Download - Republika e Kosovës Republika Kosova-Republic of Kosovo ... · COMMUNICATION & PRESENTATION 94 How to interview for selection and recruitment 94 ... How to work well with your boss

Handbook for Managerial Level in Civil Service

1

Republika e KosovësRepublika Kosova-Republic of Kosovo

Qeveria - Vlada – GovernmentMinistria e Administratës Publike / Ministarstvo Javne Uprave / Ministry of Public Administration

Departamenti i Administrimit të Shërbimit Civil / Departament za Administraciju Civilne SluzbeDepartment of Civil Service Administration

HANDBOOK FOR MANAGERIAL LEVEL IN CIVIL SERVICE

Pristina, June 2016


2

Preface

Improved service delivery is a fundamental priority of our government. To achieve this goal, we need a modern public administration directed towards citizens, businesses and the administration itself and ready to address their challenges and needs. Fulfilling this role requires a creative and accountable civil service, ready for innovation, cooperation and working in close partnership with all stakeholders.

This cannot be achieved without a capable, committed and well prepared leadership and management. The modern civil service at all levels requires leaders who have considerable skills to manage policies in complex organizational and functional environments.

This handbook is an instrument that can help the development of a quality and competent civil service. The document is designed for the purpose of facilitating the access of civil service management to increase the civil servants’ performance in providing services to citizens, businesses and administration itself.

Sincerly,

Mahir YagcilarMinister of Public Administration


3

A Handbook for Civil Service Managers

Table of Contents

Abbreviations 6 Introduction 7 The purpose of this handbook 7 Management and leadership in the civil service 8 How this handbook is structured 12PLANNING AND ORGANISATION 15 How to plan the activities of your team 15 How to use PDCA - Plan, Do, Check, Act. 19 How to get the best out of the Personnel Planning process 22 How to plan project activities 25DECISION MAKING 28 How to make difficult decisions 28 How to analyse problems 30STAFF MOTIVATION AND DEVELOPMENT 33 How to set a good example 33 How to induct new employees 36 How to use a job description 37 How to use a competency framework 42 How to set clear and stretching objectives 47 How to delegate responsibly 49 How to coach someone to improve performance 51 How to be a mentor 55 How to motivate your staff 57 How to recognise and motivate different types of people 59 How to conduct an appraisal interview 64 How to develop subordinates 68 How to deal with underperformance 70 Chapter 21: How to deal with an employee with a grievance 72 How to lead for the first time 75 How to choose your leadership style(s) 76


4

PROFESSIONAL AND TECHNICAL KNOWLEDGE 79 How to make a business case 79 How to think creatively 81 How to lead a change in your department or institution 83TEAMWORK 85 How to get the best out of a team 85 How to create a vision for your own function or department 88 How to develop and use team values 90 How to work well in a team 92COMMUNICATION & PRESENTATION 94 How to interview for selection and recruitment 94 How to deal with a conflict at work 102 How to improve your interpersonal communication 111 How to have a successful meeting with a difficult person 114 How to negotiate 115 Chapter 36: Have a dialogue rather than a competitive debate 116 How to give and receive feedback 117 How to give praise 118 How to present ideas 119EFFECTIVENESS AT WORK 121 How to understand yourself and others 121 How to influence your boss 124 How to run an efficient and effective meeting 125 How to plan your own activities and manage your time wisely 127 How to manage your stress 130 How to get the best from the HR Department 130SENIOR MANAGEMENT TOPICS 133 How to develop an institutional strategy 133 How to secure the commitment of others to a strategy 135 How to oversee the implementation of a strategic plan 136 How to improve value for money for your institution and the Kosovo Civil Service 138 How to build a high-performing senior team 140HUMAN RESOURCE MANAGEMENT TOPICS 142 Chapter 55: How to work well with line managers 142


5

How to work well with your boss 145 How to work as an internal consultant 149 How to use organisation development (OD) to improve your institution’s performance 150 Consortium Management and Development Associates (MDA) and Ecorys: 152


6

Abbreviations

DCSA Department of Civil Service Administration

KIPA Kosovo Institute of Public Administration

HR Human Resources

HRM Human Resources Management

HRD Human Resources Development

MoF Ministry of Finance

MOOCS Massive Open Online Courses

MPA Ministry of Public Administration

OPM Office of the Prime Minister

OD Organisation Development

PP Personnel Planning

SWOT Strengths, Weaknesses, Opportunities, Threats

VFM Value for Money


7

Introduction

This handbook is a compilation of civil service management and leadership best practice gathered from around Europe and beyond. It draws upon many well know models and concepts but translates them into practical management practices, tools and techniques that are applicable in the civil service. As such it is evidence-based rather than theoretical.

It aims to provide an easy access repository of expertise and experience that busy managers can refer to when facing particular situations.

Through consultation with the Ministry of Public Administration and civil service legal experts, senior, operational and human resources managers it has been adjusted for the Kosovo civil service, its legal framework and organizational culture that is becoming increasingly open and dynamic. It also aims to complement the work of IKAP and the implementation of the Civil Service Training Strategy.

As the government works to raise the level of public service delivery and citizens themselves develop higher expectations, the role of civil service managers in managing their resources and leading their teams becomes both more critical and more challenging.

We hope this handbook can help in meeting those challenges.

The purpose of this handbookTo be effective, managers need to know what to do. In summary they need to:

Know what’s expected by the institution’s strategy and the senior officials- Ideally, contribute to those expectations and strategy

Plan to meet those expectations - developing work plans- defining needed outputs and outcomes- setting team and individual targets


8

Manage the process of achieving the outputs, outcomes and targets- communicate plans to staff- involve staff in the process- achieve buy-in by staff

Monitor progress against plans, continuously- review performance of staff- coach and mentor employees to raise performance

Review the unit’s performance at middle and end of year. - report to superiors- produce new plans for next year

In going about their day-to-day activities civil service managers have to comply with a multitude of laws and regulations. The laws and regulations spell out even further what a manager has to do.

But just as importantly, managers need to know how to achieve best results. This handbook provides advice – based upon best practice and EU standards – on the ways such requirements can be undertaken. It has been developed to provide an easy reference ‘How to’ guide for busy civil service managers.

It can be read in one of two ways. New managers taking up their first supervisory role may choose to read the entire publication to give them an overview of the role of a managerial leader and the range of approaches they could choose to adopt. Or alternatively readers could choose to dip into the handbook whenever they are facing particular situations or have to deal with specific issues and wish to consider how best to tackle them.

Management and leadership in the civil serviceGood management and leadership is about creating the conditions that allow others to succeed.As managers, we are in a privileged position to develop others, and a great manager brings out the best in other people.

There is huge range of skills a good civil service manager has to be able to use. The civil service performance appraisal regulation identifies eight core competencies that all managers need to deploy, as shown in the


9

diagram below. (Those in blue actually apply to all civil servants, but managers should be exemplary in those areas). This handbook provides advice and guidance on how to improve your skills in all of these areas.

The diagram above incorporates both management and leadership activities. We believe that there is a fundamental distinction between management and leadership and that both are absolutely essential for any organisation to succeed.

Management is primarily about non-human resources or things, whilst leadership is about people.

Management involves the development of logical processes, project plans, performance indicators and monitoring systems leadership is about seeing patterns of activity, imagining how things might be different and sparking an idea in the team. A manager builds the budget; a leader inspires his or her staff to implement the budget. In order to persuade and influence others we need to be able to visualise a future that does not currently exist, to think up creative solutions to problems and to be able to sense when others are struggling or feeling low. And to take effective action we need good management.

This handbook aims to encourage all leaders to develop their managerial skills and all managers their leadership capabilities, so they all become ‘star’ performers.


10

Lead

ersh

ip E

ffecti

vene

ss

High

Visionaries StarsLo

w

Drifters Busy Bees

Low HighManagement efficiency

Action Centred Leadership

This model of leadership distills the responsibilities of a leader into the three inter-related areas. These are to define and achieve the task, to build up and co-ordinate a team, and to develop and satisfy the individual members. The handbook aims to help managers with their leadership activities in all three areas.

Task The difference between a group and a random crowd is that a group has some common objective. If a work group does not achieve the required result or a meaningful result it will become frustrated. Organisations have a task: to make a profit, to provide service, or just to survive. For anyone who manages others, achieving results is major criterion of success be it in production, selling or other fields.


11

Functions that a manager should undertake in the Task circle include: Defining the Vision, Goal and TaskMaking a plan and communicating it Allocating work and resources Controlling the quality and pace of the workChecking performance against the plan Adjusting the plan as required

Team Needs To achieve objectives the group must be held together. People need to work in a co-ordinated fashion in the same direction, teamwork will ensure that their output is greater than the sum of individual efforts. Conflict within the group must be used effectively, arguments can lead to ideas or to tension or lack of co-operation.

Functions that a manager should undertake in the Team circle include: Setting standardsMaintaining discipline Building team spirit Encouraging, motivating, giving a sense of purpose Appointing sub-leaders if needed Ensuring communication within the team Coaching the team

Individual Needs Within the working groups individuals sets of needs. They want to know what are their responsibilities, what they can contribute, how well they are performing. The leader must give them the opportunity to take a responsibility, to show their potential and give them recognition for good work.

Functions that a manager should undertake in the Individual circle include: Attending to individual’s problems Praising individualsGiving recognition Identifying and using individual abilities Coaching individuals


12

How this handbook is structuredThis handbook is divided into three main sections.

SECTION ONE contains 43 short chapters organised under the competency headings from the above diagram – starting with Planning and Organising. All of these chapters apply to every civil service manager regardless of rank.

SECTION TWO contains 5 chapters that are specifically relevant to senior managers (in addition to all those in Section One)

SECTION THREE contains 4 chapters that are specific to Human Resources Managers.

The legal and regulatory framework

The Civil Service does the practical and administrative work of government. Many of the processes by means of which the civil service undertakes this work are defined and proscribed by laws and regulations. The advice, guidance and approaches contained in this handbook can help in implementing many of those stipulated requirements, for example:


13

Law, Regulation or Administrative Instruction Relevant chaptersLaw on Civil Service 3, 30Law on State Administration 44Law on Public Finance & Accountability 5, 47Law on Public Procurement 5, 47Law on Auditor General and Auditing Office 47Law on Internal Auditing 47Regulation on the Code of Civil Service Conduct 7, 10, 47Regulation on Internal Organisation & Systematisation 9Regulation on Job Descriptions 1, 9Regulation on Recruitment and Selection 9, 30Regulation Fair & Proportional Representation of Minorities 3, 9, 30Regulation on Civil Servants Appointments 9, 30Regulation on Senior Management Appointments 44, 45, 48Regulation on Probationary Period 8, 9, 18Regulation on Working Hours 1, 8Regulation on Civil Servants’ leave 1, 8Regulation on Care due to Disability or Health 5, 6Regulation on Personnel Planning 3, 17, 30, 43, 49, 50, 51Regulation on Performance Appraisal Results 17, 2, 3, 10, 11, 13, 14, 18, 19Regulation on Transfer of Civil Servants 3, 9 Regulation on Career Promotion 3, 9Regulation on Resolving Disputes and Complaints 5, 6, 20, 31, 33, 34, 35Regulation on Disciplinary Procedures 5, 9, 13, 19, 33, 35Regulation on Redundant Civil Servants 5, 6Regulation on Termination or Suspension of Employment 5, 19Regulation on Voluntary Work after Retirement 16Administrative Instruction on Senior Appointments Committee 30


14

SECTION ONE:


15

PLANNING AND ORGANISATION

How to plan the activities of your team An organisation achieves its objectives through its workforce. The use of an appraisal system is one of the tools that organisations use to ensure that its goals are met. It does this by translating the institution’s strategies, plans and standards into Directorate and then individual work plans and instructions.

Performance Appraisal is part of an annual cycle of activity that is about managing resources effectively. The main resource areas are people, finance, materials and information and the performance appraisal system is the mechanism used to review individual performance in achieving organisational objectives. Most institutions, use organisation-wide plans which can form the basis of their directorate plans that are then translated into objectives for Directors and cascaded down through the organisation. This provides a good method of ensuring that all the organisational priorities are put into individual work plans and then progress measured.

In any event all institutions should have directorate plans which detail the organisational priorities and the practice established of linking this plan to the objectives for the individual’s annual work plan, along with the tasks in the job description. In practice, the better the directorate plan, the easier it is to develop good objectives for staff.

So the first step in planning the activities of your team is to be clear about the goals of your department or unit and then to decide how you can best use your staff members to achieve them. The appraisal process then provides you with the mechanism to communicate those plans individually to your team members.

Reg. on job descriptionsReg. on working hoursReg. on civil servants’ leave


16

The Appraisal Process Cycle

The cycle of activity and the general timescales for issuing and completing the appraisal review are as follows:

Task/objective setting at the start of the cycle– this is the identification and agreement of the objectives and key tasks to be performed throughout the year. This meeting should take place in December each year.

On-going feedback – throughout the year the manager should informally give feedback on performance and provide coaching for improvement as required.

Mid-year Review – it is recommended that each manager and appraisee should have at least one informal mid-year review meeting – in June – to provide feedback on positive and negative aspects of performance to date and identify development requirements.

On-going feedback – throughout the year the manager should informally give feedback on performance and provide coaching for improvement as required.

End of year review – performance appraisal (the formal review of results) should be completed during the month of December. This meeting should also be used to discuss and agree objectives and expected competences for the following year.


17

Setting objectives/work tasks

The sections below give some guidance on how to implement objective setting in a fair and consistent manner. The performance appraisal regulation requires the objectives/work tasks to be identified and then for the detailed activities that will lead to achievement and measurement of the task to be developed.

The objectives/work tasksThe regulation (Article 5) states that “objectives are the priorities of the work of the civil servant and include the activities to be carried out by the end of the appraised period”. This Article goes on to state that the “appraisal of achievement is based on individual annual working plans (drafted according to priorities defined by the institution and respectively by the civil servant’s organisational unit) and his job description.”

The above gives a clear direction that objectives should be based on organisational priorities and the job description. In order for organisational priorities to be fully taken into account, it is recommended that the most senior official in the institution should be the first to appraise his/her staff, then they in turn appraise their subordinates and so on. In this way, the institution’s priorities are cascaded down through the organisation. It permits appraisers to delegate appropriate elements of their own objectives to their team members.

Each objective has to be given a numerical score at the end of the year, and for this to be done with any accuracy the objective must be measurable in some way. Therefore you need to give great care and attention to the objective setting process. If, for whatever reason, the setting of objectives is delayed, then the reduced duration for achievement of the objective should be taken into account, and should be noted on the appraisal form.

Developing effective objectives/work tasksIt is important that the setting of objectives is done in a reasonable, fair and consistent manner. Work objectives must fall within the ambit of the job description for the respective post and must be relevant to the main duties of the job as set out in the job description. Objectives should not however merely list the day-to-day activities that the employee would undertake anyway. They should either be stretching goals, or be focused on specific areas for improvement that will help the department and institution reach its goals.

Using the SMART ProcessTo help develop effective and measurable objectives, the SMART process is recommended. This process is a standardised approach to identifying the wording of an objective to ensure that the objective it is effective,


18

understood and measurable. It is illustrated below. The objective should have the following characteristics to be SMART:

Specific: to give a clear statement of the task or goal required. Measurable: to give a numerical or quantity reference so it is clear how much is to be delivered.Achievable: objectives should be stretching but clearly possible to achieve. This is done in agreement with the individual, taking into consideration the prevailing organisational ability and environment. Realistic: that it can be done within the skills, knowledge, resources and time available.Time bound: it should have a timescale set for achievement.

Some examples of SMART objectives/work tasks: 1. To organise and provide administrative support to all the institution’s committees, including

the preparation and distribution of agendas and minutes, at least 2 weeks before and after every meeting.

2. Maintain a level of customer satisfaction in the department in which complaints do not exceed 1:1000 at any time over the year.

3. Deal with 90% of divisional customer complaints within 24 hours, reporting in writing on a monthly basis.

4. Reduce the backlog in dealing with applications by 25% each month from February to May, and maintain a two weeks clearance time afterwards.

Subsequent development of the different activities required to carry out the objective:

The appraisal documentation requires an objective to be set and then the identification of the activities required to carry out the objective. These activities can be developed like the main objectives/work tasks, using the same measurable (SMART) criteria outlined above – they should detail the task and the timescale and completion of all these activities should result in the measurable completion of the objective An example is provided below of this approach1 which uses the above methodology.


19

Objective ActivitiesBy the end of the year prepare an Institution paper on staff absence levels with recommendations on how absence can be reduced.

1 Undertake an analysis by department for the previous year by the end of **** date.2 Undertake research of levels in other institutions and Organisations by **** date.3 Discuss findings/challenges with all managers by **** date.4 Prepare paper to be presented to the Board of Directors covering analysis and recommendations by **** date.

Determining the number of objectives/work tasks for each jobThe appraisal form has space for 5 objectives but it is understood that depending on the job there may be more or less, at the discretion of the appraiser. It is recommended that appraisers should normally set between 3 and 5 objectives depending upon the scope of the objectives.

Reaching agreement on objectivesThe specification of objectives should not be interpreted as an exclusively top-down process, imposing something on the civil servant by his/her manager. Suggestions from employees on the objectives to be proposed should be welcomed. The discussion should aim at ensuring that there is a joint understanding of the matter. Discussion should continue until agreement is reached. If a stalemate is reached then reference to the next most senior manager may be made. After the discussion, the agreed objectives should be recorded on the front page of the appraisal form (Section II) and then signed by the appraiser and the civil servant concerned. A copy of this section of the form should be retained by both the manager and the appraisee as a working action

How to use PDCA - Plan, Do, Check, Act.

PDCA is a fundamental tool in managing yourself, your projects and your team’s activities. It does three things:

1. Helps you to continually change and tweak what you do in order to: a) Achieve higher quality in your results and processes, and b) Gain continual increases in work efficiency.

2. Allows you to clearly see which stage your project is at.3. Assists you in handling your work logically and systematically.


20

Simply put, PDCA is a way to move from a reactive fire-fighting and problem fixing model to a proactive one.

To carry PDCA out, you need to follow the four-step cycle as in the diagram above. Firstly, you start with Plan.

P is for PlanIn any project or significant activity, you will first need a detailed plan. Make sure to identify your goals, delegate work properly and set a clear action plan with key milestones.

Don’t forget to document your plan in order to help you analyse its effectiveness later.

D is for DoOnce you have your plan, do it. As no plan is ever completely perfect, make sure you make a list of problems as you encounter them, and how you responded to them.

C is for CheckOnce the project or activity is underway make sure you set review dates/times to assess how well things are going. This can include asking the team members to compile the list of problems and solutions they’ve


21

encountered. Share information with the whole team so that everyone knows and understands how to avoid these problems, or to fix them if they happen to reappear again later.

After that, take an all-encompassing look at the project. There are usually some key areas where you could have done something better. Brainstorm, and identify areas for improvement.

For each problem you found, identify the root causes by using 5-why analysis. In essence, you would set the problem up like an equation, then ask why did this happen? Five times. To provide a basic example, let’s say that you’ve just finished organising a dinner for senior officials and had a problem because the catering service delivered the food an hour behind schedule. To find the root causes, do the following:

Step The caterer delivered food 2 hours late.1 Because we did not give the supplier the purchase order on time.2 Because we did not get all approval signatures on time.3 Because we prepared the purchase order only 3 days before the event.4 Because we forgot to prepare the PO.5 Because we didn’t have a checklist to clearly identify the tasks we needed to complete at what time.Root cause

In this case, one of the root causes is that we lacked a checklist to ensure everything was prepared at the designated time.

A is for ActYou now know the root causes of the problems, now fix them. Your job here is to ensure these problems don’t rear their heads again the next time you carry out this project. Solving an issue by fixing the root cause is like uprooting weeds, as they won’t grow back again. If you solve a problem as they come along, then all you’re doing is cutting weeds. With a bit of time, they’ll just grow back and come back to haunt you.

Once the root causes are eliminated, it is important to standardise new methods so that everyone knows about it, and that they don’t happen again.


22

How to get the best out of the Personnel Planning processPersonnel planning is about defining the workforce that can execute an institution’s strategy, now and in the future, and then putting plans in place to secure such a workforce. It does this by answering the following questions:

What levels of vacancies can we expect to arise as a result of retirement and non-retirement reasons?

What new roles and competences are needed in the workforce today and in the future?What are the impacts of policy changes, new legislation and other external factors such as

demographic shifts, technology changes and social changes?What is the gap between supply and demand of talent?How can we ensure that the right people are in the right jobs with the right skills at the right

time for the right cost?Do we build or buy talent to meet our needs?

So a personnel plan has two main purposes:

To predict the future workforce requirements. To enable the institution to plan to secure the optimum workforce to achieve its goals.

For each institution the plan relates to the organisation’s structure. The plan determines the number of job positions, of various types that may be filled during the course of the year, depending upon the limitations of the budget for salaries.

The plan is also related to the overall institution strategic plan and priorities, and of the administration as a whole. Typically, personnel plans are prepared in the current year for the following year thereby forecasting the needs for recruitment, redeployment and training and development. All of this enables the budget to be estimated based upon the known salary levels for civil servants and the expected length of service and performance related increments.

How the plan is prepared

As detailed in the regulation it will be the responsibility of the Personnel Unit in each institution to compile

Law on civil serviceReg. on personnel planningReg. on transfer of civil servantsReg. on career promotionReg. on fair representation of minorities


23

the Individual Personnel Plan, using the information held locally within the organisation, and in consultation with unit and divisional managers.

Key sections of the report include: Executive summary Demand forecast including estimated future leavers and new recruits. Skills and competences gap analysis including training needs for current staff and planning

for entry trainings for staff to be recruited during the year; Identification of vacant positions listed as according to priority, analyses on personnel

availability and recommendations on resourcing methods: i.e. to recruit, redeploy, promote or train/develop, and the target date for filling each position.

A comments section where institutions should list current challenges and difficulties in resourcing the institution, possible demographic issues facing the institution and strategic priorities of the institution

that will impact upon staff requirements.

Roles and responsibilities

The responsibilities of the key players in the personnel planning process are as follows

Personnel Units in institutions

Primary responsibility for the development of the draft Personnel Plan Repeated consultations with line managers Submission of the draft Personnel Plan to the Head of the Institution for approval Submission of the approved draft report to the Department of Civil Service Administration

(Ministry of Public Administration)Once approved, to implement the Personnel Plan in accordance with the Regulation on

Recruitment and Selection

Line Managers in institutions

To provide the necessary information to the personnel unit to facilitate the development of the Personnel Plan

To cooperate and participate in consultations with the personnel unit.


24

Department of Civil Service Administration (Ministry of Public Administration)

To monitor and verify that institutions’ resourcing plans have been compiled in accordance with the PP regulation

To supervise the implementation of institution’s Personnel Plans to ensure that employee numbers do not exceed the authorised number.

To review and ultimately approve institutions’ personnel plans and then submit the General Plan to the Ministry of Finance in a timely manner according to the annual budgetary process.

To collect, revise, approve and consolidate the General Plan based on annual individual plans prepared and submitted by the Personnel Units of Institutions.

MoF

To review and ultimately approve the sums of money required to pay the salaries of civil servants in in authorised positions.

What line managers can and should do to get the best from the process.

It can be seen from the list of responsibilities detailed above that the main onus for the administration of the personnel planning process rests with the HR Unit in each institution. However, line managers have a very important obligation to take the process seriously and to cooperate fully with the HR function.

When requested by the HR function line managers should provide them with the following information related to their department:

The number of current vacant positions (as against budgeted and authorised positions) The number of positions that will become vacant in the following year due to retirement The average number of leavers each year over the last three years Any changes in the competencies delegates to their department Any skills and knowledge gaps in the department’s staff Their views on the priority and urgency with which each position should be filled Their views on the preferred means of filling each vacancy – e.g. recruit, redeploy, promote

or train/develop. Any special circumstances that are affecting the effective resourcing of their department.


25

By engaging fully in this process line managers are much more likely to be satisfied with the eventual recruitment and selection decisions that are made, as the HR function will be fully and accurately informed about their wishes and expectations.

How to plan project activities

The key to a successful project is in the planning. Creating a project plan is the first thing you should do when undertaking any kind of project.

This chapter describes a simple, practical approach to project planning. Step 1: Project Goals

A project is successful when the needs of the stakeholders have been met. A stakeholder is anybody directly, or indirectly impacted by the project. As a first step, it is important to identify the stakeholders in your project. It is not always easy to identify the stakeholders of a project, particularly those impacted indirectly. Examples of stakeholders are:

The project sponsor The customer or beneficiary who receives the deliverables The users of the project outputs The project manager and project team

Once you understand who the stakeholders are, the next step is to find out their needs. The best way to do this is by conducting stakeholder interviews. Take time during the interviews to draw out the true needs that create real benefits. Often stakeholders will talk about needs that aren’t relevant and don’t deliver benefits. These can be recorded and set as a low priority.

The next step, once you have conducted all the interviews and have a comprehensive list of needs, is to prioritise them. From the prioritised list, create a set of goals that can be easily measured. A technique for doing this is to review them against the SMART principle. This way it will be easy to know when a goal has been achieved.

Once you have established a clear set of goals, they should be recorded in the project plan. It can be useful to also include the needs and expectations of your stakeholders.


26

Step 2: Project Deliverables

Using the goals you have defined in step 1, create a list of things the project needs to deliver in order to meet those goals. Specify when and how each item must be delivered. Add the deliverables to the project plan with an estimated delivery date. More accurate delivery dates will be established during the scheduling phase, which is next.

Step 3: Project Schedule

Create a list of tasks that need to be carried out for each deliverable identified in Step 2. For each task identify the following: The amount of effort (hours or days) required to complete the task The resource who will carryout the task

Once you have established the amount of effort for each task, you can work out the effort required for each deliverable, and an accurate delivery date. Update your deliverables section with the more accurate delivery dates.

At this point in the planning, you could choose to use a software package such as MS Project to create your project schedule. Alternatively, use one of the many free templates available. Input all of the deliverables, tasks, durations and the resources who will complete each task.

A common problem discovered at this point, is when a project has an imposed delivery deadline from the sponsor that is not realistic based on your estimates. If you discover this is the case, you must contact the sponsor immediately. The options you have in this situation are:

Renegotiate the deadline (project delay) Employ additional resources (increased cost) Reduce the scope of the project (less delivered)

You can use the project schedule to justify pursuing one of these options.


27

Step 4: Develop Supporting Plans

Human Resource Plan

Identify by name, the individuals and organisations with a leading role in the project. For each, describe their roles and responsibilities on the project. Next, describe the number and type of people needed to carryout the project. For each resource detail start dates, estimated duration and the method you will use for obtaining them. Create a single sheet containing this information.

Communications Plan

Create a document showing who needs to be kept informed about the project and how they will receive the information. The most common mechanism is a weekly or monthly progress report, describing how the project is performing, milestones achieved and work planned for the next period.

Risk Management Plan

Risk management is an important part of project management. Although often overlooked, it is important to identify as many risks to your project as possible, and be prepared if something bad happens.

Here are some examples of common project risks: Time and cost estimates too optimistic Customer review and feedback cycle too slowUnexpected budget cutsUnclear roles and responsibilities Stakeholder input is not sought, or their needs are not properly understood Stakeholders changing requirements after the project has started Stakeholders adding new requirements after the project has started Poor communication resulting in misunderstandings, quality problems and rework Lack of resource commitment

Risks can be tracked using a simple risk log. Add each risk you have identified to your risk log; write down what you will do in the event it occurs, and what you will do to prevent it from occurring. Review your risk log on a regular basis, adding new risks as they occur during the life of the project. Remember, when risks are ignored they don’t go away.


28

DECISION MAKING

How to make difficult decisions

Anyone can make the easy decisions that everyone will agree with. It taking the tough decisions, which are for the overall good but will cause hardship or inconvenience to some, that distinguish the leader from the manager.

Before taking a difficult decision consider the following five steps, known as ‘The Five Cs’.


29

1. Consider the objectives

What is the decision intended to achieve? By when must the decision be taken?What are the constraints involved?What would be the effect if no decision were taken?What information is needed?Who should take the decision?

2. Consult those affected

Have all the people who should be consulted been identified?Have you met with consultative committees and trade union representatives?Has a date been set for the conclusion of the process?Have you attempted to use creative techniques such as brainstorming? Are you prepared to listen to suggestions without jumping to conclusions?

• Recognise that consultation is not negotiation.

3. Commit to making up your mind

Review your objectives. Classify them into ‘must achieve’ and ‘would like to achieve’ List all options; evaluate options against objectives Choose best option and assess the consequences Take the decision with commitment and enthusiasm

4. Communicate

Have all of those affected been briefed with reasons? Are the channels for feedback fully understood?

5. Check the implementation

Is corrective action necessary?Have people understood the implications of the decision?


30

Are standards being achieved or can quality be improved further? Can authority be delegated for subsequent decisions?

How to analyse problems A fundamental part of every manager’s role is finding ways to solve problems. So, being a confident problem solver is really important to your success. Much of that confidence comes from having a good process to use when approaching a problem. With one, you can solve problems quickly and effectively. Without one, your solutions may be ineffective, or you’ll get stuck and do nothing, with sometimes painful consequences.

There are five key steps in solving a problem:

Identifying the problemDefining the problem.Generating alternatives. Evaluating and selecting alternatives. Implementing solutions.

Problem Identification:

This stage involves: detecting and recognising that there is a problem; identifying the nature of the problem; defining the problem. This may sound obvious but often requires more thought and analysis. Identifying a problem can be a difficult task in itself, is there a problem at all? What is the nature of the problem, are there in fact numerous problems?

Defining the problem:

This stage involves: a period of observation, careful inspection, fact-finding and developing a clear picture of the problem. The key to a good problem definition is ensuring that you deal with the real problem – not its symptoms. It is necessary to separate fact from opinion. For example, if performance in your department is substandard, you might think the problem is with the individuals submitting work. However, if you look a bit deeper, the real issue might be a lack of training, or an unreasonable workload.

Reg. on disability or healthReg. on redundancy


31

Defining the problem is all about gaining more information about the problem and increasing understanding. This phase is all about fact finding and analysis, building a more comprehensive picture of both the goal(s) and the barrier(s). Tools like 5 Whys, Fishbone Charts and Root Cause Analysis can help here.

Looking for possible solutions:

During this stage you need generate a range of possible courses of action, but with little attempt to evaluate them at this stage. From the information gathered in the first two phases of the problem solving framework it is now time to start thinking about possible solutions to the identified problem. In a group situation this stage is often carried out as a Brainstorming or Nominal Group session, letting each person in the group express their views on possible solutions (or part solutions). In organisations different people will have different expertise in different areas and it is useful, therefore, to hear the views of each concerned party. Several alternative solutions should be generated before evaluating any of them. A common mistake in problem solving is that alternatives are evaluated as they are proposed, so the first acceptable solution is chosen, even if it’s not the best fit. (Also see Chapter 24)

Making a decision:

This stage involves careful analysis of the different possible courses of action and then selecting the best solution for implementation. This is perhaps the most complex part of the problem solving process. Following on from the previous step it is now time to look at each potential solution and carefully evaluate it. Some solutions may not be possible, due to other factors like time constraints or budgets. It is important at this stage to also consider what might happen if nothing was done to solve the problem - sometimes trying to solve a problem that leads to many more problems requires some very creative thinking and innovative ideas.

Decision-making techniques such as Pros & Cons listing, Paired Comparisons, and Pareto Analysis can help here.

Implementation:

This stage involves accepting and carrying out the chosen course of action.Implementation means acting on the chosen solution. During implementation more problems may arise especially if identification or structuring of the original problem was not carried out fully.


32

Feedback channels should be built into the implementation of the solution, to produce continuous monitoring and testing of actual events against expectations.


33

STAFF MOTIVATION AND DEVELOPMENT

How to set a good example People make the decision to follow a leader through observing what the leader does. It is actions that convince followers not words. The way you behave as a leader has a vital bearing on your success in the role. To decide upon the example to set, formulate your own leadership inventory. An example is shown below.

Reg. on code of conduct


34

1. Being creative

1. Creates a vision for his or her operation2. Communicates enthusiastically3. Sees and communicates the positive possibilities of change4. Looks outside the operation for ideas and new ways of thinking5. Constantly seeks to improve the way that things are done6. Encourages others to develop new ideas7. Uses brainstorming and other creative techniques8. Challenges the fixed thinking of others9. Treats mistakes as opportunities for learning 10.Celebrates successes

2. Dealing with people

1. Actively builds and maintains relationships with others2. Communicates openly3. Really listens to others4. Operates practices based on trust5. Gives praise when it is due6. Acts to reduce stress in the organisation7. Encourages others to learn8. Takes time out to guide and develop others9. Is an effective coach and mentor10.Is both honest and fair


35

3. Focusing on results

1. Inspires confidence in the possibilities of the future 2. Acts with confidence in public3. Agrees demanding targets 4. Makes timely decisions and communicates them clearly5. Is willing to take difficult decisions6. Will defend individuals and teams from internal and external threat7. Deals quickly with underperformance8. Influences and persuades upwards, downwards and sideways9. Thrives on challenges10. Achieves outstanding results.

4 Stability and structure

1. Sets clear direction and strategies2. Creates and communicates a set of values3. Is politically intelligent and able to read situations4. Is personally well organised5. Delegates clearly and effectively6. Considers ethical issues before making decisions7. Can deal effectively with the needs of different stakeholders8. Keeps promises 9. Is calm in a crisis 10.Is both just and merciful

Match your own skills with the leadership job requirement and against your own inventory.Get some feedback on your own leadership performance.


36

Recognise where you need to improve and plan to do something about it. Constantly evaluate everything you do against the leadership requirements. Others judge you every day – why not judge yourself?

How to induct new employees

It is the primary responsibility of the line manager to organise and undertake the induction of a new starter.

Here is a checklist.

Review the new recruit’s job description, application form and interview notes to identify key training needs.

Prioritise: break down the induction plan into immediate essentials, basics to get the employee started on useful work, and further development.

Set an induction timetable, typically spread over the first month. Inform existing team members of the new recruit’s start date and role; resolve any potential conflicts. Appoint a mentor to provide informal support. Consider what part other team members may have in

the induction process (e.g. explaining particular activities). Prepare a workspace and organise essential equipment: for example, a desk, telephone, computer

and basic stationery. Set up the employee’s computer, passwords, telephone and email; show the recruit how your

communication systems work. Introduce the new recruit to the rest of the team. Show the recruit basic facilities (e.g. toilets, coffee machine); provide any other information which

will help the employee settle in; explain fire and health and safety procedures. Provide basic personnel information (e.g. pay, holiday arrangements). Clarify the recruit’s role and key objectives and the standards you expect. Communicate policies and procedures; make them all available, but focus initial training efforts on

the most urgent and important (e.g. safety).Use a mix of training methods; focus on hands-on activities, or at least observation of activities,

rather than just providing instruction manuals. Involve the recruit in real work (with appropriate supervision) as soon as possible; identify

opportunities for early successes.

Reg. on working hoursReg. on civil servants’ leave Reg. on code of conduct


37

Confirm understanding at every stage, particularly for written information.Hold frequent informal progress reviews - perhaps on a daily basis for the first week, then weekly for

a month; encourage discussion of problems.Modify your plans in the light of the recruit’s progress and feedback.

Cardinal rules Do:

make the recruit feel welcome prioritise training which will make the employee useful involve the recruit in productive activities as soon as possible give the recruit opportunities to succeed check understanding of new information discuss progress and problems, and modify plans accordingly

Don’t:make assumptions about the recruit’s knowledge, skills and attitude overload the recruit with too much at once rely on large quantities of written information expect the recruit to perform without adequate induction

How to use a job description

An accurate job description is an essential management tool not only for grading a civil service job but also for:Communication between the manager and the job-holder, enabling the manager to express clearly what he/she requires of the staff member; and the staff member to know exactly what is expected by the manager and the institution. Appraising the performance of the job-holder, based on the provisions of the regulation on

Reg. on job descriptionsReg. on organisation & systematisationReg. on recruitment & selectionReg. on representation of minoritiesReg. on civil servants’ appointmentReg. on probationary period


38

performance appraisal (regulation 19/2012 of 20/09/2012), which includes setting of work objectives based on the key tasks at the start of the year and assessment of performance at the end of the year. Good managers will also use the key tasks as the basis for monitoring the performance of the job-holder throughout the year, and if necessary providing coaching or training to help the person continuously improve performance.

Putting together the information that is necessary when recruiting and selecting a new civil servant for the job position.

Organigrams

Each institution is required to make an organigram showing the organisation structure of the institution (Law on State Administration, art. 32.1.6).

Each institution needs to define its organisation structure and jobs to meet its own needs and services, but the model organigrams available from The Ministry of Public Administration provide an example to help line managers and HR managers to define their organisation structures in a consistent way.

Types and Numbers of Jobs

Each line manager needs to design the jobs in his/her organisational unit to ensure that the jobs fit together, with all the necessary skills, to deliver all the outputs required from that unit. Each job should have a job description, prepared in accordance with the provisions of the Regulation on Job Descriptions (regulation 03/2010 of 20/09/2010).

Taking into account their responsibility for ensuring that their organisational unit delivers high quality outputs, line managers should ensure that there are enough job positions to deliver the required outputs, but not more jobs than are necessary. The number of job positions required will depend on the size of the institution and the volume of services to be provided, e.g. for a legal unit, the number of laws to be drafted; for a procurement unit, the annual amount of products or services procured; for an HR unit, the number of civil servants in the institution.

Standard Job Families / Jobs

For standard jobs, i.e. jobs which are common in several civil service institutions, it is important that these are designed in a standard way in all institutions. The Job Catalogue therefore provides the key elements of job


39

descriptions for standard job families, e.g. procurement, legal, finance, human resources, IT support. Responsibilities

The ultimate responsibility in any institution for all the subjects covered by this methodology is the General Secretary or other senior administrative manager of the institution.

Line managers are responsible for the design of the structure and jobs in their organisational unit, subject to approval of the General Secretary or other senior administrative manager.

It is the responsibility of the HR manager and HR unit to assist line managers in their task, drawing on best practice in the field of HR management; and to ensure that the requirements of the relevant regulations are applied correctly. It is important for job titles to be consistent across all civil service institutions.

The aim of the job title is to summarise the role of the job for clear understanding by the manager, the civil servant, other civil servants, and the public. The key elements that should be included in a job title are: the level of the job the main discipline / function of the jobwhere it is useful, the name of the organisational unit

For example:Director, Procurement DepartmentHead of Legal Drafting Division Senior Personnel Official Accounting Assistant Tax Inspector.

The civil service Job Catalogue provides a table with the titles of jobs at different levels in standard job families (as well as the corresponding job grades). These titles are standard titles to be used by all institutions for the jobs in the table. If an institution wishes to use a different job title to those in the table, it must seek the approval of the Ministry of Public Administration (MPA).


40

Examples of legitimate reasons for recommending a different title are:

In a small institution, a line manager may decide to combine two functions into one job for reasons of efficiency, i.e. where there is not enough volume of work in either of the functions to justify having two jobs, e.g. Official for Procurement and Budget.

In a large institution or organisational unit with a high volume of work, it may be necessary to divide the functions in a standard job family into two jobs, e.g. HR official (recruitment), HR official (training).

In addition to the standard job families in the Job Catalogue, an institution may have one or more job families that are specific to the work of that institution, e.g. education planning, agricultural specialist, economist. The aim of the table of job titles in the Job Catalogue is ultimately to include job titles in all such specialist functions. The Job Catalogue will be updated as new job titles are added. In all cases, institutions must seek approval from MPA for any proposed job title that is not included in the table.

The essential requirement for deciding the correct grade of a job is to have a clear and concise job description. Job descriptions for jobs at different levels in some standard job families are provided in the Job Catalogue as models which reflect the common tasks in the job. Institutions can adapt the job descriptions to include any additional features or tasks that are specific to the institution.

For any job which is not included in the Job Catalogue, managers should prepare an individual job description according to the Regulation on Job Descriptions.

Rules for the contents of job descriptions are in the regulation. The key elements of the job description are: The purpose of the job The main tasks The required skills / competencies (including the qualifications and experience that are mandated by

the regulation for the relevant grade).


41

Guidelines for Writing Job Descriptions

This table provides notes on how to complete each section of the standard Job Description template.

1. Name of Institution : Insert the name of the Ministry, Agency, Municipality or other State Body in which the job is located

2. Job Title: Insert the title of the job. Please refer to the schedule of job titles included in the Job Catalogue.

3. Budget Position Code:(budget code assigned to the post)

Insert the official code of the job position

4. Functional Category:(Senior Management, Management, Pro-fessional, Administrative)

The category of the job: either Senior Management level, Management level, Professional level or Administrative level.

5. Job Grade:(according to current job grading scale)

The grade proposed for the job. Please refer to the Job Catalogue.

6. Position Type:(i.e.: long term, fixed term, full-time, part-time, contract)

The status of the job: e.g. full-time or part-time, permanent contract or fixed-term contract

7. Department:(within the institution)

The Department of the State Body in which the job is located

8. Division/Unit:(within the Department)

The Division or Unit/Section of the Department in which the job is located

9. Reports to:(title and grade of immediate supervisor)

The job title and grade of the job to which the job holder directly reports

10. Location :(place of performance of duties)

The physical location of the job (indicate also if some of the job tasks are performed at other locations, e.g. the premises of clients or other Ministries)

11. Job Purpose: (brief description of what the job is about and what it is intended to achieve)

A brief explanation of the overall purpose of the job (two or three sentences); set out why the job exists and the main outputs (the contribution the job makes to the work of the Department/State Body)


42

12. Main Tasks: (brief description of main tasks, in order of importance)

A list of the main tasks (to a maximum of 8) that make up the content of the job. It is not necessarily a description of every task performed, but in total should include most of the activities of the job holder.

Each task should be described separately, starting with an active verb that expresses the activity: (e.g. to prepare, to supervise, to calculate...). Indication should also be given of the purpose or objectives of each task, and the frequency of the tasks wherever possible.Each statement describing a task should contain at least three parts: the verb, the object, and the purpose. A full example of this is…

‘to compile financial reports on a quarterly basis using an Excel spreadsheet to ensure that the Head of the Section is kept informed of budget and expenditure issues’.

How to use a competency frameworkCompetencies are the attitudes and behaviour patterns that underpin how people do their jobs. Competencies influence how well people apply their knowledge, technical and management skills. They recognise that success in the civil service will be determined, not just by ‘what we do’, but also by ‘how we do it’. Commonly, they are defined as a set of behaviours that are required to perform the tasks and functions of a job effectively. In other words a competency framework describes how we need to go about our daily work. As such it can be a valuable management tool for raising staff performance and can be thoroughly integrated into a comprehensive system of human resources management.

A competency framework can help to ensure that both managers and staff understand what is expected of them and what they will need to do improve and sustain their job performance. It can help in:

Defining the requirements for individual jobsThe framework provides a structure through which an institution can determine which behaviours are consistent with positive performance in particular jobs.

Recruiting and promoting staffWhen selecting a candidate from a shortlist the interviewer can ask targeted questions which will enable them to assess whether an individual is likely to show the required positive behaviours if they were selected for the job. They will be seeking evidence from past examples that demonstrates an ability to perform.

Reg. on code of conductReg. on performance appraisal


43

Identifying potential in staffHigh performers can be easily identified as those who show many of the positive or good behaviours. Those staff members with the highest potential to progress can then be held up to others as good role models and encouraged to progress in their career.

Diagnosing individual development needsBy assessing an individual’s behaviours against competencies it is possible to establish gaps and weaknesses in their performance. These can then be addressed through a development programme.

Succession planningAssessing current employees against a set of competencies is a useful way to diagnose where there is a risk of a capability gap in the organisation in the future, for example as staff retire and move out of the organisation. Solutions can then be sought through staff training or recruitment. This is linked to the personnel planning process.

Performance feedbackCompetencies provide a clear description of expected behaviours by which to assess individual performance. They can also then provide the basis on which to more objectively assess better than expected (or good to excellent) behaviours. In this way a competency framework can be a powerful tool to assist in the management of change and to raise standards. The civil service performance appraisal process identifies four core competencies required of every civil servant (professional and technical knowledge, initiative and creativity, teamwork, and communication/presentation skills). It further identifies three more that apply to those in management roles (planning and organising, decision-making, and motivation of staff).

An example framework

The following table shows how such core competencies can be further elaborated into a framework of behavioural indicators that can be used in all of the above ways.


44

Professional & Managerial Competence

11.0 PLANNING & ORGANISING: The ability to plan, organise, coordinate and monitor activities and work tasks for self and subordinates.1.1 Sets ambitious targets for service improvement1.2 Establishes all of the likely demands to be faced in a planning period.1.3 Prioritises the needs1.4 Plans the best use of available resources1.5 Evaluates progress objectively, proposing changes to plans as required.1.6 Agrees objectives for individuals which support team plans1.7 Holds team members to account for achieving the results that have been agreed1.8 Seeks and gives constructive feedback1.9 Sets team plans which support service plans1.10 Produces good team projects and departmental plans that identify resources and skills needed and

that are understood by staff in order to support service plans1.11 Meets deadlines or takes early action to deal with issues that affect deadlines

2.0 DECISION MAKING:

The ability to take good, on time and operational decisions and accepting responsibility for such decisions.2.1 Thinks creatively about how to improve results 2.3 Uses problem solving techniques effectively2.4 Evaluates risk and has realistic plans in place 2.5 Collects and analyses data to understand a problem or needs from 1.12.6 Consults with colleagues and specialists when appropriate to seek views or clarification before mak-

ing a decision2.7 Manages unpopular decisions2.8 Does not delay decision making – and communicates decisions quickly and gives reasons for making

them to staff so they can understand the context


45

3.0 MOTIVATION (DEVELOPMENT) AND IMPARTIAL TREATMENT OF STAFF:

The ability to create a motivating work environment for subordinates; to adapt the way of management depending on the situation in order to prevent and resolve conflicts, to assess the activities of subordinates, as well as to fairly distribute tasks to subordinates.3.1 Gives direction to staff, and supports them with difficult cases3.2 Assesses staff potential for promotion and discusses career plans3.3 Gives staff freedoms to act and develop their work where possible - from 1.13.4 Acknowledges work well done – gives praise3.5 Is fair when assessing performance, using facts and not subjective judgements from 1.13.6 Regularly checks results and progress of the team and communicates outcomes/actions needed to

them3.7 Regularly communicates with staff and considers different perspectives3.8 Adapts management style and approach to the situation3.9 Deals with work not done/not well done

Personal Competence and Ability4.0 PROFESSIONAL & TECHNICAL KNOWLEDGE:

The professional competence of civil servants in applying the knowledge and skills necessary to perform job tasks, the ability to transfer knowledge and experience to others.4.1 Abides by the Code of Conduct4.2 Accepts responsibility for their own work4.3 Takes responsibility for personal development4.4 Shares knowledge and information gained with others so they can learn, and provide cover as nec-

essary4.5 Ensures they have knowledge necessary for the job and takes steps to find out if there are gaps/

changes 4.6 Keeps up-dated on developments/information that affects or can improve job/service


46

5.0 INITIATIVE & CREATIVITY:

The ability of civil servants to take initiatives in order to accomplish work tasks by affecting the increase of efficiency and effectiveness and to solve problems through new ideas, alternatives and creativity. 5.1 Thinks creatively about how to improve results5.2 Create opportunities for ideas and initiatives to be shared and worked on.5.3 Presents not just problems but proposes solutions to issues5.4 Uses evidence to assess, measure and evaluate decision making5.5 Looks for ways to improve efficiency, or better ways to do a job, to discuss and then implement

6.0 TEAMWORK

The ability of the civil servant to lead/work in groups, to cooperate with members of the group and contribute to active participation in the group. 6 Takes a positive approach to colleagues6.1 Shares information openly where it is relevant to the work6.2 Takes a fair share of the work of the team6.3 Demonstrates honesty and integrity6.4 Shows respect to colleagues even when there is conflict of ideas or priorities6.5 Supports team efforts to resolve conflicts within the team6.6 Listens to the ideas of others6.7 Offers to help in achieving colleague’s objectives6.8 Coordinates work with others when it is needed


47

7.0 COMMUNICATION & PRESENTATION/REPRESENTATION SKIILLS:

The ability to communicate (oral and written) effectively with managers, subordinates and the parties, the ability to explain certain tasks and objectives, and ability to represent the institution within his/her competence. 7.1 Presents himself/herself in a clean and tidy manner7.2 Projects a positive image of the institution at all times7.3 Communicates effectively orally and in writing7.4 Remains calm and confident even under pressure7.5 Explains tasks well to subordinates or colleagues7.6 Ensures that subordinates or colleagues are kept informed of developments/information they need7.7 Listens effectively and checks that information they give is understood

How to set clear and stretching objectives It is the responsibility of every people manager in the civil service to devise and agree work objectives – for themselves, their team and each team member. Not only is this good management practice but it is required for the Civil Service Performance Appraisal process. Devising good work objectives is not easy. This is true whether you are writing them for yourself or for someone else. Getting at meaningful content for a work objective requires you to think at length and in depth about the work to be performed.

The most popular tool to help in devising good work objectives is SMART. This is a mnemonic that stands for:

Specific: A specific goal has a much greater chance of being accomplished than a general goal. To set a specific goal you must answer the six “W” questions:Who: Who is involved?What: What do I want to accomplish?Where: Identify a location.When: Establish a time frame.Which: Identify requirements and constraints.Why: Specific reasons, purpose or benefits of accomplishing the goal.

Reg. on performance appraisal


48

Measurable: Establish concrete criteria for measuring progress toward the attainment of each goal you set.

To determine if your goal is measurable, ask questions such as

How much? How many?How will I know when it is accomplished?

Achievable: – objectives should be stretching but clearly possible to achieve.

This should be done in agreement with the individual, taking into consideration the prevailing organisational ability environment. They should also be appropriate for the individual’s role and grade. You need to consider:

Can it be achieved in the time set? Is there support for this to be done? Is it within the reviewee’s capabilities but also challenging?

Realistic- that it can be done within the skills, knowledge, resources and time available.

Timebound: A commitment to a deadline helps a team focus their efforts on completion of the goal on or before the due date. This part of the SMART goal criteria is intended to prevent goals from being overtaken by the day-to-day crises that invariably arise in an institution. A time-bound goal is intended to establish a sense of urgency.

Example: Whether routine or non-routine, recurring or situational, all work may be viewed as a process having a result. Results are the outcomes of activity, the effects of actions taken. Work objectives for both kinds of work should reflect, in measurable terms, the results expected, not just the activity to be performed. An example of a SMART objective focused on results would be:

“To maintain a level of customer satisfaction in the department in which complaints do not exceed 1:1000 at any time over the year”.

Also see Chapters 1, 9 & 17)


49

How to delegate responsiblyThe dictionary defines delegating as committing power to an agent or deputy, entrusting a task to another and sending or authorising a person as a representative. That is a far cry from dumping stuff you don’t want to do on whoever happens to be nearest –the behaviour which has earned delegation a bad name among many people. At its best true delegation has several major advantages. It ensures that:

Managers are spending their time wisely on important issues that merit their attention. Staff are being developed and grown in their jobs by being given opportunities to learn new skills.Work is being carried out at the lowest safe level in the organisation and decisions are being

made closer to the real action thereby reducing costs and likelihood of error.

To delegate well, you as a leader must give up the satisfaction of doing some of the things you do normally, some of the things that keep you in control and some of the things that you enjoy doing. The benefits include more time to think and contribute at your senior level, the satisfaction of developing others and building increased capacity in the organisation.

Many leaders baulk at the idea of delegating tasks they enjoy, suggesting that they need to keep some ‘nice’ things in the in-box. Bear in mind that in general we all enjoy doing things we are good at. And we became good at them through practise. Someone once gave us a chance to begin to learn so if we have being doing something for a long time isn’t it time we too gave someone else a chance? If we spend the time saved on things we find difficult now, in time we will begin to enjoy them too.

All delegation involves some risk. Minimise this by careful planning, good communication and by showing people that you, as a leader, have faith in their ability. Remain interested and coach those new to the task.

Always

Assess who could do the task and what training or development they might need before you delegate. Discuss this with them.

Take time to coach and support, remain interested but do not take over.Delegate the necessary authority with the responsibility; tell those who need to know that that the

person you have selected will be acting for you. Recognise that you, as a leader, retain the public accountability if things do go wrong. Do not let

this stop you.


50

Never

Delegate to a group of people or a team, delegate to an individual. Abdicate responsibility for confidential, security or policy matters restricted to your level.Use delegation to ‘set someone up’ or prove a point, people will not trust you again.

How to create a delegation plan

List everything that you could potentially delegate (including the enjoyable tasks) Decide on your goal(s) for delegating What are the main components of this project/task/responsibility? Who might you delegate to? Select the most suitable person (or perhaps the person who would

benefit most)Why do you think this person is appropriate for the job? List their strengths and weaknesses. Consider how willing this person is. What additional skills, knowledge, training or support will this person need? Detail any additional resources the person will need to do the job (time, money, information).Detail how you will ensure effective supervision; how often will you check in with the person you

have delegated to? Or even better how frequently they will check in with you?

Decide what information you will need during the process. What authority are you willing and able to give this person and who else needs to know about the

responsibility and authority you plan to delegate?What are the specific results that need to be accomplished (conditions of satisfaction/outcomes)? When does the project need to be completed (timeline)? Any milestones to be taken into

consideration? What type of monitoring systems do you need to put in place to ensure that each activity is completed

by the appropriate deadline? How will you ensure you are available to give any feedback and additional support? For example:


51

regular supervision meetings, team meetings, email schedule. Now list what else you can delegate, to whom and when. Make a longer term delegation plan including as many of your team members as possible.

How to coach someone to improve performance

Performance coaching is now recognised as one of the key approaches to developing engaged and responsible employees and to helping them improve their day-to-day performance at work. Coaching is also a great way of encouraging people to think creatively for themselves, and so is a crucial aspect of effective delegation.

Every conversation at work has the potential to be coaching – a conversation whose result is a shift in the other person’s performance. Yet it would not be appropriate for every conversation to be the same. There are times when you need to tell others what has been decided or what is expected of them, other times when your aim is to get them to think a problem through for themselves. And both approaches result in a performance shift, and are coaching conversations.

Effective leaders understand the spectrum and use all of it.

Reg. on performance appraisalReg. on disciplinary procedures

Example

There is a spectrum of coaching skills that embraces both extremes:

DIRECTIVE solving problems for them PUSH Telling Instructing Giving advice Offering guidance Giving feedback Making suggestions Asking questions that raise awareness Summarising Paraphrasing Reflecting Listening to understand

NON-DIRECTIVE helping them to solve problems PULL


52

Take a few minutes now to consider the descriptions of the spectrum above. Think about an ordinary day at work and tick the actions you use most frequently. You may find, in common with most people, that your ticks tend towards one half of the list. Knowing that you have the whole spectrum available to you may provide some insight into alternative approaches when dealing with those people or situations where a directive approach isn’t working. And vice versa

When to be directive (push)

When you need to transmit facts and information do so clearly and unambiguously. There is no point in asking the new recruit where the fire exits might be.

As a leader you will need to explain why change is needed and what it is expected to achieve. Ask yourself if you are the only one who has all the information, if so tell others. If not, ask.

When to be non-directive (pull)

When you need to achieve action through others, you will be most effective when you ask them to suggest how best to go about it. Once you have explained the vision you will gain commitment to action and enthusiasm for the task by giving them the chance to take responsibility for it’ ‘How could we make that work for us?’.

This approach builds confidence, knowledge and self reliance and so increases capacity in the organisation. It also achieves effective delegation – those whose job it is retain the responsibility for taking action, a key attribute of effective leadership.

A simple structure for a coaching conversation

The GROW model

A good coaching conversation contains the following elements:Goal - what the coachee wants to achieve from the conversation. Reality - achieving understanding of the current position, who/what/how much/what have you

already tried?Options - what the coachee believes might be possibleWrap-up – decision/clarity/commitment/support. If there is no outcome it has been a chat, not a coaching conversation.


53

Key questions to ask are:

Tell me...What would you like to get out of this conversation? Ideally, what would you like to happen? Anything else?What might or could you do?What stops you? Anything else?What will you do? When etc...On a scale of 1:10 how certain are you that you will do this?What would increase that a little?

Challenge generalisations, the more you can help the other person to be clear about exactly what is happening now (the current reality) the more options s/he is likely to be able to generate.

If the coachee cannot suggest any options at all try asking what they would like to have happen if anything was possible – wave your magic wand.

As a general rule you will move towards the non- directive end of the spectrum by asking questions rather than making statements. For example, ‘’We cannot finance that’ might become, ‘How could we finance that.’

In a coaching conversation you do not have to accept every suggestion, however keen the other person is on it. You need to use your judgement. Ask yourself if your caution/discomfort is because it is not your preferred solution or the way you would do it or whether in fact there is a genuine business objection. If the latter, explain the issue and ask how that might be included or addressed.

Do not ask ‘why?’ ‘Why?’ Is always followed by, ‘Because..’ It immediately creates defensiveness and justification and closes down options. You can always turn Why? into What? – try it!

Effective leaders use all of the spectrum as the occasion demands, and they find more occasions to be non- directive than their ineffective peers.

Here is a more comprehensive list of possible questions:

GoalWhat is the subject matter, or the issue, on which you would like to work?


54

What form of outcome are you seeking by the end of this coaching session?How far and how detailed do you expect to get in this session? In the longer term what is your goal related to this issue?What immediate steps can you identify, with their time frames?

RealityWhat is your present situation in more detail?What and how great is your concern about it?Who else is affected by this issue, apart from yourself?Who knows about your desire to do something about this?How much control do you have over the outcome?Who else has some control over this and how much?What action steps have you taken so far?What stopped you doing more?What obstacles will you need to overcome on the way?What, if any, personal obstacles do you have to taking action?What resources do you already have? Skill, time, money, support.What other resources will you need?Where will you get them from?What is really the issue here, the nub, or the bottom line?

OptionsWhat are all the different ways you could tackle this issue?Make a list of all the alternatives, large or small, complete or partial.What else could you do?What would you do if you had more time or money, or you were the boss?What would you do if you could start again with a clean sheet or a new team?Would you like a suggestion from me?What are the advantages and disadvantages of each of these options in turn?Which would give the better result?Which of these solutions appeals to you most, or feels the best?Which of these solutions gives you the most satisfaction?


55

Wrap-upWhich option have you chosen? To what extent does this meet all of your objectives?What are your criteria and measurements for success?When precisely are you going to start and finish each action step?What could arise to hinder you in taking these steps or meeting your goal?What personal barriers do you have to taking these steps?What will you do to eliminating these barriers?Who needs to know what your plans are?What support do you need and from whom?What will you do to obtain support and when?What could I do to support you?What commitment on a scale of 1-10 do you have to taking these agreed actions?What prevents this from being a ten?What could you do to alter and raise your commitment to a ten? Is there anything else you want to discuss now or are we finished?

How to be a mentorGood mentoring relationships can be richly rewarding, not only for the person being mentored, but for the mentor too. Mentors can, among other things, provide exceptional learning experiences for their mentees and, in so doing, expand their mentees’ awareness, insight and perspective.

Here are 10 things you can do to be a good mentor:

Be credible

The best mentors have personally achieved success in the area where the mentee is looking for support

Be a positive role model

Good mentors are respected by their mentees. A mentee can learn a lot from their mentor simply by watching how their mentor behaves in any particular situation. Good mentors will also look out for experiences, or even



56

create situations in which their mentees can become involved to learn new things, for example, providing a look behind the scenes or a glimpse at how other people work or do things.

Be genuinely interested in your mentee as an individual

A mentoring relationship is a very personal one, which is often very important to the mentee, so, as a mentor, you need to get to know your mentee personally, about their hopes and dreams, so you can help them in a way that meets their personal best interest. For this reason a manager is also not the best person to mentor someone on their team, as they’ll often have a conflict of interest to contend with, between what’s in the best interest of each individual and what’s in the best interest of their team or the organisation.

Share your experiences and insights

In doing so, choose stories that you feel are appropriate and helpful, but do so in a neutral way, without anyattachment to how your mentee will use this learning. Be open to sharing your mistakes and failures too, asthese are often where our biggest lessons are learned. It will also help your mentee be aware that challenges will arise, and the way you dealt with the situation might also help them gain insight about how to build resilience.

Ask open questions

Asking your mentee open questions will help you as a mentor to identify their real needs, values and passions. It’s also a great way to get your mentee to think through situations themselves and draw out the consequences of the various choices or courses of action they can take. During these conversations, you can share your wisdom, without making decisions for your mentee. That’s their job.

Act as a sounding board

Mentees benefit greatly from the opportunity of having a good mentor listen to them. Allow them to exploretheir thoughts and ideas openly with you. This will often help them unravel their thinking and gain insights about a situation as they share their concerns with you.


57

Provide a fresh perspective

A good mentor will often have the clarity of distance from an issue or problem that’s needed to provide objective feedback to their mentee. They can also hold up a ‘mirror’ to the mentee to, for example, let the mentee see what their behaviour looks like to others.

Provide helpful feedback

Not all feedback is helpful. A good mentor knows this and will deliver feedback in a way that will help their mentee gain insight to further develop specific qualities or skills. For example, a good mentor will always askfor permission to give feedback before doing so. Giving unwelcome feedback can be detrimental to anymentoring relationship.

Acknowledge achievements

Highlight for your mentee any achievements they might have forgotten, to help build their confidence.

Offer your advice, but only if your mentee asks for it

It can be very tempting for a mentor to just jump in and offer advice before a mentee has actually asked for it, especially when you’ve dealt with a similar situation yourself. Being a sounding board for your mentee, allowing them to discuss the situation with you, then helping them to think through the situation by asking them questions to draw out the consequences of various actions, is always more empowering for a mentee than advising them what to do.

How to motivate your staff

Motivation is what makes people do things. It is what makes them put real effort and energy into what they do.

Motivating staff is about two things. The first is about clearing the space for the self-motivated to get on and do what they are keen to do. The second is about finding the right words and deeds to get the less well-motivated people for whom one is responsible at work to do the jobs that have to be done willingly and well.

Reg. on performance appraisal Reg. on career promotion


58

The right degree of motivation increases the satisfaction that the individual can derive from the job being done and it increases the efficiency of the organisation.

Managers are employed to make things happen through other people. They may have their own jobs to do in addition but fundamentally a manager exists to get things done by others. Managerial actions that motivate others include:

Making people feel valued

Regularly walking the job and taking an interest in what is happening Sharing an interest in employees’ lives and what they hold to be important. Creating an atmosphere of team working and co-operationMaking sure that all staff know of the importance of the contribution they are making to

the organisation as a whole. Ensuring that every member of staff understands the functions and the philosophy of the

organisation and why the work being done matters to society.

Providing opportunities for personal development

Setting standards and agreeing targets for all members of staff. Providing on the job and off the job trainingUsing employees to train others in the specialist skills that they have developed Structuring and grouping tasks to use the gifts of all of the staff to their fullest potential Arranging internal and external contacts to help the job to be done better

Recognising achievements

Appraising the performance of everyone Praising privately and publicly communicating individual successes Reporting regularly on the team’s progress


59

Monitoring, counselling and advising on better ways a job can be done Explaining the results and achievements of the whole organisation

Providing a challenge

Setting and clearly communicating stretching team and individual objectives Providing the scope for every individual to take on more responsibility Encouraging creativity and new ideas Allowing staff to implement their own initiatives.

How to recognise and motivate different types of people

Most of us would accept that people are different. We think differently and act in different ways when faced with the same stimuli. However, as leaders at work it is helpful to have a convenient way of grouping differences together. And the groupings must be few enough to be usable and help us to adjust our approach to get the best out of people that are different from ourselves.

A shorthand way to understand personality is to refer to the Universal Model which is based upon Jungian psychology. It identifies four broad personality types and labels them as Magician, Lovers, Warrior and Sovereign.

All individuals have preferred ways of thinking, acting and being. Some are better Warriors; others are better Lovers; yet others are better Magicians and still others better Sovereigns. Each of us has at least one preferred mode of operating – many of us have a blend of two and some of us a blend of three.

Magicians

Magicians have a ‘visionary’ mentality and they see life as a journey. They see everyone and everything in a process of change. They are ideas people. They like to be seen as original, unique and different.


60

Magicians have considerable strengths. They

Focus on the future.Need to look ahead, to consider new options and to promote change.Have an ability to see the big picture, new patterns, new possibilities and they learn by

visualising the end results. Value and enjoy non-routine work, imagination, newness.Delegate a lot but they may leave the person they have delegated to alone and sometimes

forget to whom they delegated.Have a tendency to speak mystically about visions, theories and concepts. Often they will

repeat their views Like to be seen as a person with original and different thoughts. Freely express opinions with complex and expansive viewpoints. They take a lot of time for

talking but may be poor listeners Can identify lots of problems ahead and may have a pessimistic tendency

How to motivate a magician – relate to change, what is new and the big picture. Give magicians freedom of thought, expression, movement and how they use their time.Give them what they want but on your terms. He or she does not want a standard package of

anything – job contract, room layout, computer, car etc. They want newness, change and originality. They want lean lines, compactness and style. Develop a big picture and focus on the long-term future. Give them big boundaries and lots of

space. Ask them if you want something written or designed. Ask them if you are in need of new ideas; they will have hundreds. Let them do what they are good at. They are terrific at brainstorming, and other creative

techniques. Be prepared to listen to a wide ranging discussion covering diverse subjects and opinions. Be interested for the sake of interest. Show pictures, sketches; let them draw. Express appreciation in terms they like to hear. Remember they like to think they are original thinkers Expect a cautious, conceptual decision-making approach even though they have 100’s of ideas


61

Lovers

Lovers have a ‘martyr’ mentality in that they see everything and everyone as needing their help. They have a community view of the world.

They may have photographs of friends and family prominently on display in their homes and offices. Their homes have a lived in feel. Their door is always open and they talk a lot especially on the phone. Above all they put others before themselves.

Lovers have considerable strengths. They:

Value and enjoy the company of others, teamwork and loyalty Value relationships and therefore fear being hurt, let down or rejected by others. Seek to ‘fit in’ and achieve consensus. Are concerned about emotions and people issues.Desire to belong, for informality, harmony, friendliness. Like to feel valued and appreciated and accepted as an important team member. Learn by consulting, exchanging views with others, preferably face to face. Are very good at identifying the people problems in all change initiatives Need continuity and a relationship between the past and presentGive opinions with emotion, but with concern not to offend or distance others.Need to trust you to work with you

How to motivate lovers - build trust, resolve emotive issues; talk about people. Lovers want a relationship.

Be personable, informal and friendly. Above all, smile. Tell them details of your family, holiday, photographs etc. They are really interested. Develop a conversation; make a friend. Talk to them about them Ask their opinion, take their opinions seriously Remember birthdays and anniversaries Empathise with their predicamentWork to gain their trust; lovers buy you rather than a result or an outcome Emphasise people issues and concerns. Lovers are concerned about people Be patient, lovers need your time.


62

Lovers need to know what has worked elsewhere; they need reference points and testimonials. Take them to see the proposed solution in action and let them talk to the people on site. Adopt a caring, consensus decision making approach

Warriors

Warriors are optimistic and action orientated. They are direct, opinionated and confrontational. They are competitive.

Warriors have considerable strengths. They: Focus on the present.Have a need for movement and action to respond to a situation. They see being busy as doing

things – taking action to ‘make things happen’. Fear acting too slowly and have no time for thinking, dreaming or dwelling on issues. Learn by doing. Value and enjoy physical and practical activities – building things, hiking, skiing, sailingHave a self-oriented view of the world – ‘I need’… ‘I want’… ‘I’. Prefer to be in charge with a desire to control surroundings and peopleMake decisions subjectively and impulsively and as a result they may need to think more laterally

before acting. Speak their minds, get straight to the point, there is no waffle Must be confronted because they are demanding, confrontational, stubborn and respect strength

of mind. May need to attend charm school. Poor listener. Seek practical value, uses and discounts when buying – a hard negotiator.

How to motivate a warrior - get to the point, be practical; warriors want a result

Set them targets, they like to win. Construct competitive situations, they like to compete with each other. However do not

let them compete with other personality types.Warriors like to be in charge. Give them something to be in charge of. Involve them if you want something started with enthusiasm, they can motivate and do

pep talks Appeal to their pride Recognise their achievements, in private, but even better in public


63

Keep meetings short and to the pointUse an agenda and times and stick to them Be positive Emphasise practical, functional and cost effective benefits Aim to make things happen and happen quickly Be assertive, expect to be challenged Be prepared to negotiate; warriors like to negotiate Focus on the short term and practical next steps You can push for a quick decision Expect decisiveness from them and agreement to action Confront them if you disagree

SovereignsSovereigns posses a ‘computer’ mentality and in the extreme see everyone and everything and a quantifiable asset or liability. They are neat and tidy, there is a place for everything. They only have one file out on the desk at a time. Many can be found in careers like accountancy or librarianship

Sovereigns have considerable strengths. They: Possess a dominant left-brain and their time focus is on immediate past.Need to collect facts and data and they like to think and plan before acting. Fear acting in error and therefore dislike not having time to collect and check facts and upon which

decisions depend. Learn by reading, analysing and referring to documents. Value and enjoy work requiring exacting, precise analysis within a procedural framework.Have an organised view of the world. Life is a diary of appointments.Have a decision-making style that needs to analyse and ‘think before you act’. Factual evidence is key.Have a desire for structure, formality, standard routines, systems, clear roles and order. They

regard rules as sacrosanct. ‘A rule is a rule’.Need a direct coaching style of teaching – ‘Try this…’ Take this approach… ‘I suggest…’ Are neat and tidy. Speak about facts, data and figures rather than feelings. Like things in writing and logically presented.Give opinions when asked. They have attended charm school and are good listeners.Make buying decisions by seeking value for money, and checking out all prices and specifications.


64

How to motivate a sovereign - present and build a logical case, put things in writing. Sovereigns want value for money; their rhythm is conciseness Be deferential, formal, smart and politeUse titles and Mr. Ms. Mrs. Dr. etc and make sure you get them right Call them if you need a project seen through to the end and done right Be on time, agree how much time and finish on time Invite them in if you need the qualities of patience, practicality and persistence.Use their reliability and stability. Adopt an unemotional and positive outlookGo through everything in detail from the bottom up, provide plans, specifications, facts and procedures Let them prepare their checklists and spreadsheets; this is the way sovereigns work things outUse statistical techniques and cost benefit analyses Be detailed and explain everythingQuantify as much as you can Expect a logical, rational decision making process Put as much in writing as possible

How to conduct an appraisal interviewComprehensive guidance on the whole performance appraisal process is contained in the booklet ‘Guidance No 01/2014 for the Implementation of the Performance Appraisal Process in the Civil Service of Republic of Kosovo’ which is available from the Ministry of Public Administration.

This chapter concentrates on the conduct of the annual appraisal meeting

Preparation for the meeting

Pre-brief employee on date, time, duration, location, purpose and process of the meeting. Set aside sufficient time - at least 45 minutes is suggested. Ideally the meeting should not be conducted in the office of the appraiser, but rather on neutral

ground such as a meeting room. Ensure there will be no interruptions (consider putting a ‘do not disturb’ sign on the door), turn off

your mobile phone and disconnect the office phone.



65

Appraisers should not conduct the interview from behind their desks – this causes a physical and psychological barrier.

Have all necessary paperwork and records to hand.

During the meeting

Be friendly, informal and welcomingThe general structure of the appraisal meeting will follow the format of the form, running through the sections consecutively. A good way to start is for the appraiser to ask the staff member what successes they feel they have achieved during the past year and which things they are least pleased with, which links to Section II on the form on the achievement of objectives.

During the meeting it is essential to ask questions that draw out the employee’s reactions and ideas. Leading questions or questions which only require a ‘yes’ or ‘no’ response should be avoided. It can be preferable to discuss employees’ strong points first and to place emphasis on good work already done. Employees should be encouraged to suggest ways in which their good work can be continued and their views sought on how they can achieve further improvement.

If it is necessary to improve performance it will be counter productive to gloss over the employee’s weaker points and stress their good features in order to make the interview as friendly as possible. It is important to encourage employees to discuss their weaknesses openly and to encourage them to suggest ways in which they can improve.

Managers should try not to impose their own solutions; these should emerge as a result of joint discussion.

The proposal for the overall grade is finalised by the evaluator at the end of the discussion on performance in the light of any amendments made during the interview. However, care needs to be taken that any changes are fully justified and that there is sufficient evidence for any amendment to an appraisal report that has been done properly in the first place.

The dynamics of the interview should not overshadow objective and sound judgment. One particularly good or poor trait may contaminate other performance areas considered in the evaluation. Once a civil servant is classified as a poor performer, it may take a long time for an appraiser to notice he/she has improved.


66

Some other pitfalls should be recognised and avoided. For example, appraisers tend to remember events more recent to the evaluation. Appraisees realising this, may strive to improve performance as the time for appraisals gets near. Scores may also be influenced by an appraisee’s personal attributes such as national origin, level of education, age, race, gender, or even attractiveness.

The agenda of the appraisal meetingThe following agenda is suggested –

Welcome, clarify the purpose and how you propose to run meeting Invite the appraisee to comment first, using open questions Appraiser then responds Both discuss and agree scores for achievement of objectives and then competencies. Appraiser and appraise both sign the appraisal form to signify agreement.Discuss and agree future objectives. Invite suggestions from the employee. Record these on the next

year’s appraisal form, and sign at the bottom of the front page to confirm agreement.Discuss training needs. Conclude on a positive note - express confidence that the employee will achieve their objectives.

The individual training plan

The identification of training needs should be done in conjunction with the appraisal process – both looking back at the appraisal result and then also in looking forward to ensure that they have the skills needed to meet the objectives for the next year. This should be determined by discussion between the manager and staff member to ascertain what is needed and when this should be included in the individual’s training plan. The Individual training plan form should then be completed and signed by both parties.

Appraisers should be aware that if the individual training plans are too ambitious, then given the limitations on training capacity and costs, this could impact on the reasons given for not achieving objectives and competencies. Given this, managers need to take great care in assessing and recommending training needs, especially if there is little chance of them being met, and should consider different ways to meet needs. In cases of doubt, managers should consult the Personnel Unit before making any commitment.


67

After the appraisal meeting

Form administration

The appraiser should forward the completed and signed appraisal form to the Personnel Unit, along with a signed copy of the appraisee’s individual training plan. In accordance with Article 13.2 of the appraisal regulation, the Personnel Unit with then send a copy of the form to the staff member.

The immediate (line) manager’s responsibilities in the appraisal process

They should: Know the organisational, directorate, strategic and operational goals.Develop a fair and consistent approach to developing objectives and ensure they are

consistently challenging for all in their team. Ensure that the appraisal system is explained in detail in advance to staff, including the

purpose and that the link to organisational plans and objectives is understood. Explain to staff the role of the competencies and how they will be measured against them.

To communicate and give them written copies of the behaviours that will be required. Spend time with staff, at the start of the performance appraisal cycle, discussing and

agreeing the objectives and the competency standards that will be expected throughout the year.Meet staff on a regular basis throughout the year to discuss performance and to ensure that

at the end of the year there are no surprises in terms of performance. Keep realistic and objective evidence about the employee’s performance – what is good and

what needs to be improved.Give staff the opportunity to fully discuss their views of their performance. Identify and agree realistic development needs and then monitor progress in meeting them.

The appraisee’s responsibilities

The appraisal system requires a proactive and participative approach from staff as well as managers – including participation and agreement in the objective setting process, reviewing progress and in keeping a record of


68

their achievements. They will also need to ensure that they keep their manager informed of any difficulties in good time and not wait till the end of the year to raise concerns.

Some of the key activities needed from the appraisee are to: Prepare for meetings and be ready to discuss the objectives, the key tasks and the

competencies expected. Be clear as to the competencies/skills they need to display at work, along with examples. Ask questions at the start of the process if they need information. Regularly review their own performance throughout the year and to retain realistic evidence

and examples of work done and competencies deployed. Identify, and discuss, with the manager as early as possible problems in achieving an

objective or competency. Take advantage of any training or development opportunities – and take some responsibility

for managing their own learning/development.

How to develop subordinates

There is a wide range of training and learning approaches that are available to you in order to develop your team members. Here are some of them.

On the job instruction by an experienced colleague Training courses (e.g. KIPA courses)Verbal instruction and direction Study visits and toursWritten job instructions and procedures Deputising for a more senior personDemonstration Work shadowingCoaching Training othersMentoring Further education / college classes Delegation Online self-study (e.g. MOOCS)Secondment Involvement in projects Investigative assignment

So how do you know which of these methods will work best for different people? One approach is that of



69

Situational Leadership. In other words the approach that is taken will depend upon the situation and the competence and confidence of each employee. The manager should therefore adjust his/her leadership style and development method to the ‘maturity’ level of the employee.

Leadership StylesAccording this concept there are four main leadership styles:Telling (S1) Leaders tell their people exactly what to do, and how to do it.Selling (S2) Leaders still provide information and direction, but there’s more communication

with followers. Leaders “sell” their message to get the team on board.Participating (S3) Leaders focus more on the relationship and less on direction. The leader works with

the team, and shares decision-making responsibilities.Delegating (S4) Leaders pass most of the responsibility onto the follower or group. The leaders still

monitor progress, but they’re less involved in decisions.

As you can see, styles S1 and S2 are focused on getting the task done. Styles S3 and S4 are more concerned with developing team members’ abilities to work independently.

Maturity Levels

According to Hersey and Blanchard, knowing when to use each style is largely dependent on the maturity of the person or group you’re leading. They break maturity down into four different levels:

M1 – People at this level of maturity are at the bottom level of the scale. They lack the knowledge, skills, or confidence to work on their own, and they often need to be pushed to take the task on.

M2 – At this level, followers might be willing to work on the task, but they still don’t have the skills to do it successfully.

M3 – Here, followers are ready and willing to help with the task. They have more skills than the M2 group, but they’re still not confident in their abilities.

M4 – These followers are able to work on their own. They have high confidence and strong skills, and they’re committed to the task.


70

The Hersey-Blanchard model maps each leadership style to each maturity level, as shown below.

Maturity Level Most Appropriate Leadership StyleM1: Low maturity S1: Telling/directingM2: Medium maturity, limited skills S2: Selling/coachingM3: Medium maturity, higher skills but lacking confidence S3: Participating/supporting M4: High maturity S4: Delegating

To use this model, reflect on the maturity of individuals within your team. The table above shows which leadership style is considered the most effective for people with that level of maturity This approach can also assist in deciding which training or method works best as particular maturity levels for example:

On the job instruction by an experienced colleague M1 Training courses (e.g. KIPA courses) M2, M3, M4Verbal instruction and direction M1 Study visits and tours M3, M4Written job instructions and procedures M1 Deputising for a more senior person M4 Demonstration M1 Work shadowing M1, M2 Coaching M2 Training others M4Mentoring M3 Further education / college classes M3, M4Delegation M4 Online self-study (e.g. MOOCS) M4Secondment M4 Involvement in projects M3, M4 Investigative assignment M4 Leading projects M4

(Also see Chapter 13)

How to deal with underperformanceIn almost every organisation there are some people who are not performing up to agreed standards. Usually the rest of the team know this and, unfortunately, sometimes so do other managers. As a leader you will lose the respect and trust of your team and your boss, if you allow underperformance to continue, so you cannot afford to ignore it. On the other hand, enabling the person to achieve the standard will improve team morale and help deliver

Reg. on performance appraisal Reg. on disciplinary procedures Reg. on termination or suspension


71

excellent performance all round – the team will see that you are not prepared to carry people.

As a leader your aim is to catch underperformance before it becomes an issue that require the use of the disciplinary procedure. For underperformance to become a discipline matter could be regarded as a leadership failure. However there are situations when a leader inherits underperformance that has already or should have become a formal disciplinary matter. In these circumstances ensure that you have read and fully understand all of the steps you need to take and the records you need to maintain and do not delay invoking the procedure.

Prepare carefully for the underperformance discussion.

Be clear about the extent of the problem and whether you need to deal with it directly. Remember that if one of your managers has been avoiding dealing with underperformance in his team he is also underperforming and it is that underperformance which you must handle directly.

Collect specific evidence of occasions and impacts that you can use as feedback. Include your own observation and knowledge as much as possible.

Consider whether there are any external factors such as ill health or domestic difficulties that may need to be taken into account. Remind yourself that underperformance is not the same as being ‘no good’. The former is factual;

the latter is a judgement about the person.Decide what improvement is needed and is likely to be achievable, and the time you are prepared to

allow to see evidence of this. Be certain that you know your organisation’s policy on handling underperformance and discipline

procedures.

The meeting

Have the discussion in private in a work environment and preferably in the morning, early in the week, never on Friday.

Explain your concerns and give honest, factual feedback Listen to whatever explanations are offered and respond to requests for help, training or perhaps

time off to deal with personal difficulties. Be clear about the standard you expect. Ask for suggestions about the personal goals that can be achieved in order to attain it.


72

Agree a plan of action Keep the meeting short and business like. Avoid being drawn into personal criticism.

Follow up

Agree a date and time for review and stick to it. If performance has not improved agree the next steps with your boss or HR department.

Chapter 21: How to deal with an employee with a grievanceEmployees should be encouraged to raise grievances informally with their immediate line manager. It should be possible for most grievances to be dealt with at this level.

Where an employee has made a complaint verbally, this can normally be classed as informal. Manager should be willing to deal with grievances irrespective of whether they are raised verbally or in writing. It should not be a requirement that grievances be raised formally in writing before they are dealt with by a line manager.

Whenever an informal grievance is raised, the manager should arrange to meet the employee as soon as is reasonably practicable to establish why he or she is dissatisfied and to look for a solution to the problem.

During that meeting: Do not interrupt when an employee is talking, even if you disagree with the opinions

expressed. Complaints often dissolve and resolve themselves when people simply have a chance to talk about them.

Ask questions. Questions should indicate interest and a desire for more information. When you ask open ended questions like “Why do you think that happened?” you might uncover underlying causes or related problems. When you ask good questions you communicate that you are not unfairly

pre-judging people or situations.

Do not argue: Present any information you have in a persuasive manner rather than an argumentative one. Arguing builds resistance and can make employees more

Reg. on disputes & complaints


73

determined to have their way regardless of the facts. Asking questions can be an effective tool for disarming a potential argument. Your point of view is more persuasive when you refuse to be drawn into an argument.

Make sure you understand: Some people have difficulty expressing themselves – and can have even more problems if they are stressed or emotional. Use all of your questioning and listening skills to make sure that you fully understand their position. Restate, summarise and ask additional questions to make sure you understand their point of view.

Treat all employees with respect: Ridicule or comments that minimise an employee’s concerns can be

devastating – and have no place in today’s management and leadership style. If you attempt to make an employee feel foolish, you will destroy the lines of communication and trust. Let others save face and retreat gracefully. Criticising and belittling employees in front of others should also be avoided as this also destroys communication, trust and respect.

Let the employee know when to expect a response from you:Often a problem can be settled on the spot. However, if a problem will take time to resolve, establish and communicate a time-frame for your action and response.

Gather the facts: If you are unable to make a decision during the meeting, investigate what the team member has said, check the situation, refer to employment agreements or other relevant documents and, where appropriate, consult with higher management before making a final decision.

Make a decision: Once you make a decision (even if it is unpopular), stick to it firmly unless new evidence that deserves consideration is presented.

If the employee is still dissatisfied after this informal action, they have the right to follow the step contained in the Regulation No 05/2011 on Procedures for Resolving Disputes and Complaints.


74

Avoiding grievances in the first place Not all grievances are a ‘bad thing’ as they may alert the manager to a problem which properly resolved leads to an improvement in performance. Most grievances however can be time consuming and aggravate an already problematic working relationship. So it is much better to avoid them in the first place. The follow steps can help to do so:

1) Identify problemsBy spotting signs of conflict early, you have a better chance of identifying the causes and resolving it. Managers should not ignore unusual behavior by staff members or displays of emotion. A sudden drop in work performance can also be an indicator that something is wrong.

2) OpennessYou are more likely to be able to interpret the behaviour of your employees if you have regular channels for open communication and consultation. By listening to the views of your employees at an early stage - before issues become potential problems - you can gauge future reaction to proposed changes.

3) Training Develop and deploy the “softer” leadership skills such as listening, persuasion and feedback

4) Deal with stressHold regular, informal meetings with those showing signs of possible stress due to bullying, harassment or overwork to ensure issues do not progress to grievances.

5) Change happensGrievances are often more likely when people are asked to change working practices. If this is not explained well they are likely to be resistant to what you need them to do differently. Keep staff informed about future plans.

6) Manage performanceEnsure that good performance is always recognised and employees are given regular feedback and praise for work well done.


75

How to lead for the first timeThe biggest challenge in leading for the first time is shifting your own approach from doing it yourself to getting things done through others. You will be tempted to take over various tasks because you can do them quicker, you haven’t time to explain, others aren’t getting on fast enough or to an acceptable quality standard, or even because you persuade yourself that you are just lending a hand. You must resist this impulse. Remember that all the time you are handling tasks yourself you are:

Denying others the chance to learn Encouraging upward delegation Increasing unit costs by spending your (expensive) timeNot attending to your leadership job.

There are three key sets of relationships to which you, as a leader, must pay attention. These are your boss, your team and yourself.

Your boss.Spend time finding out what your boss’s priorities are and the pressures he/she is under. Understand how your job fits with the rest of (your part of) the institution and what the main interactions are. Go and meet the other managers and find out from them how your team can help.

If you are the new senior official spend time with the minister or mayor, and key stakeholders. Understand their expectations and priorities.

Your teamIntroduce yourself to the team and make time to meet each individual or group, depending on the numbers involved. Get to know them as people, not just job descriptions. Explain the organisation’s vision and make it relevant to them and their jobs. Remind them of what is expected, and why success matters. Be honest about your expectations around progress, personal appraisals and the feedback you need.

Think about what your team spends time on and how this matches the priorities. This can take time as often the underpinning information is difficult to find. Don’t rush into making immediate changes until you are certain that you have consulted all those likely to be affected and those who hold the corporate knowledge – there may be good reasons for some activities, others may be ripe for review.


76

Yourself

Be clear about what you want from this job and about the work-leisure balance you need. Ensure you have completed all the mandatory civil service training expected for a manager at your

level. Draw up a personal leadership development plan and discuss it with your boss.Make time to read about leadership and to attend leadership development events. Find yourself a mentor, someone with whom you can honestly discuss work issues in a completely

confidential environment.Decide how long you want to spend in the job and what you will have achieved by then – and review

this regularly.When you have achieved what you set out to do and developed your leadership ability, move on.

How to choose your leadership style(s)

As a manager at any level, leadership style is crucial to your success. Consciously, or subconsciously, you will no doubt use some of the leadership styles featured below, at least some of the time. By understanding these leadership styles and their impact, you can become a more flexible, better leader.

Autocratic LeadershipAutocratic leadership is an extreme form of transactional leadership, where a leader exerts high levels of power over his or her employees or team members. People within the team are given few opportunities for making suggestions, even if these would be in the team’s or organisation’s interest.

Many people resent being treated like this. Because of this, autocratic leadership often leads to high levels of absenteeism and staff turnover. Also, the team’s output does not benefit from the creativity and experience of all team members, so many of the benefits of teamwork are lost.

For some routine and unskilled jobs, however, this style can remain effective, where the advantages of control outweigh the disadvantages.

Bureaucratic LeadershipBureaucratic leaders work “by the book”, ensuring that their staff follow procedures exactly. This is a very


77

appropriate style for work involving serious safety risks (such as working with machinery, with toxic substances or at heights) or where large sums of money are involved (such as cash-handling). In other situations, the inflexibility and high levels of control exerted can demoralise staff, and can diminish the organization’s ability to react to changing external circumstances.

Charismatic LeadershipA charismatic leadership style can appear similar to a transformational leadership style, in that the leader injects huge doses of enthusiasm into his or her team, and is very energetic in driving others forward. However, charismatic leaders can tend to believe more in themselves than in their teams. This can create a risk that a project, or even an entire organisation, might collapse if the leader were to leave: in the eyes of their followers, success is tied up with the presence of the charismatic leader. As such, charismatic leadership carries great responsibility, and needs long-term commitment from the leader.

Participative LeadershipA manager using this style will make the final decision, but he or she invites other members of the team to contribute to the decision-making process. This not only increases job satisfaction by involving employees or team members in what’s going on, but it also helps to develop people’s skills. Employees and team members feel in control of their own destiny, and so are motivated to work hard by more than just a financial reward. As participation takes time, this style can lead to things happening more slowly than an autocratic approach, but often the end result is better. It can be most suitable where team working is essential, and where quality is more important than speed to market or productivity.

Laissez-Faire LeadershipThis French phrase means “leave it be” and is used to describe a leader who leaves his or her colleagues to get on with their work. It can be effective if the leader monitors what is being achieved and communicates this back to his or her team regularly. Most often, laissez-faire leadership works for teams in which the individuals are very experienced and skilled self-starters. Unfortunately, it can also refer to situations where managers are not exerting sufficient control.

People-Oriented Leadership or Relations-Oriented LeadershipThis style of leadership is the opposite of task-oriented leadership: the leader is totally focused on organising, supporting and developing the people in the team. A participative style, it tends to lead to good teamwork and creative collaboration. However, taken to extremes, it can lead to failure to achieve the team’s goals. In practice, most leaders use both task-oriented and people-oriented styles of leadership.


78

Servant LeadershipThis term, coined by Robert Greenleaf in the 1970s, describes a leader who is often not formally recognised as such. When someone, at any level within an organisation, leads simply by virtue of meeting the needs of his or her team, he or she is described as a “servant leader”.In many ways, servant leadership is a form of democratic leadership, as the whole team tends to be involved in decision-making.

Task-Oriented LeadershipA highly task-oriented leader focuses only on getting the job done, and can be quite autocratic. He or she will actively define the work and the roles required, put structures in place, plan, organise and monitor. However, as task-oriented leaders spare little thought for the well-being of their teams, this approach can suffer many of the flaws of autocratic leadership, with difficulties in motivating and retaining staff.

Transactional LeadershipThis style of leadership starts with the premise that team members agree to obey their leader totally when they take a job on: the “transaction” is (usually) that the organisation pays the team members, in return for their effort and compliance. As such, the leader has the right to “punish” team members if their work doesn’t meet the pre-determined standard. Team members can do little to improve their job satisfaction under transactional leadership. The leader could give team members some control of their income/reward by using incentives that encourage even higher standards or greater productivity. Alternatively a transactional leader could practice “management by exception”, whereby, rather than rewarding better work, he or she would only take corrective action if the required standards were not met.

Transactional leadership is really just a way of managing rather a true leadership style, as the focus is on short-term tasks. It has serious limitations for knowledge-based or creative work, but remains a common style in many organisations.

Transformational LeadershipA leader with this style inspires his or her team with a shared vision of the future. Transformational leaders are highly visible, and spend a lot of time communicating. They don’t necessarily lead from the front, as they tend to delegate responsibility amongst their teams. While their enthusiasm is often infectious, they can need to be supported by “detail people”. In many organisations, both transactional and transformational leadership are needed. The transactional leaders (or managers) ensure that routine work is done reliably, while the transformational leaders look after initiatives that add new value.


79

PROFESSIONAL AND TECHNICAL KNOWLEDGE

How to make a business caseA business case is intended to convince key decision-makers of the merits of a particular course of action.

A good business case will explain the problem, identify all the possible options to address it, and allow decision-makers to decide which course of action will be best for the organisation.

The structure of the business case

A business case needs to lead the reader through the problem, to consider various solutions, and finally decide on which option is best. It therefore needs a clear structure, with plenty of headings and sub-headings to guide the reader.Tip!


80

Sections that are usually required in a business case are:

1. Executive summary

This summarises the business case, including your recommendation. It is often best written last, when you’re clear about your recommended course of action, and why. Remember that some decision-makers may only read the executive summary, so you need to make sure that you have included everything relevant.

2. Introduction

This section introduces the business case and briefly sets out what it is about.

3. Statement of the problem

This should be a brief paragraph stating the problem. It should relate back to the organisation’s strategy or vision to demonstrate how solving the problem is important to the organisation.

4. Analysis

This section provides a more detailed account of the problem and why it is important to address it. It should include any analysis you or others have carried out to identify the impact of, or the reasons for, the problem. Hard evidence is always helpful: the number of people affected, or the cost to the institution or to its clients. At this point, it is appropriate to mention anyone who has been involved in the work within or outside the organisation.

5. Discussion of possible options

You should identify and discuss all possible options for addressing the problem, including doing nothing. For each one, you need to discuss:

The benefits: why it would be a good idea to do it, including how far it addresses the problem; The costs, including resource requirements. It’s often helpful to include figures and graphs. The likely timescale for the project and to see a return on the investment, with reasons The risks, both of doing it, and that might prevent successful implementation.


81

As far as possible, these should be realistic, and preferably supported by solid data. Where you have estimated, this should be based on a reasonable source, which you should cite if possible.

6. RecommendationFinally, you should make a recommendation for which option is best, weighing up the costs and benefits.

How to think creatively

1. Your brain does better creatively when you are tiredUnlike solving an analytic problem, creative insights come from letting our minds wander along tangents and into seemingly unrelated areas. Though many of us identify as morning larks or night owls, peaking in our problem-solving skills and focus at particular times of the day, creative thinking actually works better at non-optimal times. So, if you’re a morning lark, your brain will be better at finding creative insights at night, when you’re tired.

The reason behind this is that a tired brain struggles to filter out distractions and focus on one thing. It’s also more likely to wander off on tangents. While that seems like a bad thing when you’re working, creative thinking actually benefits from distractions and random thoughts.

2. Exercise can improve your creativityWe know exercise is good for us for lots of reasons, but here’s one more. Studies have shown that exercise can improve our ability to think creatively. Exercise allows your conscious mind to access fresh ideas that are buried in the subconscious.”

3. Ambient noise levels are best for creative thinkingMost people think that silence is probably the best sound for creative thinking but it turns out that ambient noise levels are just right. Unlike loud music or silence, ambient noise levels have proven to be perfect for improving creative thinking.

Silence, in fact, actually helps us to sharpen our focus, so it’s useful for intense problem-solving or detail-oriented tasks. Creative thinking, on the other hand, requires the kind of ambient buzz of sound that you might find in a café to promote broader thinking and new ideas. So much so that web tools like Coffitivity exist to bring that ambient café sound to your desk.


82

4. Creativity is all about making connections

Most people think that creativity is about coming up with original ideas but actually creativity is really just about making new connections between existing ideas.

5. Using Six Hat Thinking

Six Hat thinking is a technique that combines the best of logical and lateral thinking styles. It can be used by an individual or a group to structure their thinking or discssions. The important thing is to wear (use) one hat (thinking style) at a time when thinking about an issue. The thinking hats method allows the thinker to do one thing at a time, in such a way that it is possible to separate emotion from logic, creativity from information and so on.

The value of the hats

Each hat defines a style of thinking and communicating This approach allows one to direct one’s attention to one aspect after another Convenience – asking someone to switch hats is a convenient way of asking someone to

switch gears. Rules of the game – are readily outlined and are easy for people to learn, the colour of the hat

determines a thinking cue


83

The six thinking hats

WHITE HAT Neutral, data, information, questions, asking for information, defining, information gaps, needs, listening.

RED HAT Feelings, hunches, emotions, passions. The impact on people

BLACK HAT Logical, negative, criticism, facts, experience, systematic logical analysis, ethics.

YELLOW HAT Logical, positive, feasibility, advantages, merits benefits, savings, opportunities, forward looking.

GREEN HAT Creative hat, ideas, vegetation, proposals, alternatives. The black hat weakened by green thinking.

BLUE HAT Blue hats think about thinking. They make an analytical summary

How to lead a change in your department or institution

1. Create a plan.Every organisation requires change in order to survive, but make sure to not to make changes just for the sake of it. Before embarking on a significant change make sure to have a solid business plan.

2. Understand the end goal.It’s critical to understand the end goal and objectives before starting out. Ask, Where is the function today and where does it need to be? A change leader must have the confidence and capability to change tack, though, if another path looks clearer and makes more sense. Listen to employees, be bold enough to adjust the direction the change is headed toward.

3. Communicate clearly.From Day 1 it’s critical to have all members of the team be behind the leader. Be sure to keep everyone fully abreast of developments and ensure that employees understand the end goal. Keeping the lines of communication open and involving employees in the change process makes it more likely employees will get


84

on board. Give them the opportunity to share ideas, concerns, comments and suggestions throughout the period of change.

4. Identify key players.People react differently to a transformation in the workplace and the leader’s duty is to identify change advocates as well as potential saboteurs. Get key players on board from the beginning and take the time to walk them through the anticipated changes. These team members are likely to be instrumental when new processes are put into practice and can encourage sceptics to participate and help sustain the morale of the rest of their departments.

5. Delegate tasks.Leading from the front is important. But an individual leader cannot implement change alone. Delegate tasks to individuals across the team and assign firm deadlines for completion. Be sure to follow up with each individual and provide support when necessary.

6. Set realistic objectives.The leader should not set up him or herself and the department for failure. During a period of change it›s reasonable to expect key team members to put in extra time and effort, but set realistic targets.If the expectations are too high, not only will quality be compromised but also deadlines won’t be met, morale will plummet and people will become alienated.

7. Manage expectations.When leading a department through change, managing expectations is more critical that ever. Clarify what is expected from employees, and conversely figure out what they expect from the leader.

8. Hold people accountable.Hold employees accountable for implementing change. To do that, equip them with the proper tools, talent, resources, responsibility and authority necessary for finishing the job.

Change is a natural part of the life of an organisation, not a ‘bolt on’ or exceptional effort that will soon fade away or, worse, be replaced by the next initiative. Treat it as the normal way to a better organisation and better business and it will succeed. You will find that your people know what is needed. Your job is


85

to find opportunities to ask, listen to what they tell you and have the courage and the wider knowledge to put it into practice

TEAMWORK

How to get the best out of a team

A team is a group of people who are working together for a common purpose. A team differs from a professional association in that the team members communicate openly and rely on one another thanks to their mutual trust. Good teams are efficient and effective. Great teams are additionally energised and energising, have fun and attract others to them.


86

Great teams can be said to have six characteristics. They consist of individuals who:-

Trust one another Take risks together Complement each others’ strengths Compensate for each others’ weaknessesHave a common goal or a purpose greater than individual goals Produce extraordinary results together.

The leader’s overriding role is to develop good working relationships with those involved, build trust and keep two way feedback flowing freely – whether the team is in one room or scattered across the country.

It is the leader’s responsibility to ensure that the entire team is enthused by the vision and understands the contribution the team and each individual makes to achieving it.

The key steps in developing are great team are

Encourage the sharing of the team’s vision and a set of values Set expectations of performance well above current performance. Be willing to engage fully. Share the commitment to live up to these expectations. Be willing to model behaviour that lives up to these expectations. Focus on the task and the development of people as well as the organisation as a whole. Care to ask, be interested to listen and dedicated enough to respond. Set time aside for one-to-one and team coaching. Share the leadership role and responsibilities while retaining accountabilities. Recognise individual and team success in public.Have the courage to deal with problem team members.Mediocre teams say ‘Our leader holds us accountable’. Great teams hold themselves

mutually accountable.


87

How to undertake a high performance team health check.

Honestly answer the following questions.

Score zero in the box on the right of the question if the answer is ‘Not at all’; 2 if the answer is ‘Somewhat’ and five if the answer is ‘Totally’.

1. Is there a shared sense of purpose & jointly agreed goals and values? 2. Does the team have a full complement of competencies?3. Are all expectations & roles established?4. Are all talents utilised & developed?5. Do team members understand how their roles fit in to the plan? 6. Are task content and processes in place and according to plan?7. Do they meet communicate, solve issues & make decisions?8. Do they celebrate differences, handle conflict, and challenge each other?9. Do they provide support for each other & give positive feedback?10. Are there desired rewards aligned to mutual accountability?11. Do they jointly set stretching goals & pursue opportunities?12. Do they enjoy autonomy, responsibility and accountability?13. Is a spirit of innovation maintained?14. Are there good diplomatic relations and collaborations with others?

If your scores are less than 20, you do not really have a high performing team. If your answers score between 21 and 39 you have an average team. If your score total more than 40, you are well on the way to having a high performance team.


88

How to create a vision for your own function or departmentAn organisational vision provides followers with the hope that the future will be better than the present. Leaders at any level should be in the business of providing their people with hope. And it is more than that. Having a clear idea of how things could be and the direction in which the function is heading enables everyone to make day-to-day small decisions to move towards the big picture.

So, as long as your functional vision is in harmony with and ultimately contributes to the overall institutional

Vision, then it is your obligation to devise one with your team.

Definition

A vision is an ambitious dream that is communicable, memorable, achievable, sustainable and inspirational. It is not measurable.

A vision is like a:Compass it gives us clear direction by binding people together to enable them to converge

with hope of fulfilment on a common purpose

Dynamo it generates energy and enthusiasm

Sounding board it resonates with the values and aspirations of all in the organisation

Beacon it shines to show us the way to go.

Here are some examples:

Disney: “To make people happy” Fed Ex: “Absolutely, positively overnight” Al Jezeera: “To be recognised as the world’s leading and most trusted media network, reaching people

no matter who or where they are”


89

When creating a vision, do…

Brainstorm the ingredients of the vision with your team. These are best expressed in single words, i.e. not phrases or sentences.

Encourage and engage your imagination. Create the vision in the present tense so as to reinforce the sense of ‘being in the midst of it’. Be prepared to “unlearn” and to suspend preconceptions. Accept that your first efforts may seem clichéd – just keep refining them Ask the participants to describe what they see and feel when contemplating the vision e.g.

SEE FEELDelighted customers Pride

Fulfilled colleagues Energy Harmony among stakeholders Wider sense of purpose Strong demand for products Achievement Potential recruits eager to join Happiness in being part of it

Use simple terms that people recognise, relate to and remember – Invite challenge from colleagues at all levels to create wider ownership and impact.Give the vision time to mature - you will nearly always be able to improve on the first

version(s). Test the vision - ‘What, if anything, has ‘X…’ or ‘Y…’ got to do with our vision?’ The vision, though not measurable itself, must be clearly linked to measurable objectives.

Do not…

Confuse vision with intention. A vision should not start with the word ‘To’. Use jargon. Impose your interpretation of the vision on others, but rather encourage them to interpret

it for themselves Try to compromise by combining unrelated ideas. Fudge by using words like ‘best’ - they endanger credibility and seldom inspire. Substitute a vision for measurable planning.


90

How to develop and use team values

A set of values that will determine the way we do business cannot be mandated from the top. Everyone involved must be included in the determination process and encouraged to have their say.

Hold a workshop with the purpose of creating a set of agreed values and make sure that everyone is briefed beforehand.

Explain the concept of a set of values

Give examples of personal and team or organisational values. The list of possible values below may be of use here. Please note this list is not exhaustive.

Achievement Helping others ResilienceAccomplishment Honesty Responsibility

Adventure Humility SecurityAssertiveness Humour Self esteem

Calmness Integrity Self relianceChallenge Independence Self respect

Change Influence StabilityCommunity Intellect StatusCompetence Involvement SubtletyConsistency Joyfulness TruthConfidence Judgement Trust

Commitment Justice WealthCo-operation Knowledge Wisdom

Courage Loyalty WitCreativity Merit Wonder

Decisiveness Money Etc…Directness Objectivity


91

Discretion OpennessDynamism Optimism

Effectiveness OrderEfficiency Patience

Encouragement PeaceEnjoyment Personal development

Equality PleasureEthics Power

Excellence PresenceExcitement PrivacyExpertise ProfitFreedom Quality

Fun RecognitionGenerosity Relationships

Growth Reputation

State that the list must be short – between three and five words. If necessary split people into work sized groups of 5-7. Set the task of coming up with an agreed set of values. Encourage the use brainstorming or other

creative techniques. Have enough dictionaries present and encourage their use. Ask team leaders to present their set of recommended values and explain what it means in a business

context. Ask questions such as what does this value apply to the way that we make decisions, the way

that we conduct meetings; what does this mean for the way we deal with our clients, our dealins with other teams, on so on. Arrive at an agreed list and publish to all concerned.


92

How to work well in a team

Teams need strong team players to perform well. As well and managing and leading your own team you will no doubt be a member in other teams. This is what strong team players do:

Demonstrate reliabilityYou can count on a reliable team member who gets work done and does his fair share to work hard and meet commitments. He or she follows through on assignments. Consistency is key.

Communicate constructivelyTeams need people who speak up and express their thoughts and ideas clearly, directly, honestly, and with respect for others and for the work of the team. Such a team member does not shy away from making a point but makes it in the best way possible — in a positive, confident, and respectful manner.

Listen activelyTeams need team players who can absorb, understand, and consider ideas and points of view from other people without debating and arguing every point. Such a team member also can receive criticism without reacting defensively. Most important, for effective communication and problem solving, team members need the discipline to listen first and speak second so that meaningful dialogue results.

Function as an active participantTeam players come prepared for team meetings and listen and speak up in discussions. They’re fully engaged in the work of the team and do not sit passively on the sidelines. They take the initiative to help make things happen, and they volunteer for assignments.

Share openly and willinglyGood team players share. They’re willing to share information, knowledge, and experience. They take the initiative to keep other team members informed. Much of the communication within teams takes place informally. Beyond discussion at organised meetings, team members need to feel comfortable talking with one another and passing along important news and information day-to-day.

Cooperate and pitch in to helpCooperation is the act of working with others and acting together to accomplish a job. Good team players, despite differences they may have with other team members concerning style and perspective, identify ways


93

to work together to solve problems and get work done. They respond to requests for assistance and take the initiative to offer help.

Exhibit flexibilityTeams often deal with changing conditions — and often create changes themselves. Good team players roll with the punches; they adapt to ever-changing situations. They don’t complain or get stressed out because something new is being tried or some new direction is being set. In addition, a flexible team member can consider different points of views and compromise when needed. He or she doesn’t hold rigidly to a point of view and argue it to death, especially when the team needs to move forward to make a decision or get something done. Strong team players are firm in their thoughts yet open to what others have to offer — flexibility at its best.

Show commitment to the teamStrong team players care about their work, the team, and the team’s work. They show up every day with this care and commitment up front. They want to give a good effort, and they want other team members to do the same.

Work as a problem-solverTeams, of course, deal with problems. Good team players are willing to deal with all kinds of problems in a solutions-oriented manner. They’re problem-solvers, not problem-dwellers, problem-blamers, or problem-avoiders. They don’t look for others to fault, as the blamers do. And they don’t put off dealing with issues. They get problems out in the open for discussion and then collaborate with others to find solutions and form action plans.

Treat others in a respectful and supportive manner

Team players treat fellow team members with courtesy and consideration — not just some of the time but consistently. In addition, they show understanding and the appropriate support of other team members to help get the job done. They don’t place conditions on when they’ll provide assistance, when they’ll choose to listen, and when they’ll share information. Good team players also have a sense of humour and know how to have fun (and all teams can use a bit of both), but they don’t have fun at someone else’s expense. Quite simply, effective team players deal with other people in a professional manner.


94

COMMUNICATION & PRESENTATION

How to interview for selection and recruitment This chapter assumes that you will be a member of the Selection Committee that will be interviewing as part of the recruitment procedure to fill a vacant position. It does not cover the whole recruitment process, just provides best practice guidelines for the panel interview.

Preparation

Firstly, take some time to familiarise yourself with the priority competencies to be assessed during the interview. The definitions and positive behavioural indicators are available in the Competency Framework. Ensure you are

Law on civil serviceReg. on recruitment & selectionReg. on representation of minoritiesReg. on personnel planningAdmin instruction on senior appointments committee


95

familiar with the questions in this guide. Decide which of them you will put to the candidates. Also take a look at the possible follow-on probes. You may want to consider adding further probes of your own.

All core questions should be determined before you start interviewing and every candidate should be asked the same questions.

Remember the questions are purely a tool to help you to elicit relevant information. Therefore it is most important that you probe deeply around the examples given by a candidate to understand their behaviour and experience. Probing questions cannot be planned in advance as they will depend upon the candidate’s response to the previous question.

Part of the interview will be general information gathering and a discussion about their relevant work experience, for example:

“Tell me about the responsibilities you have in your current role” “Tell me about your experience of planning conferences”

Scheduling Interviews

We recommend scheduling one hour to conduct an interview. The post-interview scoring process usually takes an additional 15 or 20 minutes. If you’re planning to conduct multiple interviews in one day, scheduling them

1½ hours apart is usually sufficient. The following breakdown provides some guidance:

Introductions, explanation of process 5 minutes

Questions about education, experience and motivation 15 minutes

Questions on institutional and economic knowledge 15 minutes

Questions related to the requirements of the specific job 20 minutes

Applicant questions and wrap-up 5 minutes


96

The questioning structure

Typically, questions related to the specific job will ask candidates for examples of how they have dealt with relevant situations in the past. The rationale in asking for past examples is that past behaviour is a strong predictor of future behaviour in similar situations. Hypothetical questions (such as “What would you do if ...”) should be avoided as they gather information that is a poor predictor of future behaviour.

Very often a candidate’s answer to a question will give you some information but not enough to make an assessment of the competency you are assessing. What is needed then are probing questions to follow up

the initial question. The funnel below shows how this can work:

Interviews should follow a clear structure, however the questions should not be followed slavishly as this will interrupt the flow of the interview. It is good practice to explain to the candidate how the interview will be structured, and that you will be asking for specific examples of when they have demonstrated the competencies required for the role. Ask them to bear in mind that you’ll be interested in:

Examples from their work life Recent examples preferably – the last 2-3 years

The questions and probes should be structured as follows:

Situation: What is the example?

Task: Ask them to describe their detailed task

Action: What did they do? Result: What was the outcome? How did it go/what would they do differently?

As the panel asks their questions you should make notes, using an interview assessment form. You are looking for evidence that the criteria have been met in the responses to the questions and the examples that candidates give.

Asking each applicant the same core questions will ensure a fair evaluation of the applicants on the same set of requirements.

Tell me about…Give me an example of…

When?Why?How?

What did you…?


97

Some additional techniques for conducting good interviews

Attempt to put the applicant at ease – The initial step in any good job interview is to help the applicant feel comfortable in what is usually a stressful setting. Engaging in a few minutes of “small talk” usually breaks the ice.

Focus the applicants on facts rather than opinions – Some applicants couch their answers in the context of what they believe rather than what they did. If the applicant makes statements such as “Clients are always my top priority,” you should respond by asking them to provide a concrete example.

Keep the applicant focused on past behaviors – Even if you ask for a specific example, some applicants may respond as if they were asked a hypothetical question. Simply remind the applicant that you need specific examples from the past.

Ensure that the whole selection process is carried out in a fair and transparent manner and that recruitment and selection procedures and policy have been followed correctly to avoid any claims of unfair discrimination.

Avoid asking questions related to any protected characteristics, for example; age, gender, nationality or ethnicity, sexual orientation, religion or belief, disability, pregnancy or maternity status and marriage.

All panel members should make notes on candidates’ answers during interviews to aid decision-making. Notes should be based on the person specification that the interview questions will be framed around. Notes should be an accurate record of what the candidate said or did, not the interviewer’s inferences or judgments. It is important to separate observation from evaluation.

Ensure that questions are clear and test candidates against the criteria set in the person specification section of the job description and the selected competencies, and that all candidates are asked the same core questions.

Ask questions clearly, clarifying and following up with probes where necessary. Probing questions will have to be tailored to the responses received from the candidate. They cannot be scripted in advance.


98

Allow for silence on tough questions that seek specific detail to allow candidates to consider the question before answering. Put the candidate at ease, let them know they have time and you are expecting an answer.

Seek contrary evidence in your interviews. If the interview is painting a picture of negative past behavior on the job, seek to find evidence of good behavior or performance to get a balanced view of the candidate. The same is true when a candidate seems perfect, perhaps too perfect.

Assess each candidate against the criteria in the person specification rather than against each other.

Determine whether each candidate is appointable or non-appointable and reach a consensus with the rest of the panel. Interviewers’ comments should be supported with evidence gained during the selection process and conclusions must be based on facts not assumptions.

If there is a difference in opinion amongst the panel, reassess the candidates by going back through the person specification and scoring against each criteria again if needed. The final decision must be agreed by all.

Agree, as a panel, the feedback that will be provided to the candidates.

Ensure that the agreed feedback is an accurate and unbiased summary of the reasons for non- appointment and relates specifically to the agreed selection criteria in the person specification.

Notes for selection committee Chairs (in addition to the guidelines for all panel members)

The Chair of the panel is required to fully participate in questioning. In addition they will control the proceedings, including timekeeping of interviews, as required.

Before the interview:

Work with the institution HR specialist in planning the questions; ensuring that they test candidates’ performance against the criteria set in the person specification section of the job description and the selected priority competencies.

Ask panel members to disclose any potential conflicts


99

of interest.

Ask the institution’s HR specialist to brief the panel on the requirements of the job if required.

Ensure that all panel members are familiar with the selection process and have all the relevant documents in advance of the interview, and that they have read and understood them.

Decide with the panel who will ask which questions and the order in which they will be asked.

Remind the panel of equality and diversity considerations.

Confirm how, when and by whom candidates will be informed of the outcome.

Arrange for the panel members to meet at least 30 minutes before the first candidate is due to arrive.

Actions during the interview:

Welcome the candidate and introduce panel members.

Explain the overall process to the candidate and that they can expect panel members to take notes.

Ask an opening question designed to relax the candidate and help them to overcome nerves.

Monitor the process and intervene if any panel member asks an inappropriate question.

Ensure that the candidates have an accurate picture of both the job itself and of the terms and conditions relating to it including providing an opportunity at the end of the interview for candidates to ask any questions and provide any additional information.

Bring the interview to a close by thanking the candidate for their time. Explain the decision-making process and how and when the candidate will be informed of the outcome.


100

Actions during the decision-making process:

Keep accurate notes of the decision making process, including clear reasons for deeming someone unsuitable.

Ensure that the assessment is carried out in a fair and transparent manner and that recruitment and selection procedures and policy have been followed correctly to avoid any claims of unfair discrimination and rule out any comments or discussions relating to any of the protected characteristics.

To lead the discussion and assessment of panel members; inviting all panel members to give feedback and share their scores on the candidates, finishing with the chair’s own feedback. .

Lead the panel in reaching a consensus on whether each candidate is suitable or not and if required, identifying a rank order acceptable to the panel as a whole.

Assessing candidates

Immediately after each interview each panel member should consider their notes made during the interview, looking for evidence that the criteria have been met in the responses to the questions and the examples that candidates gave. Based on this they should complete the interview score sheet

It is important that there is no discussion between interviewers at this stage of the process and that each interviewer reviews their notes individually.

Once all interviewers have completed their interview assessment form they can share information and are ready to make a decision.

The purpose of an interview is to appoint the best candidate for the job, i.e. the one who most closely matches your original person specification. If

none of the candidates are suitable then you should not appoint.

Assessment Errors

The process of assessment is a difficult and delicate job, yet the success and value of the interview hinges on the quality of these ratings. Assessment errors occur when an assessor’s evaluation is influenced by factors other than the agreed assessment criteria.


101

Common errors

First impressions: Unconsciously, you may judge an applicant positively or negatively from the outset, resulting in an assessment of the applicant according to your own beliefs rather than according to the qualifications required for the job and their true performance.

Leniency and stringency: These are the general tendencies to assess applicants consistently high (leniency effect) or low (stringency effect). The understanding of the requirements for the job and the qualifications assessed may differ from one assessor to another. The assessment needs to be fair to all applicants. The result of this error is that the assessment of applicants is either higher or lower than warranted.

Central tendency: This is the tendency to use only the middle points of an assessment rating scale, while avoiding the extreme points. You may be reluctant to rate applicants high or low and, therefore, rate all applicants as average, not differentiating among them.

“Halo” and “Horn” effects: These errors involve the tendency to allow one good (halo) or bad (horn) characteristic or qualification influence the evaluation of all other qualifications of an applicant. Committee members need to monitor themselves when they are so impressed by an applicant on one qualification so that they do not attribute positive qualities for all other criteria regardless of the evidence provided. Conversely, when an applicant does poorly in one area, they may be under-rated in other assessed areas.

Contrast effect: This is the tendency to assess an applicant relative to the performance of a previous applicant instead of using the person specification criteria. You have to be aware that you might encounter applicants who will stand out, positively or negatively, and that subsequent applicants may be under- or over-assessed as a result.

Fatigue: This is the tendency among board members to become fatigued during a lengthy interviewing process and to become less consistent or less stringent in their note-taking, listening or application of the assessment criteria.

Stereotypes: This is an error that occurs when your own personal biases and preconceptions of a good employee influence your evaluations. Stereotyping is often based on demographics such as sex, race, ethnicity or age, but can also involve other variables such as degree of education, politics or interests. You must be aware that personal beliefs and perceptions of what is needed for the job may affect evaluations of applicants.

Similar-to-me: This error occurs when an applicant is given more favourable evaluations than warranted


102

because they are similar to the interviewer in some way (e.g., race, sex, age, attitudes or background). The reverse, dissimilar-to-me, can also occur where an applicant is given less favourable evaluations than warranted because of perceived differences.

How to deal with a conflict at work Dealing with conflict is an essential skill of a good people and it is one of the aspects of leadership that most people find challenging.

Once you have recognised that someone is ‘difficult’, or that a particular situation is likely to cause conflict, stop and analyse what it is that makes you think so.

It may be because others:

have a different agenda, approach work from a different perspective, are very stressed, don’t have the skills needed to do the job, see you as a threat to their personal power or standing, believe that you don’t have the skills to do your job.

It will seldom be because people just enjoy being difficult. If you think that this is the root cause, bear in mind that it must have been a successful strategy for them in the past and has meant that they have succeeded in getting their own way. So think about what they have gained and whether you can either live with that or find an alternative that meets both your needs.

Whatever the reason you identify for the conflict, ask yourself these questions

What do I want and why do I want and need it? Is this essential to the business and the organisation or is it just my personal preference?What is it about this person/situation that I find difficult? Is it about one task or behaviour or in

certain circumstances?What does the other person need to get out of the meeting?



103

Do the others understand what I need? (Have I explained?)How can we both/all get what we need?How can I present my request in a way that maintains the self-esteem of the other person(s)?

Most conflict arises from misunderstanding and poor communication. If both ‘sides’ understand each other’s agenda you are much more likely to achieve a successful outcome.

Another way of understanding conflict situations is to adopt the famous Thomas Kilmann model. This asserts that because no two individuals have exactly the same expectations and desires, conflict is a natural part of our interactions with others.

The Thomas Kilmann model is designed to assess an individual’s behavior in conflict situations - that is, situations in which the concerns of two people appear to be incompatible. It describe a person’s behavior along two basic dimensions:

(1) assertiveness, the extent to which the individual attempts to satisfy his or her own concerns, and

(2) cooperativeness, the extent to which the individual attempts to satisfy the other person’s concerns. These two basic dimensions of behavior can be used to definefive specific methods of dealing with conflicts. These five “conflict-handling modes” are shown below.


104

Competing is assertive and uncooperative, a power-oriented mode. When competing, an individual pursues his or her own concerns at the other person’s expense, using whatever power seems appropriate to win his or her position. Competing might mean standing up for your rights, defending a position you believe is correct, or simply trying to win.

Accommodating is unassertive and cooperative - the opposite of competing. When accommodating, an individual neglects his or her own concerns to satisfy the concerns of the other person; there is an element of self-sacrifice in this mode. Accommodating might take the form of selfless generosity or charity, obeying another person’s order when you would prefer not to, or yielding to another’s point of view.

Avoiding is unassertive and uncooperative. When avoiding, an individual does not immediately pursue either his or her own concerns or those of the other person. He or she does not address the conflict. Avoiding might take the form of diplomatically sidestepping an issue, postponing an issue until a better time, or simply withdrawing from a threatening situation.

Collaborating is both assertive and cooperative - the opposite of avoiding. When collaborating, an individual attempts to work with the other person to find a solution that fully satisfies the concerns of both. It involves digging into an issue to identify the underlying concerns of the two individuals and to find an alternative that meets both sets of concerns. Collaborating between two persons might take the form of exploring a disagreement to learn from each other’s insights, with the goal of resolving some condition that would otherwise have them competing for resources, or confronting and trying to find a creative solution to an interpersonal problem.

Compromising is intermediate in both assertiveness and cooperativeness. When compromising, the objective is to find an expedient, mutually acceptable solution that partially satisfies both parties. Compromising falls on a middle ground between competing and accommodating, giving up more than competing but less than accommodating. Likewise, it addresses an issue more directlythan avoiding, but doesn’t explore it in as much depth as collaborating. Compromising might mean splitting the difference, exchanging concessions, or seeking a quick middle-ground position.

The effectiveness of a given conflict-handling mode depends upon the requirements of the specific conflict situation and the skill with which you use that mode.

You are capable of using all five conflict-handling modes: you cannot be characterized as having a single, rigid


105

style of dealing with conflict. However, it may be possible that you use some modes more readily than others and therefore tend to rely upon those modes more heavily. The conflict behaviors you use are the result of both your personal predispositions and the requirements of the situations in which you find yourself. Also, your social skills may lead you to rely upon some conflict behaviors more or less than others.

CompetingUses

1. When quick, decisive action is vital - for example, in an emergency2. On important issues where unpopular courses of action need implementing - for example, cost

cutting, enforcing unpopular rules, discipline3. On issues vital to company welfare when you know you’re right4. To protect yourself against people who take advantage of noncompetitive behavior

AccommodatingUses

When you realize that you are wrong - to allow a better solution to be considered, to learn from others, and to show that you are reasonable

When the issue is much more important to the other person than to yourself - to satisfy the needs of others, and as a goodwill gesture to help maintain a cooperative relationship

To build up social credits for later issues that are important to youWhen continued competition would only damage your cause - when you are outmatched and losingWhen preserving harmony and avoiding disruption are especially important To aid in the development of your employees by allowing them to experiment and learn from their

own mistakes

AvoidingUses

When an issue is trivial or of only passing importance, or when other, more important issues are pressing

When you perceive no chance of satisfying your concerns - for example, when you have low power or you are frustrated by something that would be very difficult to change (national policies, someone’s personality structure, and so on)


106

When the potential costs of confronting a conflict outweigh the benefits of its resolution To let people cool down - to reduce tensions to a productive level and to regain perspective and

composureWhen gathering more information outweighs the advantages of an immediate decisionWhen others can resolve the conflict more effectivelyWhen the issue seems tangential or symptomatic of another, more basic issue

Questions to ask if you scored high:

Do you sometimes find yourself hurting others’ feelings or stirring up hostilities? You may need to exercise more discretion and tact in framing issues in non-threatening ways.

Do you sometimes feel harried or overwhelmed by a number of issues?You may need to devote more time to setting priorities-that is, deciding which issues are relatively unimportant, and perhaps delegating them to others.

CollaboratingUses

To find an integrative solution when the concerns of both parties are too important to be compromisedWhen your objective is to learn - for example, testing your own assumptions, understanding the

views of others To merge insights from people with different perspectives on a problem To gain commitment by incorporating others’ concerns into a consensual decision To work through hard feelings that have been interfering with an interpersonal relationship

CompromisingUses

When goals are moderately important but not worth the effort or the potential disruption involved in using more assertive modes

When two opponents with equal power are strongly committed to mutually exclusive goals - as in labor-management bargaining

To achieve temporary settlement of complex issues


107

To arrive at an expedient solution under time pressure As a backup mode when collaboration or competition fails

The following self-analysis questionnaire can help you identify your tendency to adopt particular modes and where improvement action is needed.

THOMAS KILMANN CONFLICT- MANAGEMENT QUESTIONNAIRE

INSTRUCTIONSConsider situations in which you find your wishes differing from those of another person. How do you usually respond to such situations?On the following pages are several pairs of statements describing possible behavioural responses. For each pair, please circle the ‘A’ or ‘B’ statement that is more characteristic of your own behaviour.In many cases, neither the ‘A’ nor the ‘B’ statement may be very typical of your behaviour, but please select the response which you would be more likely to use.1 A: There are times when I let others take responsibility for solving the problem.

1 B: Rather than negotiate the things on which we disagree, I try to stress those things upon which we both agree.2 A: I try to find a compromise solution.2 B: I attempt to deal with all of his/her and my concerns.3 A: I am usually firm in pursuing my goals.3 B: I might try to soothe the others feelings and preserve our relationship.4 A: I try to find a compromising solution.4 B: I sometimes sacrifice my own wishes for the wishes of the other person.5 A: I consistently seek the other’s help in working out a solution.5 B: I try to do what is necessary to avoid useless tensions.6 A: I try to avoid creating unpleasantness for myself.6 B: I try to win my position.7 A: I try to postpone the issue until I have had some time to think it over.7 B: I give up some points in exchange for others.8 A: I am usually firm in pursuing my goals8 B: I attempt to get all concerns and issues immediately out in the open.9 A: I feel that differences are not always worth worrying about.9 B: I make some effort to get my way.


108

10 A: I am firm in pursuing my goals.10 B: I try to find a compromise solution.11 A: I attempt to get all concerns and issues immediately out in the open.11 B: I might try to soothe the other’s feelings and preserve out relationship.12 A: I sometimes avoid taking positions which would create controversy.12 B: I will let him/her have some of his positions if he/she lets me have some of mine.13 A: I propose a middle ground.13 B: I press to get my points made.14 A: I tell him/her my ideas and ask him/her for his/hers.14 B: I try to show him/her the logic and benefits of my position.15 A: I might try to soothe the other’s feelings and preserve our relationship.15 B: I try to do what is necessary to avoid tensions.16 A: I try not to hurt the other’s feelings.16 B: I try to convince the other person of the merits of my position.17 A: I am usually firm in pursuing my goals17 B: I try to do what is necessary to avoid useless tensions.18 A: If it makes the other person happy, I might let him/her maintain his views.18 B: I will let him/her have some of his positions if he/she lets me have some of mine.19 A: I attempt to get all concerns and issues immediately out in the open.19 B: I try to postpone the issue until I have had some time to think it over.20 A: I attempt to immediately work through our differences.20 B: I try to find a fair combination of gains and losses for both of us.21 A: In approaching negotiations, I try to be considerate of the other person’s wishes.21 B: I always lean toward a direct discussion of the problem.22 A: I try to find a position that is intermediate between his/hers and mine.22 B: I assert my wishes..23 A: I am very often concerned with satisfying all our wishes23 B: There are times when I let others take responsibility for solving the problem.24 A: If the other’s position seems very important to him/her, I would try to meet his/her wishes.24 B: I try to get him/her to settle for a compromise.25 A: I try to show him/her the logic and benefits of my position25 B: When approaching negotiations, I try to be considerate of the other person’s wishes.26 A: I propose a middle ground26 B: I’m nearly always concerned with satisfying all our wishes.


109

27 A: I sometimes avoid taking positions that would create controversy27 B: If it makes the other person happy I might let him/her maintain his/her views.28 A: I am usually firm in pursuing my goal28 B: I usually seek the other’s help in working out a solution.29 A: I propose a middle ground.29 B: I feel that differences are not always worth worrying about.30 A: I try not to hurt the other’s feelings30 B: I always share the problem with the other person so we can work it out.


110

THOMAS KILMANN INSTRUMENT SCORE SHEET

Circle below the letters which you circled on each item of the questionnaire and then total the number of rings in each column:- Competing Collaborating Compromising Avoiding Accommodating (Forcing) (Problem Solving) (Sharing) (Withdrawal) (Smoothing)

1) A B2) B A 3) A B 4) A B5) A B6) B A7) B A8) A B 9) B A10) A B 11) A B12) B A13) B A14) B A15) B A16) B A17) A B18) B A19) A B20) A B21) B A22) B A23) A B24) B A25) A B26) B A27) A B28) A B29) A B30) B A

TOTALS ____ _____ ____ ____ ____

The higher your score, the greater your reliance is upon that particular conflict handling mode. The perfectly balanced score would be ‘6’ for each mode.


111

How to improve your interpersonal communication

Here are a range to tips and communication ‘Dos and Don’ts’ for improving your interpersonal skills

Interpersonal communication statistics: 93% - of communication is non-verbal; as below;7% - what you say38% - how you sound 55% - your body language

10 interpersonal communication tips Treat others with respectDon’t interrupt Agree to disagreeDon’t speak for others Speak up – but not too loud or often Challenge the behaviour, not the person Respect confidentiality Let people know it’s okay to make mistakesGive private constructive feedback Allow people to save face


112

Organisational communication: Recipe for success Know your audience – their wants, needs and concerns Listen and learn Stay flexible and keep an open mind Choose the right way, right time and right place to get your message across Know your goals and craft your messages to deliver on those goals Support your claims with facts Be trustworthy – be straight, show them respect and protect confidentiality

Dealing with difficult people

Type Their behaviour How to copeHostile aggressives Will try to bully you Refuse to be intimidated and keep your temperComplainers Find fault but won’t help fix problems Counter with positive ideasSilent unresponsives Won’t communicate Ask open ended questionsSuper agreeables Promise too much then can’t deliver Give them permission to say no or disagreeNegativists Auto reaction – ‘It won’t work’ Provide solutions that really will work Know it alls Hugo egos. Ty to make you feel small Persuade them to consider alternative viewsIndecisives Procrastinate until it’s too late Force them to decide and take control

Body language

Do’s Don’tsDo maintain natural, interested, friendly eye contact Don’t stare too long or look away too muchDo speak with animation to convey enthusiasm Don’t squeak – talk or sing to warm up your voice when

you are tenseDo talk with your hands (palms up, not down) Don’t cross you arms or fold them over your chestDo cross your legs at the ankle or towards the speaker Don’t jam your hands in your pocketsDo mirror the other person’s body language – if it’s positive Don’t cross your legs away from the speakerDo smile genuinely and often Don’t point, jabbing your finger in someone’s faceDo stand up straight and hold your head high Don’t furrow your brow (it looks like a scowl)


113

Do tilt your head to one side (friendly, open, interested) Don’t invade the other person’s personal space (approx. 2 feet)

Do lean toward the speaker, nod occasionally (encouraging) Don’t stand with arms behind your back or hands on hipsDo stand or sit an arm’s length away from the other person Don’t lean away from someone who is talking to you

Presentation tips

Preparation DeliveryKnow your audience Be prepared – practice makes perfectKnow your objectives Be relaxedDetermine your key messages Make eye contact with the audiencePlan your structure – beginning, middle, end Try not to readUse bullet point notes when possible – not text. Use a pleasant, natural speaking voicePresent an agenda to your audience Vary your pitch and toneUse anecdotes where appropriate Use gestures for emphasisBuild in summaries as you go Don’t pace or fidget Keep visual aids simple Smile!

Active ListeningDo’s Don’tsDo allow enough time for people to have their say Don’t do anything else while the speaker speaksDo make eye contact Don’t lose your cool; take a time out if it gets heatedDo seek information and ask for clarification Don’t come on too strong; you’ll seem like a bullyDo listen quietly and attentively Don’t interrupt; let the person finishDo use pauses to think or ask questions Don’t speak the instant they other person stopsDo pause after the speaker stops before talking Don’t launch into a point/counterpoint attack Do ask questions to make sure you understand Don’t tell someone they’re wrong; let then save faceDo restate what he/she said to confirm accuracy Don’t cross arms Do watch your body language, smile and nod. Don’t make distracting gestures like shaking your head


114

Email effectiveness

Check email daily and respond promptly Plan messages – what do you want them to think, feel and do? Keep emails brief and simply worded – but not abrupt.DON’T USE ALL CAPS – it’s like shoutingMake the subject line match the content – it will be easier to find againNumber multiple points – and organise them logically Re-read before sending – and don’t click Reply All by mistake! Keep attachments small – ideally under 2mb. Answer all questions, and pre-empt further questions.Use proper spelling, grammar and punctuation – make it easy to readDon’t leave out the message thread – usually historical information is needed Be kind. Don’t flame. Think before you click Send. If you find yourself writing in anger, save

a draft, go get a cup of coffee. What would your colleagues and friends think? Include a signature at the end – name, title and contact information.

How to have a successful meeting with a difficult person

People who you see as difficult are usually behaving in that way for one or more of three reasons:

They have an unresolved grievance. They have a different style of thinking, acting and being. They have developed a coping strategy of being difficult as this has proved successful in the past.

Whatever the reason for the behaviour there are some key steps you need to bear in mind.

Where a grievance procedure exists, ensure that you are familiar with it and thoroughly understand the ramifications of all of the stages required in case it is necessary for a grievance to be escalated. Ensure that you stick to the procedures laid down and carefully record everything that is required.

At the outset, be clear about what you and the other person need from the discussion and how this contributes to delivering the department and institution’s goals.

Reg. on disputes & complaintsReg. on disciplinary procedure


115

Use negotiation techniques and work out the win for the other person as well as for yourself.

If you have made a mistake or you know you have not achieved something acknowledge this at the outset. ‘I know that I didn’t give you enough information yesterday, I hope that you now have all that you need.’

If you are criticised, use an assertiveness technique called ‘fogging’. Thank your opponent for the criticism and do not question it further or attempt to justify it. ‘That is useful to know. Thank you for the feedback.’

If the other person starts attacking you verbally or keeps changing the subject, try the ‘broken record technique’ – keep repeating the reason for the meeting and your own main request. Keep your behaviour under control. It is useful to disclose your feelings – “I am finding this

conversation difficult – I feel angry/hurt/upset” – but do it in a calm and collected way. Apportioning blame usually brings about justification and the situation worsens. Take responsibility for what is your fault, avoid personal criticism of the other party and speak

objectively about the issue in hand – “we need to find a solution to the administrative backlog”. Ask the other person for their suggestions about the difficulty can be handled – “How do

you think we might sort this out – what would you suggest we do about it?”. If you suspect that an unresolved grievance exists that has not been made formal, it is good

practice to suggest that the complaints procedure is invoked. Even if your suggestion is declined the invitation to do so should be recorded. It will demonstrate your objectivity and even-handness and will protect you in the event that you need to revisit this later.

Close the meeting on a civilised note, even if it has not been positive. Be courteous; thank them for their time and use the exit door quietly if you have caught the difficult person on a bad day or at the wrong time.

If emotions run too high suggest a break and a time to meet again later Rehearse, rehearse, rehearse.

How to negotiateAll leaders have to learn to negotiate. Because they are interested in changing things for the better they constantly have to negotiate for budget, for the release of staff, for space to experiment or for time.



116

Negotiation can only take place if there is an overlap of interests and position.

X = the perfect possible case and includes all possible objectives;

Y = the worst case, the minimum position.

So the only area of negotiaition is between the Points Y of each party

Party AIdeal position Minimum position X---------------------------------------------------------------------------Y Negotiating area

Y--------------------------------------------------------------X Minimum position Ideal position

Party BThere are five stages to a successful negotiation

1. Prepare

Create your own list of the issues Follow each issue with an intention Find your minimum acceptable position on each issue Identify their list of issues, intentions and minimum acceptable positions.

Chapter 36: Have a dialogue rather than a competitive debate

Review the issues, intentions and positions Ask direct, open questions, shut up and listen to the answer Summarise regularly.


117

3. Propose

Only proposals can be negotiated. Arguments or opinions cannot.Give them what they want on your terms Ask ‘What would make my proposal acceptable?’ Ask ‘If my proposal is not acceptable, what is your proposal?’

4. Bargain

Put conditions before offers. ‘If you do X then I can do Y?’ Concede in less important areas to gain in areas of greater importanceDon’t throw away ‘elk steaks’ in the hope of deterring wolves.

5. Close and make sure you have agreed what has been agreed

Any ambiguity is cleared up more easily at the time than it is afterwards Both parties should be happy with the deal.

How to give and receive feedback

The purpose of feedback is to help a person, or a team, to perceive the effect of their behaviour. It enables them to make decision about their own future behavioural changes.

There is a three-step approach to giving feedback:

1. What I thought you did well…2. What I thought you did less well…3. My suggestions are for future improvements are…

Avoid linking 1 and 2 with ‘but’, ‘though’ or ‘however’. Such linking words destroy the impact of the positive feedback.

Reg. on disputes & complaintsReg. on disciplinary procedure


118

When giving feedback: When receiving feedback:

Get permission to give feedback Really listen Be clear for whose benefit this is Try not to be defensiveGet your time and place right, as soon after the event as is sensitively possible

Don’t interrupt or justify

Be specific, use facts and examples. If you are using opinions state them as opinions

Encourage the other to be forthright and honest

State why you are giving this feedback Accept the feedbackFocus on do-able changes Thank the giver of the feedbackBalance positives and negatives Remember that feedback is only one opin-

ion and that nothing necessarily has to be changed as a result

Focus on behaviour not personality Act on the feedback if you believe it will make a difference

Check that your feedback has been received in the way it was intended.

Tell the feedback giver what you are going to do, if anything.

How to give praise

Psychologists know that healthy humans, both adults and children, need praise in order to develop and grow in confidence. Recently there have been reports of research in America that suggests that people at work get 5 times less praise than they need.

Think of the last time someone said ‘well done’ to you. If it was someone whose judgement you respected you probably felt good about the task and about yourself as a result. Merited praise builds self esteem.

Do not confuse praise with positive feedback.

Praise is statements like ‘Well done’ ‘Great presentation’ ‘Terrific report’ ; they are judgements which can only be made after something has happened or been completed. They tell you about how the giver evaluated the action but not what made it so good.


119

Positive feedback provides the information you can use to learn and improve, e.g. ’You did well to stay calm during that discussion’, ‘The illustrations made the concept really clear’

The best praise is from one person to another, face to face. Close second is a hand written note (not an email). It can be given either privately or in public.

AlwaysMean it Be alert to opportunities to give praise whenever and wherever it is deserved – you will not make it

meaningless by doing it often. You will only make it meaningless if you are not honest when things have not gone well.

Give the praise as soon as it is deserved, don’t ‘save it for later’. Praise small successes as well as large ones. Praise as many people as possible. Pass on praise from elsewhere and let the person know their work has been noticed, e.g. ‘The General

Secretary and several committee members have told me how good it was.’

Never

Use praise in order to flatter or as a means of trying to get someone to work harder. Praise actions that have called for no particular effort.Debase praise by using it randomly or thoughtlessly.

Remember that praising someone will make you feel good too.

How to present ideas

Presenting your ideas can be a nerve wracking experience, but with the right approach you can make an impact and significantly increase your chances of securing the interest of decision makers.

Know who you’re presenting to If you can find out in advance who the individuals you’re pitching to are, it will greatly benefit you when presenting your business idea. Even better, if you can speak to them in person in advance you will be able to


120

build some valuable rapport prior to pitching your idea.

Keep it simpleIt may sound easy in principle, but keeping your presentation concise and to the point will mean you can hold the attention of the room and create more of an impact with your ideas. If you find yourself moving off on a tangent, stop. Time is usually a precious commodity in the business world so it’s best to stay focused, and keep the number of slides, if you’re using them, to a minimum.

Address weaknessesIf there are possible weaknesses in your business idea, you should address these openly and show that you have a contingency plan in place. Showing that you’ve anticipated all the possible pitfalls will demonstrate that you have planned for every avenue, making you a safer prospect for investment. Similarly, be prepared to answer the toughest question: why?

Know your figures You need to show you are familiar with all the numbers and that you’ve learned your key figures off by heart. You should also be prepared enough to answer any questions off the cuff, regardless of how specific. Write these numbers down as a safeguard in case you’re too nervous to remember, but only refer to these as a last resort.

Research alternatives To avoid a possible bombshell during your pitch, be sure to research alternatives beforehand. If the subjectof an alternative comes up in the discussion, not only will you be prepared to discuss it, but you’ll also beable to turn it to your advantage by explaining why your business idea has the edge.


121

EFFECTIVENESS AT WORK

How to understand yourself and othersIn order to lead others, you need to be able to relate to and connect with people, their motivations, needs and aspirations. Before others are willing to be led by you, they will want to connect to something within you - something that is authentic, real and true.

You therefore need to know yourself, your beliefs and values and how they manifest in your attitudes, behaviours and actions and in the impact that you have on others.

Understanding yourself

It is essential to know: Your strengths so that you can deploy them; Your weaknesses so that you can manage them; and The qualities, skills and behaviours that you need to develop in order to lead, motivate and inspire

others


122

Personal development: developing self-awareness

Before you can plan your personal development you need to develop your self-awareness and assess your strengths and development needs. There are several ways that you can approach this:

Self assessment / questionnaires: there are many leadership skills and qualities self assessments Available on the Internet.

Formal assessment e.g. through a leadership training programme in your workplace Feedback and discussion with your leader or other senior managers 360 degree feedbackWorking with a coach or mentor Self-monitoring and reflection on your outward behaviour and its observable impact; what has

worked well and not so well in the past?

In all cases where you are being assessed or receiving feedback from others, try to assess yourself on the same basis at the same time. Then answer these questions:How close is your own internal view of yourself to the way that others see you?What is the likely cause of any divergence of views?Do you understand how outward displays of your personality, attitudes and behaviour influence

others perceptions of you?How does your personality, attitude and behaviour impact others (i.e. their motivation, emotions and

behaviour) in the workplace?How would you rate your level of self-awareness? Where are your blind spots?

Finally, in order to understand yourself and your willingness to lead others you should also take a detailed look at what really drives you. What drives you will influence what you value and enjoy, your attitudes and behaviours in the workplace and is likely to provide insight into your strengths and talents.

With all of this information, you should now be able to answer the following questions:What qualities, skills, strengths and behaviours do I have that positively influence my ability to lead

others?What values, attitudes and behaviours reduce or limit my ability to connect with and lead others?What qualities, skills, strengths and behaviours do I need to develop or strengthen in order to improve

my ability to lead and bring out the best in others?


123

What drives me as a person, and how authentically do I reflect my inner self in my observable personality and behaviour?

Your Personal Development Plan. After assessing your development needs, the next step is to: Set your personal development goalsDocument the actions that you need to take in order to achieve them in a Personal Development Plan

(PDP) Set milestones to track your progress towards your development goals. You can work towards your

goals either, alone or with your leader, a coach or a mentor. You might find formal or classroom training that meets your needs, or you might focus on learning

from your own experience or trialing new behaviours in set situations to see if you can achieve more effective leadership outcomes.

Understanding Others

Leadership is not a one-way ‘outward’ projection; to be successful, it needs to understand and respond effectively to the needs of followers and the leadership situation.

As a leader, you need the skills to monitor how well your leadership style and your behaviour fits with the needs of each situation and the people you are trying influence. To do this you need to:

1. Understand personality, including how this is likely to influence attitudes and behaviours in the workplace and the implications that this has for motivation and performance;

2. Understand attitudes and their relevance in the workplace, including how they can influence behaviours and job satisfaction

3. Understand behaviour, a key determinant of our ability to succeed at work as well as to lead and motivate others

4. Improve the way that you engage with, manage and motivate people as individuals;5. Work with others to improve their attitudes and behaviour in order to improve performance.


124

How to influence your boss

It is your responsibility to sell your own ideas to your boss. It is not her or his responsibility to buy them. If you fail to sell your idea to your boss then either the idea was not good enough to convince or your own sales approach was not adequate for the occasion. Think through ‘the win’ for your boss. What are the benefits she or he will derive from the proposed course of action?

You need to frame your argument according to the ‘business’ case: why is it good sense for the organisation to pursue your idea? Without a foundation based on either improving the way the institution works your idea has no chance; with it, you can begin. To build upon your business case, you must frame your argument, in effect your sales pitch, in ways which appeal to the person with authority. Here are some tips.

Adopt your boss’ point of view. If you want to influence your boss then you need to see the world as he or she sees it. Senior officials take an institution-wide view of performance, of course, but each of them has hot button issues around process, services, employee morale, or their legacies. If you have a boss who’s a cost-cutter, frame your pitch as a means of cutting costs, or at least reducing expenses. Likewise if you have a boss who is focused on client issues — frame your pitch as a way to improve client service or end-user benefits. The angle of your pitch depends upon the boss’ interest.

Paint a picture. Consider how your boss likes information. It may a straightforward spreadsheet or a narrative business plan. Do what makes sense but don’t stop there. If your idea is big and bold, make it so by producing a video for example, or using photographs. These options are effective when demonstrating end-user concerns. A video of a client expressing a desire or a concern about a service improvement or deficiency can be a powerful persuasive tool. If your initiative is about an internal improvement, interview end-users who will benefit from the adoption of your idea.

Make it come alive. To make your case, take your boss to the heart of the action. For example, if you are pushing for an improvement in an administrative process bring him to the department and and show him what you intend to do. Take him to talk with the people who are affected. There is nothing like real world examples to demonstrate your argument.


125

Get your own our own state of mind right. When selling an idea to your superiors, it is important to believe in your ability to effect positive change. There are usually three states of mind in which most people approach their boss with a new idea. They assume that:

She or he will not like the idea An aggressive approach is necessary. One of ‘I’d just like to inform you of what I intend to do with

my department, look the boss in the eye with an attitude of ‘Forbid me if you dare’ and then depart.’ They have the authority but, out of courtesy, need to ask for permission to adopt a new approach –

‘May I do this with my department?’

The first approach will probably mean that you will do nothing or at best do it half-heartedly. This approach is passive. The second aggressive approach has the potential to lead to confrontation. The third is assertive and will succeed if the case that precedes the question is good enough to convince.

How to run an efficient and effective meeting

Before the meetingDecide whether the meeting is necessary.

Could the objectives be achieved more effectively through another process? Establish the purpose of the meeting.

What are you trying to achieve?What decisions need to be made?What actions need to be initiated?

Prepare an agenda. Include only those items relevant to the purpose of the meeting. Prioritise items in order of importance.Group together related items. Indicate time allowed for each item.

Collect all available information relevant to agenda items. If lengthy, summarise into briefing notes outlining salient points.

Circulate agenda and supporting documentation well in advance of meeting. Just before the meeting check for new information which, if to be presented to the meeting,

should be simplified and summarised.


126

During the meeting

State the purpose of the meeting. Check attendance and make a note of those present. Set the scene for each new item on the agenda and then open discussion by inviting specific contributions from members. Let everyone who has a pertinent contribution have his say. Control the discussion. Don’t be afraid to bring it into line if it starts to drift into excessive detail or irrelevances. If a discussion becomes complex and a wide variety of views are being expressed, summarise to review your own understanding and that of others. Stick to the time budget. At the end of each item’s discussion summarise any decisions made and conclusions reached. Summarise what has been achieved at the end of the meeting. If further action is required specify who is to do what, and agree a deadline. Agree the purpose and date of the next meeting.

After the meeting

1. Circulate action points to those who attended and those who did not attend the meeting. Decisions made during the meeting should be highlighted with the names of people responsible for action and the time scale shown clearly against each decision. State the date and time of the next meeting.2. Monitor and review the progress of action arising from the meeting.

The following action points will help you get more out of other people’s meetings.

Before the meeting

1. Read the agenda and briefing papers. Make sure you understand the purpose of the meeting and pay particular attention to those items on the agenda which directly affect you.

2. Think through the issues likely to be raised and plan your contribution.

3. Take all relevant information into the meeting.


127

How to plan your own activities and manage your time wisely

The biggest challenge of leadership is to be accountable for things you have to trust other people to do without knowing the details of what they are up to. The temptation is always to check up frequently, create endless ‘don’t forget‘ lists and fill your days with progress meetings – all of which get in the way of actual progress being made.

Good leaders know the difference between their role and their accountabilities and spend their time on the former. They have excellent information systems which tell them how well the organisation is doing and enable them to ask occasional searching questions which make others think ‘I wish I’d thought of that’. They always have time for individuals and are genuinely interested in their people.

You will be spending your time wisely when you have asked and answered the following questions:What is the particular value which I add to the organisation in this role?Do I spend time developing the key relationships that the organisation relies on me to establish and

maintain - upwards, downwards and outwards? Am I walking the job and communicating regularly?Do I take time out regularly to think about the future of the organisation, keep up to date with

developments in the sector and in the professional community? Am I developing myself? Am I confident in modern IT, mathematical and statistical techniques, and

management and leadership thinking?What do I spend my time on during the day/week/ month? (You may need to keep a record for a

while before you can answer this and you will probably be surprised at what you discover.) Am I spending my time on my role or reaching downwards? Do I delegate effectively, especially things

I like doing but which are really appropriate to more junior staff? (We all tend to hang onto a few such tasks because they provide some comfort when facing a bigger job.)

Do I distinguish between what is urgent and what is important? By concentrating on what is important I prevent things becoming urgent and can find ways to prevent problems becoming crises.

Do I know when and how to say ‘No’?When I am very busy am I sure that this is the best use of my time? Do I know what I want to have achieved in five years time?

Prioritising WorkloadsTo be able to prioritise you need to consider a number of factors:


128

Does the task relate to one of your targets / objectives / goals?You need to be clear on the objectives of your job (i.e. the purpose of your job). This will enable you to focus on the aspects of your job that really matter – and the tasks that contribute to this.

How important is the task? Consider other tasks that you have to work on, and where it ranks in order of importance.

How urgent is the task? Urgency determines how soon you need to complete the task.

An enormous amount of time is spent responding to immediate events, problems and demands. These activities are reactive and don’t always contribute to objectives.

Prioritising also requires you to distinguish between reactive and proactive tasks. Proactive tasks are activities which help you achieve your objectives. Reactive tasks are those that are unplanned and put increased demands on your time.

The grid below can be useful to help with prioritising your work. Urgent Not Urgent

Impo

rtan

t

1 2

Not

Impo

rtan

t

3 4


129

NB: Tasks can move between the boxes, depending on changing deadlines and work priorities. Urgent Not Urgent

Impo

rtan

t

Q 1: Do now - spend as long as necessary

• These need to be dealt with urgently and they’re important.

• Can often be reactive tasks, last minute pan-ics, firefighting, fixes, problem resolution.

• Planned tasks or projects now due.• Meetings.

Everybody will have some of these.

Q2: Do soon -spend as long as necessary

• Important items that are not (currently) ur-gent - quality time.

• Planned time and activities.• Schedule time for these tasks so that you

move them forward (progress).• Plan time for these, otherwise you risk them

not being moved forward and they are sud-denly in Quadrant 1.

These are often what you need to do but don’t get round to.

Not

Impo

rtan

t

Q3: Do now - spend as little time as possible

• Urgent so need to be dealt with immediate-ly, but not necessarily important.

• Distractions from your plan.• Allocate small time slots, consider delegating

to someone else.• They may be urgent and important to some-

one else, but not according to your current priorities. Consider the impact on the rest of your work before getting involved.

Do these if you can.

Q4: Do after everything else - spend as little time as possible

• Tasks which are neither urgent nor import-ant.

• Some maintenance tasks – possibly time wasters.

• Ask yourself whether you really need to do them at all (or could you delegate?).

Don’t do these – unless you have the time!


130

How to manage your stressStress and leadership go hand in hand because leaders are trying to change things for the better and change means that people will dislike some of the proposed actions. There will be days when you will not be able to get people to do the things you want them to do. There will be others when an unpredicted event ruins all of your plans.

1. A stress toolkit2. Make an inventory of the things that are causing you stress. Cross out the things that you really

cannot change.3. Tackle one issue at a time.4. If appropriate, find someone to talk to about the issue causing you stress.5. Get moving. Physical activity plays a key role in reducing and preventing the effects of stress, but you

don’t have to be an athlete or spend hours in a gym to experience the benefits. Just about any form of physical activity can help relieve stress and burn away anger, tension, and frustration.

6. Take responsibility for your own stress. Only you can do something about it. Others can help but they can’t solve your problem.

7. Set yourself achievable goals rather than impossible ones. 8. Project yourself forward. How do you think you will feel about this situation in one week, one month,

or one year’s time?9. Break things down into bite sized chunks and then do the easiest tasks first. Take that first step.

Concentrate on what you are doing, not on what you are feeling.10. Practise your assertion skills but recognise that all situations do not demand maximum assertion.11. Learn to say ‘No’ some of the time.12. Use time management techniques but don’t expect them to work all of the time.13. Practice using positive self talk. We can do something about every situation that causes us stress.14. Get the balance in life right. No one on their deathbed wishes they had spent more time in the office.15. Retain a sense of fun. Above all, laugh at yourself and the predicaments that you land yourself in. 16. Make time for some fun and relaxation.

How to get the best from the HR DepartmentLine managers have responsibility for directly managing individual employees or teams. In turn, they report to a higher level of management on the performance

Reg. on personnel planning Reg. on performance appraisal


131

and well-being of the employees or teams they manage. Typically the management responsibilities carried out by line managers might include: day-to-day people managementmanaging their operational budget providing technical expertise allocating work and rotasmonitoring work and checking quality dealing with customers/clientsmeasuring operational performance.

The relationship between HR and line management

The relationship between the HR function and line managers has been subject to a number of changes and tensions in recent years. With the introduction of processes such as Personnel Planning, Performance Appraisal and Job Standardisation, the role of HR mangers is moving away from the purely administrative to become more strategic and therefore more influential. It is therefore in the (self) interest of line managers to ensure that their working relationship with the HR function is good.

The role of the line manager has changed too. Previously they were probably masters of routine. Now they need to be masters of change. That’s where the advice of a HR professional can really help.

The primary reason human resources and line managers should work together is because both parties have a vested interest in ensuring the institution achieves its aims. Through working together, line managers becomes more proficient in tactical human resources functions. Such function include staff motivation, employee development, objective setting, performance management, conflict management, counseling and coaching.

As with any working relationship there are some easy steps to take – but they do take time. These are:

Communicate – volunteer relevant information that will help the HR manager do his/her job. Don’t wait to be asked.

Respond fully and on time to requested for specific information – for example on staffing forecasts for the Personnel Plan or departmental training needs for the institution’s training plan.

Use the HR function as a sounding board when making tough decisions on people issuesWhenever you are contemplating a change to the organisation and workings of your department ask


132

the HR function for its input. Treat the staff and manager of the HR Unit with respect. This will build up the trust between you and

them. Listen to the advice you receive – and then make your own judgment In return you are likely to find that when you do turn to HR with a people problem you will get a quick

and helpful response.


133

SECTION TWO:

SENIOR MANAGEMENT TOPICS

How to develop an institutional strategy

Strategic planning approaches developed in the private sector can help civil service institutions deal with the recent dramatic changes in their environments.

Step 1. The strategic planning process has to begin with an initial agreement among decision makers – both political and administrative - whose support is necessary for successful plan formulation and implementation. The support and commitment of management and the chief executive are vital if strategic planning in an

Reg. on organization & systematisationReg. on senior management appointments


134

organisation is to succeed. The involvement of key decision makers outside the organisation usually is crucial to the success of public programs if implementation will involve multiple parties and organizations.

Step 2. Identification of the mandates, or “musts,” confronting the institution or agency.

Step 3. Review of the organisation’s vision, mission and values, or “wants” in the light of clients expectations.

The Vision of an organisation is a future desirable state that the organisation aspires to. So a vision statement describes the direction an institution wants to take and the desired end result once it gets there.

The Mission Statement reflects the operational purpose of the organisation, the reason why it exists, its core business. It answers the question – how does the organization intend to serve its clients and stakeholders - in the process of achieving its vision.

Identifying the organisation’s clients and stakeholders and their expectations is crucial. Clients are those the organisation serves such as patients for a hospital, or commuters of a transport system. Stakeholders are not necessarily clients but are parties who either have influence over the organization’s’ operations or who are affected by it. These parties can range from owners, the government, regulatory bodies, private sector suppliers, staff, the local community.

Step 4. Identification of the external opportunities and threats the organization faces, and identification of its internal strengths and weaknesses.

Step 5 is strategy development (i.e., the identification of practical alternatives). Based on client and stakeholder expectations, and the reviewed vision and mission statements, and the results of the SWOT analysis the next step is to identify the areas where the organization needs to, and can, deliver strategically important results for its clients and its stakeholders. Ideally these should be articulated in terms of tangible targeted outcomes.

Step 6. Identify the specific outputs pertinent to each strategic results area. These should be the concrete, monitorable deliverables.

Step 7 Develop an action plan and responsibility chart. Clarify how the outputs will be achieved and by whom through a time-bound action plan and clear allocation of budgets and responsibilities.


135

How to secure the commitment of others to a strategyThe following suggestions arise from a European survey of top civil service officials.

1. Effort expended by senior officials to promote new strategies has a direct impact on the level of strategic buy-in achieved at successively lower levels. Getting out from behind their desks and ‘walking the job’ – talking to employees at every level makes a huge difference.

2. The survey found similar patterns for other efforts to promote buy-in to institution strategy, including convincing employees that the institution’s strategic goals can be realistically accomplished and that successful execution will be personally beneficial

3. Middle level manager buy-in. Respondents who reported regular collaboration with peers outside of their own department or chain of command also reported superior outcomes in building buy-in to organisation strategies. This applies at every level of the organisational hierarchy, though the impact is strongest at the top.

4. The survey found that corporate communications vehicles – for example an Intranet - help to build buy-in, particularly at the middle levels where getting commitment can be difficult.

5. Successful organisations gather and make the best use of employee feedback Strategic buy-in and employee satisfaction go hand in hand. Managers at all levels need to actively seek out employee feedback and engage with it constructively. They need to meet with direct reports as a group to discuss the latter’s ideas about institution strategy and how it impacts upon their own roles.

6. Top performing institutions acknowledge and reward exemplary performance. In such organisations managers are more apt to acknowledge and reward exemplary performance in general; in particular, they are more likely to give exceptional performers access to further training or educational opportunities, such as study visits and tours—thus creating a continuous feedback loop providing value to the institution.

7. Encourage constructive criticism and negative feedback. Negative internal feedback is vital to a institution’s success, however uncomfortable.

Conclusion

Implementing new strategies and establishing high levels of strategic alignment are critical for most organisations. This survey concludes that the most successful institutions:

Make a consistent commitment to promote institution strategy at every level of the organisation, not just at the senior levels.

Work systematically with middle and lower-level employees to ensure that everyone is convinced


136

that a strategy will have a personal benefit to them, ensure a better environment, and lead to overall success.

Recognise the importance of middle level manager buy-in and promote it through encouraging collaboration with peers outside of their department and/or chain of command

Offer well-defined expectations and reward exemplary work with a variety of incentives such as career growth, recognition, and new developmental opportunities

Show an openness to all forms of employee feedback and foster an environment in which employees at all levels feel that their opinions count

How to oversee the implementation of a strategic plan

Strategic implementation is critical to an institution’s success, addressing the who, where, when, and how of reaching the desired goals and objectives. Implementation involves assigning individuals to tasks and timelines that will help an organization reach its goals.

A successful implementation plan will have a very visible leader, such as the Mayor or General Secretary, as he or she communicates the vision, excitement and behaviors necessary for achievement. Everyone in the organisation should be engaged in the plan. Performance measurement tools are helpful to provide motivation and allow for follow up. Implementation often includes a strategic map, which identifies and maps the key ingredients that will direct performance. Such ingredients include finances, market, work environment, operations, people and partners.

To successfully implement your strategy, several items must be in place. The right people must be ready to assist you with their unique skills and abilities. You need to have the resources, which include time and money, to successfully implement the strategy. The structure of management must be communicative and open, with scheduled meetings for updates. Management and technology systems must be in place to track the implementation, and the environment in the workplace must be such that everyone feels comfortable and motivated.

Implementation Action Plan Template

Below is a blank template for you to use. Complete one template for each strategic priority area and add


137

sections for additional goals or objectives as needed. Adapt this tool as you see fit.

Priority Area:

Enter here one of the priorities from your strategic plan.

Goal: Write a broad statement of what you hope to accomplish related to this priority area.Performance Measures:

Demonstrate in this section how you will know you are making progress. State specifical-ly what you will measure to determine whether changes have occurred. Select indicators of progress for both the short term (< 1 year) and long term (3-5 years). Specify the data source you will use for those indicators (or your plan to develop a measurement system if necessary).

Objectives: Describe the specific measurable end-products of your intervention. Objectives should be SMART: specific, measurable, achievable, realistic, and time-bound.

Background: Document the type of strategy you are using. Refer to any evidence-base for the strategy. Note if the strategy is a policy change. You may also choose to provide a link to any pro-gramme sites as applicable.

Activity: Outline the steps you will take to achieve each objective. The activities are the “how” por-tion of the action plan. It is best to arrange activities chronologically by start dates. Place each activity in a separate row and add as many rows as you need to the template.

Timeline: State the projected start and end date for each activity.Resources Required:

Include all resources needed for this action step. (Examples: funding, staff time, space needs, supplies, technology, equipment, and key partners.)

Lead Person Identify by name the key person who will initiate the activity, provide direction for the work, and monitor progress.

Anticipated Result:

Describe the direct, tangible and measurable results of the activity (e.g: a product or docu-ment, an agreement or policy, number of participants etc.)

Progress Notes:

Track progress of completion of activities. Also note any unexpected outcomes, both posi-tive and negative.

Alignment: Show the alignment between your priority area and both state and municipality priorities as applicable.


138

How to improve value for money for your institution and the Kosovo Civil Service Value for money (VFM) is not only about good procurement. It is about instilling effective behaviours in all staff members, developing supporting processes and a ‘VFM mindset’ in everyone.

One approach is called the 3Es, as follows:

Economy: Is the institution or its agents buying inputs of the appropriate quality at the right price? (Inputs are things such as staff, consultants, raw materials and capital that are used to produce outputs)

Efficiency: How well does the institution or its agents convert inputs into outputs? (outputs are results delivered by the institution or its agents to an external party. It requires the exercise of strong control over the quality and quantity of outputs)

Effectiveness: How well are the outputs from an intervention achieving the desired outcome for citizens? (Note that in contrast to outputs, the institution or its agents do not exercise direct control over outcomes)

Cost-effectiveness: How much impact does an intervention achieve relative to the inputs that the institution or its agents invest in it?

This 3Es framework shows that the Value for Money agenda is not just about cutting costs. What an institution is directly buying with taxpayers’ money (outputs) and what this transforms into (outcomes) are key parts of the VFM agenda. To achieve worthwhile results an institution must be clear what outputs and outcomes can realistically be expected from an intervention.

Law on public financeLaw on public procurementReg. on code of conduct


139

It is important that financial relationships with contractors or third-party providers are cost-effective, that good value for money is achieved by the programme or service involved. Poor value for money means either that:more needs to be spent to achieve the expected outcomes, leaving less money for other programmes,

services, users and outcomes; or the impact of the programme or service is less: fewer users receive the expected benefits or outcomes;

or all or some users benefit less than they should.

So what can you do to increase cost-effectiveness in actual financial relationships agents? Here are some additional areas to consider:

Impact Make sure your programme is really focused on outcomes, the impact on service users and communities that you are seeking to achieve, and not just on outputs, process or inputs. Not all outcomes will be obvious, direct or easily valued. You and/or providers may need to use evaluations and techniques such as Social Return on Investment (SROI) to establish the full impact of a programme and its worth

Priorities Make sure your programme is focused on those outcomes that are priorities in terms of both: analysis of greatest public need; and the priorities of your institution.

Take a long term view, where possible. You should seek the optimal combination of:whole life cost – this is the cost, from start to finish, of the delivery of the agreed volume of the service you

Value for money

Economy Efficiency Effectiveness

Costs (€) Inputs

Outputs Otucomes

Quantitative

Qualitative


140

require to the agreed quality and timescale. It should include any start up and exit costs that you have to meet as well as the direct funding to the provider for the service; and control of costs – make sure you and your provider keep control of costs. Small, unnecessary or excessive costs can quickly snowball. It is easier to control a cost before it has materialised than after it has occurred.

How to build a high-performing senior teamBuilding an effective senior team is an on-the-job task. People learn to work together best by working together on real substantive tasks that are challenging and that force them to depend on each other, to learn about each other and to help each other.There are five conditions that need to be met:

Establish a clear and compelling direction Create an appropriate structure Select the right people Support the top team Provide development

1. Establish a clear and compelling direction

High-performing individuals want and need goals and direction. When team members cannot see where the team is going, each member will promote his or her personal interests. With no unifying team purpose, irresolvable conflicts often erupt. Ultimately the top team can self-destruct, often with considerable collateral damage, including severe personality clashes and deep cynicism about the value of teams.

Never ask the team senior team members to take on challenges that could be accomplished by lower-level managers. The senior team’s mission must be consequential, requiring the deep experience and skills of the top team members.

2. Create an appropriate structure

Larger teams usually mean more competing interests, more personality clashes and a greater risk that competing factions will form. In addition, high functioning teams set and follow mutually agreed upon procedures and establish norms of conduct. Never assume that because your top team includes bright,

Reg. on senior management appointments


141

successful individuals, there is no need to establish clear norms.” The research also suggests the opposite is true: Because top teams are composed of such strong personalities, clear norms are even more important.

3. Select the right people

People on outstanding teams are typically neither brighter, more driven nor more committed than members of less accomplished teams. What people on the best teams contributed was the ability to work with others, to trust each other and to act with integrity. When people trust each other, their energy can be focused on creative and cooperative endeavors rather than dissipated on unproductive protective behaviors. In teams characterized by outstanding integrity, members recognize that they must subordinate their narrow interests to those of the group.

4. Support the top team

Arrange to provide your team with sound data and forecasts.

5. Provide development

Hold periodic meetings to discuss how the team is doing, what it is doing best, what it is doing poorly and what it and its members have learned.


142

SECTION THREE:

HUMAN RESOURCE MANAGEMENT TOPICS

Chapter 55: How to work well with line managers One of the challenges of HR and line managers working well together is that they come from different cultures, and their training, experience and objectives are very different. Most of HR comes from a background that is behaviorally based, as opposed to line managers who are results focused. Line managers are concerned with whatever works. People in HR, however, are being asked to manage systems, and they depend upon rules to create fairness within those systems. Line managers don’t care about the rules, they care about getting the job done. And when HR tells them no because the rules say so, line managers think HR is out of touch with reality.

Part of the problem is that generally HR is not standing on a respected platform in the organisation. It hasn’t firmly established its value and credibility. Until HR professionals do that, the tension between HR and the

Reg. personnel planning Reg. on performance appraisal


143

line will no doubt remain. So what can HR do to build its credibility with line managers? Improving relations with line managers takes a concerted effort on many fronts. Based on a recent international survey of line managers this is what is needed:

1. Do the nuts and bolts of HR really well. To enhance your reputation in the organisation, you must first do an excellent job managing day-to-day HR operations. The first exposure many managers have to HR is when they have questions about policy and procedures. By proving your competence on routine HR issues, you’ll increase the willingness of managers to consult you on larger business concerns

2. Get rid of HR efforts that don’t add value. Take the time to analyse every HR contribution in terms of what it offers to the organisation and whether or not it meets organisational goals. If it doesn’t, ditch it.

3. Understand the core purpose of your institution. For HR people to become valued partners, they must understand bottom-line issues. This not only means learning more about the specific objectives of your organisation but also understanding the governmental environment and public trends. After all, how can you begin to determine what competencies employees need if you don t know what business you re in?

4. Develop relationships throughout the organisation. Don t wait for line managers to come to you with problems. Seek them out and learn about their work issues. Get yourself invited to department meetings. Volunteer for task forces. Ask for managers’ advice. Don’t sit in your office and wait for the phone to ring. Get in their face.

5. Help line managers become more confident in their HR role. HR sometimes think that line managers are stupid. But usually that’s because HR hasn’t trained them to be competent in their HR role. We can t expect managers to know how to do such things as appraisals recruitment, progressive discipline and running staff meetings unless we train them. HR can help managers avoid problems and become more competent by providing them with coaching and training. The more you help managers do the work of HR, the more valuable HR will become. Why? Because helping managers become more competent at routine HR tasks frees up your time for more strategic, value-added work.

6. Develop the ability to articulate your point of view using the language of the line. If managers haven’t listened to you, it may be because you’ve been speaking the wrong language. Line managers care about


144

outcomes, not rules or fairness. You need to be able to articulate your point of view using those terms.

7. Become more flexible. Although HR has had to establish policies, rules and procedures in an effort to create fairness, HR professionals need to understand that rules can and should be broken when an individual situation calls for it. In other words, line managers want HR to tailor solutions to their particular needs, not offer one-size-fits-all recipes.

8. Become generalists who understand big-picture HR issues. It helps the relationship to be a generalist who can problem solve in a broad sense.

9. Focus on same goals. For line managers to trust you, they have to know you’re working toward the same objectives they are.

10. Remember the three Cs: collaborate, cooperate and communicate. For HR to become more visible and less misunderstood, HR people must talk, work and communicate with line managers on a regular basis.

So what should you be coaching and training your organisation’s line managers to do? After all, even though an institution may have an HR specialist, it is line managers who have day-to-day responsibility for implementing HR initiatives. So here are some examples where HR can support line managers:

Employee EngagementThe approach line managers take to supervising their employees is the most critical factor in employee engagement. Line managers create the organisational culture for their teams. If managers focus on their employees’ strengths and encourage open communication, they are more likely to engage and encourage their employees. Line managers who focus on the negative aspects of employee performance, micromanage their employees or seek only to boost their own status will create disengaged and disgruntled employees. HR practitioners measure employee engagement through surveys, but engagement is generated or extinguished by line managers.

Performance AppraisalWhile performance appraisal processes may be determined by the Civil Service they are implemented by line


145

managers. Employee performance and behaviors are assessed and rated by direct line managers. Feedback is provided in a one-to-one meeting between the employee and line manager. For feedback to be effective, it must be conveyed in a sincere and understandable manner. If line managers appear disinterested and approach the appraisal as a tick box exercise, the appraisal process will lose credibility.

Disciplining EmployeesDiscipline in the workplace begins when a line manager sets out his/her expectations with the team. These expectations may be supported by policies and procedures produced by the HR department. However, the line manager’s commitment to enforcing the rules is more likely to influence employee performance and behavior than any procedure or handbook. If a line manager is seen to break the rules, he/she will struggle to enforce them with his team. If he needs to take formal disciplinary action against a team member, his own behavior will be cast back at him.

Performance-Related PayWhen an organisation has a performance-related pay structure, the line manager has a significant role in determining whether his direct reports will receive a pay increase. Performance ratings from line managers can influence the amount of increase employees receive, with top talents receiving more than average workers. For a performance-related pay scheme to be credible, it must be perceived as fair and objective. Line managers require training to ensure that their ratings are based on objective criteria and are not biased or discriminatory

How to work well with your boss

The working relationship between an HR Manager and the most senior manager in the institution has two main dimensions: a technical one as an HR specialist and a personal one as an individual direct report. Let’s deal with these dimensions in turn.

Working well with your boss as an HR specialist

According to a recent international survey, this is what senior managers want from HR.

HR functions should obtain much more thorough feedback from their internal customers – line managers, senior managers and employees. This should cover both what they need from HR, and their user experience

Reg. on personnel planning


146

of current services. It can provide fresh insights and help the HR function to focus its efforts in areas that add value to the business.

HR needs to be responsive – clear about what it is there for and what services it offers; easy to contact; and able to respond quickly, efficiently and effectively. Responsiveness is about genuine customer focus in speed and accuracy, and also making advice and action relevant to the institution and workforce context. People issues are often urgent and stressful for managers and employees. If they cannot speak to the right person in HR, or if their query is left hanging for a few days, they rapidly lose confidence in the function.

Senior managers want an independent-minded HR function, which understands the workforce and can help management balance employee and institution needs. They were strongly of the view that HR is there to support employees as well as managers. The ability of HR to coach line managers, especially around managing performance, is highly valued. In a much broader sense, managers want an HR function with its finger on the pulse of what employees are feeling and how well they are working. Senior managers particularly look to the HR function to have an independent, and challenging, view of how to balance the interests of employees with the needs of the institution. They recognise in themselves the temptation to put short-term management priorities ahead of sustaining positive relationships with the workforce. They need HR to help them strike the right balance. So an HR function that is seen as remote from the workforce loses much of its unique value to senior leaders.

The HR community likes to see itself as on a journey to becoming more ‘strategic’ in its influence on the institution. The customers of HR want this too, but their vision of strategic HR is an essentially practical one. Being strategic from a senior management perspective is about working with the line – at all levels – on people issues or problems that have a strategic impact on the business.

The customers of HR want a ‘proactive’ HR function, which spots issues ahead of time and works closely with managers to address themThe customers in this study used the word ‘strategic’ less than HR people do. They used the word ‘proactive’ to summarise what they wanted HR to be – neither too bogged down by inefficient administration nor too remote in an ivory tower of policy and strategy. Proactive HR would: enable managers and employees to work better by being more closely involved with tackling people

problems and issues help to ‘nip problems in the bud’ by spotting them early bring in good ideas from outside the institution


147

be more assertive if managers are flouting policies or codes of behavior coach and train managers to manage and motivate their people betterwork ‘across the organisation’ to achieve more consistency of people management and to develop

and deploy people better for the benefit of the whole organisation.

A proactive HR function should feel close to managers and reach out to them. As one senior manager put it: ‘They could just walk around more – there is no need to be embarrassed’.

Customers want professional HR support from real ‘people partners’. To deliver responsive and proactive HR support, customers want HR people to be proper professionals in HR. This means having real ‘expertise’ based both on theory and evolving good practice, in order to give consistent, fair and reliable information and advice. HR people also need understanding of the institutional service context and the workforce perspective, and to be confident and assertive enough to challenge managers where necessary.Working well with your boss as an individual direct report

1. Think of your boss as a resource.Rather than an overseer, consider your boss a service provider who helps you get your job done. Your boss secures the resources you need, makes decisions in your favour, and defends his/her team.

2. Keep your promises.Your boss wants to trust you to get your job done, so he or she isn’t left in the lurch. Therefore, when you accept an assignment, follow through fanatically. Never over- commit and always deliver.

3. No surprises, ever.Even if you’re afraid some bad news might upset your boss, don’t wait until the last minute to deliver it. This is especially true if your boss tends to “shoot the messenger.” Frequent updates are your best and only defence.

4. Take your job seriously.Your boss doesn’t expect you to be perfect, but appreciates it when it’s obvious that truly care about what you do. This doesn’t mean you should take yourself too seriously, though. Be serious about your job but be willing to laugh at your own foibles.

5. Advise but then obey.When you see your boss about to make a foolish decision, suggest a better alternative. However, once your


148

boss has made that decision, stop second-guessing and do your best to implement it, regardless of whether you agree.

6. Provide solutions not complaints.Nothing irritates a boss more than being forced to listen to you kvetch about things that either you’re not willing to change or are outside your boss’s ability to change. Don’t bring up a problem unless you have a solution in mind

7. Communicate clearly.When dealing with your boss, speak and write in short sentences, use the fewest words possible to make a point, and make that point easily understandable. This makes your boss’s job easier which helps make your job easier.

8. Do your best work.Bosses know when an employee is taking it easy. They expect you to do your job as only you can do it, by overcoming obstacles that would prevent other people from succeeding at what you do. They expect your best, so give it to them.

9. Explain how you’re best “managed.”Since all bosses have a “default” management style, it’s up to you to help your boss understand how he or she can help you do your best work. This requires both self-awareness and the courage to speak up. Cultivate both, then have the conversation.

10. Over-prepare for every meeting.Sometimes your boss will want to drill down into the details of your job. Answer with aplomb and your boss assumes you’re competent; hesitate and your boss assumes you’re not. Spending at least an hour of prep for every hour you spend with your boss is a good habit to get into.

11. Show interest in your boss’s career.To make yourself invaluable, you want to deliver what your boss needs before your boss knows he or she needs it. Learn how to predict those needs by expressing curiosity about your boss’s experience and perspective.


149

How to work as an internal consultantInternal consultants play a unique role in driving successful change in organisations. Not only do they support the specific solution development with expertise but they are often a key player in the change management activities that support project implementation. In many progressive organisations the HR function operates as an internal consultant to line and senior managers. So how can HR professionals in civil service institutions start to move in this direction.

Here are some suggestions:

Build your competence. It’s vital to be clear about the key skills and competencies needed to succeed as an internal consultant. With the role invariably involving change efforts at an individual, team and/or organisational level, key competencies include relationship-building, facilitating and understanding the nature of change, active listening, influencing and conflict handling. An alternative is to take up any opportunities to work closely with external consultants or coaches who may be able to shed new light on what is happening in the organisation.

2 Act like an external consultant. Build your credibility by acting professionally – keep confidences confidential and ensure that boundaries are kept and that your internal clients feel comfortable with the consultancy process. Avoid making assumptions about your clients or their situation, even if you know them well. Establish the key stakeholders in any new project at the outset by asking yourself who needs to be involved, who wants to be involved and whose support is vital for this work to be successful.

3 Consider contractual issues. Contractual issues are often neglected in the internal consultancy process. But without a clear contracting process you can easily become overwhelmed by the amount of work you have to carry out and a lack of clarity about how you will disengage from it. So define the boundaries of the project and establish its end point at the outset.


150

4 Be an expert and a collaborator.

Your clients may have depended on you previously to provide an expert service, so don’t withdraw this unless there are back-up systems in place. Be flexible about the roles you are prepared to take with your clients. Acting as an “expert” or a “safe pair of hands” can be a good way of gaining entry. But you will need to accept that not all internal clients will be able to work with you as an equal partner, either because of a lack of knowledge, skills or understanding or an unwillingness on their part to work in this way.

5 Know your limits. In terms of your own skills and capabilities, it’s vital to know what you can realistically achieve against what the client is asking for. Don’t be afraid to get help from external consultants when necessary, and make sure your contract allows you to work with them on joint projects. An exploration of the political landscape in the organisation is also important as you build networks and identify

How to use organisation development (OD) to improve your institution’s performanceOrganisation development (OD) is defined by the UK Chartered Institute of Personnel and Development as a ‘planned and systematic approach to enabling sustained organisation performance through the involvement of its people’.

Organisational development applies to changes in the strategy, structure, and/or processes of an entire system. It is

concerned with managing planned change, in a flexible manner that can be revised as new information is gathered.

orientated to improving organisational effectiveness by helping members of the organisation to gain the skills and knowledge necessary to solve problems by involving them in the change process, and by promoting high performance including financial returns, high quality products and services, high productivity, continuous improvement and a high quality of working life.


151

Putting organisation development into practice

One of the challenges in delivering OD work is that it’s not just what you do, but also the mindset that is brought to bear on the work. An example of an OD intervention would be the HR unit working with their IT and finance colleagues to provide a consistent approach to support management teams in delivering strategy.

So what makes this distinctively OD? What is distinctive is creating alignment with the work of other parts of the organisation in a planned way – what can be described as a ‘systemic and systematic mindset’. The aim of an OD intervention is to build the flexibility and capability in the organisation to monitor its own health and to address these without constant intervention by any outside specialist.

OD doesn’t replace HR but it does draw heavily on many of the processes of HR. As a people and problem-centred activity, it draws on the people data the organisation collects to support the diagnosis of potential issues linked to realigning to the desired change and the design of the OD intervention. to align to strategy within the espoused values of the organisation.

The relationship between OD and HRThe following factors connect organsiation development work and human resources management:OD work contributes to the sustained health and effectiveness of the organisation.OD work is based upon robust diagnosis that uses real data from organisational, behavioural and psychological sources.OD work is planned and systemic in its focus and takes account of the whole organisation.OD practitioners help to create alignment between different activities, projects and initiatives.OD work involves groups of people in the organisation to maximise engagement, ownership and contribution.

There is an important need to see OD as a continuous review process and not just as a one-off change intervention. HR needs to develop skills of collecting, analysing and acting on data and information and using this to provide insight across the business. OD activities are usually managed from board level to ensure they reach across all areas of the business and take the organisation forward in a systematic way


152

Acknowledgments

Development of the Handbook for Civil Service Managers has been enabled by Ministry of Public Administration in the framework of Public Sector Modernisation Project, supported by the World Bank.

Special contributions to writing this handbook have been provided by:

Consortium Management and Development Associates (MDA) and Ecorys:Steve Williams, Author, Expert on Human Resource ManagementHamit Qeriqi, Expert on Human Resource ManagementBurim Leci, Team Leader

Many government officials have made a valuable contribution to this handbook. Some have written chapters, provided pertinent insights or proposed structural improvements. Others have taken much time and effort to examine the detail of its contents to proof-read and correct it. Very importantly the tools and skills described in this handbook have to be relevant and applicable to the Kosovo Civil Service and the legal, regulatory and framework within which it operates. Some key people lent their time and effort to ensuring that this was achieved, in particular:

Hajredin Hyseni, Deputy Minister of the Ministry of Public AdministrationSkender Sallauku, Advisor to the Minister of Ministry of Public AdministrationArton Berisha, General Secretary of the Ministry of Public Administration Tefik Mahmuti, Director of the Department for Civil Service Administration (DCSA/MPA)Naser Shamolli, Director of the Legal Department (MPA)Mërgim Lushtaku, Director of the Department for European Integration & Coordination of Polices (MPA)Rrahman Zahiti, Head of Division for Human Resource Management and Development of Capacities (DCSA/MPA)Hajdin Ramadani, Expert in the Public Sector Modernisation Project (World Bank)Shqipe Abdullahu, Senior Officer for Human Resource Management Policies (DCSA/MPA)Arife Kodraliu, Senior Officer for Human Resource Management Information System (DCSA/MPA)Artan Jusufi, Officer for Certification (MAP)

Content on this document maybe be partially or fully used without the prior permission of MPA. Its source, however, must be cited.


153

Sources & further reading

Adair, J., Action Centred Leadership. Gower. 1979

Barker, A., Creativity for managers, The Industrial Society, 1995

Bennis, W. & Goldsmith, J., Learning to lead, Nicholas Brealey, 1997

Carnegie, D., How to win friends and influence people, Ebury Press, 1998

Covey, S., The seven habits of highly effective people, Simon & Schuster, 1992

DfID. DfID’s approach to value for money. 2011.

de Bono, E., Six thinking hats, Little, Brown & Company 1985

Hartley, M., The good stress guide, Sheldon Press, 1995

Hersey, P., & Blanchard, K., Management of organisational behaviour – utilising human resources, Prentice Hall, 1988

Lloyd M. & Rothwell B., Leadership 101. DSC, 2007

Whitmore, J., Coaching for performance, Nicholas Brealey, 1996


154