Mc connell pp_ch30

© 2010 Jones and Bartlett Publishers, LLC

Umiker's Management Skills for the New Health

Care Supervisor, Fifth Edition

Charles McConnell


Chapter 30

Staff DevelopmentStaff Development


Career Development Programs

Development programs for

employees benefit them by making

them more versatile and thus more

eligible for promotion, increasing

their self-esteem, and injecting

more interest into their jobs.


Educational Planning

Educational planning is most

effective when it is tailored to fit

individual needs. Some health care

workers seek promotions to

managerial positions; others prefer

to advance professionally.


Self-Development

In the long run, career development

is primarily self-development;

management can make certain

opportunities available, but the

individual must be self-motivated to

learn.


Educational Needs Assessment

What expertise is needed by the

department, now and in the future?

What is needed by individual

employees?

What is needed to bring old-timers

up to date?


Educational Needs Assessment

What is needed to energize stalled or

marginal workers

What is needed to make you dispensable?

How does the knowledge of employees

compare with the skills needed in their

field?


To Determine Training Needs

Ask human resources department for a

list of performance deficiencies

frequently documented in performance

appraisals.

Review your department’s

performance appraisals, looking for

specific problems or training needs.



Observe the behavior of employees,

especially interactions with customers and

coworkers.

Study satisfaction surveys.

Keep abreast of legal and legislative issues

that could lead to performance problems.



Review mission statement and values to

learn what kinds of training can contribute

to realization of long-term goals.

To assist you in deciding how well your

current training program meets basic

needs, answer the questions in Exhibit 30–

1.


Development Options

orientation and on-the-job training,

in-service education, including the use

of guest speakers and consultants,

workshops and seminars,

formal programs at educational

institutions,


Development Options

job rotation and cross-training,

self-education,

books, journals, computers,

audiotapes, and videotapes,

participation in any educational

endeavor,


Development Options

special assignments,

committees and other special work

groups,

assignments as trainers or

instructors,

duties as coordinators or facilitators


Development Options

“horizontal promotions,”

temporary assignments at satellite

facilities or elsewhere, and

substituting for absent employees.


Practical Career-Building Tips

Work on easier skills first to ensure early

success.

Ask others to help.

Maintain a high ratio of praise to criticism.

Correct errors before they become habits.


Practical Career-Building Tips

Be patient. Expect plateaus in

progress.

Serve as coach, facilitator, advisor,

and cheerleader, not taskmaster.

Use adult training methods.

Encourage mentorship.


Mentoring

In mentoring, an experienced or

influential person guides and

nurtures an individual or a small

groups of employees. Mentors teach

protégés how to survive, thrive, and

progress.


A counselor mentor is one who:

helps protégés make career decisions,

introduces them to the intricacies of

political savvy,

enhances their sensitivity to

organizational culture, and

helps them enlarge their personal

network.


Creativity

Innovative creativity is the ability to

come up with truly new ideas

Inventors use innovative creativity.

The creative person forms new

patterns from many seemingly

unrelated ideas.


Characteristics of Creative People

They possess innumerable bits of

information that relate to the focal

point of their interest.

They blot out what to them seems

irrelevant or unimportant.

They are curious, open, and sensitive to

problems.



They are optimistic risk takers who like

challenges and rarely talk about failure.

They often appear preoccupied.

They dislike rigid routines, monotonous

tasks, restrictive policies, and

bureaucratic interference.



They tolerate isolation and ambiguity.

They value independence and autonomy.

They often enjoy the innovative process

more than the results of the innovation.

They sense when things are right or

wrong.



They bounce ideas off others and build

on the suggestions of their associates.

They are voracious readers.

They are often nonconformists, regarded

by their peers as different.



At meetings they are likely to play the

role of devil’s advocate.

They may like to hang out with other

creative people, but many are loners.


Innovative Supervisors

They believe there is always a better way and

are always looking for that better way,

They overcome ideonarcissism, the egotism

of thinking that one’s own idea is unique,

They view problems as challenges rather than

annoyances,



They chalk up failures as learning

experiences,

They use brainstorming techniques for

making decisions and solving problems,

They are tolerant of ambiguity and the

idiosyncrasies of teammates,



They cut red tape when they encounter

it,

They set aside some time each day for

reflective thinking,

They inject humor into situations,

They are willing to stick their necks out

to support their ideas.


Barriers to Creativity

Prejudgment of ideas.

Fear of failure. This is a significant

inhibitor of creativity.

Restrictive policies, rules, rituals,

and procedures



Strict controls and limited budgets

Complex or slow approval procedure

for suggestions and projects

Demands for a consensus

Understaffing and excessive

assignments



A lengthy chain of command

Group norms

Disparaging or discouraging

remarks


Stimulating Staff Creativity

Identify your innovative people.

Emphasize creativity during the

orientation and training of new

employees.

Give people a loose rein to pursue

and develop new ideas.


Stimulating Staff Creativity

Do not nitpick or demand

perfection.

Let them take some risks and make

mistakes without risking their jobs.

Provide the necessary resources

and psychological boosts.


Expose Employees to:

• seminars and professional meetings,

• consultants and guest speakers,• publications, audiotapes,

videotapes, and computer programs,

• customer input; and• vendors and sales representatives.


Use the PIC Response to All Ideas

• P = Positive—great, let’s try it

• I = Interesting—let’s study it

• C = Concern—express

reservations


Killer Phrases

You’ve got to be kidding.

That would never work here.

The trouble with that idea is…

I’m paid to do the thinking.


Positive Reactions

Keep talking, you may have

something.

How can I help?

Let’s give it a try.

Can you get me the figures for that?

Mc connell pp_ch30

Technology

innovative

creative people

restrictive

guest speakers

practical

determine

creativity

development