Learn @ Work case studies (2004): Brisbane City Council
- Manager Development Program
- On-line Learning delivered by HR Services, Brisbane City Council
- Team Leaders in the Jungle
- Walking the Green Line - Profile
Brisbane City Council's Department of Regulatory Services (DRS) will approach this year's Adult Learners' Week with vision and learning high on their agenda.
Nominees from all levels of DRS are participating in a new "vision ambassador" program. The program takes a step away from traditional management techniques and allows staff from across the board to develop their leadership skills and guide DRS into the future. This program is an intense multi-chanelled learning program.
Program participants are grabbing hold of and assisting to implement management strategies in order to bring about cultural change and reach DRS business outcomes.
Adult learning initiatives are ongoing in other areas of DRS with ten staff recently completing a well-recognised Certificate IV "Train-the-Trainer and Workplace Assessment Course".
Manager Development Program
If you are expecting to sit and listen passively to a presenter then this program is definitely not for you! The Management Development Program encourages participants to constructively address the challenges they face and improve their individual management and leadership skills and behaviours.
The initial program has 6 contact days over five months in modules that are activity based and highly interactive. It includes individual coaching sessions between modules as well as reading and reflection tasks that form the basis of the learning activities on the next module.
The second phase of development involves four monthly facilitated learning sets where small groups of participants support each other to implement workplace based projects that participants identify and choose later in the program.
Overview
Development of our supervisors and managers is considered a high priority activity in Council. This compact, activity-enriched program teaches the basics for effectively managing work areas, groups and project teams.
The basics covered in the program include:
- Focusing on personal awareness and growth,
- Working relationships,
- Influencing skills, and
- The translation roles of managers for deciphering organisational agendas, influencing upward, and taking initiative.
Target Group
For managers in the early stages of their management and leadership careers, as well as more experienced managers who would like the opportunity to reflect on their practice and who would benefit from a management training experience that addresses the fundamentals.
The program is targeted to managers, supervisors and project managers Band 5 - 8.
Benefits
The program creates an excellent foundation for understanding the challenges facing managers and assists the individual to improve management and leadership skills and behaviours whether they are new or experienced managers.
Working in organisations is complex and it is essential that managers are able to adapt and demonstrate flexibility in terms of how they relate to themselves and others. The program engages participants actively in the recognition and development of the range of roles required of them to be effective managers
Some of the key roles that are required are documented below and form the basis of the development that is undertaken in this program.
Role development concepts underpinning the program
The Translator Role
- Translating long range organisational goals into short-term operational goals
- Interpreting and making meaning of the broader organisational agenda
- Lobbying, negotiating and representing work area to senior managers and outsiders
- Disseminating relevant information about decisions, plans and activities
- Building identification with the organisation and the work area
The Producer Role
- Personal productivity
- Motivating others
- Time and stress management
The Coordinator Role
- Planning
- Organising
- Controlling
- Goal setting
- Delegating effectively
The Monitor Role
- Organising information
- Evaluating information
- Responding to information
The Coach/Mentor Role
- Understanding self and others
- Communication
- Developing staff
The Facilitator Role
- Team building
- Participative decision making
- Conflict management
- Building robust working relationships
The Innovator Role
- Living with change
- Creative thinking
- Managing change
- Problem solving
The Influencer Role
- Influencing for outcomes/skills/people
- Negotiating agreement
- Negotiating and selling ideas
- Managing stakeholders in a Political environment
Aims and Objectives
It is recognised that development is a longer-term, ongoing process that is not necessarily attained at the end of an 8-month development program. Learning and behaviour changes is achieved over time through:
- Learning - gaining insight into new ways of being and doing
- Doing - applying this new knowledge in real life situations
- Reflecting - recognising what works/does not work.
The high expectations regarding participant commitment and participation in all aspects of the program are communicated to them and to their managers or sponsors as part of the engagement process prior to program commencement.
During this program, participants will:
- Gain a more complete view of themselves as leaders and managers, including strengths and development needs within the context of Brisbane City Council.
- Gain insights into current BCC organisational change initiatives and the impact on productivity.
- Develop new roles (refer to the next page for a list of key roles).
- Communicate cross-functionally within BCC.
- Exchange and receive constructive feedback around strengths and development needs.
- Develop the ability to apply effective influencing tactics.
- Learn how to improve the performance of their work groups by better understanding human interaction.
- Create successful strategies for building robust working relationships.
- Create successful strategies for managing stakeholders in a political environment.
- Establish relationships with other participants that support continuous learning.
- Set a clear direction for their future development.
Participant process
Programs commence with a two-hour orientation session 2 weeks prior to Module 1.
The following five modular workshops are held at external venues, separated by approximately one month, and run from 8.30am to 4.30pm with 45 minutes for lunch.
Module 1 (The inner Manager) runs for two days and the following four modules are one day: The Relation Manager, The team Manager, The Systems Manager, The Workplace manager
- One-hour Individual coaching sessions are arranged with each participant to occur between each module.
- Participants meet with each other in small groups between modules to reflect and prepare.
- Pre-reading materials are provided before and after each module as an essential part of the curricula.
- Evaluation of the program is conducted at the end of each module and following each program to ensure learning needs are being met and program elements are adding value.
The program is participative in nature, and acknowledges and respects the experience and knowledge of all participants.
Participants are challenged to reflect on and improve:
- their current management practice
- the beliefs that support this practice
- how they measure the effectiveness of this practice.
Participants will have the opportunity to apply the results of their learning to their current workplace in phase 2 of the program and will be supported through this process by facilitated learning sets.
Participants must be willing to:
- commit time to engage in self-directed and manager-directed learning
- experiment with implementing their learning in their workplace
- develop their management skills
- commit time to full participation and attendance throughout the program.
Participants' managers must be willing to:
- commit time to the planning for performance process
- commit time to the manager-directed learning process
- facilitate participant involvement in the mentoring and Peer Resource Group project processes.
| Phase I | Phase II | |||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Orientation (1/2 day introduction to the program) | Module 1 | Module 2 | Module 3 | Module 4 | Taking stock | Module 5 Workplace Project |
Workplace Project | Planning your next development steps |
|
|
Peer Resource Group Meetings/facilitated learning sets | ||||||
Need more information?
For more information on the Manager Development Program contact:
Trevor Baker-Finch
Senior Consultant, HR Services
Tel. 3403 0773
On-line Learning delivered by HR Services, Brisbane City Council
In 2003/04 HR Services continued to expand use of the Council on-line learning environment to deliver learning programs and reflective practice, increase uptake across council and capability development of internal trainers to create behavioural outcomes based on-line learning products.
A range of Council designed products were rolled out and enjoyed high take up rates.
- Corporate Orientation - 250 participants
- Recruitment and Selection - 50
- Career Management - 151
- Change Management - 10 participants (Pilot only) (a single email attracted 40 participants for the first 'public offering'
A range of new products was also designed over the past year. This was achieved through an in-house action learning approach. The products that will be piloted in September 2004 are:
- Project Management
- Performance Management
- Managing Teams
- Successful Self Marketing
- Getting Organised
In addition to the 'straight' design and delivery of on-line products, HR Services commenced integrating this methodology with existing modes of delivery:
- Both the Corporate Orientation and Recruitment and Selection programs incorporate a face-to-face component to their delivery. At the end of the Corporate Orientation program participants meet the CEO. Participants in the Recruitment and Selection program meet prior to commencing to ensure adequate orientation to the program and establishment of participant commitment.
- The Recruitment and Selection program was customised to be used as pre-work for the Walking the Green Line program.
- A comprehensive development proposal was also formulated for a business unit to develop 'Vision Ambassadors'. The proposal combines and integrates a number learning and development delivery modes including, face-to-face, on-line, coaching and collaborative tools. Delivery is to take place July 2004 - January 2005.
- The commercial sale of 3 on-line products to a Qld state government agency was negotiated. The products purchased were Recruitment and Selection, Career Management, and Change Management.
- Council's approach to on-line learning continues to attract a lot of external interest. Interest over the past 12 months has come from Qld State Government, Federal Government, New South Wales State Government, Municipality of Dubai, Belgium and Czech Republic.
HR Services has led the way in terms of facilitated on-line programs using metaphoric concepts. Below is a sneak preview of artwork that will accompany the new project management product.
Team Leaders in the Jungle
Recently a Team Leader Program was conducted for team leaders in the field and depot (blue collar) parts of BCC.
The conventional training scenario in a classroom setting is not always a meaningful learning experience for people who are used to working outdoors for a large percentage of their time. In fact, it can be downright frustrating; so the challenge for People and Organisational Development was to come up with a program that met the specific needs of team leaders who either work in the field or who manage people who do.
An external consultant delivered this program with excellent feedback from participants and a high level of interest in the upcoming third program.
'Look the program to date has been fantastic. I was a bit sceptical, as I am sure everyone in the program was, about the "outside activities". However, once we got going and did a couple I think we would all agree that we learnt some things that maybe wouldn't have come through by just discussing them. "Doing" rather then "theorising" helps make it all a bit clearer.' Alissa Hunt
The program covers elements of leadership such as motivating your team, and promoting teamwork, but does this via 'outdoor' activities. Participants have really connected during these 'tasks' and have shown great innovation and teamwork in solving the problems set them.
An additional challenge recently was the attendance by a hearing impaired person who was accompanied by a signing interpreter. All participants took this in their stride and embraced this excellent demonstration of the diversity that exists in BCC. Even the interpreter said that he learnt something from the day about 'reflection':
'I can not think of anything to change at the moment, but if in reflection (something that was discussed at the training) I discover something that is useful I will forward it to both of you.' Simon Cooper
Participants from the same branch have been able to share information about staff members and customers. Robert Forster, Mark Taylor and John Van Der Jacht from City Fleet said:
'We here at city fleet have found the team leader course to be of real benefit to our everyday dealings with both staff and customers alike. John , Mark and myself have all come away talking positively about the days events especially the outdoor activities as we all do quite well at them..'
Walking the Green Line - Profile
Overview: Walking the Green Line is a multi-channelled learning program that has been developed by Council staff for Council staff. A skilled facilitator guides the group along with several other co-facilitators and policy experts through five core modules.
The core modules of Walking the Green Line span 4 months, are spaced approximately 3 weeks apart and include:
- Preparing Teams and Individuals For Change and Transition
- Recruiting and Selecting the Right Staff
- Planning for Performance - Making it Work For You and Your Staff
- Managing Poor Performance - The Whole Process
- Managing Absenteeism
Target group: The program is designed for supervisors and team leaders with supervisory experience and have current responsibilities in managing groups of people
Benefits: Walking the Green Line brings participants the opportunity to learn about the practical aspects of people management and working with key Council HR Procedures in a trusting group environment. The program makes the most of participants' time by combining pre-work and on-line learning with off-job full day sessions. During off-job sessions two facilitators plus policy experts and guest speakers engage participants in learning activities to explore the relevant HR Procedure and associated people management issues, and introduce communication and other models to assist participants' understanding of themselves and their teams. Learning activities include a mix of small and large group exercises, question and answer sessions with policy experts, reflection and practice sessions.
Past Walking the Green Line participants have also commented that benefits of the program are developing networks with their peers across Council, learning about the content of Council HR Procedures and how to get assistance when needed, and gaining confidence with implementing HR Procedures and having those difficult discussions with their staff.
Continous improvement is an important aspect of the program to ensure it meets the learning outcomes and matches organisational initiatives such as Zero Harm and Workforce Reshaping.
Aims and objectives: The aims of Walking the Green Line are to improve knowledge of Council's HR Policies, build interaction skills to implement HR policies and build knowledge and skills in the management of people, particularly for those of difficult interactions with staff .
Participant process: Walking the Green Line is a multi channelled learning program using a mix of e-learning pre-work combined with Off-Job sessions for five core modules over four months. A group of up to 25 participants complete approximately 2-3 hours of pre-work over the 2 weeks before each Off-Job session covering HR policies and other specific content, and then participate in Off-Job sessions with the group where skills training on the implementation of the HR Policy is the focus.
For the Recruitment and Selection module, participants complete a quality Council developed 10 lesson Recruitment and Selection On-Line learning program.
Undertaking Walking the Green Line is a partnering approach between the learner, their manager/team leader and the program. We encourage participants to have regular conversations with their manager throughout the program so to they understand the time requirements and how the learning applies to their work area and role as a team leader.