Lead and manage effective workplace relationships

Lead and manage effective workplace relationships

ASSESSMENT TASK 1 – ANALYSIS/DEMONSTRATION

STUDENT INSTRUCTION:

For this assessment student will need to write an action plan of about 500 words based on the case study provided. After having the plan finalized, student will present their action plan to the stakeholders (students). These tasks will need to be completed and submitted in a professional, word processed, format including the power point presentation slides.

Case Study 1 Scenario

Initially, your team performance plan was a success. Your team was motivated and worked well together, achieving performance well beyond their KPIs. In fact, your team performed so well that your team won the award for ‘Most outstanding performance by a team’ at the annual awards dinner.

Things have recently changed though, and your team is going through a rough patch. After the novelty of the new performance plan wore off and enthusiasm waned, and performance dropped off. Your team members became insular and stopped communicating according to the guidelines you set. There was an air of barely contained contempt within the team as they began blaming the only person in your team from a non-English speaking background for the communication breakdowns and subsequent failure to produce results. Things got so bad that two of your team members left and found other jobs, and the team member from a different cultural background was absent from work for extended periods due to stress.

As things stand now, your team is three team members down, sorely lacking in motivation and direction and not acting in accordance with organisational values. Management has issued you with an ultimatum – turn things around within six months or will have to step aside and let someone else take over the management of your team. You must do something immediately to get the team back on track.

1. Before you go ahead and act, you need to conduct some planning to ensure you make the right decisions.
   • How can group dynamics can support or hinder team performance? Think about the change in dynamics is your team and its effect on performance.
   • What steps should you take to ensure you plan and implement the most appropriate course of action?
   • Who should be involved, consulted, or reported to regarding this matter?

This does not need to be submitted by the student this is point they need to think about and plan before the task.

2. Now, create an action plan to address the difficulties your team is experiencing. You will need to address the following points:
   • Summarise two (2) of the performance issues being experienced by your team
   • Explain how you plan to develop team morale and cohesion
   • Outline how you will facilitate teamwork and encourage team members to take responsibility for team activities 3. Develop a policy to ensure that ethical values and cultural diversity best practice are adhered to 
3. Now that you have a plan in place to address your team’s performance issues, you must communicate your plans to all relevant parties and receive feedback. You are to communicate your plans to the following parties:
   • Management to satisfy them that you are taking appropriate action to resolve your team’s performance issues

o          This should be in the form of an email.

• To your team so that they are aware of all changes you are making that will affect them o This should be in the form of a presentation. Your class mate will play the role of your work colleagues and you are to ask them for their feedback on your proposals. Your assessor will use the below checklist to assess you during the presentation

         −        You will need to think about and incorporate the following when you are preparing your presentation

1. The information you will provide to your team, including concerns raised by management
2. The strategies you will use to consult with and gather feedback from them

• How you will provide guidance and support to assist team members in resolving their work difficulties

1. At what points will you ask for work colleagues feedback
2. How will you communicate the changes to your colleagues after this presentation?

o     On completion of your presentation you are to revise your plans based on the feedback received from your work colleagues.  You will need to submit a copy of your original and your revised action plan along with this assessment kit.

5. Create a networking plan for your team that should include two (2) internal and two (2) external networks that should be attended in order to assist teams in working together in achieving the team and organizational outcomes.
   • Your plan should include details of the event
   • The outcomes to be achieved by the team by attending
   • A description of how this event will benefit the team and the organization
   • A plan on how you and the team will debrief after the event

NOTE

You will need to submit copies of documentation covering all of the above points.  

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ASSESSMENT TASK 2 – PROJECT/ROLE PLAY

STUDENT INSTRUCTION:

This task follows on from Assessment Task 1 where you created an action plan to address performance issues in your team. Students now will plan a team building activity and perform a role play based on the action plan developed earlier. Necessary verbal feedback will be provided by the trainer at the end of the session.

Follow-up

Management is happy that you are taking positive action and have shown their support by allocating a substantial budget to your team for an offsite team-building activity that you are to plan and lead.

You are required to plan the team-building activity for your work team and role play the introduction in a simulated team building activity. The purpose of the activity is to invigorate your team members and get them motivated to work in accordance with the performance plan. The activity should:

• Reinforce team and organizational values
• Involve the team in making decisions on team roles and allocation of tasks
• Encourage and facilitate feedback from team members on performance and work issues
• Improve team morale

Include why and how you will choose the activity (e.g. will you offer options to staff which they vote on, or will you use a suggestion box? etc.). Research and plan the team-building activity using the team building template provided. 

Part A: Research

To gather information to help you generate innovative ideas for your team-building activity, conduct some research on the following topics:

• Your organisation’s cultural diversity and ethical values
• Improving communication in a team
• Improving team morale and cohesion
• Using networks to support team outcomes

You must consult and cite a range of sources (at least three) in conducting your research, at least one of which must be from a personal or business network. Other sources may include:

• Participant Guide and Workbook
• The internet
• Organisational policies
• Company resources (e.g. intranet, annual report, publications)
• Journals
• Industry bodies
• Subject matter experts
• Books

Complete the table on the next page to summarise your research.

Topic 1: Your organisation’s cultural diversity and ethical values
Summary of information:
Sources used:
Topic 2: Improving communication, morale and cohesion in a team
Summary of information:
Sources used:
Topic 3: Effective team building activities
Summary of information:
Sources used:
Topic 4: Using networks to support team outcomes
Summary of information:
Sources used:

Part B: Plan your activity

1. What will the activity be? How and why did you choose it?
2. Detail strategies that you will use during the team building session to:
   • Support team cohesion, participation and performance
   • Gain consensus
   • Resolve issues and conflict
   • Ensure that your organisation’s cultural diversity and ethical values are adhered to
3. How will you discuss and agree responsibilities and work tasks of team members with the team?
4. How will issues, concerns or problems identified by team members be addressed? Explain the steps you will take and how you will follow these up with management.
5. How will you communicate to the team the concerns that have been raised by management?
6. What attributes will you convey to serve as a model for the team?
7. What feedback will you provide to the team to encourage, value and reward individual and team efforts?

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Part C: Role play your activity

You must now perform a brief role play to give a snapshot of the team building activity you have planned. There are two options for how this can be carried out:

1. Perform the role play with some colleagues or fellow students in your workplace or simulated work environment in the presence of your assessor who will assess you according to the observation checklist below.
2. Perform the role play with some colleagues in your workplace and record it on video. You will be required to submit the video recording as evidence of having completed the activity in accordance with the observation checklist below. At the beginning of the video, you must state your name, the assessment task number and give a one-sentence summary of what the role play is about.

Discuss and agree on a method with your assessor before commencing the task.

The role play should run for a minimum of 10 minutes. You should role play the introduction to your team building activity, explaining the following points:

• The background of performance issues that has led to the creation of the team building session
• The content you intend to discuss and the format it will take
• What activity or activities you have planned and why?
• The ground rules for and expectations of your team members during the team building session

The learning outcomes of the session

The people acting as team members in the role play should act as normal team members in this situation would and you must respond accordingly. You should be prepared for them to:

• Ask questions
• Engage in conflict
• Display hostility/confusion/hopelessness
• Be reluctant to participate
• Seek guidance

Make sure you prepare thoroughly so you are able to respond appropriately to any situations that arise. You must also display a range of leadership and communication skills during the role play, including:

• Guiding and supporting your team to address and resolve performance issues
• Constructively managing any conflict or tension that may arise
• Adjusting your communication style appropriately in response to the needs of different team members or situations that may arise

Of course, you are also expected to act in accordance with organisational and legislative requirements at all times.

Observation checklist

Before conducting the role play, carefully read through the checklist below so you clearly understand the entire range of skills and behaviours you are required to display.

ASSESSMENT TASK 3 – WRITTEN/VERBAL QUESTIONS

STUDENT INSTRUCTION:

This is a written assessment that will test your knowledge. This assessment may be completed over the duration of the training day or in one sitting of about 60 minutes. As you learn, practice and review knowledge and skills, you will keep Assessment 3 in front of you and answer the questions as the information becomes clear to you. At the beginning of each review session you will be given a few minutes to familiarise yourself with the questions.  You will be given extra time at the end of the day to complete this assessment or to clarify facts with the Trainer/Assessor.  

Make sure you: 

• Answer all questions
• Print clearly
• Use a blue or black pen. Assessments written in pencil will not be accepted. 
• Ask your assessor if you do not understand a question. Whist your assessor cannot tell you the answer, he/she may be able to re-word the question for you 
• Do not talk to your classmates. If you are caught discussion the answers you will be asked to leave and your assessment will not be marked. 
• Do not cheat. Anyone caught cheating will automatically be marked Not Competent for this unit.  There are NO EXCEPTIONS to this rule. 

Answer the following questions in the space provided.

1. Describe one (1) strategy and one (1) process you could implement in your workplace (if you are not working, imagine you work for Central Australian College) to communicate important information and feedback to all staff? (Answer has to be between 50 – 100 words)
2. Describe a consultation process you would use in your workplace to allow staff to contribute ideas and issue relating to the workplace and their roles, and explain how this can support the development of effective work relationships? (Answer has to be between 50 – 100 words)
3. Describe a strategy you would implement to deal with any work issues raise to you by staff. Your answer should include information on how you would keep the staff member informed and how you would ensure it is referred on to the relevant personnel in a timely manner? (Answer has to be between 50 – 100 words)
4. All companies have cultural diversity policies and procedures in place, explain how you would ensure your team are aware of their responsibilities under these policies and procedures. Your answer should also include information on how you will update them on changes and how you will monitor that your team are adhering to these? (Answer has to be between 50 – 100 words)
5. Explain how your own personal conduct can assist you in gaining and maintaining the trust and confidence of your colleagues, and external contacts? (Answer has to be between 50 – 100 words)
6. Define interpersonal communication styles and, giving two (2) examples, of how interpersonal style can support the development of effective work relationships? (Answer has to be between 50 – 100 words)
7. Describe 2 networks you could access and use to assist in building workplace relationships? (Answer has to be between 50 – 100 words)
8. Explain how accessing and participating in a range of networks can assist you in providing identifiable outcomes for your team and company? (Answer has to be between 50 – 100 words)
9. Describe a plan you would implement to ensure you and your team maintain effective external and internal relationships? (Answer has to be between 50 – 100 words)
10. Describe one (1) process, and one (1) system you would implement to you can identify and resolve difficulties and conflict in workplace relationships, in accordance with workplace policies and procedures? (Answer has to be between 50 – 100 words)
11. Explain two (2) strategies you could use to provide guidance and counselling to support staff in resolving their work difficulties? (Answer has to be between 50 – 100 words)
12. Explain why it is important to develop an action plan to address identified difficulties.  Your answer should include information on what would be included in an action plan? (Answer has to be between 50 – 100 words)
13. There are many legislations in Australia that need to be taken into consideration when trying to effectively manage workplace relationships.  List three (3) of these here and describe in detail why each one can affect how you manage workplace relationships? (Answer has to be between 50 – 100 words)

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