Management Skills - CIMA Official Learning System Enterprise Management - Annotated Bibliography Example

Management Skills - CIMA Official Learning System Enterprise Management Introduction Management is one of the most difficult tasks in any organization or in any enterprise or activity. For some people, it is a conscious and natural ability. For others however, it can prove to be a daunting and overwhelming task. It is however recognized that there are skills which are needed in order to achieve efficacy as a manager. This paper shall discuss five of these skills which I think I need to improve. These five skills are: delegation, communication, coaching, creativeness and motivational skills. This paper shall also use materials from books, journals, news articles, and internet materials in order to establish how I can improve on these skills. This paper is being carried out in order to establish a comprehensive and academic discussion of leadership and management – how to establish efficacy in these areas based on practical concepts. Improvement Area 1: Delegation Summary of source 1: CIMA Official Learning System Enterprise Management In the book by Norton and Hughes (2009), the authors discuss about different management skills and one of these skills is delegation. Their discussion on delegation points out how a leader or a manager discusses to the members of the team or the organization about the task or the activity which has to be carried out and what each of them has to do in order to contribute to the accomplishment of the task (Norton & Hughes, 2009). In their discussion, the authors were able to point out that the leader is actually not fully capable or competent in carrying out the task which is needed to complete the activity; hence, such tasks are assigned to different people who are more capable (Norton & Hughes, 2009). Delegation is about empowering each member of the team and giving each member a chance to be a leader and a chance to contribute to the bigger goals of the organization or the team. The authors discuss in their book that delegation is about allowing the members of the team to make mistakes – and to correct such mistakes – without the fear of being blamed for such mistakes (Norton & Hughes, 2009). Summary of Source 2: Successful Delegation In the above article, the website Mind Tools discusses about principles which can be applied by a person in order to ensure successful delegation. The website first emphasizes that it is important to clearly articulate or express the desired outcome to the members of the group. It is therefore important to begin with end goals in mind and to specify how results can be gained from the end goals (MindTools, 2010). The constraints and boundaries also have to be identified, including the lines of authority and responsibility for each member of the group. It is also important to empower the members through the delegation process and in letting them decide which tasks can be assigned to them (MindTools, 2010). Managers can also learn to match the responsibility and authority for the members of the group and for managers to keep in mind that ultimate accountability for the actions of the group still rests with themselves. Moreover, delegating to the least and lowest organization level would help ensure that those who are closest to the tasks suit the tasks assigned to them (MindTools, 2010). Adequate resources need to be given to the members delegated to the different tasks; this ensures open communication within the organization while different tasks are being undertaken. The website also emphasizes that managers need to focus on results and end goals – let the people do what they are supposed to do and in the way they want to do things. This helps build trusting relationships between managers and members. Upward delegation must also be avoided; members must come up with ways to finish their assigned tasks and not to shift the responsibility for such tasks to the managers (MindTools, 2010). Motivation and commitment among the members must also be maintained, as well as control. Control can be established by discussing timelines with the members of the team, agreeing on scheduled checkpoints in order to assess progress of projects, making adjustments when needed, as well as taking the time to review different submitted works in the organization (MindTools, 2010). Summary of Source 3: Effective management through delegation This article by Muir (1995) discusses about how effective management can be ensured through the process of delegation. When organizations expand, tasks also become more complicated. In order to maintain the competency of the organization, it is important for tasks to be accomplished by people who are highly competent in these activities. Delegation is one of the best ways to ensure the capability of the organization (Muir, 1995). It is therefore important for managers to enable their members to accomplish tasks for the organization in order to keep jobs completed and on time. The process of delegation has to be carried out with great clarity and planning. The task delegated must be identified clearly with its boundaries and limits and with the requisite criteria to judge quality and completeness (Muir, 1995). Tasks assigned must not be vague and confusing. The effectiveness of the delegation process can also reach its premium when the staff members are capable of taking the required responsibilities. Therefore, staff members recruited must have the technical expertise and knowledge to carry out the tasks which need to be accomplished (Muir, 1995). Moreover, other people in the organization must also know about the tasks assigned to particular individuals. This prevents other people in the organization from wondering why certain people are performing the responsibilities of the managers. This helps ensure the cooperation of the other employees (Muir, 2009). Managers in organizations do not have to control or plan everything for the company or organization; they can also delegate the work to competent individuals in order to allow for more work to be accomplished for the organization (Muir, 2009). Delegation, in effect, helps to increase efficiency and general work satisfaction for members and managers. Improvement Area 2: Communication Summary of Source 1: Introduction to business In a book by Madura, a portion of his discussion features communication techniques which can be employed by managers with their customers and their employees. Communicating with customers is an important part of the leadership process because it helps to ensure that the concerns of customers are not ignored by the managers. Communicating with customers is all about listening to them and acting on their concerns (Madura, 2007). Being noticed and being given attention by managers helps engage the confidence and the trust of the customers on managers and on the organization. In the process, it helps ensure their patronage. Madura (2007) also explains that communicating with employees is about clearly explaining oneself to the employees. It is about ensuring that the employees have understood instructions well and that they are acting on instructions based on managerial preferences (Madura, 2007). Effective communication skills can also be ensured with the application of good interpersonal skills within the organization – from the higher managers down to the lower level employees. Constantly keeping in touch with the different levels of employees can guarantee that the activities of different employees in the organization are known by the managers and are later used in order to secure effective managerial decisions (Madura, 2007). Summary of Source 2: Effective Communication Skills In an article published in Bizmove (n.d), the website discusses effective communication and how this type of communication depends so much on the right tools possessed by the communicator. These right tools rely largely on the skills which a communicator possesses and on the adequate assessment of the entire communication process. The article discusses also about the communication process and the elements of communication which includes the transmitter, the message, the transmittal, and the receiver (Bizmove, n.d). The transmitter communicates the message; the message is the information which has to be transmitted; the transmittal is the process of communicating the information (this may be oral or non-verbal); and the receiver or the person to whom the communication is meant for. In order to ensure an effective communication process, the speaker or the people communicating with each other can express their ideas or the information through speaking, writing, reading, and listening (Bizmove, n.d). In order to improve one’s speaking skills, reviewing the techniques of other charismatic and effective speakers can help improve one’s speaking abilities. Practicing how to speak in front of a group can also help improve one’s speaking skills (Bizmove, n.d). Reading can also be improved through practice and joining speed reading classes. Writing is also another skill which can develop and can be perfected through practice. More specifically, managers can improve their writing skills by documenting or writing down most of their activities and how they plan to accomplish and carry out said activities (Bizmove, n.d). Listening is the most important element of the communication process. It is about intently giving one’s time to another person and understanding what they want to express beyond their words and even their gestures (Bizmove, n.d). There are barriers to communication; however, once these barriers are overcome, communication can be used as an important managerial tool. These barriers include the lack of a common core of experience between the transmitter and the receiver; failure of the transmitter to clearly evaluate the words and message expressed, and the overuse of abstractions in the message (Bizmove, n.d). By resolving these barriers, effective communication processes can be secured by the manager in his organization. Summary of Source 3: Activities to Improve Communication Skills In this article, the author discusses activities which can be used on order to improve communication skills. The author points out that many adults often find themselves in situations where they have to communicate in a more public arena or with their co-workers. Some often feel intimidated in communicating in this set-up (Emme, 2010). Tips which can help improve communication skills include the following: listening with intent, forcing oneself to speak, and quizzing oneself. Listening with intent is about actively listening to what another person is saying. When a person’s turn in speaking comes up then one would know what to say and what to contribute to the conversation (Emme, 2010). It is also important to know what to say before actually speaking it. Things may seem obvious in the long run, but this would make a huge difference in how one presents and expresses his words. Forcing oneself to speak is also an important consideration in the communication process. Forcing oneself to speak to a person in the grocery, in a doctor’s waiting room, in a public transport vehicle, or even in a park can improve one’s ability to ask and to answer questions (Emme, 2010). It would also be prudent to practice making a point to strangers and describing something to a stranger. In many cases, quizzing oneself also helps to enhance one’s communication skills. In asking the important questions, and later, answering these same questions can also serve as a reflective process which can improve articulation and expression in the organization (Emme, 2010). Improvement Area 3: Coaching Summary of Source 1: The complete guide to coaching at work A portion of the discussion by Zeus and Skiffington (2005) in their book “The Complete Guide to Coaching at Work” discusses about coaching skills for managers. Coaching is an effective skill among managers for as long as they know how to develop self-awareness, communicate verbally, set goals and express a vision, manage individual decisions, motivate others, build teams, define and solve problems, delegate, manage time and stress, and manage conflict (Zeus & Skiffington, 2005). The author stresses that coaching is a style of managing and in order to be effective as a manager, one must be self aware and must be aware of other members of the organization. He must also try to communicate verbally and effectively with one’s employees and to clarify one’s expectations about others (Zeus & Skiffington, 2005). Goals must also be set and expressed through the conduct of individual sessions, establishment of personal plans, development of action plans, and by providing ongoing support and feedback (Zeus & Skiffington, 2005). Teams can also be built by managers through the conduct of team coaching sessions and by encouraging collective responsibility. There are other ways by which a manager can coach a team and in managing conflict in the organization. A manager can drive a team and the members of an organization into a coherent and effective team. The above skills when applied appropriately can effectively reduce issues in the organization (Zeus & Skiffington, 2005). Summary of Source 2: Coaching and Developing Others In the above materials, the author discusses coaching and the process of coaching. The author discusses about coaching as the means to equip people with the tools, knowledge, and opportunities in order to become better versions of themselves (Reilly, n.d). Elements of good coaching include a correct assessment of people’s skills and capabilities, assessment of plans, being informed of career plans, and feedback. Coaching is beneficial to the members of an organization because it is individualized, customized, efficient, quick, and has the opportunity for accountability and follow-through (Reilly, n.d). For managers, coaching involves knowing what to develop, knowing the motivation and personal payoff, knowing how to acquire skills and knowledge, and having opportunities for real world practice (Reilly, n.d). Important elements of coaching include intervention agreements, building relationships, creating and managing expectations, providing mastery and control of issues, and evaluating the impact of activities (Reilly, n.d). In order to assess whether or not coaching is effective in any organization, the managers need to review the process and to ensure that such process is specific, open-ended, and is integrated with empathy and trust. In terms of expectations, the manager must ensure that it is an ongoing process and that goals are set with the organization and the other managers (Reilly, n.d). Moreover, the exercises and activities must have variety, must have one-on-one meetings, three-way meetings, must allow for observations of people at work, must combine case studies, and real world examples in the practice. In effect, coaching among managers requires self-awareness, helps to foster learning environments, allows for the integration of data, teaches self-development and addresses fears (Reilly, n.d). Summary of Source 3: The Manager as Coach In this article, the author discusses about the manager as coach and the purpose for coaching in management. The author goes on to discuss that coaching employees is an important development tool, and it also helps members of the organization achieve efficacy. Managers apparently buy the services of employees and these managers have to come up with ways in order to use the resources offered by employees in order to effectively manage their organizations (McCrimmon, 2007). Managers however do not have the necessary tools in order to make the best decisions for employees and for the use of such employee skills and resources. It is important therefore for managers to develop coaching skills. Coaching is an important tool in ensuring good decisions for people (McCrimmon, 2007). Since employees have the data that managers lack and the ability to go against such decisions, managers therefore have to come up with ways in order to engage the employees into a more equal venture. The most important decisions come from brainstorming and from coaching employees effectively (McCrimmon, 2007). Coaching is about asking questions; it is more than gathering facts and coming up with solutions or ideas from employees being coached. Coaching is about building up employees and asking them questions which make them think harder – questions which challenge them and improve their perspective in life (McCrimmon, 2007). Coaching is helping people open up and to be more critical about possible solutions and options. For managers being good coaches, they say things like, “that’s interesting. Can you tell me more about that?” In essence, coaching is about listening actively, giving constructive feedback, and knowing how to encourage and employees without causing them to fail (McCrimmon, 2007). Improvement Area 4: Creativeness Summary of Source 1: Developing creativity In the article by Mihai (2009), she discusses about the process of developing creativity among managers and eventually inspiring employees to do more. The article defines creativity as seeing what other people see and thinking differently about it. Robert Kennedy said it best when he remarked that he looked at things that are and he asked why; and he looked at things that never were, and asked, why not? (Mihai, 2009). Having creative people in an organization is one of the most important assets for an organization because they can help the organization conceptualize innovations and in coming up with solutions to problems (Mihai, 2009). For organizations that can attract creative individuals, the challenge for managers is to maintain such creativeness. Several techniques can be employed in order to promote workplace creativity and to motivate employees to come up with more innovative ideas. One technique is to remove restraints. Employees must be given time, space, and the necessary tools and leeway in order to come up with new ideas or to come up with new projects and innovations (Mihai, 2009). The manager must also include everyone. Everyone can be creative when given the chance. A good manager avoids the limiting belief that some people are creative and others are not. We are all born with the potential to be creative and under less restrictive circumstances, most people can be creative (Mihai, 2009). It would also be prudent to encourage idea generation. Fresh ideas require group support and time to generate. It is therefore important for managers to set aside time for creative thinking by encouraging employees to think aloud and to evaluate patterns in the industry (Mihai, 2009). Managers should also develop the employees’ problem solving skills by encouraging creativity and healthy debate among employees. Visual techniques, story-telling and allowing employees to let ideas stew overnight can help them be more creative in resolving issues (Mihai, 2009). Creative ideas must also be rewarded. When employees feel support from managers for their creativeness, they are more motivated to even be more creative and driven. As for mistakes, managers should stick to the concept that there are no mistakes. Based on studies, about 80% of innovations occur by mistake. Therefore, employees should be allowed to experiment and to make mistakes (Mihai, 2009). Mistakes help them grow as individuals and as employees. It helps them eliminate possibilities in order to ultimately arrive at bigger and even more creative possibilities. Summary of Source 2: Seven Ways for Effective Creativity This discussion by de Frahan (2003) sets forth seven ways for managers to develop creativity. The first technique is to take creativity seriously. Creativity should be more about serious contributions which employees can make to the organization. Beyond the guitar playing during annual dinners or putting up their paintings on the wall, creativity should be taken seriously as a company asset which would allow employees to make decisions and interact with each other (de Frahan, 2003). Managers should also think about strategies first. Managers consider about ways in order to reach end goals – to direct creativity, to prioritize, and focus on what really matters. Strategies help set forth tools and techniques in order to ensure that specific goals such as cost-cutting would be adequately addressed by the organization (de Frahan, 2003). Managers must also be realistic. Some tasks in the organization do not actually need creativeness, and sometimes applying the processes already existing in the organization can easily get the job done. It would be prudent for managers to allow the people who have been doing something in a certain way for the organization to continue doing so (de Frahan, 2003). Part of the creative process is also about keeping one’s promises. It is important for managers to keep their promises. If a bonus for creativity is promised to employees, then managers should deliver. If more incentives or work features are promised, then managers should be sure to deliver. This is especially important for new recruits who are drawn into organizations on the basis of such promises (de Frahan, 2003). Managers must also know the rules of the game. Even as creativity seems to be tethered on the free flow of ideas and the liberal interpretation of rules, certain structures must still be upheld within organizations. These rules help ensure that specific thoughts and discipline bind the organization together (Mihai, 2009). Existing management systems must also be leveraged. Creativity must not be separated from the organization, but it must be seen and applied to most departments and aspects of the organization. It should also not be a burden for employees – something they have to be or something they have to deliver. Finally, three Hs can be used in order to establish creativity. Creativeness easily flows from these three Hs – head (thinking); heart (feeling); and hands (acting). These three Hs must be allowed to work together in order to ensure the success of creativity. Summary of Source 3: How to develop creativity In this article by Gillman (2010), the author discusses how creativity is developed. He emphasizes that creativity can be developed by taking more creative ways in solving life’s challenges. In order to make this process more habitual, new techniques can be applied to a few weeks until they become a part of one’s way of thinking (Gillman, 2010). One sure way of developing creativity is by changing one’s perspective – to see a problem and think of more than one way of solving it. He cites the example of working in an animal shelter, where the goal is to place animals with good owners. One way of ensuring that this would happen is to put up a sign which seems to be from the animal’s perspective – with an animal wanting to find a home (Gillman, 2010). Perspectives can be changed and can involve the process of looking at a problem based on a different place or a different point in time – or even based on a narrower or wider perspective. A new investor may look at a place or a neighborhood and ask himself what he would do with the property – or in a more creative application, he may ask himself what would tenants or renters look for in the neighborhood? (Gillman, 2010). The perspective in this case is shifted not to the investor, but to the consumer and the different ways of fulfilling their needs and earning their patronage. In some instances, the crazy perspectives are the most effective ways of establishing creativeness and in ensuring that effective and powerful solutions are established in the organization (Gillman, 2010). Improvement Area 5: Motivational skills Summary of Source 1 Hospitality Employee Management and In this article by Sommerville (2007), the author discusses how motivation can be integrated into the hospitality industry. He sets forth different theories in relation to motivation. One of the earlier theories was set forth by Fredric Taylor who emphasized that more motivated or more efficient workers must be paid more as compared to less motivated or less efficient workers. Other theories like Maslow’s Hierarchy of needs also discuss about people’s motivation (Sommerville, 2007). In Maslow’s theory, people’s motivation is based on the gradual fulfillment of their needs – from the most basic and on to the more spiritual or emotive needs (Sommerville, 2007). Nevertheless based on the above theories, motivation in the workplace has been explained by the author as something based on reward. A person would likely be engaged in doing something because of some monetary or some emotional pay-off or reward (Sommerville, 2007). It is therefore important for managers to reward their employees in order to motivate them into doing something more and doing their best in the tasks assigned to them. Summary of Source 2: Basics about employee motivation In this article by McNamara (n.d), the author discussed about the myths in relation to employee motivation. The myth that a person can motivate other people is the first myth, because in the end, people motivate themselves. Another myth is that money is a good motivator. Not all individuals are motivated by money; most people have other reasons for being motivated. Another myth is that fear is a good motivator. It may be so, but only for a short period of time. In the long run, yelling can eventually lose its effectiveness (McNamarra, n.d). Another myth is that greater job satisfaction means better job performance. This may not necessarily be true. Also another myth is that employee motivation is incomprehensible. It is not, it is simple enough and it can be further simplified when the basic principles are remembered. These principles include: motivating employees starts with motivating oneself; work to align goals of the organization with the goals of employees; motivating employees means understanding what motivates them; recognizing that employee motivation is a process, not a task; and employee motivation can be carried out through organization systems (McNamara, n.d). In order to motivate employees, managers can apply what they read in this article; write down the motivational factors that sustain them and what they can do to sustain them; make a list of three to five things which motivate each of their employees; work with each employee to ensure that motivation is based on reward systems; having one-on-one meetings with employees; reward an accomplishment when it is actually seen, not based on what others have seen or what one feels; and rewarding the accomplishment as soon as it is seen helps ensure constant motivation (McNamara, n.d). Summary of Source 3: Understanding Employee Motivation In this article Lindner (1998), the author discusses about the ranked importance of motivational factors of employees at the Ohio State University’s Piketon Research and Extension Center and Enterprise Center. The study discussed ten motivating factors in the employee motivation theory. The study revealed that the ranked importance of motivational factors of employees at centers is the most important sources of information for the center. Hertzberg’s theory discusses how management should focus on pay and job security before giving attention to the work and work done (Lindner, 1998). Adams discusses how managers should focus on areas where they perceive inequalities; Vroom’s theory focuses on rewarding employee effort. Nevertheless, regardless of which theory is applied to any organization, work and pay appears to have strong links with each other (Lindner, 1998). Other factors like job enlargement, job enrichment, promotions, and monetary compensation are important considerations in motivating employees. Job enlargement can be used as a motivator in order to make the work of employees more interesting (Lindner, 1998). Job enrichment can then be used to make work more interesting and in order to add more responsibilities and later to, increase monetary compensation. Regardless of monetary considerations, it is also important for managers to know what motivates their employees and to design programs based on employee needs (Lindner, 1998). All in all, this study revealed that interesting work and good pay are important tools in increasing employee motivation. Moreover, carefully designed reward systems which include job enlargement, job enrichment, promotions, and monetary as well as non-monetary compensation are important motivators for employees (Lindner, 1998). Summary Based on the above readings and articles, I have found different ways in which I can improve my management skills – especially in the areas which I know need improvement. I found out that in order to improve my delegation skills, I need to “let go” and trust my employees and the members of the organization to do their jobs well. In order to improve my communication skills, I also need to be clear in the instructions I transmit to the employees. I also need to be more open with them. Coaching is also an important part of management. I can develop this skill as well by communicating well with the members of the organization and trying to guide them towards the goals of the organization. Creativity in any organization is important because it helps encourage innovativeness. I can improve employees’ creativeness by giving them more freedom to make mistakes. Finally, by motivating the employees through the reward system, I can also ensure a dynamic and an efficient work place and organization. Bibliography de Frahan, A. (2003) Seven Keys for Effective Creativity. Frahan Blonde. Retrieved 16 November 2010 from http://www.frahanblonde.com/files/Article_-_Seven_keys_to_creativity.pdf Effective Communication Skills: How To Be a Better Communicator (n.d) Bizmove. Retrieved 16 November 2010 from http://www.bizmove.com/skills/m8e.htm Emme, G. (2010) Activities to Improve Communication Skills. eHow. Retrieved 16 November 2010 from http://www.ehow.com/list_6575114_activities-improve-communication-skills.html Gillman, S. (2010) How to Develop Creativity. Personal Effectiveness. Retrieved 16 November 2010 from http://personaleffectiveness.net/how-to-develop-creativity/ Lindner, J. (1998) Understanding Employee Motivation. Journal of Extension, volume 36, number 3, Retrieved 16 November 2010 from http://www.joe.org/joe/1998june/rb3.php Madura, J. (2007) Introduction to business. Ohio: Thomson Learning Center McCrimmon, M. (2007) The Manager as Coach. Suite 101. Retrieved 16 November 2010 from http://www.suite101.com/content/the-manager-as-coach-a23648 McNamara, C. (n.d) Basics About Employee Motivation (Including Steps You Can Take). Management Help. Retrieved 16 November 2010 from http://managementhelp.org/guiding/motivate/basics.htm Mihai, J. (2009) Developing Creativity: Simple Ways to Inspire Employees to Do More. Suite 101. Retrieved 16 November 2010 from http://www.suite101.com/content/developing-creativity-a103358 Muir, J. (1995) Effective management through delegation. Tuk Portfolio. Retrieved 16 November 2010 from http://ope.hayo.fi/~jatu/ktm/portfolio/tukkkportfolio/ihmistenjohtaminen/delegointi.pdf Norton, A. & Hughes, J. (2009) CIMA Official Learning System Enterprise Management. New York: Elsevier Health Sciences Reilley, B. (n.d) Coaching & Developing Others. Robinson College of Business. Retrieved 16 November 2010 from http://www.turknett.com/sectionR/coaching.pdf Sommerville, K. (2007) Hospitality Employee Management and Supervision. Massachusetts: John Wiley & Sons. Successful Delegation (2010) MindTools. Retrieved 16 November 2010 from http://www.mindtools.com/pages/article/newLDR_98.htm Zeus, P. & Skiffington, S. (2005) The complete guide to coaching at work. USA: McGraw-Hill Publishers Read More