Do you go to work fearing something will go wrong – not because you don’t know how to do your job but because you still have trouble using the programs and systems put in place to make your life easier? If this is the case, it’s time to work on enhancing your technical skills. Doing so will not only help to secure your future but will allow you to go to work with a sense of calm instead of fear.

Pick Up a Few Good Books

For those of us who aren’t techies, reading a technologically oriented book may seem like a nightmare. In truth, picking up a couple of simple books and familiarizing yourself with a few technological concepts really can’t hurt. For example, if you’re not good with Microsoft Excel you might pick up a book about the program itself. You may learn how to simply a function that you were having trouble with and, at worst, you might learn the correct verbage to use when asking your IT department for help.

Make Friends with the IT Guys

There is no excuse for not knowing the names of the guys who work in your organisation’s IT department. You should not only know who they are, but you should have a good working relationship with them as well. Make friends with these people, and you’ll not only learn a little bit about your computer but they’ll be more likely to help you out when you have problems or training issues – even if they’re having a bad or busy day.

Take Advantage of Online Tutorials

I know they’re time consuming, but online tutorials were designed for a reason – to make your life easier. It may seem like a waste of time to spend 30 minutes listening to an online training program, but imagine how much faster you could have solved that last tech problem had you only taken the time to watch the online training video that a) probably answered your question and b) probably ran shorter than it took you to find your own solution.

Enhancing your technical skills will give you the tools you need to effectively communicate as well. Make sure technical skill training sessions are included in your management courses and you’ll be surprised at how much more effective your and your fellow managers can really be.

Thanks again,
Sean

Sean McPheat
Managing Director
MTD Management Training Courses

Click below for a:
FREE email course “Improve Your Management Skills”

The other day we began discussing social responsibility and the different types of people that an organisation might have to answer to during the course of operation: organisational stakeholders, the environment, and the general public. I hope you really won’t be surprised to hear that while many people support corporate social responsibility, others do not. Let’s take a brief look at why.

Reasons Social Responsibility is Supported

Those who argue that social responsibility should exist are usually advocates for the environment or for society. They claim that many of the problems in the world today are caused by large organisations. Some of these problems include pollution and unemployment. Supporters claim that organisations should be held just as accountable as individual members of society, all of which make contributions to the overall welfare of the public. They also argue that most organisations have a profit margin that puts them in a position to make a larger contribution than the average individual.

Reasons Social Responsibility is Not Supported

Those who are against social responsibility make valid points as well. They feel as though the purpose of a business is to help owners earn a profit and that businessowners should have a choice as to how they spend that money. Others are afraid that businesses, many of which seem to have an incredible amount of power over society to being with, will only become more powerful if they are allowed or forced to make visible social contributions. It’s also unfair to ask a company to make a quality decision about which charitable organisations to support knowing that so many exist.

Do your management training courses cover the importance of social responsibility in the workplace? If not, consider whether or not they should. Your management teams and employees should have a clear vision of your social goals and missions. Having one will make it much easier for them to respond to critiques or questions if a client should ever pose one.

Thanks again,
Sean

Sean McPheat
Managing Director
MTD Management Training

Click below for a:
FREE email course “Improve Your Management Skills”

Back in 1960, a gentleman by the name of Douglas McGregor published a book known as “The Human Side of Enterprise.” In his book he shared some in-depth analysis of the way human beings behave in the workplace. He developed two distinct models: Theory X and Theory Y.

Theory X states that every one of us inherently dislikes working and will do whatever we can to avoid it. Because of this dislike of work, our superiors feel as though it’s important to control and direct us, sometimes even threating us, before we’ll get anything done. Managers who apply Theory X tend to be tough to deal with because their goals are to take away our options so that we have no choice but to get the job done.

Theory Y managers are a bit different. They understand that working takes a considerable amount of effort, but that work is a natural human attribute – we’re as likely to work as we are to sleep or eat. A Theory Y manager will work to promote a satisfying workplace in which individuals can work together to solve problems, use creative solutions, and seek out additional responsibilities without feeling forced.

Obviously, the attitudes attached with Theory X and Theory Y are completely different. One will promote a nurturing work environment and the other will promote an environment in which people really won’t want to work, but both are important to different workplace environments. A manager controlling a group of employees in a dangerous metal shop may need to stick to a strict Theory X management model, while a manager in an office place with a small sales staff may find the Theory Y style more appropriate.

As a manager you are responsible for delegating authority, making decisions, and controlling your workgroup. You can do so under each theory, but which one is more appropriate for your own workplace?

Thanks again,
Sean

Sean McPheat
Managing Director
MTD Management Training Courses

Click below for a:
FREE email course “Improve Your Management Skills”