essential leadership skills and qualities

© 2016 Marval Software Limited www.marval.co.uk E:[email protected]

Essential Leadership

Skills and Qualities


Objectives

Determine the attributes, skills and knowledge an effective manager requires

Learn about some of the key skills and qualities required to become a world-class leader

Review the importance of communication skills

Learn the basics of Transactional Analysis theory

Recognise the importance of good people management skills

Review presentation skills

Understand the importance of effective team and culture building skills


Attributes, skills and competencies

Attribute: A quality or characteristic inherent in or ascribed to someone or something

Skill: Proficiency, facility, or dexterity that is acquired or developed through training or experience; a developed talent or ability: e.g. writing skills

Competency: suitability, competence; the ability to do something well


Communication skills


Communication skills

Effective listening on the 'phone

Face-to-face communication

Face-to-face listening


Albert Mehrabian

Well respected business psychologist

He determined that impact of a ‘message’

comes from 3 areas:

The words spoken (language used)

How the words are said (tone of voice)

Body language (non verbal communication

NVC)


Elements of Communication

Ways in which we communicate include:

Verbally

Non-verbally

Written word

Via technology

E.g. email – where offence is

most frequently given


It’s not what you say…

Please pass me the paper

Can you move the chair?

Thank you very much

Sorry to keep you waiting

I want to talk to you about this project

What did you say?

Can I have your name and number

please?


Often heard expressions

A B C

You’d better I suppose so I

If you don’t… I hope you don’t

mind but

I think

Watch out! Would you mind

very much if

I feel

Come on! Sorry ... Sorry ...

Sorry

I want

You’re stupid! I wonder Let’s

You’re useless! Do you think that

How can we

resolve this?


Face-to-face communication

Words used

How said

NVC

Source: Albert Mehrabian

7%

38%

55%


Quick reminder

Letter/email/text: = 7%

Telephone:

38% + 7% = 45%

Face-to-face:

38%+ 7% + 55% = 100%

More likely to be misunderstood

Less likely to be misunderstood


Communication tips and hints

Standard Emails

All standard templates

MUST

Create the right image

Be sense-checked

Be proof-read

Be signed-off as

appropriate, relevant

and coherent



Ad hoc business emails Use business language

Clear and concise

Punctuation – correct and never excessive

Be wary of sending to ‘All’

Difficult issues – email is not the best vehicle

Avoid abbreviations and acronyms

No smileys

Use signature blocks

Avoid single word/phrase responses

Include original message with reply

Avoid all UPPER case



Written communication in general

Never forget that request logs are business

documents

Well written documentation provides

a positive impression

re-useable data

Use spell and grammar checkers

Avoid acronyms, abbreviations and slang

No dubious comments



In-person communication

SHOW that you are listening

REALLY listen

Don’t interrupt unless essential

Remember non verbal communication

How do YOU like someone to respond/react

when you are talking to them?



On the ‘phone

NO visual clues

Tone of voice - energy or lethargy?

Clarity and rate of speech

Appropriate verbal responses

Ask questions to clarify and confirm

Keep focused and LISTEN

Take notes

Summarise


Transactional Analysis Theory

Devised originally by Eric Berne who stated that each of us has three alter ego states:

Parent: Our ingrained voice of authority, absorbed conditioning, learning and attitudes from when we were young

Child: Our internal reaction and feelings to external events

Adult: Our ability to think and determine action for ourselves, based on received data


In a nutshell

Parent is our 'Taught' concept of life

Adult is our 'Thought' concept of life

Child is our 'Felt' concept of life


Transactional Analysis Clues

Parent

Physical : angry or impatient body-language and expressions, finger-pointing, patronising gestures

Verbal : ‘always’, ‘never’, ‘for once and for all’; judgmental words; critical words; patronising language; posturing language

N.B. Be aware of cultural differences in body language that appear 'Parental'



Child

Physical : emotionally sad expressions, despair,

temper tantrums, whining voice, rolling eyes,

shrugging shoulders, teasing, delight, laughter,

speaking behind hand, raising hand to speak,

squirming and giggling

Verbal : baby talk, I wish, I dunno, I want, I'm

gonna, I don't care, oh no not again, things

never go right for me, worst day of my life,

bigger, biggest, best, many superlatives, words

to impress



Adult

Physical : attentive, interested, straight-forward,

tilted head, non-threatening and non-threatened

Verbal : Why?, What?, How?, Who?, Where? and

When?, How much?, In what way?, comparative

expressions, reasoned statements, true, false,

probably, possibly, I think, I realise, I see, I

believe, in my opinion



There is no general rule as to the

effectiveness of any ego state in any given

situation

For a balanced approach to life, Adult to

Adult is generally recommended


I’m OK – You’re OK*

I’m OK – You’re OK

I’m OK – You’re not OK

You’re OK – I’m not OK

I’m not OK – You’re not OK

*title of book by Thomas A. Harris


Good leadership essentials

Performance management skills

Partnering skills

Interpersonal skills


The communication process

Poor communication is generally

considered the biggest area of

management weakness


The worst offences

Leaders don’t communicate enough or at

all

Leaders over-communicate

Leaders communicate inappropriately

through outbursts, anger, or blaming

Leaders don’t communicate clearly


Discussion points

1. Is being articulate a pre-requisite for IT support staff?

2. Should good written skills be a pre-requisite for IT support staff?

3. Should all IT staff be equally good at communicating?

4. When did you last assess the communication strengths and weaknesses of your team?

5. When did you last assess your own communication strengths and weaknesses?

6. Do you also identify communication skills opportunities and threats?

7. Does your skills matrix include interpersonal skills?


Effective leadership

You are required to:

Provide appropriate and consistent feedback

Listen to/involve others in the feedback

process

Use a leadership style that is appropriate to

the person, task and situation

Set clear goals and objectives

Train and develop your people


Four winning behaviours

1. Focus on the right target and the right

vision

2. Treat your customers well

3. Treat your people well

4. Use the right kind of leadership


Managing meetings

Common types of meetings:

Planning

Briefings

Focus groups, information exchange sessions

(information gathering)

Team performance reviews

Appraisals and disciplinaries


Characteristics of a successful meeting

Scheduled in advance with sufficient notice

given

Agenda produced, published and circulated

Meeting objectives defined

Attendee list

Start and finish on time

Meeting ‘rules’ adhered to

Minutes, outcomes, actions and deadlines

documented and circulated promptly


Presentations

Use appropriate format and style for the audience

Three key stages for a presentation:

The introduction

The main body of the presentation

The summary or conclusion

Use the right language

Good visual aids

Review and practice


Presentation tips

Visual aids

Supporting documentation

Audience participation


Communication and negotiation

Be willing to compromise

Determine the real need

Acknowledge other person's ideas

Recognise and acknowledge emotions Know how to address them

Discuss all people’s perceptions

Ensure active participation from all

Seek a compromise that suits all

Recognise personality types, emotions and motivations of all participants


Questioning skills

Basic forms of questions:

Open

Closed

Clarifying


Information-gathering techniques

One way

Structured

Unstructured


Relationship Management

To manage relationships successfully,

we must understand other people’s

needs and manage their expectations


Business Relationship Skills

Most business interactions are managed via

communication of one sort or another

‘Diff’rent folks for diff’rent strokes’

Differing personalities in the workplace

The Achiever, the Affiliator and the

Influencer


What influences these?

Personality types are influenced by three

principal factors:

Our family and upbringing initially

Subsequently by our peers

Society in general

We develop our own style of achieving and

striving for success from our own inborn talents,

life experiences and role models


The Achiever

Internally motivated

High standards and goals (self-set)

Successful accomplishment of tasks very

important

Approx 10% of population are strongly

motivated by achievement

Many achievers are found in positions of

management


The Affiliator

Belonging

Relating to others

How they are treated by others

These motivators are so important to

affiliators that they influence the choices

they make about how they work


The Influencer

Tend to be inspirational people

Power to influence people is important to

them

Strengthen others self-belief - particularly

in competence and ability to contribute to

success


Comparisons

Using sport as an example

Achievers - may prefer individual games

Affiliators - may prefer team sports

Influencers - almost any team sport provided

they hold a position such as team coach,

captain or manager


Business relationship skills and qualities

Personal image

Perception

Self knowledge and self development

Trust and respect for self and others

Understanding and contributing to effective teamwork

Motivation of self and others

Availability – personal time management

Recognition of stress in self and others, coping with pressure

Recognition of different approaches

Plus the ‘people skills’ that relate to all these points


Summary

Attributes, skills and

knowledge for

managers

Transactional Analysis

– the basics

‘I’m OK - You’re OK’

Leadership essentials

Perceived

management

communication flaws

Four winning

leadership behaviours

Further skills for

leaders

Business relationship

skills


About Marval

Marval offers a

customer-centric

approach to IT service

management (ITSM),

encompassing ITSM

software, consultancy

and education

People

Technology Process


Thank you for watching

essential leadership skills and qualities

Leadership & Management