The document describes a management development program called TakeON! Management Matters. It is designed to improve manager confidence and capabilities. The program consists of a series of half-day learning sessions that use simple tools to help managers explore core concepts and immediately apply them. Managers are also supported through an online community. The program aims to build core competencies like communication, priority-setting, and conflict resolution in a structured yet flexible way. It is presented as being effective for driving business performance by developing stronger managers.

1. How do we
build our managers’
capability and
confidence so they
can lead their
people to better
performance?
For more info on TakeON! visit www.takeon.biz © ON-Brand Partners 2012
TakeON!®
YOUR MANAGEMENT MATTERS

2. Management Matters is a programme for leaders – delivered by leaders – designed
to improve both their confidence and capability. Managers are equipped with the
essential competencies they need to ‘step up’ and execute your strategy successfully.
The unique conversation-based approach turns traditional manager development
on its head. A series of bite-sized learning themes (monthly half-day sessions)
uses simple tools and practices to help your people explore core management
concepts, and immediately apply these in their work. Managers in the
programme are further supported through a vibrant online community, enabling
online coaching and collaboration with their peers.
Our approach is proven to deliver rapid, positive change in core manager
competencies and a new level of confidence and performance.
The tools we use were developed and successfully tested in large complex
organisations by creators ON-Brand Partners. TakeON! Management Matters takes
the best of these to create better managers who deliver better results.
BUILDING CORE MANAGEMENT COMPETENCIES IS
CRITICAL TO DRIVING BUSINESS PERFORMANCE.
TakeON! Management Matters is a structured, yet flexible manager
development programme. Its unique framework of tools and resources
inspires real action and generates positive momentum.
How do we get
our managers to
improve how they
communicate with
their people?
How do we get
our managers to be
more focused on
delivering results?
Our managers
need to be more
effective at tackling
conflict within the
workplace!
The benefits of TakeON! include:
• Better strategy execution
• Greater change readiness
• Improved staff retention
• Alignment with vision and values
• Greater self awareness
• Stronger customer focus
• Improved cross-team
collaboration
For more info on TakeON! visit www.takeon.biz © ON-Brand Partners 2012 2
TURNING TRADITIONAL MANAGER
DEVELOPMENT ON ITS HEAD

3. • Builds on current strengths and what is working now.
• Allows you to address the most pressing competencies in order of priority to
your organisation.
• Sustainable – not a quick-hit training programme, but an ongoing process that
steadily lifts management capabilities.
• Creates manager dialogue, rather than just information download
– an approach proven to be more effective in driving change.
• Easy implementation – TakeON! is designed to fix issues, not create them.
Simple, flexible, practical processes and tools adapt to your organisation’s
specific needs and reflect your priorities and pace.
• Provides real-time online support and collaboration – the ON2net, our
online TakeON! community, enables virtual coaching and ongoing visibility of
managers’ progress. Managers can share ideas and insights, collaborate with and
learn from other managers.
• Shifts the focus towards constant, incremental change – quick wins build
manager confidence across the organisation.
• Blends management development with on-the-job application, proven to be
a more effective way of learning.
• Acknowledges that managers are time poor and have competing priorities.
• Builds internal capability to create managers
who are more confident and competent to address
future challenges.
We need to get our
managers to focus
on solving their own
problems!
What can we do
to get our managers
and their people to be
more focused on the
needs of our valuable
customers?
We need to get our
managers to set
and manage their
priorities better!
For more info on TakeON! visit www.takeon.biz © ON-Brand Partners 2012 3
MANAGEMENT MATTERS – WHY IT WORKS

4. “The biggest impact
TakeON! has had in our
team and the business
is to get people to think…
…thinking about process
improvements and behaviour
improvements, and more
importantly, get people excited
about coming to work.”
—Major NZ finance company
YOUR TakeON! BUSINESS PARTNER WORKS CLOSELY WITH YOU
TO IDENTIFY YOUR DISTINCT MANAGEMENT PRIORITIES, AND
THE TakeON! TOOLS AND RESOURCES THAT BEST ADDRESS THESE.
The TakeON! Management Matters approach is effective in changing manager behaviours
because it is based on the core principles of Sustainability, Constructive Dialogue and Collaboration.
SUSTAINABILITY
This process is so much more than one-off training,
where benefits can fade quickly. It is about transferring
skill and competency to your managers, to make them
self-sufficient – a real do-it-yourself approach.
USING DIALOGUE
TO CREATE
SOLUTION FOCUSED,
ACTION-BIASED
MANAGERS
By involving managers in constructive dialogue,
rather than one-way download, greater buy-in and
traction is achieved.
TakeON!
COMMUNITY
To ensure you always have ongoing support,
TakeON! comes with access to our online
resource centre and community – the ON2net.
Here you can:
• download additional resources
• receive ongoing coaching from the TakeON!
team
• connect with other TakeON! organisations
to ask questions and share experiences
and insights.
www.on2net.biz
Sustainability
InItIal
Impact
Time
Performance
©ON-BrandPartners2009
BuIldIng
momentum
Conversation
Shapers
Download
Debate
Dialogue
Me to You
– generates
compliance
Me vs. You
– generates confl ict
Us, together – generating
constructive collaboration
For more info on TakeON! visit www.takeon.biz © ON-Brand Partners 2012 4
TakeON!®
– A UNIQUE AND FLEXIBLE PROCESS

5. RECOVERY
PROCESS
EXPERIENCE
QUALITY
BASICS
BRANDWELLBEING
WORKING
TOGETHER
COMMUNICATION POTENTIAL
CHALLENGE PRODUCTIVITY CHANGE
TakeON!
YOUR PERFORMANCE
Managing the performance of my
area and the factors that contribute
to that performance.
TakeON!
YOUR PEOPLE
Managing my team and people in
order for them to perform effectively.
GOALS
BRAND
PURPOSE
KNOWLEDGE
TakeON!
YOUR BUSINESS
Managing the overall business –
understanding what we stand for
and what our priorities are.
TakeON!
YOUR SERVICE
Managing myself and understanding
that I provide a service to others.
©ON-BrandPartners2009
TakeON! RESOLVES
COMMON PERFORMANCE
ISSUES IN FOUR KEY
FOCUS AREAS:
For more info on TakeON! visit www.takeon.biz © ON-Brand Partners 2012 5
TakeON!®
FOCUS AREAS

6. Management Matters offers a diverse range of themes
to help build the skills required to deliver your
business strategy.
M 3.4
AT A GLANCE
© ON-Brand Partners 2011 www.takeon.biz
AT A GLANCE: INSIGHT
INTO ACTION+EXCITE3EMPOWER2ENGAGE1
WHAT’S THIS THEME ABOUT?
In leadership, one size doesn’t fit all. Successful leaders are those who are able to adapt
their style to the unique needs of their team members. After all, everyone’s different,
so why treat them all the same?
WHY IS THIS IMPORTANT?
“In the past a leader was a boss. Today’s
leaders must be partners with their people...
they no longer can lead solely based on
positional power.” – Ken Blanchard
The manager’s role has drastically shifted from being
‘the boss’ to being a ‘partner’ or an ally.
Managers today must learn to move from simply
‘leading from position’ to being more collaborative and
supportive. While other leadership philosophies suggest
that successful leaders possess inherent qualities
that help them become successful in their roles, the
situational style of leadership is based on the premise
that adaptability is key, and is a skill that can be learned.
Knowing when to adapt and to change your style of
leadership can give you the edge in a rapidly changing
business environment.
IDEAL OUTCOMES
‘Leading People’ is about your management
team knowing:
 The four situational leadership styles – what do
they look like in action?
 How to choose the appropriate leadership style to
match their team members’ needs
 How flexible they are and which of the four styles
they are most comfortable with
 The positive outcome of a ‘matched’ leadership
style and the consequences of a ‘mismatch’ on
performance
‘Leading People’ is about your management team
being able to:
 Diagnose their team members’ developmental level
 Identify characteristics and needs of their team
members at varying developmental levels
 Match their leadership style to their team members’
developmental needs
 Identify the skills they need in order to adapt their
leadership style from one team member to another
TakeON! YOUR MANAGEMENT MATTERS – OUR PEOPLE
To get the most out of a team we need to look at the
bigger picture, and that means understanding three key
things:
• The individuals – where are they on their
development journey?
• The tasks – what is it I actually want them to do?
• The style of leadership – is it right for the situation
above?
LEADING
PEOPLE
M 4.3
AT A GLANCE
© ON-Brand Partners 2012 www.takeon.biz
INSIGHT
INTO ACTION+EXCITE3EMPOWER2ENGAGE1
WHAT’S THIS THEME ABOUT?
Busy all day yet leave work feeling like you have achieved very little? Need more hours
in the day? Fire fighting and find it difficult to plan? What comes next? The To Do list just
gets longer, missing deadlines, taking work home, longer working days, worry, stress…
Managers often find themselves working longer hours, feeling stressed, becoming less productive and ultimately
de-motivated. A major contributor to this is lack of personal planning. We tend to become driven by our Inbox and
other people’s requests, instead of starting each day with an achievable plan which is focused on achieving results.
This Management Matters theme focuses on effective personal planning. Just imagine leaving work on time with a
sense of achievement every day and knowing what’s coming at you tomorrow. That’s what we should be aiming for!
WHY IS THIS IMPORTANT?
“Planning is bringing the future into the present
so that you can do something about it now.”
Alan Lakein, author of How to Get Control of Your
Time and Your Life
In today’s world, effective managers must be able to
manage themselves first! The pace of change is unlikely to
slow down, so our to-do lists, are only going to get busier.
The ability to take control and plan ahead, is therefore
critical.
At the end of the day, successful managers know that
bringing some structure to the day gets results. They are
skilled at planning, anticipating the unexpected and realistic
with their time.
AT A GLANCE:
IDEAL OUTCOMES
‘Planning Ahead’ is about your management team
understanding:
• Why planning ahead is important
• Where the focus should be
• What needs to appear on their daily plan
• Why communicating their plan is key
‘Planning Ahead’ is about your management team
having the skills to:
• Achieve results everyday
• Accomplish deadlines with ease
• Enhance personal and team productivity
• Develop individually as well as a team
• Leave work everyday with a sense
of real achievement
PLANNING
AHEAD
M 1.3
AT A GLANCE
© ON-Brand Partners 2012 www.takeon.biz
INSIGHT
INTO ACTION+EXCITE3EMPOWER2ENGAGE1
WHAT’S THIS THEME ABOUT?
As ‘life’ speeds up, ambiguity seems to grow, and there isn’t always the time to gather
the full facts in order to make an informed decision.
Whether we are dealing with a crisis, or just operating in a fast world, today’s managers are taking more risks, moving
at pace, and relying on their instinct and experience. If you prefer detail (having all the facts in order to make a
decision) and get your kicks out of seeing a job through to the finish…. you’ll be finding ambiguity hard to swallow.
WHY IS THIS IMPORTANT?
“Take advantage of the ambiguity in
the world. Look at something and think
what else it might be”
Roger Von Oech, Author, Founder and
President of Creative Think
In today’s world, most problems managers face are
unclear or ambiguous. Let’s face it, the pace of change
is never going to slow, and when people are involved,
things often don’t go to plan! The ability to observe,
make decisions and adapt to an ever-changing
environment where we don’t have all the answers, is
rapidly becoming a key leadership skill.
This Management Matters theme develops the key
skills of ‘emergent’ leadership – the ability to act in
the moment, sense how things are going, and respond
positively when dealing with ambiguity.
IDEAL OUTCOMES
‘Dealing with Ambiguity’ is about your management
team understanding:
• That ambiguity is here to stay – so deal with it!
• That we have to work with the information we’ve
got, even when it’s not enough
• The importance of making a decision, and being
comfortable with the consequences
‘Dealing with Ambiguity’ is about your management
team having the skills to:
• Effectively cope with change
• Make decisions and act without having the total picture
• Cope when things are ‘up in the air’
• Keep calm under pressure
• Manage risk and uncertainty
• Face challenges head on
AT A GLANCE:
DEALING WITH
AMBIGUITY
Examples of
Management
Matters themes.
Themes cover a diverse range
of core people management
competencies such as:
Building Rapport
Coaching for Success
Connecting Vision and Purpose
Courageous Conversations
Creating an Influencing
Strategy
Customer Focus
Dealing with Ambiguity
Driving Results
Emotional Resilience
Leading People
Managing Change
Planning Ahead
Priority Setting
Self Awareness
The Art of Feedback
For more info on TakeON! visit www.takeon.biz © ON-Brand Partners 2012 6
TACKLING CRITICAL DEVELOPMENT AREAS