LG- BSBCOR0263A DEVELOP AND IMPLEMENT WORK UNIT PLANS

LEARNER GUIDE
DEVELOP AND IMPLEMENT WORK UNIT PLANS

Published by

HEART TRUST/NATIONAL TRAINING AGENCY

Produced by

Learning Management Services Department

Gordon Town Road
Kingston 7
Jamaica W.I.

This material is protected by copyright. Copying this material or any part of it by any means,
including digital or in any form is prohibited unless prior written permission is obtained from
the HEART Trust/NTA.

*** 2010 ***

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TABLE OF CONTENTS

PAGE

Introduction......................................................................................................................... 1

Welcome ................................................................................................................... 1
This Competency Unit .............................................................................................. 1
Before you start......................................................................................................... 2
Planning your learning programme .......................................................................... 2
Self-Assessment Checklist........................................................................................ 3
How to use this Learner Guide ................................................................................. 5
Using the Computer and Other Resources................................................................ 6
Method of Assessment.............................................................................................. 6
Quality Assurance..................................................................................................... 7

Element 1: Participate in planning activities................................................................... 8

Self-Assessment Checklist........................................................................................ 17

Element 2: Prepare individual work plans...................................................................... 18

Self-Assessment Checklist........................................................................................ 30

Element 3: Implement and evaluate work plans............................................................. 30

Self-Assessment Checklist........................................................................................ 41

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LG- BSBCOR0263A
DEVELOP AND IMPLEMENT WORK
UNIT PLANS

INTRODUCTION

Welcome

Welcome to the Learner Guide for Unit of Competency “Develop and Implement Work Unit
Plans”. This is just one of a number of Learner Guides produced for the Merchandising skills
stream of the Business Services Industry. It is designed to guide you, the learner, through a
series of learning processes and activities that will enable you to achieve the specified learning
outcomes for the competency unit.

The content of this guide was developed from the Competency Standard BSBCOR0263A, which
is one of the basic building blocks for the National Vocational Qualification of Jamaica (NVQ-J)
certification within the Business industry. Please refer to your Learner Handbook for a thorough
explanation of standards and competencies, and how these relate to the NVQ-J certification.

You are also advised to consult the Competency Standard and assessment instrument for a better
understanding of what is required to master the competency.

This Competency Unit

“Develop and implement work unit plans” addresses the knowledge and skills required to
develop and implement work unit plans. There are three main areas or elements:

Element 1: Participate in planning activities

Element 2: Prepare individual work plans

Element 3: Implement and evaluate work plans

As you go through each element, you will find critical information relating to each one. You are
advised to study them carefully so that you will be able to develop the necessary knowledge,
skills and attitudes for developing and implementing work unit plans.

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Before you start

Before you start this Learner Guide, you need to:

a. Obtain a Learner Logbook. You will use it to record evidence of your new
skills/competence. As you demonstrate your new skills, record your activities and have your
learning facilitator sign off on them. This will allow you to provide evidence of your
competence when you are being assessed against the competency standard.

b. Ensure that you have access to the facilities and equipment necessary for learning.

c. Ensure that your learning resources are available.

d. Know and observe the occupational health and safety standard/practices for the industry. For
example, ensure that you are wearing suitable clothing, that tools and equipment are safe, and
that the correct safety equipment is used.

e. Plan your learning programme (see below)

f. Understand how to use this Learner Guide (see below)

Planning your learning programme

The self-assessment checklist on the following pages will assist you in planning your training
programme and it will help you to think about the knowledge and skills needed to demonstrate
competency in this unit. As you go through each one you will be able to find out which aspects
of the elements you have already mastered and which ones you will need to pay more attention
to as you go through the learning process.

To complete the self-assessment checklist, simply read the statements and tick the ‘Yes’ or ‘No’
box. You should do this exercise now.

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Self-Assessment Checklist
Develop and implement work unit plans

Element 1 Participate in planning activities

Yes No
1. I can make contributions to planning that reflects knowledge
of corporate goals and their relationship to work unit and
individual plans ( ) ( )

2. I can reflect consideration of workplace requirements in

contributions to work unit plans ( ) ( )

3. I can complete planning activities as requested within the

defined timeframe and meet the organization’s requirements ( ) ( )

4. I can seek and act on feedback in relation to effectiveness

of input to planning activities ( ) ( )

Element 2 Prepare individual work plans Yes No

1. I can link work plan objectives to and consistent with organisational

and work unit aims ( ) ( )

2. I can state objectives as measurable targets with clear performance

indicators ( ) ( )

3. I can explore and align innovative and cost-effective options for

achieving objectives to organisational aims ( ) ( )

4. I can use individual work plans to promote the achievement of work unit
objectives and to reflect personal and organisational accountability
to all clients ( ) ( )

5. I can use collaborative planning with other workgroup members to integrate

individual plans and build working relationships ( ) ( )

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Element 3 Implement and evaluate work plans Yes No

1. I can identify work methods and practices to implement in consultation

with others ( ) ( )

2. I can monitor and balance workload and work flows ( ) ( )

3. I can complete work in accordance with work plans and meets time
and workplace requirements, legislation, policies and procedures ( ) ( )

4. I can monitor problems in implementing work plans are and propose

solutions within area of responsibility ( ) ( )

5. I can revise work plans according to changes in work priorities and

organisational needs ( ) ( )

6. I can motivate team members to achieve the highest performance ( ) ( )

How did you do?

If you ticked all or most of the ‘Yes’ boxes then you might not need to go through the entire
guide. Ask your learning facilitator to assist you in determining the most appropriate action you
should take.

If you ticked a few of the ‘Yes’ boxes or none at all then you should work through all of the
guide, even though some of the material may be familiar to you.

Plan your learning based on your answers. Be sure to involve your learning facilitator in the
planning process.

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How to use this Learner Guide

This Learner Guide is designed to assist you in working and learning at your own pace.

We suggest that you:

 Go through the sections/elements as they are presented (starting at Section 1)

 Check your progress at each checkpoint to ensure that you have understood the material

 Observe the icons and special graphics used throughout this guide to remind you of what you
have to do and to enhance your learning. The icons and their meanings are as follows:

Complete Assessment Exercise

This exercise requires you to think about the knowledge and skills
that you have or will develop in this competency unit.

Definition Box
Words/phrases are defined or explained in this box. The
words/phrases being explained are in bold print.

Checkpoint
This denotes a brain teaser and is used to check your
understanding of the materials presented. No answers are
provided for the questions asked.

Activity
This denotes something for you to do either alone or with
the assistance of your trainer/supervisor.

Reference
This points you to the reference materials and other support
documents or resources used in compiling the unit content.

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 Ask your learning facilitator for help if you have any problems with the interpretation of the
contents, the procedures, or the availability of resources

 Complete each activity as you come to it. If the activity requires you perform an actual task,
be sure to tell your learning facilitator when you get to that activity so that he/she can make
any arrangements, if necessary

 Get your learning facilitator to sign and date the Learner Logbook when you have completed
an activity

 Complete the self-assessment checklist at the end of each section or element

When you have worked through all elements of the guide, and when you can tick every ‘Yes’
box, you are ready for assessment and should ask your learning facilitator to assist you in making
the arrangements to have your performance assessed.

Using the Computer and Other Resources

Where your activities refer you to the library, computer and Internet resources, ask your learning
facilitator to assist you in locating these resources. If you are getting your training in an
institution, there may be a library and a computer laboratory. If this is not the case, visit the local
library and find out what resources are available.

If you are new to the computer and the Internet, someone in the computer room should be able to
show you how to use these resources.

Please note that in many of your activities you have been referred to information on the Internet.
This is because the Internet has a vast amount of information that can help you in acquiring the
particular competencies. We would like to advise you, however, that we cannot guarantee that
all the sites will be available when you need them. If sites are unavailable, ask your learning
facilitator to assist you in locating other sites that have the information you require.

Method of Assessment

Competency will be assessed while you are actually performing the tasks related to this
competency. This may be in a real workplace or a simulated situation that accurately relates to
the work situation. You are advised to consult the associated competency standard for further
details relating to the assessment strategies.

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Quality Assurance

A feedback form is included at the back of each Learner Guide, so all users are afforded the
opportunity to document their concerns pertinent to the various aspects of the guide. Such
concerns will assist in the review process of the Learner Guides. Users are encouraged to cut out
the form, complete and submit same to the address provided.

You may now start your learning. Have fun while you work!

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ELEMENT 1: PARTICIPATE IN PLANNING ACTIVITIES

LEARNING OUTCOMES

As you go through this element, you will acquire the necessary knowledge, skills and attitudes to
participate in planning activities. Your learning facilitator is there to assist you with the various
activities, so that on completion you should be able to:

1. Make contributions to planning that reflect knowledge of corporate goals and their
relationship to work unit and individual plans
2. Apply consideration of workplace requirements in contributions to work unit plans
3. Complete planning activities as requested within the defined timeframe and meet the
organisation’s requirements
4. Seek and act on feedback in relation to effectiveness of input to planning activities

INTRODUCTION

“If you don’t know where you are going, you are sure to end up somewhere else.”(Mark
Twain). In other words, if you do not know where you are going, it is very difficult to get there.
It is this simple statement which explains why planning is so important when working in an
organisation. More and more, people working in organisations are being called upon to prepare
plans that show what they are trying to achieve and how they intend to achieve it. Planning is
therefore an integral component of effective management and leadership in organisations. At
your level, you will be required to make contributions to planning. You will have to ensure that
your contribution reflects knowledge of corporate goals and their relationship to work unit and
individual plans.

To start the process of planning or review, you need to be very clear about the current situation
of your organisation, assess its strengths and weaknesses, as well as the opportunities and
threats that might face it.

The process includes:

 Making an assessment of where you are against a small number of key business areas
from an assessment of where you currently are, you need to decide where you are
going and set objectives for getting there
 Developing an Action Plan to set out the route by which you will achieve your
organisation’s objectives through the planning process

Once you have started the process, you should not stop. Once you have a plan, you need to spend
time implementing it, reviewing it, and then, based on your successes and failures, start the
process again.

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MAKE CONTRIBUTIONS TO PLANNING OF CORPORATE GOALS

Corporate goal - goals set by an Companies and individuals have a commitment to

organization are specific, quantifiable excel and achieve their vision. As a result, there
targets that it commits to attain in order must be a clear alignment between personal goals
to achieve its corporate mission and and corporate goals/objectives and the personal
objectives. behaviours and actions of staff at all levels of the
organisation.

The three questions which you need to ask yourself when setting goals are:

1. What do you want to achieve? This identifies the wishes and desires and connects your
focus on what you want.
2. Why do you want to achieve it? In answering this question you build your
personal/company conviction. Every goal has a price - in effort, time, or resources. Are
you willing to pay the price? This question identifies your motives.
3. How are you going to achieve it? This is where goal-setting and planning may falter.
Companies/organisations have a dream and a conviction to achieve their dream, but the
steps to get there are less clear. By setting SMART goals with clear objectives, you
develop a system that connects today's vision with tomorrow's reality.

Goal-setting involves time management skills and the ability to determine your daily tasks based
on a priority system that reflects your optimal objectives and goals. This can be difficult when
you are faced with constant and competing demands on your time, changing priorities or
unrealistic expectations.

Strategic Planning

Strategic planning - the process of The purpose of strategic planning is to set overall
identifying an organization's long-term goals for your organization/business and to develop
goals and objectives and then a plan to achieve them. It involves stepping back
determining the best approach for from your day-to-day operations and asking where
achieving those goals and objectives your organization/business is headed and what
should be its priorities.

Strategic goals – these are statements Strategic goals, as part of the strategic planning
of what you wish to achieve over the process MUST reflect the analyses that you use in
period of the strategic plan the strategic planning process.

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The strategic goals of the organization should:

 reflect the general themes of the organisation’s vision, role and mission
 reflect the business realities outside of your company (as identified by environmental
scan)
 reflect the business and capabilities internal to your company (also as identified in the
environmental/internal scan)
 reflect your strengths, weaknesses, and opportunities and strengths you have identified if
you have used a SWOT analysis

Remember that you want your entire organization to be aligned, or aimed

at achievement of its strategic goals, and that for this to happen, the
strategic goals need to be aligned with (or consistent with and supporting
of) all the other parts of the strategic plan. Strategic planning clearly
defines both the internal and the external situations to formulate strategy,
implements the strategy, evaluates the progress and make adjustments as
necessary to stay on track.

As with any business activity, the strategic planning process needs to be carefully managed.
Responsibilities and resources need to be assigned to the right persons and you need to monitor
consistently. There is no right or wrong way to plan the strategic planning process, but you
should be clear about how you intend to proceed. All persons involved should know what is
expected of them and when. Outlined below is an illustration of the steps in the strategic
planning process:

Mission & Objectives

Environmental Scanning

Strategy Formulation

Strategy Implementation

Evaluation & Control

The Strategic Planning Process

(Adapted from http://www.quickmba.com/strategy/strategic-planning/)

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Now, try to examine the steps individually:

Mission and Objectives

The mission statement describes the company’s business vision which conveys a sense of
purpose to the employees and projects an image to the customers. The objectives are concrete
goals that the organisation seeks to reach, for example, a growth target. The objectives should be
challenging, but achievable. They also should be measurable so that the company can monitor
its progress and make adjustments as needed.

Environmental Scanning

Once the company has specified its objectives, you should begin with its current situation to
devise a strategic plan to reach those objectives. Changes in the external environment often
present new opportunities and new ways of to reaching the objectives. You will therefore need
to conduct an environmental scan to identify the available opportunities. The company must
know its own capabilities and limitations in order to select the opportunities which it can best
pursue with higher probability of success. The analysis should include both the internal and the
external environments.

Strategy Formulation

When you have developed a clear picture of the environment, you may devise specific strategic
alternatives. The company should now be able to match its strengths to the opportunities that it
has identified, while addressing its weaknesses and external threats.

Strategy Implementation

You will implement the selected strategy by means of programmes, budgets and procedures.
Implementation will involve organisation of the company’s resources and motivation of the staff
to achieve its objectives. The way in which the strategy is implemented can have significant
impact on whether it will be successful or not. Hence, in a number of companies those who
implement the strategy may be different from those who formulated it. Care must also be taken
to properly communicate the strategy and the reasons for its selection to all concerned parties in
order to get their support for its successful implementation.

Evaluation and Control

Once you have implemented the strategy, you need to measure and evaluate the outcomes and
make any changes that may be required to keep the plan on track. You will have to develop and
implement control systems to facilitate this monitoring. Standards of performance are set, the
actual performance measured and appropriate action taken to ensure success.

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Tactical Goals - define the outcome Tactical plans - help to execute the
that major divisions and departments major strategic plans and to accomplish
must achieve in order for the a specific part of the company’s
organisation to reach its overall goals. strategy

The results that the departments within the organisation intend to achieve are defined as tactical
goals. These goals apply to middle management and describe what major subunits must do in
order for the organisation to achieve its overall goals. Tactical plans are designed to help
execute major strategic plans and to accomplish a specific part of the company’s strategy.
Tactical plans define what the major departments and organisational subunits will do to
implement the overall strategic plan.

Operational goals – these are specific, Operational plans – these are

measurable results expected from developed at the organisation’s lower
departments, work groups and levels that specify action steps toward
individual within the organisation achieving operational goals which will
support tactical planning activities.

The specific results expected from the departments, work groups and individuals are the
operational goals. They are precise and measurable. Operational plans are developed at the
lower levels of the organisation to specify action steps toward achieving operational goals and to
support tactical plans. The operational plan will be the department manager’s tool for daily and
weekly operations. These goals are stated in quantitative terms and the department plan
describes how goals will be achieved. Operational planning specifies plans for supervisors,
department managers and individual employees.

CHECKPOINT

 What are the characteristics of effective goals?

 Would it be better to have no goals than to have goals that do
not meet these criteria?

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ACTIVITY:
Watch the following video on the barriers to strategic planning.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PzKukpPJI74

 Can you identify with the barriers that were discussed?

 Identify situations where these barriers were experienced and state
how they were overcome.
 Have these barriers arisen again? How were they dealt with?
 Discuss in a large group setting

Refer to: Griffin, Ricky W., Ebert, Ronald J. (2006), Business, 8th ed., Pearson
Prentice Hall, Upper Saddle River, NJ 07458, ch. 6-7.

Management by Objective

This is a system in which specific performance objectives are jointly determined by employees
and the supervisors. Progress toward objectives is periodically reviewed and rewards are
allocated on the basis of this progress

MBO establishes goals as motivators by letting people know exactly what is expected of them,
getting them to participate in setting their own goals, giving them continuous feedback on how
well they are progressing toward their goals, and making their rewards contingent on achieving
their goals. Such factors increase motivation.

Steps in MBO include:

 Formulating organization’s overall objectives and strategies

 Allocating major objectives among divisions and department units
 Collaborating set specific objectives for units with superiors
 Collaboratively setting specific objectives for all department members
 Specifying and agreeing on action plans
 Implementing action plans
 Reviewing progress toward objectives and providing feedback
 Reinforcing successful achievement through performance-based rewards

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Model of the MBO Process

(Source: http://mgt201.tripod.com/notes/planning.html)

CHECKPOINT:

 What are the possible advantages and disadvantages of

managing by objectives?

APPLY WORKPLACE REQUIREMENTS TO WORK UNIT PLANS

Planning should positively impact a company’s performance. In

addition to improving the financial and operational performance,
developing explicit goals and plans at each level is important because
of the external and internal messages that are being sent. These
messages go to both internal and external customers and provide
important benefits for the organisation.

Legitimacy: An organisation’s mission describes what the organisation

stands for and its reason for existence. It symbolises legitimacy to external customers. A strong
mission also has an impact on employees, enabling them to become committed to the
organisation because they can identify with its overall purpose and reason for existence.

Source of Motivation and Commitment: Goals and plans help to facilitate employees’
identification with the organisation and help motivate them by reducing uncertainty and
clarifying what they should accomplish. Lack of a clear goal can damage employee motivation
and commitment.

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Guides to Action: Goals and plans provide a sense of direction. They should focus attention on
specific targets and direct employee efforts toward important outcomes.

Rationale for Decisions: Through goal-setting and planning, managers learn what the
organisation is trying to accomplish. They can make decisions to ensure that internal policies,
roles, performance, structure, products and expenditures will be made in accordance with desired
outcomes. Decisions throughout the organisation will be in alignment with the plan.

Standard of Performance: Because goals define desired outcomes for the organisation, they also
serve as performance criteria. They provide a standard of assessment.

The overall planning process prevents managers from thinking in terms of day-to-day activities.
When companies divert from goals and plans, they then begin to fail.

COMPLETE ACTIVITIES WITHIN TIMELINES

Schedules are an important component of operational planning. Schedules define precise

timeframes for the completion of each operational goal required for the organisation’s tactical
and strategic goals. These must be coordinated with your budget, as resources must be allocated
for desired activities.

Goals should specify the time period over which they will be achieved. A time period is a
deadline stating the date on which goal attainment will be measured. If a strategic goal involves
a two-to-three-year timeline, specific dates should for achieving parts of it can be set up.

Goals fall in three different categories:

- long-term
- intermediate term
- short-term

To achieve these goals, planning is necessary and planning is done in accordance with the type
of goal. Long-term planning includes strategic goals and plans and may be extended as far as
five (5) years into the future. Intermediate term planning includes tactical goals and has a
timeline of one (1) to two (2) years. Short-term planning includes operational goals for specific
departments and individuals and has a timeline of one (1) year or less.

ACTIVITY:

It has been said that the timelines for all strategic plans are becoming
shorter because of the rapid changes in the organisation’s external
environments.
 Do you agree with this statement? Discuss
 Should timelines be shorter than they are? Give reasons for your
answer.

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SEEK AND ACT ON FEEDBACK TO PLANNING ACTIVITIES

In the planning stage of the decision-making process, decision-makers gather information that
tells them how well the ideas and objectives are and whether they will be effective in achieving
desired goals.

Feedback is important because decision-making is a continuous process. Decision-making is not

completed when a member may vote yes or no. Feedback provides decision-makers with
information that can develop a new decision and to indicate whether the implementation process
was unsuccessful or not. In addition, feedback offers more knowledge and facts with which to
identify potential solutions and produce more alternatives.

CHECKPOINT:

 Why is decision-making considered a fundamental part of the

managerial process?
 Do you think decisions should be made by groups and not
individuals? Give your reasons.
 What techniques could you use to improve your own
creativity and effectiveness in decision making?

Refer to:
Cole, H. (1993). Management theory and practice, p.63. DP Publications, London

Graham, H.T., Bennett, Roger (1998), Human resources management, 9th ed., Pearson
Professional Ltd., Harlow, England. Pp. 245-246

Model of MBO process. Retrieved July 2010 from: http://mgt201.tripod.com/notes/planning.html

Organisation & management. Retrieved July 2010 from:

http://mgt201.tripod.com/notes/planning.html

Plunkett & Attner, (1997). Management- meeting and exceeding customer expectations, p. 465,
South-Western College Publishing, Texas

Strategic management: the strategic planning process. Retrieved July 2010 from:
http://www.quickmba.com/strategy/strategic-planning

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READY TO PROVE YOUR COMPETENCE?

Now that you have completed this element, check whether you have fully grasped all the
concepts by doing the following Self-Assessment.

Checklist 1 Yes No

1. I know how to make contributions to planning that reflect knowledge

of corporate goals and their relationship to work unit and
individual plans ( ) ( )

2. I can outline how to reflect consideration of workplace requirements

is reflected in contributions to work unit plans ( ) ( )

3. I can explain how to complete planning activities as requested within the

defined timeframe and meet the organization’s requirements ( ) ( )

4. I understand how to seek feedback and act on in relation to effectiveness

of input to planning activities ( ) ( )

Checklist 2 Yes No

1. Contributions are made to planning that reflects knowledge of

corporate goals and their relationship to work unit and
individual plans ( ) ( )

2. Consideration of workplace requirements is reflected in contributions

to work unit plans ( ) ( )

3. Planning activities are completed as requested within the

defined timeframe and meet the organization’s requirements ( ) ( )

4. Feedback is sought and acted on in relation to effectiveness

of input to planning activities ( ) ( )

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ELEMENT 2: PREPARE INDIVIDUAL WORK PLANS

LEARNING OUTCOMES

As you go through this element, you will acquire the necessary knowledge, skills and attitudes to
prepare individual work plans. Your learning facilitator is there to assist you with the various
activities, so that on completion you should be able to:

1. Link work plan objectives that are consistent with organisational and unit aims
2. State objectives as measurable targets with clear performance indicators
3. Explore and align innovative and cost-effective options for achieving objectives to
organisational aims
4. Use individual work plans to promote the achievement of work unit objectives and to
reflect personal and organisational accountability to all clients
5. Use collaborative planning with other workgroup members to integrate individual plans
and build working relationships

LINK WORK PLAN OBJECTIVES WITH ORGANISATIONAL AND UNIT AIMS

Work plan - standard business

management tool used for planning
tasks during a specific time period.

Work planning is a process that occurs at many levels in an organization. Writing a work plan
allows the manager and the staff involved to:

 Plan the specific activities

 Determine the resources that will be required to carry out these activities
 Prepare a budget for them

During the work planning process, the manager will identify specific activities that will be
carried out at different functional levels over a specific period of time, such as the upcoming
year, quarter, month, or week. The resulting work plan will state the objectives and the
corresponding activities to be carried out, the chronological sequence of the activities, as well as
who will do them and what resources will be required. These activities, when carried out, will
allow the organization to achieve its objectives.

Staff at all levels should have work plans as they commonly summarize different components of
a job and how they will be implemented throughout the time span. However, the process of work
planning is just as important as the final plan. Work planning provides an opportunity for the
people who will be doing the work to participate in the planning process, and it gives everyone
the opportunity to ask questions.

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Their questions may relate to a number of areas, including:

 Program priorities
 The allocation of staff time
 The appropriateness of individual and programme targets
 Internal issues and coordination opportunities with other organizations

Since work plans are developed from stated programme objectives, the work plans at different
levels should synchronize (fit together). As each manager will have a different approach to work
plans, the format of the work plans and the way they are developed and used will vary. Work
plans are management tools, so their use should provide structure for staff, without restricting
flexibility and creativity.

To identify the staff who should be involved in developing work plans, ask yourself who is going
to implement the activities. As a general rule, it is a good practice to include staff members in the
planning and scheduling of the activities that will be a part of their work. Staff who contribute to
the writing of the work plan are more likely to be committed to implementing it, rather than staff
who simply receive work plans that were developed by their supervisors. Having participated in
its development, they feel a sense of ownership toward the final plan, and as a result, will take on
more responsibility and be more enthusiastic in carrying out their work.

Work planning can provide numerous benefits, such as:

 Fostering an atmosphere of teamwork and cooperation

 Communicating to staff the range of activities carried out by others
 Motivating staff to work toward challenging but realistic targets
 Providing staff with a sense of accomplishment upon achieving their objectives and
targets
 Creating a format that is flexible enough to incorporate and respond to unplanned
changes

When you are developing and using work plans, you should ensure that the plan indicates:

- Which activities will be completed

- Who will perform the activities
- Over what period of time will the activities be completed (whether daily, weekly,
or monthly, depending on the management level for which the work plan is
intended)
- The resource needs and allocations by activity
- The plan and scope of activities are reasonable considering: time limitations,
human and financial resources

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The activities in the work plan are to be:

 Directly related to the goals, objectives, or short-term targets defined by the annual work
plan
 Presented clearly and in chronological sequence
 Broken down into manageable tasks
 Assigned to the appropriate staff members

Be sure to answer the following questions:

What: What is the activity?

Who: Who is responsible for seeing that the activity is carried

out?
How: What resources are necessary?
When: By what date should the activity be completed?

Where: Where will the activity take place?

When developing activities for your organization, be sure to:

 Base the activities on stated programme objectives

 State the activities clearly
 Indicate when the activity will be carried out
 Assign responsibility to the appropriate staff member(s)
 Check and ensure that adequate resources are available

It is important to list each activity under the objective(s) to which it pertains. In some cases you
will find that the same activity is listed for two different objectives. If this activity can meet two
objectives, it is a particularly effective use of project time and resources. Good work plans are
flexible, as is the process of developing them. They need to be able to accommodate the many
factors (within and outside of the program) which affect the successful implementation of the
activities. Work plans allow you to do the following:

 Compare what you planned to do with what you actually did

 Examine the reasons for the difference to see whether the activity actually brought about
the desired result
 Decide what changes should be made to the work plan as a result. In this way, you and
your staff should use work plans to monitor your progress each month

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Managers and staff who take an approach to planning that encourages questions and analysis,
and who recognize that work plans will be revised constantly, will be commended when the
plans are put into action.

ACTIVITY:

Divide yourselves into four groups of about five persons each.

Have:
 Group 1 list opportunities for developing a Monitoring and
Evaluation Work Plan
 Group 2 list barriers to developing a Monitoring and Evaluation
Work Plan
 Group 3 list opportunities for implementing a Monitoring and
Evaluation Work Plan
 Group 4 list barriers to implementing a Monitoring and Evaluation
Work Plan

Present your findings in a large group setting and discuss

STATE OBJECTIVES AS MEASURABLE TARGETS

“If you fail to plan, then you plan to fail.”

Once you have made a complete assessment of your current situation, your next step is to look at
where you are heading (or should be heading). This can be difficult, as in many groups, not all
those involved in the organization will have the same sense of purpose or vision. Part of the
business planning process needs to be focused on work that ends in a common ‘vision’ or
‘mission statement’ that clarifies the aims, purpose or goals of the organization and is acceptable
to all. Work spent on defining the mission will have the following benefits:

 It sets out a longer-term perspective

 It can create unity around a common vision and identity
 It makes it clear for staff and customers to know what the organization is about and what
it is not about
 It creates an overall sense of purpose from which strategy and action can follow

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Once you have planned your project, turn your attention to developing several goals that will
enable you to be successful. Goals should be SMART - specific, measurable, achievable,
realistic and time-based.

Setting SMART Objectives

(Source: www.learnmarketing.com. Retrieved 20/10/10)

The acronym SMART has a number of slightly different variations, which can be used to provide
a more comprehensive definition for goal setting:

Specific

Every aspect of your objectives should be well explained. Objectives should clearly state what is
to be achieved, who is responsible for achieving it, how it is to be achieved, when it is to be
achieved, and why it must be achieved. Objectives therefore speak to the intentions, timeframe,
resources, methods and benefits of achieving the particular objectives. For example, ‘I want to
become rich,’ is not a SMART objective. It is just a dream or wishful thinking; whereas: ‘I will
have $1 million in my bank account by December 31, 2015’, is a specific objective.

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Measurable

Your objectives should be measurable. Only then you will know whether you are meeting the
objectives or not, and how much effort is needed at every step. Definite criteria like time, date,
quality, quantity, etc. should be set to measure objectives. Measuring objectives is essential in
order to review and adjust all objectives. You can be certain whether you are completing every
part or lagging behind. Measurable scales are crucial to keep you on track. Citing the same
example, richness in ‘I want to become rich’ cannot be measured. However, ‘I will have $1
million in my bank account by December 31, 2015’, is certainly a measurable objective.

Achievable

If the objectives are not achievable, they are just words. Setting objectives that are way beyond
your limits will take you nowhere and all your efforts will go in vain. It is equally important to
understand what is achievable for you. Setting objectives below your capabilities in order to
make them achievable will not enhance your professional abilities. Set objectives that are just a
little beyond your capacities. Leave room for challenging and stretching your limits. Take your
skills and resources into consideration while defining objectives. As to the prior example, you
must know whether you can save $1 million in your bank account by December 31, 2015. In
general, it sounds achievable.

Realistic

Setting unrealistic objectives will only disappoint you. Decide whether you can realistically
achieve the objectives with the resources and time available to you? In fact, whether your
objectives are realistic will depend largely on your own capabilities. Your belief in your
capabilities can turn many objectives realistic. Being realistic also means you should have
interest and inclination towards your objectives. Objectives can be put under check by finding
out whether similar objectives were achieved by anyone else earlier. ‘I will have $1 million in
my bank account by December 31, 2015’ is realistic, but ‘I will have $1 million in my bank
account by this month end’ or ‘I will have $1 billion in my bank account within two years’ may
be unrealistic.

Time-based
Time is the actual criterion that confines objectives. It converts goals and statements into
missions. You should set concrete timeframes for not only the objectives, but also every step and
all aspects of the plan. Without time frame, objectives are spread all over. Time is the single
most important criterion that lends importance to objectives. Without time bound activities no
procedures will have any meaning and SMART objectives will clearly define time relationships
between every step. ‘I will have $1 million in my bank account by December 31, 2015’ will lose
significance if the time factor is dropped and ‘I will have $1 million in my bank account’ will be
mere wishful thinking. It is also important for you to divide your objectives in many timeframes
and define what you shall do every day or month in order to reach the destination.

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Possibly the best test of strategic aims and objectives identified in a plan is “can they be easily
measured and monitored?” Often, when something is hard to measure, it reveals that the
objective for it is not clear.

Setting objectives before taking any action is important for several reasons:

 It gives a target to aim to, therefore all actions and efforts will be focused on attaining the
objective instead of being inefficiently used
 Gives staff a sense of direction, a glimpse of where they are going
 Motivates the managers and their teams, since it is quite the custom of establishing some
sort of reward once the team successfully completed a project
 Offers the support in evaluating the success of an action or project.

CHECKPOINT:
View the following video to review the points given:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pVeCepyFfAg

 Why is it important to set SMART objectives?

 Can objectives be really set as measurable targets? Discuss

ACTIVITY:
View the following video:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oBxDJ5WjaLs

 Do you agree that the objectives set were SMART? Why do you
believe the objectives were not met?
 Think of at least four (4) situations in your office in which you
had to set and evaluate the objectives that were given. What
strategies did you use?
 How objective was it? If not, how should you have approached
the situation? Discuss

Refer to:
Ambler, George (15/10/2006) The practice of leadership, 10 steps to setting SMART
objectives

Francis, J., CEO Rhema Group, Rhema Resource center - Setting S.M.A.R.T objectives

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You tube video. Retrieved from:

http://www.thepracticeofleadership.net/2006/10/15/10-steps-to-setting-smart-objectives/

EXPLORE AND ALIGN COST-EFFECTIVE OPTIONS FOR ACHIEVING

OBJECTIVES

Of all business activities, budgeting is one of the most important and therefore requires detailed
attention. In every organisation, managers need to watch how well the organisation is performing
financially. Not only do budget and financial controls tell whether the organisation is on sound
financial grounds, but they can also be useful indicators of other kinds of performance problems.

Budget - a systematic method of

allocating financial, physical, and human
resources to achieve strategic goals.

Companies develop budgets in order to:

 Monitor progress toward their goals

 Help control spending and
 Predict cash flow and profit.

The budget expresses how resources will be allocated and what measures will be used to
evaluate progress. Budget development is more effective when linked to overall corporate
strategy. Linking the two gives all managers and employees a clearer understanding of strategic
goals. This understanding leads to greater support for goals, better coordination of tactics and
ultimately, to stronger performance.

Management must take the lead in developing and communicating strategic goals. To develop
those goals, management needs information about customers, competitors, economic and
technological change - information that must come from customer-contact and support units.
Companies that establish effective channels for communication find it easier to set challenging
yet achievable strategic goals.

Setting goals before budgeting begins makes it easier for budgets to be developed at all levels.
When this happens, budgets are created from the start budgets that support strategic goals which
will need fewer revisions.

Within any company, competition for resources is inevitable. Every function and business unit
needs funding for both capital and operating expenses - usually in excess of the actual resources
available. This makes it critical for companies to design procedures so that resources are
allocated to support key strategies.

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By developing budgets that accommodate change, companies can respond to competitive threats
or opportunities more quickly and with greater precision. They can use resources efficiently to
take advantage of the most promising opportunities. Furthermore, knowing that budgets have
some flexibility frees managers from the need to "pad" budgets to cover a wide variety of
possible developments. This leads to leaner, more realistic budgets. A budget is created for
every division or department within an organisation, no matter how small, so long as it performs
a distinct project, programme or function.

USE INDIVIDUAL WORK PLANS TO PROMOTE ACHIEVEMENT OF

WORK UNIT OBJECTIVES

Good work plans are as flexible as the process of developing them. They need to be able to
accommodate the many factors within and outside the program which affect how successfully
the activities are carried out. Work plans offer several benefits, for example, they allow you to:

 Compare what you planned to do with what you actually did

 Examine the reasons for the difference between what you planned and what you
achieved, to see whether the activity actually brought about the desired result
 Decide any changes that should be made to the work plan. It is therefore useful for you
and your team members to use work plans to monitor your progress each month.

Managers and staff who take an approach to planning that encourages questions and analysis,
and who recognize that work plans will be revised constantly, are better rewarded when plans are
put into action.

Work plans are closely tied to other aspects of

Individual work plan – plan that defines program implementation, such as monitoring
the responsibilities of an individual team and evaluation. Using the work plan to monitor
member and is the lowest level of a and evaluate activities will prevent the
technical plan implementation of activities that are not related
to program objectives.

By determining which activities in the work plan are most important, the manager knows which
ones to give greater priority during the monitoring process. The work plan specifies when
monitoring will occur and at which location, hence helping the manager to check periodically on
progress made. Monitoring visits may also reveal changes in available resources and targets,
making it necessary to revise the work plan. After each monitoring visit, you as the manager
should discuss with your staff whether the work plan needs to be modified. As you do this, check
to see whether:

 The activities are still appropriate

 Staff are scheduled to carry out the activities for the upcoming period
 The projected dates of completion are still realistic
 The required resources are or will be available

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CHECKPOINT:

 Do you believe work plans are an effective way of

monitoring staff productivity?
 What are some ways of evaluating staff productivity?
Discuss

USE COLLABORATIVE PLANNING TO INTEGRATE PLANS

Building a good team is the single most important thing that a manager can do in order to
achieve a successful project. With the right attitude, a team will overcome almost any difficulty
to succeed in its goals. In most projects there will be times when only the determination of the
team can overcome the difficulties and carry the initiative through to success. Even when there is
no pressure, the team's spirit and enthusiasm will be reflected in the quality of the solution and
the extent to which other people buy-in to it.

Collaborative planning - involves a

group, team, or partnership of people
working and learning together

Within a team you will find a mixture of different persons with different assignments - but that
does not necessarily require a hierarchy. The best team cultures develop where team members
recognise that everyone else also has an important contribution to make to the team.

You should begin to build an effective team culture as (or even before) the individuals join the
project. This is a combination of attitudes and specific actions. All people in leadership roles
should make each individual feel a valued part of a team with a clear and important mission.

Key messages to convey to all team members are:

- The objective of the project

- What the end result should look like
- Why it is of value to the organization
- What approach the project will take (focus areas, timing, technology, techniques, etc)
- The style and culture the project team is expected to adopt
- Why each individual's co-operation is vital and of great value

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To achieve success, team leaders must emphasize the importance of collaborative planning and
goal-setting. Groups that plan together are typically more successful, particularly because project
plans and goals are explicitly stated, and all expectations are communicated and understood. A
collaborative team structure fosters a learning environment where experts can share knowledge
and experiences. Individual input and participation furthers each party's interests in and
commitment to the project.

Collaborative goal-setting allows team members to achieve individual successes, while still
contributing to the project goals. Collaborative teams should develop a plan that motivates all
entities to achieve success. If consultants are involved, they could be rewarded through an
enhanced project management fee associated with increasing levels of success. By matching
each team member's incentive to the overall goals, the entire team is further motivated to achieve
success.

Team leaders must also anticipate barriers that may exist within the scope of a project, due in
part to the mixed nature of a team. Potential challenges might include:

 Goals and deliverables not being met

 Lack of time management and follow-up
 Clashing personalities
 Disagreements between experts
 Political challenges

Timely, accurate, useful and credible communication is critical to maintaining a cohesive team
environment and achieving project success. Strategies, goals and project information should be
communicated consistently throughout each stage of the process so all team members remain
equally informed.

CHECKPOINT:

 Why is communication important to collaborative planning?

 What should be considered in ensuring that information is
timely, proactive and in avoidance of potential obstacles?

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ACTIVITY:

Working in small groups or with a partner, carry out the following tasks:

 Identify a business operation of your choice

 Develop four (4) strategic objectives
 Identify three (3) categories of staff for which objectives will be
developed
 Develop the performance indicators that can be developed from
the objectives
 Develop a work plan for one (1) category of worker that was
identified
 Present your information in a large group setting for discussion

Refer to:
Cole, H. (1993). Management theory and practice, p.63. DP Publications, London

Learn marketing net. Retrieved July 2010 from: http://www.learnmarketing.net/smart.htm

Plunkett & Attner, (1997). Management- meeting and exceeding customer expectations, pp. 465,
South-Western College Publishing, Texas

http://www.learnmarketing.net/smart.htm Retrieved July 2010

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READY TO PROVE YOUR COMPETENCE?

Now that you have completed this element, check whether you have fully grasped all the
concepts by doing the following Self-Assessment.

Checklist 1 Yes No

1. I understand how to link work plan objectives to and consistent

with organisational and work unit aims ( ) ( )

2. I know how to state objectives as measurable targets with

clear performance indicators ( ) ( )

3. I can outline how to identify and isolate faulty material or component

parts related to the operator’s work ( ) ( )

4. I know how to record and/or report faults and any identified causes
to the supervisor concerned and take any corrective action in
accordance with workplace procedures ( ) ( )

Checklist 2 Yes No

1. Work plan objectives are linked to and are consistent with organisational
and work unit aims ( ) ( )

2. Objectives are stated as measurable targets with clear performance

indicators ( ) ( )

3. Innovative and cost-effective options for achieving objectives are explored

and aligned to organisational aims ( ) ( )

4. Individual work plans are used to promote the achievement of work unit
objectives and to reflect personal and organisational accountability to
all clients ( ) ( )

5. Collaborative planning with other workgroup members is used to integrate

individual plans and build working relationships ( ) ( )

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ELEMENT 3: IMPLEMENT AND EVALUATE WORK PLANS

LEARNING OUTCOMES

As you go through this element, you will acquire the necessary knowledge, skills and attitudes to
implement and evaluate work plans. Your learning facilitator is there to assist you with the
various activities, so that on completion you should be able to:

1. Identify work methods and practices to implement plan in consultation with others
2. Monitor and balance workload and workflows
3. Complete work in accordance with work plans that meets time and workplace
requirements, legislation, policies and procedures
4. Monitor problems in implementing work plans and propose solutions within area of
responsibility
5. Revise work plans according to changes in work priorities and organizational needs
6. Motivate team members to achieve highest performance

IDENTIFY WORK METHODS AND PRACTICES TO IMPLEMENT PLAN

Although there are internationally and nationally agreed standards for implementing strategic
plans, the methods and practices may vary across organisations. It is therefore important for you
to identify and confirm the methods and practices used by your organisation and to adhere to
them. The first step in this difficult task is to break down the strategic objectives, programmes
and tasks and assign them to teams and individuals who have the resources and the motivation to
execute them.

Persons who will be carrying out these plans should be strongly committed to the priorities that
will be delegated to them and should have identified ways of overcoming the barriers to
accomplishment. Subsequently, before the organisation commits itself to the task, staff
throughout the organisation should be thinking of how to accomplish them.

There are four critical elements which assure successful implementation of work plans. These
are:

 Relevance: The first step in making the plan operational is to ensure that the mission,
strategic move and priority issues are driven and understood at all levels. Provide
complete copies of the plan to all persons who have key roles in the implementation
process. How their actions directly impact success must be explained and understood.

 Resources: Ensure that you have the right skills, backed by adequate money and time,
and that they are available in the right place and at the right time. You need to identify
the positions, individuals and functions that will have the most impact on the
implementation plan. If the organisation is not structured properly the plan will not work.
To execute the plan, you need persons with the highest levels of leadership, technical,

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managerial and teamwork skills. You should not select persons based merely on their
availability.

 Alignment: Make sure that throughout the organisation all programmes and activities
support the goals, mission and priorities of the organization and are reflected in the work
unit plans. In other words, there must be congruence (agreement) between the wider
organizational goals and the goals and objectives of the plan. For example, if a company
identifies customer service as its selling point, it will have an elaborate customer service
system in place. It means that work unit plans within that organisation would also have
customer service as their focus in support of the organisation’s goals and mission. To
bring about such alignment, you will need to convene meetings with employees to
communicate the mission and vision of the organisation and to win employees’ support
and cooperation.

 Accountability: Everyone who has a strategic task to perform at any level must be given
the opportunity to win or lose, based on how he/she carries out the assigned tasks.

Once you have implemented the plan, you must have it evaluated/reviewed to allow you to:

 Become aware of when you need to allocate and reallocate resources that may be
required. These must be made decisively in response to changes in the market and also in
relation to your competitive situation. Your success will depend on your flexibility.

 Asses the performance of individuals and teams

 Suggest solutions to problems and to remove barriers to the progress of the plan

 Motivate strategic teams and individuals through visibility, recognition and praise

 Ensure that action is in alignment with the vision and the plan and that planned priorities
are being enforced

MONITOR AND BALANCE WORKLOAD AND WORKFLOWS

Companies can base their systems and processes on successful counterparts. For the most part
though, companies are individually responsible for establishing quality management systems.
The real question then is how an organization can make sure that the systems and procedures that
it has set up work effectively. Knowing that they do is crucial; otherwise the entire exercise
would be a great waste of time and would not help to achieve anything.

An effective way in which an organisation can evaluate its systems and processes is to perform a
series of internal audits. Employees themselves serve as internal auditors to place their company
closer to achieving a total quality management system. Checking from within is entirely sensible
because the members of an organization know most about its processes. What you must
remember, however, is to refrain from personal biases.

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Other methods that may be employed by the organisation include:

 getting audits from its customers or clients

 hiring a consultant to review the quality management systems
 applying for ISO certification

CHECKPOINT:

 What is the importance of monitoring work performance?

 What methods can be used to effectively do this?

Monitor Performance

Trials can be conducted in hours or days, and monitoring need not be resource-intensive. At each
step and after each trial, these data are analyzed to identify barriers to improvement and make
modifications as needed. The team can then determine whether the trial should continue or be
abandoned in favour of a new approach; whether it should continue with modifications or be
expanded; or whether it needs new indicators of quality or effectiveness.

For each trial, ask these questions:

- Should the trial continue?

- Are changes needed?
- What else do we need to know about how this trial works?

When each trial is complete, the team should assess the work plan, make modifications if needed
and decide on the next change to trial, eventually trialling and evaluating the entire solution
before full-scale implementation. Small tests of change can be rapid and sequential to avoid
investing too much time on any one trial, and each can identify methods of improvement.

After assessing the business, identifying its needs and planning and implementing a program to
improve care for diverse populations, some businesses may assume the programme works as
intended and is producing the desired results. Evaluation is sometimes an afterthought,
particularly if the need for the intervention was obvious and success was a foregone conclusion.

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COMPLETE WORK IN ACCORDANCE WITH WORK PLANS

The information needed by managers and workers to complete work processes must be easily
accessible to be used. Individuals rely on filing systems, personal information management
systems, calendars and personal organisation skills to keep their information in order. Every
worker in the organisation has a unique approach to understanding how these individual
information systems fit into each other, their work processes, and daily work routines. Work
process best practices need to be effectively distributed and available to all workers.

These include:

- Being organised around work processes

- Maintain knowledge and facilitate communication
- Support your organisation’s business objectives

As explained in element1, the goals and objectives governing an organization are of utmost
importance. Each employee must be adequately trained to ensure that that he/she functions
within the guidelines of the establishment. Your supervisor will ensure that you get the necessary
training. It is your responsibility to adhere to the rules of your organization.

ACTIVITY:

Prepare a work plan following the steps below:

1. Start with the development of a work schedule:

 List all tasks to be carried out, completing and revising the list of
tasks you prepared for your plan for data collection.
 Consider who will carry out each task, the number of working days
required per person to complete each task, the number of staff you
will need to finish each task in a given period of time, and the
period in which you plan to actually carry out each task.
 Look at a calendar and note any public holidays or other important
activities scheduled for the period (about 6 months) in which you
plan to conduct the fieldwork.
 Do not forget to include support staff required (typists, drivers, for
example).

2. Consider whether the number of days each member of the team plans
to invest in the fieldwork is adequate for the task and will be
acceptable. (It should not exceed 30 working days.)

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MONITOR IMPLEMENTATION OF WORK PLANS

(Source: Google Images: http://www.hse.gov.uk/stress/standards/step5/. Retrieved 17/11/10)

The transition from project planning to implementation is a challenging part of management.

However, if you use your work plan not just as a planning tool, but also as a management tool,
the transition to implementation is much easier.

Each person assigned should review the actual implementation and monitor progress against the
work plan and note:

 Are all the steps in the work plan being followed?

 Are additional steps necessary that were not planned for?
 Will these additional steps require additional funds or resources for the programme to be
successful?
 Were the time estimates realistic? Are things taking longer or going faster?

By giving ownership of each section to the different team members, the entire team is involved
in keeping the plan on track and working together to make adjustments and improve programme
implementation.

Your objectives and goal should describe how you do your work, the costs associated and the
expected results. All of these elements are captured in your work plan. By treating these as
components of your implementation model, your team can focus on how to improve results.

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REVISE WORK PLANS TO ORGANISATIONAL NEEDS

Your plan may start simple, but you can expand it by adding more detailed indicators to allow
you to manage and evaluate your programme on various levels. As you progress, you could
upgrade targets in your implementation model. The work plan will be similar since you are doing
the same type of activity. However, it will have an impact on your budget, since you may need
more staff or more equipment in order to reach more people with services and achieve the
revised targets. If, on the other hand, you decide to increase the types of activity that you are
undertaking, you will have to expand your work plan. You will require additional funds for
implementation and you will have increased targets as you also have a new set of indicators and
targets that will need to be addressed. You should assess your organizational capacity to expand
your programme to ensure that the capacity exists to achieve the activities which you have
indicated need to be done.

Meet with your team regularly to review progress made compared to the work plan:

 Is the project on time? On target? On budget?

 What adjustments have been or need to be made and why?
 How will you monitor the impact of those adjustments to make sure they are successful?

Be sure to record the successes and failures and the decisions you make. This body of knowledge
will become the foundation for your next work plan and future applications.

MOTIVATE TEAM MEMBERS

A team - any group that works together At the core of strategic planning is the team. Teams
toward a common goal. Reaching the provide the coordination that makes the process
goal requires teamwork and a clear, work, not only in the planning phase, but during
shared vision of the future. implementation.

Essentially, teams do what line managers do. They:

 Plan: determining their mission, objectives, strategies,

programmes and action plans
 Organise: their efforts by finding the needed human,
physical and capital resources and putting them into action
 Assign tasks: to team members who have the power and resources to get them done or
take the responsibility for persuading non-team members to do the necessary work
 Accept responsibility: for accomplishing results

Building effective teams is one of the best investments you can make in your organization. An
effective work group accomplishes its goals; an ineffective work-group accomplishes little. An

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effective team gives you the freedom to act; with ineffective teams, all you do is to react. The
process of developing an effective team is called teambuilding.

Putting a group of people together, calling them a team and telling them to get on with the job,
using teamwork approach, is a definite model for failure. To set a team for success, you must
choose the right members, give them a clear set of objectives, train them in team skills and start
them off with professional facilitation.

Dimensions of Effective Teams

(Source: http://www.upfrontconsultingmn.com/assets/newsletters/Team_building.pdf)

What are some of the steps?

 Mission: The team must know the organization’s mission and then establish goals
which contribute to that mission. The team must also be clear about its own mission

 Assessment: The team must identify the criteria that ensure their effectiveness and assess
how well they fulfill each of the criteria - identifying strengths and weaknesses

 Goal-setting: Team members must identify ways to improve team effectiveness, working
together to develop common goals, learning the benefits of cooperation

 Communication: The team must learn to communicate about ideas, problems,

opportunities and concerns both within the group and up and down the organization

 Leadership: Good teams need good leaders and learning to share leadership can make the
team even more effective

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CHECKPOINT

 What are some challenges that may impact team

cohesiveness?
 What are ways in which these challenges may be overcome?

ACTIVITY

You have been assigned to a group project with five other team
members, none of whom you have met before.
 To what extent would team cohesiveness improve your team’s
performance on this project?
 What actions would you recommend to build team
cohesiveness among the members in this situation?
Discuss as a large group

Motivation Theories

Several theories attempt to explain how motivation works. The basic needs model, referred to as
content theory of motivation, highlights the specific factors that motivate an individual. Although
these factors are found within an individual, things outside the individual can affect him or her as
well.

All people have needs that they want satisfied. Some are primary needs, such as those for food,
sleep, and water—needs that deal with the physical aspects of behavior and are considered
unlearned. These needs are biological in nature and relatively stable. Their influences on
behavior are usually obvious and hence easy to identify.

Secondary needs, on the other hand, are psychological, which means that they are learned
primarily through experience. These needs vary significantly by culture and by individual.
Secondary needs are responsible for most of the behavior that a supervisor is concerned with and
for the rewards a person seeks in an organization.

Several theorists, including Abraham Maslow, Frederick Herzberg, and David McClelland have
provided theories to help explain needs as a source of motivation.

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Abraham Maslow's Hierarchy of Needs Theory

Abraham Maslow defined need as a physiological or psychological deficiency that a person feels
the compulsion to satisfy. His premise is that only an unsatisfied need can influence behavior; a
satisfied need is not a motivator.

Maslow's theory is based on the following two principles:

 Deficit principle: A satisfied need no longer motivates behavior because people act to
satisfy deprived needs.
 Progression principle: The five needs he identified exist in a hierarchy, which means
that a need at any level only comes into play after a lower-level need has been satisfied.

Higher Level Needs To Satisfy, Offer:

Self-actualization needs Creative and challenging work
Participation in decision making
Job flexibility and autonomy
Esteem needs Responsibility of an important job
Promotion to higher status job
Praise and recognition from boss

Lower Level Needs To Satisfy, Offer:

Social needs Friendly co-workers
Interaction with customers
Pleasant supervisor
Safety needs Safe working conditions
Job security
Base compensation and benefits
Physiological needs Rest and refreshment breaks
Physical comfort on the job
Reasonable work hours

Maslow’s Hierarchy of Human Needs

Herzberg's Two-Factor Theory

Frederick Herzberg offers another framework for understanding the motivational implications of
work environments.

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In his Two-factor theory, Herzberg identifies two sets of factors that impact motivation in the
workplace:

 Hygiene factors include salary, job security, working conditions, organizational policies,
and technical quality of supervision. Although these factors do not motivate employees,
they can cause dissatisfaction if they are missing. Something as simple as adding music
to the office place or implementing a no-smoking policy can make people less
dissatisfied with these aspects of their work. However, these improvements in hygiene
factors do not necessarily increase satisfaction.

 Satisfiers or motivators include such things as responsibility, achievement, growth

opportunities, and feelings of recognition, and are the key to job satisfaction and
motivation. For example, managers can find out what people really do in their jobs and
make improvements, thus increasing job satisfaction and performance.

Alderfer's ERG Theory

Clayton Alderfer's ERG (Existence, Relatedness, Growth) theory is built upon Maslow's
hierarchy of needs theory. To begin his theory, Alderfer collapses Maslow's five levels of needs
into three categories.

 Existence needs are desires for physiological and material well-being. (In terms of
Maslow's model, existence needs include physiological and safety needs)

 Relatedness needs are desires for satisfying interpersonal relationships. (In terms of
Maslow's model, relatedness correspondence to social needs)

 Growth needs are desires for continued psychological growth and development. (In
terms of Maslow's model, growth needs include esteem and self-realization needs)

This approach proposes that unsatisfied needs motivate behavior, and that as lower level needs
are satisfied, they become less important. Higher level needs, though, become more important as
they are satisfied, and if these needs are not met, a person may move down the hierarchy, which
Alderfer calls the frustration-regression principle. What he means by this term is that an already
satisfied lower level need can become reactivated and influence behavior when a higher level
need cannot be satisfied. As a result, managers should provide opportunities for workers to
capitalize on the importance of higher level needs.

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McClelland's Acquired Needs Theory

David McClelland's acquired needs theory recognizes that everyone prioritizes needs differently.
He also believes that individuals are not born with these needs, but that they are actually learned
through life experiences. McClelland identifies three specific needs:

 Need for achievement is the drive to excel.

 Need for power is the desire to cause others to behave in a way that they would not have
behaved otherwise.

 Need for affiliation is the desire for friendly, close interpersonal relationships and
conflict avoidance.

McClelland associates each need with a distinct set of work preferences, and managers can help
tailor the environment to meet these needs.

CHECKPOINT:

Many organisations use sales contests and motivational speakers to

motivate salespeople to overcome frequent rejections and turndowns.

 How would these devices help motivate salespeople?

Discuss?

ACTIVITY 1:

Motivating employees has never been more challenging.

 Do you agree with this statement?
 Are there any other reasons employees might be more or less
difficult to motivate today than 20 years ago? Discuss your
reasons

ACTIVITY 2:

As a team leader, you notice that one employee is not putting much
effort into the team project because she does not believe she has the
ability to contribute anything valuable.
Identify four (4) ways that might increase this person’s motivation to
contribute to the team. Discuss your responses

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Refer to:
Biech, E. (2001). Successful team-building tools, pp. 510-590, Jossey –Bass/Pfeiffer
Publishing, Cincinnati, Ohio
Daft, Richard (2000). Management (5th edition). Harcourt College Publishers, Fort Worth, Texas

Dimensions of effective teams (photo). Retrieved from:

http://www.upfrontconsultingmn.com/assets/newsletters/Team_building.pdf

Griffin, Ricky, Ebert, Ronald J., Business, 8th ed., Pearson Prentice Hall, Upper Saddle River
07458, Pp. 242-247, 262.

Maslow’s hierarchy of human needs. Retrieved from: http://www.cliffsnotes.com/

http://www.cliffsnotes.com/study_guide/Motivation-Theories-Individual-Needs.topicArticleId-
8944,articleId-8908.html#ixzz0wPTBQjpI

http://www.cliffsnotes.com/study_guide/Motivation-Theories-Individual-Needs.topicArticleId-
8944,articleId-8908.html#ixzz0wPSyjgsU

http://www.hse.gov.uk/stress/standards/step5

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READY TO PROVE YOUR COMPETENCE?

Now that you have completed this element, check whether you have fully grasped all the
concepts by doing the following Self-Assessment.

Checklist 1 Yes No

1. I know how to identify work methods and practices to implement in

consultation with others ( ) ( )

2. I understand how to monitor and balance workload and work flows ( ) ( )

3. I can explain how to complete work in accordance with work plans

and meet time and workplace requirements, legislation, policies
and procedures ( ) ( )

4. I understand how to monitor problems in implementing work plans

and propose solutions within area of responsibility ( ) ( )

5. I know how to revise work plans according to changes in work

priorities and organisational needs ( ) ( )

6. I know how to motivate team members to achieve the highest

performance ( ) ( )

Checklist 2 Yes No

1. Work methods and practices to implement are identified in consultation

with others ( ) ( )

2. Workload and work flows are monitored and balanced ( ) ( )

3. Work is completed in accordance with work plans and meets time

and workplace requirements, legislation, policies and procedures ( ) ( )

4. Problems in implementing work plans are monitored

and solutions are proposed within area of responsibility ( ) ( )

5. Work plans are revised according to changes in work priorities and

organisational needs ( ) ( )

6. Team members are motivated to achieve the highest performance ( ) ( )

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