leadership and management materials with questions

Satisfactory (S)

Non-Satisfactory (NS)

Assessor Initials

Activities 1.1 – 4.7

Skills and Knowledge Questions

Major Project

Estimated Time

45 Minutes

Objective

To provide you with an opportunity to consult relevant groups and individuals on work to be allocated and resources available.

Activity

There are three goals that impact on a manager's decision-making process. List and briefly explain each in your own words.

Strategic Goals

Strategic goals are articulations of what your association would like to attain over a period of five to ten years’ time. They are created from exploring the mission and vision statements as well as the SWOT analysis. SWOT is the analysis on Strengths, Weaknesses, Opportunities, and Threats in an organisation

Tactical Goals

Tactical goals describe what level of achievements is essential for a specific department in an organisation. They support the organisation’s growth goals.

Operational Goals Operational goals focus on individual employees’ goals responsibilities. Operational goals are determined by the lowest bases of the organisation. The organization’s employees are set to work to meet the organization’s performance standards.--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Estimated Time

1 Hour

Objective

To provide you with an opportunity to develop work plans in accordance with operational plans; allocate work in a way that is efficient, cost effective and outcome focussed; confirm performance standards, Code of Conduct and work outputs with relevant teams and individuals; develop and agree performance indicators with relevant staff prior to commencement of work; and conduct risk analysis in accordance with the organisational risk management plan and legal requirements.

Activity

Using your knowledge of your department and the nine steps of the allocation work plan, explain how your department allocates their resources.

In each step of this process, provide an example on how you believe the plan was researched, the stakeholders who were consulted and how work was allocated.

Do you believe that the plan that you organisation uses could be enhanced? Give examples of how you believe the system could be improved.

1. Providing clear instruction

Staff in the organization is provided with concise guidelines on how to deal with several issues and how to approach them while they work on their departments’ goals. The staff is interviewed to give their opinion on several matters. A channel of communication is created and if the staff feels it doesn’t work, then they approach the manager. When work is allocated, clear instructions are laid out. Information on the work allocated is provided. The staff is also given time to ask questions. Resources such as time are saved because staff don’t attempt to do incorrect tasks. The work was allocated after a thorough consultation with members of the organization and only started after everyone had confirmed their understanding of the instructions laid out.

2. Identifying the consulting with key stakeholders

Stakeholders consulted in the process include the staff and employees. Various teams in the organizations are interviewed and their opinions are essential. They give feedback based on the different work areas in which they are focused in. I addition, external stakeholders are consulted. The external stakeholders consulted include the suppliers to the organization. Decisions made after consultations with stakeholders made them feel included in the decision making process.

3. To make sure that work is allocation in alignment with operational plans

Work is allocated according to the employees’ ability as well as the budgetary operational plans of the organization. Work allocation according to employee competency in the organization ensured completion of tasks completely and on time. When allocating work, the consultation of external stakeholders ensured the servicing of resources required to complete the goals in different teams.

4. To allocate work as per the organisation’s policies and procedures and cost effectively – In this step you are to discuss what would happen if too many staff were off work sick and a large demand for an order needed to be processed. How would the resources be re-allocated?

Resources would be re-allocated efficiently through consultations, drawing guidelines, and then balancing out the task according to employee competency. In addition being efficient means that if the tasks are a lot, then stakeholders such as external suppliers are reached out. Productivity in the few employees available in the organization is ensured because tasks are balanced out. Resources such as time deadlines might be extended to ensure the efficient completion of tasks.

5. Communicating and collaborating plans with others. - What communication processes are in place? Are they sufficient for your needs? Give an example for your answer

There is the use of conference calls, meetings and memos. The communication modes are sufficient to the needs of the staff in the organization. For example, memos are published and sent to every member of the organization regarding different matters focused on the organization’s goals. Memos have been ninety nine per cent efficient because almost all members respond to the information communicated therewith.

6. Confirming performance requirements

Staff members in the organization are expected to express a certain level of performance. The employee behaviours throughout their working term are laid out in the Code of Conduct. In the areas of market seminars, the performance requirements were measured by the standard of whether thy understood concepts of the seminars in the specific time-frame through measurable and realistic levels. The Code of Conduct was measured too on the basis of competitiveness, open communication, as well as in the quality of work performed. The Code of Conduct laid out that the employees had to produce high quality work through acceptable rules of behaviour.

7. Following performance indicators

Performance indicators evaluate and measure the level of success in an activity the organization is engaged in. The performance indicators are quantifiable and they reflect the goals of the organization. All steps in a work process are identified as well as the goal to be achieved. At each stage, performance indicators are measured. The performance indicators measured include profit per employee, revenue per employee, customer satisfaction per employee, and the quality standards satisfaction per employee.

8. Developing individual work plans

Action plans in the organization are broken down to the ones that individual employees can work with. The work set out for the organization is divided into smaller units which are allocated to the employees in the organization. The breaking down of the work has ensured that work is done efficiently thus the strategic goals of the organization are met. In the plan there were several projects. The plan had the objective, staff required, facilities to be used, a breakdown of project into units, and the resources required for the completion of the tasks.

9. Undertaking risk analyses in accordance with the organisation’s risk management plans and legal requirements.

In the risk analyses of the different projects carried out, vulnerabilities were quantified so as to grade the risk as low, medium, or high. Meeting of deadlines had the risk of overlapping tasks, and the project management was marred by disputes and facilities issues. Mitigation strategies were carried out. They included avoidance of project when risk was too high, acceptance and continuation of project when risk was too low, control and monitor of project when risk was medium, and deflection of risk to a third party when risk was unknown. Contingency plans on the basis of risk due to equipment failure was manual completion of project.

Estimated Time

45 Minutes

Objective

To provide you with the chance to design performance management and review processes to ensure consistency with organisational objectives and policies.

Activity

What is a performance management system?

Performance management is a method used to measure the effectiveness of employees in the workplace. First a goal is set, then the probability of whether long term or short term goals are met is measured by looking at the goals in terms of the group and not as individual goals.

Case study question – read the following:

Job Description

Purpose of the position

The Administrative Clerk is responsible for providing administrative and clerical services in order to ensure effective and efficient operations.

Scope

The Administrative Clerk reports to the Senior Administrative Officer and is responsible for providing administrative and clerical services. Providing these services in an effective and efficient manner will ensure that municipal operations are maintained in an effective and efficient manner.

Responsibilities

1) Provide administrative support to ensure that municipal operations are maintained in an effective, up to date and accurate manner

Main Activities:

· Type correspondence, reports and other documents

· Maintain office files

· Open and distribute the mail

· Take minutes at meetings

· Distribute minutes

· Coordinate repairs to office equipment

2) Provide support to Council to ensure that Council is provided with the resources to make effective decisions

Main Activities:

· Maintain confidential records and files

· Maintain records of decisions

· Arrange for payment of honorariums

· Research and assist with the preparation of motions, policies and procedures

· Review and edit reports to the Board

· Prepare correspondence for Board members

· Prepare documents and reports on the computer

· Schedule Board meetings

· Prepare agendas for Board meeting

Administrative Assistant

· Prepare packages for Board meetings

· Attend board meetings

· Record minutes and submit minutes for approval

3) Provide receptionist services

Main Activities:

· Greet and assist visitors

· Answer phones

· Direct calls and respond to inquiries

4) Perform other related duties as required

As a Manager, one of your responsibilities is to assist in the development of a management plan for members of your team. Sally has recently been employed in your organisation as an Administration Assistant.

Christine, a member of your HR team is unclear about what review procedures are sufficient for Sally. To assist Christine, you are to consult with your team and determine the Key Performance Indicators should be for this role as shown in the Job Description provided above.

Develop a Performance Management System for the position in the job description provided above.

Clear job expectations on Sally’s positions as administrative assistant are described.

Recruitment and selection processes are conducted on Sally. The selection process is based on Sally’s skills, experience, knowledge, and the organization’s job description.

An agreement between Sally on the performance standards, performance requirements, and performance indicators.

Individual performance plans are laid out.

Performance on Sally’s performance is done and an assessment carried out.

An end of year performance review is carried out.

Action is taken on Sally by the management where appropriate.

What skills did Sally need to demonstrate that she was the person for the job?

Time management skills

Multi-tasking skills

Excellent communication skills

Teamwork and collaboration skills

Based on the skills in 3, briefly outline the performance requirements, standards and measures required. Consult and negotiate with the team.

The performance requirements in Sally’s positions include the Code of Conduct that Sally support the Council in making decisions through efficiency. Sally is required to support the Council’s responsibilities in an efficient and accurate manner. Performance standards require Sally to complete high quality tasks before deadlines. Sally is required to integrate the Code of Conduct in her performance of tasks. Performance indicators in Sally’s position is the quality of tasks presented and the satisfaction thereafter as well as the innovation in task completion.

Develop an individual performance plan.

The individual performance plan for Sally is that they should be successful in their goal of providing administrative help through the implementation of skills such as collaboration. The measurable objectives is that Sally should complete all tasks before deadlines. Activities in Sally’s workplace as interventions include coaching. The impact of interventions is that Sally should have improved o her communication skills after the intervention which is coaching. Evaluation on the impact of coaching on Sally.

How will you track the performance plan you completed in Appendix Eight? Should it be formal or informal? Why?

The performance plan in Appendix Eight should be tracked in a formal manner to ensure efficiency and accountability when assessing an employee.

Reflect on this performance management plan. What were you hoping to achieve by using the performance system?

The performance system is meant to ensure that key elements of the recruitment, appraisal, assessment, and follow up are provided to the management of the organization. It identifies barriers and helps remove them.

What should you do to make this system work?

In order to work, the performance management system should be integrated in the overall planning cycle of the organization. The system should correlate with the strategic objectives of the organization’s goals.

Estimated Time

30 Minutes

Objective

To provide you with an opportunity to train participants in the performance management and review process; conduct performance management in accordance with organisational protocols and time lines; and monitor and evaluate performance on a continuous basis.

Activity

Succession planning is the process of identifying people within an organisation who have the potential to fill future management and leadership positions.

Case study exercise: You have been asked to choose a member of your team who can learn all aspects of your job (with succession planning in mind). With a person from your group acting as the identified person, discuss the skills that are required to perform your job and discuss their skills. Identify the variances in the skill level and determine what training is needed to bring their skills and knowledge to the level of manager within your organisation.

Training Plan for: Dept: Date:

Use the Performance Management Time line to determine how the succession planning arranged above can be planned, including reviews, training and how the team leader can measure their performance.

Performance Management Time line

General

Probationary staff

Special cases/interim reviews

Performance planning/review meetings

Documentation

What behaviours should the team leader demonstrate?

The team leaders should be able to make decisions that are unbiased and solve disputes arising from the project execution.

The team leader should have excellent communication skills so they can process opinions from the team.

Estimated Time

1 Hour

Objective

To provide you with an opportunity to provide feedback.

Activity

Feedback is important because it allows/provides management and staff information on areas where they can improve.

Using the information that you have developed in Activity 2.1-2.4, answer the following questions.

1. Why are you assessing this staff member?

The staff member is being assessed to provide additional information on their performance since they started working as an Administrative assistant. The assessment is meant to evaluate their performance standards in the workplace.

2. On what functions, skills, behaviours, or activities is this assessment based?

Time management skills are being evaluated to check on their performance in completing tasks before deadlines as well as work reporting.

Collaboration skills also are being assessed to check their performance standards in a team.

Communication is assessed to measure their performance in giving constructive feedback

3. On what standards is this assessment based?

Achievable

Understood

Completed on time

Realistic

4. What are the facts of the situation?

The facts of the situation are that Sally is a time punctual worker though she lacks in her communication skills. Several tasks have gone uncompleted because of poor communication.

5. What do you plan to do with the results of your feedback?

The results of the feedback received are meant to strengthen future teams by maximizing on strengths of different team members

6. What methods will be used to give feedback to the team leader?

Communication to the team leader will be conducted through a memo and then a teleconference.

7. Provide feedback to your appointed team leader to say that he/she is underperforming and requires more one-on-one training. The team leader is intimidated about the position. You need to build the team leader’s skills and knowledge to motivate the team leader and build his/her confidence.

8. Develop a coaching plan addressing these issues

Coaching Plan

Name: ____________________________________

Manager: __________________________________

Date of meeting: _____________________________

9. The informal feedback that the team leader has received does not seem to be working. With your team, develop a more structured feedback session that addresses the team leader’s needs and organisational policy.

The feedback is to be divided into helpful and unhelpful feedback. Helpful feedback enables the tasks to move forward by pointing out on areas of improvement. Unhelpful feedback is unconstructive opinion that is based on individual inclinations and not the tasks at hand.

10. Use the seven key elements of coaching by Larson and Richburg (2000) to analyse whether the plan that you have worked together to fulfil is effective. If you find a lacking in any area, may recommendations on how you may close the gap.

Context: The coaching is to be done by focusing on the context of the organization’s business environment which is oriented toward problem solving through collaboration.

Clarity: The team leaders give clarity on the objectives of the teams which are to strengthen communication skills.

Commitment: The organization’s team members are committed to the coaching as well as the team leaders.

Course of Action: A development plan is created by the leaders with the objectives for the coaching.

Coachability: The situation of communication problems can only be solved through one on one coaching

Confidentiality: Building of trust is essential.

Chemistry: Compatibility with the coach is essential so a rapport is built.

Estimated Time

1 Hour

Objective

To provide you with an opportunity to write and agree on performance improvement and development plans in accordance with organisational policies; seek assistance from human resources specialists where appropriate; reinforce excellence in performance through recognition and continuous feedback; monitor and coach individuals with poor performance; provide support services where necessary; and counsel individuals who continue to perform below expectations and implement the disciplinary process if necessary.

Activity

Case study exercise: The new sales figures are in and they are not good. All feedback shows that the fault is not due to the product, as the customers have advised you that the product exceeds their expectations, not only in terms of quality performance but also in terms of price.

You personally visit your team and find that morale is very low. Several weeks ago, a member of their team was killed when a wall of parts fell on them when a shelf snapped. After WorkSafe closed down the factory for a week, it was re-opened. The company hired to supply the shelving and build it did not maintain its duty of care to provide safe equipment. Both the client and to a lesser degree the company was fined.

Staff had reported the shelving and the company had failed to take the correct action. Your first aim is to suggest ways in which to change this negative attitude. As this is outside your field of knowledge, identify what HR experts will be able to assist you in changing the negative morale of staff.

As a group exercise – choose a member of the group to act as your HR contact, a trainer, and a member of the work team and answer the following questions.

1. Consult with your HR contact on the above issue and discuss what you can do to help your team and their performance at work.

Make recommendations in regards of ways in which the team has more control of the environment. What training could you provide the team to give them the skills to take more control of their environment?

The training to be provided to the team is one on one coaching to enable them learn the essentials of communication and feedback in team work.

2. What recognition do you believe that team members should be given to build confidence and morale?

Letters of recommendation for the team members are essential.

Personal recognition boosts the team’s morale.

A thank you gift will enable the team members to have confidence in their capabilities.

A written card.

A personal certificate of recommendation.

Verbal praise.

3. How can you determine whether the training, coaching or mentoring is successful?

Include feedback discussions with both the trainer and the team member to further investigate this.

By obtaining feedback from the coach.

Observing employees’ performances to check on their improvements

Talking with the employee to check whether they felt the training as beneficial.

Evaluating the employees’ performance on the basis of agreed achievements.

Conducting a review meeting with the employee after their training.

4. What support services should the team be supplied with?

The team should be given the support of external professionals such as in the areas of professional counselling.

Counselling may also be done by managers in the organization.

After three months, two members of your team are not making any effort to respond to the changes made internally and have not taken advantage of the opportunities to improve their skills. They are still negative and this is not having a good impact on the rest of the team.

5. Use your knowledge of counselling to develop a counselling session to address these issues.

Prepare a confidential meeting with team member.

Set and ensure that a positive attitude is maintained.

Be cordial and professional in the manner of carrying out the session.

Seek clarification on pertinent questions.

End session on a positive note.

A written summary should be prepared.

Employee follow up should be conducted.

Estimated Time

45 Minutes

Objective

To provide you with an opportunity to terminate staff in accordance with legal and organisational requirements where serious misconduct occurs or ongoing poor-performance continues.

Activity

Your organisation does not have procedures on how to terminate an employee.

Access the FairWork Australia site URL Address: www.fwa.gov.au

1. Discuss what you will need to do to initiate and terminate a member of your team’s employment. If necessary, set the procedure out in a flow chart.

Before termination, coaching is done. Follow up and feedback on coaching is also executed to review the success. If the staff continues to perform below expectations, then counselling is done. Termination is done when the staff continues to perform poorly even after coaching and counselling

Estimated Time

1 Hour

Objective

To provide you with an opportunity to demonstrate your knowledge of the foundation skills, knowledge evidence and performance evidence.

Activity

Complete the following individually and attach your completed work to your workbook.

The answers to the following questions will enable you to demonstrate your knowledge of:

· Learning

· Reading

· Writing

· Oral communication

· Numeracy

· Navigate the world of work

· Interact with others

· Get the work done

· Outline relevant legislative and regulatory requirements

· Outline relevant awards and certified agreements

· Explain performance measurement systems utilised within the organisation

· Explain unlawful dismissal rules and due process

· Describe staff development options and information.

Answer each question in as much detail as possible, considering your organisational requirements for each one.

1. How would you communicate expected standards of performance, effective feedback and to coach staff who need development? They are to be communicated in a timely and specific manners as well as being delivered in a supportive environment.

2. How would you use risk management skills to analyse, identify and develop mitigation strategies for identified risks? Risk would be analysed by quantifying vulnerabilities in the organization’s work plans.

3. How would you ensure a planned and objective approach to the performance management system? Realistic goals for different targets should relate to the activities in the work plan to ensure completion with certain timelines.

4. Document your company’s policies, or an organisation that you can use as an example, on Work Health and Safety, environmental issues, equal opportunity, industrial relations and anti-discrimination.

5. Identify three relevant awards and certified agreements. What are the benefits of attaining them?

6. What performance measurement systems are utilised in your organisation, or another organisation that you can use as an example?

7. As in the question above, what options do staff have for development and where can they find this information?

Estimated Time

1 Hour

Objective

To provide you with an opportunity to demonstrate your knowledge of the entire unit.

Activity

This is a major activity – you should let the learner’s know whether they will complete it during class or in their own time.

You must individually, answer the following questions in full to show your competency of each element;

1. Allocate work

2. Assess performance

3. Provide feedback

4. Manage follow up

1. What do you have to consider when allocating work? Employee competency and experience in the type of task to be completed. It also involves consultation of different groups to decide on the work to be allocated.

2. How would you assess performance? Performance is to be accessed through designing performance review processes and then monitoring employees performances based on their continuous tasks.

3. What is the difference between formal and informal feedback? Formal feedback includes written reports on employee performance evaluation while informal feedback is not usually documented and is verbal.

4. What is involved when managing follow up? (Discuss using all of the criteria). Writing and agreeing on performance plans. Help might be sought from human resource specialists whenever appropriate. Recognition and continuous feedback reinforces performance. Monitoring and coaching employees with poor performance. Provision of support when necessary. Counselling individuals who perform below expectations. Terminate staff according to legal requirements when serious misconduct takes place. Termination should occur if the staff continue to perform below expectations.

Goal:

Description for Year 1:

Measureable Objective for Year 1

Activities for Year 1

Impact for Year 1

Evaluation for Year 1

Task description

Risks

Levels of risk

Areas where excellence in performance has been demonstrated

Performance areas needing improvement

Additional items (i.e. training and professional development needed)

Next steps

HR Professional Consulted:

Position: Date:

Feedback

Response

1.

2.

3.

Performance Plan

Key Result Area

Key Performance Indicator/Target

Activity

Targets/Measures/Milestones/Timing

Results/Comments