What’s currently holding you back in the workplace? Is it fear of failure? Fear of the lack of knowledge you imagine you have? Or is it a lack of technical ability you aren’t sure you can make up for?

Believe it or not, there are plenty of things you can do to improve your technical skills in the workplace. We’ve talked about a few of these things before – like reading technical books, taking online tutorial classes, and even befriending the IT guys. But what else can you do?

Take a Class

College classes aren’t just for those aiming to earn a degree. Are you having problem learning the ins and outs of a particular program. Check the schedule at your local college and find out if there is a class available. Some colleges offer classes for their degree students while others offer workshops and tutorial programs for people with specific interests.

Experiment with Different Software

Let’s assume you need a software program that will perform xyz function. Chances are there are about a dozen or more programs on the market that claim to do just that. The problem is that some are easier to use than others. Don’t feel bad about using more than one program to get the job done. Eventually you’ll find the one that works best for you, automatically eliminating some of your technical disability.

Build a Website

This sounds a bit silly, doesn’t it? The truth, though, is that the best way to gain technical experience is by doing things that require technical skill. I’m not asking you to build the next great money-making website. Start small by creating something your team can use to stay in touch. As you learn about web design and programming you’ll slowly but surely lose your fear of technology.

Practice makes perfect. The better you are with technology the more valuable you’ll be to your organisation.

Thanks again,
Sean

Sean McPheat
Managing Director
MTD Management Development

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

Here’s a little something to think about over the weekend before we dive into next week’s conversations.

Imagine your organisation was preparing to go into a joint venture with two other companies, each from a different country – we’ll say India and China. As part of the deal, each of the other two companies plans to send a handful of managers to your organisation to work with you for six to twelve months.

Before they arrive, you need to make sure that your management team is properly prepared to communicate with them and you don’t have anyone skilled in the languages from either country.

What type of research will you have to conduct before implementing a language training program for your employees? How will you choose which employees will participate? And, most important, how will you choose which language training program to utilize?

It’s important to consider cultural diversity as you develop your management skills and train your team. Do they have the tools necessary to communicate effectively with your new partners? What would you do? Think about it and let me know. Have a great weekend!

Thanks again,
Sean

Sean McPheat
Managing Director
MTD Management Training

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

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”

We spoke once before about how, as a manager, you need to have strong technical skills in order to understand and monitor the jobs of your subordinates.

There is, however, another good reason to make sure you brush up on your technical skills. While no one wants to think about it, there is always a possibility that you may lose your management position.

What if your company decided to downsize? In some cases, a company will attempt to move a person whose position has been eliminated into a new one. What if that meant moving down a notch on the corporate scale? What if the only thing holding you back was the fact that you weren’t qualified because you never properly trained on the systems used by your organisation?

It’s time to evaluate your technical skills. Take a moment and make a list of all of the programs and machines used within your company. Be sure to include the basics, such as word processing and spreadsheet creation programs, as well as email applications. Can you effectively navigate your client or project database system?

If you answered NO to any of these questions, it’s time to get some additional technical skill training. I don’t want to hear that you just don’t have enough hours in the day. Learning the programs you really should already know could mean the difference between keeping your job and having to find a new one.

Is that a risk you’re willing to take?

Thanks again,
Sean

Sean McPheat
Managing Director
MTD Management Training

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

As a manager, one of the most dreaded tasks you’re going to have to complete is an employee performance appraisal. They happen at least annually, and are more often if you have a new employee or if you have had to place one on probation. No one, manager or employee, enjoys the appraisal process.

Even still, it’s important to understand the logistics of how the appraisal process works. Your organisation’s human resource department should have already taken care of the legalities behind the creation of the review process and is most likely responsible for giving you the formal paperwork for completion. It’s now up to you to complete the actual review. Here are a few things to keep in mind during the process.

Don’t spring a last minute meeting on your employee. It will likely take you a considerable amount of time to gather the information needed for the review. If you know the review is coming up, your employee should know, too. Give him at least two weeks notice so that he can prepare his own documentation, if necessary.

Give your employee the opportunity to review himself. Give him a blank copy of the review form and ask him to complete it and return it to you at least a week before the meeting. Having him answer the same questions about himself that you are trying to answer may shed a different perspective on your thoughts and opinions regarding the way he or she works.

Have a good understanding of your employee’s job description. This should go without saying, but also relates back to your technical skills and abilities. Do you really understand how your employee’s job is done on a regular basis? If not, you need to find out. How can you judge or rate him if you have no idea what he is actually supposed to be doing?

Avoid surprises during your performance appraisal meeting. Do not bring a laundry list of negative issues or problems to the performance appraisal meeting. If an employee’s behavior or work has not been up to standard, this is not the time to address or rehash those concerns unless the concern is very recent or you have addressed it previously. Performance appraisal meetings should be positive experiences.

This isn’t an all-inclusive list of steps to take when preparing for a performance appraisal meeting, but should give you a firm foundation to start from. I have found that the more prepared I am going into this type of meeting the smoother they tend to go. No one enjoys being reviewed, so your employees will appreciate your efforts to keep the process as painless as possible.

Thanks again,

Sean McPheat
Managing Director
MTD Management Training

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