The Way I See It… Internal Communications – Mind the Gap
The success of projects, of making people understand, learn and engage is dependent on communication. Alastair Barber, internal communications specialist with marketing consultancy Omobono looks at the issues. Sitting on a filthy floor in your best glad-rags clenched between the thighs of a drunken stranger: that’s an experience that The Gap Band brought to a […]
Review: Implementing Virtual Teams
Title: Implementing Virtual TeamsAuthors: Abigail Edwards and John R. WilsonPublisher: Gower Publishing LimitedISBN: 0 566 08468 6Price: £53.95Reviewer: Kathryn KellyEmployer’s Organisation for local Government andrecruitmentBeware of first impressions: My first thoughts about a book on implementing virtual teams were that the medium was at odds with the subject matter. This was re-enforced by the computer-generated […]
UK Leaders Honest but Lack Soft Skills
Leaders rate highly on honesty, integrity and delivery, but are less skilled in areas such as empathy and awareness of colleagues, according to a new study.Nearly 9000 people were asked to rate their leaders – from directors to project managers – on 38 measures that define leadership. Overall, the results showed that women are ranked […]
Case Study: Assessment Tools Help Costa Get the Right Blend
Costa, the UK’s leading coffee store brand, has reduced the turnover of its shop-floor staff by almost 20% after introducing a personality questionnaire to help the company recruit the right people. The questionnaire has proved so successful that Costa has now introduced a separate selection tool for its store managers. Delivered online, it measures personal […]
Workers Across the Pond Trust Leaders More
Feelings towards senior management improve the closer to the Atlantic sentiment is tested.In Watson Wyatt’s ‘WorkUK’ and ‘WorkUSA’ surveys, it is revealed that while 51% of US workers have trust and confidence in the job being done by their organisations leaders a mere 31% of UK workers feel the same.Andrew Cocks, European head of employee […]
Managers face ‘knowledge gap’ on bullying
A UK-wide survey among managers has revealed that bullying is not seen as a key issue in today’s workplace – with only 17% of respondents claiming that it is a problem to be addressed.However, the research, by Leicester based PTP Training and Marketing Ltd, also highlighted a significant lack of knowledge among managers regarding company […]
Managers Face ‘Knowledge Gap’ on Bullying
A UK-wide survey among managers has revealed that bullying is not seen as a key issue in today’s workplace – with only 17% of respondents claiming that it is a problem to be addressed.However, the research, by Leicester based PTP Training and Marketing Ltd, also highlighted a significant lack of knowledge among managers regarding company […]
NHS Employers Selects New Chair
The chief executive of Worcestershire Acute Hospitals NHS Trust has been named as the chairman of NHS Employers’ new 204-strong assembly.Speaking at the first assembly meeting, John Rostill told over 150 senior NHS managers that this was their opportunity to make a difference to the lives of thousands of NHS staff working across England.“First and […]
The Way I See It… Mapping the Way for Management Development
Simon Court, CEO of change management specialist Value Partnership, looks at the importance of having a roadmap to develop managers. Recent opinion pieces on TrainingZONE have reminded us that management and leadership development is only likely to add value if it sets out to respond to business needs. Critically, it needs delivers change in management […]
CPD Group for Local Government Managers
The Employers’ Organisation for local government (EO) and the Institute for Leadership and Management (ILM) have launched a new faculty for local government managers. The group aims to support middle managers in continuing their development within the sector and learning from ILM members across the public, voluntary and private sectors.“Those working at a middle management […]
UK Tops Euro Entrepreneur Table
New research shows that the UK is Europe’s most entrepreneurial major economy, with almost 10% of the population planning to strike out on their own.The Global Entrepreneurship Monitor (GEM) 2004, an international research group part funded by the Department of Trade and Industry, places the UK ahead of rivals Germany, France, Italy when it comes […]
IT Managers ‘Lack Soft Skills’
Most UK IT managers feel unequipped to manage their teams effectively, according to a recent poll conducted by Parity.The research, found that 56% of IT managers felt under-equipped for their role, while 67% of their staff recognised this skills gap among their bosses. Almost half of the staff surveyed said that their managers lacked vital […]
Employers Delve Deep for Management Training
Companies are ploughing more money into leadership development, with people and performance management skills being key areas of investment.A study of 250 UK training buyers found that 42% reported an increase in their management training budget (up from 30% in 2003) with only 12% facing a reduction (22% the previous year). This was confirmed by […]
Managers Need Training in Business Benefits of Diversity
Line managers need training on the business benefits of diversity, according to a new report from the Chartered Institute of Personnel and Development (CIPD). The report, Driving Diversity Progress, states that organisations who do not take diversity seriously could face difficulties attracting the best candidates to fill vacancies, and risk damaging efforts to achieve their […]
Risk Takers Reap Financial Rewards
Researchers at Cranfield School of Management claim to have revealed the link between risk taking and the financial performance of their business, finding that risk-takers are likely to achieve the highest sales growth, but that over-confidence can also lead to poor profit performance by owner-managers. The research, carried out among UK-based SMEs over three years […]
Leaders “Made not Born”
A Chartered Management Institute (CMI) report reveals that for the first time since the start of the survey in 1996, job experience is rated more highly than natural ability when it comes to performing well at work. The CMI claim that the belief that “leaders are born, not made” has been eclipsed. Research based on […]
Leadership Gold Medal for HSBC Chair
Sir John Bond, group chairman of HSBC, has been awarded a “Gold Medal, for his strategic leadership and management skills.The award, which is the highest honour conferred by the Chartered Management Institute, recognises his stewardship in developing business values that have successfully crossed international cultures and borders.Sir John has been chairman of HSBC over the […]
Leadership Starts in the Classroom
A new report claims that pupils that display leadership qualities at school go on to be business leaders in later life.The Leading Edge, a report based on research among British Captains of Industry by MORI for HR consultancy DDI reports that of 100 business leaders interviewed:* 70% had been a school prefect* 50% had captained […]
TrainingZONE’s Top 50 Features of 2004
We’ve had published an amazing 200 features on TrainingZONE over 2004, many of them contributed by members of the site.This is a selection of our favourite 50 – broken into 10 themes but in no other particular order – chosen for being innovative, insightful, creating debate and sheer popularity!We hope you’ll agree with this line […]
The Way I See It… Talent Management – Just Another Fad?
Talent management is the latest buzz word in the HR field but is it just another empty fad? Michael Moran chief executive of Fairplace Consulting plc cuts the jargon and examines the issues. Deciphering HR language and concepts can be a minefield. We’ve all been bombarded with terms including business partners, business process re-engineering, continuous […]