A whole new set of skills are becoming necessary to enable people to manage the dynamics of a constantly changing workplace.
Management September 1997 pp. 11-12
by Tim Baker BEd BA AITD AIMM
Organisational Development Consultant
WINNERS-AT-WORK
We are currently faced with a period of rapid and dynamic change. Managers are aware of and involved in some of these changes in their organisations. Over hundreds of years, a formula for running a business has developed. This formula
has been very successful since, in general. people have prospered tremendously in the last 200 years. Yet, in today’s world, this old formula is being challenged.
Economic downturns, increased education and increased global competitiveness have forced people to change. Many of these factors existed previously and were handled adequately under the old business formula. Today, there is one major difference that makes the traditional or old formula inadequate. The difference is rapid change.
Today’s successful workplace formula must cater for increasingly rapid change. To do this, information must be received more quickly, evaluated more quickly and decisions must be made more quickly by managers.
To achieve results, all staff need a new set of skills and attitudes. The traditional formula is too slow in handling change, the new formula allows for more innovation, creativity and information flow within an organisation.
A comparison of the old and new formulas could he categorised under the following headings.
Employee expectations.
The old formula in meeting employees’ expectations included job security, adequate pay and conditions and a clear direction in the workplace.
This has been replaced by a new formula of involvement and participation in decision making, systems of recognition and expectations of on-the-job and off-the-job training. In short, most employees expect to he more involved in their organisations than simply turning up to work.
Responsibilities to employees.
The old formula saw managers responsible to employees by giving them clear direction and meeting award conditions. Under the new formula managers are responsible to employees to ensure that they have adequate training to undertake their ever changing roles, to adequately provide clear direction in terms of career planning and to allow employees to participate in the decision making process.
Rewards systems.
The old formula rewarded and recognised competence in employees in terms of their ability to master technical skills in the workplace. The new formula goes beyond technical competence and includes greater involvement and participation. The successful employee now and in the future is a team player who is prepared to take on greater responsibility.
Management skills.
Managers were assessed as being excellent in their job in terms of the amount of control and close supervision they were able to impart to their staff. The new formula of success in the marketplace highlights the need to he flexible to changing circumstances, providing superior customer service, empowering employees through the development of team work.
Team work.
The old formula for successful teamwork constituted strong leadership from the manager and a balanced blend of strong and weak team members thus ensuring stronger members carry weaker members in the team environment.
The new formula for effective team work involves decentralised leadership and self directed work teams.
The changing workplace will continue to have major implications for managers. New skills for the 21st century manager to he successful in implementing the new formula include:
- Coaching
- Counselling
- Team building
- Empowering
- Involving people in decision making
- Supportive creative thinking
- Giving feedback
- Teaching employees to problem solve
- Dealing with conflict
- Managing change
- Training and facilitating
Managers who succeed in the 21st century will he able to embrace these new skills and impart them in their changing workplace to bring about greater decentralisation of decision making. This will allow employees to contribute creative solutions to ongoing workplace challenges.
