, or what not to do?  If they don’t know, does this mean they aren’t as responsible or successful as they had thought?  No!  It simply means that they don’t – and probably can’t – find the statement/quote useful.  Hence there’s no or little impact from the speaker or author, and more importantly, no or little benefit for the owner/manager.

My response to you as an owner/manager in this first issue is always to look for the ‘therefore’ statement.  If it’s not there, disregard the statement or quote if you are looking for an immediate practical benefit.  Certainly don’t sense a deficiency on your part! 

2.    Categorizing people according to their ‘generation’

The assumption in this issue is that a person’s birth date will be sufficient for an owner/manager as employer to safely predict the person’s values, work style, aspirations, etc.

There are speakers and writers who consistently and repeatedly apply this assumption to a variety of situations, problems or themes as though it is a universal truth – often with humour, but always as truth.  Owner/managers as employers can do themselves and their staff a disservice if they accept this assumption and apply it as a truth.

My 2008 book One Man Show – the smallest of small business features The Generational Factor (on page 38) addresses this issue.  Joseph Mayo, an early writer about personal values, claimed that our values are established by the age of seven years.  He went on to suggest that to begin to understand any person, think about where they might have been living up to the age of seven – and then think about what was going on around them locally, socially, economically, culturally, nationally and globally during those seven years.  You will then have a fair idea of their personal values that influence attitudes and behaviours.

Mayo Clinic Health Information, accessible on their website, offers an article Workplace generation gap: understanding differences among colleagues (Mayo Clinic Staff, July 6^th 2005).  This article states that ‘people of today’s workplace generations possess characteristics that derive, in large part, from the political social and economic climate of their youth’.  

The article explains anticipated behaviours of each of four generations – ranging from pre World War 2 through to 2005, and offer suggestions on how to work with our own and other generations, together with this caution:  ‘Be wary of stereotyping: not all traits apply to all members of a generation’

Advice from the Mayo Clinic Staff is to:  ‘Be aware of the differences, appreciate the strengths, and manage the differences effectively.’

Additionally, my 1997 book The Left and Right Brain Business examines the many ways in which people in a workplace act or react in a variety of roles, structures, workplace relationships and circumstances.  A workplace relationship exists when two or more people choose – or are required – to work collaboratively for a specific purpose.  They may work as individuals or teams.  The starting point is to identify a workplace relationship, and the basic components by which the owner/manager as employer can:

• establish and maintain positive workplace relationships, or
• recognise and improve not-so-positive workplace relationships.

My response to you as owner/manager in this second issue is to look for the uniqueness in every individual – because it is there.  You can take generations, workplace relationships, levels of skill and knowledge, range of experience, etc., into account when seeking and acknowledging each person’s uniqueness.  Then, when you have identified it, capitalise on and challenge the uniqueness.  You will find what I call ‘star quality’: additionally, acknowledge and protect your own uniqueness.

3.    Being told to ‘work on your business, not in it’. 

The assumption in this issue is that reference to ‘your business’ includes and covers everything you do as an owner/manager.  But not so!  There is one part of your business that you need to ‘work on’ and another part of your business that you need to ‘work in’.  There is the ‘art’ – and there is the ‘science’ – of your business.

‘Art’ is the doing of a thing.  It is necessary to conceptualise the process of deciding what you are doing – or intend to do – and how.   This requires a separation of (a) the way you operate as a business, from (b) the product or service you offer through your business.  You will need to separate and conceptualise both.    It is most likely that your way of doing business, ie your business operation, will be determined by your personality, circumstances, knowledge, confidence, strengths, abilities or comfort zone.   It is most likely that the product or service you offer through your business will be something that you enjoy, that you either know exceedingly well or are inspired to know exceedingly well, and/or that satisfies your creative urge. 

Science is the understanding of a thing.  It is necessary to understand and appreciate the practical implications of (a) the way you operate as a business, as well as (b) your product or service.  If you understand your business, you will be able to plan improvements or expansion, acquire additional resources, maintain or expand your core business, introduce appropriate technology and systems, etc.  Most importantly, you will be able to determine how you will monitor and measure progress.

My response to you as owner/manager in this third issue is to emphasise the difference and relationship between the art and science of your business.  As owner/manager, you are at the heart of your business – and this means acknowledging and accepting:

a)    your critical role in the life of your business, and

b)    your expertness in the way you operate as a business as well as the product or service you offer through your business.

Sure, you may wish to seek advice, read newspapers and journals, and use a variety of tools to understand the people who are involved with or affected by your business.  But be sure that you know – and understand – your business thoroughly.  Look for the ‘therefore‘ statements, find the uniqueness in others and yourself, and revel in the art (ie the doing) and the science (ie the understanding) of your business.

Yes, you are owner/manager – but more importantly, know and accept yourself as a manager, as a leader, as an innovator, and as an entrepreneur.

This June series has the theme of the difference and relationship between management and leadership in the journey to innovation and entrepreneurship.  The next article in this weekly series will address the critical issues of Risk and Quality along this journey.

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Download JRUpdate April/May 2010 (PDF)

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 Three desired outcomes from on-the-job coaching are offered for your consideration:

1. people at staff, supervisor, manager or board levels experience a genuine learning environment at their respective level of activity – whether as coach or learner,
2. supervisors, managers or board chairpersons accept the opportunity for a valuable learning experience in planning and supporting in-house individual or group learning and development, and/or
3. shared learning and exploration builds trust, facilitates innovation, and demonstrates a genuine entrepreneurial spirit.

Three tools are offered below for one-to-one or group coaching related to a consistent quality of service.  Most importantly, these tools enable the in-house coach and learner/s to practice ‘flying below the radar’, defined here as flying without the assistance, benefit or protection of the radar system. 

 Wikipedia defines a radar system as:

An object detection system that uses electromagnetic waves to identify the range, altitude, direction, or speed of both moving and fixed objects such as aircraft, ships, motor vehicles, weather formations, and terrain.

It goes on to explain that:

Radar systems must overcome unwanted signals in order to focus only on the actual targets of interest. These unwanted signals may originate from internal and external sources, both passive and active.   Interference to radar signals can include:

• background noise, including random variations superimposed on the desired echo signal received in the radar receiver – or generated by external sources, most importantly the natural thermal radiation of the background scene surrounding the target of interest,
• clutter refers to radio frequency echoes returned from targets which are uninteresting to the radar operators,
• radio jamming refers to radio frequency signals originating from sources outside the radar transmitting in the radar’s frequency and thereby masking targets of interest. Jamming may be intentional or unintentional.

Workplaces can have a number of systems, including some designed to monitor and improve customer/client/consumer service quality.  Examples include:

1. performance management and monitoring,
2. customer/client/consumer service management,
3. customer/client/consumer satisfaction surveys.

These three systems are a means to a defined outcome – which for any system should be expressed in  organisational terms.  Staying with our focus of customer/client/consumer service quality, outcomes could include:

1. increasing staff retention,
2. staff actively participating in a learning environment,
3. continuous quality improvement,
4. cost-effective systems in terms of outputs and outcomes,
5. growth through referral and repeat business.

As with radar, any system may be effective as a system, but ineffective in terms of the defined outcome. 

As with radar, any system can be subject to interference.  The three tools offered below enable on-the-job-coaching to assess whether – and to what extent – interference is reducing the effectiveness or reliability of current systems. 

 As with radar, it may not be possible to eliminate interference – but it is possible to understand and therefore manage a range of interference factors that may, or have the potential to, reduce the effectiveness or reliability of one or more current systems.

These three tools for on-the-job coaching place a coach and learner/s below the safety and security of the in-house systems, ie working independently of the in-house systems.  The coach is selected on the basis of his/her ability and willingness to share their knowledge, experience and competency: the learner/s are selected on their ability and willingness to increase their knowledge, experience and competency.  Together, the coach and learner/s need to agree on – and define – the desired outcome of their time-specific on-the-job coaching project.

Tool No. 1:     Pin yourself to an order – the focus is the purchaser

This is the title of an article I read almost two decades ago in a training magazine and which has stayed with me ever since.  The coach and learner/s:

1. identify an order – any order – as soon as it is confirmed,
2. attach themselves securely to that order, and
3. accompany that order along its path with diligence – until it is satisfactorily fulfilled, signed off and archived.

This tool traces the experience of the purchaser, and enables the coach and learner/s to identify the effectiveness and reliability of systems and processes in place at every step along the path to satisfactory conclusion.  Has the selected order moved seamlessly through the total process, including in-house systems - if not, why not?  The coach and learner/s prepare a tracing of the selected order’s journey as a basis for negotiating improvements.

Tool No. 2:     Job tracking – the focus is internal responsibilities

This is the name I have used with corporate and nonprofit clients since the 1980s.  In recent years, it wears the title of quality accreditation or compliance with service standards.  The coach and learner/s:

1. place themselves at a point in the organisation where initial enquiries are received,
2. select a specific enquiry,
3. give this specific enquiry a permanent code so that it is continuously traceable,
4. follow ‘the job’ every step along its path through to satisfactory fulfilment, sign-off and archiving,

This tool traces internal responsibilities (not systems!) along its path – a person or team has to ‘own’ this job at every moment of its life.  If it sits somewhere until ‘next action’, then the person with whom it sits has responsibility for it until it is transferred to the person responsible for ‘next action’.   Has the coded enquiry converted to a job – if not, why not?  Has the coded enquiry been owned by a person or team throughout its journey, with each transfer of responsibility safely managed – if not, why not?  The coach and learner/s prepare a tracing of the journey as a basis for negotiating improvements.

 Tool No. 3:     Continuum of service-user experience – the focus is your organisation’s performance at each sequential stage of this experience.

This is a common tool that can be applied to the concept and practice of customer/client/consumer service quality – and indeed to business development.   The coach and learner/s check the sequential stages in a service-user’s experience, and monitor the process and progress of a ‘sample’ service-user’s experience.  Sequential stages could be:

1.    awareness – knowing that your service is available,

2.    access – knowing how and when to make contact with your organisation, and deciding to make contact,

3.    matching of their needs, interests or expectations with your available service,

4.    negotiating price, quality, delivery and timeliness – together with terms and conditions,

5.    experiencing the service,

6.    your organisation satisfactorily fulfilling – and the service-user satisfactorily receiving – the agreed terms and conditions of the service agreement,

7.    evaluation and review of process and progress,

8.    satisfactory completion of the service agreement, and

9.    signing off and archiving of the file.

 This tool breaks the service-user experience down to a number of discrete and sequential units of work, with each unit dependent upon satisfactory completion of the prior unit/s for its own effectiveness.   The coach and learner/s monitor the systems, processes and responsibilities applicable (a) at each unit of work for effectiveness and reliability, and (b) throughout the ‘sample’ serevice-user’s experience.  They may then contribute to an assessment of core business – is it the total service-user experience, or is it a selection of units of work within that total experience?    

 Do visit:

• Jean’s definition of a case study or scenario,
• Jean’s on-the-job case study (effective meetings), and
• Jean’s on-the-job mentoring (risk scenario), while you are thinking about introducing or reinforcing on-the-job coaching within your own organisation.

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Using a scenario in a mentoring relationship enables both parties to examine a familiar situation (whether need, problem, challenge or opportunity) from a different perspective.  Examples include changing:

• the ‘people’ factor,
• the purpose, end-result or expected outcome, and/or
• the context within which the situation is being discussed or examined.

Any situation can be broken down into three major components:

• people (those involved with or affected by the situation),
• task  (the end to be achieved), and
• environment (the context within which the people will be involved with or affected by the task.

Change any one of these three components, and you are on your way to creating a scenario.

Examining a known situation by changing one or more of these three major components allows and invites both a means of examining an existing situation, or a means of creating a new situation.

Applying this tool to a risk scenario can assist an on-the-job mentoring relationship to explore a wide range of possibilities for an existing – or potential – situation. 

The initial discussion can focus on risks by considering:

• the ‘worst possible’ situation – ‘what would we do if xxx were to happen – how would we recognize the possibility of it occurring and therefore avoid it, and how would we manage it should it occur’.  This risk scenario is more common than most, but it doesn’t usually lead to an innovative exploration of risk.
• the ‘best possible’ situation – ‘what is we were to receive an untagged gift or bequest of $5m – would we write off our debt, invest, build up our inventory, hire more staff, expand our facility, create a new service or product, give everyone a bonus, create a foundation to spread our good fortune to those less well off?’.  What happens with this risk scenario is that the organisation’s culture and/or values can become apparent for the first time, conflict can occur among the decision-makers as to what should be done with this windfall, external stakeholder or community expectations can become a key factor, or accusations can surface about the motives of key people.
• the ‘most unlikely’ situation – ‘imagine  xxx happening in or to our organisation!’.  For example, imagine a major earthquake, an explosion, computer melt-down, a take-over, cancellation of our five best customer orders.  A suggestion is to take a headline event from the day’s news media, and apply the headline event to your own organisation, community, personnel or customer base.

To obtain the best possible discussion from an on-the-job mentoring risk scenario, the parties involved should attempt to place themselves ‘outside the box’: this involves a substantial mental effort – because taking oneself outside the box is different, and easier, than thinking outside the box. 

If you are thinking outside the box, you are only adopting an outside the box perspective.

If you are taking yourself outside the box, you are removing yourself from the situation altogether – meaning that you are not comparing yourself with any aspect of the risk scenario, but moving from a participant to an observer.  

Do visit Jean’s definition of a case study or scenario while you are thinking about using a risk scenario for on-the-job mentoring.

Related posts

• Jean’s on-the-job coaching – Customer/Client/Consumer Service Quality (0)
• Jean’s definition of a Case Study or Scenario (0)

• identifying problems or difficulties
• examining options
• refining/improving work practices
• increasing cost-effectiveness
• increasing individual job satisfaction
• understanding business methods or systems
• appreciating differences of opinions
• improving workplace relationships

For small and medium commercial and nonprofit workplaces, creating a learning environment is both a challenge and an opportunity:

• challenge includes cost, inconvenience and interruption due to manager, supervisor or staff absences to attend and participate in external workshops or courses, and
• opportunity includes the introduction of structured on-the-job training, coaching and mentoring – staff-to-staff, manager/supervisor-to-manager/supervisor, and staff-to-manager/supervisor – as a key component in the training or learning and development program.

Case study for on-the-job training – Effective Meetings

Meetings are commonplace in workplaces – effective meetings can be few and far between.   The objective of this case study is:

• an improved understanding of an effective meeting, and
• a practical checklist to improve the effectiveness of team meetings.

There are three major components of a meeting:

• the people involved,
• the purpose of the meeting, and
• the context within which the meeting is held.

A Manager schedules a regular weekly meeting with her team of three to check on progress with team performance. She always prepares and circulates the agenda the previous day. The meeting is held in the Manager’s office, always limited to ¾ hour, with each person expected to take their own notes during the meeting.

Only two team members attend today, and the Manager is called away for five minutes about ¼ hour into the meeting.

Five minutes before concluding the meeting, the meeting reaches agreement on three changes to current work practices to be introduced within the week. The Manager finishes the meeting with words of encouragement, advising that progress with each of these changes will be on the agenda for next week’s meeting.

Discussion:

After the two team members leave her office, the Manager reviews the meeting.  She knows full well that the three planned changes to work practices are essential to improve her team’s performance, and prepares a list of things she needs to do immediately to follow up on this meeting.

What should she have on her list – and why?

What could she have done differently with today’s meeting – and why?

Related posts

• Jean’s definition of a Case Study or Scenario (0)

Major signs of business failure:

• financial ratios
• lack of cashflow forecasting
• lack of financial information
• creative accounting
• trading irregularities
• non-financial signs:
  • low morale
  • decline in quality
  • customer complaints
  • deferred capital expenditure
  • rising inventories
  • out-dated products
  • declining market-share

This brings home the truth that technology is a means to an end, not an end in itself.   However sophisticated your technology, these remain major signs of impending or imminent business failure.

Copy these, and keep them where you can refer to them at least weekly.

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