Knowledge management and innovation: Can Big Learning Data bridge the gap?
The companies that will succeed in future are the ones that understand big data. But how will it impact on knowledge management and innovation? Janet Garcia tells us more. The convergence of knowledge management systems and big data will see the emergence of big learning data as a key element of competition, innovation and growth […]
Successful leadership thinking: Eliminate targets
In the final part of this three-part series, John Wenger discusses the merits of John Seddon's 'successful systems thinking' from a leadership perspective. So what is the leadership stuff? In my old workplace, the senior managers managed like systems thinkers (working on the system, not on the people) and they also role modelled leadership stuff. Leadership is […]
How to set goals and achieve them
If you want to be a great project manager, you’ll need to be extremely good at setting goals and achieving them. Every project has a defined delivery date, so you need to be goal-oriented if you want to deliver your project on time. Taylor Williams tells us how. Identify what’s important In projects, everything is a priority. Take […]
Successful management thinking: Eliminate targets
In the second of this three-part series, John Wenger discusses the merits of John Seddon's 'successful systems thinking' from a management perspective. Management My understanding is that when people like Deming and Seddon advocate for the elimination of targets and performance appraisals, they are not suggesting that we eliminate management. It can be confusing sometimes because […]
A great sales team depends on a strong first-line sales manager
Graham Scrivener looks at the precarious perch of a first-line sales manager and the importance of leadership development to help them to balance the complexities and demands of their role and turn them into high-performing bosses. The role of a first-line sales manager is a juggling act. They have to close sales, coach and motivate […]
Disciplinary – it’s all in the preparation
The Employment Act 2008 places greater emphasis on the employer to ensure disciplinary issues are dealt with in accordance with new statutory procedures and guidelines. A.C.A.S. says: "Those responsible for using and operating the disciplinary rules, including managers at all levels, should be trained for the task". Prepare effectively and the manager is well on their […]
Is it time for managers to face reality?
Or shall we leave it till tomorrow? Tim Hawkes muses about the qualities of the genuine manager. Have you ever noticed how some people live two separate lives? They have a 'work' them and a 'home' them. Some people are also proud to tell you of their separate lifestyles, how they are an adrenalin junkie […]
How to keep trainees engaged with your LMS
For our final 'how-to…' piece of the month, Jordan Barrish focuses on making the most of your learning management system. Spending money on a learning management system and then not having it meet your goals is like buying a car and letting it sit in your driveway; it’s a complete waste of money. While every […]
‘L&D’: Almost as unfashionable as ‘personnel’
Iain McAdam looks at the changes in organisational development and L&D recruitment. The evolution of traditional technical training functions into sophisticated end-to-end strategic L&D functions over the past few years has changed the recruitment market for development professionals quite considerably. Many development professionals now perceive the term ‘learning and development’ as almost as unfashionable a […]
Implementing social collaboration into your organisation
It's the C word again. Vincent Belliveau reinforces the importance of knowledge sharing. With organisations around the world growing in size due to expansion into new markets and mergers and acquisitions, effective communication and sharing is becoming increasingly important. Recently we’ve seen Apple announce that it now has 72,800 full-time employees, which is up from […]
Managing Performance- it’s a matter of skill and will
To do a job 3 things are needed: the knowledge that underpins the job; the skill to be able to do the job and the attitude i.e. the will to complete the job to the standards required. So performance management boils down to 3 simple questions: Knowledge: Do they know what to do? Skill: Do […]
Why good leadership is about being true to yourself
Jo-Ellen Gryzb explains why women trying to be men in the workplace is a huge mistake, and why women who embrace their female traits make the most successful managers. Tough times Women have had it tough in the workplace for many years. Struggling to be heard or even taking a significant role in the boardroom, […]
People management and soft skills: The missing link
Stephen Walker looks at the differences between traditional command and control style and people centred management. Let me be bold. Management is the management of people. The management of objects is administration. Planning the functions and throughput of a machine is simple. The set-up time, the run time to process each item and the downtime […]
How to turn conflict-avoidant managers into conflict-competent managers
It’s an ongoing issue in the workplace. How do you address conflict? Alex Efthymiades extols the virtues of conflict management training. Given the ongoing economic uncertainty, it is no surprise that workplace conflict is on the increase. The threat of redundancy and restructuring, real or perceived, deeply unsettles and creates tension in the workplace. Issues […]
Soft skills and engineers: Google’s Project Oxygen pt2
John Sadowsky concludes his feature about a recent project at Google that highlights how soft skills can influence managerial style across an organisation. In their bosses, do engineers value soft skills more than hard technical knowledge? It was in a second phase, when the Project Oxygen team began ranking the eight elements by level of […]
Soft skills and engineers: Google’s Project Oxygen pt1
John Sadowsky turns to a recent project at Google to highlight how soft skills can influence managerial style across an organisation. As someone who has consulted for numerous high-tech companies and who has taught business students and engineers the past two decades, I read with considerable interest an article in the New York Times in […]
Continual learning + talent pipeline = organisational development
Tim Taylor is putting the OD ball squarely in the court of leadership. Leaders have a crucial role to play in creating a talent pipeline to enable a flow of talented and skilled managers to reach the upper echelons of an organisation. Research conducted by the Institute of Leadership and Management (ILM) found that only […]
Why are managers so bad at managing?
Ever wondered how – and why – some people made it to management level? Peter Hunter looks at the history of a constantly developing discipline. The answer to the question lies in an appreciation of the way that both the workforce and management have changed in the relatively short time since both concepts have existed. […]
Sustaining behaviour change: Crucial for business
Graham Scrivener tells us how to make the most of our learning events, long after they finish. Behaviour change is crucial to business change. In fact, according to research by the Economist Intelligence Unit, behaviour change in the organisation is “the most important measure in determining the success of a change initiative.” However, according to […]
The missing link between e-revolution and learning in a global workplace
Armin Hopp looks at the key issues to consider when implementing a training strategy for global organisations with multi-lingual needs. The recent mergers and acquisitions activity in the learning space signals the start of an e-revolution, with large vendors moving towards the cloud at lightning speed. The shift began in December 2011, with SAP announcing […]
