Podc - Self Assessment On Management

TARGETED COMPETENCY: PLAN – Decision-making: Should be able to make decision based on risk-benefit, and impact assessment.

A structured approach to decision making broadly follows three phases:
* Analyse the problem
* Define the alternatives and describe each in terms of its strengths and weaknesses (often in relation to the other alternatives- SWOT analysis)
* Choose between the alternatives using the "decision rule"
A procedural (or structured) approach to decision making where the following questions inform our final choice of what to decide:
* Alternatives: What alternatives are available?
* Expectations: What future consequences might follow each alternative?
* Preferences: How valuable are the consequences associated with each alternative to reach the goals of the decision maker?
* Decision Rule: How is the choice between the alternatives to be made in terms of their values of their consequences?

REFERENCE:
Van der Walt, M, “Knowledge Management and Scientific Knowledge Generation ”, Knowledge Management Research & Practice, (2006) 4, 319–330.

Van der Walt, M., De Wet, G., "A Framework for Scientific Knowledge Generation", Knowledge Management Research & Practice, (2008) 6, 141 - 154.

http://main.vanthinking.com/index.php/20080504100/Rational-Decision-Making.html

TARGETED COMPETENCY: DIRECT – Effective Communication: Should be able to engage in efficient 2-way communication.

As many stakeholders as possible should be involved in the consensus decision-making process.

* Participatory: The consensus process should actively solicit the input and participation of all decision-makers.
* Cooperative: Participants in an effective consensus process should strive to reach the best possible decision for the group and all of its members, rather than opt to pursue a majority opinion, potentially to the detriment of a minority.
* Egalitarian: All members of a consensus decision-making body should be afforded, as much as possible, equal input into the process. All members have the opportunity to table, amend and veto or "block" proposals.
* Solution-oriented: An effective consensus decision-making body strives to emphasize common agreement over differences and reach effective decisions using compromise and other techniques to avoid or resolve mutually-exclusive positions within the group.

REFERENCE:
Drucker, P.E. 1974. Management: Tasks, Responsibilities, Practices. New York: Harper and Row : 466-467.

Brilhart, John K., and Gloria J. Galanes. 1989. Effective Group Decisions Dubuque, IA: William C Brown Publishers: 201-203.

Priem, Richard L. 1990. Top management team group factors, consensus, and firm performance. Strategic Management Journal 11: 471-476.

Scholtes, Peter R. 1988. The Team Handbook How to Use Teams to Improve Quality. Madison, WI: Joiner Associates Inc.

"Consensus Team Decision Making",. Strategic Leadership and Decision Making. National Defense University.(http://www.au.af.mil/au/awc/awcgate/ndu/strat-ldr-dm/pt3ch11.html)

TARGETED COMPETENCY: CONTROL – Monitoring: Should be able to follow-up and track activities against objectives and/or standards.

An organization must and can develop a strategic plan that includes specific and measurable goals to implement a vision. A comprehensive plan will recognize where the organization is today, and cover all the areas where action is needed to move toward the vision. In addition to being specific and measurable, actions should clearly state who is responsible for their completion. Actions should have milestones tied to them so progress toward the goals can be measured.

Implementing the vision does not stop with the formulation of a strategic plan - the organization that stops at this point is not much better off than one that stops when the vision is formulated. Real implementation of a vision is in the execution of the strategic plan throughout the organization, in the continual monitoring of progress toward the vision, and in the continual revision of the strategic plan as changes in the organization or its environment necessitate.

REFERENCE:

Collins, James C. and Jerry I. Porras. 1991. Organizational vision and visionary organizations. California Management Review (Fall): 30-52.

Peters, Tom. 1987. Thriving on Chaos. NY: Alfred A. Knopf.

Nanus, Burt. Visionary Leadership: Creating a Compelling Sense of Direction For Your Organization. San Francisco, CA: Jossey-Bass Publishers, 1992.

"STRATEGIC VISION",. Strategic Leadership and Decision Making. National Defense University. (http://www.au.af.mil/au/awc/awcgate/ndu/strat-ldr-dm/pt4ch18.html)

TARGETED COMPETENCY: CONTROL – Implement CAPA (Corrective Action & Preventive Action): Should be able to implement appropriate corrective and preventive programs/actions.

Answers (a) and (c) could be part of the CAPA, but this could not be determined until a full investigation was performed and all facts leading to the root cause known.

REFERENCE: Good Manufacturing Practices, http://www.hc-sc.gc.ca/dhp-mps/compli-conform/gmp-bpf/index-eng.php

TARGETED COMPETENCY: CONTROL – Monitoring: Should be able to follow-up and track activities against objectives and/or standards. CONTROL – Forward looking / Pro-active: Should be able to predict issues and act to prevent them.

A fundamental problem facing managers is how to exercise adequate control in organizations that demand flexibility, innovation and creativity.

Ineffective leaders micromanage the work by narrowly defining assignments, constantly inquiring about individual progress and trying to direct people’s work. That deprives the project of creative ideas the team might have generated if given more latitude. Without that creative thinking, the team performance suffers which reinforces further micromanagement and closer monitoring.

REFERENCE: “Control in an Age of Empowerment”, Simons, R, Harvard Business Review, March-April 1995. “How Team Leaders Show Support-or-Not”, Lagace, M, Harvard Business School Working Knowledge, May 2004.

TARGETED COMPETENCY: PODC – All competencies

Managers create and maintain an internal environment, commonly called the organization, so that others can work efficiently in it. A manager's job consists of planning, organizing, directing, and controlling the resources of the organization. These resources include people, jobs or positions, technology, facilities and equipment, materials and supplies, information, and money. Managers work in a dynamic environment and must anticipate and adapt to challenges.




REFERENCES: Gemmy Allen. BMGT-1301 DCCCD. Supervision: Managerial Functions (PODC). Supervision©. 1998.

TARGETED COMPETENCY: DIRECT – Interpersonal relations: Should have strong interpersonal relation: empathy, trustworthiness, transparency, integrity and ethical.

Interpersonal relationships are dynamic systems that change continuously during their existence. Like living organisms, relationships have a beginning, a lifespan, and an end. They tend to grow and improve gradually, as people get to know each other and become closer emotionally, or they gradually deteriorate as people drift apart and form new relationships with others. According to a proposed model, the natural development of a relationship follows five stages:

1. Acquaintance - Becoming acquainted depends on previous relationships, physical proximity, first impressions, and a variety of other factors. If two people begin to like each other, continued interactions may lead to the next stage, but acquaintance can continue indefinitely.

2. Buildup - During this stage, people begin to trust and care about each other. The need for compatibility and such filtering agents as common background and goals will influence whether or not interaction continues.

3. Continuation - This stage follows a mutual commitment to a long term friendship, romantic relationship, or marriage. It is generally a long, relative stable period. Nevertheless, continued growth and development will occur during this time. Mutual trust is important for sustaining the relationship.

4. Deterioration - Not all relationships deteriorate, but those that do tend to show signs of trouble. Boredom, resentment, and dissatisfaction may occur, and individuals may communicate less and avoid self-disclosure. Loss of trust and betrayals may take place as the downward spiral continues.

5. Termination - The final stage marks the end of the relationship, either by death in the case of a healthy relationship, or by separation.

REFERENCES: Levinger, G. (1983). Development and change. In H. H. Kelley, et al. (Eds.), Close relationships. (pp. 315-359). New York: W. H. Freeman and Company.

The given answer suggests that the person found the quiz to be very interesting. This implies that they enjoyed the quiz and found it engaging and informative.

TARGETED COMPETENCY: DIRECT – Open minded/Negotiating: Should be able to favor challenge of opinions (debate/negotiate).

The quality of a leader’s decision relies on constructive conflict that allows for carefully considering a variety of options, work with others to discover the best solutions, and stimulate creative thinking rather than suppressing dissension. In order to increase constructive conflict one should emphasize on vigorous debate, asking tough questions and expecting well framed responses. Pose unexpected theoretical questions that stimulate productive thinking.

REFERENCE: “What you don’t know about making decisions”; Garvin, David A.; Roberto Michael A., Harvard Business Review, September 2001.

TARGETED COMPETENCY: CONTROL – Structuring: Should be able to delegate/assign: authority, roles & responsibility and tasks. ORGANIZE – Structuring: Should be able to efficiently and openly share all relevant information regarding the organization (level dependant).

If planning is important, so too is organization. In order to manage, a manager must develop the kind of organization which will carry out his plans and enable him to reach his/the objectives. Organization is thus concerned with the total configuration of duties, responsibilities and relationships needed to get the work done in an orderly fashion.

REFERENCE: Montego Data Ltd. Whitepaper: How to Plan, Organize and Control. 1997. UK (http://www.montegodata.co.uk/Leading/planning.htm)

TARGETED COMPETENCIES: PLAN – Effective communication: Should be able to efficiently share all relevant information regarding the plan. ORGANIZE – Structuring: Should be able to efficiently and openly share all relevant information regarding the organization (level dependant).

Use the RAPID Decision Model: who should Recommend the course of action, who must Agree to recommendation, who will Perform the actions to implement the decisions, whose Input is needed to determined the proposal feasibility, and who Decides on closure and commits the organization to implement it.

Action is the goal. The objective shouldn’t be consensus, which often becomes an obstacle to action, but buy-in.

Involve the people who will live with the new decision. The very process of thinking about new decision behaviors motivates people to adopt them.

REFERENCE: “Who has the D?”, Rogers, Paul, Blenko, Marcia, Harvard Business Review, January 2006.

TARGETED COMPETENCY: PLAN – Decision Making: Should be able to make decision based on risk/benefit, and impact assessment.

There is no one decision-making approach that is always right. The best approach to decision-making depends on the circumstances involved with the decision. Although the consultative approach can be useful in many situations, in an emergency for example, a unilateral decision may have to be made.

REFERENCES: Management and Leadership skills. Foreign Affairs Canada and International Trade Canada. Virtual Campus: Independent Learning Module on International Work Skills. 36 p. (http://www.dfait-maeci.gc.ca/ypi-jpi/pdf/Management_and_Leadership-en.pdf)

TARGETED COMPETENCY: ORGANIZE – Structuring: Should be able to manage the change within the organization: Communication, training and support.

Too often, change leaders make the mistake of believing that others understand the issues, feel the need to change, and see the new direction as clearly as they do. The best change programs reinforce core messages through regular, timely advice that is both inspirational and practicable. Communications flow in from the bottom and out from the top, and are targeted to provide employees the right information at the right time and to solicit their input and feedback. Often this will require overcommunication through multiple, redundant channels.

REFERENCES: Jones, J., Aguirre, D. , Calderone, M. 10 Principles of Change Management. Business + Strategy. 15 Apr 2004. Booz & Co. (http://www.strategy-business.com/resilience/rr00006?pg=3)

TARGETED COMPETENCIES: PLAN – Global Vision / Strategic thinking: Should be able to plan on a short, mid and long term in line with the corporate objective and mission (Level dependant). ORGANIZE – Structuring: Should be able to delegate/assign: authority, roles & responsibility and task. ORGANIZE – Structuring: Should be able to efficiently manage resources according to timeline: Financial, HR, Material, Technological, etc.

The job of every manager involves what is known as the functions of management: planning, organizing, directing, and controlling. These functions are goal-directed, interrelated and interdependent. Planning involves devising a systematic process for attaining the goals of the organization. It prepares the organization for the future.

Organizing involves arranging the necessary resources to carry out the plan. It is the process of creating structure, establishing relationships, and allocating resources to accomplish the goals of the organization. Directing involves the guiding, leading, and overseeing of employees to achieve organizational goals. Controlling involves verifying that actual performance matches the plan. If performance results do not match the plan, corrective action is taken.

REFERENCES:

Gemmy Allen. BMGT-1301 DCCCD. Supervision: Managerial Functions (PODC). Supervision©. 1998.

Management and Leadership skills. Foreign Affairs Canada and International Trade Canada. Virtual Campus: Independent Learning Module on International Work Skills. 36 p. http://www.dfait-maeci.gc.ca/ypi-jpi/pdf/Management_and_Leadership-en.pdf

TARGETED COMPETENCY: PLAN – Decision Making: Should be able to make decision based on risk-benefit and impact assessment.

The steps in the problem solving process are (1) define the problem, (2) identify decision criteria, (3) develop alternatives, (4) decide, (5) implement the decision, and (6) evaluate the decision.

Step 1: Define the problem. The problem solving/decision-making process begins when the supervisor recognizes the problem, experiences pressure to act on it, and has the resources to do something about it. The supervisor must solve the right problem. In order to define the problem, the supervisor must describe the factors that are causing the problem. These are the symptoms, visible as circumstances or conditions that indicate the existence of the problem -- the difference between what is desired and what exists. By not clearly defining the problem, ineffective action will be taken.

Step 2: Identify decision criteria. The supervisor determines what is relevant in making a decision by isolating the facts pertinent to the problem. Since there is no single best criterion for decision making where a perfect knowledge of all the facts is present, a set of criteria must be used for the problem at hand. These decision criteria identify what will guide the decision-making process.

Step 3: Develop alternatives. The supervisor must identify all workable alternative solutions for resolving the problem. The term workable prevents alternative solutions that are too expensive, too time-consuming, or too elaborate. The best approach in determining workable solutions is to state all possible alternatives, without evaluating any of the options. This helps to ensure that a thorough list of possibilities is created.

Step 4: Decide. The supervisor must make a choice among the alternatives. The alternative that rates the highest score should be the preferred solution. The decision can be assisted by the supervisor's experience, past judgment, advice from others, or even a hunch.

Timing impacts the decision. The probable outcome and its advantages versus its disadvantages are affected at any given time. Which alternative is most appropriate at a given time?

Decisions are made by consensus when solutions are acceptable to everyone in the group, not just a majority. Everyone is included, and the decision is a win-win situation. Consensus does not include voting, averaging, compromising, negotiating, or trading (win-lose situations). Every member accepts the solution, even though some members may not be convinced that it is the best solution. The "right" decision is the best collective judgment of the group as a whole.

Step 5: Implement the decision. Once the solution is chosen, the decision is shared with those whose work will be affected. Ultimately, human beings will determine whether or not a decision is effectively implemented. If this fact is neglected, the solution will fail. Thus, implementation is a crucial part of the decision-making process. Including employees who are directly involved in the implementation of a decision, or who are indirectly affected by that decision, will help foster their commitment. Without their commitment, gaining support and achieving outcomes becomes increasingly difficult.

In order to implement the decision, the supervisor must have a plan for communicating it to those directly and indirectly affected. Employees must understand how the decision will affect them. Communication is most effective when it precedes action and events. In this way, events conform to plans and events happen when, and in the way, they should happen. Thus, the supervisor should answer the vital questions before they are asked. Communicating answers to these questions can overcome much of the resistance that otherwise might be encountered.

Step 6: Evaluate the decision. The supervisor must follow up and appraise the outcomes from the decision to determine if desired results were achieved. If not, then the process needs to be reviewed from the beginning to determine where errors may have been made.

REFERENCES: Gemmy Allen. BMGT-1301 DCCCD. Supervision: Managerial Functions (PODC).1998.

TARGETED COMPETENCY: PLAN – Structured approach: Should be able to plan with a structured approach by breaking down into manageable steps and timelines with prioritization of activities.

By defining the major objective. The major objective is the total job, the final result. There can be only one major objective, and this must be clearly visualized before any planning can be attempted. It may be of any magnitude, that is, creating a sales organization or winning a war, but no matter what it is it must be determined exactly before appropriate plans can be made.

By breaking down into minor objectives. People fail because they try to achieve major objectives in one swoop. The task should be broken down into contributory minor objectives, each clearly defined and each capable of detailed planning. In this way, success in each small stage will add up to successful achievement of the whole plan.

By allocating priorities for minor objectives. The establishment of priorities is merely a matter of determining the sequence in which minor objectives are to be accomplished. But this sequence is important. It is quite possible to do all the right things at the wrong time. For instance, if the major objective is to launch a new product, people have to be recruited before they can be trained, samples may have to be available before the product can be sold, and so on.

The plan may require several minor objectives to be completed at the same moment. Each may take differing amounts of time, and they must therefore have different starting priorities to allow them all to be completed simultaneously. Timing and scheduling is therefore a vital part of planning.

By working out detailed plans for minor objectives. With the overall plan broken down and correctly phased, it becomes possible to work out details for the accomplishment of each minor objective. At this stage the decisions which are necessary are: What is to be done? How is it to be done – resources, methods and means?

Who is going to do the job?

When is the job to be done – starting and finishing times.

Where is the job to be done?

REFERENCES: Montego Data Ltd. Whitepaper: How to Plan, Organize and Control. 1997. UK (http://www.montegodata.co.uk/Leading/planning.htm)

TARGETED COMPETENCY: CONTROL – Forward looking / Pro-active: Should be able to predict issues and act to prevent them.

Managers should be able to take practical steps to substantially lower barriers/risks. Taking such steps should be recognized as a core responsibility of every business leader. In order to anticipate and avoid business risk, one should recognize the threat, making it a priority in the organization and finally mobilizing the resources required to stop/mitigate it.

The first step is to ask yourself and your colleagues what predictable surprises can affect the organization/plan. The second is to construct plausible sets of scenarios for potential surprises and assess the probability of each one happening, while estimating the costs and benefits of particular outcomes.

REFERENCE: “Predictable Surprises: The disasters You Should Have Seen Coming”, Watkins, M. D., Bazerman, M. H., Harvard Business Review, April 2003.

TARGETED COMPETENCY: DIRECT – Open minded/Negotiating: Should be able to favor challenge of opinions (debate/negotiate). DIRECT – Effective Communication: Should be able to engage in efficient 2-way communication.

The decision during the previous meeting was made without any discussion and honest expression of opinions by each of the team members. As trite as it may sound a leader’s ability to personally model appropriate conflict behavior is essential. By avoiding open, constructive ideological conflict when it is necessary and productive (something many executives do) a team leader will encourage this dysfunction (fear of conflict) to thrive.

By engaging in productive discussion (conflict) and tapping into team members’ perspectives and opinions, a team can confidently commit and buy in to a decision knowing that they have benefited from everyone’s ideas.

REFERENCES: Lencioni, Patrick, The Five Dysfunctions of the Team – A Leadership Fable, Jossey-Bass, 2002, 229 pages.

TARGETED COMPETENCY: DIRECT – Open minded/Negotiating: Should be able to favor challenge of opinions (debate/negotiate).

In the context of a team, commitment is function of two things: clarity and buy-in. Great teams make clear and timely decisions and move forward with complete buy-in from every member of the team, even those who voted against the decision. They leave meeting confident that no one on the team is quietly harboring doubts about whether to support the actions agreed on.

Great teams understand the danger of seeking consensus, and find ways to achieve buy-in even when complete agreement is impossible. They understand the reasonable human beings do not need to get their way in order to support a decision, but only need to know that their opinion have been heard and considered. Great teams ensure that everyone’s ideas are genuinely considered, which creates willingness to rally around whatever decision is ultimately made by the group.

It is important to remember that conflict underlies the willingness to commit without perfect information. In many cases, teams have all the information they need, but it resides within the hearts and minds if the team itself and must be extracted through unfiltered debate. Only when everyone has put their opinions and perspectives on the table can the team confidently commit to a decision knowing that it has tapped into the collective wisdom of the entire group.

REFERENCES: Lencioni, Patrick, The Five Dysfunctions of the Team – A Leadership Fable, Jossey-Bass, 2002, 229 pages.

TARGETED COMPETENCY: ORGANIZE – Structuring: Effectively share information at all levels of organization.

Effective information sharing addresses the feeling that the majority of employees have that bosses hold back things that employees should hear. Subordinates may withhold important information from their superiors if they dislike or mistrust them or if they fear that information will adversely impact their relationship.

Effective information sharing must be:
* Multidirectional, moving up , down, laterally, and diagonally with equal facility
* Objective, factual and true
* Comprehensive and not excessive
* Credible and Timely


REFERENCES: Charles R. McConnell, William O. Umiker. Umiker's management skills for the new health care supervisor 4th Ed. Jones & Bartlett Publ., 2005
559 pages

TARGETED COMPETENCY: PLAN – Effective Communication: Should be able to efficiently share, in an unbiased fashion, all relevant information regarding the plan.

Communication is at the heart of many interpersonal problems in businesses. Understanding the communication process and then working at improvement provide managers a recipe for becoming more effective communicators. Knowing the common barriers to communication is the first step to minimizing their impact. Managers can reflect on how they are doing and use the ideas presented in this paper. When taking stock of how well you are doing as a manager, first ask yourself and others how well you are doing as a communicator.

REFERENCES: Bernard L. Erven. Department of Agricultural Economics. Ohio State University Extension. DIRECTING, The Five functions of management. Creative Problem Solving.

TARGETED COMPETENCY: DIRECT – Adaptable leadership style: Should be able to adapt leadership style to different situation and personality.

The key component of successful leadership now and in the next century is proactive and effective responsiveness to change. Experts agree that successful leaders must be flexible and capable of adapting to new conditions, open to novel alternatives and willing to take greater risks.

Today’s leaders also worked with employees who are more diverse than those of their predecessor and customers and subsidiaries spread worldwide. Under such conditions, no single leader can possibly have all the answers or all of the styles required to accomplish the myriad tasks confronting him or her each day. To effectively respond to the current chaotic environment, leaders must recognize their own strengths and weaknesses. They must understand the extent to which their leadership styles are suited to the demands they face and consider the types of people they need at their side to complement their styles. This is particularly important when organizations undergo radical change.

Awareness of one’s leadership style is critical to being an effective leader of change. Although changing styles is difficult, awareness provides a basis for focusing on the style that best fits each stage of change. It helps leaders identify whether they are prepared to lead the entire change process or whether they might benefit from allowing others to do so with them.

REFERENCES: Reardon, K. K., Reardon, K. J., Rowe, A. Leadership Styles for the Five Stages of Radical Change. Acq. Rev. Quart.: Spring 1998. D.A.U. (ed).

TARGETED COMPETENCIES: ORGANIZE – Structuring: Should be able to delegate/assign: authority, roles & responsibility and task. ORGANIZE – Structuring: Should be able to efficiently manage resources according to timeline: Financial, HR, Material, Technological, etc.

The organizing function deals with all those activities that result in the formal assignment of tasks and authority and a coordination of effort. The supervisor staffs the work unit, trains employees, secures resources, and empowers the work group into a productive team.

The nature and scope of the work needed to accomplish the organization's objectives is needed to determine work classification and work unit design. Division of labor, or work specialization, is the degree to which tasks in an organization are divided into separate jobs. Work process requirements and employee skill level determine the degree of specialization. Placing capable people in each job ties directly with productivity improvement. In order to maximize productivity, supervisors match employee skill level with task requirements.

REFERENCES: Gemmy Allen. BMGT-1301 DCCCD. Supervision: Managerial Functions (PODC). Supervision©. 1998.

TARGETED COMPETENCY: ORGANIZE – Structuring: Should be able to delegate/assign: authority, roles & responsibilities.

The delegation process has five phases: (1) preparing, (2) planning, (3) discussing, (4) auditing, and (5) appreciating. The first step in delegating is to identify what should and should not be delegated. The supervisor should delegate any task that a subordinate performs better. Tasks least critical to the performance of the supervisor's job can be delegated. Any task that provides valuable experience for subordinates should be delegated. Also, the supervisor can delegate the tasks that he or she dislikes the most. But, the supervisor should not delegate any task that would violate a confidence.

* Preparing includes establishing the objectives of the delegation, specifying the task that needs to be accomplished, and deciding who should accomplish it.

* Planning is meeting with the chosen subordinate to describe the task and to ask the subordinate to devise a plan of action. As Andrew Carnegie once said, "The secret of success is not in doing your own work but in recognizing the right man to do it." Trust between the supervisor and employee - that both will fulfill the commitment - is most important.

* Discussing includes reviewing the objectives of the task as well as the subordinate's plan of action, any potential obstacles, and ways to avoid or deal with these obstacles. The supervisor should clarify and solicit feedback as to the employee's understanding. Clarifications needed for delegation include the desired results (what not how), guidelines, resources available, and consequences (good and bad). Delegation is similar to contracting between the supervisor and employee regarding how and when the work will be completed. The standards and time frames are discussed and agreed upon. The employee should know exactly what is expected and how the task will be evaluated.

* Auditing is monitoring the progress of the delegation and making adjustments in response to unforeseen problems.

*Appreciating is accepting the completed task and acknowledging the subordinate's efforts.

REFERENCES: Gemmy Allen. BMGT-1301 DCCCD. Supervision: Managerial Functions (PODC).1998.

TARGETED COMPETENCY: PLAN – Global Vision / Strategic thinking: Should be able to plan on a short, mid and long term in line with the corporate objective and mission (Level dependant).

Strategic Planning is the process of developing and analyzing the organization’s mission, overall goals, general strategies, and allocation of resources. A strategy is a course of action created to achieve a long-term goal.

The planning process is rational and amenable to the scientific approach to problem solving, it consist of a logical orderly series of steps.

*Define the mission

*Conduct a SWOT analysis assessing strengths and weaknesses and identify opportunities and threats

*Set goals and objectives

*Develop related strategies

*Monitor the plan

“A mission is the purpose of the organization. It is why the organization exists. Thus, planning begins with clearly defining the mission of the organization. The mission statement is broad, yet clear and concise, summarizing what the organization does. It directs the organization, as well as all of its major functions and operations, to its best opportunities, then, it leads to supporting tactical and operational plans, which, in turn leads supporting objectives. A mission statement should be short – no more than a single sentence. It should be easily understood and every employee should be able to recite it from memory. An explicit mission guides employees to work independently and yet collectively toward the realization of the organization’s potential. The mission statement may be accompanied by an overarching statement of philosophy or a strategic purpose intended to convey a vision for the future and an awareness of challenges from a top-level perspective.”

[…]

“A mission is a broad definition of a business that differentiates it from all other organizations. It is the justification for the organization’s existence. The mission statement is the “touchstone” by which all offerings are judged. In addition to the organization’s purpose other key elements of the mission statement should include whom it serves, how, and why. The most effective mission statements are easily recalled and provide direction and motivation for the organization.

Since an organization exists to accomplish something in the larger environment, its specific mission or purpose provides employees with a shared sense of opportunity, direction, significance, and achievement. An explicit mission guides employees to work independently and yet collectively toward the realization of the organization’s potential. Thus, a good mission statement gets the emotional bonding and commitment needed. It allows the individual employee to say: “I know how I should do my job differently.””

REFERENCES: Gemmy Allen. BMGT-1301 DCCCD. Supervision: Managerial Functions (PODC).1998.

TARGETED COMPETENCY: CONTROL – Implement CAPA (Corrective Action & Preventive Action): Should be able to implement appropriate corrective and preventive programs/actions.

Before conducting a discipline discussion, the supervisor should be able to:

* Describe the incident by answering: Who? What? When? How? Where? Witnesses? Why?

Step 1. Identify the performance problem. Establish exactly what the performance expectation is and specifically how the employee is failing to meet it.

Step 2. Analyze the problem. Determine the impact of the problem. How is the performance problem adversely affecting the quality and quantity of the work, other employees, customers, and the organization as a whole? Identify the consequences that the individual will face if the employee decides not to correct the situation. Determine the appropriate action step.

Step 3. Discuss discipline with the employee. Gain the employee's agreement to solve the problem. Discuss alternative solutions and decide on specific action the employee will take. Communicate positive expectations or change.

Step 4. Document the problem. Describe the problem using facts and specifics. Describe the history of the problem. Describe the discussion to include the employee's agreement to change.

Step 5. Follow up. Determine if the problem has been solved. Reinforce improvement. Take required action if the problem has not been solved.

Immediacy. The more quickly the discipline follows the offense,
the more likely the discipline will be associated with the offense
rather than with the dispenser of discipline.

Warning. It is more likely that disciplinary action will be interpreted
as fair when employees receive clear warnings that a given violation
will lead to a known discipline.

Consistency. Fair treatment demands that disciplinary action be consistent.

Impersonal nature. Penalties should be connected to the behavior (violation)
and not to the personality (person) of the violator.

REFERENCE: Paulsen, N. 1999.; Control – Discipline. in Food Industry Management. South Africa: Cape Pensinsula University of Technology(http://www.pentech.ac.za/clients/biosci/indMan/Lecture14c.doc

TARGETED COMPETENCY: CONTROL – Flexibility and adaptability to change: Should be able to embrace change.

The four key factors when implementing change within an organization are:

* pressure for change
* a clear, shared vision
* capacity for change
* action

For change to be effective, it needs to be implemented at all levels; embedded in the culture of the organization. To keep colleagues with you and not against you they need to be motivated and you need to understand what motivates them. You should never forget that change is a major cause of stress amongst the workforce. Staff will usually respond well to challenges (that they feel they can meet!); it’s fear of the unknown that raises stress levels. Getting staff motivated to support the changes that are to be implemented is therefore crucial for success.

Staff, their managers and senior managers are all motivated by similar things. They do not, however, necessarily place them in the same order of importance. These ‘motivators’ include pride, happiness, responsibility, recognition, security, success, and, of course, money. The trick in successfully managing change and getting the commitment and support from staff is to provide these ‘motivators’ for your staff – or at least as many of them as possible.

REFERENCES: Harding, P. 2004. Resource Efficiency and Corporate Responsibility. Managing Change. A guide on how to manage change in an organization. UK: Government Office for the South West.

This answer suggests that the ideal amount of experience for a manager is between 4 to 8 years. This range indicates that the individual has enough experience to have developed necessary skills and knowledge in managing teams and projects, but is not too experienced to be considered overqualified or potentially stagnant in their approach. It strikes a balance between being seasoned enough to handle various challenges and still having room for growth and adaptability.

TARGETED COMPETENCY: DIRECT – Open minded/Negotiating: Should be able to favor challenge of opinions (debate/negotiate).

Principled negotiation has a great deal in common with the process of Consensus Team Decision Making. First of all there are four conditions which are essential if a principled negotiation is to have a successful outcome.

Mutual trust comes from experience, either within the negotiation process or from previous contact. If it does not already exist, it must be built.

A positive relationship with the other negotiator is essential if you are to have this kind of influence. This sounds difficult, especially in view of the fact that negotiation has the potential for conflict. However, experienced negotiators emphasize that it is both possible and required.

A positive relationship makes possible the development of common ground; in principled negotiation the common ground can include similar goals and objectives. Instead of negotiating against each other, the negotiators form a team and negotiate "against" the problem. They now have shared interests.

Finally, a Zone of Possible Agreement (ZOPA) must exist. As a negotiator, you must know what your zone is. This may appear to apply more to positional than to principled bargaining because a ZOPA is the least favourable agreement you would accept, and the most favorable one you believe the other negotiator would accept. However, with a bigger pie, the ZOPA shifts for both in the positive direction.

REFERENCE:

Fisher, R., and W. Ury.. 1981. Getting to Yes. Middlesex, England: Penguin Books.

Colosi, Thomas R. 1993. On and off the record: Colosi on negotiation. Dubuke, IO: Kendall/Hunt Publishing Company.

"STRATEGIC NEGOTIATIONS",. Strategic Leadership and Decision Making. National Defense University.(http://www.au.af.mil/au/awc/awcgate/ndu/strat-ldr-dm/pt3ch13.html)

TARGETED COMPETENCY: CONTROL – Flexibility and adaptability to change: Should be able to embrace change.

CREATE THE VISION. Successful change is hinged on a picture of a desirable future. Vision can provide both a corporate sense of being and a sense of enduring purpose. Without a sensible vision, change efforts can dissolve into a list of confusing projects that take the organization in the wrong direction. It is important that the vision be easy to communicate (Kotter 1995).

EXPAND THE TARGET AUDIENCE. As the need for change begins to crystallize, the strategic leader can begin to expand discussions to a broader cross-section of organizational members, paying careful attention to their reactions, suggestions, and alternatives. This actually is a search for allies within the organization and with strategic constituencies outside the organization.

Expanding the discussion is a way to gain greater clarity around the issues, to get key people to begin to talk about the issues, and to build support. Gradually, people in the organization will become aware that change is imminent. Their expectations will begin to build that problems are going to be solved, things are going to get better, and procedures are going to change. But, at this point, there will be few if any specifics to complete the picture (Goodfellow 1985).

GATHER AND BROADEN THE POWER BASE. As the strategic leader develops greater clarity around the need for change, he/she will begin to pay attention to power figures in the organization, and may commission studies of alternatives. Study groups, part of participatory decision making, require personnel involvement and build pockets of support in the organization. By setting the agenda of study groups, timing the sequence of studies, and selecting the leaders and members of each study group, the strategic leader maintains influence over the process.

Study groups can serve the purpose of educating, generating cohesion and support, co-opting power figures, and building momentum for change. (Yes, giving the issue of change to a study group also can be a way to impede or retard change.) Individual and collective discussions surrounding the recommendations of various study groups generate give-and-take exchanges regarding specific proposals until a broad consensus is reached about the need for and direction of change.

If study groups come up with recommendations opposed by the strategic leader, the leader usually can establish hurdles and blocks to such ideas without openly opposing them. Additionally, the strategic leader can use information networks to disseminate throughout the organization those ideas which he/she supports (Goodfellow, 1985).

ALERT THE ORGANIZATION. As consensus within the organization is reached, the strategic leader begins to describe an emerging vision, often in very specific terms, for the organization as a whole. For the first time, the leader may affix a stamp of approval to new thrusts or new initiatives (Goodfellow, 1985).

At some point, after studying the issues and building support for change both inside and outside the organization, the strategic leader will make a formal announcement of the change. Announcing change should be carefully planned and well-timed for maximum effect. The announcement can, and should, take many forms, from speeches to the board of directors, to distributing pamphlets, to dinner or lunch presentations, and to informal discussions.

COMMUNICATE THE VISION. Getting the word out is key. Change is not possible unless people are willing to help. Speeches and newsletters help communicate the vision, but the most powerful medium is the behavior of the strategic leaders in the organization. Very visible executive-level leaders must behave in ways that are consistent with the vision. Strategic leaders, those who communicate the vision well, must incorporate messages about the vision into their hour-to-hour activities and use every communication channel to get the word out (Kotter, 1995).

CREATE A SENSE OF URGENCY. If people think that the organization is doing fine, there will be little motivation for change. Successful change starts when the people in the organization take a hard look at the organization's competitive situation, market position, technological advances, and performance. A frank and open discussion of the potentially unpleasant facts about new competition, shrinking budgets, flat performance, lack of growth, and other indices of declining competitive position can create in the minds of people the need for change. A strategic leader can create that sense of urgency by painting the facts and by presenting the undesirable outcomes that may result from maintaining the status quo.

MANAGE THE PLANNING AND EXECUTION PROCESSES. The strategic leader's public announcement of a vision for change usually includes the unveiling of an accompanying plan (or the need to develop such a plan) and the appointment of a key member of the organization charged with turning the vision into a reality.

The first key to turning a strategic vision into reality comes in linking actions, accountability, and time-lines to the vision for change, and then working the plan. Changes and revisions to the strategic plan will be necessary, but if the strategic leader doesn't insure that the vision for change evolves into a plan for specific action, the vision will devolve into feathers and smoke.

The second key in turning a strategic vision into reality is to designate a person charged with the everyday orchestration of the change. The strategic leader should avoid getting into the weeds of change management, and remain at the strategic level, scanning the environment, servicing strategic constituencies, and communicating the vision. The champion or change agent must be a credible member of the organization who has the trust and respect of key power figures and constituencies inside and outside the organization. This person must be committed to the change, must have the power and resources to make things happen, and must clearly support the change through everyday behaviors, communication, and execution management.

REFERENCE:

Kotter, J. P. 1995. Leading change: Why transformation efforts fail. Harvard Business Review (March-April): 59-67.

Goodfellow, B. 1985. The evolution and management of change in large organizations. Army Organizational Effectiveness Journal 1: 25-29.

"VISION AND THE MANAGEMENT OF CHANGE",. Strategic Leadership and Decision Making. National Defense University. (http://www.au.af.mil/au/awc/awcgate/ndu/strat-ldr-dm/pt4ch19.html)

TARGETED COMPETENCY: DIRECT – Adaptable leadership style: Should be able to adapt leadership style to different situation and personality.

Leadership is a dynamic relationship based on mutual influence and common purpose between leaders & collaborators in which both are moved to higher levels of motivation and moral development as they affect real, intended change. (Kevin Freiberg & Jackie Freiberg, Nuts! Southwest Airlines’ Crazy Recipe for Business and Personal Success, Bard Press, 1996, p. 298).

Three important parts of this definition are the terms relationship, mutual, and collaborators. Relationship is the connection between people. Mutual means shared in common. Collaborators cooperate or work together. This definition of leadership says that the leader is influenced by the collaborators while they work together to achieve an important goal.

REFERENCES: Gemmy Allen. BMGT-1301 DCCCD. Supervision: Managerial Functions (PODC). Supervision©. 1998.

TARGETED COMPETENCY: CONTROL – Structuring: Should be able to delegate/assign: authority, roles & responsibility and tasks.

Exception Principle: Someone must be in charge. A person higher in the organization (team) handles exceptions to the usual. The most exceptional, rare, or unusual decisions end up at the top management level because no one lower in the organization (team) has the authority to handle them.

Decentralization: Decisions are to be pushed to the lowest feasible level of the organization (team). The organizational structure goal is to have working managers rather than managed workers.

Parity principle: Delegated authority must equal responsibility. With responsibility for a job must go the authority to accomplish the job.

Unity principle: Ideally, no one in an organization reports to more than one supervisor. Employees should not have to decide which of their supervisor to make unhappy because of the impossibility of following all instructions given to them.

REFERENCE:

James Higgins, The Management Challenge, Second Edition, Macmillan, 1994.

“The Five Functions of Management”, The Foundation of Management Excel, Bernard L. Erven, Department of Agricultural Economics, Ohio State University Extension; http://www.ag.ohio-state.edu/~mgtexcel/Organize.html

TARGETED COMPETENCY: CONTROL – Forward looking / Pro-active: Should be able to predict issues and act to prevent them. CONTROL – Analytical mindset: Should be able to establish standards, measure, analyze results, develop constructive diagnostics, and develop most appropriate solutions.

Controlling is a four-step process of establishing performance standards based on firm’s objectives, measuring and reporting actual performance, comparing the two and taking corrective or preventive action as necessary.

Control is both anticipatory and retrospective. The process anticipates problems and takes preventive action. With corrective action, the process also follows up on problem.

REFERENCE: James Higgins, The Management Challenge, Second Edition, Macmillan, 1994.

TARGETED COMPETENCY: DIRECT – Influencing-Motivating-Coaching-Mentoring: Should be able to influence, motivate, coach & mentor personnel.

Myth #1 -- "I can motivate people"
Not really -- they have to motivate themselves. You can't motivate people anymore than you can empower them. Employees have to motivate and empower themselves. However, you can set up an environment where they best motivate and empower themselves. The key is knowing how to set up the environment for each of your employees.

Myth #2 -- "Money is a good motivator"
Not really. Certain things like money, a nice office and job security can help people from becoming less motivated, but they usually don't help people to become more motivated. A key goal is to understand the motivations of each of your employees.

Myth #3 -- "Fear is a damn good motivator"
Fear is a great motivator -- for a very short time. That's why a lot of yelling from the boss won't seem to "light a spark under employees" for a very long time.

Myth #4 -- "I know what motivates me, so I know what motivates my employees"
Not really. Different people are motivated by different things. I may be greatly motivated by earning time away from my job to spend more time my family. You might be motivated much more by recognition of a job well done. People are motivated by the same things. Again, a key goal is to understand what motivates each of your employees.

Myth #5 -- "Increased job satisfaction means increased job performance"
Research shows this isn't necessarily true at all. Increased job satisfaction does not necessarily mean increased job performance. If the goals of the organization are not aligned with the goals of employees, then employees aren't effectively working toward the mission of the organization.

Myth #6 -- "I can't comprehend employee motivation -- it's a science"
Nah. Not true. There are some very basic steps you can take that will go a long way toward supporting your employees to motivate themselves toward increased performance in their jobs. (More about these steps is provided later on in this article.)

Always work to align goals of the organization with goals of employees
As mentioned above, employees can be all fired up about their work and be working very hard. However, if the results of their work don't contribute to the goals of the organization, then the organization is not any better off than if the employees were sitting on their hands -- maybe worse off! Therefore, it's critical that managers and supervisors know what they want from their employees. These preferences should be worded in terms of goals for the organization. Identifying the goals for the organization is usually done during strategic planning. Whatever steps you take to support the motivation of your employees (various steps are suggested below), ensure that employees have strong input to identifying their goals and that these goals are aligned with goals of the organization.

Implement at least the basic principles of performance management
Good performance management includes identifying goals, measures to indicate if the goals are being met or not, ongoing attention and feedback about measures toward the goals, and corrective actions to redirect activities back toward achieving the goals when necessary. Performance management can focus on organizations, groups, processes in the organization and employees.

Establish goals that are SMARTER
SMARTER goals are: specific, measurable, acceptable, realistic, timely, extending of capabilities, and rewarding to those involved.

Clearly convey how employee results contribute to organizational results
Employees often feel strong fulfillment from realizing that they're actually making a difference. This realization often requires clear communication about organizational goals, employee progress toward those goals and celebration when the goals are met.

REFERENCES: Free Management LibraryTM; Free Leadership Guide to Leadership and Supervision; Carter McNamara, MBA, PhD, Authenticity Consulting, LLC. Copyright 1997-2008. Adapted from the Field Guide to Leadership and Supervision; Supporting Employee Motivation;

http://www.managementhelp.org/mgmnt/prsnlmnt.htm#anchor776119

TARGETED COMPETENCY: CONTROL – Analytical mindset: Should be able to establish standards, measure, analyze results, develop constructive diagnostics, and develop most appropriate solutions.

Strategic leadership is a basic requirement to managers that constantly face ambiguity in their roles. They’re required to understand their strategic context and remain confident, competent and flexible in order to adapt to organizations. This requires a shift in the balance from command and control toward coordination and collaboration in practicing leadership. A cognitive process required to practice strategic leadership includes three basic components:

Systems thinking: the skill used to collect and think through and beyond information using the understanding of systems dynamics; the main abilities used in this process are: a) to think holistically; b) to recognize patterns and interrelationships; c) to recognize and act upon intrinsic systems properties and specific systems archetypes; d) to recognize and act upon the system imperatives of goal attainment, pattern maintenance, integration and adaptation.

Reframing: the skill used to collect and organize information that defines situational realities. The abilities used in reframing are: a) to suspend judgement while appropriate information is gathered; b) to be able to identify and understand mental models, paradigms and frameworks that are being used to frame a problem, situation or issue; c) to be able to use different mental models, paradigms and frameworks to understand one situation; d) to review and reform one’s own and others’ mental models.

Reflection: the skill used to process information, create knowledge from it, and apply it through practice. There are 5 abilities used in reflection: a) to recognize why certain choices work and others don’t; b) to use double loop learning experience and knowledge to understand situation and how to think about them; c) to blend perceptions, experiences, and knowledge and analysis while taking action; d) to sue your current perceptions, experience, and knowledge and that of others from your past experience to create an understanding of the present and the future.

REFERENCES: “Developing the Leader’s Strategic Mindset: Establishing the Measures”, Kravis Leadership Institute, Leadership review, Florida Atlantic University, J. Pisapia, D. Reyes-Guerra, E. Coukos-Semmel Spring 2005, Vol. 5, pp.41-68.

TARGETED COMPETENCY: DIRECT – Interpersonal relations: Should have strong interpersonal relation: empathy, trustworthiness, transparency, integrity and ethical.

The elements of interpersonal relationships include creating cohesive project teams; developing effective communication skills; emphasizing the importance of listening; delegating effectively; achieving a balance among authority, responsibility, and accountability; negotiating to achieve a win-win outcome; respecting each other’s opinion; helping each other succeed; using power and influence effectively; and managing corporate politics.

REFERENCES: Science Editor, Annual meeting reports, Interpersonal relations in business, January – February 2003. Vol 26, No. 1-3

http://www.councilscienceeditors.org/members/securedDocuments/v26n1p003.pdf

TARGETED COMPETENCY: PLAN – Structured Approach: Should be able to plan with a structured approach by breaking down into manageable steps and timelines with prioritization of activities.

Write a plan: Some people believe the time spent writing a plan could be better spent writing code, but I don't agree. The hard part isn't writing the plan. The hard part is actually doing the planning-thinking, negotiating, balancing, asking, listening, and thinking some more. Actually writing the plan is mostly transcription at that point. The time you spend analyzing what it will take to solve the problem will reduce the number of surprises you have to cope with later in the project. Today's multi-site and cross-cultural development projects demand even more careful planning and tracking than do traditional projects undertaken by a co-located team.

A useful plan is much more than a schedule or work breakdown structure of tasks to perform. It also includes:

* Staff, budget, and other resource estimates and plans.
* Team roles and responsibilities.
* How you will acquire and train the necessary staff.
* Assumptions, dependencies, and risks.
* Descriptions of, and target dates for, major deliverables.
* Identification of the software development life cycle that you'll follow.
* How you will track and monitor the project.
* Metrics that you'll collect.
* How you will manage any subcontractor relationships.

Decompose tasks to inch-pebble granularity: Inch-pebbles are miniature milestones (get it?). Breaking large tasks into multiple small tasks helps you estimate them more accurately, reveals work activities you might not have thought of otherwise, and permits more accurate, fine-grained status tracking. Select inch-pebbles of a size that you feel you can estimate accurately. I feel most comfortable with inch-pebbles that represent tasks of about 5 to 15 labor-hours, or about one to three days in duration. Overlooked tasks are a common contributor to schedule slips, so breaking large problems into small bits reveals more details about the work that must be done and improves your ability to make accurate estimates.

You can track progress based on the number of inch-pebbles that have been completed at any given time, compared to those you planned to complete by that time. Defining the project's work in terms of inch-pebbles is an aid to tracking status through earned value analysis [Lewis, 2000]. The earned value technique compares the investment of effort or dollars that you've made to date with progress as measured by completed inch-pebbles.

REFERENCES: Karl Wiegers, Ph.D. 21 Project Management Success Tips. http://www.projectsmart.co.uk/21-project-management-success-tips.html