Cathleen has taken on the role of acting manager at her library but is facing several challenges. She struggles with language training, asserting authority over friends, renovations, a decommissioning project, and absenteeism. The case proposes addressing these issues using Bolman and Deal's four frames: holding regular meetings for communication and input; motivating employees with incentives; establishing clear authority; and delegating tasks. This would help Cathleen feel less stressed and overwhelmed in her new role.
Managing paid staff can presents many challenges. These challenges may relate to recruitment and retention, resourcing, performance management and development, productivity and conflict resolution, time management, etc.
In this session, Penny Sara provided:
an overview of day-to-day management of paid staff, including good supervision practices and how these fit with annual or regular performance review
an outline of probation and managing under performance
some strategies for setting oneself up for success with managing staff, preventing problems and nipping them in the bud early if they do arise.
Penny Sara is a Human Resources and Employment Relations Consultant and Business Coach. She has many years of experience in the Adult Community Education sector, both as a manager and consultant, and a keen appreciation of the challenges faced by managers and coordinators of community learning centres.
Extremely efficient and effective meetingsDaniele D.
A successful meeting starts with good preparation. Preparing (for) the meeting is not only the responsibility of the organiser.
Everyone must play their part.
Managing paid staff can presents many challenges. These challenges may relate to recruitment and retention, resourcing, performance management and development, productivity and conflict resolution, time management, etc.
In this session, Penny Sara provided:
an overview of day-to-day management of paid staff, including good supervision practices and how these fit with annual or regular performance review
an outline of probation and managing under performance
some strategies for setting oneself up for success with managing staff, preventing problems and nipping them in the bud early if they do arise.
Penny Sara is a Human Resources and Employment Relations Consultant and Business Coach. She has many years of experience in the Adult Community Education sector, both as a manager and consultant, and a keen appreciation of the challenges faced by managers and coordinators of community learning centres.
Extremely efficient and effective meetingsDaniele D.
A successful meeting starts with good preparation. Preparing (for) the meeting is not only the responsibility of the organiser.
Everyone must play their part.
White Paper: Managers and the Land of the Lost v00 PaperSteven Martin
Instructions for how to run an exercise to help people determine their roles and responsibilities. While originally intended to be a framework to help Managers figure out their roles in an Agile setting, this can be applied to all roles and teams.
Initially presented in 2005
Management training session to make sure that they manage performance issues competently and fairly and without incurring unnecessary cost.
Managers will be able to differentiate between a poor and a satisfactory performance.
Managers will know how to deal with poor performance.
Managers will recognise the skills needed to deal with performance issues professionally and in a timely manner.
Kraft Your Success Maximizing Productivity 2.1.11hkraft
Maximize your Productivity by getting clear on where you spend your time, getting focused on what you want and creating the time and space to make it happen.
White Paper: Managers and the Land of the Lost v00 PaperSteven Martin
Instructions for how to run an exercise to help people determine their roles and responsibilities. While originally intended to be a framework to help Managers figure out their roles in an Agile setting, this can be applied to all roles and teams.
Initially presented in 2005
Management training session to make sure that they manage performance issues competently and fairly and without incurring unnecessary cost.
Managers will be able to differentiate between a poor and a satisfactory performance.
Managers will know how to deal with poor performance.
Managers will recognise the skills needed to deal with performance issues professionally and in a timely manner.
Kraft Your Success Maximizing Productivity 2.1.11hkraft
Maximize your Productivity by getting clear on where you spend your time, getting focused on what you want and creating the time and space to make it happen.
Details of CaseRiley accepted an administrative assistant positi.docxsimonithomas47935
Details of Case
Riley accepted an administrative assistant position at a local high school two months ago. She is assigned to assist the head principal of the school. Her core responsibilities include filing, student data entry, and processing tuition payments. The hourly pay is not what she had hoped for but she will receive a performance review in 90 days that may allow for a pay increase per her performance rating. The position she filled had been vacant for an extended period of time, which left many administrative duties undone. She is excited about her new job and very enthusiastic about the new and challenging tasks given to her to get the files back into order.
There are three office staff members assigned to handle student issues and the daily functioning of the school. Martha is a senior and elderly office aid who is partially disabled and can barely stand for long periods of time. Daniel, the receptionist, has a spotty attendance record because this job is one of his three part-time jobs. Lastly is Linda, who tries to keep everything together by making up for the deficiencies of her co-workers.
Riley’s first month went by smoothly as she started to get a handle on her job duties and performed well. However, Martha had taken a fall at home and is now out on medical leave. Daniel, when he shows up, is not much help as he believes that answering the phone is his only responsibility.
Riley, young and full of energy, decided to be a team player and help Linda who has been running around the office trying to keep things operating by herself.
Riley finds herself handling parent and student issues when they arise. Parents randomly burst into the office when there is an issue with their child or the school. Disciplinary students are sent to the office by their teachers to be reprimanded. However, Riley enjoys working with the students, and they now look to her to resolve their issues of lateness, uniforms, early dismissals, etc. Even the parents are taking advantage of her ability to immediately handle their issues and complaints. Success in these endeavors gives her joy and a sense of value being the go-to person in the office.
Now Riley has been called into the principal’s office to be reprimanded as the principal has been raising the issue of new students’ files not being updated and grades not being entered in a timely manner. She explained that she had been helping the office staff with parents and students.
While the principal has expressed her appreciation, she explains to Riley that she has an annual report that she has to submit to the school board and it must be completed in ten days. Therefore, while she is helping out in the office, student files, grades, and tuitions must be updated and recorded in order to generate an annual report.
Juggling her core responsibilities and assisting the office staff, Riley is feeling overwhelmed and underpaid as the job that she has accepted initially has changed dramatically. Due to her high en.
Time management skills help you reduce stress and prioritise your time. Effective time management clarifies your goals and prioritises your most important tasks. As a result, you have more time to achieve bigger and better results. When you manage your time, you can plan your day and increase your performance.
Getting ‘Em on Board: Guiding Staff Through Times of ChangeRebecca Blakiston
Presentation for edUi 2013 in Richmond, VA. Presented by Rebecca Blakiston, University of Arizona, and Kim Vassiliadis, University of North Carolina Chapel Hill.
3. Background
Works as a reference librarian in government
library
Small team: manager, 2 reference librarians, 2
cataloguers, 2 co-op students, 1 library
technician at circulation desk, and 1 systems
librarian
4. Background (cont'd)
Manager goes on maternity leave and hints that
she may not return
In the past, Cathleen has replaced her during
vacation and is chosen to do so again
Cathleen is sociable, well-liked by staff, and
even has close friendships with some
individuals
5. Problems Overview
Language training
Uncomfortable “bossing around” her friends
Renovations must be done to the library
Decommissioning project
Absenteeism
6. Problem #1: Language Training
Language training is intensive and must be
attended several times per week
Overwhelming in conjunction with other duties
in new role
Restricts the amount of time she is in the office
7. Problem #2: Discomfort With
Authority
Feels she should “lead by example” and
continues to perform old duties along with new
ones, which causes her to be over-worked
“Open door policy” to allow coworkers to
approach her with questions or concerns but
she is frequently disrupted
8. Problem #3: Renovations
Space constraints
Increased number of meetings resulting in
more absences
Changes in plans from architects leading to
employee frustration
9. Problem #4: Decommissioning
Project
Cathleen is doing a lot of the weeding,
shipping, and storage herself
Cataloguers responsible for cleaning up
bibliographic records are complaining but feel
as if Cathleen is not listening since she is
frequently out of the office with meetings and
language training
10. Problem #5: Absenteeism
Cathleen is stressed out and overworked
She begins taking a large number of sick days
- Argyris: trying to stay sane by
withdrawing to escape frustration
(Bolman & Deal, 2008, 128)
Coworkers become resentful, as they cannot
do their jobs as well
Coworkers concerned
12. Proposal
Regular meetings
Outline tasks and goals
Discuss progress on projects
Keep employees up to date with renovation
plans
Acquire input
Address questions and concerns
13. Proposal (cont'd)
Motivate employees by creating incentives
Establish authority
No “open door policy”
Establish agenda and how it will be
implemented
Focus on making final decisions, rather than
day-to-day work
14. Proposal (cont'd)
Delegation
Cataloguers could do weeding, as well as
records clean up
Postpone social events until after renovations
completed
Student can sort through donations
Student can help with reference
15. Human Resources Frame
Cathleen clearly values the people in her
organization
She should not worry about “bossing them
around”, but rather use good relationships to
motivate them
Hold regular meetings to gain input and
communicate changes
Important to provide information and support
(Bolman & Deal, 2008, 149)
16. Human Resources Frame (cont'd)
If employees understand tasks, “they can see
the big picture – how their work affects the
bottom line and how the bottom line affects
them” (Bolman & Deal, 2008, 150)
Aligns their best interests with organization
Empowers employees by assuring them their
concerns are valid and input welcome
Decision-shaping vs. Decision making (Mintzberg,
2009, 68)
17. Symbolic Frame
Important to maintain culture -- no time for
planning events right now but after?
Include people in vision of new library
Focus on past challenges to overcome new
ones
18. Political Frame
Cathleen must make decisions about allocating
scarce resources (time, space)
No “open door” policy so that her time and
space are respected
Need to outline ideas, set agenda, and decide
how it will be implemented
Must address conflict
Persuade employees about importance of
mission
20. Conclusion
Cathleen probably taking time off work due to
stress from new role as acting manager
Cathleen will probably be relieved to have
some of her responsibilities taken away but
might still feel uncomfortable as authority figure
Re-iterate the impact of her positive
relationships with coworkers
22. Sources
Bolman, L. & Deal, T. (2008). Reframing
organizations: Artistry, choice, and leadership.
San Francisco: John Wiley & Sons Inc.
Mintzberg, H. (2009). Managing. San Francisco:
Berrett-Koehler Publishers, Inc.