Assessing your individual management capability

Understand management styles within an organisation

1.1 Review the prevailing management kinds within the organisation

There are a variety of leadership kinds that can be adopted by organisations in order to try to achieve their goals. Each of those is commonly suited to certain conditions and has drawbacks stopping any one type being one of the best fashion of leadership for all situations.

Even within organisation different kinds of management can be recognized with this being more prominent in bigger organisations with a longer chain of command.

One “study suggests that variations in the leadership styles practised by managers may be blurred in organisations with brief chains of command, whereas it’ll are usually pronounced in organisations with lengthy chains of command, other things being equal.” (Oshagbemi T & Gill R, 2004)

Within Dacorum Borough Council there are completely different prevailing management styles current at completely different levels of the organisation.

On a company degree senior administration try to adopt a transformational style of management, which would mirror the changing nature of the organisation. However a trait type of leadership is much extra prevalent, with this being of a task orientated nature.

This is because of that although bold new tasks are planned and underway, often work is ready in a really formal manner or very rigid as a result of demand of the politicians who have a large influence on how work is undertaken. This is bolstered by the way telling, quite than selling, or preferential gaining true buy-in, has been adopted with little or no workers engagement inside the senior levels of the organisation.

Even since main administration modifications four years in the past when 50% of the senior administration team have been made redundant the council has nonetheless struggled to completely transfer to the transformational management style that it’s clearly trying to determine. When the senior management staff was reorganised managers have been kept who were versatile and could establish and act on opportunities. However given the political constraints I have talked about above that is often problematic with the council needing to fulfil usually bureaucratic processes.

Although much of the work directed from senior management levels is task oriented, as quickly as these have been set the center managers range throughout the organisation in their own types of management. The quantity these range is type of dramatic with some areas adopting a laissez-faire approach and others taking a means more autocratic strategy to the management type that’s used. Much of this can be right down to persona and the types of work which are being delivered.

Tannenbaum & Schmidt seemed at the problem of leadership styles within organisation and developed a management continuum. The model demonstrates the relationship between the level of freedom that a manager chooses to offer to a staff and the level of authority utilized by the manager. (Tannenbaum, Robert and Schmidt, 1973) This mannequin assists leaders and managers in their choice of management pattern by making them aware of the forces that are most relevant.

At a middle supervisor stage there are totally different levels of freedoms inside the organisation similar to the management kinds which have been adopted and the service space staff work in. Within my service there is less freedom, as the pinnacle of service has a really hand on perspective to certain components of labor, often meaning that quite than having full control over a state of affairs that at finest this is carried out by way of consultation and extra regularly path.

There are three sub groups in my area and even between these different approaches are taken as the head of service is a specialist in one of many areas however has very little interest in one other which is reflected in the finest way that they work together with the managers below. This allows some mangers in the group more freedoms and others less so, thus proscribing their own talents to do there jobs.

1.2 Assess the impact of the prevailing management kinds on the organisation’s values and performance

The task oriented leadership that’s demonstrated by Dacorum Borough
Council results the values and efficiency of the organisation, with the 2 heavily linked together.

With Dacorum being a big complex organisation, which must fulfil statutory duties to the tax payers, the senior management need to establish a leadership type that then can both do this but additionally attempt to establish the vast changes which are deliberate for the organisation in the coming months and years. However this is sometimes at odds with the values that Dacorum have recently been promoting of changing into more innovative and transformational, to match the way in which in which future working and the bodily environment themselves will be altering.

The task oriented method leads work and key initiatives being outlined at a senior degree with typically one of the senior managers taking an active role in the project to oversee these. This has led every so often to middle managers being disillusioned by having little say over choices they could be concerned in and being informed what motion is required.

This method may have extra optimistic impacts in areas similar to finance and benefits, as this method could be extra suited to a more extremely regulated service area which would add certainty in the means in which work is carried out.

One of the core values that the council is fostering is that of creating a excessive performance tradition. However, as I really have talked about above, the type of management proven by the senior management can be stifling to the middle level managers beneath them and never encourage them to wish to work in direction of the imaginative and prescient that they’ve little or no affect over.

Middle management at Dacorum has adopted democratic and bureaucratic styles within totally different areas of the council. Input is taken from lower stage managers and a promoting method, rather than telling, used when setting goals and targets. This has a better impact on employees with an understanding of what is making an attempt to be achieved and gains some buy in from those anticipated to ship the work programme. This method will harness higher outcomes as the efficiency of workers beneath a task orientated or
autocratic style when not in a time of crisis. (Unknown (2013))

Be able to review effectiveness of own management functionality and efficiency in meeting organisational values and goals

2. 1 Assess own ability to use totally different leadership styles in a spread of situations

Different leadership kinds are required for different situations as each type has its personal benefits and downsides. Examples of when different styles could be required may be seen by way of Tuckmans (1965) mannequin where teams are forming, storming, norming and performing.

As a team is forming, this can be a new team or when new staff have joined the group, the employees must be given clear path with reliance upon the leader for each guidance and instruction. During this stage it might be appropriate to adopt a extra autocratic strategy to leadership; this is ready to be proven in path of the left hand side of the Tannenbaum & Schmidt model.

Once formed the staff would then move to the storming stage the place individual’s roles are established. This stage requires coaching to assist with uncertainties that could exist within the group and the leadership type to begin out transferring towards the proper on the Tannenbaum & Schmidt mannequin.

After the storming stage the staff will enter the norming, that is the place the roles and duties are understood and the team encourage one another with the chief gaining respect. At this stage a democratic fashion of management may be adopted where the chief acts to facilitate rather than give agency path.

The last stage, which some groups could never obtain, is the performing stage. During this stage instruction is not required as independence is achieved and the team moves towards shared goals. At this stage a laissez faire style may be adopted the place each staff member knows what they are doing
and needs little guidance.

FORMINGSTORMINGNORMINGPERFORMING
Team Focus Inclusion: “Why are we here?” Control: “I want to have my say.”Openness: “Let’s do it.” Success: “Wow, we’re great!” Typical Team Behaviors Dependent on leader/facilitator Uneven/tentative participation Quiet defiance Polite dialog Conflict Question management, authority, rules Verbal/nonverbal resistance Dysfunctional behaviour Frustration Give/receive feedback Encourage others Active listening Recognize and talk about differences Trust and comfort Task appears to be easy Interdependence develops Balanced, supportive participation Differences valued and discussed candidly Facilitator Focus To model openness, disclosure, and energetic listening

To help the group recognize group dynamics and address conflict positively To uncover unstated points and encourage self-critique To train the staff to self-facilitate Facilitator Behaviors Listen, especially to what’s not stated. Be attuned to nonverbal cues that signal apprehension. Intervene. Demonstrate disclosure by expressing your emotions. Ensure goal, objectives, and agenda are clear. Use icebreakers to encourage disclosure. Ask team members to make clear their assignments at close of assembly. Pay particular attention to group dynamics. Be specific when describing behaviours.

Encourage group members to debate their feelings. Encourage staff members to discuss their interests versus their positions. Immediately point out non-conformance to floor guidelines. Encourage self-critique. Encourage the total exploration of concepts. Explore inferences. Plan with the team chief the way to share leadership position. Coach the team in facilitator expertise. Plan brief classes for the team to acknowledge progress. Encourage reinforcing and redirecting feedback.

As well as this totally different kinds may be applicable for other reasons, such as adopting a more autocratic approach in times of disaster to hurry up determination making with out dissent, corresponding to in occasions of war.

When I first began out as a manager I was managing three members of workers, all of which were new to their roles, with two new to the council. The group at this level was very a lot in a forming stage the place clear path was wanted from all members of the group and a decisive autocratic type was needed to provide stability and assurance to the group. Of the three employees it was clear that each had completely different strengths and weaknesses in addition to goals and ambition inside their roles. Naturally I tend towards a principle Y (McGregor, 1960) fashion of administration which presents extra teaching quite than taking such an autocratic strategy.

This state of affairs required this firm method and it was only was each team member was confortable in their roles and the storming process had finished that I was in a place to move in course of my natural tendencies. It was famous that whereas all group members joined at roughly the same time some settled and have become acquainted with their duties and objectives quicker than other team members. This meant I may take different approaches when dealing with different members of the staff, as some where still storming while others had a clear grasp on their function and have been now performing.

Moving forwards the staff shall be altering as will how we work on the council. While we move via this course of a transformational style of leadership shall be of most benefit to the team, who at the second are properly fashioned. Rather than continue to use a situational fashion, the staff perceive how their work fits in to the organisation goals and with the broader imaginative and prescient.

By fostering the feelings of belief, admiration, loyalty and respect, and because of the qualities of the transformational style of leadership, staff are willing to work tougher than initially expected (Bass & Riggio, 2006). This fashion requires the chief to behave as a role model for followers, to inspire them while difficult them to take larger possession for his or her work. This will be explored in more element underneath part 3.1.

2.2 Assess own ability to speak the organisation’s values and goals to staff in personal area

Dacorum Borough Council has each clear values and objectives. The goals are set out by way of the corporate vision as well corporate documents by each senior management and middle managers. The values come via from the vision of the council as properly as more formalised values within company coverage documents, though many values, such as performing a good public service usually are not explicit in company paperwork.

To talk these values and goals to staff inside my very own area I use vary of communication tools and methods.

The most essential thing to establish is the person wants of every member of staff to make a judgement on which methods will work best to get the messages by way of that I would like to ship. With all staff in my space who I handle I maintain common 1-2-1’s and value determinations, This helps me understand what kinds of communication and interplay fits them greatest in addition to giving a clear alternative to speak about their objectives and reveal how these fit in to the broader targets after which to the vision of the organisation.

Commitment to objectives & values are constructed through these meetings, where action plans are linked to the key supply paperwork (PID’s) which are targeted round delivering the organisation goal, which creates the ‘golden thread’ by way of all of the work we do.

Feedback via these 1-2-1’s is a vital mechanism as this could reinforce optimistic behaviours that are consistent with the company values and targets although once again the extent of feedback will must be totally different for different members of workers depending on how they wish to be managed.

Another technique that I often use to assist talk the important thing objectives is thru common staff meetings. At these meetings it is also necessary to recognise that the way one speaks to a gaggle may have to differ from interacting with individuals, as it is very important find the best methodology that helps talk the targets and values to the group as simply utilizing the same techniques could alienate some members of staff.

To reinforce the values it is essential to make sure that when the objectives are set they’re grounded within the values of the organisation. This helps that when setting particular person objectives with workers that the hyperlink between all of this work is obvious and easy to identify and understand. Gaining the purchase in from the staff ensures that they will

By using the company values in the work we set it helps to create a consistency and fairness when coping with all members of workers so that one method is adopted.

As properly as this we also maintain annual or bi-annual service events the place the vital thing messages and values from the organisation are bolstered, with this giving members f employees to not only give suggestions on their objectives but in addition ion the goals which have set.

2.three Assess own ability to encourage others and build commitment to the organisation’s values and goals

In motivating a group the primary side is to determine what it is that motivates the individuals. When holding common 1-2-1’s with staff I would look to determine what motivates them so I can look to develop a framework for a way I can create the situations for them to be motivated. It is essential to remember that rather than making an attempt to inspire workers we ought to be trying to create the situations where workers might be motivated.

Maslow (1943) said that people are motivated to attain certain needs. When one want is fulfilled an individual seeks to fulfil the next one, and so on. This model can be utilized to help in the understanding of human behaviour and understanding motivation by itemizing the key driving forces for people.

Following this framework it exhibits how manages nee to create the right setting for their employees and the workers will then act to encourage themselves.

Now the staff I manage is settled, with all the members of workers settled in their roles, I am able to determine mechanisms that can help create the conditions to encourage each member of staff. Although each member of employees is a person it’s potential to sometimes group individuals collectively in the occasion that they share the same individual motivations, e.g. if two members of the staff had been both looking for further social wants by way of work then it may be possible to use the tools to assist achieve a situation to motivate both of those staff.

Setting clear goals which collectively created objectives can feed into helps on this process of staff understanding why certain duties are being carried out and helps to create greater possession of the work they’re doing.

The CMI motivating the demotivated checklist offers other examples of how employees could be addressed to extend motivation inside the work place. The guidelines includes offering assist with planning, contain the unmotivated, attempt to get buy in, and make sure the rules are clear. These examples have been carried via to assist identify when these approaches can be utilized to address individual situations.

Be capable of adopt an efficient management style to encourage staff to attain organisational values and goals

3.1 Justify essentially the most efficient leadership fashion to encourage workers in own space, to attain the organisation’s values and goals

While one wants to make sure in a given scenario the leadership fashion that is chosen be express so as to stay constant and be sure that a clear message is delivered, the leadership style chosen must be right for the state of affairs and be capable of be reviewed as a scenario changes.

Given the range of management kinds that have been recognized it will be necessary that the proper style is chosen by a pacesetter to find a way to get the most out of staff. Theories have evolved from the “great man” notion of heroic leaders, via trait theories, behaviourist theories, situational management, contingency principle and on to transactional and transformational management.

As I truly have described in previous questions the group are presently in a state where each member knows their roles and are comfy within the job they’re doing. Dacorum Borough Council might be altering the greatest way we work over the next two years and this can have an effect on all employees within the council together with those who work in my area. This will mean that the leadership type that I take on will need to be in a position to accommodate these modifications and encourage workers to get the best ends in a time of change.

Given the altering nature of the staff and the changes because of take place sooner or later a contingency-situational concept may be acceptable. These theories had been developed to indicate that the style to be used is contingent upon such components as the scenario, the individuals, the duty, the organisation, and other environmental variables. (Boulden & Gosling (2003))

A situational fashion of management, similar to through the Hersey-Blanchard model of management, allows the developmental ranges of a leader’s subordinates to play the best role in determining which management types are most applicable. From right here four leadership kinds develop: Directing, Coaching, Supporting and Delegating. This strategy was used when the staff first shaped and because the team matured and moved towards performing, on the Tuckman phases of team improvement, so I might change my style to scale back task behaviour and enhance relationship behaviour till the followers reach a moderate level of maturity

A more recent method would have been to use a situational mannequin as described by Tannenbaum & Schmidt. Rather than responding to the maturity of subordinates they view leadership along a continuum from one excessive of autocracy to the other as democracy with subordinate’s participation and involvement increasing as you move along. This strategy permits you to change based mostly on the state of affairs you might be in and extra readily reply to adjustments in the environment.

The theories mentioned beforehand describe ways by which could be used to efficiently manage my group, nonetheless the management type that has the potential to encourage staff in my space most will by way of a transformational fashion of management. Employees in my area at the second are well established and performing properly however in the future more will be anticipated from each of us and I really feel that this form of leadership has essentially the most potential to give subordinates real vanity and self-actualisation.

This fashion of management requires me, as the chief, to take actions to increase workers consciousness of what’s right and important to lift their motivational maturity and to move them to transcend their very own self-interests for the nice of the group and the organisation.

Transformational Style Leader Behaviour
1) Idealized Behaviours: residing one’s ideals
• Talk about their most necessary values and beliefs
• Specify the significance of getting a strong sense of purpose

• Consider the ethical and ethical penalties of decisions

• Champion exciting new possibilities
• Talk in regards to the significance of trusting each other
2) Inspirational Motivation: inspiring others
• Talk optimistically in regards to the future
• Talk enthusiastically about what must be accomplished

• Articulate a compelling vision of the future
• Express confidence that objectives will be achieved
• Provide an thrilling image of what is important to consider

• Take a stand on controversial issues
3) Intellectual Stimulation: stimulating others
• Re-examine crucial assumptions to query whether they’re appropriate

• Seek differing perspectives when solving problems
• Get others to have a look at problems from many various angles

• Suggest new ways of taking a look at the means to complete assignments

• Encourage non-traditional considering to deal with conventional problems

• Encourage rethinking those concepts which have by no means been questioned earlier than 4) Individualized Consideration: teaching and development

• Spend time teaching and coaching
• Treat others as individuals quite than simply as members of the group

• Consider individuals as having different needs, talents, and aspirations from others

• Help others to develop their strengths

• Listen attentively to others’ concerns
• Promote self-development
5) Idealized Attributes: Respect, trust, and faith
• In still pride in others for being associated with them

• Go beyond their self-interests for the good of the group

• Act in ways that construct others’ respect
• Display a sense of power and competence
• Make personal sacrifices for others’ benefit
• Reassure others that obstacles will be overcome
Transformational Leadership Styles and Behaviours (Bass and Riggio, 2006)

This method allows for the elevation of the needs for employees (from security needs to needs for achievement and self-development) which in flip will allow for greater productiveness with well-motivated staff and allow for high performance.

3.2 Implement the best leadership fashion in order to motivate staff in own area to achieve the organisation’s values and goals

As there are vital barriers that exist to have the ability to implement a change in leadership type on the senior management stage inside the organisation this approach might be first adopted within my service to use as a test case for the broader organisation. Based on whether this style of leadership is profitable this will then be reported back via the organisation by way of the various senior management conferences.

A first step to adopting this inside my service space might be to meet with different managers of individuals, as this strategy will need to be adopted across the service area to turn into effective. Once the buy-in of entrance line managers and the center managers has been secured I will meet with staff to debate the organisational values and see how these match with theirs. At these meetings I will also once more set a clear course of where and what we wish to achieve and reiterate how their specific aims are working in path of our targets of constructing Dacorum a better place to reside and work. These themes will then also run by way of staff meetings and 1-2-1’s to further reinforce
this message.

The next step shall be to set the instance of a constructive new path and embracing the adjustments that we’re about to face both for the team and for the council as a whole. Regular communication of those messages will be made through common meetings and as the changes draw closer team days to take a look at how we will take essentially the most out of these future opportunities.

Some of my time might be allocated in direction of both mentoring and coaching of staff to help bring out their strengths and to work on any areas which the workers feel require further growth.
References:

Bass B M & Riggio R E (2006). Transformational Leadership (Second ed.). Mahwah, NJ: Lawrence Erlbaum Associates.

Bolden R & Gosling J (2003), A review of Leadership concept and competency frameworks, Centre for management studies: University of Exeter.

Hersey P & Blanchard K H (1969), Life cycle theory of management, Training and Development Journal, 23 (5), pp 26-34

Maslow A H (1943), A Theory of Human Motivation. Psychological Review, 50(4), pp370-96.

McGregor D (1960), The human side of enterprise. McGraw Hill Higher Education

Oshagbemi T & Gill R (2004), Differences in management kinds and behaviour across hierarchical ranges in UK organisations, Emerald 25.

Tannenbaum R & Schmidt W (1973), Choosing a management pattern. Harvard Business Review, May-June 1973, Cambridge, Mass

Taraschi R (1998), slicing the ties that bind, Training and growth USA, Nov vol. 52 no. eleven, pp. 12-14.

Tuckman B (1965), development sequence in small goups. Psychological bulletin. sixty three, pp 84-99, Bethseda

Unknown (2013), Various ILM 5 course handouts, May-July