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BSB42015 - Certificate IV in Leadership and Management (Leadership in the Workplace) Book of Readings

© 2016 MRWED Training and Assessment Version 1.1 (01/06/2016) Page 1

Leadership in the Workplace

BOOK OF READINGS Version 1.1 (1 June 2016)





How this book works

This Book of Readings has three sections: Intention, Extension and Retention

INTENTION

This is the content that we “intend” to cover as part of

the training. This content forms part of the requisite

information needed to complete this unit. This section

includes key concepts, definitions and examples to

support the learners through the material and is

arranged in the order of the delivery.

EXTENSION

This section provides more in-depth explanations of the

key course content. It includes additional readings,

references and examples to extend and elaborate upon the

initial learning. It provides an enduring resource for future

referral and use.

RETENTION

This section is designed for you to reflect upon your own

learning and add any action items that will help you

transfer the concepts and techniques learned in the course

to your own settings. This may include tips, tricks,

templates or websites to review.

This Book of Readings is copyright. Apart from any fair dealing for the

purposes of private study, research, criticism or review, as permitted under

the Copyright Act, no part may be reproduced by any process without the

written consent of the copyright owner.

© 2016 MRWED Training and Assessment

ABN 97 126 082 376



Leading Teams and Relationships Cluster

BSBMGT401 Show leadership in the workplace

BSBLDR401 Communicate effectively as a workplace

leader

BSBWOR404 Develop work priorities

TAEDEL404A Mentor in the workplace

The units in this cluster focus upon developing leadership skills for the

workplace and include role modelling good practice through effective

planning, communication and support through mentoring.



CONTENTS INTENTION ............................................................................................................................. 7

Showing Leadership in the Workplace ..................................................................................... 8

Requirements ............................................................................................................. 8

Standards and Values .................................................................................................. 8

Performance Plans ...................................................................................................... 9

Relationships ............................................................................................................ 10

Effective Communication .......................................................................................... 10

What is Communication? .......................................................................................... 10

Identifying the Context for Communication ............................................................... 11

Barriers to Communication ....................................................................................... 11

Examples of Communication Channels ...................................................................... 12

Verbal and Non-Verbal Communication..................................................................... 13

Why is Non-verbal Communication Important? ......................................................... 13

Active Listening ......................................................................................................... 14

Characteristics of Effective Listening .......................................................................... 14

Providing Feedback ................................................................................................... 15

Feedback Models ...................................................................................................... 18

Some Final Tips on Providing Feedback...................................................................... 19

Role Modelling .......................................................................................................... 20

Top 5 Qualities of Role Models .................................................................................. 20

Managing Work Priorities ..................................................................................................... 23

Preparing a Work Plan .............................................................................................. 23

Prioritising Activities ................................................................................................. 24

Ideas to help you to prioritise .................................................................................... 24

Weekly Schedule Example ......................................................................................... 26

Time Management .................................................................................................... 27

Time Savers .............................................................................................................. 27

Business Technology Applications to Support Planning and Scheduling ...................... 28

Planning and Accessing Professional Learning ............................................................ 29

Sample Professional Learning Action Plan .................................................................. 30

Methods that could be used to evaluate own performance ....................................... 31

Mentoring in the Workplace ................................................................................................. 31

What is Mentoring? .................................................................................................. 31

What are the Benefits of Mentoring? ........................................................................ 33

What are the Rights and Responsibilities of the Mentor? ........................................... 33

What is the Mentoring Process? ................................................................................ 35

How do we Initiate a Mentoring Relationship? .......................................................... 36

How do we Develop a Mentoring Plan? ..................................................................... 36

Mentoring Plan Template .......................................................................................... 37

Facilitate Mentoring Relationship .............................................................................. 39

How can the Mentoring Relationship be Maintained? ................................................ 41

Mentoring Models .................................................................................................... 42

G.R.O.W.................................................................................................................... 43

How do we Record the Progress of the Mentoring? ................................................... 43

How do we Review the Effectiveness of Mentoring? .................................................. 45

Concluding the Mentoring Relationship ..................................................................... 45

How do we Record Reviews of the Mentoring? .......................................................... 46



EXTENSION ........................................................................................................................... 49

Leadership in the Workplace ..................................................................................... 50

Attributes of an Effective Workplace Leader .............................................................. 51

Communication ........................................................................................................ 52

Feedback .................................................................................................................. 53

Work Prioritisation ................................................................................................... 55

Mentoring in the Workplace ..................................................................................... 56

RETENTION ........................................................................................................................... 57

ACTION ITEMS ............................................................................................................. 58

Appendix A: Effectiveness Grid .................................................................................... 61

Appendix B: Performance Plan Template ..................................................................... 62

Appendix C: Work Plan Template ................................................................................. 63

Appendix D: Weekly Schedule Template ...................................................................... 64

Appendix F: Identify the Mentoring Relationship Template .......................................... 66

Appendix G: Mentoring Plan Template ......................................................................... 67

Appendix H: Mentoring Meeting Minutes Template ..................................................... 69

Appendix I: Sample Mentoring Records ........................................................................ 70

TRAINING EVALUATION SHEET .............................................................................................. 79



INTENTION



Showing Leadership in the Workplace

Effective leadership in the workplace centres on a demonstrated knowledge of

the business requirements (and expectations), the building of positive and

productive relationships and the role modelling of best practices.

These three Rs are explained in more detail in the following sections:

Requirements

Standards and Values

Requirements relate to the standards and values that drive an organisation

forward.

A Standard is a level of quality of attainment; something we use to

measure comparisons between actual and desired performance.

A Value is an important and lasting belief or ideal shared by the

members of a culture about what is good or bad and desirable or

undesirable. Values have major influence on a person's behaviour

and attitude and serve as broad guidelines for how to perform.

We use standards and values to set the right direction and atmosphere for

work. They are also useful during recruitment to find people with the right “fit”

for the organisation.



Performance Plans

The best leaders look for ways to help their team to improve. But what does it

mean to improve, and how do you achieve measurable progress?

Performance plans are a formalised way to help employees get on track and

stay on track. A good plan should be fully understood by all parties and used to

effectively measure improvement.

A Performance Plan has three parts:

1) Goal: A description of what the employee needs to do in their job;

2) Measurement of how an employee does their job; and

3) Competencies that describe the behaviours that an employee is

expected to demonstrate when successfully performing their job.

The Key Performance Indicator (KPI) is the Goal broken up into its

ACTION and OUTCOME.

Example:

Performance: Accounts Payable

1) Goal: Pay departmental invoices (ACTION) in accordance with the

company payment policies and standards (OUTCOME). 2) Measurement:

• Periodic review of accounts payable indicates invoices are being

paid in line with company payment policies and standards.

• Any inability to meet the standards is brought to the manager’s

attention prior to timelines established in the payment standards. 3) Competencies:

• Record Keeping

• Computerised accounting

• Communication (written and verbal)



Relationships

When you get the relationship right, the rest will follow. Positive and

productive relationships are built when there is effective communication, two-

way feedback and a culture of mutual respect.

Effective Communication

Effective communication is a key interpersonal skill and learning how you can

improve your communication has many benefits. Effective communication is

the glue that helps you deepen your connections with others and helps to

improve functions such as teamwork, decision making and problem solving.

What is Communication?

Communication is a two-way process of reaching mutual understanding, in

which participants not only exchange (encode-decode) information, news,

ideas and feelings but also create and share meaning.

In business, it is a key function of management - an organisation cannot

operate without communication between levels, departments and employees.



Identifying the Context for Communication

• Identify reason and context for communication

• Identify persons relevant to the communication context

• Clarify specific environment and personnel factors that may impact on

the success of the communication

• Identify and clearly understand the desired outcome of the

communication

• Evaluate available methods of communication against their suitability for

the specific communication requirements

• Identify potential barriers to effective communication and develop

solutions to minimise impact

• Incorporate relevant business policies, procedures, regulations and

legislation into communication processes.

Barriers to Communication

There are many barriers to effective communication. Below is a list of some of

the common ones:

• The use of jargon. Over-complicated, unfamiliar and/or technical terms.

• Emotional barriers and taboos. Some people may find it difficult to express

their emotions and some topics may be completely 'off-limits' or taboo.

• Lack of attention, interest, distractions, or irrelevance to the receiver.

• Differences in perception and viewpoint.

• Physical disabilities such as hearing problems or speech difficulties.

• Physical barriers to non-verbal communication. Not being able to see the

non-verbal cues, gestures, posture and general body language can make

communication less effective.

• Language differences and the difficulty in understanding unfamiliar

accents.

• Expectations and prejudices which may lead to false assumptions or

stereotyping. People often hear what they expect to hear rather than what

is actually said and jump to incorrect conclusions.

• Cultural differences. The norms of social interaction vary greatly in

different cultures, as do the way in which emotions are expressed. For

example, the concept of personal space varies between cultures and

between different social settings.



Examples of Communication Channels

Electronic Non-Electronic

• Broadcast Media

TV, radio and loud speakers all fall

within the broadcast media

communication channel. When a

message intended for a mass

audience and can be enhanced by

being presented in a visual or

auditory format, a broadcast

channel could be used.

• Face-to-Face

This could include conducting

personal presentations, leading

team meetings or participating in

a one-to-one conversation.

Physical presence, the tone of the

speaker's voice and facial

expressions help recipients to

interpret the speaker’s message.

• Mobile Communication

Could include mobile phones,

tablets and hand-held radio

devices. A mobile channel allows

for an interactive exchange and

gives the recipient the added

benefit of interpreting the

speaker's tone along with the

message.

• Written

Written communication should be

used when a message that does

not require interaction needs to

be communicated to an employee

or group. Policies, letters, memos,

manuals, notices, posters and

announcements are all messages

that work well for this channel.

• Other Electronic Communication

This could include use of email,

Internet, intranet and social

media platforms. This channel can

be used for one-on-one, group or

mass communication. It is a less

personal method of

communication but can be more

efficient.

• Warning Signs

This could include the use of short

phrases, symbols, colour and

lights to identify caution or to

highlight safety concerns. This

channel is effective where noise

or distance makes other channels

redundant. It is also useful when

language is a barrier.



Verbal and Non-Verbal Communication

Verbal communication refers to the use of sounds and language to relay a

message. This includes – but it not limited to:

• voice

• pace

• pitch

• pause

• intonation

• volume

• singing

• non-language sounds (e.g. humming, whistling)

Non-verbal communication involves sending and receiving messages in a

variety of ways without the use of verbal codes (words). It is both intentional

and unintentional. It includes — but is not limited to:

• touch

• glance

• eye contact (gaze)

• proximity

• gestures

• facial expression

• dress

• posture

Why is Non-verbal Communication Important?

• It can be used to repeat the verbal message (e.g. point in a direction

while stating directions.)

• Often complement the verbal message but also may contradict. e.g.: a

nod reinforces a positive message; a “wink” may contradict a stated

positive message.

• Regulate interactions (non-verbal cues covey when the other person

should speak or not speak).

• May substitute for the verbal message (especially if it is blocked by noise,

interruption, etc.) — i.e. gestures (finger to lips to indicate need for

quiet), facial expressions (i.e. a nod instead of a yes).



Active Listening

Active listening is a communication technique used in training and conflict

resolution, which requires the listener to feedback what they hear to the

speaker, by way of re-stating or paraphrasing what they have heard in their

own words, to confirm what they have heard and moreover, to confirm the

understanding of both parties.

Characteristics of Effective Listening

Ineffective Effective

Non-Verbal Behaviour

Listener looks bored or

uninterested, avoids eye

contact, displays distracting

mannerisms.

Listener maintains positive

posture, avoids distracting

mannerisms, keeps focus on

the speaker and nods and

smiles when appropriate.

Focus of Attention Listener shifts focus of

attention to themselves. Listener keeps focus on the

speaker.

Acceptance Listener fails to accept the

speaker’s ideas and feelings. Listener accepts ideas and

feelings.

Empathy

Listener fails to empathise

with the speaker. (e.g. “I

don’t see how you could

feel that way.”)

Listener empathises with

the speaker. (e.g. “So when

that happened you felt

angry.”)

Paraphrasing

Listener fails to check the

accuracy of communication

by restating the speaker’s

important points in their

own words.

Listener paraphrases to

guarantee that they have

understood correctly and to

assure the speaker that this

is so.

Summarising Listener fails to summarise. Listener summarises the

progress of the

conversation from time to

time.



Providing Feedback

The Role of Feedback

From the classroom to the boardroom, feedback is a vital component of

communication and effective talent development. Most people in the

workplace suffer from a lack of performance feedback, yet feedback is essential

in supporting staff progress and improvement. Feedback is the cheapest, most

powerful management tool that we have at our disposal. However, it is often

underused, or provided in ways that are geared toward compliance, rather

than meaningful performance improvement.

Methods of Feedback

Here are six ways to support the provision of on-going feedback:

1. Create feedback logs using mobile devices. Log comments with photos

and video which could be shared later. They can also be reviewed side-by-

side to see incremental improvement over time. 2. Closed social networking groups could be established to share general

feedback to your group (e.g. Google Groups, LinkedIn, Facebook). 3. Create response banks. (XL spreadsheets could be developed with drop

down boxes with ideal comments for workers based on common

performances). 4. Planning feedback “touch points” throughout the period, not just at the

end. Consider how you will ensure that you provide regular feedback to

staff and what formats that may take. 5. Link with the organisation to “triangulate” the feedback.

6. Use just-in-time feedback (e.g. instant messaging, push notifications, text

to mobile services)

Supervisor

Worker

Peers



Performance Feedback

Performance feedback can be given two ways: through constructive criticism

or through positive praise. However, it is important to understand when to use

each method.

1. Constructive criticism is information-specific, issue-focused and based

on observations. It is factual in nature.

2. Positive praise is a personal judgment about a performance effort or

outcome, and is designed to build the confidence of the receiver.

However, this feedback tends to be more opinion than tangible fact.

3. Be direct when delivering your message. Get to the point and avoid

beating around the bush otherwise you may confuse the candidate.

4. Be sincere and avoid giving mixed messages. Sincerity says that you

mean what you say with care and respect. Mixed messages are referred

to as "yes, but" messages. For example, "John, you have worked hard on

this project, but. . . ." What follows is something the person is not doing

well and is the real point of the message. The word "but," along with

words such as "however" and "although," when said in the middle of a

thought, create contradictions or mixed messages.

5. In positive feedback situations, express appreciation. Appreciation

alone is praise. Yet when you add it to the specifics of constructive

feedback, your message carries an extra air of sincerity. For example:

"Sue, your handling of all the processing work while John did the call-

backs made for an efficient effort and showed good teamwork.

Everything you did was accurate, as well. Thanks so much for helping

out. Such initiative is a real value to the team."

6. In negative feedback situations, express concern. A tone of concern

communicates a sense of importance and care and provides the

appropriate level of sincerity to the message. The purpose of negative

feedback is to create awareness that can lead to correction or

improvement in performance. If you can't give negative feedback in a

helpful manner, in the language and tone of concern, you defeat its

purpose.



Some Tips:

• Detach the situation from the person. This distinction is crucial. Take the

person out of the equation and focus on the behaviour / action /

situation / issue at hand.

• Comment on the issue. For example, “The report is incomplete” rather

than “You are lazy for not finishing the report” or “The food is oily”

rather than “You are a bad cook”.

• Don’t use active voice; use passive voice. For example, “The

presentation you gave needed more structure.” vs. “You gave a poorly

structured presentation.” Notice that the passive voice shifts the

attention away from the person and brings it to the subject matter.

• Give them something that they can work on. For example, “Let’s review

the report and add some additional information to make it easier to read

and more accurate”.

Key words used to connect with candidates:

• Words for Effort

Overcome, succeed, excel, achieve, grasp, generate, develop, design,

accomplish, produce, create, resolve, triumph, initiate.

• Words for Quality

Organise, improve, excellence, exceptional, striking, brilliant, elegant,

sophisticated, intuitive, strong, outstanding, talent, distinction.

• Words for Attitude

Thoughtful, responsible, enthusiastic, resourceful, motivated, dedicated,

reliable, vibrant, flexible, versatile, consistent, considerate, passionate,

tenacious.

• Words for Leadership

Capable, visionary, navigate, command, conduct, champion, role-model,

respect, direction, insight, inspiring, courageous, engaging.

• Words for Teamwork

Helpful, supportive, dependable, reliable, prepared, cooperative, fortify,

sponsor, advocate.



Feedback Models

IDEA

The I.D.E.A. model essentially provides a simple, easy-to-remember structure

to help you prepare for and manage potentially difficult conversations. An

overview of the model is presented below:

Developed by Greg Mitchell - Charles Sturt University

CORBS

C.O.R.B.S. is another tool for giving effective feedback and is focused on drilling

down on actionable items.

Clear statement – give clear and concise information.

Owned by the person speaking – your own perception, not the ultimate truth.

How it made you feel. Use terms such as “I find” or “I felt” and not “You are”.

Regular – give immediately or as close to the event as possible. NEVER delay.

Balanced – balance negative and positive feedback. DO NOT overload with

negative feedback.

Specific – base your feedback on observable behaviour. Behaviours that the

recipient can change.

Developed by Peter Hawkins and Robin Shohet

in their book Supervision in the Helping Professions (2007)

Identify specific behaviour/s that requires feedback

Describe impact of behaviours

Encourage continuation or change

Agree to next step/action plan



SBI

The Situation – Behaviour – Impact (S.B.I.) Feedback tool helps you deliver

more effective feedback. It focuses your comments on specific situations and

behaviours, and then outlines the impact that these behaviours have on others.

Developed by Centre for Creative Leadership

What does Meaningful Feedback look like?

• Be specific as possible.

• The sooner, the better.

• Address the worker’s advancement towards the goal.

• Present feedback carefully.

• Involve the workers in the process.

Some Final Tips on Providing Feedback

• Focus on the performance, not the person.

• Concentrate on one ability at a time.

• Provide a model or an example to support practice.

• Have them participate in their own evaluation.

SITUATION Describe the situation. Be

specific about when and where it

occured .

BEHAVIOURDescribe the

observed

behaviour.

IMPACTDescribe the

consequences of the behaviour on you and others.



Role Modelling

A role-model is a person who serves as an example of the values, attitudes and

behaviours associated with a role. They are someone who is prepared to “walk

the talk” and their example can be followed or repeated by others.

A good role model is one who possesses both integrity and credibility.

Integrity is the hallmark of a person who demonstrates sound moral and

ethical principles and is one of the fundamental values that employers seek in

the employees that they hire.

Credibility refers to the quality of being trusted and believed in. This is critical

for a leader, if they are to build respect and encourage others to follow their

lead.

Top 5 Qualities of Role Models

Marilyn Price-Mitchell in her book Tomorrow's Change Makers: Reclaiming the

Power of Citizenship for a New Generation (2015) identified the top five

qualities of role models.

1. Passion and Ability to Inspire

Role-models show passion for their work and have the capacity to encourage

others to become passionate about what they do and who they help.

2. Clear Set of Values

Role-models live their values. People admire those who act in ways that

support their beliefs. It helps them understand how their own values can be

integrated into work.

3. Commitment to Community

Role-models are often active in their communities, freely giving of their time

and talents to benefit others. Role-models are other-focused as opposed to

self-focused. People admire those who are generous with their time, who put

other people’s needs ahead of their own and who readily accept those who are

different from them.



4. Ability to Overcome Obstacles

Booker T. Washington once said, “Success is to be measured not so much by

the position that one has reached in life but by the obstacles which one has

overcome.” Not surprisingly, we admire people who show us that success is

possible.

5. Decisive

Role-models have the ability to make decisions quickly and effectively. This

helps them to build the confidence and trust of their team. Being able to make

good decisions most of the time is an important leadership skill. Below is a

four-step decision making process cycle which will support you in making

better decisions.

1.

Identify relevent information

2.

Examine options and associated

risks

3.

Obtain input from relevant people

4.

Make and communicate the

decision in a timely way



Summary

Below is a list of seven traits/abilities that will improve your leadership in the

workplace:

1. Commitment. Leaders want followers who don’t sag or, worse, quit

when the going gets tough. And that goes double for what followers

want in leaders.

2. Communication ability. Every member of a team or department needs

to be able to explain to every other member what he or she is doing and

why. This ability becomes even more important in a leader, whose job is

to explain to everyone where the group is going and how to get there.

3. Critical thinking. Leaders can’t assume that just because someone tells

them something, it’s correct. There’s a high price to pay for leading a

team down a rat hole that someone claimed was a door to success. But

followers who make such assumptions can also cost the team dearly by

wasting time and resources.

4. Empathy. Team members shouldn’t make excuses for each other, but

they should try to understand when problems – personal — personal or

business — arise in others’ lives. And leaders definitely need to be able

to feel the pain of those they lead.

5. Respect. Sometimes brilliant employees treat co-workers with

contempt for being less intelligent or capable than themselves. If such a

person is promoted into leadership, that lack of respect will cause

resentment and even rebellion.

6. Sense of humour. Sure, what you’re doing is important, sometimes

very important. However, whether follower or leader, the ability to step

back and have a chuckle at yourself takes the pressure off and relaxes

the kind of tension that can get in the way of results.

7. Vision. The most effective followers are those who know how to keep

their nose to the grindstone, but also know how to lift it occasionally and

try to figure out where they’re going long-term. Needless to say, the

latter ability is absolutely essential in leaders.



Managing Work Priorities

Preparing a Work Plan

A work plan is an outline of a set of goals and processes by which a team

and/or person can accomplish those goals, offering the reader a better

understanding of the scope of the project. Work plans, whether used in

professional or academic life, help you stay organised while working on

projects. See below for a sample work plan.

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Prioritising Activities

The underlying concept behind every piece of time management advice you’ve

ever received is that you should spend more focused time on what matters

most and less or no time on distractions from what matters most. The trouble

is that that choice is rarely black and white but, rather, filled with all sorts of

things that matter in different shades of grey.

You need a way to think about these shades. The 40-30-20-10 rule will do that

for you and give you a framework for allocating your time.

The 40-30-20-10 rule: Spend

• 40% of your time on your most important priority

• 30% on your second priority

• 20% on your third

• 10% on everything else combined

Inherent in this are choices around:

1) focusing on your top three priorities

2) prioritising within those three, and

3) setting aside some time for everything else – but not too much time.

Some tips to help you on the journey:

• Make a list of things to do

• Use a diary

• Write things on a shared whiteboard

• Set aside time to do tasks and projects

• Involve the right people in the team to help.

Ideas to Help You to Prioritise

While setting priorities, avoid the temptation to clear up small things first.

Rather than starting at the bottom and working your way up to the important

tasks, flip it and start with your highest value targets first. Don’t allow yourself

to get bogged down in low-priority activities. In essence, the things that matter

most should never be left at the mercy of the things that matter least.

Unfortunately, it is human nature to follow the Law of Least Resistance. In time

management and personal work, this means that we tend to start on small



tasks, thinking that as soon as we get warmed up, we will launch into our big

tasks and increase productivity.

However, we know that when we start on little tasks, they have an ability to

multiply. Moreover, you seem to attract more and more of these small tasks to

work on which, in the end, does not increase productivity.

Here are 5 key questions for setting priorities:

These are questions you can ask yourself regularly to ensure that you are

working on your top priorities and getting the very most done that is possible

for you.

1. Why am I on the payroll? Ask yourself if what you are doing right now is

the most important thing that you have been hired to do. If your boss

were sitting across from you watching you, what would you be doing

differently from what you are doing at this moment?

2. What are my highest value activities? Remember, there are only three

things that you do that account for most of the value of your work.

Which of your activities contribute the greatest value to your company?

3. What are my key result areas? What are the specific results that you

have to get in order to do an excellent job? Of all those key result areas,

which are most important?

4. What can I, and only I, do that if done well will make a real difference?

What is the one thing, hour by hour, that only you can do and, if you do

it well, will make a significant contribution to your business? This is

something that no one else can do for you. If you don’t do it, it won’t be

done. Doing this task, doing it well and doing it promptly can have a

major impact on the business, your co-workers and your career.

5. What is the most valuable use of my time, right now? This is the key

question in time management.



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Time Management

In reality, time management is about controlling events to make the best use

of our time and talents to achieve work and personal goals.

Do you recognise poor time management?

� Rushing around

� Never completing tasks

� Putting off unpleasant tasks

� Spending too long on some tasks

� Being late for meetings

� Missing deadlines and demands

Time Savers

• Take time to make lists and plans

• Do one task at a time

• Keep instructions simple

• Communicate clearly

• Maintain accurate records

• Allow time for interruptions

• Delegate effectively

• Coach and train your staff



Business Technology Applications to Support Planning and Scheduling

Collaboration

Tools

• Google Hangouts (https://hangouts.google.com/)

• Hip Chat (www.hipchat.com)

• Today’s Meet (www.todaysmeet.com)

• Simple Meet Me (www.simplemeet.me)

Project

Management

Tools

• Base Camp (www.basecamp.com)

• Freed Camp (www.freedcamp.com)

• Mavenlink (www.mavenlink.com)

• Proofhub (www.proofhub.com)

Scheduling

Tools

• Microsoft Outlook Calendar

• iCal

• Doodle (www.doodle.com)

• Setmore (www.setmore.com)

Video Sharing

Tools

• You Tube (www.youtube.com)

• Khan Academy (www.khanacademy.org)

• Daily Motion (www.dailymotion.com)

• Vimeo (https://vimeo.com/)



Planning and Accessing Professional Learning

Professional learning should be an essential component of your career growth

and plans. With business in a constant state of change and evolution, keeping

your skills and knowledge current will give you a competitive advantage in

achieving your career goals. As with your other life goals, it is recommended

that you develop a personalised action plan designed to help you achieve your

goals. A plan with explicit goals will provide structure for your future learning.

Life-long learning is the key to growth and advancement.

Professional learning can come in a variety of forms. This includes, but is not

limited to:

• Participation in workshops, webinars and conferences

• Membership of professional associations

• Conducting research

• Writing articles, blogs and whitepapers

• Developing a professional dialogue in relevant leadership and

management communities/groups. (e.g. LinkedIn groups)

• Sitting on a panel or reference group

• Acting as a mentor or coach

• Being involved with “stretch” projects.



Sample Professional Learning Action Plan

Goal:

Improve public speaking skills.

Relevance to job:

My current job requires me to occasionally give oral presentations to internal

and external clients. By gaining proficiency in this area, I will build my

confidence, which will result in more effective and persuasive

communication and will reduce my anxiety when called upon to speak

publicly.

What are the steps or

strategies I will take?

What is the realistic

timeframe to

accomplish the step

or strategy?

How will I evaluate

each step or

strategy?

How will I know the

step or strategy has

been accomplished?

Enrol in a public

workshop on

presentation skills.

Complete the workshop

within six months.

After the workshop, I

will test my knowledge

in the fundamentals of

public speaking.

Upon course completion.

Read at least two

intermediate-level books

on presentation skills.

Three months.

After reading the

books, I will measure

my knowledge on

more advanced

presentation

techniques.

The two books identified

will have been informative

and helpful in educating

me on more advanced


Join Toastmasters

International to

frequently practice my

newly acquired


Join within the next

three months;

participate in weekly

meetings for at least six

months.

I will measure progress

by soliciting feedback

from other

Toastmaster

participates; pursue

certification.

Through frequent practice,

my skill level should

improve. At a minimum, I

will become more

proficient in preparing for

presentations and

reducing anxiety.

Seek out new

opportunities to present

information and reports

in a team setting.

Immediately.

I will measure progress

by soliciting feedback

from team members

and my manager.

By giving at least one oral

presentation per month at

staff meetings.



Methods that Could Be Used to Evaluate own Performance

• Self-evaluation

• Performance checklists

• Tracking chart

• 360 degree evaluation

• Peer Review.

Mentoring in the Workplace

What is Mentoring?

Facilitating individual learning involves the application of techniques that

centre on the development of interpersonal relationships between the

facilitator and the learner, focusing on the learner’s goals, their learning style

and the learning content.

The role of the facilitator is to advise, guide, support and respond to the needs

of the learner.

Mentoring is one of three frequently identified techniques for facilitating

individual learning. The differences between the three techniques are

illustrated in the following table.

Two of the major techniques used to facilitate individual learning are derived

from mentoring and coaching methodologies. A third technique, tutoring, is

also used. Many people confuse the roles of mentor, coach and tutor. While

these roles are interrelated, they are not the same thing.



The table below highlights the differences between these facilitation

techniques.

Mentoring Mentors, in either a formal or informal relationship, focus on

the person and their career, and provide support for individual

growth and maturity. Mentoring can be defined as a “mutually

beneficial relationship which involves a more experienced

person helping a less experienced person to achieve their goal”.

Coaching A coach is job-focused and performance oriented, attempting

to direct a person to some end result. The term ‘coaching’ is

often heard in the context of sports. However, it is a concept

that is very relevant to the work situation. A coach usually has

a set agenda to reinforce or change skills and behaviours in

order to achieve a set outcome.

Tutoring A tutor is usually subject-centred and focuses quite clearly on

helping to improve specific knowledge or skills. A tutor will

often work with the learner to solve a particular problem and

seeks to reduce gaps between the required skills and

knowledge and the learner’s actual skills and knowledge.

The three facilitation techniques do not live in independent silos. A strong

mentoring relationship will thrive if the mentor is part-coach and sometimes

even a tutor on subject matter issues where they have expertise.

Mentoring

•Almost exclusively goal-setting and strategy focus

•Very personal relationship

•Relatively long-term

•Broad range of issues expored

•Focus on identifying new goals and big picture issues

•Irregular and casual conversations to enable success although it is difficult to quantify

Coaching

•Goal-setting and strategy is important but most time is spent on improving skills

•Moderately personal

•Typically medium-term in duration

•Content limited to defined area

•Subject matter changes as goals are reviewed

•Regular meetings working towards defined measurable milestones

Tutoring

•Almost exclusively subject matter focus

•Relatively impersonal

•Usually short-term

•Very specific subject focus

•Subject matter is reviewed in a logical and well-defined sequence

•Regular meetings to enable positive outcomes in frequent tests



Mentoring focuses on developing positive outcomes through a series of

interactions between a more experienced person (usually called the Mentor)

and a less experienced person (usually called the Mentee, but sometimes called

the Learner or Protégé or Student or Trainee).

What are the Benefits of Mentoring?

People of all levels of work carry out individual learning facilitation. It does not

necessarily have to be exclusively for supervisory positions or senior roles

within an organisation. The process may be used to help an individual:

• meet personal job goals

• learn new skills and knowledge, or

• develop new behaviours

Essentially, mentoring provides benefits to the mentee in giving them regular

access to an identified appropriately experienced person who is regularly

available to help them. Perhaps more importantly, mentoring is customised to

the needs of the individual learner. That is, mentoring provides flexibility to the

mentee so that they can receive help and advice when they need it for the

individual challenges they are facing at any given point of time. It is about

providing the mentee with the “right help from the right person at the right

time”.

What are the Rights and Responsibilities of the Mentor?

The success of the mentoring relationship will depend in part upon the

mentor’s ability to balance their rights and responsibilities. They also need to

ensure that there is a common shared understanding about these rights and

responsibilities with the mentee. This is not as easy as many mentors might

assume, especially if the mentee is inexperienced in participating in mentoring,

as is often the case. The mentor needs to take a leading role in deliberately

having discussions with the mentee to make sure they are on the “same page”

with respect to how the two parties will inter-relate during the mentoring.

The content of the following table presents a good starting point for identifying

the rights and responsibilities of the mentor that should apply to any specific

mentoring relationship.



Balancing the Rights and Responsibilities of the Mentor’s Role

Rights Responsibilities

1. You have the right to expect ethical

and professional behaviour from your

mentee.

1. You have the responsibility to

model ethical and professional

behaviour for your mentee.

2. You have the right to use your

professional expertise in the ways

you believe best meet your mentee’s

needs.


remain open and consider viewpoints

and methods for meeting your

mentee’s needs. You have the

responsibility of acting flexibly to

provide appropriate support to your

mentee.

3. You have the right to expect

sound, though developing, work

practices from your mentee.


direct your mentee’s growth in ways

deemed appropriate by the

profession. You have the

responsibility to help your mentee

deepen their practice in ways that

enhance your mentee’s personal

satisfaction.

4. You have the right to provide

evaluative feedback to the mentee

regarding their development.

4. You have the responsibility to give

feedback that is frequent, honest and

caring.

Reference: Adapted from Maximum Mentoring: An Action Guide for Teacher

Trainers and Cooperating Teachers, by Gwen Rudney and Andrea Guillaume.

Thousand Oaks, CA: www.corwinpress.com.



What is the Mentoring Process?

Generally, the mentoring process follows the flow chart shown below, although

variations will occur due to specific circumstances.

Identify mentor

Research mentoring options

Plan mentoring program

Schedule meetings

Conduct mentoring meetings

Exchange feedback with mentee

Obtain organisation feedback

Review effectiveness

Terminate mentoring



How do we initiate a Mentoring Relationship?

For a mentoring relationship to become established, a need must first be

identified.

The need may be:

• proposed by the mentee, a manager or a department in the organisation

• proposed by the mentor after observing scope for them to assist the

mentee

• a requirement of management for learners to participate in a mentoring

program

• a request from the mentee for additional support to enhance learning

Once the learning need is established, the learning goals can be identified.

These may include: career advancement or redirection, increasing productivity,

learning a new skill, setting personal directions or developing relationships. As

a specific example, the learner may have key performance indicators that have

to be set in conjunction with their employer.

How do we develop a Mentoring plan?

Planning and preparation is essential to any learning program, whether it is in a

classroom, via distance, or work-based learning activities. By finding out about

the workplace and the mentee’s needs through discussions with them and

potentially other stakeholders, the mentor will have a better chance of

implementing a successful work-based learning pathway.

A successful launch of the mentoring relationship will require the mentor to

help the mentee identify their goals. They will then need to measure where the

learner is against their goals. The difference in the targets and the learner’s

current status is known as the ‘gap’. The objective for each party will be to

mutually determine ways to decrease this gap.

Development of a mentoring plan can be achieved by answering the types of

questions listed in the Mentoring Plan Template shown on the next two pages.



Mentoring Plan Template

CONTACT INFORMATION

Mentor Mentee

Name:

Address:

Phone:

Email:

MENTORING LOGISTICS

How often will you meet,

taking into account

vacations and peak work

periods?

How and where will you

meet?

What are the shared

expectations in terms of

response time when one

of you requests support

from the other?

MENTORING GOALS

What are the mentee’s

goals for this mentoring?

What are the mentor’s


Will the mentoring focus

upon only work issues or

will personal challenges

also be discussed?



GROUND RULES

Who is responsible for

arranging each meeting?

Who is going to pay the

costs for the meetings?

How will any concerns

about privacy and

confidentiality be

addressed?

What considerations will

need to be made to

comply with relevant

legislation, policy and

procedure?

What preparation is

required prior to each

meeting?

How will the

effectiveness of the

mentoring be reviewed?

When will the mentoring

arrangement be

concluded?

What other ground rules

have been agreed?

A completed example of a Mentoring Plan using this template is provided in

Appendix I of this Book of Readings.



Facilitate Mentoring Relationship

Regardless of whether the relationship involves a mentor, a coach or a tutor,

the basic principles of facilitating adult learning will be the same. At the core of

any effective learning relationship is mutual respect and trust. This is

established through effective communication, interpersonal skills, and an

active awareness of several other factors that will affect the mentoring

relationship.

Communication Skills - Good communication skills involves building rapport

with the learner, using effective verbal and non-verbal language, using critical

listening skills, providing constructive and supportive feedback and providing

clear and concrete options and advice.

Interpersonal Skills - Sound interpersonal skills will include:

• showing respect for the expertise and background of the learner

• demonstrating sensitivity to diversity, disability, culture, gender, age and

ethnicity

• modelling positive facilitation and learning behaviours

• engaging in two-way interaction

• encouraging the expression of diverse views and opinions

• negotiating complex discussions by establishing a supportive

environment

• using language and concepts appropriate to cultural differences

• accurately interpreting non-verbal messages

• using humour where appropriate

The relationship that is developed with an individual learner will have many

different aspects. Investing time in exploring all these will ultimately contribute

to its success. This will include consideration of the individual’s preferred

learning style, learning characteristics, cross-difference learning implications,

the context for learning as well as barriers to achieving outcomes.

Learning Styles - It is well-established that there are several different learning

styles and an understanding of how the learner prefers to learn will affect the

program and the activities chosen. According to learning style theory, there are

three main ways that people learn – visual, auditory or tactile/kinaesthetic.



Learner Characteristics - In addition to identifying the learner’s learning style, it

is also necessary to identify any of their characteristics that may impact on

their learning. Learner characteristics include things like:

• employment status

• past learning experiences

• level of maturity

• confidence

• cultural background and needs

• level of formal schooling

Cross-difference Learning Implications - While mentors and mentees always

differ in some ways, when the differences seem particularly large to one or

both parties, it is known as ‘cross-difference learning’.

Cross-difference learning or mentoring is an exciting opportunity for both the

learner and facilitator to experience and learn new things. It is important to see

it as an opportunity for professional development.

When involved in a cross-difference learning relationship, it may be necessary

to consider whether additional support is needed for the learner. For example,

the learner may have needs that call for:

• language, literacy or numeracy support

• disability support

• Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander support

• ethnic support service

• interpreting services

• employment support services

• counselling services

• community support

The context for learning - Different contexts for learning may be:

• determined by the area of learning

• determined by the facilitator and the learner

• defined by the work or learning activities being discussed

• defined by the time requirements for the mentoring



Barriers to success

During the process of working out how the individual learning facilitation

relationship will occur, it is critical to consider the boundaries and expectations

that both parties bring to the relationship. Facilitators and learners typically

enter their relationships with assumed expectations of each other. If

expectations are not met, people can become irritated and disappointed, not

only with each other, but with the whole learning process.

To prevent this, and to help with planning, the mentor’s expectations should be

established in consultation with the mentee. Discuss these expectations early

in the learning partnership and include agreed additions or modifications to the

expectation list as the relationship progresses.

How can the mentoring relationship be maintained?

The key to maintaining the learning/facilitation relationship is preparation. For

each of the sessions undertaken with the learner, it is important that the

facilitator is prepared. Being prepared means:

• planning for each meeting or session

• being organised for each meeting or session

• reflecting on the outcomes of the previous meeting or session

• being punctual

• identifying “where we are” at the start

• appearing relaxed and confident

• providing a relaxing and non-threatening environment.

The key to success in any learning session is preparation. In preparing for a

learning session, the facilitator will need to take into account previous

meetings and/or sessions and reflect on their outcomes. There may be a

change in direction necessary, or some reinforcement of learning that has

already taken place.

Proactively identifying learning outcomes for mentoring meetings will ensure

that the sessions have some direction. An outcome is a very clear description of

the skills, knowledge and attitudes that the learner should be able to

demonstrate as a result of facilitation.



Mentoring Models

1. One-On-One Mentoring

The most common mentoring model, one-on-one mentoring matches one

mentor with one mentee. Most people prefer this model because it allows both

mentor and mentee to develop a personal relationship and provides individual

support for the mentee. Availability of mentors is the only limitation.

2. Resource-Based Mentoring

Resource-based mentoring offers some of the same features as one-on-one

mentoring. The main difference is that mentors and mentees are not

interviewed and matched by a Mentoring Program Manager. Instead, mentors

agree to add their names to a list of available mentors from which a mentee

can choose. It is up to the mentee to initiate the process by asking one of the

volunteer mentors for assistance. This model typically has limited support

within the organisation and may result in mismatched mentor-mentee pairing.

3. Group Mentoring

Group mentoring requires a mentor to work with 4-6 mentees at one time. The

group meets once or twice a month to discuss various topics. Combining senior

and peer mentoring, the mentor and the peers help one another learn and

develop appropriate skills and knowledge.

Group mentoring is limited by the difficulty of regularly scheduling meetings for

the entire group. It also lacks the personal relationship that most people prefer

in mentoring. For this reason, it is often combined with the one-on-one model.

For example, some organisations provide each mentee with a specific mentor.

In addition, the organisation offers periodic meetings in which a senior

executive meets with all of the mentors and mentees, who then share their

knowledge and expertise.

4. Training-Based Mentoring

This model is tied directly to a training program. A mentor is assigned to a

mentee to help that person develop the specific skills being taught in the

program. Training-based mentoring is limited, because it focuses on the subject

at hand and doesn’t help the mentee develop a broader skill set.



5. Executive Mentoring

This top-down model may be the most effective way to create a mentoring

culture and cultivate skills and knowledge throughout an organisation. It is also

an effective succession-planning tool, because it prevents the knowledge "brain

drain" that would otherwise take place when senior management retires.

G.R.O.W.

The GROW model is a technique for problem solving or goal setting first

developed in the United Kingdom in the late 1980’s by Graham Alexander,

Alan Fine and Sir John Whitmore. The three are well known because of their

significant contributions in the world of executive coaching. GROW is also well

known in the business arena but it also has many applications in everyday life.

The particular value of GROW is that it provides an effective, structured

methodology which both helps set goals effectively and is a problem solving

process.

G GOAL -This is the end point where the client wants to be. The goal has to be

defined in such a way that it is very clear to the client when they have achieved

it.

R REALITY - This is how far the client is away from their goal. If the client was to

look at all the steps they need to take in order to achieve the goal.

O OPTIONS - There will be obstacles stopping the client getting from where they

are now to where they want to go. If there were no obstacles the client would

already have reached their goal. Once obstacles have been identified the client

needs to find ways of dealing with them if they are to make progress. These are

the Options.

W WAY FORWARD - The Options then need to be converted into action steps which

will take the client to their goal. These are the Way Forward.

How do we record the progress of the mentoring?

One typical way of recording the progress of the mentoring is to keep simple

minutes of each mentoring meeting using a template similar to that shown on

the next page.



Record Minutes from Meeting Template

MEETING AGENDA

Mentee

Mentor

Location

Date

Time

Topics / Goals 1.

2.

MEETING OUTCOMES

Outcomes / Discussions

Action Item Responsible Party

1 Mentee / Mentor

2 Mentee / Mentor

How has this meeting

assisted the Mentee?

NEXT MEETING

Topics / Goals

Location

Date

Time

A completed example of recording the minutes from a meeting using this

template is provided in Appendix I of this Book of Readings.



How do we review the effectiveness of mentoring?

There are many reasons why the participants in a mentoring relationship

should undertake regular reviews of their relationship and achievements,

including:

• to decide whether to continue the mentoring relationship

• to improve planning and access to resources

• for the mentee to have an opportunity to reflect on their own learning

and contributions to the mentor

• to undertake self-assessment and reflection, and to identify

opportunities for improvement as a mentor

• for accountability, legitimacy and promotion of the mentoring

relationship within an organisation

• to meet the needs to any external stakeholders involved in supporting

the mentoring

• to comply with any legislative or regulatory requirements.

Much like other forms of delivery and facilitation, mentoring can be evaluated

through:

• direct observation

• questionnaires

• verbal questioning

• third-party reports

• other stakeholder feedback

• review of performance records

Concluding the mentoring relationship

At some stage in the learning relationship, a decision needs to be made

regarding the learner’s ability to progress without further assistance from the

mentor. If the learner is achieving all their goals, becoming more in control of

their own development, relying less on the input of the mentor and is

establishing new relationships with others who can support their development,

it could be time to close the relationship.



Various tools and signals will indicate that it is time to end the learning

relationship. These may include:

• a self-assessment taken by the learner

• a measure of improvement in the areas of interest explored during the

mentoring

• a level of independence in learning and advancing forward

• readiness to maintain learning through other means or modes

• an expressed preference by the mentor to devote their energies to other

pursuits

• the agreed time period has come to an end

Separation and closure is the final stage of the mentoring relationship. Rather

than letting the relationship dwindle, it is usually important to formally

separate the mentor and mentee.

If an organisation is coordinating the mentoring then it is usually valuable for

the mentor and mentee, prior to separation, to provide formal feedback on

their mentoring experience to assist the on-going improvement of the

organisation’s learning and development systems.

How do we record reviews of the mentoring?

It is almost always valuable to record the effectiveness of the mentoring, either

during the mentoring feedback or after the relationship has concluded. One

popular way of doing this in a way that is minimally threatening to the

mentoring participants is to have them individually record their thoughts,

which can then be shared. The reflection notes templates on the following two

pages provide examples of the types of questions that can be asked during a

review process.



Reflection Notes Template (to be completed by the MENTOR)

THIS SECTION IS TO BE COMPLETED BY THE MENTOR

Overall, has the

mentoring relationship

produced positive work

results for the Mentee so

far?

What specific successes

can be attributed to the

mentoring program?

What problems have

occurred during the

mentoring program?

Do you feel that you

have developed a

productive relationship

with the mentee?

What personal

experiences and

knowledge did you share

with the mentee?

What personal benefits

have you derived from

participating in the

mentoring program?



Reflection Notes Template (to be completed by the MENTEE)

THIS SECTION IS TO BE COMPLETED BY THE MENTEE

How did Meeting 1 assist

you?


you?


you?

Overall, has the



results for you so far?



mentoring program?

What problems have

occurred during the

mentoring program?


have developed a


with the mentor?




mentoring program?

A completed example of reflection notes from a mentor and a mentee using

these templates is provided in Appendix I of this Book of Readings.



EXTENSION



Leadership in the Workplace

The workplace is one environment where effective leadership is incredibly

important. It can mean the difference between success or failure for the

organisation, growth or loss for the business and satisfaction or general

discontent among the employees.

Effective leadership in the workplace is about much more than just

management: assigning tasks, setting work directions and establishing financial

goals. It is a comprehensive responsibility which involves inspiring and

motivating, giving confidence and encouragement, while also providing

constructive feedback. Managing relationships – and of course, ensuring that

all employees understand and share the organisation’s long-term goals.

One of the key steps to becoming an effective leader in the workplace is

reviewing your own leadership style and becoming more aware of your own

strengths and weaknesses.

Questions to ask yourself include:

• What leadership style do I have?

• Does my leadership style impact negatively on employees within the

organisation?

• Do the decisions I make benefit the whole team or only a few?

• Does what I say as a leader match up with what I ask my team members

to do?

Leading by example is one of the most important factors in becoming an

effective workplace leader. How you conduct yourself as a leader will send out

constant messages to your followers – for example, if you come to work only to

sit in an executive office, shut away from your team by a closed door and a

closed mind, then your followers will be getting the message that you can’t be

bothered about them or their concerns.

Conversely, if you are familiar with your employees’ daily responsibilities and

concerns and show that you recognise that each of them play an important

part in the overall functioning of the organisation, then this sends out the

message that everyone on the team is valued.



In particular, leaders in workplace environments should take time to explore

the reasons behind any operational or employee problems and be honest

about whether any issues cropping up could be due to problems at the top.

Attributes of an Effective Workplace Leader

Most effective leaders in the workplace share several attributes in common

which ensure that they are successful in their leadership roles. Naturally, these

different attributes may be more important in different work situations and

with different groups of people, but a core group of traits and characteristics is

seen again and again in effective leaders across different workplace scenarios:

• Team-building skills – recognition and acknowledgement are two of the

most powerful motivators in human behaviour; a leader who gives credit

where it is due, shares it around the team and rewards followers for their

contribution will build a more cohesive and successful team.

• Flexible leadership style – an effective leader is one who can adapt their

leadership style to suit different scenarios and different groups of

people.

• Courage and determination – effective workplace leaders have the

confidence to stand behind what they believe in and the drive to inspire

their team to overcome challenges.

• Open Mind – effective leaders take risks; they are not afraid of

innovative ideas which challenge the status quo and welcome these from

their team.

• Integrity – leadership cannot succeed without trust and respect and

these two can only be given when a leader shows great integrity and

ethics.

• Good communication skills – probably the most important trait of all, as

without the ability to communicate well, all the other traits might well be

useless. An effective leader will not only express himself/herself clearly

and persuasively but will also be a good listener.

Effective leadership in the workplace is more important than many people

realise. For many employees, good leadership within their company can be

more important than financial benefits – in fact, people are willing to leave a

company and good benefits, for the lack of good leadership.



Communication

Regardless of whether you’re talking about business, politics, sports or the

military, the best leaders are first-rate communicators. Their values are clear

and solid, and what they say promotes those values. Their teams admire them

and follow their lead. Likewise, if you want your company to reach new

benchmarks of achievement, you must master the art of clear communication.

So, how do you do it?

First, you must realise and accept that clear communication is always a two-

way process. It’s not enough to speak clearly; you have to make sure you’re

being heard and understood. To facilitate this, use the following two-way

communication primer:

1. Prepare how you’ll communicate

• Clarify the goal of the communication.

• Plan carefully before sending it or meeting in person.

• Anticipate the receiver’s viewpoint and feelings.

2. Deliver the message

• Express your meaning with conviction.

• Relate the message to your larger goals.

• Identify the action to be taken.

• Confirm the other person understands.

3. Receive the message

• Keep an open mind.

• Identify key points in the message.

• Value constructive feedback and use it to grow.

• Confirm your understanding.

4. Evaluate the effectiveness of the communication afterwards

5. Take corrective action as necessary

Primers, of course, aren’t enough. You must go deeper and determine why

internal communications are poor or ineffective, considering any potential

barriers. Once the barriers have been identified, you’ll see where to improve.

Additionally, you’ll inevitably realise the stakes are high when it comes to

communicating — if you fail to do this properly, you can poison the

atmosphere between you and a colleague, as well as your company’s morale.



So the next time you’re drafting a letter, e-mail or policy statement, before you

send it, stop and consider these common barriers to clear communication:

• Lack of respect by either party for the other.

• Poorly defined purpose for the communication.

• Failure to establish the best medium for the communication (e-mail

and cell phones are NOT the best ways to communicate serious

material).

• Assumption that the listener receives the message.

• Ignored emotions or sensitivities.

• Failure to get on the listener’s level of understanding.

• Intimidation by either party.

Feedback

Effective and timely feedback is a critical component of a successful

performance management program and should be used in conjunction with the

setting of performance goals. For instance, if effective feedback is given to

employees on their progress towards their goals, employee performance is

more likely to improve. People need to know in a timely manner how they're

doing, what's working, and what's not.

Conversely, the leader/manager needs to obtain timely feedback on their

performance so they are able to make improvements and calculated decisions

on the best movements forward. Feedback can come from many different

sources: managers and supervisors, measurement systems, peers and

customers just to name a few. However feedback occurs, certain elements are

needed to ensure its effectiveness:

Specificity

Feedback works best when it relates to a specific goal. Establishing

performance expectations and goals before work begins is the key to providing

and collecting tangible, objective and meaningful feedback.

Timeliness

If improvement needs to be made on performance, the sooner you find out

about it, the sooner the problem can be corrected. Additionally, if expectations

have been exceeded, the sooner this feedback is received, the more rewarding

it is.



Manner

Feedback should be given in a manner that will best help improve

performance. Since people respond better to information presented in a

positive way, feedback should be expressed in a positive manner. This is not to

say that information should be sugar-coated. It must be accurate, factual, and

complete. When presented, however, feedback is more effective when it

reinforces what was done right and then identifies what needs to be extended

in the future.

Feedback can be elicited in the following ways:

• Surveys • Interviews • Meetings/discussions • Forums • Focus Groups • Observation • Anecdotal research • Collection of performance data.

Analysing the feedback and using it appropriately is essential to making

the right decisions, improvements and changes within an organisation. There

are a number of tools that can be used to analyse the data, but to get the best

practical outcome from it, ensure that you reserve your judgement until you

have used all of the appropriate information and tools.

Knee-jerk reactions after analysing small amounts of data could prevent you

from attaining an accurate perspective and a sustainable outcome and for the

plan to work effectively, all of the data will need to be analysed.

Organising the data collected in chart form as a comparison between what

should be happening and what actually happened is an important first stage in

feedback analysis. From this, we are able to highlight some key areas for

discussion, review and future strategy. Next, feedback should be divided into

key categories for the purpose of identifying patterns. These patterns will assist

in identifying which actions should be taken first. Finally, feedback should be

reviewed to discover if there are any factors that may impact adversely on the

data collected which could skew the results and thus lead us in the wrong

direction. This is why using multiple sources of feedback is recommended.



Work Prioritisation

There never seems to be enough hours in the day to complete the tasks and

projects collecting dust on the top of your desk. But managing your time means

working smarter – not longer. In other words, you need to learn how to

prioritise. For many, learning how to establish and maintain priorities is the

single most effective way to increase their performance in the workplace.

Although it sounds simple, there is more involved with prioritisation than

deciding what to do next. Successful prioritisation requires the execution of a

carefully designed plan.

Here is a step-by-step approach to help you get started:

Step 1: Make a List

The first step in prioritising your tasks is to make a to-do list. For the next seven

days, this list will be your primary touch point for completing tasks and

assignments in the workplace. Many people find it helpful to start by writing

down all of their pending projects in no particular order. For now, the

important thing is to just get them on paper and to consolidate all of your little

lists into a single, comprehensive to-do list. Multiple lists are not an option!

Step 2: Establish Due Dates

Beside each item on the list, write down its actual due date. Don't establish due

dates based on when you would like to have them completed. Instead, write

down the date when the task is actually required to be completed. If you are

unsure when a particular task is due, do a little research before you rank them

in order of importance.

Step 3: Assess Interdependent Tasks

Once you have ranked your tasks by due date, the next step is to decide which

– if any – of the tasks on your to-do list significantly impact other people's to-

do lists. For example, if the accounting department is waiting for your

department's expense account figures so they can close out the month, you

may want to consider moving it up on the list, even if it's official due date is

further out.



Step 4: Consider Consequences

Not all tasks are created equal. You may find you have tasks due immediately

that have minimal consequences should you decide to put them off for a few

extra days. On the other hand, you may also have tasks with extremely

significant consequences that aren't due until next week. In that case, the

smart move might be to put off the tasks with limited consequences so you can

get started on the highly important tasks right away.

Step 5: De-Clutter the List

Most to-do lists are cluttered with relatively small tasks that require little time,

but collectively feel like a ton of bricks hanging over your head. Every now and

then, it is useful to take a half-day to de-clutter the list. By checking off a large

number of little things on the list, your time will be freed up to concentrate on

the things that are most important.

Step 6: Reassess

Priorities change constantly in a busy workplace. As a result, you need to

constantly reassess your to-do list to keep up with your changing priorities.

Once a day is probably too often, but a weekly reassessment of your priorities

is not unreasonable.

Mentoring in the Workplace

Good mentoring relationships can be richly rewarding, not only for the person

being mentored, but for the mentor too. Mentors can, among other things,

provide exceptional learning experiences for their mentees and, in doing

so, expand their mentees' awareness, insight and perspective.

Qualities of successful mentors:

� Genuine interest

� Sensitivity to other’s needs and development

� Excellent listening skills

� Commitment

� Confidentiality

� Excellent coaching and feedback skills.



RETENTION



ACTION ITEMS



ACTION ITEMS



ACTION ITEMS



Appendix A: Effectiveness Grid

How do you think you measure up to these values/standards? Individually, rate

yourself against these characteristics from 1-10 (1 being least effective and 10

being most effective). Then, identify 3 areas of strength and 3 areas of

improvement and list these in the spaces provided at the bottom of the page.

1 2 3 4 5.

6 79

89

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3 Greatest Strengths 3 Greatest Areas for Improvement

1.

2.

3.

1.

2.

3.



Appendix B: Performance Plan Template

Performance:_________________________________

1. Goal:

2. Measurement:

3. Competencies:



Appendix C: Work Plan Template

Te

am

Wo

rk P

lan

Na

me

of

Ta

sk:

Ob

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ive

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Re

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s:

Co

mm

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ts

Tim

efr

am

e

Wh

o i

s re

spo

nsi

ble

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Ste

p



Appendix D: Weekly Schedule Template

We

ek

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le f

or:

We

ek

Co

mm

en

cin

g:

Su

nd

ay

Sa

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ay

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Th

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Appendix E: Professional Learning Action Plan Template

Ho

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Appendix F: Identify the Mentoring Relationship Template

What is the name of the mentee (learner)

whom you will be helping?

What is your relationship to the mentee?

Briefly outline the experience and skills you

have that makes you a good-fit as a mentor

for your mentee.



Appendix G: Mentoring Plan Template

CONTACT INFORMATION

Mentor Mentee

Name:

Address:

Phone:

Email:

MENTORING LOGISTICS


taking into account


periods?


meet?

What are the shared




from the other?

MENTORING GOALS








also be discussed?



GROUND RULES






about privacy and

confidentiality be

addressed?


need to be made to



procedure

What preparation is


meeting?

How will the




arrangement be

concluded?


have been agreed?



Appendix H: Mentoring Meeting Minutes Template

MEETING AGENDA

Location

Date Time

Topics / Goals 1.

2.

MEETING OUTCOMES


1 Mentee / Mentor

2 Mentee / Mentor

3 Mentee / Mentor



Appendix I: Sample mentoring records

Identify the Mentoring Relationship

Complete the template below.

What is the name of the mentee (learner)

whom you will be helping?

Pete

What is your relationship to the mentee?

Pete is a newly qualified instructor

at our centre and I am his

supervising instructor.

Briefly outline the experience and skills you

have that makes you a good-fit as a mentor

for your mentee.

I have 15 years instruction

experience in the same area in

which Pete will be instructing. I

have obtained TAE40110

Certificate IV in Training and

Assessment, which has helped me

develop confirmed skills in

mentoring and facilitation. Perhaps

most importantly, I have well

developed communication skills,

including strong active listening

skills and I have a dedicated

commitment to prioritising

spending time with our instructors

and helping them improve their

knowledge, skills and confidence.



Create a Mentoring Plan


CONTACT INFORMATION

Mentor Mentee

Name: Steven O’Malley Peter Jamieson

Address: 12 Brohman Drive,

Bridgeman Downs QLD

42 Universe Avenue,

Kenmore QLD

Phone: 0400 322 322 07 3223 6900

Email: [email protected] [email protected]

MENTORING LOGISTICS


taking into account


periods?

Face-to-face as required, but at least once every fortnight.

By telephone and email contact at least weekly.


meet?

Coffee Club on Tuesday afternoons at 2pm, as scheduled

What are the shared




from the other?

Response within no longer than 24 hours



MENTORING GOALS



Improve instructional knowledge and learn better how to

deal with potentially confrontational situations, as Pete

does not like conflict.



I expect to be treated respectfully and to benefit from

improving my communication and facilitation skills through

participating in this mentoring arrangement. Additionally,

because Peter is very good at using smartphones and

emerging new technologies I am hopeful of getting an

insight into how the younger generation use devices to

improve productivity.




also be discussed?

Peter and I have discussed this and concluded that these

choices are solely up to Peter. If he wants to raise personal

concerns and how they might be affecting his work then

that will be welcomed, but he will not be obliged to

volunteer any personal information.



GROUND RULES



Peter will make a table booking and Steven will bring any

materials that he suggests we should review.



Because the company is not funding this mentoring we

have agreed that at every meeting we will pay for our own

food and drinks.


about privacy and

confidentiality be

addressed?

We have agreed not to discuss any details about the

content of the mentoring meetings with anyone. It is OK to

tell others that they have taken place and give a general

indication as to how they are going, but no details about

the discussed issues. Any feedback to our employer

containing any detailed information about discussion topics

will be presented only in writing after we have both

reviewed and approved it.


need to be made to



procedure?

We will both ensure with our Centre Manager that she is

happy for both of us to take time out of work without any

possible risk of backlash for being off-site.

What preparation is


meeting?

Nil, unless agreed by both parties, except Steven will

document an appropriate session plan so that we have an

approach planned out for each session.

How will the



Every 3 months we will meet at the bar of the local sports

club to specifically share how we feel the mentoring is

progressing.


arrangement be

concluded?

The mentoring agreement can be concluded at any time if

either party comes to two successive meetings and informs

the other that they want to quit the arrangement or if

either party leaves the Centre.


have been agreed?

To treat each other respectfully at all times and to not

engage in any swearing or name calling. Also, if at any stage

if someone asks the other person to “please calm down”

then we have agreed to take some deep breaths, listen to

the other person and settle down.



Record Minutes from Meeting


MEETING AGENDA

Mentee Peter Jamieson

Mentor Steven O’Malley

Location Coffee Club

Date Tuesday 26/3/2013

Time 2:00pm

Topics / Goals 1. To help resolve ongoing conflict between Peter and

Charlene.

2. To discuss strategies for how Peter can improve his active

listening skills.

MEETING OUTCOMES

Outcomes / Discussions Almost all of the meeting discussed this week’s problems

between Pete and Charlene. We now have a plan of action!


1 Peter will organise a coffee with Charlene and ask for

her assistance in helping them improve their working

relationship.

Mentee / Mentor

2 Steven will access resources related to becoming a

better listener.

Mentee / Mentor

How has this meeting

assisted the Mentee?

Peter feels much better after concluding that Charlene is

not actively targeting him and that there should be scope to

improve their interactions if he is more positive in his

dealings with her. He is excited about having a strategy to

approach her and improve their working relationship.



NEXT MEETING

Topics / Goals To discuss Peter’s progress in moving forward with Charlene

and Steven will continue discussions about helping Pete

improve his active listening.

Location Coffee Club

Date Next Tuesday 4/4/13

Time 2:00pm



Write Reflection Notes (to be completed by the MENTOR)


THIS SECTION IS TO BE COMPLETED BY THE MENTOR

Overall, has the



results for the Mentee so

far?

Definitely! Peter is friends with more staff in the office and

this has made participating in work much more fun for him.

His productivity has consequently been much greater.



mentoring program?

Peter directly attributes his “Employee of the Month” win

last month to the outcomes we have achieved through this

mentoring program.

What problems have

occurred during the

mentoring program?

I got very frustrated in a couple of our early meetings when

I felt that Peter wasn’t making an effort to participate in the

mentoring process. However, once I understood that Peter

was finding it hard to maintain concentration on what I was

saying and that he was hesitant to interrupt when I was

presenting unfamiliar content we were able to move ahead

confidently.


have developed a


with the mentee?

Definitely. I feel that Peter and I are going to be mates for

life and that any chance we get to work together we will be

a lot more productive.

What personal

experiences and

knowledge did you share

with the mentee?

I have shared with Peter lots of stories (some with positive

outcomes and others that had ugly outcomes) about how I

have learnt to improve my skills in dealing with others and

earning the trust of my co-workers.




mentoring program?

I feel my facilitation skills have been enhanced by

participating in this mentoring, especially because of the

formal structure of planning meetings and recording their

outcomes. I have also learnt a lot about smartphone apps.

☺



Write Reflection Notes (to be completed by the MENTEE)


THIS SECTION IS TO BE COMPLETED BY THE MENTEE


you?

It didn’t because I felt very confused and out-of-my-depth.


you?

I started to feel more confident that Steven was genuine in

trying to help me and he gave me good advice about not

requesting to participate in this year’s Managerial Fast-

Track Program.


you?

It was awesome. I am very grateful for Steven helping me

identify why I was so demotivated at work and for giving me

tangible action steps about how to improve my attitude.

This was a watershed moment for me.

Overall, has the



results for you so far?

I am more productive and enjoying my work more than

ever.



mentoring program?

I now feel that many of the people I work with are friends,

not just people who share the same office oxygen with me

every weekday.

What problems have

occurred during the

mentoring program?

I was very resentful of Steven initially because I felt he was

judging me. When he proved to me that he was serious

about helping me I felt much better.


have developed a


with the mentor?

Steven is a star. I trust him and I tell him things that I would

not share with other colleagues. He really listens and he

always tries to help whenever he can.




mentoring program?

I am much happier in the workplace and I am enjoying

setting goals and working towards achieving them.





Would you like to recommend the course?

If so, list the contact details of the person or persons in the

next box and we will send them an information pack. Thanks!

This is your opportunity to tell us what you thought of our training and trainers. We appreciate your assistance, as your feedback helps us to

maintain and improve standards. Thanks for your time

QUALIFICATION: Certificate IV in Leadership and Management

CLUSTER Leadership in the Workplace

LOCATION: DATE: / / 20___

LEARNING LEADER/S: __________________________________

Indicate how you felt the presenter performed:

Please tick �� Excellent Very Good Good Unsatisfactory

(A) Setting positive atmosphere for learning

� � � �

(B) Demonstrating ideas/concepts

� � � �

(C) Handling questions from the group

� � � �

(D) Understanding the needs of the group

� � � �

(E) Knowledge of the subject matter

� � � �

(F) General presentation of the course

� � � �

1. Nominate your favourite parts of the program:

2. Nominate your least favourite parts of the program:

3. What suggestions could you make to improve the program?

4. Overall, did it meet your expectations?

Yes �� No ��

5. Further comments?

TRAINING EVALUATION SHEET Version 3.2, 9 November 2015

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