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T&M Tom articles and comment on Technology and Management. Bbite provides coaching, mentoring and business opportunity research for SMEs and into technology markets.

Sunday 3 November 2013

Managing People in Engineering



Managing People

Aim:- This unit will develop learner’s understanding of the methods, processes and procedures used when managing people in engineering
The unit will give learners an opportunity to examine the various practices, procedures and constraints that influence the management of people within a work environment. This will require learners to consider and explain the processes and procedures involved in the management of people, such as human resource planning, recruitment, selection and contracting. Learners will alos investigate a range of working relationships in engineering settings and the lines of responsibility. Management and development of human resources are also covered with an examination of industrial relations and legislation.

Understand the processes and procedures involved in people management
1.1   Explain how workforce planning is used to assess staffing requirements
1.2   Analyse how the general employment environment affects effective workforce recruitment and selection
1.3   Outline the processes and procedures carried out when recruiting and selecting personnel for a given post

Workforce Planning: Estimating manpower requirements; the labour market; needs analysis and evaluation; recruitment and selection; training and development; cost implications; general employment environment e.g. market conditions, labour turnover, demographic issues (the number and characteristics of the people who live in an area, in relation to their age, sex, if they are married or not, etc.:), skills shortages, use of part-time and older employees

Recruitment and Selection: job descriptions; personnel specifications; recruitment sources; advertising; relevant legislation e.g. equal opportunities, discrimination; interviewing techniques; selection tests e.g. psychometric (designed to show someone's personality, mental ability, opinions, etc.:), intelligence, personality; employment contract e.g. full/ part-time, seasonal, sub-contracted, consultant, fractional posts, outworking (outsourcing); associated legislation

Rejecting Rejection



Breaking Down Rejection
For example, when rejecting behaviour occurs, individuals sometimes are led to believe and think, "I just got rejected. They didn't like me.". This already contains many distortions and inaccuracies. But, compounded with harsh rejecting behaviour from others, these self-thoughts may even include "I am a no-good, worthless person, etc.". The result is a very negative experience and perhaps a lasting poor self-image.
To help protect yourself against such negative and undeserved feelings, it can be helpful to counter the unfair cognitive distortions. To do so, keep the following in mind:
1) Each instance is unique and different. Whether one or several people have demonstrated rejecting behaviours towards your request, you cannot logically generalise to "everyone" or "always". Each time, place, and person is distinctive. What is true for one is not true for all. The next situation could be different. So, try not to overgeneralise. Stay hopeful. Keep an open mind.
2) Rejection is not your fault. Try not to personalise and take the blame. There are many reasons why someone can be disinterested and very few of them relate to you at all. This is even MORE true, in instances where the other person is needlessly abusive or shaming. That is clearly their issues, which they are trying to push onto you, and you are not responsible for causing. However, do stay open to civil explanations and respectful feedback.
3) Rejection says nothing about you as a person. This is where the phrase "I got rejected" is particularly troubling. "You" did not get rejected. The person saying no doesn't even know the essential "you". How could they reject it? You have not downloaded your personal life history into them. So, try not to label yourself based on one superficial interaction (or many). Be vigilant to not give anyone who doesn't really know you that much influence over your self-image.
Given all of that, a less self-blaming and distorted statement might be, "that individual person rejected the offer you proposed". Such a statement is more accurate (and more comfortable). It leaves open the facts that:
-          Others might like the offer, just because that person didn't.
-          That individual is responsible for the "rejecting" behaviour, not you.
There are many factors that may have contributed to their disinterest in the request that are not under your control or your responsibility. Most importantly - the interaction says NOTHING about you as a person. The "request" was declined...not "you".
You are entitled to make your request in a respectful and civil manner. But, you are not entitled to a "yes" response. Furthermore, you are responsible for respecting that choice.
Finally, while the choice of others does not say anything about you as a person, it can be a source of information about achieving your goals. Constructive feedback sometimes accompanies a decline (or an acceptance) of an offer. All experiences may contain information about how an offer or approach could be "refined".
Again though, the feedback and changes are about where, when, how, and with whom "the request" is made - NOT about your value as a person. This is like any other persuasive appeal. If an advertisement doesn't sell the product, that doesn't mean the product itself is bad. But, based on feedback, the advertisement could be modified to target the right people, at the right time, who are interested, with an appealing format. The product didn't change at all...only the advertisement.
So, show pride in your product but look for feedback that might help you optimise your "advertisement".
Conclusion
Experiences of rejection are not easy. Sometimes they can be made worse by the behaviour of others and how we even discuss it culturally. But, attending to how you are thinking about and internalising the experience can help alleviate negative personal feelings. Remember that "you" don't get rejected - it is the other person that simply declines a request. There are also many reasons out of your control why someone says "no". You are further not responsible or at fault for the choices of others (within legal limits). So, their choice is not an indicator of your character or self-worth. Rather, keep in mind that you are a good and worthwhile person, no matter what.

Saturday 2 November 2013

People Management

Do's and Don'ts


Management Dos and Don'ts
We all make mistakes from time to time. Usually, we can put things right, apologise, and move on. But when things go wrong at a high level in an organization, we may need to look for longer-term solutions.
Consultant W. Edwards Deming termed "diseases of management."
Also avoid some common team-management mistakes, and we look to utilise Value-Based Management, an approach that could change the way you plan and manage in the long term.



1. No Consistent Purpose
2. Focus on short-term profits
3. Managing by Fear
4. High Senior Management Turnover
5. Focus on 'visible' figures only




 
1. No Consistent Purpose
2. Focus on short-term profits
3. Managing by Fear
4. High Senior Management Turnover
5. Focus on 'visible' figures only
 
 
1. No Consistent Purpose
1. No Consistent Purpose
1. No Consistent Purpose
 
1. Lack of Feedback
Sarah is a talented sales representative, but she has a habit of answering the phone in an unprofessional manner. Her boss is aware of this, but he's waiting for her performance review to tell her where she's going wrong. Unfortunately, until she's been alerted to the problem, she'll continue putting off potential customers.
According to 1,400 executives polled by The Ken Blanchard Companies, failing to provide feedback is the most common mistake that leaders make. When you don't provide prompt feedback to your people, you're depriving them of the opportunity to improve their performance.
To avoid this mistake, learn how to provide regular feedback   to your team. (You can use our Bite-Sized Training session on Giving Feedback to gain an in-depth understanding of feedback, and to learn how to provide it effectively.)
2. Not Making Time for Your Team
When you're a manager or leader, it's easy to get so wrapped up in your own workload that you don't make yourself available to your team.
Yes, you have projects that you need to deliver. But your people must come first – without you being available when they need you, your people won't know what to do, and they won't have the support and guidance that they need to meet their objectives.
Avoid this mistake by blocking out time in your schedule   specifically for your people, and by learning how to listen actively   to your team. Develop your emotional intelligence   so that you can be more aware of your team and their needs, and have a regular time when "your door is always open", so that your people know when they can get your help. You can also use Management By Walking Around  , which is an effective way to stay in touch with your team.
Once you're in a leadership or management role, your team should always come first - this is, at heart, what good leadership is all about!
3. Being Too "Hands-Off"
One of your team has just completed an important project. The problem is that he misunderstood the project's specification, and you didn't stay in touch with him as he was working on it. Now, he's completed the project in the wrong way, and you're faced with explaining this to an angry client.
Many leaders want to avoid micromanagement  . But going to the opposite extreme (with a hand-offs management style) isn't a good idea either – you need to get the balance right.
Our article, Laissez Faire versus Micromanagement   will help you find the right balance for your own situation.
4. Being Too Friendly
Most of us want to be seen as friendly and approachable to people in our team. After all, people are happier working for a manager that they get on with. However, you'll sometimes have to make tough decisions regarding people in your team, and some people will be tempted to take advantage of your relationship if you're too friendly with them.
This doesn't mean that you can't socialize with your people. But, you do need to get the balance right between being a friend and being the boss.
Learn how to do avoid this mistake with our article, Now You're the Boss  . Also, make sure that you set clear boundaries  , so that team members aren't tempted to take advantage of you.
5. Failing to Define Goals
When your people don't have clear goals, they muddle through their day. They can't be productive if they have no idea what they're working for, or what their work means. They also can't prioritize their workload effectively, meaning that projects and tasks get completed in the wrong order.
Avoid this mistake by learning how to set SMART goals   for your team. Use a Team Charter   to specify where your team is going, and detail the resources it can draw upon. Also, use principles from Management by Objectives   to align your team's goals to the mission of the organization.
6. Misunderstanding Motivation
Do you know what truly motivates your team? Here's a hint: chances are, it's not just money!
Many leaders make the mistake of assuming that their team is only working for monetary reward. However, it's unlikely that this will be the only thing that motivates them.
For example, people seeking a greater work/life balance   might be motivated by telecommuting days or flexible working. Others will be motivated by factors such as achievement, extra responsibility, praise, or a sense of camaraderie.
To find out what truly drives your people, read our articles on McClelland's Human Motivation Theory   and Theory X and Theory Y  . Then, take our test "How Good Are Your Motivation Skills?"   to learn how to be a great motivator of people.
7. Hurrying Recruitment
When your team has a large workload, it's important to have enough people "on board" to cope with it. But filling a vacant role too quickly can be a disastrous mistake.
Hurrying recruitment can lead to recruiting the wrong people for your team: people who are uncooperative, ineffective or unproductive. They might also require additional training, and slow down others on your team. With the wrong person, you'll have wasted valuable time and resources if things don't work out and they leave. What's worse, other team members will be stressed and frustrated by having to "carry" the under-performer.
You can avoid this mistake by learning how to recruit effectively  , and by being particularly picky about the people you bring into your team.
8. Not "Walking the Walk"
If you make personal telephone calls during work time, or speak negatively about your CEO, can you expect people on your team not to do this too? Probably not!
As a leader, you need to be a role model for your team. This means that if they need to stay late, you should also stay late to help them. Or, if your organization has a rule that no one eats at their desk, then set the example and head to the break room every day for lunch. The same goes for your attitude – if you're negative some of the time, you can't expect your people not to be negative.
So remember, your team is watching you all the time. If you want to shape their behavior, start with your own. They'll follow suit.
9. Not Delegating
Some managers don't delegate, because they feel that no-one apart from themselves can do key jobs properly. This can cause huge problems as work bottlenecks around them, and as they become stressed and burned out.
Delegation does take a lot of effort up-front, and it can be hard to trust your team to do the work correctly. But unless you delegate tasks, you're never going to have time to focus on the "broader-view" that most leaders and managers are responsible for. What's more, you'll fail to develop your people so that they can take the pressure off you.
To find out if this is a problem for you, take our interactive quiz, How Well Do You Delegate?   If you need to improve your skills, you can then learn key strategies with our articles, Successful Delegation  , and The Delegation Dilemma  .
10. Misunderstanding Your Role
Once you become a leader or manager, your responsibilities are very different from those you had before.
However, it's easy to forget that your job has changed, and that you now have to use a different set of skills to be effective. This leads to you not doing what you've been hired to do – leading and managing.
- See more at: http://www.mindtools.com/pages/article/leadership-mistakes.htm#np
 
Principles of Value-Based Management
In a Value-Based Management (VBM) approach, your overall goal is to maximize the value of your organization. This means that the decisions that you make today are not simply driven by short-term profit. Rather, you consider the longer-term effects that the decisions will have on organizational sustainability and profitability, reflected in future cash flows.
VBM asks people within a company to think like owners, and to make decisions that will ultimately benefit the owners. Managers and executives must constantly look for investment and growth opportunities that will create value, and use the company's capital in ways that ensure long-term success.
A fundamental principle of VBM is the belief that future cash flow and growth are the source of a company's value. Looking at accounting-based measures - like quarterly earnings, earnings per share, and the price/earnings ratio - is not how advocates of VBM make decisions. This may be difficult, particularly when there's significant pressure from short-term investors.
VBM is both a philosophy and a methodology. It recognizes that the decisions that you make on a daily basis all contribute to the value of the organization. Therefore, VBM must be pushed throughout the organization; not just in the boardroom. People at all levels must participate in driving this overall value.
- See more at: http://www.mindtools.com/pages/article/value-based-management.htm#np

Principles of Value-Based Management

In a Value-Based Management (VBM) approach, your overall goal is to maximize the value of your organization. This means that the decisions that you make today are not simply driven by short-term profit. Rather, you consider the longer-term effects that the decisions will have on organizational sustainability and profitability, reflected in future cash flows.
VBM asks people within a company to think like owners, and to make decisions that will ultimately benefit the owners. Managers and executives must constantly look for investment and growth opportunities that will create value, and use the company's capital in ways that ensure long-term success.
A fundamental principle of VBM is the belief that future cash flow and growth are the source of a company's value. Looking at accounting-based measures - like quarterly earnings, earnings per share, and the price/earnings ratio - is not how advocates of VBM make decisions. This may be difficult, particularly when there's significant pressure from short-term investors.
VBM is both a philosophy and a methodology. It recognizes that the decisions that you make on a daily basis all contribute to the value of the organization. Therefore, VBM must be pushed throughout the organization; not just in the boardroom. People at all levels must participate in driving this overall value.
- See more at: http://www.mindtools.com/pages/article/value-based-management.htm#np

Principles of Value-Based Management

In a Value-Based Management (VBM) approach, your overall goal is to maximize the value of your organization. This means that the decisions that you make today are not simply driven by short-term profit. Rather, you consider the longer-term effects that the decisions will have on organizational sustainability and profitability, reflected in future cash flows.
VBM asks people within a company to think like owners, and to make decisions that will ultimately benefit the owners. Managers and executives must constantly look for investment and growth opportunities that will create value, and use the company's capital in ways that ensure long-term success.
A fundamental principle of VBM is the belief that future cash flow and growth are the source of a company's value. Looking at accounting-based measures - like quarterly earnings, earnings per share, and the price/earnings ratio - is not how advocates of VBM make decisions. This may be difficult, particularly when there's significant pressure from short-term investors.
VBM is both a philosophy and a methodology. It recognizes that the decisions that you make on a daily basis all contribute to the value of the organization. Therefore, VBM must be pushed throughout the organization; not just in the boardroom. People at all levels must participate in driving this overall value.
- See more at: http://www.mindtools.com/pages/article/value-based-management.htm#np