IMPROVING PERSONAL

EFFECTIVENESS AT WORK

Chapter 28

PERSONAL DEVELOPMENT

Mentoring

Coaching

Counselling

Plans Time

managementPersonal

effectiveness

Personal Development Plans

Refers to a clear, developmental action plan for an individual that incorporates a wide set of developmental opportunities including formal training.

Takes place in consultation with management and encourages employees to take control and ownership of their development.

Purpose of PDP Growth is triggered by jobs that provide

challenging stretching goals

Challenging job goals

Effort Performance Psychological

success

Self esteemInvolvement Counselling

Support Feedback

Purpose of the plan: Improved performance in current job Developing skills (manual, intellectual,

mental, perceptual, social) for future career moves within or outside the organisation

Developing specialist expertise

Preparing PDPStage 1

Analysis of the current position

Stage 3

Draw up action plans to achieve the goals

Stage 2

Set goals to cover:

Performance in the existing job

Future changes in the current role

Moving elsewhere in the organisation

Developing special expertise

Stage 1 – employee & superior carry out a personal SWOT analysis

Stage 2 – low areas of performance are examined and causes established

Weaknesses are identified and a set of personal objectives on how to overcome these weaknesses are set

Goals should be SMART

Aptitude/Interest – Performance – Matrix

Performance

High Low

Aptitude/Interest

HighLike and do well Like but don’t do well

LowDislike but do well Dislike and don’t do well

Stage 3 – action plans & training programs based on addressing the identified weaknesses and improving the employees overall performance are discusses and later implemented.

Goals

Strategies

Tactics

Actions

Impact of continuous monitoring & feedback

Monitoring refers to watching over something that is happening

Control gives people timely, relevant feedback on their performance. Aim is to improve performance through monitoring and control.

Feedback should be:– Clear and frequent– Motivational effect by recognising work done

and rewarding improved performance levels– Offer recognition, praise & encouragement –

to sustain motivation

TIME MANAGEMENT

PurposeImproving personal

effectivenessBarriers Techniques

Time

Time is a scarce resource and managers’ time must be used to the best effect.

Urgency and importance must be recognised and distinguished.

Effective time management

Involves attention to:

Goal or target setting Focus

Action planning Urgency

Prioritising Organisation

Purpose of Time management

Plan the best use of time Cut down on time wasted Devote more time to really important

issues Complete more in the time available Leads to:

– Elimination of wastage– Monitoring of progress– Better allocation of resources

Time management techniques

Spend time planning & organising Produce an activity log Cost your time Make lists Prioritise Schedule work Concentrate and control

ABCD method of in-tray management

Act on the item immediately Bin it, if you are sure it is worthless,

irrelevant and unnecessary Create a definite plan for coming back to

the item: get it on your schedule, timetable or to do list

Delegate it to someone else to hande

Costing your time

Conserving your time

Time wasted due to

What is your total cost?

How much productive time do you achieve?

What utilization do you obtain?

How much would a temp or sub contractor charge?

Communicating effectively

Organising meetings effectively

Reducing paperwork

Controlling interruptions

Setting time objectives for tasks

Lack of focus on task

Failure to delegate

Interruptions

Fatigue

Failure to communicate

Failure to anticipate

Time management can also be improved by developing appropriate skills like:

Faster reading Report writing Handling meetings Assertiveness

Covey’s four generation of time management approaches

First generation: Reminders Second generation: Planning and preparation Third generation: Planning, prioritising and

controlling Fourth generation: Being efficient and proactive

Which category are you in??

Influences on person’s use of time

CULTURE

TIME MANAGEMENT

MANAGEMENT STYLE

COLLEAGUES’ INFLUENCE

NATURE OF WORK

STAFF DEMANDS

INDIVIDUAL’S PERSONALITY

INDIVIDUAL’S PESONAL SKILLS

Barriers to effective time management

Established jobs with routine & predictable work have fewer barriers than new or developing work

Jobs involving contact with others are more prone to interruptions that those with no clear contact

People with their own offices can dictate open time and closed time through leaving office doors open or closed

Location of colleagues, customers & suppliers – time taken to travel

Organisation cultures – informal or formal Attributes and style of jobholder

Barriers to effective time management

Internal External

Discipline

Procrastination

Lack of motivation

Workload issues

Available resources

Overcome internal barriers

Overcome external barriers

Be assertive

Identify and make use of up times and down times

Conquer procrastination

Promise yourself a reward

Do the right thing right

Eliminate the urgent

Break big jobs into little steps

Use negotiation to improve the use of time

Improving personal effectiveness

Being effective means getting the result you want!

Use a planning aid– Electronic personal organisers– Project management software– Hand-held computerised diaries– Integrated software packages

Mentoring

A process where one person offers help, guidance, advice & support to facilitate the learning or development of another.

3 core activities:– Exchange of knowledge that is unique to a

business, industry, profession or organisation– A sustained partnering relationship– Measurable, beneficial outcomes for the

individual parties involved and for the larger organisation

Mentor is a guide, counsellor, tutor who:– Can give practical study support & advice– Can give technical, ethical & general business

guidance– Help with development of interpersonal &

work skills– Is an impartial sounding board– Is a role model who can help improve career

goals

Coaching

Focuses on achieving specific objectives, usually within a preferred time period

Takes place on a one-2-one basis, is set in the everyday work situation and is a continuing activity

Involves gently nudging people to improve their performance, develop their skills & to increase their self confidence.

Carried out by a more senior person

Counselling

Defined as “purposeful relationship in which one person helps another to help him/herself”

A way of relating and responding to another person so that the person is helped to explore his thoughts, feelings, behaviours with the aim of reaching a clearer understanding

A counsellor must be:

– Observant– Sensitive– Empathetic– Impartial– Discreet

Through active listening, the use of open questions and clarifications, the counsellor encourages reflection & helps the client identify issues & solutions.

It does not involve giving advice or making suggestions!!!