Management Blog

Training is Essential For Leaders and Managers

Just been catching up on my reading as I'm a week behind with the Sunday papers. I came across this article by Ruth Spellman, Chief Executive of the Chartered Management Institute, in last Sunday's edition of the Times.

I concur with  the her message that training is essential if bosses are to avoid getting out of their depth. "No one is born a good manager....You need to learn that art if you want to get on. Most people have experienced some pretty poor examples..." of management training she says "...but done right, it can make a real difference." Spellman's main aim is to convince managers that what they do is a profession in its own right and should be treated as such.

She explains that "people who do see  as managers - rather than, say,accountants with management responsibilities - will be more likely to recognise that they need to develop as managers." part of that development means understanding more than just your own specialism. "You cannot have a business that is run by people who just have  single function training," she said. " As you get nearer to the top of an a your whole job is managing people. It is about managing the performance of other people who are responsible for the bottom line, not being directly responsible yourself...."

For a copy of Ruth Spellman's book "managers and leaders Who Can: How You Survive and Succeed in the New Economy" click here for the Sunday Times Bookshop

Management & Business Quiz

This is great idea from Business Balls, a quiz based on management and business knowledge. How many can you get correct?

1. What psychological methodology does NLP stand for? 
2. David McLelland's motivational theory identified three principal motivational needs which he said each of us possesses to varying degrees, and which characterise our motivational behaviour; what are these three motivational needs?
3. Which organisation produces the UK's ABC1C2 (etc) Social Grade Classifications Statistics? 
4. What does the selling acronym AIDA stand for? 
5. Who developed the 'Equity Theory' of job motivation in the 1960's?
6. What does the financial abbreviation P&L stand for?
7. Who developed the ten stages of corporate life cycle, starting with Courtship and Infancy and ending in Bureaucracy and Death? 
8. The Ansoff matrix correlates what two aspects of business development from the 'new' and 'existing' perspectives? 
9. In selling and communications, what do 'open questions' generally achieve?
10. Albert Mehrabian researched and published a now widely referenced set of statistics for the effectiveness of spoken communications; what three types of communication did he identify and what percentages for each did he attach to each type in terms of the percentage of meaning (or understanding) that each communication type conveyed from person to person in his study?
11. In business accounts and financial reporting, expenses which change according to scale of performance or usage or demand are known as what? 
12. What is the name of Ingham and Luft's model and theory which deals with hidden and open areas of knowledge about a person? 
13. The '360 degree' appraisal method collects feedback from whom, about whom?
14. What are the four levels of learning evaluation defined in Donald Kirkpatrick's model?
15. What is the correct ascending order of these human needs according to Maslow's Hierarchy of Needs: Esteem, Safety, Belongingness and Love, Self-Actualisation, Biological and Physiological?
16. What part of our brains typically handles process-type functions, according to brain theorists such as Katherine Benziger? 
17. What does the accounting acronym FIFO mean?
18. One of the most effective and efficient forms of marketing is abbreviated to the initials WOM; what is it?
19. Bloom's Taxonomy of Learning Domains divides learning development into three main aspects: Cognitive, Affective and Psychomotor; what might these three aspects of personal development more commonly be called? 
20. Who wrote the Seven Habits of Highly Effective People?
21. The 'Big Five' personality dimensions, by which modern day psychologists believe every person's personality and behaviour tendencies can be measured are commonly abbreviated to the OCEAN acronym; what does OCEAN stand for? 
22. What are the four metaphorical terms used to describe products/services in Boston Matrix model according to market share and market maturity?
23. The financial ratio which divides a company's 'liquid assets' by 'current liabilities' is known by what popular term?
24. What three important things should be confirmed and understood before conducting a brainstorming ideas session? 
25. What European Country is one of the best for leadership development programmes?

Example from Business balls

 

Answers

1. Neuro-Linguistic Programming

2. Achievement (n-ach), the need to achieve things; Authority/Power (n-pow), the need to have impact, influence and authority; and Affiliation (n-affil), the need for relationships, interaction and acceptance among other people (or words to similar effect as these definitions)

3. NRS Ltd (National Readership Survey)

4. Attention, Interest, Desire, Action

5. J Stacey Adams

6. Profit and Loss (Profit and Loss Account)

7. Dr Ichak Adizes

8. Products and Markets

9. Open questions gather information, improve understanding, and build rapport by encouraging the other person to talk and explain things, including how they feel about things.

10. Mehrabian's research stated that: 7% of meaning conveyed is in the words that are spoken; 38% of meaning conveyed is in the way that the words are said (paralinguistic); and 55% of meaning conveyed is in facial expression.

11. Variable Costs

12. The Johari Window

13. A '360 Degree' feedback appraisal collects the views from people who work with the appraisee, about the appraisee, including subordinates, peers, upline managers; effectively anyone who comes into contact with the appraisee and who is happy to provide constructive feedback about the appraisee's strengths and areas for improvement

14. 1. Enjoyment; 2. Transfer of learning; 3. Application of learning; 4. Effect of application (or words to the same effect as these four definitions)

15. Biological and Physiological Needs (basic life needs - shelter, food, drink, sleep, etc); Safety Needs (security, protection, law, etc); Belongingness and Love Needs (family, affection, relationships, etc); Esteem Needs (achievement, status, responsibility, reputation, etc); Self-Actualisation (personal growth, self-fulfilment, etc)

16. Left Basal (left rear)

17. First In First Out (a convention for writing down the balance sheet value of assets of the same type - oldest are written-off first)

18. Word Of Mouth

19. Knowledge, Attitude, Skills

20. Dr Stephen Covey

21. Openness to experience, Conscientiousness, Extraversion/introversion, Agreeableness, Neuroticism.

22. Dog, Cash Cow, Problem Child and Star (or Rising Star)

23. Acid Test (or 'Quick Ratio')

24. The purpose or aim of the exercise; a time limit; the fact that all ideas are welcome and to be respected (ie., sometimes the craziest-sounding ideas are the best ones).

25. Wales (One of my own questions as you may have guessed)

The Difference Between Leadership and Management

The Institute of Leadership and Management qualifications are popular with companies who wish to train their staff to recognised standards of excellence in leadership and management. The training courses are very work based, which means that what is learned can always be taken directly back to the work place and applied there. However, leadership and management is not the same thing. So, what exactly is the difference between leadership and management?

Put simply, a leader at the business level is one who leads, usually in a new direction. The inference is also that it is a successful direction and those led are by and large the better for it. A manager in executive management, by contrast, is someone who is in control and is directing a group of people according to rules, regulations, values and general principles that have been well established and accepted. The two disciplines are complementary to each other, in that both the leader and the manager is a person in control of a given group. However, while their roles generally differ to a large extent, they can overlap in places at times.

The general aim of the Institute of Leadership and Management is improving leadership and management in business. Higher level qualifications are designed to support those ready for the necessary training courses, and can improve management capability and help to create future leaders, thereby enhancing the careers of all those involved.

It would follow, therefore, that the training for the Institute of Leadership and Management qualification programmes needs to take into account the essential difference between leadership and management skills. It's the difference between empowering and being empowered; between a character based individual and a skills based one; the difference between removing performance barriers and staying within segmented areas of responsibility. Managers need leaders, and leadership needs management; the two are tied in a never-ending business waltz that works well when the balance is right.

It is only right that there is a qualification that links leadership and management. The two go hand in hand, and attempts to separate them will most likely cause more trouble than it is worth. Planning, organisation and coordination coupled with inspiration, innovation and motivation is already a winning combination. The leader's questions of what and why depend to a large degree on the manager's questions of how and when, and vice versa. The two sides of any coin should be different, but they still remain an indivisible part of the same object. And so it must be with the difference between leadership and management.

For more information on Call of the Wild's Institute of Leadership and Management qualifications visit our webiste.

Management Speak Examples - What Do they Mean?

We don't want to embarrass anyone but how often have you found yourself using some of these phrases in your work environment? I know I have. These phrases seem to creep into the office like osmosis but nobody knows where they originate or half the time what they actually mean.

When you hear them used does the person using them, in your eyes go up in your estimation or do they lose credibility. Interesting question. The intention on the part of the individual is obviously the former, trying to impress but does it actually have the opposite impact.

These are some which are doing the rounds on an ILM forum on Linked In at the moment.

Management Speak

1. Blue sky thinking

2. Lets take this off-line

3. I think we can park that over there for now

4.Burning platform

5. Deep dives,

6. Skin in the game

7. Tyre kicking

8. Let's take this offline

9. Getting our ducks in a row

10. We don't want to frighten the horses

11. Riding a race horse

12. Wake up and smell the coffee

13. Socialise the idea

14. Run the idea up the flagpole

15. Move out of the box

16. Prepare the 'roadmap of where we are going from here

17. Doing more with less

18. Rightsizing

19. I'm giving you the heads up

20. Customer centric

21. Lets drill down to the detail

22. Get in the tent

23. Throw under the bus

24.Kicking the beehive.

When you hear anyone saying these in the future will you be able to stop yourself from smiling?

For more information on personal development visit the Call of the Wild website

 

Importance of E-Learning - Free Trial Login to Our Development Academy

What is It? E-Learning for a Real Return on Investment and Embedded Learning.

Call of the Wild’s web enabled online development academy is our exciting new facility designed to both enhance our face to face development services and also to act as an invaluable learning resource which our clients can use throughout their managerial career.

It provides practical online management education that is geared towards business managers. It is most successful as a blended learning approach i.e. linked to a company’s values, behaviours, competency frameworks, performance reviews and/or off-line training initiatives
This has been stimulated by feedback from our clients. A number of recurring issues kept arising:-

1. Firstly time away from the office and its associated costs. Most training and development programmes will require time away from the office. Therefore the more this can be eliminated the better.
2. You’re all busy people with heavy workloads but with the desire to further your vocational knowledge to enable improved performance and progression. E-learning is an excellent means of achieving this difficult balance.
3. Retention of learning. Course material can be posted on the site together with pre and most importantly post course material.
4. CPD – For continued learning after the programme and throughout your career

Take a look at opur web enabled learning platform. An interactive website for learning and development. Coevrs all your CPD needs and can be linked to your own in-house training needs and competency frameworks.

Contact us know for your free login to trial it!

Personal Branding - Some Ideas

Choose a style

Style can be the reason people welcome or dismiss you. Before meeting a new client or audience, do an analysis. Should you be traditional and plain vanilla? Would they warm to an informal or artistic touch, or would that brand you an outsider?

If you're not sure about dress, either ring to check or err on the side of conservative. Above all, be comfortable; confidence is an important starting point.

Get fit

Your clothes don’t have to be costly but they do have to fit. A jacket that’s big in the shoulders, an uneven hem, wrong length trousers and sleeves and anything baggy will make you look badly dressed whatever you paid for what you wear. This is true whether you’re suited or smart casual

Make a full length check 

What you see looking down isn’t what others see looking straight at you.

Before leaving for a meeting, look at yourself in a full length mirror. Look with an objective eye. Do you present a smart picture? Is anything amiss?

Eliminate distractions 

Make sure there are no distractions to your appearance. Are there pet hairs in your car? Check your back before entering a meeting. After a salad lunch, check your smile. These small matters have a big impact.

Test your handshake

The limp fish handshake won’t ever do, yet you don’t want to be vigorous. Aim for firm, and while you offer a handshake, make eye contact. The best way to get the balance right is test it out with those who will take you seriously and give you honest feedback

Think posture and smile

Before you enter a room, relax, stand naturally tall – and even if you’re feeling insecure, whistle that happy tune to yourself and try to feel quietly self assured. While a friendly grin may be out of place, a genuine smile can never go amiss.

Breathe easy 

Check out your breath. It’s easy to do by yourself. Lick your wrist, leave it for a moment, and sniff. Or get others to tell you; you’d rather know

Hold your focus

No matter how many people you’d like to meet, give the person you’re talking to your full attention. There’s little more insulting than scanning the rest of the room while pretending to be engaged in conversation. All your hard work in preparation becomes a failed endeavour.

Shine your shoes


Shoes get noticed – especially if they’re scuffed or run down at the heel. Make sure yours don’t let you down. And men, choose shoes with leather soles; it’s the business standard.  

Arrive unfettered

Clutter is unsettling. If you have luggage, laptop, briefcase, coat, umbrella and the rest, leave it in the car or at reception, or ask someone to find a closet where you can store everything but the essentials. Whatever you do, make sure there’s a space around well dressed, confident, immaculate you.

Related Themes

Leadership Training Courses

Team Building Training

 

 

How to Measure Effectiveness of Management Development Programmes

There has been and ongoing debate as to whether it is possible to measure the quantitative effect of management development courses. The existing evidence is somewhat contradictory and therefore Call of the Wild, as with all our courses, sought to find out if such a measure can be made in order to provide reassurance for the client that they would get a real rather than perceived return on investment.

 Background

The purpose of this study was to investigate changes in work performance after completion of a typical three-day  management development  session organised by “Call of the Wild”.  This session involved participants working as members of a team in a variety of challenges, in order to develop skills that would prove valuable if they could be transferred back to the workplace environment.

For results visit http://www.corporate-training-events.co.uk/clients/Leadership-Articles.htm

How to Network Effectively - The Season For Networking

It is that time of year again with Christmas fast approaching. It is inevitable  that numerous opportunities arise for networking through Christmas lunches, business club Christmas lunches and so on. More so than at any other time during the year. So it does no harm at all to brush up on a nd refresh your networking skills in addition to revisiting your 1 minute proposition in response to the question "What do you do?"

Here are some thoughts on effective networking at this time of year.

 

1. Filter Out the Invitations

There will be a large number of opportunities out there for you take advantage of. However you don't want to or can't attend them all. So the first task is to establish which ones will provide the best opportunity to build up new contacts. If an event is just being attended by your peer group then the opportunities will be limited. If it is a general business club or Chamber of Commerce then there are likely to be more opportunities with like minded people seeking new contacts.

If you find the opportunities are not there for you then the first thing to do is some background research on what business clubs, Chambers of Commerce, Federation of Small Business, Local Authority events there are in your area.

2. Refresh Your Proposition

"And what do you do?". And your answer is? Spend alot of time refining your stock response to this question because this is where you will maybe get your one and only chance to engage a potential contact and sell yourself in. If you blow this response then you've wasted your time.

3. Let Them Talk First

You may want to get a question in first for two reasons:-

- To establish whether the individual is of any use (sounds mercenary but we all do it from  time to time). It is only after you have spoken to as many people as possible and listened to what they have to say that you will know who is important for you and who you will find useful

- You can refine your answer to best match their potential business needs

You may want to have more than one proposition or at least a way of delivering it with slightly different focus depending on the audience. Do your homework before attending and see if you can establish what type of individual/business will be attending and work out your stock response based on their anticipated business needs and requirements.

If you are the first one to speak, never start off talking about your own business first. Instead, ask about their business and listen carefully. Even if you don’t have much interest in their business, be sure to ask them a question or two to let them know that you were listening. If they say anything remotely related to your own business services, wait until they are finished speaking, then point out the relation between their business and your own.

Everybody likes a good listener and a good speaker, but no one can stand a show-off or a bore.

4. Alcohol Consumption

Sounds simple but know your limits and work out what your objectives are in attending this event. If it is just to have a good time then fine but if it is with a view to generating new contacts and potential leads then beware the waiters bearing liquid gifts in green bottles.

5. Format of the Event

If it is a formal dinner arrangement then bear in mind that for the majority of the evening you will be stuck on one table conversing with the same people. Therefore it is important to maximise the opportunities presented before the dinner , especially if there is a drinks reception. Arrive early to take advantage of this time before dinner. Similarly after dinner, don't rush off but try and stay around to establish is who is propping up the bar.

6. Circulate

Depending on the format the objective is to meet as many people as possible. Don't stick to the one or two people you know. Not everyone finds this easy to do but you know what they say practise makes perfect. Try and limit the amount of time you spend with one person. They are there for the same reason as you and won't take offence if you suggest that you both move on and talk to other people in the room. If you're exchanged details then you can always catch up with them after the event.

7. Personal Branding

The old saying you don't get a second chance to make a good first impression is so true. Be presentable. It is very important that you follow the dress code for these events. Don't try and be wacky as it doesn't work for some people. I attended an event recently where business suit/lounge suit was specified on the ticket. One indidivudal at the dinner turned up in jeans and a shirt. OK not too outlandish but he stood out for the wrong reasons as he was the only one without a suit. People were heard to comment on his state of attire. I know some PR and marketing gurus would advocate standing out from the crowd but as I say it doesn't appeal to some people. Therefore to maximise your opportunties follow the convention.

Again most of you will know to do this but don't make the schoolboy error of attending these events without business cards, and not ones made up on your home computer as they can be counter productive.

8. Follow-Up

Any promises made or any contacts made then make sure you follow them up.  You may not convert anything immediately but it may take months if not years. Try and add some value to the follow-up. "Thought this mught be of interest" or help if appropriate or even give them a contact of your own.

Follow up on prospective contacts without hounding them. Make a call, fix up an appointment and proceed.Call your contacts at regular intervals. It can be once a week, once a month or once in three months. But a friendly follow-up is a must to keep your network alive.

 

 

 

 

 

Management Training & Development As Important as Technical Training

Williams and Benetton used the same Renault engine in their Formula One racing cars in the 1997 season. Williams was consistently faster and more successful. Both cars had the same power but the difference between them was in how they applied that power to the track. In 2009, the Brawn team has started off dramatically well having switched to Mercedes engines. However, the previous year's champions, McLaren, using the same engine, are having a miserable start to the season.

Many companies today share the same technical ability but some are more successful. If the engine of the company consists of the hard skills of technical excellence, the soft skills of organisational management are the transmission, translating the engine's power into a winning machine.

Technical skills constitute the company's mainstay and stock in trade. We call these hard skills because they are non-problematic. Everyone accepts the need for them. Less obvious are the soft skills such as managing customer relationships, team selling,  leadership, motivation,communication, commitment building, and joint problem-solving.

While technical training is considered an investment, many companies refer to  management training as a cost. Unfortunately, because of the woolly nature of the planning and conceptualisation of most management training, much of it does turn out to be wasted. However the two sets of skills, hard and soft, should be complementary. The people in the excellent company are good at both.

McDonald's Offering Foundation Degrees

Fast food restaurant McDonald's is offering its managers the chance to study for a foundation degree writes the BBC.

More than 60 staff have swapped flipping burgers for a two-year business management course. The company already offers apprenticeships and says it wants to help staff become more qualified.

Stuart McWilliam is 27 and from Warrington. He started working at McDonald's aged 17.

 "I started as a crew member. I was cooking fries and grilling burgers," says Stuart, who works in one of the Warrington restaurants. "I started from the bottom."

But recently he's swapped working at McDonald's for late night studying. He said: "I'm doing a foundation degree and I hope it will open doors and help me progress further."

He's one of 53 managers who have signed up for a foundation degree through the fast food restaurant.The company worked with Manchester Metropolitan University to create the course in managing business operations.It's only open to managers, so other staff cannot apply.

 
However, some members of the hospitality industry are concerned that the courses will not be immediately accepted by other businesses. For instance how would you view someone who came to you for a job and had one of these degrees. There are also questions as to whether such degrees are too introspective and give the wider business learning gained from other simialr qualifications.

Any thoughts?

Related Themes

ILM Awards and Certificates

Foundation Degrees with our online Development Academy