Operational Leadership and Line Management

Overview  Your convenor  Objectives  Leadership and Management  Managing remote teams  Short break  Managing change  Team motivation and engagement

Jenny Lyons  Associate Director- GfK NOP  Specialist in Telephone Research  27 years MR experience  IQCS Council member since 2002

…and I still love it!

Objectives  Understanding “Management” and “Leadership”  Exploring some of the challenges of working within Operations  Increasing confidence  Re-igniting enthusiasm to motivate and engage our teams

Management and Leadership

Management v Leadership Exercise 1 We need some Managers and Leaders  What do they do?

 What are the differences?

 What key words describe their actions?

Management instruct control today supervise

Operational: Present Orientated

tasks

vision Leadership strategy future guiding

Evolutionary: Future Orientated

inspiration

“ People tolerate being managed, but they love being led” Stuart Wyatt, ‘The Secret Laws of Management’ 2010

How are we managing? (1)  Team/individual results  Appraisals  360 degree feedback systems  “My team loves me…”  We feel good about what we are doing So that’s good, isn’t it??

How are we managing ? (2)  Team expectations v reality  Staff rarely rebel against poor managers  Incompetent managers often slip through the net  Things tend to get done….

 Company politics

How are we leading? (1) “It is the followers, not the leaders or someone else who determines if the leader is successful. To be successful you have to convince your followers, not yourself or your superiors, that you are worthy of being followed” -Don Clark

How are we leading? (2)  Team inspired to do/be the best  Raised performance levels  Air of encouragement  Team feel empowered  High levels of enthusiasm and energy

Skill Sets ??

Management Skill Sets fair/consistent judgement decisive integrity approachable listening accountable

TECHNICAL

motivate delegate self-aware acknowledge communication team-player adaptable

Leadership Skill Sets  Visionary/strategic  Planning  Coaching and Development  Relationship- building  Influential

Management & Leadership (1)  We need both…  Good management elicits good performances  The team knows what to do and how they need to do it  .. but without leadership they are less motivated to give their best

Management & Leadership (2)  Good leadership inspires….

 Team more likely to become empowered  More drive towards peak performance  …but without good management there can be a lack of coordinated direction

Managing Remote Teams

Managing Remote Teams  Field workers  Home workers  Staff based at other sites  Staff based in other countries

Managing Remote Teams Exercise 2 What are the main challenges?

trust personal interaction motivation Challenges lack of control no history managing performance flexible working communication difficult conversations team building technology time

Trust  Determined by all you say and do  Be consistent and honest  Follow- up as agreed  Make the most of face-to-face contact  Use opportunities to get involved  Demonstrate accountability

Lack of Control  Change of mindset  We cannot monitor all activities  Change of focus to outcomes  Coach the team to achieve these outcomes

Communication  Set out how you will communicate  Many variables out of our control  Regular v impromptu  Consider the tone  Meetings need to have structure  Encourage peer group communication  Encourage team to communicate with us

Personal Interaction  Do the best you can  Maximise opportunities  Hearing a voice can work wonders….

 Encourage peer group contact

No History  Not always a bad thing  Maximise opportunities for getting to know the team  Starting relationships “from scratch” can reap rewards  It can be tough for the team too…..

Difficult Conversations  Always better face-to-face  Recognise not always possible  The first and last thing you say will be the most powerful  Don’t “fluff” the issue  … or go “overboard” if you are not having the meeting face-to-face

Motivation  Ensure you have communicated a clear strategy to the team  Let the team know what

you

are doing  Aim to empower as much as possible  Acknowledge achievements

Managing Performance  Set clear objectives and targets  Follow-up as agreed  Be fair/consistent  Be clear about the priorities  Revisit processes used to manage team performance

Team Building  It’s tough……  Most people want to “belong”  Encourage peer group bonding  Maximise opportunities for personal contact  Communication is key  Look for “bridges”

Time  Our biggest enemy  There is no easy solution …..

 Be organised  Understand and communicate the priorities  Believe your team are worthy of your time

Flexible Working  Don’t be scared……  Remember the benefits  Use your HR department  Activities v outcomes

Technology  Can be your friend or enemy  Variables out of our control  Understand team preferences  Sometimes the personal touch will be best  Experiment… (and encourage your team to do so too)

Managing Change

Change Happens … … we know that (but it doesn’t stop it from being annoying)

Big Things……  Take-overs/ mergers  Company names  Locations  Roles  Teams  Technology  Processes

Small Things…  New corporate colours  Stationery  Another new pen, mug and mouse mat…

Prosci’s Change Management Methodology Individual Change Management Understanding how one person makes a successful change Organisational Change Management Understanding what tools we have to help individuals make changes successfully

A D K A R

Individual Change

Awareness of the need for change Desire to participate Knowledge of how to change Ability to implement required skills/behaviours Reinforcement to sustain the change

Organisational Change preparing for change managing change •Sponsor roadmap •Training plan •Communication plan •Coaching plan •Resistance management reinforcing change

Connecting the two ….

Communications Sponsor Roadmap Coaching Resistance Management Training Awareness Desire Knowledge Ability Reinforcement

It’s all about attitude…..

… an attitude that builds a culture that supports change

Mindset  Consider change as an opportunity  Rekindle enthusiasm  Incorporate ideas from the team  Change is ongoing and should be expected  Change is not an imposition  Be as open as possible

Channelling that attitude …  Appear positive  Encourage team to instigate change  Acknowledge resistance/ concerns  Explain changes clearly  Be involved and follow-through

Things will go wrong….

 Opportunity for negative people to justify their opposition  Be calm…..

 Acknowledge the situation  Revisit your plans and amend where necessary

Don’t Forget…..

 To acknowledge those who helped make the change happen  To review the process (formally or informally)

Team Motivation and Engagement

Team Motivation and Engagement Exercise 3 What are the common de-motivators?

Common De-motivators  Persistent criticism  Unattainable targets/changing them  Withholding information  Being singled-out  Over-monitoring of work  Lack of recognition  Stolen Credit  Removing responsibility

Creating the Team Culture  Be seen to make things happen  Be disciplined  Set clear goals and targets and revisit  Ensure roles and responsibilities are clear  Know your team  Acknowledge and praise  Encourage and empower

Ultimately, it’s about us …. and what we bring as individuals to the team

Those who know much may be learned, Those that understand themselves are more intelligent.

Those who control others may be powerful, but those who master themselves are mightier still.

Lao-Tzu 4 th century BC

Questions/ Comments?

Thank you