management - Blogs - DPG Community2024-03-29T14:36:25Zhttps://community.dpgplc.co.uk/blog/feed/tag/managementDealing with anxiety in the workplacehttps://community.dpgplc.co.uk/blog/dealing-with-anxiety-in-the-workplace2018-08-09T15:30:45.000Z2018-08-09T15:30:45.000ZSam Houltonhttps://community.dpgplc.co.uk/members/SamHoulton<div><img src="https://storage.ning.com/topology/rest/1.0/file/get/71301649?profile=RESIZE_400x&width=400"></div><div><p> </p><p>Day-to-day life can be challenging.</p><p>When things get tough, people get ill. Both physically and mentally.</p><p>Unfortunately for one hairdresser in the UK, her struggle with mental illness lead to her employer sacking her.</p><p>The unnamed woman was diagnosed with anxiety in April 2017. When she told the salon owner she’d been advised to take some time off work, she was met with the reply that the salon “didn’t do” sick days.</p><p>After returning to work, she was labelled a liability by her boss, claiming her “head was all over the place”. Not long after she was told to pack up and leave.</p><p>After arguing the unlawful sacking in court, the apprentice hairdresser was awarded £6,312.</p><p>These days, more people than ever are being diagnosed with mental health issues such as anxiety and depression.</p><p><iframe src="//www.slideshare.net/slideshow/embed_code/key/4wENwFQygWSEam" width="668" height="714" frameborder="0"></iframe></p><div style="margin-bottom: 5px;"><strong><a title="10 ways to destress your employees infographic" href="//www.slideshare.net/jacobsongroup/10-ways-to-destress-your-employees-infographic" target="_blank" rel="noopener">10 ways to destress your employees infographic</a></strong> from <strong><a href="https://www.slideshare.net/jacobsongroup" target="_blank" rel="noopener">jacobsongroup</a></strong></div><p>According to ‘No Panic’, a charity that deals specifically with people who suffer from Panic Attacks and anxiety disorders, in 2013 alone there 8.2 million cases of anxiety. The charity mind state that 1 in 6 workers are dealing with mental health problems which could stop people from performing at their best.</p><p>In UK law, mental health is treated as a disability, which makes it a protected characteristic under the Equality Act 2010. Therefore, from a legal perspective, a productivity perspective and for the health of any company, it’s important that mental health is treated correctly. Here’s how:</p><ul><li><strong>Reduce stress levels in the office</strong> – Remove as best you can any stress indicators that may be lurking in your offices. This one is simple but can be very easily overlooked.</li><li><strong>Ensure employees take measures to manage stress levels</strong> – Communicate how important it is that your staff manage their stress levels and be flexible in helping them do so. If they have certain methods, allow them time off to do so.</li><li><strong>Give your employees some distractions</strong> – Work should be fun. Having activities such as classes or workshops in which staff can relieve tension and forget about the stresses of home and work-life, even for a short amount of time, can really benefit the health of your employees.</li></ul><p>For tips on how to destress yourself and others, check out <a href="https://www.huffingtonpost.co.uk/entry/stress-relief-that-works_n_3842511" rel="nofollow">these 20 tips from the Huffington Post</a>.</p><p>For the legal side of things, its really important you brush up your knowledge on dismissals and mental illness.</p><p>Personnel today have some really helpful advice on the legal aspect of things that you can find <a href="https://www.personneltoday.com/hr/the-law-and-mental-health-in-the-workplace/" rel="nofollow">here</a>.</p><p>Alternatively, it might be worth brushing up your knowledge with a CIPD qualification. DPG offer a range of programmes that could broaden your knowledge and adaptability when it comes to dealing with a range of issues like this. You can find there <a href="https://www.dpgplc.co.uk/courses-qualifications/" rel="nofollow">here</a>.</p></div>The #LoveCPD Spotlight Series May editionhttps://community.dpgplc.co.uk/blog/the-lovecpd-spotlight-series-may-edition2018-05-31T12:55:54.000Z2018-05-31T12:55:54.000ZLucy Boltonhttps://community.dpgplc.co.uk/members/LucyBolton<div><img src="https://storage.ning.com/topology/rest/1.0/file/get/125317119?profile=RESIZE_400x&width=400"></div><div><p>This months spotlight focuses on:</p>
<ol>
<li>Have you used reverse mentoring?</li>
<li>How would you rate your current recruitment strategy?</li>
<li>How does your manager inspire you?</li>
<li>What change management models have you used?</li>
</ol>
<p>To view this months spotlight online <a href="http://docs.dpgplc.co.uk/Spotlight/May_18/Flipbook/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">click here.</a></p>
<p>To download a copy of this months spotlight click here: <a href="http://docs.dpgplc.co.uk/Spotlight/May_18/May_spotlight.pdf" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Download</a></p>
<p> </p>
<p>To help us out with next months spotlight issue, click into each of the zones and enter your vote into each of the polls on the right hand side!</p>
<p>If you have any ideas on what next months topics could be, share them in the comments below!!</p>
</div>What’s stopping managers from learning?https://community.dpgplc.co.uk/blog/what-is-stopping-managers-from-learning2017-11-23T10:46:52.000Z2017-11-23T10:46:52.000ZAdy Howeshttps://community.dpgplc.co.uk/members/AdyHowes<div><img src="https://storage.ning.com/topology/rest/1.0/file/get/2217424?profile=RESIZE_400x&width=400"></div><div><p>‘Unlocking the potential of leaders and managers is critical to the success of every high performing organisation’. That’s according to Towards Maturity who recently published a new ‘In Focus’ report titled’ Unlocking the potential of managers and leaders. The report suggests that whilst <strong>91% of managers want to learn</strong>, <strong>61% lack the time needed for self-study</strong>. Other barriers include <strong>uninspiring content</strong> (37%), <strong>lack of somewhere appropriate to study</strong> (35%) and <strong>technical issues</strong> including IT firewalls, bandwidth, equipment and infrastructure.</p>
<p>The appetite for managers to learn is encouraging, however it is concerning to see the barriers that sit in the way of this happening that in some cases could be easily shifted.</p>
<p><a href="https://towardsmaturity.org/2017/11/20/focus-unlocking-potential-managers-leaders/">You can download the full report here.</a></p>
<p>I’m interested to hear your thoughts on this. Do the barriers mentioned in the report exist in your organisation? How do you tend to find this information out? What examples can you share of removing these barriers for managers keen to learn? Whose role is it to remove those barriers do you think? L&D, HR, Line Managers, IT, someone else?</p>
</div>The #LoveCPD Spotlight Series July Editionhttps://community.dpgplc.co.uk/blog/the-spotlight-series-july-edition2017-07-26T11:11:14.000Z2017-07-26T11:11:14.000ZLucy Boltonhttps://community.dpgplc.co.uk/members/LucyBolton<div><img src="https://storage.ning.com/topology/rest/1.0/file/get/2217355?profile=RESIZE_400x&width=400"></div><div><p>On the community we are constantly looking for new ways to help you with your CPD. Recently we have been hosting monthly polls in each of the zones to get your opinions on workplace situations. We have combined these poll results with research conducted by leaders in the industry to bring you your first month's spotlight!</p>
<p>This spotlight series aims to support your CPD by providing you with relevant, up to date research from a range of sources to help you to develop your understanding of the current trends in L&D, HR and Leadership and Management. </p>
<p> </p>
<p>To view this months spotlight online <a href="http://docs.dpgplc.co.uk/Spotlight/July/Flipbook/mobile/index.html#p=1" target="_blank" rel="noopener">click here.</a></p>
<p>To download a copy of this months spotlight click here: <a href="http://docs.dpgplc.co.uk/Spotlight/July/July_Spotlight..pdf" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Download</a></p>
<p> </p>
<p>To help us out with next months spotlight issue, click into each of the zones and enter your vote into each of the polls on the right hand side!</p>
<p>If you have any ideas on what next months topics could be, share them in the comments below!!</p>
<p> </p>
</div>Are you communicating and presenting like a chimp?https://community.dpgplc.co.uk/blog/are-you-communicating-and-presenting-like-a-chimp2016-10-14T08:29:43.000Z2016-10-14T08:29:43.000ZAdy Howeshttps://community.dpgplc.co.uk/members/AdyHowes<div><img src="https://storage.ning.com/topology/rest/1.0/file/get/2217093?profile=RESIZE_400x&width=400"></div><div><p>Think about the last time you delivered some training, a presentation or a business pitch. It might have been in a small group or it could have been in front of a large exhibition audience. It could have been in a team meeting or it could have even been on a one to one basis. How did you feel before, during and after? Did any nerves creep in? Were you worried about how you were coming across? Perhaps you stumbled over your words.If you’re like an estimated 75% of the world’s population who fear speaking in public, then you probably felt at least some of these things, perhaps even more. Have you ever taken time to consider where those thoughts and feelings come from? What specifically makes you feel like that?</p>
<p>Even though I’ve made a career of being on my feet, delivering training and presentations, enjoying the process most of the time, I can’t deny that I’ve felt like this several times before. This week, I’ve explored this in more detail. I spent two days with a presentation skills coach learning about this stuff as part of a group as well as individually on a one to one basis. What I learned along the way really surprised me. My nerves, feelings, thoughts and worries were coming internally from me and based on absolutely no evidence whatsoever. Just like many, I can be my own worst enemy. This internal dialogue can be crippling at times when it comes to these situations. Despite hearing good things from others about how I come across, there’s this overpowering self-critique that blocks all good thoughts and your mind takes over.</p>
<p>This links very nicely into what I’ve learned from Dr Steve Peters about his theories on the Chimp Paradox. Simply put, based on medical research and evidence, Peters’ theory is that we are not alone in our own heads. There’s not just one of us in our minds, there’s two. According to him, each and every one of us is living with a chimp, the chimp being the emotional side of our brain. Its thoughts and feelings are instinctive and catastrophic. Whilst this may sound like a destructive beast it exists for a reason. It’s the same part of our brain that warns us from threats and dangers and keeps us safe. However, given this animal is far much more powerful than our human side, it can take over, dominate our thoughts, leaving us paralysed and full of fear.</p>
<p>The videos below will help you to understand more about this. If you have time, have a quick watch of them. They’re very interesting.</p>
<p>What I’ll be doing from this point forward, is gluing together what I’ve learned from my presentation skills coach with the things I’ve learned from Dr Steve Peters. It’s clear to me that when it comes to presenting, there’s more I need to do to tame my chimp.</p>
<p>I’d love to hear back from you. What holds you back from being the best you can be when it comes to standing on your feet and communicating? Can you be your own worst enemy or is something else holding you back? What advice do you need? What advice do you have to share?</p>
<p>Wouldn’t it be great if we could stick together as a community and help each other out with this stuff? </p>
<p></p>
<p><iframe width="560" height="315" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/zdsULCgqflE" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen=""></iframe></p>
<p><iframe width="560" height="315" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/R-KI1D5NPJs" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen=""></iframe></p>
</div>Process vs. People: Closing the Dividehttps://community.dpgplc.co.uk/blog/process-vs-people-closing-the-divide2016-05-12T10:33:06.000Z2016-05-12T10:33:06.000ZBay Jordanhttps://community.dpgplc.co.uk/members/BayJordan<div><img src="https://storage.ning.com/topology/rest/1.0/file/get/2216881?profile=RESIZE_400x&width=400"></div><div><p><span>I am continuing to read</span> <a href="https://www.everipedia.com/brian-robertson/" target="_blank">Brian J Robertson’s</a> <span>book <a href="http://storage.ning.com/topology/rest/1.0/file/get/1357782?profile=original" target="_self"><img src="http://storage.ning.com/topology/rest/1.0/file/get/1357782?profile=RESIZE_320x320" width="250" class="align-right"></a></span><a rel="nofollow" href="http://holacracybook.com/" target="_blank">Holacracy</a><span>” and reflecting on the ideas it introduces. It does describe what the sub-title promises: “The Revolutionary Management System that Abolishes Hierarchy.” And, in doing so, it offers something interesting, innovative and, apparently practical. Yet, despite offering a much-needed solution to one of the major challenges of our times, I was finding myself surprisingly unexcited. Then I realised why.</span></p>
<p><span>It was partly because it describes a process. This, perhaps unavoidably, makes the book abstract and rather dry. After all process descriptions are only ever likely to provide gripping reading to people who have an engineering mind set. And, I am not sure that I fit into that category. </span></p>
<p><span>Having realised that, however, I recognised that my misgivings were more personal. The issue actually lay with me, because my starting point is with people. I was thus, intuitively, baulking at these new ideas because the starting premise with process is making people more productive. As a result there is a danger that you may simply end up replacing one impersonal process with another, without doing anything to improve employee engagement or the other issues that bedevil the workplace today.</span></p>
<p><span>So now I had to question myself as well as ensure I was not being prejudiced.</span></p>
<p><span>I began by asking myself if it would be possible to change the workplace environment without any process change. This was easily answered when I accepted that even introducing my ‘Every Individual Matters’ Model would entail new processes. Oh dear! Time for some humble pie. I pressed on. And I am glad I did.</span></p>
<p><span>As I read on, I came across this statement. <i>“I liken Holacracy to a new operating system because it changes the fundamental power structure and governance paradigm for your organisation, without specifying how to structure all the functions and process your organisation needs … Just as most computers need at least some basic apps in order to be remotely useful, most organisations also needs some basic apps to function effectively.”</i> This was a light-bulb moment.</span></p>
<p><span>It is all very well holding up Business Process Re-engineering, for instance, as a half-solution that completely failed to address the human aspect of business, but the fact remains that people and process are inseparable. Ultimately it is people who carry out processes. Or, if you want to put it the other way, processes depend on people. Consequently there is no point in creating, or perpetuating, a divide between them.</span></p>
<p><span><a href="http://storage.ning.com/topology/rest/1.0/file/get/1357813?profile=original" target="_self"><img src="http://storage.ning.com/topology/rest/1.0/file/get/1357813?profile=RESIZE_320x320" width="250" class="align-left"></a>Thus I realised that my ‘Every Individual Matters’ Model is not so very different. It drives the whole people management and development aspect of the organisation, but it still operates within a larger ‘ecological’ environment, whether a hierarchical one or a holacratic one. And given the issues with hierarchy and its command and control legacy, I would definitely prefer a holacratic one. Consequently, I need to think further how the two might work together. </span></p>
<p><span>After all, every individual matters.</span></p></div>What neuroscience can tell recruitershttps://community.dpgplc.co.uk/blog/what-neuroscience-can-tell-recruiters2015-08-20T07:30:43.000Z2015-08-20T07:30:43.000ZRobin Hillshttps://community.dpgplc.co.uk/members/RobinHills<div><img src="https://storage.ning.com/topology/rest/1.0/file/get/2216577?profile=RESIZE_400x&width=400"></div><div><div>
<p><span>There has been a lot of talk about neuroscience recently. It is the latest flavour of the month but what does it really mean in the field of recruitment?</span></p>
<p><span>Neuroscience is more than just an understanding of which<a href="http://storage.ning.com/topology/rest/1.0/file/get/1357655?profile=original" target="_self"><img src="http://storage.ning.com/topology/rest/1.0/file/get/1357655?profile=original" width="272" class="align-left" height="335"></a> parts of the brain become more active in certain situations. In fact, the more we find out about the workings of our most complex organ, the less we find that we truly understand. However, the research is uncovering new knowledge that can makes us better at recruiting to ensure that we place the right candidate in the right role at the right time.</span></p>
</div>
<div>
<div>
<p><span>The outputs from brain research, social science and psychology can help recruiters to attract and retain new candidates and clients by helping to understanding more about motivation, personalities and behaviour and what drives them. All this can play a part in improving performance.</span></p>
</div>
<div>
<p><span>A lot of the research is providing peer-reviewed evidence that supports many of the things that we have known or suspected for years. However, it is adding to our knowledge of what makes us tick as human beings. This means that we can now look at making changes in our behaviour that is proven to have more positive, sustainable outcomes in the long term.</span></p>
</div>
<div>
<p><strong>Motivation</strong></p>
</div>
<div>
<p><span>Motivation is vital in recruitment. However, it is not just about money. The motivation and reward systems in our brain drive us towards our goals with energy and enthusiasm. Dopamine is a neurotransmitter involved in generating feelings of pleasure. In business, if a happy environment full of rewarding experiences is created, our brains produce dopamine in the right areas so that we become more motivated to push ourselves. So trying to find out what produces those dopamine responses for individuals will help to determine what motivates them.</span></p>
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<div>
<p><strong>Stress</strong></p>
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<p><span>Cortisol has been found to accumulate in parts of the brain when a person is feeling stressed. It has become widely known as the stress hormone. High levels of cortisol for extended periods lead to high blood pressure (with the associated health issues), memory loss and possible depression. All of these are costly to the individual and the organisation. Good businesses need a healthy workforce, which starts with performance management that is consistent and transparent to avoid stress in the workplace.</span></p>
</div>
<div>
<p><span>Recruiters may view a candidate’s history of working long hours as a positive indicator of commitment. In the future, however, recruiters may need to interpret a history of working long hours as a negative indicator suggesting a lack of balance and a consequent inability to think and perform effectively. This is, also, where consideration of a person’s motivational factors becomes critical. What is driving this behaviour?</span></p>
</div>
<div>
<p><strong>Empathy and emotional involvement</strong></p>
</div>
<div>
<p><span>Male and female brains are not only wired differently, they are infused with different combinations of neurotransmitters (such as oxytocin) and hormones (such as oestrogen, adrenaline, oxytocin). Oxytocin acts as a neurotransmitter and a hormone.</span></p>
</div>
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<p><span>Women have been shown through studies to be better at intuitive thinking involving people. When you talk, women are more emotionally involved and will listen more. Women are more naturally empathetic.</span></p>
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<p><span>Women’s ability to listen more effectively and read emotional cues has enormous implications for how businesses are run, especially in the crucial area of teamwork. According to recent studies at Massachusetts Institute of Technology, there is a positive correlation between the ability of teams to accomplish group tasks and the number of women on the team. The correlation between team success and gender was not the diversity of the team, but the actual percentage of women on the team. The more women on the team, the more effective the team, even when they worked online without face-to-face meetings.</span></p>
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<div>
<p><span>From this, recruiters may need to view the recruitment of more women as a workable strategy for creating stronger, more effective teams. Such a strategy is likely to become more important as social networking increases the amount of team activity in the workplace.</span></p>
</div>
<div>
<p><strong>Learning</strong></p>
</div>
<div>
<p><span>Good leaders and managers ensure their people will be given opportunities to develop and grow. Synapses in the brain grow and strengthen with new information, referred to as plasticity. However, neuroplasticity takes time and the system can be overloaded if too much information is delivered all at once. Research shows that we retain information better when we learn in in small regular doses interspersed with good, quality sleep. Training that combines a mixture of theory, reflection and practical activity and will allow the brain to assimilate and use the information well. In order to embed in the learning, the training needs to be relevant and built into working practice over a period of time.</span></p>
</div>
<div>
<p><span>When a company is harnessing their employees’ individual personalities, goals, needs and abilities, in an employee-focused manner and communicate with them properly, the employees feel valued and valid, which helps to build a successful and intuitive working environment. This in turn empowers them and alleviates stressful situations reducing the levels of stress hormones such as cortisol, which can narrow their attention to any perceived threat, and opens them up to broader thinking, better problem solving and more creative thought.</span></p>
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<div>
<p><span><em>All this is very interesting but what does it mean in practice?</em> Certainly, from a recruitment perspective it means working with candidates in new ways to look at how they take in information, how they process information, how they work with emotions, what factors are motivators for them, how they interact with others, how they manage stress and their effective working practices.</span></p>
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<div>
<p><span>Another way of looking at this conundrum is to start focusing on emotional intelligence. This is how a person combines their thinking with their feelings in order to build quality working relationships and to make more effective decisions. The evidence is mounting that emotional intelligence is a more effective measure of success in work and life that is bringing in the new understanding supported by the evidence from neuroscience.</span></p>
</div>
</div></div>Ignore Poor Performance at Your Peril!https://community.dpgplc.co.uk/blog/ignore-poor-performance-at-your-peril2015-07-12T21:16:14.000Z2015-07-12T21:16:14.000ZHelen Ameryhttps://community.dpgplc.co.uk/members/HelenAmery<div><img src="https://storage.ning.com/topology/rest/1.0/file/get/2216542?profile=RESIZE_400x&width=400"></div><div><p>As this seems to be resonating with lots of people on Twitter and LinkedIn I thought it might be helpful to share in here.  I hope you find it stirring some thoughts for you and where you work......</p>
<p></p>
<p>How often have you seen or heard this?</p>
<p><em>They're just no good at their job, I keep having to pick up the slack?  I haven't got time to do my own work because they're incapable of doing their's.  If only they could sort it out we'd all be better off.  I don't even know why they're still here - they don't contribute anything.</em></p>
<p>Back in April and May it was <a rel="nofollow" href="https://helenamery.wordpress.com/2015/05/05/feedbackcarnival-the-curation/" target="_blank">#FeedbackCarnival</a> time where the culmination of many brains showed just how challenging giving honest feedback can be and some ideas for how we can start to change that.  Ian Pettigrew built on this with a <a rel="nofollow" href="http://www.kingfishercoaching.com/compassionate-truth-not-all-feedback-is-created-equal/" target="_blank">great model</a> for where helpful feedback sits - the top right of this 3-by-2 - where what you're saying to the person is true, and it's said with a positive intent to help the individual, as well as and the team or organisation around them.</p>
<p>Trouble is, that's not generally what's happening.  What I see is people pointing the finger at 'those people over there' - <em>They're the problem. If it wasn't for them we'd all be ok.</em></p>
<p style="text-align: center;"><a rel="nofollow" href="https://helenamery.files.wordpress.com/2015/07/head-in-hand-kg.jpg"><img width="373" height="231" class="aligncenter wp-image-1269" alt="head-in-hand -kg" src="https://helenamery.files.wordpress.com/2015/07/head-in-hand-kg.jpg?w=300" /></a></p>
<p>This feels to us like the best (easiest) option because it avoids us having to look at ourselves as a potential contributor to the problem – and therefore a potential solution.  Looking at ourselves can be uncomfortable.  And, if we don't feel safe and supported to do that, we'll just avoid it.</p>
<p>But not only are we pointing to those people over there and saying they're the problem,  we're even giving them financial rewards (or positive feedback) that they're doing the job we need them to do.  You can read about it in <a rel="nofollow" href="http://www.linkedin.com/redir/redirect?url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww%2Ehrgrapevine%2Ecom%2Fmarkets%2Fhr%2Farticle%2F2015-06-03-one-third-of-managers-given-bonus-after-poor-performance&urlhash=cXPP&_t=tracking_anet" target="_blank">here</a>, a piece shared by a fellow colleague who also cares about great leadership, <a rel="nofollow" href="https://www.linkedin.com/profile/view?id=64904220&trk=groups-post-b-author" target="_blank">Kay Buckby</a>.  My reaction to it was (a very eloquent) "Bonkers!".</p>
<p>So when people aren't performing in their jobs.</p>
<p>We point the finger of blame at them for all the ills of the world.</p>
<p>And we reward them for it, to make sure we draw an even thicker veil over the whole unsightly problem.</p>
<p>If doing the same things and expecting different results is a sign of madness then I'm not quite sure how to articulate this as anything other than Bonkers!!</p>
<p>Not surprisingly, underlying all of this, a seam of frustration bubbles away within the team, within the manager - and most importantly - within the customers on the receiving end of the poor service.  The customers just won't stick around.  They'll vote with their feet.  The manager and team might eventually take evasive action from this person (if the person doesn't leave first) but, to begin with, their stress responses will be triggered.</p>
<p>This stress response narrows their perspective on the situation and drops their cognitive abilities, reducing the possible solutions they can see for solving it.  It reduces their feelings of emotional generosity towards 'that person'.  It causes them to look for evidence to back up their belief that they're useless.  And, given that our thoughts and feelings show up in how we behave, their stress and frustration will leak out through their body language, their words and their actions.</p>
<p>One paradoxical result of this is that, despite their poor performance, the manager doesn't feel they can do without this person - <em>better the devil you know, what if we get someone else and they're worse, how would we cope with a vacancy if we can't find a replacement?</em></p>
<p>All of these are fear-driven responses (and stress is triggered again).</p>
<p>So, what's the alternative?.......</p>
<p>…….A world of high emotional intelligence*.</p>
<p>I believe in a world where people are treated and behave like adults.  Adults who can make informed choices and who can take responsibility for their own situation.</p>
<p>I also believe we all want to do a great job, but sometimes things get in the way of that which means our performance can dip.  And if those things have been in the way for a long time it can be hard for us to remember what it was like to come to work and feel good about it.  This means that, as adults, we still need support, guidance and feedback from others to keep us on-track.  And we still appreciate a reward (verbal acknowledgement is often enough) for when things are going well.</p>
<p>In this world when a leader has someone in their team who’s under-performing, the first thing they do is ask what’s going on, then they listen and they ask questions. Partly to inform themselves of the situation, and also to let the person vent about what’s going on. They aren’t afraid of this venting. They know that emotions are the things that motivate us to make changes in life, and when they’re swirling inside us they can’t take us in any productive direction. The simple act of verbalising what’s going on straightens these emotions out and gives us a clearer sense of which way to go.</p>
<p>From this listening and asking, the result is often that the individual will spot a way forward for themselves. If not, the leader will have learnt enough about the situation to offer advice, guidance or training that will actually be helpful and relevant. Or they may be able to offer relevant feedback based on what they’re seeing of this person and in the wider team context.</p>
<p>All of these things help the person become unstuck and their performance improves.</p>
<p>And even if it doesn’t improve, the leader can look themselves in the mirror with the belief that they did what they could to help, and that perhaps this just isn’t the right job, or right business for them. Which means a parting of company on good terms, with dignity and respect – and without the need to pay out bonuses to hide a problem!  All of which maintains great relationships with the rest of the team, and their trust in you - which means they'll also feel safe to share what's going on for them.  Creating a virtuous circle!</p>
<p>And I know what you’re thinking.</p>
<p>When could I ever get the time to have these conversations?</p>
<p>Well, they don’t actually take that long. If we’re given the space to think and speak with someone who really cares and who really listens, our brain can be pretty effective at getting to the crux of what’s going on.</p>
<p>And remember, in having these conversations – maybe weekly – we get into good habits of processing what’s going on for us, and they mean the team’s performance will never get to the place of you compensating for the stuff they let drop, which automatically gives you back a load of time.</p>
<p>And if you really believe that your team are the key to your collective success then you’ll prioritise these conversations over anything else.</p>
<p>*You can find out more about the difference emotional intelligence makes to a business <a rel="nofollow" href="http://eiconsortium.org/reports/business_case_for_ei.html" target="_blank">here</a>.</p>
<p>Photo credit - http://redsarmy.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/11/kg-head-in-hand.jpg</p>
</div>Maximising the Impact of Short-term Coachinghttps://community.dpgplc.co.uk/blog/maximising-the-impact-of-short-term-coaching2014-10-20T11:57:40.000Z2014-10-20T11:57:40.000ZAngela Armstronghttps://community.dpgplc.co.uk/members/AngelaArmstrong195<div><img src="https://storage.ning.com/topology/rest/1.0/file/get/2216309?profile=RESIZE_400x&width=400"></div><div><p>This article was recently published in Coaching World. I thought you might be interested.</p><p><strong>Maximizing the Impact of Short-Term Coaching</strong></p><p>Sometimes organizations have a point-need for coaching rather than embarking on a comprehensive long-term coaching strategy. With such an intense focus on short-term demonstrable impact it takes an experienced and confident coach to step up, step in, get the results and step out. These six tips, gleaned from five years’ experience coaching managers and leaders across a range of industries, will help to ensure that the coaching impact is achieved in the short-term and sustained long-term.</p><p><strong>1. Clearly define the engagement’s context and outcome.</strong></p><p> Having absolute clarity on the context and outcome of the coaching intervention is critical to success in any coaching engagement, but especially so for short-term coaching. Notice I said outcome, not outcomes: When addressing a particular goal or concern, doing one thing well at once focuses everyone’s efforts in the same direction.</p><p><strong>2. Ask yourself whether you can deliver value.</strong></p><p>There can be a temptation for coaches to take on every engagement that presents itself; it is important that you also take care of yourself in order to better serve others. The high accountability for delivering results through others coupled with the objectivity of the outcome adds a background tension to delivery; some coaches flourish under the pressure and actively seek it but others find it distracts them from delivering their best.</p><p>To deliver results quickly requires a high degree of openness from the coachee; it is time well spent to consider whether you will be able to develop a strong rapport and trust with the coachee from the very first meeting. Of course the coach needs to be <b>credible</b>, <b>capable</b> and <b>confident</b>; it will also be helpful if you are <b>relevant;</b> i.e., if you have an understanding of the client’s context and industry, ways of working, gender and culture.</p><p><strong>3. Engage the appropriate parties.</strong></p><p>To deliver short-term demonstrable impact, the coachee, his or her supervisor, the human-resources representative, and the coach must be open and transparent in discussing the context and outcome; there is no place for a hidden agenda. Of course you’ll handle it sensitively but in addition to discussing the beneficial outcomes, also ask, “What is the consequence for the coachee if the outcome is not achieved?” Will he or she be passed over for a promotion? Fired? Understanding the consequence is part of fully understanding the context. </p><p>The cornerstone of a successful short-term coaching engagement is a coachee who is ready, willing and able to engage fully with the coaching process. Pay attention, trust your instincts and discuss any aspect of the engagement that seems questionable until all parties are satisfied.</p><p>The written coaching agreement will include the usual confidentiality, commercial and logistic sections; it should also include the measurable outcome along with the baseline and target measures (e.g. increase percentage of actual sales vs. target sales from current value of 96 percent (today’s date) to target of 100 percent by a specific date). If there is a management report in which this information is available it can be included in an appendix to the coaching agreement as the baseline. More qualitative measures include 360-degree feedback reports etc. If the coaching fees are offered as a gain-share agreement also state the percentage of the fee at risk for non-delivery and the incentive arrangements for exceeding expectations</p><p><strong>4. Ensure the right “fit.”</strong></p><p>Maximizing the impact from short-term coaching generally requires a challenging—and accelerated—approach, with the coach asking searching questions and often touching on core beliefs and values very early in the coaching process.</p><p>Quickly establishing trust and rapport is aided by having an informal, 30-minute ‘”getting-to–know-you” discussion immediately before the first coaching session. You might even consider including some questions about your coachee’s interests and hobbies in your pre-coaching questionnaire.</p><p>Although following the first three steps increases the likelihood of a good fit, my coaching agreement calls for a formal decision point after the first coaching session so that both the coachee and I have the option to curtail or reshape the coaching agreement if we have concerns.</p><p><strong>5. Find the right balance of “support” and “challenge.”</strong></p><p>Traditional coaching has a tendency towards support but in an organizational context you need more than just a strong relationship—you also need challenge to create sustained change in the individual and the organization.</p><p>Low support paired with high challenge is unhelpful and generates stress, but high support and high challenge equals what I refer to as “tough empathy.” Support is given through trust, rapport and building the relationship. Challenge is given through feedback, accountability, setting courageous goals, balancing the tension to move the coachee out of their comfort zone and looking at situations from a systems mindset that considers the needs of all stakeholders.</p><p>The coach, in taking on a short-term coaching agreement with objective outcomes, is also modeling the behaviors that many organizations seek when they select a coach for a point-need coaching intervention.</p><p>The powerful combination of demonstrating genuine care for the coachee, seeing the world through their eyes, unlocking their full potential through powerful deep questioning and mutual accountability for measurable results in a defined time-frame acts as a catalyst for the coaching and makes it possible to deliver results quickly. To get fast results the coach has to address the root causes, not the symptoms; the underlying beliefs, not the observable actions.</p><p><strong>6. Quantify impact and set the stage for sustainable change.</strong></p><p>Demonstrating the achievement of the target key performance indicators is simply a matter of comparing the baseline, actual and target measures. The coachee will also likely want to include some additional qualitative benefits in the coaching outcomes report.</p><p>Encourage the coachee to include in the coaching outcomes report three ways in which their mind-set has changed as a result of the coaching and three new habits that will sustain the coaching outcomes; it helps the coachee to consolidate the coaching and provides a point of reference when you follow up in six months’ time to confirm that the coaching has led to sustained behaviour change.</p><p>By having the courage and confidence to ask searching questions from the outset and provide consistent challenge it is possible to get fast results that last.</p><p>Author: Angela Armstrong</p><p>Angela is a high-performance coach and trainer. Her sweet spot is developing leaders in IT and engineering using solution-focused coaching and “tough empathy.” She is a leader at the Achievers Academy for Women and a member of ICF United Kingdom.</p><p> </p><p> </p></div>HRD Level 5: Knowledge Management Assessmenthttps://community.dpgplc.co.uk/blog/hrd-level-5-knowledge-management-assessment2013-11-17T12:03:46.000Z2013-11-17T12:03:46.000ZAdy Howeshttps://community.dpgplc.co.uk/members/AdyHowes<div><p>Hi All,</p><p>I've been doing some work on my Knowledge Management Assessment for HRD Level 5. I've put below a few useful links if you are working on this. But also, could do with some help...</p><p><strong>Has anyone got, or can point me in the direction of, any useful reading on "knowledge productivity and competitive advantage"</strong> I need to understand what these mean and how they relate to the world of knowledge management. </p><p>Drop me a comment below if you know any resources where I can read more up on this.</p><p>In the meantime, some useful reading for you on the subject of Knowledge Management:</p><p></p><ul><li>Peter Senge founder and director of the Society for Organisational Learning and author of the book The Fifth Discipline (2006);</li><li>A blog on Knowledge Management (<a rel="nofollow" href="http://knowmgt.blogspot.co.uk/2007/08/difference-between-tacit-and-explicit.html">http://knowmgt.blogspot.co.uk/2007/08/difference-between-tacit-and-explicit.html</a></li><li><a rel="nofollow" href="http://www.cipd.co.uk/onlineinfodocuments/journals/byatoz.htm">“Diagnosing cultural barriers to knowledge management” by clicking here.</a> (Academy of Management Executive; Nov2000, Vol. 14 Issue 4, p113-127</li></ul><p></p><p>Thanks</p><p>Ady</p><p></p><p></p></div>The Accelerated Learning Handbook linked to Knowledge Managementhttps://community.dpgplc.co.uk/blog/the-accelerated-learning-handbook-linked-to-knowledge-management2013-11-10T12:40:37.000Z2013-11-10T12:40:37.000ZAdy Howeshttps://community.dpgplc.co.uk/members/AdyHowes<div><p><a rel="nofollow" href="http://www.amazon.co.uk/gp/product/0071355472/ref=as_li_qf_sp_asin_il?ie=UTF8&camp=1634&creative=6738&creativeASIN=0071355472&linkCode=as2&tag=wwwbizzbacouk-21" target="_blank"><img src="http://ws-eu.amazon-adsystem.com/widgets/q?_encoding=UTF8&ASIN=0071355472&Format=_SL110_&ID=AsinImage&MarketPlace=GB&ServiceVersion=20070822&WS=1&tag=wwwbizzbacouk-21" class="align-right" width="189" height="248"/></a></p><p><strong>The Accelerated Learning Handbook Dave Meier</strong> and it's link to Knowledge Management</p><p>I'm just doing some work on Knowledge Management (what else to be doing on a Sunday you might ask!) and it's been quite good. </p><p>But randomly, in the middle of this, Exercise your Brain activity 10 appeared asking me to review a <a rel="nofollow" href="http://web.ebscohost.com/ehost/detail?vid=16&hid=11&sid=f227ad17-35ca-4007-8f7a-58da0d89f012%40sessionmgr11&bdata=JnNpdGU9ZWhvc3QtbGl2ZQ%3d%3d#db=bch&AN=9085920">Learning about Accelerated Learning”</a> article in the Training and Development Journal.</p><p><strong>So the question for me was what has Accelerated Learning got to do with Knowledge Management?</strong></p><p>But then I considered the explicit and tacit knowledge that we had been talking about on the workshop. Of course Accelerated Learning for those of us that know it, is a good consideration in terms of making workshops (explicit knowledge) much more engaging, interesting and interactive. But I guess it's also a good reference point when thinking about creating, engaging, interesting ways to gather tacit knowledge - e.g. brainstorming activities, collaborative exercises etc.</p><p>I remember this also being a useful resource for me when completing the Level 3 HRD course.</p><p><span>In "The Accelerated Learning Handbook", discover how leading corporations are using A.L. methods to: <em><strong>speed and enhance learning</strong></em>; greatly <em><strong>reduce course design time</strong></em>; <em><strong>improve retention and job performance</strong></em>; <em><strong>involve learners</strong></em> at every stage of the process; enhance both classroom and Web-based learning; create <em><strong>healthier learning environments</strong></em>; build <em><strong>effective learning communities</strong></em>; and, <em><strong>energize and re-humanize the learning process</strong></em>.</span></p><p><a rel="nofollow" href="http://www.amazon.co.uk/gp/product/0071355472/ref=as_li_qf_sp_asin_tl?ie=UTF8&camp=1634&creative=6738&creativeASIN=0071355472&linkCode=as2&tag=wwwbizzbacouk-21" target="_blank">You can find more about the book on Amazon just here</a></p></div>Tick Tock - Time Management Tips?https://community.dpgplc.co.uk/blog/tick-tock-time-management-tips2013-10-28T10:00:00.000Z2013-10-28T10:00:00.000ZDebora Figueiredohttps://community.dpgplc.co.uk/members/DeboraFigueiredo<div><p>So I’ve recently not had the time to write a blog every week, like I said I would, but this one’s going to be about time management and maintaining ahead of your schedule.<img class="alignright align-right" id="irc_mi" alt="" src="http://teramchugh.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/07/Time.jpg" name="irc_mi" height="216" width="234"/></p><p>The first time I heard these words was at <a rel="nofollow" target="_blank" href="http://littlefigs.wordpress.com/2013/05/24/i-survived-boot-camp/">Bootcamp</a> training with <a rel="nofollow" title="The Apprentice Academy" href="http://theapprenticeacademy.co.uk/" target="_blank">The Apprentice Academy</a>. I brought my knowledge of time management to <a rel="nofollow" title="DPG plc" href="http://www.dpgplc.co.uk/" target="_blank">DPG</a> and was very impressed at how I used it at the beginning of my apprenticeship; recently, I’ve noticed that this skill has slowly started to fade away.</p><p>I still find myself making weekly ‘To Do’ lists but find it hard to dedicate my whole attention to them. I know I can handle it, but I need to find a great way of managing to complete my tasks without thinking “Oh God, it’s five o’clock and I’ve not even done this!” – I need to adapt to a routine!</p><p>At the academy, they taught me how to manage time by making a daily schedule; writing down my daily tasks, how long they would approximately take and marking the most important ones so I knew which tasks I would need to complete first.</p><p style="text-align: left;">I think I should use this more often at work to help me manage my time but just making the schedule itself would be time consuming and would probably take up half of my day already! As I’m still an apprentice newbie, I’m still trying to adapt to the routine of setting myself tasks and being dedicated to them so I need your help.</p><p style="text-align: left;">If you have any advice or any tactics that could help me manage my tasks a bit better, don’t hesitate to share.</p><p style="text-align: left;">Stay tuned time management heroes…<img class="alignleft align-full" id="irc_mi" alt="" src="http://trainingforuniversities.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/03/Juggling-time.jpg" name="irc_mi" height="190" width="190"/></p></div>Career Pathway Exampleshttps://community.dpgplc.co.uk/blog/career-pathway-examples2013-10-01T15:54:44.000Z2013-10-01T15:54:44.000ZAdy Howeshttps://community.dpgplc.co.uk/members/AdyHowes<div><p>I have a challenge on and where better to turn to than the DPG Community! Hello smart helpful people! Can I say how lovely you're looking today? Ok, creeping over, here's what I need a hand with....</p><p>I want to start building a career pathway for our organisation. Have you any examples that you can share? Are there any good career pathways out there in other organisations that you've heard of? What are the pitfalls of creating career pathways that you think I should be aware of along with other considerations? What's the best way of approaching this?</p><p>Any advise or information you can offer would be gratefully received.</p><p>Thanks loads,</p><p>Ady</p><p> </p><p> </p></div>Are Managers Born or Madehttps://community.dpgplc.co.uk/blog/are-managers-born-or-made2012-12-03T11:23:39.000Z2012-12-03T11:23:39.000ZDavid McIntoshhttps://community.dpgplc.co.uk/members/DavidMcIntosh<div><p><a href="http://storage.ning.com/topology/rest/1.0/file/get/1357202?profile=original" target="_self"></a></p>
<p><a href="http://storage.ning.com/topology/rest/1.0/file/get/1357202?profile=original" target="_self"><img src="http://storage.ning.com/topology/rest/1.0/file/get/1357202?profile=RESIZE_1024x1024" width="750" class="align-center" height="181"></a></p>
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<p><span class="font-size-2"><em>This is the first part in a three blog series by our management & leadership specialist David McIntosh focusing on management competence</em>.</span></p>
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<p>This question has been around forever but as the environment in which managers operate becomes increasingly more immediate and more complex the fact is only a small minority of managers’ are born with the skill set that an effective manager needs today. So the vast majority of today’s capable managers are made. </p>
<p>Organisations are changing, they are reducing the number of management layers in their structure, many are reducing the number of managers they employ and so team size is increasing accordingly the role of a manager at every level of an organisation is constantly changing. </p>
<p>So faced with the fact that managers need to be developed and the old role of a manager no longer applies this blog focuses on what skills managers need to develop to be effective in the modern world. </p>
<p><span class="font-size-3"><strong>Managemen</strong><strong>t Competencies</strong></span></p>
<p>We see it in organisations all the time a team member is really good at their job and they get promoted into the role of the manager. At this point it would be helpful if their line manager sat them down and explained how their role has changed and how they need to let go of most of what made them successful as a team member and adopt new management competencies to be successful as a manager – let’s face it this rarely happens and this is why first line managers either sink or swim. The reason this doesn’t happen is that the manager of the first line manager doesn’t understand what management competencies are required and/or do not have the correct competencies themselves. This is why many organisations invest valuable budget and resources into developing effective managers at all levels.</p>
<p>The question is what competencies to invest in ? </p>
<p>Getting the right competencies requires the organisation to undertake some analysis and research for each management level within their organisation comparing the competencies their high performers utilise compared to their average and low performers. It is the competency set of their high performers that the organisation should be setting for managers at each level. Ideally the organisation should then take their internal benchmarks and compare it to external benchmarks to ensure they are not pitching their competency levels at too high or too low a level. </p>
<p>Many organisations balk at the investment of time and budget required to complete this research and analysis plus the required time delay before the competency framework is available to use. This is understandable when a fully researched and statistically valid management competency framework is available to use Free of Charge.</p>
<p><a href="http://storage.ning.com/topology/rest/1.0/file/get/1357233?profile=original" target="_self"><img src="http://storage.ning.com/topology/rest/1.0/file/get/1357233?profile=original" width="254" class="align-center" height="252"></a></p>
<p><span class="font-size-3"><strong>The MAP 2.0 Management Competency Framework in detail</strong></span></p>
<p>The MAP 2.0 Management Competency Framework splits into two sections <b>‘<i>Task’</i></b> related Competencies and <i>‘<b>People’</b></i> related to competencies.</p>
<p class="Default">Let’s start with the <i>‘<b>Task’</b></i> competencies by working clockwise starting with the <i>‘<b>Managing Your Job’</b></i>competency cluster. This cluster is built around a manager’s ability to set SMART goals then using those goals to grow their capability and manage their on-going performance. Managers must then be able to plan their projects and work, as well as identify the resources they need before scheduling what they need to do to meet their goals. Their success is then down to their ability to manage their time day-to-day and week-to-week to focus on what is important and to avoid wasting their valuable time.</p>
<p class="Default"><i>‘<b>Thinking Clearly’</b></i> is the second <i>‘<b>Task’</b></i> competency cluster and this cluster looks at the manager’s ability to systematically gather, organise and evaluate information, questioning and challenging appropriately, to get to the root cause of problems and not the symptom of the problem. It then looks at the manager’s ability to understand and reflect on the logic behind statements and data, then challenging poorly reasoned options to resolve a problem or situation. Looking at possible solutions the manager then needs to decide on the options available based on the weighting and rankings for each one, clearly understanding the possible outcomes and risk factors before making a decision.</p>
<p class="Default">The <i>‘<b>People’’</b></i> competencies start with the <i>‘<b>Building Your Team’</b></i>competency cluster. This cluster is built around a manager’s ability to build a high performing team starting with planning development and ensuring the relevant training, coaching and support is available so that team members can advance and undertake challenging task and responsibilities. Integral to this is managing the performance of team members and a manager must be competent in reviewing performance, inviting feedback from others, ensuring it’s a two-way process, before checking any corrective actions needed to keep their team member on track are taken. When performance does not meet the required standard, the manager needs to have adult-to-adult conversations with the person concerned to correct the performance before resetting the goals and standards required.</p>
<p class="Default">The final competency cluster is <b><i>‘Relating to Others’</i></b> and this is about the managers ability to engage and communicate with their team members. It starts with the ability to pro-actively listen to the intent and content of what others are saying, without assuming or judging, and checking that what they have heard is correct. From this, the ability to gain objective information by creating a neutral environment, to minimise biased responses, where probing questions can be asked to effectively gain more information is critical. As well as acquiring information a manager must be able to communicate effectively by planning communication in advance, taking into account verbal and non-verbal messaging to ensure recipients receive clear and concise messages.</p>
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<p><span class="font-size-3"><strong>Summary</strong></span></p>
<p>I<span class="font-size-2">f an organisation is to survive never mind prosper in the constantly evolving world in which we operate then they will only do it if they develop their managers. The key to this is to develop managers against a competency framework which is based on science and not assumption, a framework such as MAP 2.0. The twelve competencies under the four competency clusters in MAP 2.0 are a fully researched and statistically valid management competency framework available for organisations to use Free of Charge. Developing your managers to perform to the required level across the twelve competencies in the many and varied situations they find themselves in every day will drive personal and organisational success.</span></p>
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<p><span class="font-size-1"> <i>If you found this blog useful then look out for the next in the series ‘Measuring Management Competence which looks at the different methods organisations use to measure managerial competence against their management competency framework.</i></span></p></div>Recruitment needs to be less like the X Factorhttps://community.dpgplc.co.uk/blog/recruitment-needs-to-be-less-like-the-x-factor2012-03-16T14:30:00.000Z2012-03-16T14:30:00.000ZFiona Chathamhttps://community.dpgplc.co.uk/members/FionaChatham<div><p><a href="http://storage.ning.com/topology/rest/1.0/file/get/1357139?profile=original" target="_self"><img src="http://storage.ning.com/topology/rest/1.0/file/get/1357139?profile=RESIZE_320x320" width="250" class="align-right"></a>Does recruitment sometimes feel like an episode of the X Factor? Job applicants get a moment to shine with their CV, having to create enough of an impression in that moment that they are then invited to perform in front of a panel of judges. The vast majority of hiring decisions are then made in a relatively short interview process which tries to assess someone’s “talent” for the role on offer.</p>
<p>We all know that you can’t build a great company without great people. The problem is: How do you know who the great people are?</p>
<p>We all know the impact that the wrong people leave behind them – time wasters who seem determined never to meet the deadlines you’ve set, office whisperers who like nothing better than to spread the seeds of discontent and the jobsworths whose job description doesn’t include that task. All of these must have persuaded the recruiter that they were “right for the job” at the time, so just what went wrong?</p>
<p>There are some key reasons why new recruits subsequently fail in the role:</p>
<p>1. Coachability: lacking the ability to accept & implement feedback from others</p>
<p>2. Emotional intelligence: lacking the ability to understand & manage their own emotions or assess others’</p>
<p>3. Motivation: lacking the drive to achieve their full potential</p>
<p>4. Temperament: attitude & personality not suited to the particular job & work environment</p>
<p>5. Technical competence: having the functional skills required to do the job</p>
<p>It is clear from these that having the relevant skills for the job is significantly less important than having the right attitude. It is also clear that it is not just about having the right attitude towards the job, it is as much about having the right attitude towards others and having the emotional maturity to be able to process our performance and make changes if necessary.</p>
<p>After all, what you know can change but who you are doesn’t. Or, in the words of the song, “I am what I am!”</p>
<p>The most common mistake that we make when recruiting is to find someone with the right skills, but with the wrong mindset and then think that we can change them. This is often because we start the recruitment process when it’s already too late, so we hire someone who will do the job right now with minimal training.</p>
<p>Let’s start by remembering that the single best predictor of future behaviour is past behaviour so we should provide a recruitment process that identifies what behaviours each candidate brings with them & then compares them with the ones needed for this role. Of course it’s also important to identify when skills or knowledge are essential for the role, but don’t forget these can often be learned in a relatively short timescale.</p>
<p>So, just what should we be looking for? Some good behaviours to look for are:</p>
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<li>Ability to learn – how quickly do they develop new skills</li>
<li>Ownership – who is responsible for their performance & development</li>
<li>Initiative – what have they done without being told to</li>
<li>Judgement – how do they show good decision making & common sense</li>
<li>Work ethic – when have they gone beyond what was required</li>
<li>Flexibility – how do they adapt to change</li>
<li>Positivity – how do they handle life’s ups & downs</li>
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<p>The extent to which candidates have these traits can be identified through testing, proper questioning, observation &, most importantly, quality time with them. The more time you invest in making a decision, the more likely you are to ultimately make the right choice.</p>
<p>In today’s environment, it is clear that success in a job depends far more on these behaviours & competencies than it does on experience alone. If you choose the person with the right attitude you can teach & train them the skills they need & you will have made the better choice than the one that hits the ground running in terms of experience but falls at the first hurdle because they lack resilience or flexibility.</p></div>HR: What do customers want from us?https://community.dpgplc.co.uk/blog/hr-what-do-customers-want-from-us2012-03-16T10:30:00.000Z2012-03-16T10:30:00.000ZFiona Chathamhttps://community.dpgplc.co.uk/members/FionaChatham<div><p></p><p><br/>There has been a lot of <a rel="nofollow" href="http://www.personneltoday.com/articles/2012/03/01/58393/hr-needs-to-raise-the-bar-on-recruitment-says-report.html">discussion in the HR press</a> over recent weeks about whether HR is recruiting the right people and indeed whether current recruits to the profession are up to the job. The recent “Raising the bar in HR recruitment” report was commissioned by the Oakleaf Partnership, an independent specialist HR recruitment firm. Arguably then, the report may well have set out with the aim of encouraging organisations to make more informed recruitment decisions through the use of specialist agencies.</p><p>My attention was caught though by the comments of Linda Kennedy (group HR director at Yell) at the <a rel="nofollow" href="http://www.xperthr.co.uk/blogs/employment-intelligence/2012/03/is-the-bar-set-too.html">launch of the report</a>, Ms Kennedy felt that HR should reduce its focus on strategy and what she called “navel gazing” and “existential angst”. In her words:</p><div><p>"It's not about strategic HR - HR should be figuring out what the business needs to do and then figuring out what it can do to support that. If you have that bit right, the rest should follow."</p><p>But if we take the definition of strategic HR as being "the strategic management of human resources aligned with the organisation’s intended future direction. It is concerned with longer-term people issues and macro-concerns about structure, quality, culture, values, commitment and matching resources to future need.” (<a rel="nofollow" href="http://cipd.co.uk" target="_blank">CIPD website</a>)</p><p>Then, surely this is just what Linda Kennedy suggests that HR needs to be doing – figuring out what the business needs to do & what it can do to support that. In the words of Karl Albrecht (founder of Aldi) “If you’re not serving the customer, you’d better be serving someone who is”.</p><p>This raises an interesting question though, <em>just who are HR’s customers & do we know what they want from us?</em> For the answer to this I turned to The Institute for Employment Studies who carried out some research into this subject “<a rel="nofollow" href="http://www.employment-studies.co.uk/pubs/summary.php?id=453">What customers want from HR</a>”. Now this report was published back in September 2008, but there seems to be a continuing resonance with the current position of HR even in 2012.</p><p>The IES study found that the customers of HR (line managers, senior managers & employees) want a function that is independent minded, in close touch with the workforce & able to challenge managers when necessary. They also want support from HR people with real professional expertise, who can help them address people issues in a business context.</p><p>Both managers & non managers believe that HR has a unique role to play in balancing the needs of the business with the needs of the workforce. Of course, this can be a difficult role to play – HR is often perceived with mistrust by both parties, who often feel that HR is “on the other’s side”.At the same time HR can help managers understand what is really going on in the business. As one manager commented:</p><p>“HR needs to be like the jester to the king. It has to tell him what everyone knows but no one else dares to say”.</p><p>So, what do senior managers expect from HR? Well, they are looking for HR to balance the needs of the business & its workforce at a corporate level. HR can only deliver this if it has its finger on the pulse of what employees are feeling & how well they are working. So HR needs to be out & about in the business working with its customers to understand what they all need & how this can best be delivered.</p><div><p>This takes us neatly back to the point about whether HR is really up to the job (& not just the new recruits). Because what customers really want is a HR function that knows about HR. They do need to understand the business, of course they do, but fundamentally they need to be the people experts. And maybe this is HR’s problem – that too often we are seen as designing systems, policies, processes, & even names for ourselves such as “Business Partner”, for our own ends, rather than for the business’ needs.</p><p>So, where are we now? How can HR demonstrate its value? <a rel="nofollow" href="http://www.xperthr.co.uk/blogs/employment-intelligence/2012/02/anita-lettink-what-is-the-futu.html">As Anita Lettink asks</a>: “What is the added value of HR when managers lead employees?”</p><p>Senior managers stress the need for HR to understand the challenges facing line managers and their business needs. HR must be able to identify the people behaviours & skills that will drive organisational success & focus on business priorities rather than on policies & procedures that don’t add value to the business. Finally, HR should be able to support the business in reducing inefficiencies through the use of appropriate data & metrics that will drive organisational effectiveness.</p><p>The world of work is changing & HR is going to have to reinvent itself in order to keep pace with this. In a world where people expect to use technology to work & learn, HR is going to have to use these tools in order to reach & engage with both managers & employees. We need to demonstrate business awareness & have the ability to understand & interpret data that give real insight into performance. And fundamentally, we have to know what our customers want from us & must set about delivering on it.</p></div></div></div>