Emerald | Industrial and Commercial Training

Who's in charge of change?

Chris Edgelow — 2012-01-27 00:00:00.0

Abstract

Purpose – The question of who is in charge of change is often met with confusing answers in changing organizations. That confusion is accompanied with a correspondingly poor ability to sustain change successfully. The purpose of this paper is to outline what is required to sustain constant, complex change and most importantly, who must be accountable. Design/methodology/approach – Drawing on three decades of practical experience helping organizations change, it has become clear that unless a very small handful of groups inside a changing organization see themselves and are seen by everyone else as ultimately in charge of change, the organization will not be successful at sustaining constant change. The paper clarifies who those three groups are and what specific things they need to be accountable for to enable the organization to improve its ability to change successfully. Findings – Many organizations attempt to in source or out source the responsibility for change to “change management” experts which usually leads to dismal results. The three essential groups that actually must own change are the executives, project teams and first level supervisors. Every other group involved plays a support function to those three groups who must be in charge of change. Originality/value – When executives, project teams and first level supervisors align their efforts using an integrated approach to leading change, an organization significantly increases its capacity for sustaining successful change over the long haul. When an organization relies on external consulting firms, internal support functions or some combination of the two without having accountability for change resting with the three key groups, the capacity for change is compromised significantly.

The impact of emotionally intelligent leadership on talent retention, discretionary effort and employment brand

Benjamin R. Palmer, Gilles Gignac — 2012-01-27 00:00:00.0

Abstract

Purpose – The purpose of this paper is to present research on the relationship between the emotional intelligence (EI) of managers and levels of engagement amongst their direct reports. The findings are discussed in terms of a business case for EI development as a strategy to improve employment brand, talent retention and productivity. Design/methodology/approach – Within three different organisations, employees completed an assessment of their engagement and the EI of their manager via an online web survey system. Correlation analyses were then performed with the data. Findings – The EI of managers was found to meaningfully correlate with employee engagement scores. A substantial amount of the variability in direct report engagement scores was accounted for by managers' EI. Research limitations/implications – Future research needs to establish whether the EI of managers correlates with direct report engagement scores whilst controlling for direct reports' EI. Additionally, whether employee engagement scores improve as a result of improvements in managers' EI needs to be examined. Practical implications – Organisations may be able to improve their employment brand, talent retention and productivity by developing the EI of management. Originality/value – This paper is the first to report on the empirical relationship between managers' EI and employee engagement. It will be of interest to those who are challenged with the task of improving leadership and employee engagement more broadly.

The global training deficit: the scarcity of formal and informal professional development opportunities for women entrepreneurs

Paul J. Davis — 2012-01-27 00:00:00.0

Abstract

Purpose – The purpose of this paper is to highlight the global dearth of training options to support women entrepreneurs and to forward a set of recommendations to better meet the learning needs of women who own their businesses. Design/methodology/approach – The paper provides a thorough literature review on the topic, which examines the learning and training experiences of female entrepreneurs in a wide range of disparate societies. Findings – The absence of leaning, training and professional development opportunities for women entrepreneurs is found to be an almost universal phenomenon. In the few examples where training has been planned and provided, the results have been very significant. Further, women and their businesses are disadvantaged by the lack of training available and that this comes at a high cost to their businesses. Research limitations/implications – The implications are that countries are hindering economic activity, growth and prosperity by ignoring the professional development needs of women business owners. Originality/value – The topic of professional development opportunities for women entrepreneurs, especially a comprehensive international comparison, appears to be a first in the literature. The value of the piece is that agencies supporting small business and/or women can identify ways in which they can improve service delivery and outcomes.

The art of successful influence: matching influence strategies and styles to the context

Tony Manning — 2012-01-27 00:00:00.0

Abstract

Purpose – The purpose of this paper is to present evidence to support the idea that the art of successful influence lies in matching the strategies and style used to the context. The paper describes research into the relationship between the frequency with which people use six influence strategies, and how they combine them to form various influence styles, and a wide variety of contextual variables found by previous research to be linked to influence behaviour. It is relevant to everyone at work, including leaders, managers and professionals involved in training, development, coaching and mentoring activities. Design/methodology/approach – The model of influence behaviour identifies six sets of influence strategies used by people at work and three dimensions of influence style, based on research into how people tend to combine these strategies in practice. The research methodology involves looking at the degree of correlation and its statistical significance between the frequency with which people use these influence strategies and styles at work and 33 contextual variables. Data were collected from 161 men and women, at all levels, in a wide variety of public sector organisations in the UK, over a seven-year period. Findings – The author found support for the idea that influencing behaviour varied in different contexts. Statistically significant relationships were identified between the frequency of use of influence strategies and styles and the 33 contextual variables. Clusters of contextual variables were also shown to be related to influencing behaviour. It was argued that these findings can be used to guide action. Practical implications – The findings have implications for the development of leaders and managers. The model of interpersonal influence allows individuals to identify their particular situation and draw conclusions, rooted in theory and derived from research, about how to enhance their effectiveness in influencing others at work. Originality/value – The originality and value of this paper lies in the way in which it extends and develops previous theory and research, including that by the author and collaborators published in previous editions of Industrial and Commercial Training, thereby validating the model and the research instruments used to operationalise it. The findings confirm that influencing behaviour does vary in different contexts and provides evidence that clearly indicates the particular contextual variables linked to the frequency of use of specific influence strategies and styles.

Why personal reputation matters in virtual knowledge sharing

Randy Emelo — 2012-01-27 00:00:00.0

Abstract

Purpose – The purpose of this paper is to provide an argument for implementing a reputation system into virtual knowledge sharing programs. Design/methodology/approach – The author formulates opinions based on workplace realities, professional insights and personal experience. Findings – To help knowledge workers be more generous with their insights and information in a virtual knowledge sharing platform, personal reputation must be examined, assessed, and leveraged as part of the intrinsic value of the program. Practical implications – Several practical implications emerge in this article: knowledge sharing should be virtual; it should occur outside of functional boundaries; systems should include reputation assessments; power should be in the hands of the individual participants; and no monetary incentive should be given to participate. Originality/value – The ideas and methods for implementing a reputation system are new. Readers will discover the latest trend emerging in the area of virtual knowledge sharing and collaborative learning.

Management of change in a multinational company

Brian J. Hurn — 2012-01-27 00:00:00.0

Abstract

Purpose – The paper is based on leading a management of change simulation involving trainee managers in a global oil company who were tasked with preparing a proposal for senior management regarding the management of change to face future challenges. The purpose of the paper is to comment on models of change management, overcoming resistance to change, the necessary skills and commitment to implement change and stages in the planning. It concludes with the key outcomes of the simulation exercise. Design/methodology/approach – The paper is based on a management of change simulation exercise from which guidelines for good practice are deduced. Findings – The paper identifies key factors necessary for successful change management, including anticipation of the need for change, communication at all levels, overcoming resistance, skills required and the planning stages to implementation. Practical implications – The learning outcomes of the simulation and the discussions reflect accepted models of change management. Originality/value – The paper provides examples of good practice arising from a two-day simulation exercise.

Training for cultural competence

Neal Goodman — 2012-01-27 00:00:00.0

Abstract

Purpose – The purpose of this paper is to examine the best ways for an organization to instil cultural intelligence and international success in to its workforce. Design/methodology/approach – Possible methods examined include highly tailored cross-cultural curricula, virtual training, global leadership programs, international team building exercises, and knowledge management systems. The recommendation and analysis of these methods is based on 25 years of Global Dynamics experience in training executives in cross-cultural skills. Findings – The author's research has found that complete implementation of the recommended methods result in optimal performance in a global market. Making employees aware of their own cultural perspectives and misunderstandings enables the development of a larger world view. Leadership involvement in the direction of organization's cultural competence strategy helps employees hone their skills on specific points of emphasis. Additionally, metrics should be used to gauge the effectiveness of the cultural intelligence strategy in order to continually improve elements of the overarching program. Practical implications – By having more direct involvement in the learning process, leadership can strengthen the organization's cultural intelligence and ensure that the learnings are directly applicable. Originality/value – This paper is based on more than 25 years of experience working with the world's leading international organizations to enhance their global performance.

Why goal setting can ruin your life

Sarah Alexander — 2012-01-27 00:00:00.0

Abstract

Purpose – The purpose of this paper is to illustrate how setting goals and focusing on acquisition and achievement in life can lead to disappointment and misery, whereas focusing on the guidance of one's inner wisdom can lead to happiness and fulfilment. Design/methodology/approach – The limitations and drawbacks of goal setting are outlined and case studies are provided to support this. Suggestions are provided for listening to one's intuition and allowing the Universe to direct one's life. Findings – Both the author and a client are used as case studies that support the value of allowing intuition to be the guiding force in one's life. In both instances there is greater peace and satisfaction in life and the feeling that life is working out easily for both individuals. Practical implications – This approach can be successfully used in any area of one's life and is valuable to people from all walks of life. However not everyone is willing to adopt this approach as it requires a willingness to let go of the desire to control one's life and in so doing, allow in what is really meant for us. Social implications – This training to date has been presented to open audiences, executives and entrepreneurs with good results. It is clear that these ideas could also be of value to those leading larger organisations and in other key roles of leadership. Originality/value – These techniques originate from the author's study of “A Course in Miracles”. The author has adopted its teaching within her own work and this, she believes, to be original - although there are other coaches who may support such thinking with their clients. This thinking is of value to anyone who wishes to reduce anxiety and stress, feel more fulfilled in life and improve their relationships – both professional and personal.

Airline pilot on board to raise safety awareness

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Double honors for Balfour Beatty degree

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Twitter takes off at British Airways

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Morrisons undergraduates earn as they learn

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Tata Steel forges partnership to create sales academy

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Seddon builds a reputation for apprenticeships

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Bank earns credit for in-house training

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Coloplast clocks up 1,000 downloads

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Linda learns to lead a team

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Learning and Development Practice

2012-01-27 00:00:00.0