Newsletter
News from National Learning
Record sales! (by Administrator, published Tuesday, 25 November 2008 18:37)
“What To Do When You Become The Boss” became one of the 5 top selling books from the 2,500 authors at publishers Outskirts Press for the second Quarter of 2008.
As total sales exceeded 1,000, author Bob Selden commented “It’s extremely gratifying to receive such recognition. However, more important to me is the great feedback I am getting from new managers in the field who are actually using the book. I’ve also had some nice thank you emails from trainers who are successfully using both the book and the activities in management development sessions”.
Following exhibition at the recent Frankfurt International Book Fair, interest for publication has also been received from India and the UAE.
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The leadership stories behind the news (by Administrator, published Tuesday, 25 November 2008 18:47)
Have you ever wondered why some of the world business leaders make the decisions they do?
The latest articles on the premier management website Management-Issues.com aim to show the management and leadership principles that are being used (or abused) behind some of the current issues in business and commerce.
For example, “Did Plato have the answer to Wall Street’s problems?” and “Who guards the guards?” are two articles that demonstrate the lack of leadership (and why this happened) in the current financial meltdown.
The latest article “20 is the magic number”, suggests a remedy to the excessive salaries being given to CEOs.
These articles are featured on our website, or you can visit Bob Selden and his fellow columnists such as Dan Bobinski, Edward de Bono, Wayne Turmel and others on Management Issues.
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Sales article of the week (by Administrator, published Tuesday, 25 November 2008 18:47)
“Are you controlling the recession, or is it controlling you?” was a nomination for Sales Article of the Week on Top 10 Sales Articles. The selections are made each week by a panel of international experts.
The article suggests some positives that each of us can apply during these tough times.
This is the second article from Bob Selden to be nominated this month making it the 5th for the year. You can view the article here. They will be particularly relevant for new managers.
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Launch of the new website (by Administrator, published Tuesday, 25 November 2008 18:48)
After five years, our website has at last been updated! As MD Bob Selden commented “We’ve had some great success over the years including a number 1 ranking on Google for motivated employees and employee feedback”.
“Main reasons for the update, were to combine the main site and the resources for managers site, into a more manageable site for both ourselves and visitors. We also wanted to make it more dynamic and contemporary”, Bob continued.
“Colourwheel Designs from Melbourne have done a great job for us and I look forward to getting feedback from our many visitors”, Bob concluded.
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Highlights for 2008 (by Administrator, published Tuesday, 25 November 2008 18:48)
Among the many highlights of 2008 for The National Learning Institute were:
• February – Key note speaker at the International Federation of Training and Development Organisations, Dubai, UAE. Topic, “Future Trends in Management Development”.
• April – Coach on in-company leadership development program at the International Institute for Management Development, Lausanne, Switzerland.
• May – Launch of “What To Do When You Become The Boss: How new managers become successful managers” at the Australian Graduate School of Management (University of Sydney).
• July – “What To Do When You Become The Boss” nominated as finalist in “INDIE Business Book of the Year” Awards in the USA.
• May, July & October – successful facilitation of Middle Manager Development Programs for the Australian Graduate School of Management, Sydney, Australia.
• Regular columnist on Management-issues.com and TrainingZone.co.uk – three articles nominated as “Article of the week”. Two recent articles on Management-issues.com, "Did Plato have the answer to Wall Street's problems?" and "Who guards the guards?" have won wide acclaim.
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Communicating change - the essentials (by Administrator, published Saturday, 22 November 2008 13:35)
The path for organisations undergoing change is a lot smoother if they get their internal communication processes right.
People become less motivated when they are faced with uncertainty—not knowing what is happening and why. In the extreme, a lack of information and feeling of insecurity can take away the natural energy and drive to succeed.
Take the case of James, who became plant manager at a bio-tech factory, managing about 400 people. Before he arrived, there was an "Ask Gavin"...
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Email Etiquette – What's the missing link? (by Administrator, published Saturday, 22 November 2008 13:46)
Whenever we put words on paper (or in this case in emails) they can be interpreted in many different ways – and often are!
I looked up the web on email ettiquete and found many sites, yet only one of the 10 sites on the first page of Google, dealt with the real issue around email etiquette. However, I did find that there’s even a new word for it now – Netiquette. One site had 32 rules (of course with links to other pages for a fuller description) for email etiquette and yet they still missed the main point!
What is the REAL issue on email etiquette?
Well, before I answer that, read the following statement:
"I did not say she stole the money"
Now...
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Leadership – do we know what it is? (by Bob Selden, published Saturday, 22 November 2008 10:28)
Four pointers to start you on the road to becoming a leader!
A great deal of work has been done by many authors and researchers in trying to identify and define "leadership". The vast body of research has focused on leadership traits, habits, competencies, behaviours, styles, values, skills and characteristics. Dave Ulrich (Ulrich, D et al, Results Based Leadership, Harvard Business Press, Boston, 1999) categorised much of the research into:
- Who leaders are – values, motives, personal traits
- What leaders know – knowledge, skills and abilities
- What leaders do – behaviours,...
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How can you tell if you have what it takes to be a leader? (by Administrator, published Saturday, 22 November 2008 12:16)
Research indicates that leaders become leaders because they do at least four things for us. What are these four "things"?
Finding out "How am I doing?" has always been a thorny issue for managers, particularly when the issue is about "How good a leader am I?".
It's relatively easy to get feedback on results (e.g. sales, budgets etc.) but it becomes more difficult to get feedback on how we lead and manage...
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Who's got the monkey now? Part One (by Administrator, published Saturday, 22 November 2008 12:36)
How to find out how well you manage your time
Are you a manager? Would you like more available time? Yes, then read on . . .
How come you’ve worked hard all day but haven’t started the one task that was most important to you? As a manager, how come your daily work...
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Who's got the monkey now? Part Two (by Administrator, published Saturday, 22 November 2008 12:52)
How to make delegation work for you.
In my earlier article "Who’s got the monkey now? How to find out how well you manage your time" , I suggested that you may be caring for a cageful of monkeys (other people’s problems) unless you are managing your time effectively, and in particular delegating.
For managers, there are two key aspects to successful delegation:
- Having people to whom one can delegate, and
- Selecting the most appropriate...
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How to select the right person for the job (by Administrator, published Saturday, 22 November 2008 13:13)
The three essentials
Have you ever recruited someone who looked good at interview only to find out when they started that they "Were not up to it" or, "They just didn’t seem to fit in". Most of us have made these mistakes (if you haven’t, then you are probably new to management). Why?
- We often rely too much on the interview as the main selection process, or
- We place too much emphasis on professional credentials at the expense...
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Management training – myth, magic or mayhem? (by Administrator, published Saturday, 22 November 2008 16:54)
The difficulty with learning how to be a manager is probably not to do with "management" per se, but the way the learning is presented tand the different ways in which we all like to learn.
Training courses! The most recent had been termed "Management for Senior Officers" and had been a minor disaster – all psychology and how to be nice to junior officers. How to involve them, how to motivate them, how to relate to them.
Rebus had returned to his station and tried it for one day, a day of involving, of motivating, of relating. At the end of the day, a Detective...
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How to select a consultant - the three imperatives (by Administrator, published Saturday, 22 November 2008 16:59)
What are the three targets that one must hit to successfully select a consultant?
As a manager many years ago when faced with my first challenge of selecting an external consultant, I found myself all at sea. Fortunately for me, I intuitively hit two of the three selection targets.
The project was to produce a communication video, so it was relatively easy to see and compare what each consultant had previously produced. I had...
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Managers – Do you have to run a motivational training session or workshop? (by Administrator, published Saturday, 22 November 2008 17:04)
10 steps to take to ensure your training session is a success!
So, you’re a manager. So, you know you have to run a training session or a team meeting for your team (for the first time) that needs to be motivational and you’re not a professional trainer. So what! With a good plan and a well structured session, training can be enjoyable and most of all rewarding for both you and your team. Here’s how …
Get people involved in the topic before the session – issue what the professional trainers call "pre-work". This can be as simple as asking...
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Management Meetings - Why are they such a waste of time? (by Administrator, published Saturday, 22 November 2008 17:11)
How to follow the 80/20 rule and five steps to success!
How often have you sat in a meeting thinking “This is such a waste of time. I have so many others things to do. I wish I could be somewhere else” Sound familiar? I’m sure we all have had these thoughts at one time or another and maybe for some of us, it has been very recent!
My experience as a line manager, senior manager and organisational psychologist over the last thirty years, means that I have attended and run many...
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Is there a better way to give bad news? (by Administrator, published Saturday, 22 November 2008 17:17)
A six step process.
I well remember the first time I was "corrected" by a manager. I was a young bank clerk and had received a transaction that was incorrect, from a much more senior person (a manager) in another branch of the bank. I sent the transaction back with a note asking for it to be corrected. Next thing I hear was my own manager shouting at me from his office.
Apparently, I had upset his "good colleague" and I must now go and apologise in person! There was no discussion as to whether I was right or wrong...
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Gaining Commitment Or Compliance From Your Team? (by Administrator, published Saturday, 22 November 2008 17:21)
Some guidelines for team decision making
Rob worked as a qualified, but junior physiotherapist in a busy hospital. He along with three of his colleagues were asked by their manager to discuss amongst themselves how they would like their rosters to be organised (i.e. who would do what shifts etc.) and put forward their proposal.
Rob and his colleagues were very happy with their final choices as they had considered all of their personal and professional needs and felt that...
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How to select your boss (by Administrator, published Saturday, 22 November 2008 17:22)
A three pronged strategy for your most important decision!
Jane had been out of the country for over a year and returned home to start a new job as a physiotherapist in a family run business. She was excited about the new role as the husband and wife team who ran the practice had been asking her for some time to join them as a full time employee.
During the first week, Jane did not have as many patients as others, so she was asked to work less hours. This seemed fair as it does take time to...
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Why do we have conflict at work? (by Administrator, published Saturday, 22 November 2008 17:36)
The ubiquitous position description - is it any use?
I once applied for a job as a Training Manager in a dynamic and rapidly developing organisation. My application was successful and I was delighted to find out that one of my colleagues whom I got on with very well from my previous organisation
(we occasionally had barbecues at one another’s homes) had also applied for a job with the new organisation and would be working alongside me....
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Managing your boss (by Administrator, published Saturday, 22 November 2008 17:40)
Four rules to live by and four steps to take.
John was a former boss of mine. Before I started working for him, I had heard from others that he had a very good reputation and so I was really looking forward to working with him. The office was a very busy one with lots of customer interaction and a very heavy processing workload.
After the first couple of months, I got the feeling that there was no real harmony in our relationship and I found it difficult to work out why....
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How to help people take commitment for their development (by Administrator, published Saturday, 22 November 2008 17:44)
Can coaching help?
I recently conducted a coaching session on “How to be an effective coach” for a group of very senior financial service advisors responsible for the management and leadership of project teams that have clients of the mega rich variety. When I asked them what they thought an ideal coach should be, I expected to get terms that describe what I would call a traditional view of a coach – i.e. someone who advises and shows others how to improve in a particular field.
The image of the traditional coach is that of a sports coach who is intent on imparting his or her knowledge to help athletes and teams improve...
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Where have all the honest managers gone? (by Administrator, published Saturday, 22 November 2008 17:48)
Dishonesty creates problems for companies such as poor morale, lower production and higher turnover. Yet reports suggest there many dishonest managers around.
I well remember as a young bank clerk many years ago, sitting at my desk one morning. Around me were the sounds of hustle and bustle of a busy office – people were sipping their coffee (in those days it was instant!) opening the mail (ah, for the days before email!) and telling of the events of last evening or their trip to work that morning.
As a morning person, it was my best time of the day when I was at my most positive, creative and effective best, so I had my head down and bum up....
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Do first impressions count? (by Administrator, published Saturday, 22 November 2008 17:49)
It takes less than 3 seconds to evaluate the other person based on their appearance, body language, demeanor, mannerisms and dress. What's your impression?
I once worked with a young bloke named Neil. Neil was bright, energetic and well presented. There was only one detracting feature about Neil when you first met him – his handshake. Shaking hands with Neil was like holding a wet fish – limp and squashy. My boss at the time, Kendall Smith, was a very perceptive person.
Realising that in our business one had to make a good first impression, Kendall took Neil aside very soon after Neil started in the department for...
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Is there an increasing need for leadership, or is it all just hype? (by Administrator, published Saturday, 22 November 2008 17:52)
Five pointers for sharing the leadership role
Of all the things that have changed over the last few centuries, and particularly the massive amount of change experienced during the last 100 years, the one constant that remains is the need for good leadership.
Whether it be for leading nations, organisations, teams or even relationships, effective leadership is sought by all.
Traditionally, the view of...
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Are your employees motivated? (by Administrator, published Saturday, 22 November 2008 13:57)
Employee feedback surveys are the key to employee motivation!
When was the last time you felt excited, motivated and extremely keen to be at work? Chances are when you had a job that really interested you, had control over what you did and how you did it, and you didn’t have any worries about "zealous boss" interference or job security. It’s a great feeling - we can all probably tell stories of when we were most "motivated" at work.
As managers, do we try to provide this same level of motivation for our employees? Or, are we fixated on striving to achieve the deadlines, budgets...
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Firing someone - the painless process (by Administrator, published Saturday, 22 November 2008 14:00)
Does it have to be painful, for them and you?
The need to write this article came about through the recent experience of two of my friends. Both had been fired. One for supposed poor performance (although she had never been counselled and at the time was in fact on sick leave) and one because the start up facility she was employed by, suddenly closed down. Both were senior managers. Both were loyal, hardworking employees but are now very angry and taking legal action against their former employers. Why are they so angry?
One could say it’s because they have lost their jobs and this would be quite understandable. However, the main action that has triggered their...
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Five of the worst mistakes managers can make and how to avoid them (by Administrator, published Saturday, 22 November 2008 14:10)
What are the common mistakes that get many managers into trouble?
I well remember the first time I was "corrected" by a manager. I was a young bank clerk and had received a transaction that was incorrect, from a much more senior person (a manager) in another branch of the bank. I sent the transaction back with a note asking for it to be corrected. Next thing I hear was my own manager shouting at me from his office.
Apparently, I had upset his "good colleague" and I must now go and apologise in person! There was no discussion as to whether I was right or wrong...
Read more...
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Did Plato have the answers to Wall Street’s problems? (by Bob Selden, published Saturday, 29 November 2008 15:26)
When did you last upgrade your car? Your home? Do you have flat screen TV or the latest Hi-fi, iPod or whatever latest techno-whiz available?
Plato (429BC) in The Republic, wrote about the problems of democracy, leading much of the population to seek unnecessary pleasures and the material goods which make these pleasures possible.
He suggested that this endless search for pleasure affects the kind of leaders that democracies produce – those that have difficulty mastering their desires. Further, he suggested that the most qualified leaders are unlikely to be chosen nor want to serve. And the leaders that do rise to the top, are unlikely to be motivated by concern for the common good, but rather in self-interest. Finally, he posited that this conflict between private and public interest is likely to be endemic.
Is it drawing too long a bow between what Plato was describing and today’s society?
Take the case of Lehamn Brothers where CEO Richard Fuld...
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Who do you need to influence the most? (by Administrator, published Saturday, 22 November 2008 15:12)
Four simple skills; when and how to apply them.
Do you need to have:
Your manager give you more credit for the work that you do?
Your partner acknowledge that your ideas are really worth listening to?
Your children accept more responsibility?
Your friends take you seriously when you really mean it?
Your customers buy more from you?
Your suppliers meet your quality standards?
Your team become more energetic?
Hey, couldn’t the list go on! I’m sure many of us would like to see some or all of the above occur (and probably a few more as well). The...
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When is negotiating not negotiating? (by Administrator, published Saturday, 22 November 2008 15:18)
Four tips for getting a better deal in negotiations.
When you left home for work this morning, did you feel ready to face the day knowing that you were going to have a number of successful negotiations? Chances are, the word "negotiation" never entered your head. Perhaps it should have!
We often think of negotiation as a formal process conducted behind closed doors by high powered executives, politicians or world leaders. Yet...
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Have you been appreciated lately? (by Administrator, published Saturday, 22 November 2008 14:12)
Six steps to make yourself and others feel better at work.
We all want to be associated with a winner, be it a winning person, a winning team, a worthwhile cause or a successful organisation. We all have sports people, teams, actors or artists that we consider "ours". When they do well, we bask in their reflected glory.
It's the same at work - we want to be associated with a worthwhile "winning" organisation. Our greatest reward is receiving acknowledgment that we...
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What do you get when you pay people to perform? (by Administrator, published Saturday, 22 November 2008 14:50)
Many organisations today are looking to increase their bottom line by paying their people to improve individual performance. Do such policies really work? Are there any downsides?
I recently read a disturbing report in the daily newspaper about an air crash in Indonesia. The article (in the Sydney Morning Herald, 12/4/07) read in part; “Pilot may have been saving fuel in crash.
A Garuda policy of preserving fuel may have been why a pilot did not abort a landing in Yogyakarta last month that killed 21 people, the head of...
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Are you positive or negative? (by Administrator, published Saturday, 22 November 2008 14:53)
Does your behaviour impact those around you?
Can you change it?
Some years ago, I read a report by Spiro Zavos in the sports columns of my SMH newspaper, which described the behaviour of a football coach during a very tense finals game. The antics of the losing coach gave a very good insight into why his team did not win and in fact loses many close games.
In part, Zavos' report read "He was at his over-emotional worst at Lancaster Park on Sunday. The eyes rolled more wildly than ever, he stalked the...
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So, you want to be a consultant! (by Administrator, published Saturday, 22 November 2008 15:01)
Four steps to take on the pathway to success.
During my career as a manager and since I myself became a consultant in 1987, I have had many colleagues and acquaintances move into the consultancy profession. Sometimes this move was by choice as a genuine career move.
In the late 90s however, the proliferation of consultants was exacerbated by the downsizing of organisations and so, people who had been “cut”...
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How busy are you? (by Administrator, published Saturday, 22 November 2008 15:06)
A great tip for effective time management!
You receive a phone call from the CEO who asks whether you'd be interested in taking on a special assignment. In this assignment you would report directly to the CEO and participate in making some of the important strategic decisions facing the company. This assignment would provide you personally with major growth and career opportunities. The offer has only one catch; because the assignment is only part time requiring about one day per week, you would have to do your present job in the remaining four days. Would you take the assignment?
Before reading any further please answer "Yes" or "No",
- Would you take the assignment?
HBR (October 2002) reports that this question has been...
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