Hi L&D folk
I have to design a session for a team of managers and the brief is to:
- Reflect on past and future activity - how will they galvanise their teams in the face of high volume activity
- What currently works well/ needs improvement. Any further support they require from higher management
- Managing resources - how will they motivate and coach their staff to deliver on performance
- Working together closely as a management team
Can any of my fellow HR/L&D people help with useful models or techniques - it may be that all this cannot be covered in one session but two.
Any ideas will be gratefully received.
Many thanks
Tehmina Ansari Assoc CIPD
Replies
Hey Tehmina,
This sounds really like a really interesting session with lots of variety. If I'm totally honest, on reading through, I think the list is perhaps on the 'too big' side to cover in one day. Have you thought about how you could blend this learning perhaps using online tools working hand in hand with face to face sessions? Perhaps sharing some resources and getting discussions going along the way.
The list seems to cover the following:
- Reflect on past and future activity, high volume activity - This sounds like a bit of time management stuff. I'd recommend a look at Steven Covey's Time Management matrix, something that I learned about and taught years ago and I still use every single day to manage my time and prioritise. It works really well for me and others. I've run activites on this at senior level strategy planning in the National Health Service and using this model, I've seen some transformation in the way time is managed (and team work too!)
- What works well/needs improvement - This is a reflection/analysis outcome so perhaps something like a SWOT analysis would help with this? Getting the teams to look at their strengths, weaknesses, opportunities and threats? From this, action plans can be devised
- Managing resources movitate and coaching - This sounds like some coaching and performance management skills are needed. How good are the team at setting tangiable objectives. It's an age old classic, but some work on SMART could be useful here
- Working closely as a management team - So much to say here, but in a nutshell this is team work isn't it? Perhaps some activity looking at how well they work as a team, barriers to effective work, how to overcome them etc.
As I say, this seems like a whoe lot to cover Tehmina. I'm really questioning whether it's too much for a single day so as I say, consider what else you can do out of the 'classroom' before and after.
The other thing to say, is make sure you focus on the performance improvements you are looking to achieve. What are the desired performance outcomes from this learning - e.g. what will you expect to see/hear people doing differently as a result? What will the measures be?
Great conversation starting Tehmina, thanks for sharing. Let me know your thoughts on the above.
Some great ideas here from Ady - yes I was going to suggest SWOT analysis for the what works well/needs improvement section.
I have used reflection questions with groups before using the what/so what/now what....
What?:
So what?:
Now what?:
As Ady has commented there is lots of variety here so maybe a modular approach would be better.
It will be interesting to hear how you get on with this Tehima - keep in touch and good luck with the session/s.
Karen