Arthur Andersen LLP Case Study Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1250 words

Arthur Andersen LLP - Case Study Example Strategic changes that occurred in the organization’s life include development of a reputable character that established it in the accounting and auditing market. Later changes that suggest unethical practices such as collaboration with Enron’s accountants however transformed Andersen to its downturn and collapse. Application of soft strategies is another change that occurred in the organization’s life. Conflict between departments into integration also identifies strategic change in the company’s environment. Organizational changes that Andersen realized are change from a centralized management to a disintegrated organization with independent managerial authority at branch level. Administrative policies for higher profits and lower costs are another organizational change in the organization and identified punitive reward and punitive measures depending on an employee’s level of success. Expansion to new areas of specialization and a shift form ethical values are other organizational changes that are evident from the organization’s life. Evaluation of Andersen’s claim that their problems on the Enron audit were due to a few bad partners Anderson’s claim that its problems were caused by a few bad partners is not valid. This is because the problem was a culmination of bad decisions that failed to resolve the organization’s problems such as need to maximize profits. The decision to set high targets for employees and punish in case of failure to meet the target is an example of causes of the problem because it forced the employees to explore all possible alternatives to avoiding the punishments. Integrating Enron’s accounting personnel into the organization is another indicator the management was aware of the practices at Enron because it never reacted. Duncan’s decision to move Enron’s $ 30 million ao a $ 50 million account is another indicator that Anderson was aware of a malicious practice because it took no action against the bad decision. If the problem had been a few individual then the organization could have been moved to correct malpractices before the final fall. 3. Possible actions as the Andersen’s managing partner in the early 1990s If I were a managing partner at the time, I would have preferred a different strategy. I would have explored a branding strategy towards retaining the organization’s existing clients and for attracting more clients. Developing on the already popular brand of quality services that are based on integrity would be my basis. Increased number of clients towards higher cumulative profit margins, even at lower margins, would then help the organization into a more competitive competition. This would at the same time care for employee’s interest in their income and job security and maintain an ethical culture. 4. Relationship between what happened at Andersen

National Parks Research Record--yalung river Paper

National Parks Record--yalung river - Research Paper Example Based on the above perspective, this paper analyses the different types of plants, insects, and animals found in Yarlung Zangbo River. Yarlung Zangbo River is one of the world’s most beautiful sceneries as it has both the river and a mountain. Yarlung Zangbo River has its origin in Lake Tamlung Tso in the Chinese area of western Tibet. The river itself is considered the 5th longest in China, totaling to 2,057 kilometers in length. Plants are very essential in any ecosystem as they are the primary producers. Similarly, in national parks, plants remain the primary producers in ecosystems by their ability to produce biomass from the inorganic compounds found in the ecosystem. In most instances, these organisms are usually photosynthetic, a process by which they are to make their food and acquire energy. Yarlung Zangbo River has a number of primary producers that play a significant role in the production of energy that supplies the region. Yarlung Zangbo River has some of the most stunning scenery, made by the co-existence of different flowers and plants. Some of the plants fund in the region, both the endemic and the indigenous combined are usually of different kinds with some being big plants, flowering plants, and grasses as well. These different types includes Conifers scientifically known as Pinophyta, Toadflax (Linaria vulgaris) as the common trees in the Yarlung River, Amaranth (Amaranthus retroflexus), Fi ddleneck (Amsinckia menziesii), and Woolly Mullein (Verbascum thapsus) as the flowering plants, and Cheat Grass (Bromus tectorum) and Orchard Grass (actylis glomerata) as the grass species in Yarlung River. Of all these plant species, Orchard Grass remains one of the greatest endangered species. Such a case has been attributed to its use for medicinal purposes by humans who then sneak into the park in search for the plant and harvest it upon sight. This has made the plant one of the rarest plant species in

Report on the Analysis of Ineffective Communication in the Workplace Essay Example for Free

Report on the Analysis of Ineffective Communication in the Workplace Essay This report will analyse and examine issues of interpersonal behaviour in the workplace. It will describe a scenario observed concerning communication and will include an analysis of the problems that occurred. A conclusion will be made which will lead to recommendations to prevent this situation from recurring. 2. 0 The scenario The main conflict in this scenario transpired between persons B and C (see appendix 1) on the shop floor of B Q. Person B had previously spoken rudely about person C to person D. Persons D and C are good friends, therefore person D informed C about the incident. Person C then discussed the issue with Person A who had a one-to-one meeting with person B. The outcome of the meeting was that Person B should have an informal meeting with person C to resolve the issue. However, person B avoided holding this meeting and instead chose to speak to person C on the shop floor in the presence of customers. (See appendix 2 for the transcript of the scenario). 3. 0 Transactional Analysis and Effective Communication Transactional Analysis assists when evaluating this situation as the model is a popular way of explaining the dynamics of interpersonal communication. It was developed by Eric Berne in 1949 and has two fundamental assumptions; all the events and feelings people experience are stored within them and can be replayed, and that personality is made up of three ego states that manifest themselves in gesture, tone of voice and actions. The child ego state is described as the ‘feelings state’ and involves people behaving as they did when they were a child. This includes three sub-states which are the ‘free or natural child’, the ‘little professor’ and the ‘rebellious child’. The free or natural child state focuses on genuine feelings, acting on impulse and letting others know how we feel. The little professor state is creative, questioning and experimental. As the name suggests, the rebellious child state invokes rebellion, frustration and withdrawal. The adult ego state involves behaviour that concerns thought processes and can be defined as ‘the thoughtful’ state. This state focuses on data collection, reality testing and objectiveness. The parent state is described as the ‘taught’ state and consists of two sub-states; the nurturing and the critical parent. In this state, people take responsibility and tend to behave in ways learnt from parental figures. The nurturing parent state involves caring for other people, whereas in the critical or controlling parent state people have a tendency to lay down rules and boundaries and insist on their own method of getting the job done. Exclusions of ego states occur when someone is permanently using one ego state and cuts off the others (see appendix 7). There are three types of transactions in communication; complementary, crossed and ulterior (see appendix 3). When both parties’ ego states match, this is a complementary transaction and communication can continue. Crossed transactions occur when one party addresses a different ego state to the one the other party is currently in. The communication in crossed transactions disintegrates and can result in bad feelings. Ulterior transactions involve a crossed transaction on a psychological level, however on the surface the ego states seem to match leading to people playing games with one another. Strokes are units of recognition and are given and received via the five senses. Positive strokes are life and growth encouraging, whereas negative strokes are the opposite and cause the recipient to feel dejected. Transactional analysis assumes that our characteristic ways of feeling and behaving derive from the way we feel about ourselves in relation to other people. These are referred to as the four life positions and consist of â€Å"I’m not OK, You’re OK†, â€Å"I’m not OK, You’re not OK†, â€Å"I’m OK, You’re not OK† and â€Å"I’m OK, You’re OK† (see appendix 4). Body language is another method used to communicate and can assist when deciphering an underlying message that someone is trying to purvey. According to Pivcevic, â€Å"it is commonly agreed that 80 per cent of communication is non-verbal† (Mullins, L. J, 2010, pp 235). Effective communication is achieved by attending, reflecting and following (see appendix 5). This benefits both the listener and the speaker as it aids the listener in thoroughly understanding what the speaker is saying. Attending is non-verbal communication that signifies someone is paying careful attention to the person talking. Attending includes body posture, gestures, eye contact and an environment free of distractions. Following skills require the listener to offer openers and encouragements. Openers are non-coercive invitations for the speaker to talk and include judgemental, reassuring and advice statements. Opening questions and silence can be used as they encourage and concentrate on the concerns of the speaker rather than the listener. Reflecting skills avoid both speaker and listener problems. Words are perceived differently to people and listeners can often become distracted. Reflective responses are non-judgmental and help the listener to grasp the feelings of the speaker. Guirdham’s cycle of perception and behaviour can also aid in analysing communication as perceptions can alter the way in which we behave, thus having an effect on communication (see appendix 8). 4. 0 Analysis of the scenario By applying the Transactional analysis model, it is evident that when person B approached C, she was speaking from her critical parent ego state. This state is condescending and admonishing and can cause the addressee to feel discouraged. When replying, person C speaks from her adult ego state which is objective and rational, presenting a crossed transaction as B was addressing a different ego state to that of which C is currently in (see appendix 3). Person B should have shifted to an adult ego state to ensure that the states matched, amending it to a complementary transaction. However, B replies she has no time denoting that she is speaking from her critical parent ego state and sending out negative strokes. Her abrupt and loud tone insinuates she is defensive and angry. Her body language also gives an implication of her underlying message as she is walking away from the situation with her arms crossed, suggesting she is uninterested. Person C is rational and relaxed with her body language, making constant eye contact and positioning herself closely to person B, signifying she is listening intently. C’s ego state shifts to a rebellious child state when B’s body language and attitude is perceived as rude, abrupt and unconcerned. This subliminal communication causes an argument to break out and C begins to speak vociferously. The clenching of her fists and words spoken infer this shift in ego state. A change in behaviour occurs due to C’s perceptions of B’s behaviour (see appendix 8). Person A then interrupts the conversation and speaks from a nurturing parent ego state; this is presumed as he interjects with a question, â€Å"are you okay guys? † He places a hand on person C’s shoulder, signalling a display of power over her. At this point, person B begins to fiddle with her pen, suggesting a transition out of her comfort zone and showing she is uncomfortable in the situation. By this point, person C is very distressed and is deep in a rebellious child ego state. Her body language conveys feelings of anger and frustration as she is frantically waving her arms. Person B is reluctant to apologise or be sympathetic throughout the incident, indicating her ego state has not changed. This implies that she is currently in an arrogant life position as she feels she is not in the wrong (see appendix 4). She walks away, with her arms crossed expressing hostility and disregard to the situation. Person C reverts back to an adult ego state towards the end of the conversation and realises that she needs to calm down and clear her head. She also displays anxiety as she begins to bite her lip. Person A has maintained a nurturing parent ego state throughout as he is caring and tries to control and pacify the situation. 5. 0 Conclusion In conclusion, person B has inadequate communication skills. The crossed transaction, exclusion of other ego states and current life position (see appendix 4) of person B combine together to make her appear arrogant and uninterested, leading to conflict between the two parties. Attending, following and reflecting skills (see appendix 5) should have been applied to the conversation on B’s part to ensure effective communication took place. Person B’s disregard to instructions given to her by A could be due to the age gap between the two. According to Hart (Mullins, L. J, 2010, pp 101), age gaps can lead to conflict in the workplace as there is a dispute between age and experience. 6. 0 Recommendations To avoid this situation recurring, person B should receive training on interpersonal skills (see appendix 6), attending, following and listening (see appendix 5), enabling her to understand her own behaviour, other points of view and improve communication skills. Person A should hold an informal, one-to-one meeting with B and discuss possible outcomes of the meeting, such as training. Person A should identify whether B is in a constant ‘arrogant or cosmetic’ life position as she could have been having a bad day when the argument broke out. If it is found that her constant life position is ‘I’m OK, you’re not OK’ then an attempt should be made to modify this as it has a negative effect on communication. Person A should ensure this is carried out in a conscientious manner to prevent another conflicting situation from occurring. Person A should avoid singling out B as this could demotivate her from joining work shop training, so should offer the opportunity to every employee. This informal, fun atmosphere may help to improve person B’s opinions of others and alter her current life position. Another method of altering person B’s life position is to offer counselling but should be suggested at a later date if workshops fail.

Leadership Skills in Public Health

Leadership Skills in Public Health Public Health Competence By carrying out preventive medicine and communicable disease control, occupational health, food safety, and disaster response programs a good public health leader exercises a sense of responsibility. This is a good attribute of a public health leader who is able to relate well to the ground in respect to the above issues. By carrying out all the assigned duties and disseminating to the relevant staff within a public officer fulfill all the doubtful acts that responsibility is not being undertaken. A pubic health leader’s work ranges from diverse areas and in order to fulfill the required fields he or she had to assign various duties to his colleges. Without a good sense of responsibility, effective work performance will not be put in place which might end up putting the public at risk since poor service deliver y will be delivered .therefore a good public health leader should be one who is able to exercise effective responsibility in a senses that they are able to be judged ac cording to how dissemination of what has been assigned to the m has occurred. A good public health leader should be able to establishes and maintain contact with medical treatment facility and local public health agencies to ensure an integrated public health program flows between all the sectors. The medical sector .without a continuous flow of events service delivery will be impossible which requires that a public health officer should resolve to having good communication skill that enable effective passage of information from one section to another. Courageous As a public health leader, one must emulate courage in order to be decisive person. A good public health leader ought not to be afraid of failure since without this, he or she will not be able to function as a leader. One should have the courage to maintain their convictions or go with a gut instinct. A good public health leader should always admit that a mistake has been committed without hesitation showing how brave one is in the tackling of the environment. Skillful This attribute will be able to ensure that a public health leader lays down corrective mechanism that are able to ascertain aspect which show that he or she is capable of undertaken the task in hand. This will involve showing of skill knowledge and the aptitude by the leader. A skillful public health leader carries out al the necessary task making his or her colleges follow due to extra ordinary character that he or she will display in managing a given scenario. Health issues art the most complex task that t a leader might handle since this are real life situation that unless taken seriously into consideration, loss of life might occur. Therefore a public healthy leader should be able to tackle the hardest thing that surrounds the immediate environment since he or she has the necessary skill available. The skills can range from practical, mental and technical skills. A good public health leader should emulate good advisory skill which bears in mind on how advises will be given out on military public health issues, manning, and training. This is a fundamental aspect that requires great attention. Advising on critical issues requires that one has good counseling skill that enable him or her put into practice what is needed. Influential in the sense that even when carrying out various developments he or she will be able to initiates, nonstop and conduct preventive medicine and communicable disease control programs .being influential requires that one will be able to disseminate all that is required to all the colleges therefore boosting the morale of what is being done. Patience gives clear characteristics of a public health officer who will, be able to clarify all that is needed before acting upon them. For example when the employees are unable to clearly clarify or understand what is being talked about, the public health leader ought to verify it in details and make sure that all the tasks assigned to the are done according to the intended purposes. A good public health leader should embrace loyalty in that he or she should be able to perform mutually to the colleges what seems desirable by all since unless this is emulated ,the same will be fall him making progression in this sector top reduce by a large margin. Flexible Having such attributes a public health leader will be able to change from one aspect to the other successfully ensuring that effective measures are put in place to minimize lost efforts. With these qualities a public health leader will be able to adapt to the immediate environment when fluctuations arise .this in reality entails a leader who has the intellectual capabilities of focusing on the prediction of what is to occur. Take an example where an outbreak of a specific epidemic occurs, flexibility of this situation will be determined by the leader. Being resilient will enable the leader to ensure that failure is an opportunity to expand to the real life scenario without fearing what might succumb to them but tackling it with ease with resilience, public health leaders should consider every failure as a step closer to the realization of their dreams. A leader has to lay down good examples to others, taking a role model position .All servant’s employees and staff would like to emulate what they see that is positive and that doing this is the person in charge of their affairs. Public health officers should bear this quality such that what is perceived by them to be a right perspective still remains to be so by the other team players. By being a role model the public health officer embraces a sense of confidence which also is gained by the other team players and with this service delivery in highly enhanced. Tackling some issue in the public health sector requires great confidence in the interest of the public sefty.For example when some gaseous poisonous substances have spilled in the air, the public health sector has to make appropriate action in the determination of the root cause of this phenomena. To an ordinary person without skills, training and confidence, doing this task will be a great risk to life, however if one i s trained, the confidence usually inspired by the trainer who in this case is the leader of the public health sector keeps them going. Conclusion A good public health leader should instigate buoyancy in others and be persistent in a crisis. Though this sector is a tough one to tackle leaders her should embrace one another and come together to solve the relevant problems that exist within the locality. Good listening skill should be developed since communication is a two way traffic, therefore leaders should try as much as possible to be good listeners. Through the devising of new ways and means of communicating a smooth flow of events will prevail therefore saving on other irrelevant costs that might occur. Management and leadership should go hand in hand in that though leaders are people are followed by other people through their own choice and managers have to be obeyed; these two disparities have to be merged in order to come up with a formidable action plane that will be able to facilitate smooth flow of events The public health leader has to have the capacity of embracing new talent and nature it. Sincerity and reliabilit y are particularly significant for any good leader embracing realistic goals. By setting goals a good public health leader will be setting avenues that lead to the attainment of the goals. This targets when attained should be credible to the participants who took part in the achieving of results unlike praising the leader. The public health sector being the toughest areas to tackle should be reformed such that there is always the division of labor. This will enhance inventions and innovations which will give out the definition of development through the total commitment and support from the whole team.

Walt Whitman: Homoeroticism in Leaves of Grass Essay -- Poetry Analysi

Leaves of Grass is Walt Whitman’s life legacy and at the same time the most praised and condemned book of poetry. Although fearful of social scorn, there are several poems in Leaves of Grass that are more explicit in showing the homoerotic imagery, whereas there are several subtle – should I say â€Å"implicit† – images woven into the fabric of the book. It is not strange, then, that he created many different identities in order to remain safe. What Whitman faced in writing his poetry was the difficulty in describing and resonating manly and homosexual love. He was to find another voice of his, a rhetoric device, and his effort took two forms: simplified, and subverted word play. The first was to understand and render the experience in everyday terms, as in the poem Behold This Swarthy Face. Whitman puts emphasis on masculinity â€Å"in this swarthy face, these gray eyes† (149), and other words, too, are expressive enough to explain to the reader what kind of person is to be loved. What is not as subtle as in some other of Whitman’s poems is the idea in the second part of the poem: â€Å"And I on the crossing of the street or on the ship’s deck give a kiss in / return† (149) – the meeting of the two is to be recognized anywhere, be it on the street or on a ship's deck. When it comes to the second form, Davidson notices that â€Å"The other and far more prevalent form of presented homoerotic love was by means of terms of oppression, subversion† (54). Exemplar poem of this form is Not Heaving from My Ribb’d Breast Only. In it the lyrical subject is trapped in fears and must break out of suppression in order to be himself. In the end of the poem there is a sudden release: â€Å"O pulse of my life! / Need I that you exist and show yourself any more than in... ...d Bergman, David. Choosing Our Fathers: Gender and Identity in Whitman, Ashbery and Richard Howard. American Literary History 1.2 (1989): 383-403. JSTOR. Web. 29 March 2012. Davidson, Edward H.. The Presence of Walt Whitman. Journal of Aesthetic Education 17.4 (1983): 41-63. JSTOR. Web. 29 March 2012. Herrman, Steven B.. Walt Whitman and the Homoerotic Imagination. Jung Journal: Culture & Psyche 1.2 (2007): 16-47. JSTOR. Web. 29 March 2012. Maslan, Mark. Whitman and His Doubles: Division and Union in Leaves of Grass and Its Critics. American Literary History 6.1 (1994): 119-139. JSTOR. Web. 29 March 2012. Metzer, David. Reclaiming Walt: Marc Blitzstein’s Whitman Settings. Journal of the American Musicological Society 48.2 (1995): 240-271. JSTOR. Web. 29 March 2012. Whitman, Walt. Leaves of Grass. Pennsylvania: the Pennsylvania State University, 2007. Print.

Graduation Speech: God has Blessed Us Richly :: Graduation Speech, Commencement Address

As springtime fades to summer and my years in high school draw to a final end, I have often felt within me a gentle beckoning to moments of quiet and thoughtful repose. Here memories of times long past, of friends new and old, of dreams born and forgotten, of affections kindled and discarded so deluge my mind that I am thoroughly overwhelmed by their sweetness so curiously mingled with their sorrow. Then often I turn to gaze pensively at the future, clouded and unsure, yet gloriously bright with hope and expectation. And in these blessed times of sweet recollection and ready anticipation, I have found one enduring joy, one unshakable rock, one sure haven in the unending faithfulness and love of my Lord and my God. Truly, His mercies have been new every morning. He has upheld me with His righteous right arm. "He [has led] me in paths of righteousness for His name's sake." He has broken me that I may delight in Him alone. And when I have fallen, He has clothed me in the garb of His clemency; washed me in the sea of His grace. I know He will keep me in the years to come. Oftentimes in these last months, when I wonder about the future -- where I will go, what I will do, who I will become -- I find a solace in the words of Paul: "Now to Him who is able to do exceeding abundantly beyond all that we ask or think, according to the power that works within us, ... to Him be the glory forever and ever. Amen." I cannot fathom the depth of such a statement -- that He can carry me exceeding abundantly beyond all my greatest dreams, all my highest aspirations, all my wishes and desires and hopes. He can give my life meaning beyond what I could ever imagine. What a glorious hope, what a bright future there is for those in Christ! Yet so many have not found this future. Tonight I feel a tinge of fear, a chill of imminent peril for myself and for you, my dear class. I have no doubt that your discipline will earn great success, for God has blessed you richly with many gifts and talents. Nor do I fear that you will fail in this life or slip into any great evil. I do not even doubt that most of you will remain in the blessed ways of our Lord, learning to love and cherish Him more and more.

Nursing Management

Contents GLOSSARY ABSTRACT/SUMMARY INTRODUCTION DM 45 DEVELOPING MANAGEMENT STYLE 1. Self- assessment analysis 2. Stakeholders analysis 3. S. W. O. T analysis DM 46 RECRUITMENT AND SELECTION DM 47 MANAGING PERFORMANCE DM 48 DEVELOPING TEAMS & INDIVIDUALS RECOMMENDATION REFERENCES BIBLIOGRAPHY APPENDIX Glossary D. O. H – Department Of Health N. H. S – National Health Service N. S. F – National Service Framework P. E. S. T. O – Political Economical Social Technological Others 7 S – Shared Values Strategy Structure System Staff Style Skill S. M. A. R. T – Specific Measurable Achievable RealisticTime-bound S. W. O. T – Strengths Weaknesses Opportunities Threats Abstract/Summary I am currently working as a Charge Nurse/ Deputy Ward Manager on Ward X , a Diabetic and Renal ward based at a North London Hospital. The ward contains 21 acute medical male beds and a team of 28 staffs which includes 6 student nurses, 2 domestics, 1 ward clerk, 7 h ealth care assistants, 6 junior nurses, 4 senior nurses and 2 ward sister/charge nurse. Some of my main responsibilities on the ward includes the assessment of care needs for patients, the development of programmes of care and their implementation and valuation and most importantly carrying out all relevant forms of care without direct supervision, and demonstrate procedures to, and supervise qualified and unqualified staff and contribute to the overall good of the organisation by being a positive role model and treating all staff, visitors and service users with courtesy (Appendix 1). In this assignment I will demonstrate the use of knowledge, management concepts and theories that I have acquired while undertaking this module of Managing People and relate them to my clinical area.Certain area of practice will be identified, analysed and evaluated through effective people management using the CLINLAP model (Jumaa (1997) ), ( Jumaa & Alleyne (2001) ) within the ward setting. ‘C LINLAP is defined as a strategic nursing leadership and learning process that positions strategic learning as a driving force within health and social care organisations, on a day to day basis, in the management of nursing goals; nursing roles; nursing processes; and nursing relationships’ (Jumaa & Alleyne, 1997 & 2001)Introduction The National service frameworks (NSFs) are long term strategies for improving specific areas of care. They set measurable goals within set time frames. NSFs: †¢ set national standards and identify key interventions for a defined service or care group †¢ put in place strategies to support implementation †¢ establish ways to ensure progress within an agreed time scale †¢ form one of a range of measures to raise quality and decrease variations in service, introduced in The New NHS and A First Class Service.The NHS Plan re-emphasised the role of NSFs as drivers in delivering the Modernisation Agenda. Each NSF is developed with the a ssistance of an External Reference Group (ERG) which brings together health professionals, service users and carers, health service managers, partner agencies, and other advocates. ERGs adopt an inclusive process to engage the full range of views. The Department of Health supports the ERGs and manages the overall process. (DOH, (2005) )The NSF makes it clear that the NHS is committed to building a modernisation programme to provide high quality patient care and improving the working lives of all NHS staff. In terms of patient care, it draws the attention to the need to look at each service from the patient’s point of view and to ensure that a patient focus is embedded in the culture. In order to achieve this, new and better ways of working are required through, for example: – Investing in the workforce in terms of more staff and better training Giving frontline staff responsibility, freedom, skills and resources to do a better job, using their initiative for local inno vation within national standards – Reducing bureaucracy whilst increasing accountability so that there are clear and transplant process for holding the NHS to account for their delivery of services – Requiring staff to work effectively in teams, for example, through managed clinical networks – Working in partnership with staff and involving them through representationNHS is critically dependent on its employees for delivering the strategic and operational goals at corporate, departmental, functional and team levels and managing people efficiently and effectively has become a central part of the ward manager/sister/charge nurse’s task at all levels particularly with a view to improving the performance of employees and thereby the performance of the NHS in delivering services. Ward managers increasingly are being expected to take great responsibility or the personnel management aspects of their work. This implies that we are able to function effectively in 4 key aspects of managing people : – Developing our own management style – Employee recruitment and selection – Managing performance by motivating and developing staffs – Developing Teams and Individuals by improving staffs performance at both individual and team levels. Dm 45 Developing Management Style In this unit I will identify 3 ways of assessing my current skills and competence as a manager.These methods will allow me to discern clearly my strenghs and weaknesses and thereby identify areas on the ward in which improvements can be made and devise action plans which will then be monitored for progress. The 3 methods chosen will be, firstly self-assessment and analysis through appraisal, secondly the stakeholder analysis tool and thirdly the SWOT analysis tool. Self- assessment analysis Self-assessment steps :- 1. Arrange a meeting with Ward Manager to agree on an appraisal date. 2. Ward Manager distributes pre-appraisal meeting self-assessment form. Appendix 2) 3. Work through the pre-appraisal form making notes and identifying potential areas for improvement. (Appendix 2) 4. Meeting with Ward Manager on agreed appraisal date. Work through the Personal Development Plan form (Appendix 3) to reach agreement on the current performance and potential areas for improvement 5. Following the meeting the Ward Manager distributes completed Personal Development Plan and list of potential areas for improvement 6. Ward Manager agrees and complete draft action plan to forward to Matron 7.Matron follows up and verifies the Personal Development Plan. (Appendix 3) 8. Action plan agreed with matron. Ensure that all points on the action plan meet the SMART (Jumaa & Alleyne, (1998))criteria: Specific, Measurable, Action based, Realistic and Time bound. (Appendix 3) Stakeholders analysis An integral part of the clinical governance review process is feedback from stakeholders. The Hospital’s definition of stakeholders includes staff, patients , relatives of patients, carers, other local NHS organisations, voluntary groups and other people with an interest in the trust.The information provided through stakeholder work helps shape some of the areas that the clinical governance review will concentrate on. Clinical Governance is a framework through which NHS organisations are accountable for continuously improving the quality of their services and safeguarding high standards of care by creating an environment in which excellence in clinical care will flourish. It aims to create not only a culture, but systems and ways of working which assure that the safety and the quality of care is at the heart of the business at every level. Appendix 1, Unit 5) As a Deputy ward manager it is important for me to take into account feedback from stakeholders for effective managerial performance and to provide high standards of care. In order to do so the table that I have produced below will help me to identify the role of individuals, or st akeholder groups who are involved or affected by the clinical governance programme and can thereby affect its success or failure. Stakeholder analysis chart | |Programme |Organisation |External | | | | | | | | | |Clinical Governance |Hospital |Diabetes UK , Patients | | | | |Staffs, Patients |Relatives, carers, PCTs| |Who wants the team to: |Succeed | |Yes |Yes | | |Fail | |No |No | |Who is betting on the |Succeeding | |Yes |Yes | |team: | | | | | | |Failing | |No |No | |Who is supporting the |Visibly | |Yes |No | |team: | | | | | | |Invisibly | |No |Yes | |Whose success: |Affects the team | |Yes |No | | |Does the team affect | |Yes |Yes | |Who does the team’s |Benefit | |Yes |No | |change: | | | | | | |Damage | |Yes |No | |Who can the team’s |Happen without | |No |Yes | |change: | | | | | | |Not happen without | |Yes |Yes |In the above table it can be noted that the group of stakeholder who are mostly involved and influence a programme are mainly the patients and the staffs. As part of my objectives I will in future concentrate on feed back from my staff on the ward and our group of patients. This can be achieve by organising ward meetings with staffs or actually having a one-to-one interview with them at least once in a month. As for feedback from patients this can be organised by their allocated staff nurse in the form of an informal one-to-one interview at some point prior to the patient being discharged home. SWOT analysis A SWOT analysis is a tool, used in management and strategy formulation. It can help to identify the Strengths, Weaknesses, Opportunities and Threats of an organisation.Strengths and weaknesses are internal factors that create or destroy value. They can include assets, skills or resources that the ward has at its disposal to provide care to patients. They can be measured using an internal assessment tool such as Peters & Waterman’s 7S’s. The table below will help me assess the internal factors of the ward and identify my goals and make them SMART (Jumaa & Alleyne (2001)) This will help me to identify areas for development. Shared Values Current: The ward believes in team working providing quality care Goal: To support staffs and encourage them to carry on working as a team Provide them with feedback from patient on quality of care on the ward. StrategyCurrent: The ward believes in staffs further development and clinical skills. Goal: To send every qualified staff on in–house study days to develop their clinical skills Structure Current: Staffs does not communicate clearly between each other to promote continuity of Care. Goal: To meet up with staffs on a one-to-one basis or ward meeting and discuss appropriate communication. System Current: Staff appraisals only being carried out once in a year Goal: To discuss with manager if appraisals can be done every 6 months Staff Current: The trust is introducing Senior Health Care Assistant posts.Goal: Identify if any of the present Health Care Assistants on the ward are suitable candidates for the post by appropriate supervision. Style Current : The ward has a team with multicultural staffs Goal: Encourage staffs to respect each others cuture and thereby work more efficiently. Skill Current: The ward has staffs with different skill mix. Goal: Give positive feedback on their skills and encourage them to share their knowledge and attend study days to expand them. Opportunities and threats are external factors that create or destroy value. Usually an organisation cannot control them and they emerge from Political, Economical, Social, Technological and Others.The assessment below using PESTO will help me to identify the goals set up by external factors and which needs to be included on the ward to meet expectations and thereby identify areas for my own professional development. Political Current: The NHS Plan outlines a new delivery system for the NHS and changes for social services, and changes for NHS staff groups. It also sets out plans for cutting waiting times, clinical priorities and reducing inequality. Goal: Have regular ward meetings to discuss with team how to incorporate changes on the ward. Economical Current: The NHS budget has doubled since 1997, and will have almost trebled by 2008.All NHS organisations including my ward are receiving above inflation funding increases, both this year and next. Goal: Meet up with team and prioritise our expenses so we can work within our budget Sociological Current: The Hospital accommodate patients from different ethical background and beliefs. Goal: Ensure that the trust can meet certain requirements for its ethnic minority group. For example providing them with special diet like halal meal in the case of muslim patients. Technological Current: The trust is currently using advance computer system to handle patients’ data. Goal: Ensure that members of the staffs who are not computer literate attend IT course for quicker access to patient†™s data. OtherCurrent: The Hospital has performed well in maintaining and encouraging ‘The clean our hands campain’ and reducing the risk of cross infection Goal: Encourage the team by giving them positive feedback and reinforce infection control policy. DM 46 Recruitment and Selection Once a trust has decided on its goals, it is essential that it identifies whether it has the people necessary to achieve them. Trusts need to develop ways of assessing the number of employees that they need to provide specific services. The implications of the recent policy changes in the NHS are that there will be further major changes in the numbers and deployment of employees across trusts. DOH, (2005)) As a Deputy Ward Manager part of my responsibilities is also to have a clear view of the number of staffs that we have on the ward and the number that we need to deliver the trust’s objectives. Currently on my ward we have vacancies for 2 permanent Senior Staff nurses post prev iously known as grade E. The new post which is now named Band 5b according to the agenda for change has been created by the trust due to our increase in bed turnover and high demand of standards of care. Before the posts were advertised I had a meeting with my Ward Manager and Matron so we can focus on the basic stages of recruitment which are: 1. Agree the vacancy 2. Prepare a job description 3. Prepare a person specification 4. Attract applicants through good advertisement(Appendix 4a) 5. Selection 6. InductionIt is important for us team leaders to use vacancies as an opportunity for re-assessing people’s needs and the organisation’s structure so objectives can be achieved. Therefore an agreement between team leaders is important to reach our goals. – After the agreement me and my ward manager we devised the job description and person specification taking into account an analysis of the following criterias (Kneeland, (1999)) : – the present or expected duties of the job – changes which might impact on the job in the future – existing duties which might be done more effectively or efficiently by some one else – new duties that could be added to the job While preparing the job description my manager and I focused on 5 important aspects which were: Accuracy in order not to understate or overstate the role and duties associated with the post. (Appendix 4b, Section A) – Clarity in terms of tasks, duties, roles and responsibilities(Appendix 4, Section B) – Up-to-date (Appendix 4b, Section A, E) – Flexibility (Appendix 4b, Section A, B) – Non-discriminatory particularly in terms of gender,marital status or ethinic background The use of person specifications have a different purpose and it actually aims to identify the qualifications, skills, experience and abilities which are seen as essential or desirable in the post-holder and is used primarily to assist those involved in the selection p rocess. (Appendix 5)After the posts were advertised and the applications received me and my ward manager short-listed 8 candidates out of 23 applications. This was undertaken by eliminating those who did not meet the pre-agreed essential requirements as set out in the person specification. (Appendix 5). For example some candidates did not have the knowledge of the KSF of Diabetes which is an essential requirement for the post as we specialise in this area or did not have a minimum of 12 months experience as a qualified staff nurse. We made sure that the necessary information about the selection process were recorded and appropriate feedback given to unsuccessfull candidates about their performance at the interview.Once the 2 candidates out of the 8 were successfull and appointed, it was important for me to plan induction and development for them. Given the investment made in new employees it is important that they should receive an appropriate induction so they can bring maximum con tribution to the trust. At the Whittington Hospital, the trust induction covers areas such as the trust objectives so that the employee understands what they are trying to achieve, personal objectives so that the staff understands what is expected from them and relevant immediate training so that the person can properly undertake their job. Though it is a policy for every new employees to attend the trust nduction, I would personally recommend that all new starters on my ward should have a mentor to supervise them for at least the first 2 weeks of employment or even suggest an informal visit to the ward prior to interview so that candidates feel that the working environment is appropriate for their futur development. DM 47 Managing Performance Performance management encompasses a range of standard management techniques and is not necessarily a formal system and is not necessarily the same as an appraisal system. (Templar, (2001)). On my ward, performance management systems is a comm on benefit which enable my staffs to see more clearly their role on the ward and the trust’s objectives. The key elements of managing my group of staffs involve setting objectives for the ward, assessing their development needs, making it happen, review it and doing better. Staffs on the ward need to know what is expected of them. Setting objectives which are S. M. A. R.T for action means that they can be sure what they should deliver, when and how. (Appendix 6). Discussion about individual objectives will also enable my staffs to understand why they should do the things that they have to do and how they fit into and contribute to the wider goals and aims of the trust. It is important to assess the training and development needs of my staffs to improve their ability to reach the standards of performance expected of them in their jobs. This process should result in planned actions to meet individual needs, and will, where appropriate. (Appendix 6). In order to make the assessm ent happened, communication between me and my staffs should be improved.Many tangible and intangible factors contribute to an effective working environment. As a deputy manager it is important for me to focus on the creation of a shared understanding and sense of purpose in my workplace, in particular, communication,culture and climate. Good communication is essential for effective performance management. For example on my ward internal communication such as team briefings, staff meeting, noticeboards and emails enables me and my ward manager to ensure that all our staffs are clear about the ward’s goals and that messages are given and received to and from staffs. This include aims and objectives as well training and development opportunities.People’s performance is affected by their working environment. Morale,motivation, frustration, enthusiasm and commitment all influence the performance that the trust can achieve, so understanding what is important to staffs and li stening to and acting on their views is an essential part of organising effectively. (Templar, (2001)). Having set objectives for individual staffs it is essential that performance and progress are regularly reviewed with individuals so that staffs feel recognised for their achievement and can identify areas where performance can improve. Reviews are necessary to improve individual and organisational performance but at the same time identify poor performance.The scenario below will demonstrate a situation where one of my junior staff nurse was constantly showing poor performance on the ward and the action taken against her. Scenario: Miss X, a junior staff nurse on the ward has been persistently coming late to work and is very slow in carrying out her daily tasks. Several members of Senior staff nurses have been reporting to me that standard of care for the group of patient she was looking after, has been deteriorating. I had a formal meeting on a one-to-one basis with Miss X where her poor performance issues were raised and an action plan was devised. It was discussed that she will be on a 3 months probation and will be supervised at all times by a senior member of staff and feedback will be given to me if her performance was improving.A copy of her job description and a self-assessment form was provided to her so she can set her personal objectives and discuss it with my manager or myself. The disciplinary and grievance process of the trust states that no disciplinary action will be taken against an employee until the case has been fully investigated. However, it should be recognised that there may be occasions when a full investigation is impossible e. g imprisonment. For example individuals will be informed of specific complaints against them in writing and will be given the opportunity to state their case directly to those who are considering disciplinary action before any decisions are made.Individuals and their Trade Union representative will be given a written explanation of any penalty imposed and its duration and in the case of written warnings , will have the right to appeal against this penalty. Usually no employee will normally be dismissed for a first breach of discipline except in cases of gross misconduct where summary dismissal without notice or pay in lieu of notice will be appropriate sanction. It, should, however, be recognised that there will be occasions, not covered by gross misconduct, when it will be necessary, because of the seriousness of the offence, for disciplinary action to begin at any stage of the procedure up to and including dismissal with notice for a first offence. (The Hospital disciplinary and grievance policy, (2006) )In the case of a first offence or disciplinary measures my role will be to discuss it first with my line manager as they are the one who are allowed to issue oral warning, dismissals and discuss the circumstances with Human Resources. DM 48 Developing Teams & individuals To get the be st from employees, managers need to know who will be doing what, where the strengths and weaknesses of staffs are and which skills need to be developed by their teams. Properly set, achievable objectives that make clear what is expected, by when and to what standard, benefit both staffs and managers by clarifying roles and responsibilities, and assist in delivering value for money in the use of people resources.Setting performance objectives with staffs will also enable us managers to assess how our team can be best be used productively and identify any areas where staffs are producing different results and output. This can be useful in benchmarking performance and identifying individual, team and departmental areas for improved productivity. (Templar, (2001)) When performance objectives and standards are set for a team, it is necessary to assess whether the team has the skills to meet the standards being set and to agree how skills will be developed if they do not already exist. Th is is particularly important when ways of working are being changed.The Developmental plan below which has been devised with a team member and also reflect the team’s objectives as a whole, demonstrate the organisational and individual needs that can be met in many ways: Development Plan Individual/Team |Work shadowing |Get full support from Senior members of the team and provide | | |feedback. | |Special Projects |Encourage staffs to actively get involve with hospital projects such| | |as campaings. |Planned self-development |Meet at least every 6 months for appraisal and plan self | | |-development | |Mentoring |Offer support to newly qualified staff in the form of | | |mentorship/preceptorship for the first 2 weeks of joining the team | |Coaching and guidance |Provide staffs with support and guidance whenever and wherever | | |required. |Study for professional qualifications |Encourage staff to go for further studies for example encourage | | |Diploma holder to complete th eir Degree or send people for | | |specialist course such as the Diabetic Course. | |Planned delegation |Ensure that Senior staff nurses take responsibility in delegating | | |tasks to junior staffs, H. C. As and student nurses | |On-the-job training |Encourage staffs to attend in-house clinical skills study days. |New responsibilites |Allocate new rsponsibilities to members of the team. For example | | |making each member of the staff responsible for certain part of the | | |ward like for instance in charge of the treatment room’s general | | |tidiness. | |Off –the- job training |Negociate with staffs if there is any external training they want to| | |attend and provide them with leave or day off. |Job rotation/secondment |Senior staff nurses to act as team leader in the absence of myself | | |or the ward manager. | |Membership of professional societies |Encourage staffs to join professional bodies like the Royal College | | |of Nursing and UNISON | In the above table it can be noted that the individual development needs add up to the team development needs and trust-wide development needs.Individual managers must have a view of the team needs across the trust so that common needs can be met in the most cost-effective way and competing needs can be prioritised. Recommendations Staff development should be linked to the achievement of the trust’s goals and targets. If a key priority for the trust is to improve patient care, development plans at individual, team, departmental and corporate level should reflect that goal by focusing on enhancing the skills of staffs to deliver the required levels of patient care. Staffs will know which aspects of their work need support and development and are well placed to identify training and development needs to help them perform better in their jobs ReferencesDepartment of Health (2005), ‘The New NHS plan’ London D. O. H Jumaa, M. O & Alleyne, J. (2001), ‘Managing and Leading in a con stanly changing contexts in Health and Social Care’ Middlesex University Kneeland, S. (1999), ‘Recruiting for Results’ How To Books Ltd Templar, R. (2001), ‘Fast Thinking : Appraisal’ Pearson Education Ltd The Hospital (2006)‘Disciplinary and Grievance policy’ The Whittington Hospital Bibliography Belbin, R. M. (1996). ‘Managing Teams: Why they succeed or fail. ’ Oxford: Butterworth-Heinemann. Johnson, G. & Scholes, K. (2001). ‘Exploring Corporate Strategy 6th Edition’ Prentice-Hall Martin, V. & Henderson, E. (2001). ‘Managing in Health and Social Care’ Routeledge