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Style Of Training

admin — Wed, 21 Jul 2010 17:00:35 +0000

You can find them almost everywhere. Myers-Briggs, Enneagrams, leadership styles, learning styles, communication styles, teaching styles, conflict management styles…all designed to classify or label people so they can better understand themselves and others. More and more training vendors are using style questionnaires as a basis for training and development. The question is: are they really useful, or are they just fun exercises akin to astrology?

Overview
Style questionnaires usually consist of a number of items. Format may vary. In some, you may be asked to choose one of two activities (forced choice), while in others you may choose one option from a set of four or five. After you have completed all of the questions, you tally up your scores to determine which category of style is your most dominant. If it’s a decision making/ leadership style instrument, you may fall into one of the following categories: autocratic, consultative, participative or laissez faire. If it’s a conflict
management style instrument, you may fall into the following: avoider, confronter, compromiser, or co-operator. Generally, your results will give you a “reading” of your preferred style, a secondary style, and your least preferred style. Things You Should Know

1. Psychological research indicates that people’s behaviour is not very consistent. It is naturally situational specific. For example, you may use one conflict management style with a subordinate, and an entirely different one with your boss, regardless of what your “preferred style” might be. Your behaviour, in any given situation, is largely determined by the situation, NOT your preferred style. So, style questionnaires are a relatively poor predictor of what you (or someone else) will do in the real world.

2. There is a tendency for people completing these types of questionnaires to respond in a way that is consistent with how they would like to be, rather than the way they actually behave. For example, few people want to see themselves as wimpy conflict avoiders, so it isn’t surprising that you don’t come across too many people that fall into this category. Since many instruments are pretty easy to “figure out”, there is a tendency for people to respond in ways that they feel will present themselves in a positive light.

3. In many cases, the descriptions you receive as part of the interpretation of your score(s) are sufficiently general as to fit almost anyone. At least some of it is going to fit, much like the astrology predictions one finds in the newspaper.

4. Many trainers, or test administrators know that people are interested in themselves, and will become highly motivated when they are given the opportunity to “find out about themselves”. Taking a test about oneself is fun, and exciting, and often this excitement will obscure the fact that the instrument is poor, and the interpretations overly general.

5. Many trainers or test administrators have had little training in the use of instruments. Almost anyone can purchase questionnaires and offer them to clients. As a result trainers may not be aware of the limitations of the instruments or the interpretations, having had little or no education in test theory, or psychology.

On The Negative Side The negative side of training based on these instruments is that things appear scientific. The limitations of the approach are not always explained, and it is possible to take the enterprise far too seriously. In the hands of an unqualified trainer or consultant, the process becomes more of a fun parlour game, rather than a useful one. The primary danger here is that we will take the results far too seriously. Human behaviour is so complicated that a quick style assessment instrument simply cannot do justice to human complexity. In the hands of trainers with a limited background in testing or psychology, the results can be “oversold”.
Finally, there is no guarantee that a person’s behaviour will change as a result of taking one of these courses, or instruments. There is no guarantee that they will become better team members, more tolerant, or more effective. What they will be able to do is label themselves or others as being of a particular style. They may learn to explain a person’s behaviour (or their own) as being a result of a style preference, and that explanation will almost always be overly simplistic.

On The Positive Side

Besides being fun, these kinds of instruments have one primary benefit. They encourage people to be reflective about themselves and others. Even if the results of these instruments are totally bogus, and have no relationship with real world behaviour, people tend to look at themselves a bit more carefully. This is good. Whenever people think about themselves and their own behaviour, there is a chance that they will find better or different ways to behave.

Recommendations

1. Approach test results as suggestive at best. Be aware that your behaviour is determined by many factors, and that most tests are very general.

2. If you are contemplating attending a training course based on style identification, inquire as to where the trainer learned to administer the test. If they “learned it from a book”, then it is likely that they will have insufficient background to use the test properly. Look for people that have some form of formal training or certification. This is no guarantee that they will have the breadth of knowledge to point out the test limitations, but at least they will understand the instrument they are using.

3. If you think that having your team identify their particular styles is going to increase tolerance and team effectiveness, think again. On its own, it can create as many problems as it solves. It is possible that people will understand each other, but it is just as likely that they will use style labels to justify their intolerance.

4. Find out how the particular test was developed. Ask how the validity of the test was determined, and whether it is reliable. Validity and reliability of tests are very technical topics. However, if the trainer can’t answer your questions, or doesn’t understand them, then you can pretty much assume that he or she is not competent to use the instrument.

5. Finally, approach these forms of tests as fun exercises that may encourage reflection. Don’t get fooled by the appearance of science here unless the instrument has been thoroughly tested, and take the interpretations with a grain of salt. They should be seen as suggestive, not absolute, and can be used to stimulate discussion and thinking. Remember that no test can capture the complexity and flexibility of human behaviour.
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Is There A Secret To Success?

admin — Wed, 21 Jul 2010 16:43:26 +0000

Everyone wants to do well and thus everyone loves to know the secret of success. What will allow me to be first? How can I be guaranteed that this song will be a hit? What should I do so that this presentation is going to be loved? The fact of the matter is that there is no instant recipe for success. If you follow a number of steps, you can increase your chances of being successful but there are no guarantees.

Because there are no guarantees other than hard work, many people are attracted by the lure of short cuts and cheating. Some people think trading in the stock markets is an easy way to success, so we see a no. of intraday traders with their hopes high sitting in front of the computer screen every day but only 10% of them are able to succeed, others just loose out in the rat race. This is why steroids are so popular in athletics and why doping is so horribly rife in cycling. The horse racing industry has been beset by scandal of people taking unfair means in order to take an advantage. With the millions of dollars at stake, people feel the risk of being caught is worth it. Also the horse, doesn’t get much of a say in the matter. So what can you do which is allowed? You can be organized, prepared and methodical. You can wake up early, go to bed late and in between put in the hours to make sure that you can do everything you can possibly do to have the best chances of being successful. This isn’t as glamorous nor does it have the thrill of doing something which is illegal. That’s just the way things work.
Unfortunately many people are put off by the thought of putting in the hours and working hard. Hard work is just something that most people want to avoid, but on the contrary this is the easiest way to success. On the flip side, it means that if you are prepared to do it, you can come out on top. Glory via cheating is short-term.
Eventually you are caught and then have to live with the shame and the guilt. This is a huge difference from success that comes via hard work – here you are left with a sense of achievement and pride that never goes away.
Marion Jones may have been the darling of the 2000 Olympics which took place in Sydney but now she is disgraced. Her medals were taken away and she went to prison. A similar thing happened in baseball with Mark McGwire and Barry Bonds who will never go into the Hall of Fame. The greyhound racing world was shocked when a highly successful trainer was found out to be cheating. He went into hiding and hasn’t been heard of since.
In the corporate world, there isn’t enough punishment for those who break the rules. People who embezzle and are guilty of insider trading are given a slap on the wrist. The classic example is Bernie Madoff but what could happen to him where the punishment truly fits the crime. The magnitude of his crime means nothing could ever fit the bill.
Now let’s look at a few examples of how hard work has paid off in life. Remember Lance Armstrong?? On October 2, 1996, at age 25, Armstrong was diagnosed with stage three testicular cancer. The cancer spread to his lungs, abdomen and brain. On that first visit to a urologist in Austin, Texas, for his cancer symptoms he was coughing up blood and had a large, painful testicular tumour. Immediate surgery and chemotherapy were required to save his life. Armstrong had an orchiectomy to remove his diseased testicle. After his surgery, his doctor stated that he had less than a 40% survival chance. Before his cancer treatment, Armstrong had won two Tour de France stages. In 1993, he won the 8th stage and in 1995 he took stage 18 in honour of teammate Fabio Casartelli who crashed and died on stage 15. Armstrong dropped out of the 1996 Tour on the 7th stage after becoming ill, a few months before his diagnosis. Armstrong’s cycling comeback began in 1998 when he finished fourth in the Vuelta a España. In 1999 he won the Tour de France, including four stages. He beat the second rider, Alex Zülle, by 7 minutes 37 seconds. However, the absence of Jan Ullrich (injury) and Marco Pantani (drug allegations) meant Armstrong had not yet proven himself against the biggest names. Stage wins included the prologue, stage eight, an individual time trial in Metz, an Alpine stage on stage nine, and the second individual time trial on stage 19. In 2000, Ullrich and Pantani returned to challenge Armstrong. The race that began a six-year rivalry between Ullrich and Armstrong ended in victory for Armstrong by 6 minutes 2 seconds over Ullrich. Armstrong took one stage in the 2000 Tour, the second individual time trial on stage 19. In 2001, Armstrong again took top honours, beating Ullrich by 6 minutes 44 seconds. In 2002, Ullrich did not participate due to suspension, and Armstrong won by seven minutes over Joseba Beloki.
Now this is what we call hard work, dedication, perseverance etc. It can be unanimously said that there is no substitute for hard work. Gambling, cheating will only get you success 1 out of 10 times. Some would say that the cheaters are just given us what we want. We want people to cheer and support and that is what they are providing us. This seems like a weak rationalization for doing something which is

Is There A Secret To Success? wrong. They want to succeed and are prepared to do so at any cost. Well is it worth this much?
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Roles and functions: contribution to organisational performance

maddy — Tue, 29 Jun 2010 18:05:04 +0000

A Nottingham County Surveyor, Edgar Purnell Hooley, discovered tarmac by accident in the early 20th century. He found a barrel of tar had spilled onto the road at a local ironworks. This had mixed with waste slag from the furnaces. The result was a dust-free, strong surface. Hooley created and patented the product that could take the weight of the new automobile. In 1903 the Tarmacadam syndicate was formed, its name taken from the developer of the road construction system, John MacAdam.

The Tarmac Group is now a large and complex company and is organised into three businesses:

1) Tarmac Quarry Materials – ready mixed concrete, asphalt, aggregates, lime, cement and contracting services
2) Tarmac Building Products – mortar, screed, masonry, packed and
3) Precast products International.
This case study focuses on how the people in Tarmac Quarry Materials deliver the highest value for customers, communities, employees and investors.
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Football Lessons for Managers

maddy — Sat, 26 Jun 2010 05:08:07 +0000

Business managers might think that the football World Cup will be best spent ordering distracted employees to close down the video links and concentrate on their work.But there s much to learn from the tournament about organizing teams and motivating individuals.

The experiences football managers collect through their careers are as intense as any a leader in the commercial world could expect to find and the lessons they learn along the way can easily be applied off the pitch.
Why else would companies continue to reward managers for their own individual performance, rather than that of their team?
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KBR: Roles and responsibilities within an organisational structure

admin — Sun, 20 Jun 2010 08:51:42 +0000

KBR (Kellogg, Brown and Root) is a Texas-based global corporation. It employs over 57,000 people worldwide and is a leading engineering, construction and services company. It supports the energy, hydrocarbon, government services and civil infrastructure sectors. KBR’s business is based on project management activities.
The core values of the business are a central part of the culture throughout KBR. These include an uncompromising commitment to health & safety and open and honest relationships between employees that are based on mutual respect. The company’s values focus on transparency, accountability, financial responsibility and discipline. Conducting business with the utmost integrity and ethics is the foundation of KBR’s day-to-day business.
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Highways Agency – PEST analysis

maddy — Sun, 20 Jun 2010 08:39:29 +0000

The Highways Agency was established in 1994. It is an executive agency of the Department for Transport and has responsibility for the operation of the strategic road network in England, within the context of the government’s aim of a sustainable transport system which will support economic growth. The Agency’s aim is: ’safe roads, reliable journeys, informed travellers’. Its functions include tackling congestion, providing accurate information for drivers and improving safety.
The Highways Agency operates within a complex external environment. The government’s transport policy sets the overall agenda, but several other external factors impact on the Agency’s operations. PEST analysis is a useful tool to analyse these external forces and help inform future strategy and set priorities. This case study looks at the political, economic, social and technological factors that impact on the Highways Agency.
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First Direct: Using customer service to position a business

maddy — Sun, 20 Jun 2010 08:29:25 +0000

Customer service is more important for businesses that provide services rather than physical products. In fact it is often good customer service that wins and keeps customers in the first place. Many service industries provide essentially similar products. For example, all hotels provide accommodation and most offer food as well. All banks offer customers current and savings accounts. It can be difficult to differentiate between service products. They have intangible qualities. This is why it is important to ensure that customers have a good experience.
first direct is a division of the HSBC Bank. It provides a range of banking services, offering customers products such as current accounts, credit cards, savings accounts, insurance and loans. What is different is that first direct does not have a branch network.
This case study shows how the online bank first direct positions itself in the retail banking sector. It illustrates how customer service has become a key factor in helping the bank to differentiate its offer to customers in a competitive market.
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Use of PEST analysis at UNISON

maddy — Sat, 19 Jun 2010 11:34:41 +0000

UNISON is Britain and Europe’s biggest public sector trade union, representing more than 1.3 million members working in public services.
UNISON campaigns on a variety of issues relevant to its members. Currently, it is running the Migrant Workers Participation Project. This campaign focuses on the issues faced by migrant workers in the UK. Migrant workers are employees who have moved from overseas to the UK to find work. They form an important and growing part of the workforce in both the private sector and public sector.
These workers are at particular risk of being exploited in the workplace. This may be due to lack of knowledge of their rights, their limited command of the English language and the fact that they are often reluctant to complain about their treatment by employers. They may also be exploited because of racist attitudes. UNISON believes that the best way of preventing exploitation is through trade union representation in the workplace. One of the objectives of the current UNISON campaign is to increase the number of migrant workers who are part of the union.
UNISON looks at a range of issues to assess the external factors it needs to take account of when considering the needs of its members. UNISON considered these factors when setting its aims and objectives for protecting the rights of migrant workers. An understanding of many external factors helped it to decide which strategies and tactics were best for achieving these objectives.
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Managing firms throughout the business cycle: The Davis Way!

maddy — Sat, 19 Jun 2010 11:29:55 +0000

The first decade of the 21st century has been a rollercoaster ride for economic activity. Business confidence was high at the start of the millennium. This was particularly fuelled by the growth of the internet as a means of buying and selling. A lot of companies have developed websites and there has been a rapid increase in online purchasing.
during 2008/9 the rapid growth of world markets came to a halt. Many of the problems stemmed from banks lending money to risky borrowers. When some of these failed to pay back this led to a rapid loss of confidence in the banking system. Banks became reluctant to lend.
The Davis Service Group provides textile maintenance services in the UK and Europe. This includes linen hire, work-wear rental, dust control mat, laundry and washroom services. The Group consists of two main operating companies each with its own directors and executive team.

These two operating companies delegate responsibility and authority to profit centres throughout the Group. Providing essential services enables the company to grow when economic activity is expanding in its various markets.
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CIMA: Enabling & Improving strategic decision making

maddy — Sat, 19 Jun 2010 11:25:44 +0000

Financial accountants keep records of business transactions such as sales invoices. They use these records to prepare a firm’s accounting statements. Management accountants evaluate and interpret this financial data to advise the senior managers in the business.
CIMA is the leading and largest professional body for management accountants with over 171,000 members and students operating at the heart of business in 165 countries. Its members work in financial and non-financial roles throughout organisations and carry out all their training and experience requirements in business itself. This provides them with a unique insight into how their organisations operate. CIMA’s mission is to be the first choice for employers in the qualification and development of management accountants.
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