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Course 17808Certificate IV in

Business Administration

Establish Effective Workplace Relationships

Unit: BSBWOR401A

CONTENTS

1. LEARNING OUTCOMES.................................................................................................3

2. EFFECTIVE WORKPLACE RELATIONSHIPS...............................................................4

2.1Definition Of Effective Workplace Relationships..................................................4

2.2Importance Of Effective Workplace Relationships................................................5

3. COMMUNICATION: HOW DOES COMMUNICATION WORK?.........................................5

4. WORKPLACE DIVERSITY...................................................................................................9

4.1 Understanding Our Own Perceptions..................................................................10

4.2 How Do We Recognise Prejudice In The Workplace?........................................11

5. UNDERSTANDING PERSUASION AND INFLUENCE......................................................13

6. DEVELOP TRUST AND CONFIDENCE.............................................................................16

6.1 The Johari Window Questionnaire......................................................................16

6.2 Your Ability To Develop Trust And Confidence..................................................20

6.3 Develop Trust: Putting Theory Into Practice.......................................................21

7 DEVELOP AND MAINTAIN NETWORKS AND RELATIONSHIPS....................................24

8. MANAGE DIFFICULTIES TO ACHIEVE POSITIVE OUTCOMES.....................................26

8.1 Prevent Workplace Problems...............................................................................26

8.2 Understand Workplace Behaviour.......................................................................27

8.3 Support, Coach And Guide Others......................................................................30

9. MANAGING POOR PERFORMANCE................................................................................32

9.1 Process For Managing Poor Performance..........................................................33

9.2 Employee Assistance Program............................................................................34

9.3 Parting Company...................................................................................................34

10. MANAGING TEAM CONFLICT........................................................................................35

10.1 Conflict Management Styles...............................................................................36

10.2 Personal Conflict Management Toolkit.............................................................38

10.3 Negotiation Of Difficult Situations.....................................................................44

Bibliography.......................................................................................................................... 45

1. Learning Outcomes

Frontline managers play an important role in developing and maintaining positive relationships in internal and external environments so that customers, suppliers and the organisation achieve planned outputs and outcomes. They play a prominent part in motivating, mentoring, coaching and developing team cohesion through providing leadership for the team and forming the bridge between the management of the organisation and the team members.

This unit specifies the outcomes required to implement effective workplace relationships. Specifically the outcomes are:

Collect, analyse and communicate information and ideas Develop trust and confidence Develop and maintain networks and relationships Manage difficulties into positive outcomes

BSBWOR401A Establish Effective Workplace Relationships

© Hunter TAFE Faculty of Business and Computing Page 3 of 47

2. Effective Workplace Relationships

relationships

With your partner, describe a workplace that has achieved effective workplace relationshipsWhat does it look like? How are people behaving? What support systems are available to support effective workplace relationships?

2.1 Definition of Effective Workplace Relationships

Relationships, of one kind or another, are pivotal to pretty much everything we do in our work and personal lives, yet we probably don’t give them as much time and attention as they deserve. Many of us experience a problematic relationship at some point, whether it be with a partner, friend or colleague.

Relationships can truly be a minefield and sometimes even a battleground. Is it any wonder then that people at work become stressed, hurt and war-weary if workplace relationships are not actively managed. Your role as a manager is to identify and apply the means to creating effective workplace relationships.

What are the means to achieving ‘Effective Workplace Relationships’? Collect, analyse and communicate information and ideas Develop trust and confidence Develop and maintain networks and relationships Manage difficulties into positive outcomes


Page 4 of 47 © Hunter TAFE Faculty of Business and Computing

Activity

“People want to know that they are important to an organisation and that their work is important to the work of the organisation.

Good managers do this”

Bill Cossey (Chief Executive State Courts, Adelaide) 2004

Addressed in this unit

2.2 Fostering Effective Workplace Relationships

What does your organisation do to foster effective workplace relationships?

What does you organisation do to hinder effective workplace relationships?

3. Communication to Support Workplace Relationships

Communication is something we all do, every day. Yet it’s rare that we step back and examine what is happening and the effectiveness of what is happening.

To understand how communication works, we should understand the communication process

The process of communication is fluid and interactive. Someone sends information; someone receives the information, and somewhere in between there is a message. The communication process can take place anywhere, anytime using media (‘channels’) of infinite variety



Group Activity

Let’s look at the 7 main elements of the communication process1. sender

2. message (information or signal)

3. receiver

4. feedback

5. channel

6. context or setting

7. interference or noise

The Sender: the person sending or initiating the message (encoding). The sender is sending a message based on their own ideas and perceptions. How the sender communicates is influenced by their accumulated skills, experiences, attitudes and cultural conditioning.

The Message: This is the idea or feeling that is transmitted from the sender to the receiver

The Receiver: the person who receives the message (decoding). In order to receive the message, they must decode or interpret the message to achieve understanding. Like the sender, the receiver is influenced by their accumulated skills, experience, attitudes and cultural conditioning. These influences determine how the message will be decoded and interpreted by the receiver.

Feedback: This is the critical part of the communication process. It will influence whether mutual understanding is achieved. Feedback is the receiver’s response to the sender’s message, and can be intentional or unintentional. The role of feedback is to:

provide continuity to the communication

communicate understanding or misunderstanding of the message

Encourage further communication and discussion.

Both the sender and the receiver need feedback to confirm whether the message has been understood. In the workplace, most people communicate face-to-face with their colleagues, so the ability to provide appropriate feedback can foster an environment conducive to effective working relationships.

Communication Channel: This is the media, means, or technique used to signal or convey a message. Common examples of communication channels are, a memo, letter, conversations, meeting discussion, phone call, radio or television program. It is interesting to note that with the rise of information technology in our workplace, it is more regularly used to store, send, receive and present information.



Context: This is the circumstance or situation within which communication takes place. The context will influence how the message is encoded by the sender and decoded by the receiver

Interference or Noise: The message that was sent can be altered so that it is not the message that is received. This altered message can be due to noise or interference which interrupts the intended message. For example, sending an urgent email to someone who does not wish to access information technology on a regular basis will create a communication barrier.

Communication barriers can be caused by:

inappropriate channel

poor choice of words

receiver inattention

inappropriate timing

different cultural backgrounds

poor layout and presentation

lack of courtesy by the sender or the receiver

Figure: The seven elements of the communication process

(J. Dwyer: ‘The Business Communications Handbook’, 2003)



Appropriate Method and Pattern of Communication

Analyse your audience

Decide your purpose

Identify the subject

Consider the context

List/think about all issues/topics to be included

Decide sequence or strategy to deliver message



4. Workplace Diversity

Workplace diversity is the consequence of the individual differences present in a workplace. Diversity exists in language, experience, nationality, gender, race, religion, sexual orientation and work style.

Front line managers need to recognise the individual differences existing in their workplace and that these differences can be utilised to benefit both the workplace and the individual.

Workplace Diversity: Individual Differences Perceptions

Motivation

Gender

Self-Esteem

Life Stage

Values and Attitudes

Locus of Control

The Legal Framework

State and Federal Legislation prohibits discrimination and harassment on the grounds of race and nationality, gender, age, sexual preference, disability, marital status, transgender, religion, partners characteristics, pregnancy, family responsibility

Opportunity must be based on MERIT.

Managing Workplace DiversityManaging diversity looks at the diverse needs and capabilities of employees and how this can be best managed.

Diversity:

Must be valued

Requires cultural changes

Challenges individuals to change core values and behaviours



Education and Skills

Preferences

Socio-cultural

Career goals

Expectations

Position Roles

4.1 Understanding Our Own Perceptions and Biases

When we look at anything, we see it through our cultural lens or experience. Our cultural lens or past experience affects how we perceive and understand the world.

Our diverse backgrounds mean that we perceive some things in more detail than others.

The same is true about how we look at people

On occasion we need to ask, “Is it one or many?” That is, do we choose to see people:

in all their rich diversity and appreciate their differences?

as individuals as well as representatives of different cultures?.

When it comes to people, it is important to see both sides of how we are one (i.e. individuals) and how we are many (part of a group or culture).

As a Front Line Manager, you need to be consciously aware of your personal perceptions and how they influence the way you behave.



The Lake: Annoyance, Fun or Home?Mary enjoys the city life and sees the Lake as an inconvenient body of water that prolongs her travel to the city she loves.

James loves water skiing and water sports and sees the Lake as the pivotal source of his recreational activity.

Robert is an Aboriginal from the Lake Tribe and sees the Lake as the life source and home of his family.

Computers: Just a tool or a complex piece of interrelated parts? For Jake, the computer is just a tool to perform his word processing tasks

For Adele, a computing electrical engineer, she sees the computer as a complex device made up of many interrelating parts.

How do we see people? Vena, a nurse who lives in Java, sees Indonesians as more than 300 different peoples

Alex, who works in a sports store in Newcastle, thinks all “Asians” look and act the same.

4.2 How do we recognise prejudice in the workplace?

History shows that groups of people (countries, societies, workplaces, teams, small groups) will view other groups of people as sub-human, morally inferior or technologically backward. These views are extreme, however prejudice can also work at subtle levels and it survives in many Australian workplaces.

If you see people from the centre of your personal or cultural ‘solar system’ your mind will automatically conclude that:

The world consists of ‘us’ and ‘them’

We are right and they are wrong

We are good and they are bad

We are smart and they are dumb

These conclusions commonly lead to ‘prejudice”

A common example of workplace prejudice is when a culture rejects another on the basis of “I wouldn’t want my sister to marry one” or “You can’t rely on those people – ever” and “Some of my best friends are …………, but…”

We often make our opinions, feelings and preferences sound like facts when we talk about them. We say things like “The sales group is too noisy” (stated as fact), rather than “I’m having difficulty concentrating when so many people are talking at once”. Or, “People from country X are too pushy” rather than “I get uncomfortable when Alexander speaks loudly and gestures close to me”.

Prejudice can freely exist in our workplace when the culture allows us to state our own interpretation of what we experience (subjective opinion), into an absolute truth about others (objective fact). Perversely, we can believe this subjective opinion to be a fact and spread this ‘fact’ to other people in the organisation.



With your group, reverse the process of converting subjective experiences into objective statements.

Convert the sentences below from subjective to objective statements. Do this by changing the statements about groups to statements about one individual’s feelings toward others.

Younger workers are too unreliable (subjective):

Older workers are stuck in their ways (subjective):

Migrants from ‘Region X’ are quite aggressive (subjective):

Cultural Bias: Describe in detail at least one cultural bias you have and who it involves. Discuss with your partner.

How does this bias create difficulty or limit you in your ability to fully accept and communicate with people in this cultural group?

What do you believe is the origin of this bias?

What could you do to begin working through this bias in the near future?



Group Activity

Activity

5. Understanding Persuasion and Influence

Persuasion and influence are important communication skills to be applied within your role as a front line manager. Common influencing roles might include:

Influencing managers

Participating in employment and hiring interviews

Preparing reports for management

Handling complaints from clients or customers

Requesting special services from suppliers

Working in problem-solving groups or committees

Motivating your team.

There are many myths about the art of ‘persuasion’ that we will seek to dispel within this section. We will identify the myths and examine special strategies for defusing truly hostile groups of people/individuals, motivating undecided groups/individuals and bolstering sympathetic groups/audiences.

Don’t be misled into thinking that ‘persuasion’ means unfair manipulation or other negative connotations. All communication is persuasive to some extent. Persuasion only becomes negative when people use the concept unethically. All managers, in any context must communicate responsibly and ethically.



1. As an individual, circle the number that best describes your agreement or disagreement

Self Assessment Agree Disagree1. All you need to know about an audience/group of

people is whether they are ‘for you’ or ‘against you’ 1 2 3 4 5

2. In order to communicate successfully all you need is a clear message. A clear, accurate explanation should convince an audience 1 2 3 4 5

3. A friendly group of people/audience does not need persuasion 1 2 3 4 5

4 The only way to be successful at persuasion is to take an audience from total disagreement to total agreement 1 2 3 4 5

5. It’s usually better not to persuade people; it’s usually best to inform them 1 2 3 4 5

6. The best way to persuade an audience is to be totally logical, using statistics and documented facts 1 2 3 4 5

7. If you’ve explained your position to your audience clearly, logically and accurately, they will be persuaded 1 2 3 4 5

8. If something strikes me as persuasive, it probably will be persuasive for the next person too 1 2 3 4 5

9. If all people had access to the same facts, persuasion wouldn’t be needed 1 2 3 4 5

(Ref: W.L. Nothstine, “Influencing Others” (1999)

2. In your groups, discuss your answers and your rationale for agreement/ disagreement with each statement.

3. Prepare to discuss with the whole group



Activity

Examples of PersuasionYou may need to convince your boss that by increasing flexible work practices you will save him or her money through increased productivity and lower staff turnover costs.

You may need to ‘smooth the feathers’ of employees who think your new billing procedures will give them less control over purchasing

You may need to cope with the members of another unit at work who are promoting a proposal that, if approved, would significantly compromise the success of your project.

Describe an important work scenario where you will need to be persuasive with an individual or group so that you can achieve your goals or the needs of the situation can be met

Describe the skills you will need to be persuasive in this instance

Describe the strategies you will employ to be persuasive

Discuss with your group



Activity

If you are not clear on the difference between skill and strategy, just think of communication as a game. For example, consider the game of football.

The skills to play football well might be passing, catching, blocking and tackling. In communication, skills to communicate well might be organising information, using evidence and visual aids, learning positive body posture and gestures, and fluent construction of the proposal.

The strategy of football might be to understand the larger picture of the game. We need to know when it’s better to advance the ball ourselves and when it’s better to give it to a team-mate. In communication, it might be to establish credibility with the audience, or it might be to show how we’re like the audience. Or in some circumstance, how unlike our audience we are.

6. Develop Trust and Confidence

A Front Line Manager should continually seek to develop trust and confidence within their team; however trust is typically built over time. The old adage ‘Actions speak louder than words” is applicable here. Methodology for developing trust and confidence would include:

Treat people with integrity, respect and empathy

Develop and maintain positive relationships

Gain and maintain trust and confidence

Adjust interpersonal styles to the social and cultural environment

Our personal predisposition for developing trust can be understood by completing an exercise called “The JOHARI Window.”

Over the page, you will see a questionnaire. It is not always an easy questionnaire to complete as you are asked to select 1 answer from 2 options that are both plausible and realistic.

The best approach is to not think too deeply about each question and select the answer that on the surface would appear to reflect your typical approach.

6.1 The JOHARI Window Questionnaire

Certificate IV in Frontline Certificate– Implement Effective Workplace Relationships

Page 16 of 47

Definition of ‘Trust’

Trust can be defined as confidence, the absence of suspicion, confirmed by our track record and our ability to correct

(Learning Centre 1996)

JOHARI Window QuestionnaireInstructions

Carefully read each numbered item and its statements marked “A” and “B”

Assign a point value to the A and B statements as follows

o The total point value for A and B added together is five (5)

o If statement A is most similar to what you would do, mark 5 for A and O for B.

o If A is not wholly satisfactory, but in your judgement better than B, mark 4 or 3 for A and 1 or 2 for B.

o The converse is true: if B is best, mark 5 for B and 0 for A and so on.

1. If a friend of mine had a “personality conflict” with a mutual acquaintance of ours with whom it was important for him/her to get along, I would:

A. Tell my friend that I felt s/he was partially responsible for any problems with this other person and try to let him/her know how the person was being affected by him/her.

B. Not get involved because I wouldn’t be able to continue to get along with both of them once I had entered in any way

2. If one of my friends and I had a heated argument in the past and I realised that s/he was ill at ease around me from that time on, I would:

A. Avoid making things worse by discussing his/her behaviour and just let the whole thing drop.

B. Bring up his/her behaviour and ask him/her sho s/he felt the argument had affected our relationship.

3. If a friend began to avoid me and act in an aloof and withdrawn manner, I would:

A. Tell him/her about his/her behaviour and suggest that s/he tell me what was on his/her mind.

B. Follow his/her lead and keep out contact brief and aloof since that seems to be what s/he wants

4. If two of my friends and I were talking and one of my friends slipped and brought up a personal problem of mine that involved the other friend, of which s/he was not yet aware, I would:

A. Change the subject and signal my friend to do the same

B. Fill my uninformed friend in on what the other friend was talking about and suggest that we go into it later

5. If a friend of mine were to tell me that, in his/her opinion, I was doing things that made me less effective that I might be in social situations, I would:

A. Ask him/her to spell out or describe what s/he had observed and suggest changes I might make.

B. Resent his/her criticism and let him/her know why I behave the way I do.

6. If one of my friends aspired to an office in our organisation for which I felt s/he was unqualified, and if s/he had been tentatively assigned to that position by the leader of our group, I would:

A. Not mention my misgivings to earth my friend or the leader of our group and let them handle it in their own way.

B. Tell my friend and the leader of our group of my misgivings and then leave the final decision up to them

7. If I felt that one of my friends was being unfair to me and his/her other friends, but none of them had mentioned anything about it, I would:

A. Ask several of these people how they perceived the situation to see if they felt s/he was being unfair.

B. Not ask the others how they perceived our friend, but wait for them to bring it up with me.

8. If I were preoccupied with some personal maters and a friend told me that I had become irritated with him/her and others and that I was jumping on him/her for unimportant things, I would:

A. Tell him/her I was preoccupied and would probably be on edge for a while and would prefer not to be bothered.

B. Listen to his/her complaints but not try to explain my action to him/her

9.If I heard some friends discussing an ugly rumour about a friend of mine which I knew could hurt him/her and s/he asked me what I knew about it, if anything, I would:



A. Say I didn’t know anything about it and tell him/her no one would believe a rumour like that anyway.

B. Tell him/her exactly what I had heard, when I had heard it and from whom I had heard it.

10. If a friend pointed out the fact that I had a personality conflict with another friend with whom it was important for me to get along, I would:

A. Consider his/her comments out of line and tell him/her I didn’t want t o discuss the matter any further.

B. Talk about it openly with him/her to find out how my behaviour was being affected by this.

11. If my relationship with a friend has been damaged by repeated arguments on an issue of importance to us both, I would:

A. Be cautious in my conversations with him/her so the issues would not come up again to worsen our relationship.

B. Point to the problems the controversy was causing in our relationship and suggest that we discuss it until we get it resolved.

12. If in a personal discussion with a friend about his/her problems and behaviour s/he suddenly suggested we discuss my problems and behaviour as well as his/her own, l would:

A. Try to keep the discussion away from me by suggesting that other, closer friends often talked to me about such matters.

B. Welcome the opportunity to hear what s/he felt about me and encourage his/her comments.

13. If a friend of mine began to tell me about his/her hostile feelings about another friend whom s/he felt was being unkind to others (and I agreed wholeheartedly), I would:

A. Listen and also express my own feelings to me/her so s/he would know where I stood.

B. Listen, but not express my own negative views and opinion because s/he might repeat what I said to him/her in confidence.

14. If I thought an un ugly rumour was being spread about me and suspected that one of my friends had quite likely heard it, I would:

A. Avoid mentioning the issue and leave it to him/her to tell me about it if s/he wanted to.

B. Risk putting him/her on the spot by asking him/her directly what s/he knew about the whole thing.

15. If I had observed a friend in social situations and through that s/he was doing a number of things which hurt his/her relationships, I would:

A. Risk being seen as a busy body and tell him/her what I had observed and my reactions to it.

B. Keep my opinion to myself rather than be seen as interfering in things that are none of my business.

16. If two friends and I were talking and one of them inadvertently mentioned a personal problem which involved me, but of which I knew nothing, I would:

A. Press them for information about the problem and their opinions about it.

B.Leave it up to my friends to tell me or not tell me, letting them change the subject if they wished.

17. If a friend seemed to be preoccupied and began to jump on me for seemingly unimportant things, and to come irritated with me and others without real cause, I would:

A. Treat him/her with kid gloves for awhile on the assumption that s/he was having some temporary personal problems which were none of my business.

B. Try to talk him/her about it and point out to him/her how his/her behaviour was affecting people.

18. If I had begun to dislike certain habits of a friend to the point that it was interfering with my enjoying his/her company, I would:

A. Say nothing to him/her directly, but let him/her know my feelings by ignoring him/her whenever his/her annoying habits were obvious.

B. Get my feelings out in the open and clear the air so that we could continue our friendship comfortably and enjoyably.

19. In discussing social behaviour with one of my more sensitive friends, I would:

A.Avoid mentioning his/her flaws and weaknesses so as not to hurt his/her feelings.



B.Focus on his/her flaws and weaknesses so s/he could improve his/her interpersonal skills

20. If I new I might be assigned to an important position in our group and my friends’ attitudes toward me had become rather negative, I would:

A. Discuss my shortcomings with my friends so I could see where to improve.

B.Try to figure out my own shortcomings by myself so I could improve.

JOHARI Window ResultsCalculating Your Scores:

Copy your point values from the questionnaire

to the appropriate spaces below.

Total Each ColumnSolicits Feedback Willingness to Self

Disclose/Gives Feedback

2B __________

3A __________

5A __________

7A __________

8B __________

10B__________

12B __________

14B __________

16A __________

20A __________

Total: _________

1A ___________

4B ___________

6B ___________

9B ___________

11B __________

13A __________

15A __________

17B __________

18B __________

19B __________

Total: _________

Charting Your Scores: On the X–axis of the graph below, mark your score

for “Solicits Feedback”, then draw a vertical line

downward

On the Y-axis, mark your score for “Willingness to

Self-Disclose”/Gives Feedback, then draw a line

across (horizontally).

Enclose the lines to make a box, then label each

quadrant according to the key:

Open Arena Blind Spot

Hidden orMask

Unknown

------------------------------------Solicits Feedback--------------------------------------

0 5 10 15 20 25 30 35 40 45 50

5

10

15

20

25

30

35



- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -

40

45

50

6.2 Your ability to develop trust and confidence

Joe Luft and Harry Ingham developed the concept of the JOHARI Window which has 4 panes: “The 4 sides of me”. It is based on the principle that all the things about us that exist and are knowable, can be divided into 4 window panes: The Open Arena; the Mask, the Blind Spot and the Unknown.

Open Arena

Some things will be known to ourselves and to other people. This is shared knowledge and is the basis for all our mutual dealings with one another. It is that part of ourselves that everyone knows. The top left pane includes information such as our name, work title, current projects and experience in the organisation. Usually called the “Arena”, effective communication and trusting relationships are enhanced when we work at maximising the size of this pane.

Hidden or Mask

Often called the “Mask” or the “Façade”, this is the pane which encourages us to engage in game playing and trickery. This closed area in the bottom left contains things that we know about ourselves but which others do not – secret things. For example, you may dislike hearing particular kinds of jokes, yet you choose not to reveal to others this dislike.

Sometimes there is a good reason for this privacy. At other times, it is our own fear of rejection that causes us to keep information to ourselves, when in reality, telling others could improve communication, trust and teamwork.

The larger this pane, the less chance we have of developing truly meaningful and open relationships with others because such relationships only flourish with mutual trust.

The Blind Spot

This is potentially very dangerous to us because we risk exposing ourselves to weaknesses, which we don’t know about and which can be exploited by others. This pane in the top right side contains things about ourselves that others can see, but of which we are unaware.

The blind spot could be anything: for example, you may be perceived as chronically absent minded and distracted which may amuse and entertain others. Or your habit of finishing peoples’ sentences (in a spirit of helpfulness) is, unbeknown to you, perceived as rudeness by others.

The Unknown



Some things about you will be unknown to anyone – ourselves and other people. This is the great ‘unknown’. This is a potential source of personal creativity and self-reflection as we explore our true potential.



6.3 Develop Trust: Putting theory into practice

Although the JOHARI window shows the 4 panes to be of equal size, for most people they are not the same size.

Some people have a much greater hidden area than others: these are the people that colleagues may find puzzling, secretive and difficult to communicate with.

Other people have large open arenas: people are comfortable working with them as they are open and honest in their communication:” You know where you stand”.

Try to increase the size of your arena and shrink your blind spot and hidden areas to promote trusting and effective working relationships. This increases communication and understanding.

You can shrink the blind spot through self-reflection and asking others for their feedback on how they see you. You can shrink the closed area by showing more of yourself to others you trust.

Thinking about the content of each of the 4 panes, taking risk and revealing more of yourself to others and asking for feedback will help to move the content in the ‘blind spot’ and ‘hidden’ areas into the open arena.

In your groups, discuss:

Ways you can reduce your ‘blind spot’:

Ways you can reduce your ‘hidden area’

Concerns you might have in adapting your approach to further develop trust within your working relationships

Prepare to report back to the whole group



Activity

6.4 Developing Effective Relationships

To develop effective relationships, conscious thought, effort and time must be invested in the relationships. Successful methodologies for relationship development are achieved via the following foundation steps

Actively support and learn from each other Engage in meaningful interaction Acknowledge difficulties Provide accurate information Clarify expectations and priorities Initiate continuous improvement Communicate and celebrate successes Work across teams – job rotation Communicates openly, honestly and consistently

Treat People with Integrity, Respect and Empathy

This is not just a noble notion. In modern workplaces, these are the principles underpinning organisational codes of conduct and an effective formula for successful business.

Consider your application of the following: Be collaborative Treat people equitably Be concerned about people’s welfare Consult with employees Appreciate individual differences Plan tasks well

Good Governance and Risk Management EEO Policy Anti Harassment Policy\Affirmative Action Policy Code of Conduct Grievance handling procedures

Actions a Leader Can Take to Gain and Maintain Trust and Confidence Solve problems Share Credit Air concerns with relevant people Hold informal talks Be direct in communication Be timely and admit mistakes Engage in honest and tactful communication Schedule regular meetings for input and feedback



6.6 A Culture of Trust

How do you know when you’ve achieved a culture of trust? It might look something like this:

People enjoy coming to work Staff freely share ideas Conflict is resolved constructively Managers never use their position as a threat There are no rewards for being ‘yes’ people Staff feel valued and appreciated Managers are not threatened by devolved authority Mistakes are handled with support Staff and managers respect and speak highly of each other Most people willingly take on extra work

Build Customer Confidence and TrustLike employees in an enterprise, customers (and stakeholders) want to do business with an organisation that can demonstrate a culture of reliability, quality and responsiveness.

How can you create a culture of confidence with your customers? Consistently provide quality work Make customers feel welcome, comfortable and valued Foster partnership Be honest Build long–term relationships (rather than the ‘quick sale’) Under promise and over deliver



7 Develop and Maintain Networks and Relationships

A network is a system of interconnected people and organisations. Networking is the process of developing and maintaining connections for mutual benefit. The key to establishing beneficial networks lies not so much in being ‘well connected’ but in understanding the way professional relationships work and knowing how to build and use a network.

The contacts you form will not only benefit your team or organisation. They also have the potential to enhance your personal career prospects

Networking: In your groups, discuss:

The benefits of networking to your team/organisation

The benefits to your personally


When you network, you are building a relationship with another person to enable you both to benefit by exchanging ideas and information, promoting each other’s interests and gaining further contacts.

Networking should not be confined to only those moments when you want something from someone but continually developed to share information and widen your knowledge base.



Activity

What does networking look like? Robert meets up with a former colleague to keep in touch. They talked

about the work they were currently involved in and Robert found out about a tender for work in Saudi Arabia before it was advertised in the media.

Claire works in a busy call centre and it has a vacancy that needs filling quickly. Claire was recently approached by a friend seeking employment in customer service. She encourages her friend to call the call centre manager. Claire’s company gains a skilled employee without having to advertise and her friend gets a job.

An Approach to Networking1. Be aware of the benefits of networking. It is a time consuming activity

however the benefits can be rewarding.

2. Work to develop areas of personal expertise. Networking presumes that members have competence and expertise so develop your own skills and knowledge so that they can be recognised by fellow networkers

3. Analyse your current network or contacts to ensure they are viable and productive

4. Establish your own networking goals. Aim at revitalising your network file over the next year.

5. Get out there, promote yourself and make contact.

6. Sell networking to others so that your own network becomes stronger.

7. Make sure networking benefits all parties. Self-centredness becomes quite transparent to network contacts. Networking is a two-way street.

8. Be an advocate for others. If a network member has a need you cannot fulfil, offer to share a contact. You’ll be doing both a favour. Fulfilling the needs of one while providing the opportunity of another contact for the other.

Describe how your organisation uses network to its advantage.

AND/OR

Describe how your organisation could benefit from establishing and maintaining a network




Activity

8. Manage Difficulties to Achieve Positive Outcomes

8.1 Prevent Workplace Problems

Problems may be routine or unique. Problems may be about:

People

Processes

Technology

Materials

Our key aim is to prevent workplace problems that ultimately lead to workplace disruption.

An Approach to Preventing Workplace Problems Anticipate problems as part of the planning process

Develop suitable performance standards

Design applicable ‘work practice standards’

Implement effective feedback processes

Make people responsible

Give those responsible appropriate information

Encourage feedback from customers and suppliers

Encourage creativity and continuous improvement

Develop a mindset among all staff ‘there is always a better way”

Role model and encourage a positive attitude



8.2 Understand Workplace Behaviour

Transactional AnalysisTransactional analysis is a method of analysing behaviour patterns in interpersonal communication. Developed by Berne (1910 – 1976), transactional analysis is based on the premise that each individual has many ego states which can be simplified into three main categories. People operate from one of three recognisable ego states.

1. Parent

2. Adult

3. Child

The 3 ‘ego-states’ converse with one another in 'transactions' (hence the name ‘Transactional Analysis’). TA is a very common model used in therapy and there is a great deal written about it.

Parent, Adult and Child

We each have internal models of parents, children and also adults, and we play these roles with one another in our relationships. We even do it with ourselves, in our internal conversations.

Parent

There are two forms of Parent we can play.

The Nurturing Parent is caring and concerned and often may appear as a mother-figure (though men can play it too). They seek to keep the Child safe and offer unconditional love, calming them when they are troubled.

The Controlling (or Critical) Parent, on the other hand, tries to make the Child do as the parent wants them to do, perhaps transferring values or beliefs or helping the Child to understand and live in society. They may also have negative intent, using the Child as a whipping-boy or worse.



Adult

The Adult in us is the 'grown up' rational person who talks reasonably and assertively, neither trying to control nor reacting. The Adult is comfortable with them self and is, for many of us, our 'ideal self'.

Child

There are three types of Child we can play.

The Natural Child is largely un-self-aware and is characterized by the non-speech noises they make (yahoo, etc.). They like playing and are open and vulnerable.

The cutely-named Little Professor is the curious and exploring Child who is always trying out new stuff (often much to their Controlling Parent's annoyance). Together with the Natural Child they make up the Free Child.

The Adaptive Child reacts to the world around them, either changing themselves to fit in or rebelling against the forces they feel.

Communications (transactions)

When two people communicate, each exchange is a transaction. Many of our problems come from transactions which are unsuccessful.

Parents naturally speak to Children, as this is their role as a parent. They can talk with other Parents and Adults, although the subject still may be about the children.

The Nurturing Parent naturally talks to the Natural Child and the Controlling Parent to the Adaptive Child. In fact these parts of our personality are evoked by the opposite. Thus if I act as an Adaptive Child, I will most likely evoke the Controlling Parent in the other person.

We also play many games between these positions, and there are rituals from greetings to whole conversations (such as the weather) where we take different positions for different events. These are often 'pre-recorded' as scripts we just play out. They give us a sense of control and identity and reassure us that all is still well in the world. Other games can be negative and destructive and we play them more out of sense of habit and addiction than constructive pleasure.



Conflict

Complementary transactions occur when both people are behaving at the same level. Thus Parent talking to Parent, etc. Here, both are often thinking in the same way and communication is easy. Problems usually occur in Crossed transactions, where the other person is behaving at a different level.

The parent is either nurturing or controlling, and often speaks to the child, who is either adaptive or ‘natural’ in their response. When both people talk as a Parent to the other’s Child, their wires get crossed and conflict results.

The ideal line of communication is the mature and rational Adult-Adult relationship.

Implications for You

Being a Controlling Parent can get the other person into a Child state where they may conform with your demands. There is also a risk that they will be an Adaptive 'naughty child' and rebel. They may also take opposing Parent or Adult states.

Be a Nurturing Parent or talk at the same level as the other person to create trust.

Watch out for crossed wires. This is where conflict arises. When it happens, first go to the state that the other person is in to talk at the same level.

Ego State Concept BehaviourParent Taught/learnt Aggressive, bossy, protective, nurturing

Adult Thought Rational, assertive, open, analytical

Child Felt/Emotional Reactive, adaptive, angry, spoilt

Use the Parent, Adult, Child model to change the way you react to these types of communications. Remember: sometimes the best way to change other people’s behaviour is to change your own.

Adapted from: Changing minds: How We Change What Others Think, Feel, Behave and Do, (2002-2007) “

Think about your interactions with your colleagues, family and friends. What ego states do you use?

At work?

At home?

With friends?



Reflection Activity



8.3 Support, Coach and Guide Others

The front line manager has a 2-fold role. They must correct their employees’ performance problems and help them contribute to the organisation. At the same time, the front line manager needs to help employees grow professionally so that they can advance their careers.

Managers therefore, need to be coaches and employ face-to-face techniques to:

Solve performance problems and correct skill deficiency, and to

Help staff develop to their full potential.

Avoid these common coaching traps Lecturing instead of coaching: Coaching involves dialogue and shared

decision making

Coaching only problem employees: Coaching should not be seen as a short-term punitive measure for problem staff. Remember to use long-term coaching to help all employees develop and grow.

Not being specific about performance feedback (when used): Avoid dealing in generalities. Provide examples, statistics, dates and documentation to support your attempts to change employee behaviour

Confusing a coaching session with a performance review or disciplinary session:

Has coaching been a serious consideration in my work place? If not, why not?

Is there an employee in my team who would benefit from coaching?

Which skills or areas would I be best at coaching?

Which of my colleagues have skills which could be passed on to others through coaching?



Did you know?Coaching and mentoring are different techniques. In coaching, specific skills or tasks

are passed on, mastered and measured. In mentoring, the longer-term progress of an employee is the focus. Coaching can be part of mentoring.

Reflection Activity

Build Positive Self Confidence in your Staff Illicit support from those around you

Create a positive physical image (of you, the environment and the team)

Develop and implement clear values, visions and goals (Walk the talk!)

Encourage positive self talk and affirmations

Encourage the use of positive visualisation

Provide feedback to promote a positive self concept in individuals and teams

Show confidence in your staff

Expect the best, reward good performance and see mistakes as learning experiences

Promote a “Can do” mentality



9. Managing Poor Performance

The approaches described in previous sections can at best, reduce the incidence of conflict, low morale and poor performance. However despite best efforts, most managers will still need to address the poor performance of a team or individual/s at several points within their management career.

In your groups, discuss:

What is poor performance?

What are the reasons why managers avoid dealing with poor performance?

What are the organisational outcomes of poor performance?



Activity

9.1 Process for Managing Poor Performance

Process Be aware that a performance deficiency exists

Determine the source of the deficiency

Provide feedback to the employee/team

Agree upon a course of action

Monitor and provide further feedback to the employee/team

If no improvement, proceed to the next stage

Options for managing poor performance Targeted training program or workshop for the employee or team

Referral to EAP (Employee Assistance Program) for confidential counselling

Formal warning – verbal or written

Transfer/demote to another position.

Legal Considerations for Managing Poor Performance Workplace Relations Amendment (Work Choices) Act

Industrial Relations Act

EEO Legislation

Workplace Enterprise Bargaining Agreement

Award

Prevent an unfair dismissal claim



9.2 Employee Assistance Program

Model of Employee Assistance Program

9.3 Parting Company

Termination of Employment Options Summary Dismissal – serious misconduct

Frustration of contract

Redundancy

Giving Notice – per provision of award



Model of Termination (Discipline)

10. Managing Team Conflict

Definition of Team ConflictTeam conflict is the response an individual or group makes to a perceived threat to goals or anything they consider to be of value

Ref: Adapted from Landon and Marshall 2000



Seek first to understand, then be understood

Stephen Covey: Seven Habits of Highly Effective People

Common Causes of Conflict Different opinion and expectations

Different values and perceptions

Shared resources

Unclear roles and responsibilities

Dependence upon each other

Unclear policy or procedures

Different goals, purpose, outcomes

Individual ‘personality’ differences

10.1 Conflict Management Styles

Your Options

Conflict Mode Conflict OutcomesCompeting I win, you lose

Accommodation I lose, you win

Compromise Both win some, lose some

Collaboration I win, you win

Avoidance Lose-Lose situation

Based On Thomas Kilmann Inventory

Competing The goal is to win

Involves high assertiveness and low cooperativeness

Accommodation The goal is to yield

Involves low assertiveness and low cooperativeness

Compromise The goal is to find a middle ground

Involves moderate assertiveness and moderate cooperativeness

Collaboration The goal is to find a win-win solution

Involves high assertiveness and high cooperativeness

Avoidance The goal is to delay

Involves low assertiveness and high cooperativeness



Complete the handout on ‘conflict management style’

When to use each Conflict Management Style

Competing When unpopular decisions need to be made, when vital issues must be

handled, or when unpopular decisions need to be made.

When one is protecting self-interest

Skills required for competing: Arguing or debating, standing your ground, using rank or influence, stating your position clearly, asserting your opinions and feelings

Accommodation When you have issues of low importance to you, to reduce tension or to buy

some time

When you are in a position of lower power

Skills required for accommodation: Forgetting your desires, ability to yield, selflessness, obeying orders

Compromise When you are dealing with issues of moderate importance to you and when

you have equal power status

When you have a strong commitment for resolution

Skills required for Compromise: Negotiating, assessing value, finding a middle ground, making concessions

Collaboration When the conflict is important to the people who are constructing an

integrative solution and when the issues are too important to compromise

When merging perspectives, when gaining commitment, when improving relationship, or when learning

Skills required for Collaboration: Active listening, identifying concerns, non threatening confrontation, analysing input



Activity

Dealing with Conflict Listen with empathy

Consider emotions

Use assertiveness

Keep it impersonal

Use questions to clarify – facts.

Find a common outcome

You must all want to resolve it

Try to adopt a ‘win-win’ approach

Develop various options – together

Seek further understanding by “Mapping the Conflict”

Use a trusted 3rd party mediator

10.2 Personal Conflict Management Toolkit

“I” statements: When you speak for yourself, you are announcing that you are the expert on you and you are being responsible for yourself. An assertive communicator takes responsibility for their statements

Assertiveness: Assertive people are honest, communicate feelings, are direct but tactful, and leave people feeling comfortable and positive.

Assertive people express their needs, yet not at the expense of the feelings of others.

Aggressive people on the other hand, express their feelings at the expense of the feelings of others.

Non assertive people (‘passive aggressive’) simply do not express their needs

Non Verbals: According to researchers, it is possible to ‘read’ bodies. We all have mannerisms that we’re not aware of and they can send out messages to other people. Gestures, posture, head and eye movement, facial expressions, voice qualities – all provide important clues. For effective communication, consider applying the following:

Understand that effective communication depends more on how we send and receive rather than what.

Be aware of posture

Keep control of hand movements

Make eye contact

Face the listener directly

Use voice volume, tone and tempo to effect.



Active Listening: Listening accounts for well over half of a manager’s communication time and it is unquestionably the weakest link in the communication chain. We simply don’t listen well enough. The failure is not in the hearing, but in our ability to attend to what we hear.

Flanagan and Finger (2003) recommend the following techniques for active listening:

Commit yourself to each individual act of listening

Really concentrate on what is being said

Neutralise your biases

Encourage the speaker

Ignore all distractions

Focus on the main ideas

Test your understanding

Delay formulating your own arguments

Suspend judgement

Don’t talk too much(N Flanagan & J. Finger: The Management Bible: 2003)

Questioning Techniques: The best way to solve a problem is to ask the person who has the key to its solution. Asking the right question to the right person is the pathway to real information that can contribute to problem resolution. Effective questioning methodology includes:

Understanding the purpose of questions (e.g. to get information, to clarify a point, to keep discussions going, to communicate feelings, to gain insight)

Using the right type of question (e.g. open-ended questions, closed or yes-no questions, leading questions, reflective/probing questions, rhetorical questions, directive questions, and summary questions)

Keeping your questions simple and direct

Asking questions that are focused

Moving from general to specific (i.e. If you get too direct too soon your run the risk of creating a defensive attitude rather than encouraging open communication.

Asking the question, then pausing (silence places the onus to respond on the other person)

Not telegraphing an answer so that the listener can guess what answer will satisfy you

Refusing to accept inadequate answers (e.g. vague or dismissive answers)

Not baulking at unsettling responses. Such answers can help to identify gaps in your knowledge, or indicate to you specific areas where further probing is warranted.



Key Negotiation SkillsNegotiation is the process of arriving at mutual satisfaction through discussion and bargaining with another party – it is an essential management skill.

Managers negotiate to settle differences, to determine the value of services or products, or to vary terms or agreements. The smart manager enters negotiations with a clear strategy in mind. The negotiation process typically includes the following steps:

Identify the issues for negotiation

Set clear goals for negotiation

Gather information about the other side

Clarify your own position

Brush up on negotiation strategies

Stay SHARP



Introduction to Conflict MappingIn the centre of the circle, briefly define the problem area, or conflict in neutral terms that all would agree on, and that doesn’t invite a “yes/no” answer. (e.g. “Filing” not “Should Sally do filing?”)

In the sections of the large circle, write the name of each important person or group.

Write down each person or group’s needs. What motivates him/her/them?

Write down each person or group’s concerns, fears, or anxieties.

Be prepared to change the statement of the issue, as your understanding of it evolves through discussion or to draw up other maps of related issues that arise.



Activity

Adapted from the Conflict Resolution Trainer’s Manual: 12 Skills from the Conflict Resolution Network, NSW Australia (1993)

Reading Your Map

Look For Consider

Common Ground Which needs and concerns are held by everyone?

New Perspectives & Insights What wasn’t seen before?What now seems clearer?

Hidden Needs, Concerns, Pay-offs What stated needs might be masking: Deeper needs and concerns Unstated intentions or pay-offs

Special Concerns What are particularly difficult areas that need attention?

Leads What have you noticed that is worth following through or finding more information on?

Highlight the major needs of each participant.

Now develop options which incorporate as many of these needs as possible.



Activity Continued

Conflict Mapping is the bridge between being stuck and taking action

Answer the following questions, then discuss with your partner.

Describe one area where you have difficulty managing conflict with others.

Briefly explain a sample situation of how this conflict looks and your typical response (which conflict mode do you typically used?).

How would you like to respond differently?

What practical techniques covered in this course could you apply to improve your management of conflict?



Activity

10.3 Negotiation of Difficult Situations

The fundamental approach to negotiation includes the following concepts:

Research your adversary/ opponent/ challenger

Know your own position and requirements

Begin with a positive overture

Build trust

Address problem, not personalities

Pay little attention to initial offers

Emphasise win-win solutions

Remain persistent about your position

Be open to 3rd party assistance

It is prudent to brush up on negotiation strategies before commencing a negotiation in a difficult situation. Become aware in advance of the types of negotiation strategies that others may adopt to win you over. Flanagan and Finger (2003) suggest an awareness of the following strategies:

The Stampedic TacticDon’t be intimidated by displays of impatience or irritation by the other side. Patiently insist that your concerns be address point by point.

The Friendly TacticHere the other side assumes a level of friendship and intimacy that doesn’t exist in reality. Don’t be swayed to give away concessions simply because an atmosphere of goodwill exists.

The Dismissive TacticHere they try to gloss over your concerns as being ‘nothing to worry about’. Avoid being lulled into a false sense of security.

The Threatening TacticDon’t be frightened into submission. Stay calm and don’t react . Negotiation is a process for cool heads(N Flanagan & J. Finger: The Management Bible: 2003)



Bibliography

Changing minds website: How We Change What Others Think, Feel, Behave and Do, “Transactional Analysis’, www.changingminds.org/explanations

Cole, Kris, Supervision: The Theory and Practice of First-Line Management, Pearson Education, Australia, 2001

Conflict Resolution Network, Conflict Resolution Trainer’s Manual:12 Skills, Australia, 1993

Consultant Psychologists Press, Thomas Kilmann Conflict Mode Instrument, Palo Alto, CA USA

De Vito, J.A. The Interpersonal Communication Book, 9th Ed. Longman, New York, 2000

Dwyer, J, The Business Communication Handbook, Prentice Hall, 2003

Kindlers, H.S, Managing Disagreement Constructively, Crisp Publications, 1988

Lewis,G and Slade, Critical Communication, 2nd Ed, Prentice Hall, Sydney 2000

Northstine, W.L, Influencing Others: Successful Strategies for Persuasive Communication, Crisp Publications, 1999

Pfeiffer, J.W, Thee 1992 Annual: Developing Human Resources, Pfeiffer and Company, 1992

Reina, D & R, Trust and Betrayal in the Workplace. 2nd Ed, Berrett-Koelher Publishers, 2006

Simmons, G, Working Together: How to Become More Effective in a Multicultural Organisation, Crisp Publications, 1999

Treber Macken, J, The Art of Managing: How to Build a Better Workplace and Relationships

Watson, D, Communication in the Workplace, Prentice Hall, Sydney 2000.



http://www.changingminds.org/explanations

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