Lead and manage effective

Workplace relationships
BSBLDR502
V2016.4

Learner Workbook

Student Name:
Student ID:

2016

BSBLDR502 Lead and manage effective workplace relationships

This unit describes the skills and knowledge required to lead and manage effective workplace
relationships.

Performance criteria
ELEMENT

PERFORMANCE CRITERIA

1. Manage ideas

1.1. Ensure strategies and processes are in place to communicate

and information

information associated with the achievement of work

responsibilities to all co-worker
1.2. Develop and/or implement consultation processes to ensure
that employees have the opportunity to contribute to issues related
to their work roles
1.3. Facilitate feedback to employees on outcomes of the
consultation process
1.4 Develop and/or implement process to ensure that issues raised
are resolved promptly or referred to relevant personnel

2. Establish

2.1. Establish and/or implement policies to ensure that the

systems to

organisations cultural diversity and ethical values are adhered to

develop trust and 2.2. Gain and maintain the trust and confidence of colleagues and
confidence
external contacts through professional conduct
2.3. Adjust own interpersonal communication styles to meet the
organisations cultural diversity and ethical environment and guide
and support the work team in their personal adjustment process
3. Manage the

3.1. Use network to build workplace relationships providing

development and identifiable outcomes for the team and the organisation
maintenance of

3.2.Conduct ongoing planning to ensure that effective internal and

networks and

external workplace relationships are developed and maintained

relationships
4. Manage

4.1 Develop and/or implement strategies to ensure that difficulties

difficulties to

in workplace relationships are identified and resolved

achieve positive

4.2 Establish processes and systems to ensure that conflict is

outcomes

indentified and managed constructively in accordance with the

organisations policies and procedures
4.3 Provide guidance, counselling and support to assist co-workers in

ELEMENT

PERFORMANCE CRITERIA
resolving their work difficulties
4.4 Develop and implement an action plan to address any identified
difficulties

Table of Contents
Chapter 1 Manage ideas and information ........................................................................................... 7
1.1. Ensure strategies and processes are in place to communicate information associated with
the achievement of work responsibilities to all co-workers ............................................................... 7
Frontline Managers ......................................................................................................................... 8
Work Responsibilities...................................................................................................................... 9
Roles of Individuals and Teams ....................................................................................................... 9
Team leader, Team members ....................................................................................................... 10
Ideas and information ................................................................................................................... 10
Collect and analyse ideas and information ................................................................................... 11
Sources of internal and external information ............................................................................... 13
Internal .......................................................................................................................................... 13
External ......................................................................................................................................... 14
Confidential Ideas and Information .............................................................................................. 14
Changes to legislation and developments .................................................................................... 14
Important Legislation .................................................................................................................... 15
Strategies for Communication ...................................................................................................... 15
Identifying your audience and purpose ........................................................................................ 16
Effective written communication ................................................................................................. 18
Effective verbal communication ................................................................................................... 19
Issue instructions .......................................................................................................................... 20
Chapter 2 Manage ideas and information ......................................................................................... 22
1.2 Develop and/or implement consultation processes to ensure that employees have the
opportunity to contribute to issues related to their work role ........................................................ 22
Establish a communication framework ........................................................................................ 22
Features of communication framework ....................................................................................... 23
Develop and implement consultation processes .......................................................................... 23
Consultation processes ................................................................................................................. 23
Encourage employee contributions .............................................................................................. 23
Provide opportunities for planning, decision-making and action................................................. 24
Types of forums providing team input ......................................................................................... 24
1.3 Facilitate feedback to employees on outcome of consultation processes ................................. 24

Informal and ongoing feedback .................................................................................................... 25

Formal feedback ........................................................................................................................... 25
Chapter 3 Manage ideas and information ......................................................................................... 29
1.4. Develop and/or implement processes to ensure that issues raised are resolved promptly or
referred to relevant personnel. ........................................................................................................ 29
Identifying problems ..................................................................................................................... 29
Solve problems.............................................................................................................................. 30
Problem-solving solutions for managers ...................................................................................... 30
Dedicated planning sessions ......................................................................................................... 31
Involve key personnel or external experts.................................................................................... 31
Informal meeting .......................................................................................................................... 32
Conduct Surveys............................................................................................................................ 33
Chapter 4 Establish systems to develop trust and confidence .......................................................... 35
2.1. Establish and/or implement policies to ensure that the organisations cultural diversity and
ethical values and adhered to ........................................................................................................... 35
Cultural and social diversity .......................................................................................................... 35
Organisational policies and procedures........................................................................................ 36
Social Standards ............................................................................................................................ 37
Ethical standards ........................................................................................................................... 37
Business standards ........................................................................................................................ 38
Adhere to relevant legislation requirements................................................................................ 39
Work-life balance and family-friendly policies ............................................................................. 40
2.2 Gain and maintain the trust and confidence of colleagues and external contacts through
professional conduct......................................................................................................................... 40
Identify colleagues and external contacts .................................................................................... 41
Treat people with integrity and respect ....................................................................................... 41
Show empathy .............................................................................................................................. 42
Avoid behaviors that destroy trust ............................................................................................... 42
Aim for high professional standards ............................................................................................. 42
Build the talent and confidence of other ...................................................................................... 43
Support your team ........................................................................................................................ 43
Motivate others ............................................................................................................................ 44
Alleviate organisational stress ...................................................................................................... 44
Encourage open communication .................................................................................................. 44
Chapter 5 Establish systems to develop trust and confidence .......................................................... 48
2.3. Adjust own interpersonal communication styles to meet the organisations cultural diversity
and ethical environment and guide and support the work team in their personal adjustment
process .............................................................................................................................................. 48

Organisational structure ............................................................................................................... 48

Achieve an optimum environment ............................................................................................... 48
Communicate within a diverse workforce .................................................................................... 49
Language differences .................................................................................................................... 49
Disability and special needs .......................................................................................................... 50
Tips for communicating with people with disabilities .................................................................. 51
Use non-discriminatory language ................................................................................................. 51
Emphasise cultural factors when recruiting ................................................................................. 51
Interpersonal Styles ...................................................................................................................... 52
Coaching and mentoring your team ............................................................................................. 53
Chapter 6 Manage the development and maintenance of networks and relationships ................... 55
3.1. Use networks to build workplace relationships providing identifiable outcomes for the team
and the organisation. ........................................................................................................................ 55
The purpose of networking........................................................................................................... 55
Use networks to benefit the organization .................................................................................... 56
Benefits to individuals and building relationships through networks .......................................... 57
Develop a list of contacts .............................................................................................................. 57
Tips for expanding your contact circle .......................................................................................... 58
Networking strategies ................................................................................................................... 58
3.2 Conduct ongoing planning to ensure that effective internal and external workplace
relationships are developed and maintained ................................................................................... 59
Make the most of your network ................................................................................................... 59
Represent your network ............................................................................................................... 60
Always follow up ........................................................................................................................... 60
Share information about networking ........................................................................................... 60
Chapter 7 Manage difficulties to achieve positive outcome ............................................................. 62
4.1. Develop and/or implement strategies to ensures that difficulties in workplace relationships
are identified and resolved ............................................................................................................... 62
Difficulties within the workplace .................................................................................................. 62
Manage workplace difficulties ...................................................................................................... 63
Speak with relevant people .......................................................................................................... 64
4.2. Establish processes and systems to ensure that conflict is identified and managed
constructively in accordance with the organisations policies and procedures ............................... 64
Follow policies and procedures .................................................................................................... 64
Be objective and constructive ....................................................................................................... 65
Defuse the situation ...................................................................................................................... 65
Dispute resolution processes ........................................................................................................ 66
Chapter 8 Manage difficulties to achieve positive outcomes ............................................................ 68

4.3. Provide guidance, counselling and support to assist co-workers in resolving their work
difficulties.......................................................................................................................................... 68
Frontline managers responsibilities .............................................................................................. 69
Guide your team ........................................................................................................................... 69
Counsel your team ........................................................................................................................ 69
Support your team ........................................................................................................................ 70
4.4. Develop and implement an action plan to address any identified difficulties .......................... 70
Develop an action plan ................................................................................................................. 70
Review and implement workplace outcomes............................................................................... 71
Summary ............................................................................................................................................... 73
References ............................................................................................................................................ 73

Chapter 1 Manage ideas and information

Element of competency:
1.1. Ensure strategies and processes are in place to communicate information associated
with the achievement of work responsibilities to all co-workers

1.1. Ensure strategies and processes are in place to communicate

information associated with the achievement of work responsibilities
to all co-workers
Collins Australian dictionary defines communication as The activity of process of giving information
to other people or to other living thing
*Taken directly from Collins Cobuild university international language data 1988 ESSENTIAL DICTIONARY*

Communication has many different forms for example verbal and written communication, internal
and external communication and there are many different types of people of multiple levels within
our organisation who we need to communicate with and who need to communicate with us.
Whilst external communication is usually done by managers at a higher level all employees internally
communicate with one another.
Communication used in a positive way can help to empower your brand, increase customer
satisfaction, increase customer retention rates and increase staff productivity. If your organisation
communicates both internally and externally in the correct way the results will be measurable with
an increase in both productivity and profitability across your organisation.
Successful communication within your organisation means that:

Employees understand the audience and stakeholder they are communicating to, they have
an understanding of the objectives of the business and the outcome of those objectives and
they are able to work towards improving further employee engagement.
Employees can refer to a communication strategy which helps with business strategy and
provides a solid structure and skills for all employees within the organisation
Employees at higher levels are equipment with the correct leadership and management
tools to help shape a positive behaviour and attitude in all employees as well as a self
motivation to reach business goals through positive business results
Communicate in a way which educates and inspires all employees to deliver on
organisational goals
Measure internal communication effectiveness

Frontline Managers
All managers play an important part in an organisation communication structure, frontline managers
primarily are responsible for communicating information to there team members relating to work
responsibilities. For a manager they are constantly communicating with their team in regards or all
different types of organisational issues, organisational responsibilities of their team, requirements
and standards of the organisation, values, policies and procedures as well as new ideas and
information which may be relevant to all team members.
Frontline managers need to posses certain skills and abilities to be able to:

Gather and organise information from reliable and appropriate sources

Work with their team to analyse and share information
Use information and communicate ideas for specific audiences
Be continuously supportive and motivate other colleagues

To be a successful frontline manager you must display a combination of interpersonal, conceptual,

practical and technical skills. Like with most roles you take on in life the key to success in this is
communication.
As a frontline manager one of your main responsibilities are to lead your team as they work towards
achieving work goals and responsibilities. A description of the organisations expectations,
behaviours and performance requirements are written into the contract for a frontline manager.
Irrespective of the job title it is expected that a frontline manager will be able to display leadership,
management and motivational skills for themselves and their team.
Holding the position of frontline manager means that you are representing the organisation their
values and standards, as a role model to your staff your behaviours are constantly being looked at by
your employees, it is your responsibility to provide and role model guidance, support and training for
all members of your team.
Effective managers, frontline managers and team leaders are able to:

Assist team members in achieving their goals

Have open communication, be honest and share information with team members
Make decisions to benefit the team
Demonstrate to the team they need to take responsibility for their actions
Demonstrate active listening and continual learning from other team member
Show a personal interest in team members both professionally and personally
Have an understanding of the goals and objectives team members want to achieve
Display the ability to motivate, mentor and coach team members as well as develop a solid
working relationship with them build on trust
Help to develop team values, standards and protocol

Work Responsibilities
Each individual working within an organisation is given a role in which they are employed to carry
out, these roles and responsibilities change for each individual based on the type of organisation you
are working for, the environment within your organisation and the industry in which you work. Each
member within an organisation needs to be aware of
there role , and the responsibility which comes with that
role.
Whether you are working as a team or as an individual
there will be common responsibilities which will be share
amongst a number of people within the organisation,
these responsibilities when achieved contribute to the
overall success of an organizations goals and objectives.
All company activities whether they are individual, team
or organizational division need to contribute to the overall
goals of the entire organisation.
When you are employed you are given an individual job description which outlines your
responsibilities within an organisation, however both individual and shared responsibilities should
be discussed in a team environment so that everyone is aware of there own responsibilities and the
responsibilities of the team.

Roles of Individuals and Teams

A job role normally is based around an individuals skill base and subject knowledge. An individuals
role within a team environment is determined by there existing position within an organisation or
summed up by there job description. Your role within a team can be very different from your regular
job function.
As you go from working as an individual to working as part of a team there may be some confusion
from other individuals either within the company or within the team or both about your new role
and responsibilities of that role. Depending on the organisation and there stance of team work there
may be less emphasis on team skills if an organisation is less team focused.
When a team environment is being established within an organisation typically you will have a team
leader and then individuals who make up the team. Each person within the team including the team
leader will have considerably different roles, responsibilities and practical involvement.
In each different working environment the team leader and team member will have a different role
to play.

Team leader, Team members

Building Site

Operating Theatre

Team Leader

Team Leader

Foreman

Chief Surgeon

Team members and their different roles

Team members and their different roles

Bricklayer, electricians, labourers, carpenters,

plumbers

Anesthetist, theatre nurse, technicians, assistant

surgeons

Warehouse

Bank Branch

Team Leader

Team Leader

Supervisor

Branch Manager

Team member and their different roles

Team member and their different roles

Forklift driver, pickers, packers, order checkers

Tellers, supervisor, loan staff, back office staff

*Taken from Aspire Version 1.2, page 4, Aspire Training and Consulting*

Ideas and information

All teams require a certain level of information to maximize their ability to achieve work goals and
objectives of both the team and organisation, based on the organisation in which you work the level
of information to which you will be exposed to will vary.
Different people are exposed to different types of organizational inform. For example:
Policies and procedures
All members of an organisation need to be exposed to policies and procedures which affect them,
their team and there work responsibilities. It is the responsibility of the frontline manager to induct
new employees, explain the policies and procedures provide clarity on any issues new employees
may not be sure about and give a brief as to why this information is important for new employees.
Planning and operational
Teams need to have an understanding of the organisations goals, social and ethical standards. An
organization usually places all the relevant information in their vision and or mission statements,
codes of best practices, business or strategic plans, risk managements strategies, operational
budgets, team plans and operational budgets.
A code of conduct helps to outline to employees the rules and responsibilities that an organisation
will observe when dealing with their stakeholders.

10

Marketing
Organisations keeps both a record of marketing and customer base related information which may
include product and price information along with current and previous catalogue information and
customer service charters, refund and exchange policies, statistics of sales, stock and market
reports, customer feedback etc.
This type of information helps to improve marketing, sales and customer service relations both
internally and externally. Marketing and customer service data helps to employees to have a better
understanding of the organisations products and service and allows then to respond to inquires a lot
easier as they are able to work within the broader organizational goals.
Archival Data
This can include any types of information which has been filed away. For example budgets from the
previous year or details of projects which the company have undertaken. Employees may want to
access records which have been archived to use as example for templates when preparing business
cases.
Performance Plans
Performance appraisals are used to help improve work performance. Documentation accompanies
qualities assurance processes, skills audits, team and individuals performance reviews. It is
encouraged to share operational outcomes with work colleagues and make performance data
available to them to help continuous improvement amongst all workers.

Collect and analyse ideas and information

As part of the frontline managers responsibilities they need to be able to research and critically
evaluate information which can then be used as part of the continuous improvement for an
organisation and a team. There are many areas which need to be considered when collecting and
analyzing information an ideas.
Information Objectives
Understand the objectives of the information.
You need to understand the type of information you need to collect, how the information will be
used and why it is needed before you start researching for the information. It is important that you
are focused on the objectives throughout this process, be specific about the aim and ultimate goals.

11

Research Method
Apply appropriate research method.
The method you use to collect your information will depend on the objective of the information
itself, the desired outcome of the information and the amount of time you have to collect and
analyse the information. Any member of your team can gather information.
Common methods for acquiring information may include:

Reading reports
Analyzing catalogue
Price list and statistics
Interviewing
Asking questions
Sharing ideas
Observing and listening
Reviewing and sampling new products and service

Information Sources
Identify information sources
There is a wide variety of places where you can gather information from, the most likely area is
within your own organization. As a manager it is important to be informed where external sources of
information are coming from and any issues or developments which may affect the decision making
or work performance of staff sourcing the information.
Information Validity
Making sure that information is valid
When gathering information you need to make sure that the information is valid to the subject for
which you are gathering the information. There are several ways in which you can determine if the
information which you are gathering is valid.

Source Know where the information is coming from, is the source of the information
reliable? Is the source and the information widely accepted within the industry and your
organization.
Currency Make sure that the information you are using is not out of date
Relevance Information needs to relate directly to the research goals
Presentation analyses how the information has been presented, is there any errors or is
the information poorly organized
Authenticity- Is the information accurate and authentic
Acceptability does the information follow the organisations policies and procedures for
collecting and using information

12

Assemble Information
Information needs to be assembled correctly
As you are collecting information you will need to convert the information into a more suited format
for your needs. Information may need to be culled from the original documentation to fit Into the
categories you need. The way in which you assessment the information you require will depend on
the nature of the information and the documentation use and audience.

Sources of internal and external information

The source of information which you are collecting should not be limited, information should be
gathered both internally and externally. When gathering your information internally you may not be
able to source the information from files or data bases but may need to speak to people within your
organization. Knowing the correct person you need to approach will help you to better understand
the work roles and responsibilities of relationships your colleagues have within the organization.
When speaking to colleague make sure you are clear about why you need the information and also
be clear on what the colleague can and cannot provide.
When considering external sources to gather information you may be looking at gathering
information from:

Government departments
Agencies
Industry professionals and associates
Public libraries
Literature
Directories
Your own networking contacts
internet

*Dot points taken directly from Aspire Version 1.2 Aspire Training & consulting*

Internal
Internal communication is the communication which occurs between individual within an
organisation. The communication can be between employer and employee, employee and
employee, manger and team or individual or manager and manager. Internal communication helps
to build businesses and empowers employees by supporting business beliefs, behaviors and culture
within an organisation.

13

External
External communication is the communication which commonly occurs outside of your organisation
or occurs between and employee of the company and an individual outside of the company. This is
common when a customer service team member is dealing with a customer or a manager is
speaking with stake holders.

Confidential Ideas and Information

As a manager and a frontline manager if is your responsibility to ensure that any issues or
information affecting staff or external customers are dealt with, with confidentiality and privacy.
Ideas and information need to be reviewed as commercially or politically sensitive. An effective
manager should be able to deal with certain matters with discretion.
Commonwealth, state and territory legislation governs the use of personal or client information
*Quote taken directly from Aspire Training and Consulting version 1.2*

When you are presented with information which you are not sure how to deal with, you can also
refer to:

Organisational policies and procedures

Advice from more experience colleagues and seniors within your organization
Comply with commonwealth, state or territory privacy legislation
Make judgements as to when you should release certain information
If the information is not sensitive or private you can share the information in a memo, notice
announcement either at a staff meeting or meeting which you have called

Changes to legislation and developments

It is important for frontline managers and managers in general to make sure they are complying with
commonwealth, state and territory legislation. All organisations will have legislation which they
need to comply with. Guidelines around this limitation helps organizations to set boundaries within
which they can work.
Your companies legislative practices should be written into the companies policies and procedures.
By following the companies policies and procedures you are meeting the obligations of your
organisation.
Using the internet for research and downloading information is the most efficient way to conduct
research. It is the most efficient way of keeping up to date with current legislation and any changes
or developments with legislation.

14

Important Legislation
Work Health and Safety Act 2011 (Cth)
Racial Discrimination Act 1975 (Cth)
Age Discrimination Act 2004 (Cth)
Disability Discrimination Act 1992 (Cth)
Sex Discrimination Act 1984 (Cth)
Human Rights and Equal opportunity Commission Act 1986 (Cth)
Privacy Act 1988 (Cth)
Financial legislation relating to the baking, finance or insurance sector
Environmental legislation relevant to your organisation
Industrial relations legislation and regulation
Laws specific to your state or territory
Workplace or industry based codes of practice and ethical principles
*Table taken directly from Aspire Training and Consulting, version 1.2 page 10*

Strategies for Communication

The job of an organizational manager is to act as a channel of communication between all team
members, other team leaders and senior managers within the organisation. It is encouraged to share
information with others within your team or your organisation as this helps to increase productivity
and healthy work relationships between co-workers.
As a manager you need to be a role model of the type of communication you want others to follow.
If you encourage, support and demonstrate open communication then other members of your team
will communicate in the same way.
When you have effective communication within your organisation the results of that can be seen
through cooperation, respect , conflict resolution, innovation and team work. This also increases
work performance amongst members of your team.
By having open and effective communication within your team and within the organisation your
team is more likely to:

Understand the purpose of a practical task

Feel they work in an environment where they are able to ask questions and voice their
opinions and concerns
Work in an environment where employees are encouraged to share ideas and solutions

15

Work in an environment where obligations to work health and safety, equal employment,
anti discrimination and industrial relations and environmental issues are fulfilled.
Work in an environment where social, ethical and business standards are upheld
Enhance good will and motivation of employees
Provide a workplace which is free from damaging speculation and gossip

Identifying your audience and purpose

When communicating, you are always communicating to an audience, successful communication
means that your message is being conveyed using a variety of different communication techniques
and styles. The way in which you convey the information you have will depend on the purpose of the
information and the audience who you are delivering it to.
You need to be clear in the purpose of the communication and consider how the message will be
received by your audience. You need to consider whether the communication conveys ideas and
information about the about the topic and if the communication method you have chosen is
appropriate for both the information being communicated and the audience it is being
communicated too.
Commonly when you are communicating information within an organisation your audience will
consist of:

Work colleagues
Supervisors
Senior management
Working within other departments in the same organisation
Clients and/or suppliers
Potential new customers
General public
Specific target groups

There are many different types of communication styles you can use to convey the correct
information in the correct way to the correct audience so everything fits together. It is also
important to take into consideration the needs of the audience when you are delivering information.
It may be helpful to use a number of communication styles and methods when conveying
information. You can always ask your audience to provide you with feedback to help you further
develop communication methods and styles which best work for your organisation.
It is important to remember that communication involves more then just verbal and written
methods, communication should be a two way interaction, communication needs to involve the
exchange of ideas, listening, consultation and negotiation as well as non verbal communication. All
employees should be invited and encouraged to have input in communication. There are positives
and negatives to using multiple types of communication methods

16

Verbal communication for individuals

Advantage

Messages are conveyed

clearly
Direct and instant
Provides opportunity
for interaction

Disadvantage

Allows for messages to

have inconsistencies
Easy for
misunderstanding to
happen
Poor communication
may be time consuming

Example

Face to face
Telephone
conversation

Verbal Communication in a group

Advantage

Message is consistent
across the group
All questions can be
addressed at the same
time
Provides opportunity
for agreed approach

Disadvantage

Time consuming
Dealing with different
personality all at the
same time

Example

Meetings
Discussion groups

Written Electronic
Advantage

Quick and efficient

Consistent message

being sent
Visually effective

Disadvantage

No way to ensure the

message has been

Example

Emails
Intranet posting

read
Communication may
be misinterpreted

Written Open
Advantage

Disadvantage

Example

Quick and efficient

Provides a record

Does not allow

audience to respond

Display notices
Instruction sheets

Reaches a wide
audience

Impersonal
Costs involve

System
documentation

17

Written targeted
Advantage

Disadvantage

Example

Carefully worded

Formal

Memos

Direct
Confidential

Impersonal
Discourages

Letters

Provides a clear
record

conversation

Presentation
Advantage

Disadvantage

Used as an aid for

speeches

One way
communication

Captures interest
Visually appealing

Easily misinterpreted
Does not provide a
clear record

Unable to clarify if
message is clearly

Example

Exhibitions
Public addresses

understood
*Tables are taken directly from Aspire Training & Consulting version 1.2*

Effective written communication

When communicating through written communication, you need to ensure that the message is
communicated correctly. Time spent gathering and analyzing information will be time wasted if no
one can understand the message you are trying to send.
When creating a written message you need to think carefully about the message you are sending
and to whom, will be receiving the message and what they will be doing with the information. The
more often you communicate in a written form the better developed your skill for written
communication will be.
When communicating in written form you need to think about and consider the following:

Decide what you want to say and why you want to say it
The purpose of your communication needs to be clear
Ensure the point is made quickly and reinforce the main message throughout the
communication
Do not get side tracked
Ensure all intended recipients receive and read the information

18

Ask for feedback to your written communication

Avoid using clichs an jargon
Spelling, grammar and punctuation needs to be correct in all forms of communication
Materials should be presented accurately
Materials need to be noted
Write in a clear concise manner, use simple sentences and short paragraphs or bullet points
Be aware of who is reading the materials
Make sure the content and tone of the document is appropriate to the audience.

Effective verbal communication

Passing on information can be done in many different forms, face to face, over the telephone, in a
presentation etc. When communicating in any form you need to be clear about the information
which you are trying to convey and the purpose of why you are conveying the information. The point
of your communication needs to be made quickly and efficiently.
When verbally communicating to be effective try:

Express you message clearly

Make your point effectively and in a timely manner
Have key points you can refer to
Be confident in your materials and use examples to help emphasis the point you are trying
to make

19

Your message needs to be relatable to your audience, their needs and their point of view
Your communication needs to fit the style which your audience is familiar with, this may
include changing your delivery style to better suit your audience
Delivery your message in a simple non complicated way
Be confident, speak in a positive tone
Always invite and encourage your audience to ask questions

Issue instructions
When conveying information to internal or external people in your organisation you need to make
sure what you are saying to clear, especially when you are giving instructions, unclear instructions
increase the risk of misunderstanding between people.
Commonly if you are giving instructions to people you can always assess if they understand the
message by asking them to repeat the instruction back to you in their own words.
When giving instructions you need to ensure:

You are using plain English

Sentences or paragraphs are short and easy to understand
Terminology is used consistently throughout the message
Information being given is relevant
Use of diagrams, pictures or photographs are appropriate to the information you are giving
Demonstrations and role plays are cater to meet specific needs

20

Activity 1
Using an organisation which you are familiar with or using AAC as an example answer the
following questions.
1. What types of ideas and information do you communicate within your organisation
to support colleagues to achieve their work responsibilities?

2. Explain the purpose of the information being used and who is the audience receiving
the information?

3. What strategies, processes or methods do you use to communicate the ideas and
information?

21

Chapter 2 Manage ideas and information

Element of competency:
1.2. Develop and/or implement consultation processes to ensure that employees have the
opportunity to contribute to issue related to their work role.
1.3 Facilitate feedback to employees on outcome of consultation processes

1.2 Develop and/or implement consultation processes to ensure that

employees have the opportunity to contribute to issues related to their
work role
Organisational consultation processes are implemented in organisations to ensure that all
work colleagues have the opportunity to contribute to their work roles. Information relating
to your industry is constantly changing and it is essential this information is conveyed in the
correct way to managers and employees. When passing on important information to
colleagues its essential to make sure that they are:

Good listeners
Encouraged to contribute to organisational issues

There needs to be a means to communicate appropriate information between employers,

operational units and external stakeholders so an environment of knowledge and
cooperation is cultivated within and around the team and their work.

Establish a communication framework

Communication frameworks are established to ensure a two way flow of information and ideas. For
example the financial department advises other departments of the budgets they have to work
within. To achieve a healthy workplace relationship and increase productivity within your
organisation both employees and employers need to consult with one another, compare notes abd
encourage input from both sides on workplace practices and policies along with problem areas and
issues which need to be resolved cooperatively.
When developing a communication framework, features which you may consider can also include:

22

Features of communication framework

Consultation processes are implemented to give employees an opportunity to contribute to
issues relate to their work
Provide feedback and outcomes of consultation process is relayed to the work team and
relevant personnel
Contribution beyond the work team, both internally and externally, both internally and
externally, are sought and valued in developing and refining new ideas and approaches
Processes are implemented to ensure the issues raised are resolved promptly or referred to
relevant personnel
*Information taken directly from Aspire training and consulting version 1.2*

Develop and implement consultation processes

Processes for consultation will vary organisation to organisation based on the size and nature of the
organisation. By encouraging your team to contribute to organisational decision making, individuals
within the team will feel a greater sense of job satisfaction and a heightened interest in and
commitment to their job.

Consultation processes

Schedule regular staff meeting to provide for reporting and updating

Regular team meeting on safety, technical and/or operational issues
Having incident or hazard reporting systems in place
Networking or consulting with external organisations such as unions, WHS, community
representatives, contractors, suppliers, clients, legal advisors etc
Conduct staff forums on major topics such as organisational development or WHS issues
Making workplace notices available to all staff through the use of intranet, email or memos
Issuing administration manuals, operational guidelines or safety data sheets
Personally interacting with team members, communicating face to face

Encourage employee contributions

Team members who are effective in their roles recognize that their employees can have meaningful,
contributions which can be made based around the experience and skills the individual possesses.
Workplace consultation encourages all individuals to contribute and accept responsibility within
there roles and within the organisation. Once an employee demonstrates they can contribute and
take responsibility it is easier for the manager to have increased confidence in their staff members.
Managers can benefit from employee input and eye to detail which can potentially identify potential
problems which can be dealt with promptly.
All managers should be actively encouraging staff to put forward ideas, provide comment, show
initiative and raise any concerns work-related. The environment needs to be one where employees
feel it is safe, comfortable and non-threatening for them to share ideas, tips, wok strategies and
other information.

23

Provide opportunities for planning, decision-making and action

When you work within a team you are given the opportunity to raise issues and concerns you may
have, contribute to knowledge being shared or give your own opinions. This helps to shape decisions
which will be made on behalf of the team or the organisation. By inviting staff members to
participate in a consultative group it allows them to raise and address issues which can be promptly
resolves between staff and management at all levels. It is essential in a productive work
environment to have a culture which encourages employees to participate and bring input to
discussions, processes and outcomes.
There are many ways for staff members to have a voice within the consultative group. Workplace
forums are a positive way to encourage people and help to establish and build relationships, share
information and understand the work and daily task other employees within your organisation have
and help them to achieve individual and team goals.

Types of forums providing team input

Team meetings allows for two way communication, sharing information and facilitate
teamwork. Team meeting must be well structured, ran to their full potential and provides an
opportunity for all individuals to participate.
Meeting between employee and manager Meeting between employee and employee
Meeting between manager and manager
Planning days
Conference
Communication folders
Team diaries
Social out of work get together
Email, teleconferencing and intranet sites

1.3 Facilitate feedback to employees on outcome of consultation processes

People like to receive feedback, wether the feedback is positive or negative feedback helps to
identify areas for improvement. By giving feedback you are demonstrating a commitment to keeping
your team informed and help to eliminate complaints. Feedback also eliminates that possibility of
people saying that they were not aware of the issue as they were not told.
Not everyone feels comfortable giving feedback, however without feedback you run the risk of
isolating yourself or your work colleagues. If you have given a presentation for example it is
expected that the audience will provide you with feedback this helps your to identify which areas
need improving and also highlights what you do well. Usually organisations provide the audience
with the chance to provide feedback by asking them to fill out a feedback form. It is ok for you to
seek feedback from individuals both internally and externally from your organisation.
When giving feedback you can give verbal or written feedback, the feedback you are giving can be
public or private, formal or informal. Managers should be passing on feedback they are receiving

24

about their team especially positive feedback as this will encourage team members to become more
involved and informed.

Informal and ongoing feedback

Feedback can be given both formally and informally. After you have given a verbal instruction or
made a request you should then seek verbal feedback to make sure the team member understands
what you are asking of them. Often people will say yes they understand even if they dont really
understand.
When giving feedback it needs to be delivered at the correct time and also needs to be clear so that
the recipient has a full understanding of what you are telling them. Leaving large gaps in time
between the issue being raised and feedback being given can confuse the recipient or make them
think that either there issue is not being taken too seriously or there is less commitment to the issue
being raised.
When giving feedback of any form you need to choose the correct communication method to deliver
the feedback. If you decide to give written feedback you need to ensure that all and relevant points
are clearly written out and that there is a perminate record of the feedback is kept. After written
feedback is given, you then should follow up with a face-to-face discussion.
If you are required to give feedback to members of staff who are having a dispute amongst
themselves it is best to provide feedback in front of all involved parties, this way it is fair and open.

Formal feedback
Organisations use a number of different formal strategies to gather feedback. Here are some of the
more popular methods for gathering feedback.
360-Degree feedback This form of feedback involves employees giving a rating or
qualitative feedback on their performance. This form of giving feedback can be done
anonymously and delivered in the form of a report showing the scores received for each
point of feedback given. 360-degree feedback is more of a confronting feedback style and
needs to be managed carefully.
Performance review when giving performance based feedback you need to make sure this
is done in a careful way, if the feedback is negative then extra care needs to be given.
Feedback which is given as part of a performance review can affect an individuals career and
advancement prospects and may impact on them financially (especially if the performance
review is linked to a bonus or salary increase). Feedback should be give in a constructive way
regardless of if it is positive or negative. When you are providing feedback try to give
examples and link the feedback to key results areas, performance indicators and also team
goals or individuals working goals. When giving negative feedback do not spend too much
time discussing the negatives of the feedback instead focus on areas where the individual
can improves.
Recognition Feedback can be used as a tool for recognitions or acknowledgement of a job
well done. By talking the time to acknowledge the efforts of staff and other members of
teams within your organisation more senior staff are showing that the contribution of all

25

staff or a particular individual is important and valued. The process of feedback involves
explaining to the people or person exactly what their hard work means and how they have
made a difference.

26

Activity 2
Imagine you are part of a team at your current job
1. Describe the way members are encouraged to be involved in planning and decision
making.

2. List two (2) strategies you use that would encourage team members to participate
more fully and get involved more in work/team discussions?

3. Apart from your regular meetings which other activities can be used to help provide
team members with opportunities to participate in running the team, including
decision making, planning and operational tasks?

27

4. In your current role, or a role you have previously held either as an individual or as
part of a team when was feedback required and how was feedback give to the
person or team?

5. List and explain 3 strategies you can use when you need to provide feedback to a
colleague, remember your feedback needs to encourage, value and reward team
members.

6. From the three (3) strategies you have chosen in question 5 explain why you chose
those 3.

28

Chapter 3 Manage ideas and information

Element of competency:
1.4. Develop and/or implement processes to ensure that issues raised are resolved
promptly or referred to relevant personnel.

1.4. Develop and/or implement processes to ensure that issues raised are
resolved promptly or referred to relevant personnel.
Specific processes need to be developed and implement by managers to ensure that any
organisational issues which are raised by staff are resolved in a manner which is effective and fast or
are referred to the relevant person or department to deal with the issue/s being raised.
An organisation which is functional in consultation will resolve workplace issues effectively. Frontline
managers need to ensure that consultation strategies are used to help raise, address and resolve
issues promptly. When working on trying to resolve issues you need to ensure that the strategy you
are using is the correct one for the issue which has been raised. The process needs to be easy to
follow and each member needs to be aware of it.

Identifying problems
When problems within your organisation arise they can have various levels of risk, severity and
urgency which need to be addressed. Common work place problems can often fall into a range of
common categories.
When problems arise within your organisation which are identified by members of staff, the
problem needs to be resolved proactively, use initiative and avoid creating potential new issues.
Employees should be given recognition for potential reward for their input in identifying problem
within your team or the organisation.
There can be many issues which can arise within your team or organisation which can be identified
by staff members:
People related - when team members do not get along with one another, when team
members are not capable of performing the work related duties as required. When team
members become underused or board with the work they are completing.
Task/process processes may not be in place or may not work correctly, when employees
are asked to complete task which are difficult or meaningless.
Time/resources - time to complete task is not reasonable, not enough people to complete
work task or not enough resources to complete work task.

29

 Communication- When misunderstanding relating to directions or information provided

occur. Processes are not understood or communicated in the correct way. Breakdown within
internal communication. Feedback is not given or asked for.
Culture- when there is no respect or understanding given to diversity, as a result there can
be a lack of teamwork and cooperation.
Leadership if the team does not have a clear direction in which it can be lead. When
members of the team do not understand or accept team goals, the decision making process
is unclear or team members no longer feel valued.

Solve problems
Within the team there should be a positive attitude by all tem members. Members of the team
should work cooperatively to help minimise major operation issues from occurring and work
towards meeting the goals of the team. Demonstrate behaviours which promote avoidance
strategies, early detection and swift action.
When you are having your regular team meeting you can introduce a 5 minute session asking if any
members of the team are experiencing any problems or issues that they may need help with and if
so is there any particular members of the team who would be able to assist them?.
Within your team it is important to encourage an open communication policy. There may be
members of your team who want to raise issues with you in private instead of in a public setting
with other members of staff being present. If this is the case then employees should feel
comfortable to do so.
It is encourages to have a management process in place which covers all the common categories of
work related issues.
Know how to ask for help from specialist both internally and externally
Be able to identify potential scenarios occurring within each of these areas
Have a plan on how to deal with potential situations which can cause problems such as
resignation of team members, employees going on leave or calling in sick

Problem-solving solutions for managers

When working within a team problems can occur which requires team work to resolve, there are
many different ways in which you can work within your tram to resolve these problem when they
occur:
When a problem is beyond the control of a person or persons within the team, forward the
problem onto your manager for a resolution.
If there is a disagreement within the team which cannot be resolved, the HR department
needs to be made aware of the issues immediately.
Seek advice and guidance from more senior managers within the organisation who may
have experiences the same issues previously.
Seek information both internally or externally when problem-solving
List pros and cons of the problems you are facing

30

Dedicated planning sessions

When planning for me ideas which involves all members of the team to be involved it is a good idea
to have staff planning activities which gets all team members involved and gives everyone equal
opportunity to contribute. This can be achieved outside of the normal work environment, where the
atmosphere is different and employees are taken out of the everyday work environment.
The idea of having a day dedicated to planning helps to bring together diverse parties with different
perspectives to help create dynamic tension and help develop creativity. When planning for a day of
creative planning with your team make sure you include activities which helps to develop ideas and
promote team work, example brainstorming activities.
The structure of your brainstorming day how have ideas free flowing and promote creativity. All
employees attending the planning session should feel free to express ideas and forward thinking
without their idea being dismissed without sincere consideration.
Your planning session needs to result in a tangible outcome where everyone involved feels there
time has been wisely spent, they feel valued and most important they feel there contributions will
make a difference. To plan a successful planning session for your team you need to have:

Defined goal for the session

Agenda or program outline
Structure which is logical
Ground rules for the session which outlines the dialogue of the session an how it is
conducted
Facilitator who can control the flow of the meeting
A person who can scribe and summaries the outcomes
A goal of encouraging participants to express diverse viewpoints, take part enthusiastically
and keep an open mind throughput the planning session
An atmosphere of equality everyone must be treated as equals regardless of their status
within the organization.

*Sited and amended from Aspire training & consulting version 1.2, page 34*

Involve key personnel or external experts

When holding an organizational session you may invite both internal and external key personnel to
sit in on the session, there may be issues which will be raised which you feel cannot be resolved
within the team, therefore calling on the expertise of an external person to help resolve particular
issues. This person can include:

Other managers within the organization

Other teams or individual members of other teams within the organization
Heads of department within the organization

When inviting external people into your meeting it is important that they understand there role at
the meeting and the topics which will be discussed. Members within your team also need to know
why external people are being invited into a team meeting, their role within the meeting and the

31

contribution they will be making. Commonly when inviting external people into a meeting they have
expertise in the following fields:

Work health and safety

Industrial relations
Human resources
Financial experts and advisors
Legal representatives

Informal meeting
Informal meetings can be made up of people from your whole team, other relevant personnel, and
operational groups across the organization, individuals who have raised particular issues. No matter
the length of you meeting having an agenda and making sure it is circulated to all members
attending the meeting is important. Invite attendees to add suggestions to the agenda, if individuals
are attending agenda ideas of a sensitive mature make sure to reinforce that they will be listened to
and are valued for adding their suggestions.
You want to create an atmosphere of no judgment which encourages all participants to participate
in the sharing of ideas. Objective should be established and key facts looked at for a working
solution. It is important to find a solutions which allows all parties to move forward, there may be no
perfect solution to the issue however there needs to be a solutions which helps to satisfy everyone.
When conducting a formal meeting it is recommended to have a procedure to follow, here are some
tips you can use when putting together your informal meeting process:

Identify the problem

Identify when and where it occurs
Consider all points of view
Explain what has been done to try and resolve the problem
Reach a solution which takes into account the overall objective of the organization

32

Conduct Surveys
To help address issues within your team or within the organization you can survey relevant people
both internally and externally. For example surveying your stakeholders may help to identify and
promptly address issues. When using surveys are a means to identify issues or to gather information
you need to make sure they are clearly worded to ensure they are understood by the people who
will be reading and filling them out. Make sure you use a combination of open and close questions.
When providing surveys to gather information you can also ask your audience to provide you with
feedback on your survey form, this can be done in a number of different ways, however the most
efficient maybe to provide the audience with guided questions for them to complete. For example
asking them to circle excellent, good, fair, poor or unsatisfactory.
Give participants the option of adding there name or leaving it anonymous, this helps participants to
feel more comfortable when leaving comments. All participants need to be informed that there
feedback will be treated with confidentiality and their concerns will be addressed.
When using a survey to gather information make sure your survey included:

Evaluation or feedback forms, inviting relevant people to provide their opinions and detailed
comments on a particular service, product or process
Questionnaires, designed to collect information about customer requirements, satisfaction
levels, issues that need examination.
Focus groups, comparing a number of typical stakeholders invited to meet and explore
specific topics in-depth and generate suggestions and feedback.
Suggestions boxes and similar invitations to customer to offer feedback and raised issues of
concern.

*Sited and amended from Aspire Training and consulting version 1.2, page 36*

33

Activity 3
1. When problems arise within your organization what is the process which is used to
help resolve these problems?

2. List down two (2) examples of s close question you would ask when conducting a
survey to gather information for your organization.

3. List down two (2) examples of s close question you would ask when conducting a
survey to gather information for your organization.

34

Chapter 4 Establish systems to develop

trust and confidence
Element of competency:
2.1. Establish and/or implement policies to ensure that the organisations cultural
diversity and ethical values and adhered to

2.1. Establish and/or implement policies to ensure that the organisations

cultural diversity and ethical values and adhered to
To ensure that cultural diversity and ethical values are adhered to within an organization frontline
managers need to establish and implement policies. Considerable thought is put into organizational
values, how they should operate and how they want their employees to interact with both internal
and external contracts. Organizational documents need to be created to help outline philosophies
and management standards which all staff are expected to adhere to.
Organizations may have standards which are implied in a general way for their business, they also
need to comply with relevant standards expressed in legislation and regulations affecting
operations. Written, implied and legislative standards generally fall into the categories of social,
ethical or business.

Cultural and social diversity

Cultural and social diversity within the workplace and everyday life means individuals respecting
human individuality. Respecting cultural and social diversity means that you are open to leaning,
developing and enhancing skills, experiences and attitudes of all others and finding a way to work
together, solve problems, deal with others and negotiate. Having diversity within your organization
helps to increase the competitiveness and market relevance of your organization in the context of an
increasingly diverse community and the global economy.
Organisations are made up of a diverse group of people from a diverse range of backgrounds and
social groups, this can be determined by their socio-economic background, gender, sexulality, beleifs
and/or way of life. When communicating with others within your organization be mind of not
creating differences through the communication type you choose to use. Your working environment
cannot be a hostile one nor can staff members harass other members of staff due to cultural
differences.
To retain a multi-skilled work force you need to create an environment within your organization
which promotes diversity within the workforce and within your organization along with ensure there
is an accurate reflection on society. You want to create a working environment which is harmonious

35

to all employees. When trying to create a harmonious environment within the workforce you need
to consider all the individual difference which may affect creating a harmonious working
environment.

Age
Belief and value systems, including religion and policies
Culture, including ethnicity and language
Social factors such as personality, lifestyle and sexual orientation
Work experience, educational background and literacy standards
Gender
Physical and mental abilities

Organisational policies and procedures

Organisations put policies and procedures in place, as a frontline manager your job is to assist and
support your team members, to understand and implement the organizations policies and
procedures. Staff members need to be aware of the differences between company policies and
procedures.

Polices
Polices set out specific guidelines or rules that
tell staff how to work according to the
organisations objectives.

Procedures
Procedures out the organisations policies into
practice by setting out the way work needs to
be done, step by step. They are used to control
work processes, allocate responsibilities for
each task and ensure that requirements are
met.
These procedures can include:

Stand operating procedures

Safety data sheets
Organissational activities undertaken to
meet performance outcomes
A set of accepted actions approved by
the organization

*Adapted from Aspire training and consulting version 1.2, page 47*

36

Social Standards
Social standard are applied within the organization, how staff members interact with others on a
social level and how staff members interact with members of the community. In your role as a
frontline manager it is your responsibility to make sure staff members understand the internal
standards an adhered to them all the time. Organisational standards can be applied to but are not
limited to:
Workplace values There is a statement which is made by the company which outlines the
values of the company, this can include:
o Equity and diversity
o Industry relations
o Flexible work practices or family friendly policies
o WHS
o Fair treatment
o Management/staff consultation and cooperation
Code of conduct- A documents which covers employee behavior and workplace processes
including:
o Rosters and hours of work
o Acceptable behavior outlined by the company
o Social inclusiveness and respect for individual
o Formal or informal for environment
o Dress code
o Workplace maintenance, security, signing-on
o Honesty and cooperation between all staff members
o Confidentiality and intellectual property
Employment policies- document policies which cover the following:
o Recruitment and promotion
o Equal opportunity
o Reward and recognition for high-performing staff
o Profit sharing and other benefits for staff
o Education, training and development
o Performance review and grievance processes
o Leave arrangements
o Use of vehicles and staff travel arrangements

Ethical standards
External support is heavily relied on for business support, external support is required by the wider
community and by the governing body to operate responsibly, to demonstrates what is considered
acceptable values and to show respect to those who are affected by the work which is carried out.
Many organizations have a written set of business ethics which govern the way the organization
operates, this helps to outline best practice of the organization, philanthropy and a desire to be
good corporate citizens. The ethical standards are put In place to help guide principles and
demonstrate the way in which employees need to act in certain areas when representing the

37

organisaion. Standards must be made clear to all employees and it is expected that all members of
the organization will comply with these standards.
Each organization will have its own set of ethical standards which it will comply with, these standard
may include:
Sustainability, health and issues related to how the organizations operations affect the
environment and local community
The impact your trading practices have on other organisatons and the greater community
Financial management including investment
How to deal with suppliers, contractors and defence
Research, including data integrity, use of privileged information, plagiarism and animal
welfare issued by product testing
Media and other publication
Legislative and regulatory requirements

Business standards
Organisations need to have a document which sets out their core values and explains step by step
they way they conduct business. The purpose of the document helps staff, customers and any other
external people, companies or sources to of the organizational standards, how they are conducted
and how they operate within the organization.
Organisations often outline their business standards in a vision or mission statement, a customer
service charter and a brand. For example:

Vision Statement

Mission statement

An organization vision encapsulates the reason

for the organisations existence and its vision
for the future.

The organisations mission statement

summaries the overall objective of the
organization

Customer service charter

Brand or corporate image

The customer service charter helps to set out

the code of best practice for servicing and
dealing with the organizations clients

An organisations brand and/or corporate

image is used to identify the organization to the
outside world, potential customers and
suppliers along with stakeholder. It impacts all
areas of the organizations operation. All staff
need to be aware of the organisations
corporate image, the way it is portrayed and
the way in which staff are required to carry out
their duties in line with the organisations
corporate image.

*Adapted from Aspie training and consulting version 1.2, page 49*

38

Adhere to relevant legislation requirements

Organisations need to have relevant legislation, codes, national standards and workplace, health and
safety rule put in place which teams need to be aware of an must follow. Manages need to be aware
that laws and standards are complex and may need to be amended regularly.
National legislation applies to many issues, while state and territories also have laws of their own
which they need to adhere to. It is the responsibility of the organization to provide all employees
with details of the legislation and guidelines which are relevant to their team, it is the responsibility
of the manager to ensure all members of the team understand and follow the legislation.
Work health and safety It is the responsibility of the employer to make sure that all
employees are working in an environment which is safe. If there is a breach in the WHS act
then the organization can be prosecuted and can receive a substantial fine. If the breach was
to result in death or injury of a worker the employer would need to compensate the worker
or their family and their legal representation. This legislation applies to both state and
federal levels. You can look at the legislation which applies directly to you and your
organsiation based on where you live by looking up the safe work website.
www.safeworkaustralia.gov.au
Equal employment opportunity (EEO) Equal employment opportunities are covered by
federal, state and territory laws, it is a requirement of all organizations operating in Australia
under this law to create a work place free from discrimination and harassment. Having
effective processes in place helps to improve productivity and increase efficiency within the
organization and within individual teams.
Anti- discrimination- Discrimination needs to be eliminated within the workforce, it is the
responsibility of the managers and team leaders to prevent discrimination from occurring in
their organization. Common types of discrimination within the workplace can include but are
not limited to:
o Race
o Color
o Gender
o Sexual preference
o Age
o Physical or mental disability
o Marital status
o Family responsibility
o Pregnancy
o Religion
o Political opinion
o National extraction
o Social origin
Sexual harassment This is known commonly as an unwelcome advance of a sexual mature
or sexual favor or any unwelcomed conduct of a sexual nature. Sexual harassment can
include discriminating against people due to their sexual preference.
Environment- Everyone within the organization can play a part in eliminating environmental
discrimination. Depending on your business activity you will need to look into if environment

39

legislation can directly affect you. It is the joint effort of federal, state and local governments
to administer these environmental protection laws throughout Australia.

Work-life balance and family-friendly policies

There is a common struggle between work and personnel responsibilities, commonly individuals look
towards their workplace to provide some relief, support and a possible solution for managing all the
commitments and struggle of work life balance. Workplaces are encouraged to work with their
employees to help foster a work-life balance.
Work-life balance for many organization usually is associated with the need to allow individuals
access to work as well as accommodating family duties into employees employment. Typically this is
applied to employees who have children of care age, although it can expend to people who are
caring for aging parents or other members of their families. The needs of staff to have a healthy
wok-life balance has encouraged organization to adapted family friendly policies to increase
retention rates of valuable staff.
Depending on the size and nature of your organisation the type of family friendly policy which the
company puts in place will vary. There are many benefits for both employees and organisation of
having family friendly policies in place to help with the work-life balance many people are struggling
with. By organisation having family friendly policies and promoting work-life balance they are more
likely to retain there staff.

2.2 Gain and maintain the trust and confidence of colleagues and external
contacts through professional conduct
Professional conduct can assist a manager to gain and maintain the trust of employees, colleagues
and external contractors. To have and maintain successful business relationships trust and
confidence must be gained by all parties involved, this includes: managers, customers, suppliers,
team members and contractors.
When trust becomes broken, individuals then act only with their own interest in mind, not the
interest of the team. A lack of confidence in each other can quickly lead to those outside also losing
confidence in the organisation.
In your roles as a manager or a leader there are certain behaviors which you can model in your
performance and work which encourages a level of high performance by your team and helps you to
gain their confidence. This model then follows on to those outside the organisation. This direct
correlation between how an employee views the organisation and how outsiders view the
organisation. Once confidence and trust has been lost by employees the message being delivered to
customers from frontline staff can be affected.

40

Identify colleagues and external contacts

It is essential for organisations to have accurate data on work colleagues an external contractors.
There is a direct link between internal staff satisfaction and external customer satisfaction. This can
be described as a flow on effect, if staff are receiving high-quality service they will be more
motivated to give high quality service to the customer of the organisation.
Each organisation usually has an organisational chart of plan which outlines the roles of every
department and the jobs people have within these smaller departments which make up the overall
organisaiton. Each department depends on service provide to them from other departments.

Work colleagues

Team members
Team leaders and managers
Administration staff
Service or hospitality staff
Supervisors
Senior management
Board of directors

External Customers

Customers and clients

Industry or union representatives
WHS representatives
Community representatives
Suppliers
Contractors
Legal advisers or accountants

*Tables directly taken from Aspire training and consulting version 1.2, page 56*

Treat people with integrity and respect

As a manager or leader it is important to treat all people both internally and externally with respect,
empathy and integrity. Firstly you must have the ability to be able to develop trust and have people
gain confidence in you.
If people feel as tho they are being treated insensitively, they will become resentful, demotivated
and negative towards the organisation, therefore they will become less productive in their work
roles. There are a few simple steps you can take to ensure this does not happen:

Act with integrity

Have strong values
Follow through
Value feedback both negative and positive
Encourage integrity
Be flexible and responsive
Show respect to others and yourself
Build self-worth
Show courtesy
Be aware
Encourage input
Take part

41

Show empathy
Empathy is the ability to show compassion and sensitivity towards other people and their feelings,
views and circumstances. This is an active process by which you demonstrate understanding towards
another person due to their situation. Treating people with empathy also refers to developing
rapport and a positive work relationship with people.
It is important that empathy is encouraged amongst teams and within the organisation for all staff
members, everyone needs to have consideration for the feeling of others. It is important to not let
empathy undermine your role as the team leader, whilst it is good to show empathy do not get too
personally involved with your staff. Good leaders need to establish a comfortable balance.

Understand other
situation

Make allowances for

situations where staff
may be experiencing a
difficult time.

Value staff

Value your staff and

their life outside of
work. Understand that
sometimes personal
matters need to be
given special allowance
over work.

Be compassionate

Understand the
influence a good
manager has on their
team and the
organisation as a whole
and on the practices of
the organisation

Avoid behaviors that destroy trust

Trust takes a long time to establish but can be destroyed in a matter of minutes, once trust is broken
within an organisation even small actions can negatively affect the business relationships for an
organsiation.
Behaviors which destroy trust can include:

Taking credit for someone elses hard work

Being unreliable and unpredictable
Withholding information or acting secretly
Being inconsistent
Going behind peoples back, gossiping or being disrespectful

Aim for high professional standards

How you perform as an individual is a reflection of your organisation, by conducting yourself with a
high level of professionalism your will notice that others around you will be influence to do the same
thing. Your job description should contain specific description of the performance standards you are
expected to meet.

42

It is important that you know your organisations expectation of you and your job. It is important
that you are aware of your own performance levels and behaviours and the value of ongoing
professional development and self-improvement. Consider having a mentor or undertaking training
programs offered outside of your organisation to help you maintain and further develop your
professional standards.

Build the talent and confidence of other

Everyone is different which means we are all have difference strengths and weaknesses, it is
important that you encourage your team members to help them develop their strengths and
continuously work on their weaknesses to make them a strength. Individuals will have greater job
satisfaction if they feel they have the skills to perform their roles to the best of their abilities.
As a manager if you are asking your staff to work to high standards then you also need to show your
team that you yourself hold yourself to the same high standards. These high standards need to be
kept with external contractors as well as internally.
Managers need to maintain consultative strategies which give work colleagues the confidence to
make contributions and achieve full potential. It is important for team members to:
Show initiative

Develop skills both new and old

Communicate openly
Listen to others
Remain committed to the consultative process

Support your team

Managers need to display leadership and support towards members of their team, this can be
displayed through positive attitude. Managers need to demonstrate behaviours which they can
model to their team members.
It is important to make sure that the expectations of your team members are not unrealistic. Do not
set people up to fail, by setting them unachievable goals. Pay extra attention to how new staff
members are feeling it is important to make sure they are feeling in control and have a good
understanding of what they are doing.
Offer support training and guidance and rotate the task that individuals have to complete, make sure
staff have confidence in their new responsibilities.

Give recognition to staff

Show loyalty to staff
Build self-esteem within your staff
Delegate to your staff

43

Motivate others
Members of your team should feel motivated and empowered to strive to achieve their work goals
and be enthusiastic towards their work goals. A motivated team delivered a much higher standard of
work then an unmotivated team.
Its is important as a manager you find the triggers for what motivates your team. By rotating the
daily task to each member of your team you are forever presenting them with new challenges and
this helps them to stay motivated, as with new responsibility comes new confidence.
It is thought that greater leadership can be achieved through skilled communication, the formation
of positive relationships and the implementation of innovative workplace processes

Alleviate organisational stress

Employees become stressed within their own roles when they experience ongoing challenges
associated with performing their work roles. The levels of stress can vary depending on the role,
industry and organisation. When employees feel as though there currently resources are being
exceeded that is when they start to feel the pressure and stress from within their organisation.
Stress and prolonged stress of any kind can lead to a multitude of health issues for employees
ranging from chronic physical and mental health issues to mental fatigue, exhaustion and feeling of
not being appreciated.
It is the role of a front line manager to help alleviate organisational stress by reducing the pressure
placed on employees and increasing the resources necessary to meet the demands of the
organisation.
Organisational stress has a number of different causes:

Demands place on employees

Leaves of support provided by colleagues and managers
Failure to have positive working relationships
Changes within the organisation which are not effectively communicated to staff
Ambiguous job roles and excessive work responsibilities
Individual struggling with the control they have over their performance based on their job
roles and expected tasks.

Encourage open communication

Personal communication, face-to-face communication are all very important for employees to gain
the confidence they need to feel comfortable when asking questions, making suggestions and
voicing their concerns openly.
By maintaining open communication with all team members, gives an indication of the moral level
within your team or within the organisation overall. Individuals need to have interpersonal skills to
be able to take corrective action when necessary

44

Organisations should have an open door policy whenever possible, this helps employees to feel
comfortable and gives them more flexibility to ask questions and seek guidance and raise
suggestion. As a manager you need to let your staff know it is ok for them to come to you with
concerns .

45

Activity 4
1. Internal standards need to be followed by all employees both new and old, explain
how you would communicate these standards to new employees?

2. Explain how readily available these standards are to employees and when they may
need to refer to them?

3. Are the internal standards made available to contractors? Or other individual who
only work for the company from time to time?

46

4. Which trust building behavior is most common in your organisation?

5. Describe strategies which can be used to attain the traits associated with trust
building which can be difficult to achieve?

47

Chapter 5 Establish systems to develop

trust and confidence
Element of competency:
2.3. Adjust own interpersonal communication styles to meet the organisations cultural
diversity and ethical environment and guide and support the work team in their personal
adjustment process

2.3. Adjust own interpersonal communication styles to meet the

organisations cultural diversity and ethical environment and guide and
support the work team in their personal adjustment process
Organisations all develop their own cultures and ethical environments over time, this culture is then
shapes how employees make decisions, approach work functions and interact with others and the
way they behaviour within the workplace.
Managers play a major part in creating conditions which effective working relationships by adjusting
their own interpersonal communication styles to meet the culture of the organisation.

Organisational structure
The culture an organisation has, has a major impact on the productivity and relationships which are
formed with other members of the organisation. The current culture of the organisation is dictated
by the nature of the activities of the organisation and the people within the organisation.
Workplace culture is made up of a number of different elements which are seen to be the norm of
an organisation.

Achieve an optimum environment

Workplace culture varies from organisation to organisation, this happens as a result of the size and
nature of the organisation, there are several characteristics which commonly define a healthy social
an cultural working environment.
It is the responsibility of the manager and/or team leader to guide employees in adapting their
interpersonal styles and methods to meet the preferred social and cultural environment.
Characteristics of an optimum organisational environment can include:

Constructive communication
Sharing of knowledge
Consultation and cooperation

48

Integrity of individuals
Demonstrating mutual respect, empathy and trust
Encourage employees to share ideas
Measuring and rewarding individuals and group achievements
Clarify the purpose of expectation
Encourage fairness and equity
Positive attitudes
Fulfilling and enjoyable working environment
Putting best practice into place
Having a positive team spirit
Continues improvement and professional development

Communicate within a diverse workforce

When employees are communicating both internally and externally within the organisation the
communication strategy needs to be considered and may vary for different people within the
organisation. To successfully establish a positive working relationship you need to recognise diversity
and the special needs of others both internally and externally within the industry which you work.
There is no such thing as normal communication styles and techniques when you are
communicating with people from all different cultures and backgrounds. Different cultures regard
different types of communication styles and techniques as offensive, for example many cultures
regard making direct eye contact with an individual as very rude and can make people feel
uncomfortable.
It is important to be aware of the cultural sensitivities of individuals when you are communicating
along with making sure that the subject you are communicating is not culturally sensitive. You need
to consider the feeling of others when communicating, avoid prejudice and steropying individuals as
this is very unhelpful.

Language differences
In 2011 the Australian census published results which showed 20% of Australians speak a language
other then English at home. Looking into language spoken within the workforce for certain sectors
that percentage is much higher. Within Australian there are 200 different languages spoken, within
that 200, 17 of these languages are predominant.
The English language has many comprehensive levels, and needs to be adjusted to suit your level of
delivery and the audience, there level of English who you ae delivering it to. An individual may be
able to speak fluent English, however they may not be able to read complex document or
terminology. People often require time to examine the language being used or they may need to
translate it into something they can better understand.
There are many ways you can accommodate for language differences within the workplace, for
example:

49

Check the information you want to convey has been correctly understood
Provide your audience with the opportunity to ask questions, express concerns and use an
interpreter if necessary
Have a member of your audience read a draft copy of the message you want to
communicate, especially if you are communicating it to a diverse audience
Written messages can sometimes be inadequate or inappropriate. Communication should
be face to face opposed to written
When talking to people who has English as a second language it is important to speak
clearly, slowly and do not shout. A strong accent does not mean that an individual has poor
English skills
Try not to use slang or idioms, for people who do not speak English as a first language the
use of slang can be very confusing as there is no literal meaning.
Avoid acronyms, even the most simple ones like ASAP. Abbreviations also need to be
avoided as they lose meaning when the audience does not understand their literal meaning.

Disability and special needs

When looking at the term disability it is known that the term refers to a condition where there is
interference of the way a person can usually do things, this can include a range of disabilities such
as:

Physical
Psychiatric
Intellectual
Impairment (temporary or permanent)

If you are working with anyone internally or externally who may be suffering from any form of
disability you need to ensure when communicating with them the information is presented in the
most appropriate format. Providing supportive communication devices such as:

Telephone typewriters
Assistive technologies
Noticeboards

Can all be forms of effective communication when dealing with people who may be experience
earing impairment or may be limited with their movement to a wheelchair?
When dealing with people who have intellectual disabilities it is important you carter the
information so that they can comprehend and process the information being presented to them and
be able to understand the consequences of their own actions.

50

Tips for communicating with people with disabilities

Know your team members and others you will be working with and asked what are their
requirements and preferences.
Never make a persons ability your focus of discussion, unless the individual raises the topic
themselves.
Do not assume a person with a physical disability also has an intellectual disability.
If the individual has an interpreter, speak to the person themselves not the interpreter.
Be aware of patronising, being overly sympathetic, or assuming an individuals disability is a
major problem.
Take an individuals privacy into consideration along with any safety concerns.

*information has been adapted from Aspire training and consulting version 1.2, page 71*

Use non-discriminatory language

When communicating with people of different cultural background it is very important to be mindful
of what you are saying and the way in which can individual could interpret the meaning of the
message you are trying to send. Within your organisation you need to make sure you are using nondiscriminatory language, which means you are communicating without leaving anyone out based on
their gender, status, race or ability.
There are many ways you can avoid using language which individuals may find to be discriminatory:

Avoid using he/him or she/her instead use they/their or the workers this eliminators
an individuals gender from the conversation.
Avoid using broad categories like the blind or the Asian you need to exclude the
possibility of difference when you are talking to individuals.
Avoid placing unnecessary emphasis on differences for example do not use the nationality of
one person to describe them to a group who are of different nationality.
Never use language which denigrates or stereotypes people.

* Information has been adapted from Aspire training and consulting version 1.2, page 72*

Emphasise cultural factors when recruiting

When recruiting new staff it is important that you are upfront and honest with them about their
work role and the expectation you have of them, just as you need to be upfront anf honest with
them about the expectations you have from your team members. When looking at hiring a new
team member include these expectations in the job advertisement, job description and include them
in the interviewing process. If is important that job applicants know about the organisations social
and cultural climate.
It is important that new team members are made aware of what is expected from them in terms of
work priorities, reporting lines, group interactions, team rules, problem solving, values and traits

51

they are expected to uphold. All of this can be achieved without overwhelming your new staff
member on their first day by providing them with a carefully planned induction program.
It is important as a manager that you monitor your team and there style of work and interaction
with each other, be aware of prevailing team climates and ensure interpersonal styles and methods
of operation are meeting the organisations expectation.
Ask your employees to provide you with regular feedback through the use of a standardised survey
which ask employees for feedback on:

Existing cultures
Levels of morals
Trust between management and staff
How well do people interact with others within the team

As the manager it is important that you are taking everyones view into consideration.
As the manager you need to be aware of staff members who are experiencing difficulties in adapting
due to attitudinal problems, cultural differences and or special needs. If a member or members of
your team are experiences these difficulties it is important that they are made aware of everyone
within the organisation who can help them including the HR department.
If is your job as a good coach or mentor to provide an environment which your staff feel safe and
where they can receive guidance, and learn from their mistakes and grow as a person and as an
individual within the team.

Interpersonal Styles
You need to be aware of each individuals own personality type and behaviours as a manager to best
communicate effectively with them, break down relationship barriers and understand the dynamics
of your group. Everyone is different, there personalities are all different, the way they react to
situations will be different an there behaviour will be different, as a manager if you do not
understand these traits about the people you are working with, the people in your team then you
will not know the best way to get then to meet the goals of the organisation.
There are many different personality types, our personality type is the reflection of how we choose
to use our mental functions.

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Coaching and mentoring your team

As a manager, there are time when you need to take on the role of the coach either for a member of
your team or for your whole team, it is not your role as the manager to make sure you are there to
show your staff everything which needs to be done, sometimes assistance is required and asking
someone else to step in as you have identified a skills gap can be very beneficial to the member of
the team who is experiencing the gap.
By having another person set in and coach your team or a member of your team essentially what
you are doing is:

Improving the teams performance

Your team is learning through doing
A learning environment has now been created

A mentor within your workplace essentially is a person who is considered to have experience and or
expertise which assist and counsel those who are less experienced.
To be a mentor is different to being the team leader, whoever it is the job of the team leader to
create mentors within the team so that less skilled and less experience members of the team know
how they can go to for help and assistance.
Mentors can help out in a number of different ways by:

Mentoring relationships with internal staff, interal staff with external customers or external
members of staff like contractors etc
Provide experience due to their own work experience
Listen to others
Provide constructive candid feedback
Encouraging advise
Respect confidentiality of others

There are many advantages for both the learner and the mentor when paired correctly, by having
this a successfully working relationship there are also many benefits for the organisation and the
team.

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Activity 5
1. When applying for a job (one you may already have or one you are looking for )
describe the traits which the organization had listed on their job advertisement?

2. What approach would you take if you were ask by your manager to teach current or
new staff about ethical and cultural expectations which are placed on them as
employees of your organization? This needs to include in the discussion
a. Work priorities
b. Reporting lines
c. Group interaction
d. Team rules
e. Problem solving
f. Ethical values

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Chapter 6 Manage the development and

maintenance of networks and relationships
Element of competency:
3.1. Use networks to build workplace relationships providing identifiable outcomes for the
team and the organisation.
3.2. Conduct ongoing planning to ensure that effective internal and external workplace
relationships are developed and maintained.

3.1. Use networks to build workplace relationships providing identifiable

outcomes for the team and the organisation.
An effective frontline manager establishes themselves with a network which assist to build
strong workplace relationships, which provides identifiable outcomes for their team and the
organization. Being able to successfully network means that you are making and maintaining
connection for mutual benefits throughout your industry. Theses benefits may to beneficial
for a range of different categories within your organization such as:

Professional development
Social purposes
Business social purposes
Personal purposes

It is important to share what you know, and find strength in numbers. Creating networks for
professional or personal reasons is founded on the human instinct to connect with others,
share information and feel as though you are part of something bigger. Networking does not
have to be done only in a formal sense, of you are seeking someones opinion on a topic you
are networking with that person.

The purpose of networking

The act of networking is something you can be doing without even being aware of the fact you are
actively networking. Networking should not only be done as a means to sources information, but
instead as a way of extending the circle of people who can bring your knowledge and skills and who

55

in turn you can provide knowledge and skills to. To network is a valuable and resourceful tool to
have, although be mindful of the limitation which surround networking.
Think about networking like this; each person has a unique circle of people around them, they are
connected with these people in some way. When you start communicating with a person within that
circle you can then use them as a source of information, support and ideas and even use that person
in the future as a referral. That person you have chosen to network with then has there own circle of
people who they choose to network with. This is a never ending circle of seeking out an individual
who you want to network with, who already has a networking circle of their own.

Use networks to benefit the organization

When networking is used effectively, there is a significant impact on almost every aspect of business
operation within an organization.

When you network you are provided with a source of information which allows to you find
out about developments within your industry, the wider community and the general
business world this can be achieved both at a national and global level.
Being part of a network allows you to do business with a broader circle of customers, in new
regions and in a multitude of different ways.
Networks help to uncover ideas about new services and products
You are gaining access to industry expertise, new contacts and information which may not
be easily attained
Being part of a network helps to provide support and assistance on issues you or the
organization are grappling with.
Networks present opportunities for beneficial partnerships and supply arrangements with
other organization and groups

56

Benefits to individuals and building relationships through networks

As previously said networking is not limited to the professional world only, you can use networking
as part of a social content if you chose to networking can assist you to:

Introduce yourself to a wider community of people with different skills ans knowledge and
links to future contacts
Extents your business and professional circles
Provides you with new sources of information an a forum to share ideas
Provides you with access to advice on a wide topic selection and opens up opportunities to
share ideas
Opens opportunities for new careers
Provides an additional support network for both business and professional challenges

It is common that many people feel they do not have the capacity to network or to successfully
network as they do not know the right people, or find it hard to approach professionals. Truth Is
there is more people in your network then you think there is, the people you already know are more
valuable then what you think.
You need to be having the right conversation with people in order to find out if they are the people
you should be spending time networking with, find out what it is they do, what is there role within
the organization, where do thy come from in a professional sense, and most importantly who do
they network with? And is there any future connections you could b making though them. Anybody
wihin or connected to an organization can provide you with a great deal of knowledge and advise.
Through this person you can then be introduced to people wo may be decision makers within the
organization or industry.
Through networking you are provided with an opportunity to receive valuable advise when it comes
to:

Operational problems and solutions

Industry trends
Business methods
WHS
Regulatory requirements of your organization and industry

Develop a list of contacts

When you are starting your networking journey, compile a list of the people you already know, these
people all have their own contacts, similar to your list just bigger. Whenever you ask for help or
advise from a person in your contacts list this may then reach a greater list of people. Once you
make contact with these people, you gain access to their list of contacts and then make yourself
widely available as you are providing access to your contacts.
Already in your list of contact you may have:

Individuals within your workplace

57

Clients, suppliers, contractors and other business contacts

Individuals you have work previously with
People within your local community
Family, friends and acquaintances
Members of clubs or interest groups ie- LinkedIn
Current or former students, tutors, trainers and or teachers
Service providers such as accountants, lawyers, doctors and or tradespeople

Building and extending your contact list is something which can be easily achieved. You need to get
yourself in the habit of speaking to people who you come in contact with, take a genuine interest in
their work and the activities they undertake. Really make the most of the opportunity to have a
conversation with this person. It does not matter who you are talking to or where you are speaking
to them, what is important is that everyone has something to offer and if you do not start a
conversation then you are not going to find out what is on offer and how this can help you and
potentially lead to further opportunities and professional development.
Start of small, where you are comfortable, network within your own network then choose
individuals within your network who you can start networking within their network and over time as
you are bringing more and more people into our circle you will find that your network is expanding
and your circle is growing with a diverse range of people who all can offer a diver range of skills and
knowledge, not only within your organisations but within your industry.

Tips for expanding your contact circle

Use your friends contacts

Get to know the people you work with better
Reach out to people both within and externally of your organization
Develop a database of names and details for your contacts of you do not see them regularly
Extend your networking circle to actives you do both personally and professionally
Collect business cards and record key information on the back of them such as persons
name, where you met the person and who they are connected with.

Networking strategies
Your network can be structured however you want it to be this means it can be made up of internal
and external people of your organization, informal or formal, structured and unstructured and
individuals and or groups, the important thing to remember is it is your network which you are
building no one elses.
There are many networking strategies you can use o extand your network:

Professional association join a professional or trade association

Special interest group find a group which caters to any special interest you may have, this
may have something to do with the industry you are in or may just be a personal interest.

58

Conference and functions attend conferences and functions, trade fairs and seminars or
other forms of business functions
Target individuals seek out individuals you may have an interest in networking with
Online opportunities use your social media groups as a way of networking online
Partnerships develop partnerships with stakeholders and other external members of your
Organisations and industry

There are many advantages of networking both on a professional level and socially as well, also
there are a few disadvantages, before you start networking with people have a look at the
advantages and disadvantages and see what type of networking is best for you and for what you
want to achieve by networking.

3.2 Conduct ongoing planning to ensure that effective internal and external
workplace relationships are developed and maintained
As a manager if is your responsibility to conduct ongoing planning to ensure effective internal and
external relationships are being maintained and developed correctly. Not all people feel comfortable
with the idea of networking, for some people this can feel like an intimidating experience and can be
seem in a negative way. We network every day, it is just that when we are having a conversation
with someone that is exactly how it is seen as a conversation not as a networking discussion.
To successfully network, it takes two individuals, you need to make yourself available to others as
they are supporting you.

Make the most of your network

Networking has boundaries and as an individual you need to respect the boundaries which are put in
place, make sure you are always observing the basic business protocol. Do not use networking as an
opportunity to make a hard sell, use it as a first step to establishing a goodwill and introducing
yourself to someone different. If you are networking with a contact of your own, try to know them
better or on a personal level, show an interest in the person and what they are saying. When you are
establishing and maintaining your network be prepared to spend time with people, make sure this
time is spend actively interacting with them and always offer your help to others.

Keep in regular contact with people in your network

Join social groups to extend the people in your network and meet different types of
people
Use professional events as a platform for your networking

59

Represent your network

When networking have a clear understanding of both you and your Organisations goals, when you
are asked what it is you do, you should be able to answer this without hesitation. If you are not
confident then practice saying it aloud, practice with a colleague or write it down and practice saying
it in the mirror until you become comfortable and confident with it.
If you are networking with companies outside your organization but who provide a service to your
organization make sure you are monitoring these companies, you do not want to have an
association with Organisations who ate not providing identifiable benefits to you and your
organization.

Always follow up
When you are given a referral make sure you act quickly and efficiently. If you are provided with
contact details of people your actions and the way in which you respond is a direct reflection of the
person who has provided you with the details. It is important that you do not respond in a way
which will reflect negatively on the person referring you. To help with your respond you can try:

Chose an appropriate strategy

Decide on the best form of communication
Consider what is an achievable time to achieve your desired outcome

Share information about networking

To be able to share valuable information about networking within your organization and to your
colleagues is an important part of the network process and should be included in workplace
discussions and planning meetings. By sharing information and ideas your colleagues are given the
chance to provide you with feedback and generate ideas on how to offer and gain support from
contacts. Information and materials which you have collected through networking can be combined
with information and materials other people have collected to help build a portfolio of potential
contacts that your whole team have the ability to network with.
This information can be shared with other members of the team and organization at team meetings,
in a short written report, in a discussion as oral communication method or by putting all the
information into a data base which everyone has access to.
It is your job as the manager or team leader to ensure this information and encourage your team to
provide this information so that you can your team can successfully network as part of the
organsiation. Networking also helps to support individuals careers and develop skills for their
professional development.

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Activity 6
1. In your workplace describe how your organization uses and promotes networking
within the Organisations? This may include external activities such as trade shows or
conferences.

2. Describe the benefits to your team or organization by establishing and maintaining a

network?

3. What is the benefits to you and your organization by enhancing the relationship with
other industries, professionals and community groups?

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Chapter 7 Manage difficulties to achieve

positive outcome
Element of competency:
4.1. Develop and/or implement strategies to ensures that difficulties in workplace
relationships are identified and resolved
4.2. Establish processes and systems to ensure that conflict is identified and managed
constructively in accordance with the organisations policies and procedures

4.1. Develop and/or implement strategies to ensures that difficulties in

workplace relationships are identified and resolved
Any difficulties within workplace relationships need to be resolved promptly and efficiently,
as a manager or team leader their needs to be policies in place which you follow to help
resolve the conflict immediately and constructively.
Problem solving and decision making in the workplace is actives which most employees
undertake on a daily basis, people are aware these skills ae essential for daily operations at
work many people chose not to resolve their work difficulties effectively and avoid dealing
with the situation completely.
When facing problems it is often common for people to:
Avoid dealing with the situation and hope it will resolve itself
Apply a solution which is fix the problem at hand quickly but will not resolve the
underlying issues
Blame themselves and develop a cycle of worry and inaction
Lay blame on others and accept no responsibility

Difficulties within the workplace

When a situation arises which is seen to be difficult that is exactly how it should be seen as difficult
not as negative, when you are dealing with issues and problems within the workplace there are two
important aspects to remember:
1. Workplace problems and issues happen all the time
2. Use them as an opportunity to create and improve systems which enhance workplace
relationships
Look at difficulties as a means of being provided with information which can be used to resolve
deeper issues which can then have a positive and more effective outcome for everyone involved.
The more effective and efficient your workplace practices the greater awareness you will have when

62

dealing with issues and the more developed your skills will become when dealing with workplace
issues and problems when they arise.

Manage workplace difficulties

As a team and an organisation it is important that you collectively become more resilient through
awareness and application of effective problem solving skills so that when faced with a workplace
issue it can be dealt with efficiently and effectively and in the hope the same issue will not be raised
again.
There is a 5 step process which organisations, managers and team leaders can use to outline
managing work place difficulties.

Managing work difficulties

Steps
1. Recognise the symptoms of the
problem

Actions

2. Identify the problem

Be alert to early warning signs of

potential problems
Establish a culture of regular
highlighting and addressing issues
Gather all facts
Determine who is involved and how the
issue should be handled
Establish the cause of the problem

3. Analayse the problem

Evaluate the extent of the issue

Determine the potential implication
Consider the interest of those effected
What processes need to be followed to
resolve the issue

4. Define the options for resolution

Define and evaluate options for

resolution with those at the centre of
the problem
Determine the best course of action

5. Take action

Develop a action plan

Implement the solution within the
organisations processes
Follow up to ensure implementation
Monitor the outcome

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Speak with relevant people

After you have determine how best to deal with the issue and the individuals involved, it is best to
act immediately, this approach needs to be a non-accusatory way where you avoid jumping to
conclusions and being hasty.
You job at this point is to seek the views of each person involved, what is there knowledge of the
incident and get a clear view of what actually occurred while taking each person perspective into
consideration. It is important that each person speak openly with you without feeling as though they
are being judged and for you it is important that you are applying active listening skills and asking
open ended questions. Unless you are asking a question to make a point clearer be mindful not to
interrupt the person who is speaking.
It is important to:

Use interpersonal skills

Maintain trust
Listen to different points of view
Avoid reacting by using your emotions
Promote positive relationships

4.2. Establish processes and systems to ensure that conflict is identified and
managed constructively in accordance with the organisations policies and
procedures
Conflict within a team and organisation needs to be identified and managed in a
constructive manner an d in accordance with the organisations policies and procedures on
how to best deal with conflict.
There may be many reason why conflict occurs with a team or organisation, usually this has
to do with performance problems opposed to personal issues between members of staff.
Conflict is an everyday part of work life, conflict does not only occur within the office and
between employees, conflict can occur between employees and customers as well.

Follow policies and procedures

When conflict arises it needs to be treated immediately, however you need to first look at the
conflict which is becoming a problem and work out what they conflict is over, who is involved in the
conflict and if it requires the attention of a manager or if individuals are able to work out the conflict
themselves.
First look at the problem solving steps to work this out before you intervene in a problem which may
be able to be sorted out by the people involved without the assistance of the manager or team

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leader. Your organisation will have a policy in place for the correct way to handle and resolve conflict
within the working environment. Some of the steps within the policy may include:

Have the relevant parties meet to discuss the issues

Speaking with your team or people involved about the commitment and cooperation
needed between all team members in order to achieve the common goals of the team and
the company
Provide an opportunity for resolution by brainstorming potential solutions with individuals
involved
Making the employees aware of the organisations policies on conflict resolution and the
potential outcomes if a resolution cannot be resolved

Be objective and constructive

Whether you are directed involved in conflict or are working towards finding a resolution for the
conflict all parties need to be willing to compromise and negotiate to help find a solution to
overcome the conflict. You need to be willing to listen to each persons views and opinions as well as
being open to accepting different ways of doing things if it means the end of the conflict.
The situation needs to be handled in a constructive way it a resolution will be found. For each person
involved in the conflict they are wanting a resolution to be found as soon as possible as the conflict
can be very uncomfortable for all involved. Sometimes small problems can become large issues if
they are not dealt with as soon as they arise.

Defuse the situation

When dealing with a situation whether you are directly involved or brought in as a third party to
help defuse the situation it is important to never make decision based on your emotion towards a
situation, if you feel too close to a situation and are feeling like you may not be able to make a
decision without your emotions interfering it is then best that you walk away and let other people
deal with the situation. You need to think about how your emotions and an emotional decision will
affect everyone else involved.
When you are trying to defuse a situation please some of these techniques:

Use a deferral techniques

Discuss any misunderstandings
Acknowledge other parties involve
Be aware of certain behaviours

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Dispute resolution processes

Organisation have a formal framework in place which helps to easily deal with dispute within the
organisation so they can be easily resolved. It is in the best interest of the managements staff to
take initiative in developing collaborative processes for dispute resolution and for all individuals
involved to be encouraged to use them.
There is no idea way to deal with conflict resolution, the resolution will depend on the size and
nature of the organisation, although certain principles do apply:

Consensus procedures should be developed in collaboration with all interested parties

Transparency all employees including new employees should be made aware of the
dispute resolution policies and procedures
Functionality- policies need to be functional for all people within the organisation
Timeless- a commitment to consultation with staff and openness to sharing ideas
Informality all levels of management within an organisation need to be aware of how
to deal with and resolve conflict and other issues within the organisation
Referral Dispute resolution processes should allow for issues to be referred to other
departments and personnel within the organisation if there is a need for it
Right of review - Internal procedures are not meant to replace the right of recourses to
formal dispute resolution processes

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es).

Activity 7

1. Imagine you are the manager, you have been asked to write a list of symptoms
which indicate a problem within your team, you need to identify the action you
would take to further explore a situation and avert the development of a major
problem within your team and the organization. What is on your list?

2. What relationship difficulties did you experience as part of a work place issues?

3. Describe a time when conflict or misunderstanding has occurred within your

workplace, how was the situation resolved?

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Chapter 8 Manage difficulties to achieve

positive outcomes
Element of competency:
4.3. Provide guidance, counselling and support to assist co-workers in resolving their work
difficulties
4.4. Develop and implement an action plan to address any identified difficulties

4.3. Provide guidance, counselling and support to assist co-workers in

resolving their work difficulties
Managers and team leaders need to provide staff with guidance, counselling and support
when they are trying to resolve difficulties which relate to work. It is not the responsibility of
the manager to resolve the issues for their employees, depending on the issue itself it may
be considered inappropriate for a manager or team leader to get involved to try to resolve
the problem. Organisations and managers should be encouraging staff members to work to
resolve their issues by themselves, openly and directly, while encouraging a positive
outcome for all employees and the organization.
At the level of a manager it is your responsibility to take the lead in training your staff and
other members of the organization on how to resolve conflict with others and use effective
problem solving techniques, this can be achieved by continual guidance, counselling and
support which with an environment of positive communication and cooperation will
encourage staff to take the lead and be productive in resolving their own conflict within the
workforce.

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Frontline managers responsibilities

There are many responsibilities of a frontline manager and may duties they need to carry out on a
daily basis to provide there team with not only a manager but someone they feel comfortable to
confide in. Providing your team members with encouragement, advice and help shows them your
commitment to positive interaction and your willingness to show loyalty and support to those
employees who report directly to you and their colleagues.
The key responsibilities and roles you need to take on as a manager and team leader are to:

Guide direct and influence members of your team on how to resolve difficulties in the
workplace by training them in effective problem solving skills and techniques.
Counsel- offer advice to team members on resolving particular workplace difficulties in a
formal consultation
Support provide all members of your team with support an opportunities and mechanisms
which motivate and direct them to solve problems and create a better working environment
which helps them work to their best potential

Guide your team

Your team look to you for guidance and information about expectations and organizational goals,
policies, procedure and effective problem solving dispute resolutions. There are many ways
managers and team leaders can guide there teams, for example:

Staff inductions
Ongoing education
Leading by example
Training programs
Supply resources
Safe work practices

Counsel your team

Commonly problems arise in a team when one or more members of the team no longer act in the
best interest of the team but instead act as individual without regard for any one other then
themselves. As a team leader it is them up to you to act quickly and carefully to remedy the situation
through counselling, discussion and coaching.
When a member of your team is acting out of not playing their role within the team counselling
them may help you to determine the reason why, to work out if they are outing out as a result of a
unresolved workplace issue or if it may be a personal matter they are struggling with.
There are many things you as a manager can do to counsel your team:

Providing coaching options to all members of your team

Shadow or have someone within the team shadow a member of your team

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Mentoring, provide your team with a mentor, this can be someone from within your team
who is senior in their position and can help provide skills and knowledge to other less
experienced team members.

Support your team

Make it clear to all your team members that they all have your support through any difficulties, let
all members of your team know that you have an open door policy and that they can ask you
questions at any given time, this helps staff to feel that you are approachable whenever is necessary.
Provide your team with all the necessary information they will need to help with settle into the team
and the organization, this can include information about problem solving policies and procedures of
the organisations or legislative requirements.
It is important in the role of a manager that your support to your team is constant this demonstrates
your loyalty to your employees. Loyalty must be earnt by both the employee and the managers, this
can be achieved by defending your employees in the face of criticism and providing them with
ongoing guidance, training and constructive feedback.

4.4. Develop and implement an action plan to address any identified

difficulties

Develop an action plan

By having a documented action plan you are better equipped to look over the plan, determine the
details and how it will be implemented. It Is important that all relevant parties are included as they
all need to understand the proposed solution in a clear way and understand what their
responsibilities will be in implementing the action plan. It should not be assumed that anyone
involved in the action plan already understands their task and knows how to implement it, when
involving other people in implementing an action plan you need to make sure that they are trained,
on how the plan should be implemented as set out by the organization.
If issues arise which have not yet been addressed or dealt with then the plan may need to be altered
to accommodate these issues, however the fundamental intent of the solution should always remain
the same.

Involve your team

Follow organizational and legislative requirements
Seek further advice

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Review and implement workplace outcomes

If you are implementing an action plan to help deal with conflict within the workplace it needs to be
continuously monitored and supervised to ensure the plan is still working on an ongoing basis,
however this does not need to be the manages job, as the manager you can allocate the task of
having a person monitor this plan, however this person needs to be someone who is not involved in
the problem to begin with.
Through monitoring the plan you are ensuring that all task and changes are agreed upon and
everything is completed within a specific time frame with the correct allocation of resources. Each
member involved in the conflict needs to have a clear understanding of how progress will be
monitored, delays or difficulties allocated to certain actions or task.
It is important that a good communication is established between all staff members who are
responsible for implementing the action plan and those who will be affected by it. By having the
communication you are helping to ascertain how employees feel about taking place in implementing
or being effected by the action plan and whether there experiencing any problems.
You can ask for timely feedback or employees may just feel a need to give your feedback, remember
feedback is always welcomed. It is easier to take action to prevent more problems in the future then
by not having any feedback to guide you.

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Activity 8
1. Develop an action plan, use 5 task which need to be addressed and identify any
difficulties you come across. This action plan can be based on your actual work place
or somewhere you may have previously work.

Task

Person

Completion date

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Summary
Most effective ways of dealing with work place conflict and difficulties
A workplace problem may be something which you have been involved in your dealt with at
some point, difficulties within the organisation due to conflict with other members of staff
Think before you act
Determine the extent of problems which involve looking at a bigger picture and long term
effects rather then the issue as it exists in the present time
Always aim for a win-win solution which satisfies all parties and helps them feel they have
worked together or collaborated for their mutual benefits
Ensure an action plan for resolving a work difficulty is properly executed, you need to be
supervised and monitor the situation on an on going basis
Conflict needs to be dealt with correctly, and with sensitivity and in the faster way possible

References
Aspire training and consultation workbook, version 1.2
Precision group training and assessment manual
BSBLDR502 Lead and manage effective workplace relationship slides produced by Elizabeth Carter

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