Management Essentials

For managers and

supervisors at UBS

Personal and Professional Development

Human Resources Division

1

Jessie Monck, PPD, jcm56@cam.ac.uk

Programme content

• The role of the manager

• Using different management styles

• Developing effective feedback skills

• Handling challenging conversations

• Summary and next steps

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Role of the manager

Personal and Professional Development

Human Resources Division

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Why does good management matter?

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Staff

• Motivation

• Development

• Performance

• Health/wellbeing

• Morale

Dept.

• Operate at peak performance

• Meet targets

• Retain key staff

• Legal issues

External

• Meet customer needs

• Maintain/enhance reputation

You

Workload

Reputation

Job satisfaction

Management: getting things done through people

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Achieve the tasks

Build the team

Develop the individual From John Adair

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Manager’s role and responsibilities - common mistakes

• Not communicating clear objectives

• Avoiding problems/decision-making

• Not making time for people, being too hands-off

• Not delegating, being too hands-on

• Not giving feedback

• Rushing key activities e.g. recruitment

• Being negative, resisting change, not

leading by example

Can you relate to any of these?

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Role of manager is critical

“As a manager you cast a long shadow.”

Dina Pyron, Ernst & Young

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Using different management styles

Personal and Professional Development

Human Resources Division

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Jan

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• 19 years old

• Just joined

• First full time role

• Keen to impress

Jenny

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• 35 years old

• Joined 5 years ago

• Performs routine work well

• Struggles with new

challenges

Mina

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• 25 years old

• Joined 3 months ago

• Brilliant at IT

• Quiet and reserved

• Highly self-critical

Boris

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• 53 years old

• Joined 13 years ago

• ‘Safe pair of hands’

• Takes ownership

• Tends to take on too

much

Management styles

S3 ‘Coach’ S2 ‘Support’

S4 ‘Delegate’ S1 ‘Direct’

TELL

AS

K

Based on

Hersey and

Blanchard’s

Situational

Leadership

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Low High

High

What if …

Standards may not be met

Not efficient use of manager’s or team member’s time

Wasted development opportunities

Demotivating, frustrating

Misunderstandings can arise

Shows lack of trust

…

…I always use the same style, or use an inappropriate

style for a situation?

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Feedback skills

Personal and Professional Development

Human Resources Division

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Feedback: why give it?

• Learn how to do things differently/better

• Improve performance – team and individual

• Improve motivation

• Clarify standards – what is/isn’t acceptable

• Keep individual and team activity on track

• Create open environment, avoid misunderstandings

• Avoid problems/issues developing – maintains wellbeing

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Giving effective feedback: tips for good practice

• Regular and timely

• Based on clear expectations of performance or behaviour

• Positive and corrective but always constructive

• Specific and factual – use examples & identify difference

between expected and actual performance or behaviour

• Enable self-review – ask useful questions

• Clear, honest and tactful

• Seek understanding and agreement

• Agree way forward

• Model how to receive feedback

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The purpose of feedback

is to change or

improve a situation.

It must be a positive

process and experience.

Possible self-review questions

What did you do well/not so well and why?

What worked or didn't work for you?

What could you do differently next time?

What have you learnt?

What development and/or support would help you?

…

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What can make it difficult?

• Lack of time

• Lack of private space

• Worried about response

• Don’t want to come across as insincere

• Feel awkward, can’t find the right words

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Using the right words: rephrasing

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Don’t say (too general) Better to say (be specific)

You tend to shout at people

You are always making mistakes

Your work is not up to scratch,

you have to pull your socks up

You have a negative attitude

towards the rest of the staff

Don’t say (too general) Better to say (be specific)

You tend to shout at people I noticed that you spoke rather

aggressively to Jim when he…

You are always making mistakes

There are three mistakes in this piece

of work…

Your work is not up to scratch,

you have to pull your socks up

This piece of work falls short of what we

need because…

You have a negative attitude

towards the rest of the staff

Your comments in the meeting stopped

others from contributing…

Using the right words: rephrasing

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Giving feedback – your chance to practise

1. Read all 3

2. Prepare - as manager

3. Practise

4. Review

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How to model receiving feedback well

• Approach it positively and calmly

• Actively listen to the feedback

• Ask for specific examples and clarification if necessary

• Consider the feedback, and the ways you could address it

• Make a note of any key points

• Thank the person giving you the feedback

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Giving corrective feedback using CEDAR

1. Clarify: “This is what I expect to see…” (the expected standard

of performance or behaviour)

2. Explain: “This is what I actually see…” (observed performance

or behaviour)

3. Discuss: to understand and clarify differences

between 1 and 2, and identify possible solutions

4. Agree and record plans for improvement

5. Review progress and evaluate changes CEDAR

Managing challenging conversations

Personal and Professional Development

Human Resources Division

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Challenging conversations: Why act now?

• mislead employee by giving impression there’s no problem

• deny employee a chance to improve or put things right

• damage productivity and efficiency of department

• allow problem to get worse

• lower morale amongst team members

Adapted from ACAS If you do not act now then you could:

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Conversely, consider the benefits if you do act now

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3-step process

1. Prepare 2. Discuss 3. Action

Preparation: questions to consider before

• Background to situation?

• Key problem? Is my view the same as others’?

• Any more information needed? Any assumptions?

• Desirable outcome?

• Possible options?

• Support needed to make any changes?

• Who can I speak to for support?

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Preparation: are there relevant University Policies &

Procedures that may be helpful?

For example:

• Capability

• Disciplinary

• Sickness Absence

• Dignity at Work

• Mediation

• Occupational Health

• …

• HR website http://www.admin.cam.ac.uk/offices/hr/

Many of these include practical

guidance and support

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Key stages for meeting/conversation

1 • Introduction – set the right tone

2 • State what the issues are and give evidence

3 • Discuss – explore to understand

4 • Agree a way forward

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During the meeting/conversation

• Approach it positively and calmly

• Be sensitive; individual may not know there is a problem

• Be constructive, anticipate/pre-empt reactions

• Give feedback using CEDAR: specific, factual, give examples

• Ask open questions to enable individual to self-review and

identify possible future actions

• Listen to the individual and take what they say on board

• Be aware of own responses/feelings/emotions

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Use assertive behaviour: verbal and non-verbal

• Even, warm tone of voice

• Communicate clearly and

concisely

• Ask open questions & listen

• Respond to questions

• Apologise if in error

• Show you’re keen to find a

solution

• Don’t take it personally

• Stay calm & professional

• Open position

• Calm gestures

• Watch personal space

• Both sit down

• Don’t appear hurried

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Using assertive behaviour

Communicating Assertively

Handling emotions

• Remain calm but show your concern

• Give the employee time to express themselves

• Actively listen to the employee with understanding

• Acknowledge emotions and show empathy as appropriate

• Clarify your understanding of their thoughts/feelings/wishes

• Try to be comfortable with silence

• Adjourn conversation if they are growing more agitated

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Concluding the discussion

• Check for understanding

• Manage expectations, don’t promise what you can’t give

• Record agreed actions and plan a progress review meeting

• Ask for feedback about the process

• Sum up, conclude and refer to next steps

Cally and James Difficult Conversations

Your chance to practise

1. Read all 3

2. Prepare

3. Practise

4. Review

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Bob and Mina Difficult Conversations

If informal on-going management doesn’t work…

• Seek guidance and support from others, including HR

• Use appropriate University procedures to resolve. These:

are about problem-solving

are supportive not punitive

gradually increase in formality

allow a seamless progression from informal to formal

are still part of the working relationship

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Further development

• PPD website http://www.admin.cam.ac.uk/offices/hr/ppd/

• Courses – e.g. Managing Staff Performance

• Online courses – e.g. Communication skills,

Communicating Assertively, Staff Review and

Development, Roles and Responsibilities

• Reflective practice sessions – Counselling Service

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Summary and action planning

• Identify your key learning from the programme

• What can you:

• Start to do more of?

• Stop doing (or do less of)?

• Continue to do?

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Think it, ink it, do it, review it