PROFESSIONAL BEHAVIOURS - University of Bristol

PROFESSIONAL BEHAVIOURS

This document should be used as a guide to assist in the implementation of the University’s Acceptable Behaviour Policy in terms of helping identify what constitutes both acceptable and unacceptable behaviours in the workplace

Self OrganisationOthers• Managingworkloadandmaking

effectiveuseoftime• Beingwellpreparedformeetings

andpresentations• Demonstratinganawarenessofown

values,motivations&emotions• Keepinguptodatewithwhatis

happeninginprofesionalarea• Havinganenthusiasticandpositive

‘can-do’approach• Maintainingahealthylifebalance• Speakingandwritingbyusingclear

succintlanguage• Showingconsistencybetweenwords

andactions• Beingselfmotivated• Acceptinganddemonstrating

personalresponsibilityforhealthandsafety,dataprotectionandothercomplianceareas

• Takinganactiveinterestinwhatishappeningmorewidelyintheorganisation

• KeepinguptodatewithwhatishappeninginwiderHEenvironment

• Givingandreceivingconstructivefeedbackaspartofnormalday-to-dayworkactivity

• Developingandmaintainingpersonalnetworksofcontacts

• Ensuringownbehaviour,wordsandactionssupportacommitmenttoequalityofopportunityanddiversity

• Chairingmeetingseffectively,ensuringeveryonehasanopportunitytocontribute

• Gettingthebestfromothersthrougheffectivecommunication

• Managingownresponsewhenfacedwithchallengingsituations.

Examplesofbehaviourthatmayindicateneedforfurtherdevelopmentinmanaging self and personal skills...

• Talking or writing at inappropriate length

• Focusing almost exclusively on own job or own department

• Being consistently late for meetings

• Missing deadlines• Reacting defensively to

constructive criticism

Managing

self and

personal

skills

Staff Development

Delivering

excellent

service

Self Others Organisation• Resolvingproblemsquicklyina

cheerful,friendlymanner• Ensuringsystemsandprocesses

arekeptuptodate• Deliveringwhatyoupromise• Settingappropriateboundariesand

managingexpectations• Beingclearaboutwhereyoucanbe

flexibleandwhereyoucannotandwhy

• Beinguptodatewithbestclientservicepracticeinthesector

• Engagingpositivelywithqualityassessmentprocesses

• Seeingthingsfromyourclients’viewpoint

• Listening,questioningandclarifyinginordertounderstandyourclients’needs

• Usingclientfeedbacktodriveimprovements

• Tailoringcommunicationtomeetclients’needs

• Fosteringacontinuousimprovementphilosophy

• Deliveringconsistentservicestandards

• Definingexcellentservice• Interpretingrulesandregulations

flexiblytobalanceclientandorganisationalneeds

• Consistentlygivingpositivemessagesabouttheorganisation

Examplesofbehaviourthatmayindicateneedforfurtherdevelopmentindelivering excellent service...

• Using too much organisational jargon

• Adoptinga‘onesizefitsall’approach

• Hiding behind rules and regulations

• Providing anonymous service by withholding name or contact details

Staff Development

Self OrganisationOthers• Takingtimetounderstandand

diagnoseproblemsbyconsideringthewholepicture

• Recognisingtheneedtogofortheless-than-perfectsolutionattimesinordertoachieveobjectives

• Spottinganopportunityandtakingactiontodosomethingaboutit

• Identifyingnovelwaysofresolvingissuesusingowninitiative

• Suggestingandtryingoutnewapproaches

• Identifyingrisksandconsideringconsequencesoffailureinadvance

• Balancingnewideaswithtriedandtestedsolutions

• Workingproactivelyandtakinginitiatives

• Makingdecisionsandtakingresponsibilityforthem

• Beingopentoandapplyinggoodpracticeandfreshideasfrominsideandoutsidetheorganisation

• Exercisingjudgementinlinewithorganisationalstrategyandpriorities

• Activelyseekingnewideasandapproachesfromoutsidetheorganisation

• Identifyingandpursuingopportunitiestoworkinpartnershipwithexternalorganisationstogenerateanddevelopideas

• Supportingotherstofindtheirownsolutionsratherthangivingalltheanswers

• Fosteringaculturewhichencouragespeopletotakeacceptablerisksinpursuinginnovation

• Coachingandguidingothersindevelopingandimplementinginnovativesolutions

• Sharinglearningandexperiencetofacilitateothers’decisionmaking

• Seekinginputfromotherstodevelopteamsolutions

• Championingbusinesscasesandplansforideassubmittedbymembersoftheteam

• Encouraginganddevelopingthecreativityofothersandrecruitingandselectingcreativepeople

• Givingpeoplethespaceandfreedomtobecreative

Examplesofbehaviourthatmayindicateneedforfurtherdevelopmentinfindinginnovativesolutions...

• Abdicating responsibility for resolving issues• Doing things the way they have always been done

without reviewing them• Goingforthe‘easy’solution• Overlooking the potential repercussions of setting

precedents• Putting obstacles in the way of innovation

Finding

innovative

solutions

Staff Development

Self OrganisationOthers

Embracing

change

• Creatingaclimatethatencouragesinnovationandreceptivitytochange

• Leadingbyexampleinsupportingtheorganisationtobreakwithtraditionalmethods

• Communicatingupwardstoinfluencepolicyformulation

• Embracingnewtechnologies,techniquesandworkingmethods

• Scanningthewiderenvironmenttoseekopportunitiestodeveloptheorganisation

• Modifyingdepartmental/organisationalstrategytoadapttochangesinthewiderenvironment

• Seekingadiversityofperceptions• Encouragingotherstoinitiateand

embracechange• Encouragingexperimentationand

newwaysofworking• Providingongoingsupportand

encouragementtootherswhoaredevelopingandtestingideas

• Articulatingthepurposeofchangeandthecontextwithinwhichchangeishappening

• Adaptingapproachtorespondtochangesoutsideoftheorganisation

• Communicatingchangeinapositivemannerthroughinfluencingandpersuasion

• Acceptingthatchangeisanintegralpartoflife

• Displayingopenmindednesstonewideasandproposals

• Demonstratingawillingnesstodothingsdifferently

• Makingsuggestionsforimprovement• Takingacreativeapproach

tochangewhichchallengesassumptionsandisnotbasedpurelyonenhancingexistingpractice

• Viewingchangesituationsasopportunitiesforimprovinganddevelopingwork

• Remainingpositiveaboutmovingforwarddespitebeingrealisticaboutthedifficultyofchange

• Demonstratingthat‘thewaythingsaredonehere’doesnotrestrictyou

• Challengingthestatusquoinaconstructiveway

Examplesofbehaviourthatmayindicateneedforfurtherdevelopmentinembracing change...

• Unable to move beyond negative reaction to uncertainty• Complaining instead of doing something about it• Consistentlyblockingchangeandfailingtobuildonothers’ideasforchange• Generating numerous ideas but not following any of them throughStaff Development

Self OrganisationOthers

Using

resources

• Sharinggoodpracticewithotherpartsoftheorganisation

• Beingmindfulofresponsibilitytoorganisationandfundersinusingresources

• Developingcross-servicecollaborationandbeingwillingtoshareresources

• Identifyingwaysinwhichresourcescanbeusedflexiblyandimaginativelyforthebenefitofthewholeorganisation

• Liaisingwithexternalbodies,suppliersandotherHEbodies

• Identifyingtheinformationandknowledgepeopleneedandwhytheyneedit

• Drawingonothers’knowledge,skillsandexperience

• Liaisingoutsideofimmediateworkareatomaximiseuseofresourceswithintheorganisation

• Deployinghumanresourcesefficiently,attherightlevelsandinappropriateways

• Delegatingappropriately• Consideringcostsaspartof

theequationwhenplanningadevelopment

• Usingresourcesinwaysthatareefficientandminimiseanyadverseimpactontheenvironment

• Usinginformalsystemsandchannelsofcommunicationtoinformandsupportobjectives

• Influencingoutcomeswhenbiddingornegotiatingforresources

• Aggregating,utilisingandinterpretingmanagementinformation

• Consideringcostbenefitanalysisimplicationsofdecisions

• Makinguseofinformationandresourcesgainedthroughpersonalnetworks

• Recognisingthattimeiscostandadjustingbehaviouraccordingly

Examplesofbehaviourthatmayindicateneedforfurtherdevelopmentinusing resources...

• Always going for the highest quality solution regardless of cost implications

• Re-inventing the wheel• Assuming staff time is free• Being inappropriately protective of budget/time/

space• Spendingbudgetinappropriatelyjustto‘useitup’Staff Development

Self OrganisationOthers

Providing

direction

• Ensuringplansareconsistentwiththeobjectivesoftheorganisation

• Notlosingsightofthevisionindealingwithday-to-daypressures

• Breakingdown‘silo’thinkingandencouraginganorganisation-wideperspective

• Makinglinksbetweenindividual,team,departmentandorganisationalobjectivesclearforothers

• Givingteammemberssupportandadvicewhentheyneedit,especiallyduringperiodsofsetbackandchange

• Empoweringotherstotakepersonalresponsibility

• Providingclarityaboutresponsibilitiesandaccountabilities

• Creatingmomentumandenthusiasmaboutwhatneedstobedone

• Creatingandarticulatingavisionforownareaofresponsibility

• Standingbyconsidereddecisionseveniftheyproveunpopular

• Understandingthebiggerpictureandbeingclearabouthowownrolefitsin

Examplesofbehaviourthatmayindicateneedforfurtherdevelopmentinproviding direction...

• Getting bogged down in detail – unable to see the wood for the trees

• Being too internally focused• Focusing on the short-term view• Being dictatorial or controlling

Staff Development

Self OrganisationOthers

Developing

self and

others

• Supportingsuccessionplanningbyidentifyinganddevelopingcolleagueswithhighpotential

• Supportingotherstoundertakealternativeduties,short-termsecondmentsetc

• Encouragingotherstocontributetoinstitutional-levelactivity

• Identifyingthechangingneedsoftheorganisationandincorporatingtheseintoownandothers’developmentplans

• Givingpraiseforworkwelldone• Makingtimetothinkaboutthe

developmentofcolleagues• Providingconstructivefeedbackto

colleaguesatalllevels• Ensuringequalaccessto

developmentopportunitiesforall• Usingdelegationasanopportunity

todevelopothers• Empoweringothersbylocating

decisionmakingatthelowestpossibleappropriatelevel

• Providingcreativeworkopportunitiestostretchanddevelopcolleagues

• Encouragingotherstolearnfrommistakeswithoutblame

• Encouragingcolleaguestotakecalculatedrisks

• Coachingandmentoringothers

• Usingallsituationsaspotentiallearningopportunities

• Beingarolemodelbydevotingtimetoowndevelopment

• Engaginginformalandinformallearninganddevelopmentactivities

• Updatingprofessional/specialistskills

• Engagingpositivelywithappraisalprocesses

• Seeking,acceptingandactinguponfeedback,andlearningfromit

Examples of behaviour that may indicate need for further development indeveloping self and others...

• Blocking the progress of high potential colleagues• Believingthat‘development’equals‘training’and

not engaging with informal development methods• Being intolerant of mistakes and apportioning

blame• Focusingonothers’weaknessesratherthantheir

strengthsStaff Development

Self OrganisationOthers

Working

with

people

• Workingacrossboundariestodeveloprelationshipswithotherteams

• Challenginginappropriateorexclusivepractices/behaviour

• Reflectingorganisationalvaluesindealingwithpeopleandconductingbusiness

• Co-operatingwillinglytosupporttheachievementofteamgoals

• Usingunderstandingofotherpeople’sperspectivestohelpreachagreement

• Sharinginformationandkeepingothersinformed

• Recognisingandrespectingtheroles,responsibilities,interestsandconcernsofcolleaguesandstakeholders

• Proposingandnegotiatingwin-winsolutions

• Givingconstructivefeedback• Surfacingconflictsearlysothatthey

maybeaddressed• Ensuringthatworkingarrangements,

resourcesandprocessesrespondtodifferentneeds,abilities,valuesandwaysofworking

• Demonstratingthatyouvaluedifferences

• Monitoringandreviewingtheeffectivenessofworkingrelationships

• Havingagoodgraspofwhereyourresponsibilityendsandthatofothersbegins

• Presentingownopinionsandtheinterestsofthoseyouarerepresentingatmeetingsinaconvincingway

• Establishingrapport

Examplesofbehaviourthatmayindicateneedforfurtherdevelopmentinworking with people...

• Interrupting when others are speaking• ‘Guarding’information• Discouraging debate• Giving priority to own personal goals• Presentingotherpeople’sideasasyour

own

Staff Development

Self OrganisationOthers

Achieving

results

• Saying‘no’toactivitiesthatarelessimportantordonotfitwithorganisationalpriorities

• Evaluatingthesuccessofprojectsanddisseminatinglessonsthatcanbelearned

• Takingtimetocelebratesuccesses• Winningsupportofkeycolleagues

andotherstakeholders• Sharingthecreditwithothers• Beingeffectiveingainingbuy-in

withouthavinganydirectauthority• Monitoringprogressandproviding

regularupdates• Recognisingothers’contributionto

theachievementofobjectives

• Takingpersonalresponsibilityforgettingthingsdone

• Maintainingahighstandardofworkevenwhenunderpressure

• Incorporatingflexibilityintoplansandadjustingtheminlightofdevelopments

• Keepingtrackofanumberofprojectsrunningsimultaneously

• Distinguishingbetweenimportantandurgenttasksandprioritisingeffectively,evenfromapparentlyequaldemands

• Meetingdeadlines• Beingknowledgeableaboutkey

playerswhowillinfluencetheworkyoudo

Examplesofbehaviourthatmayindicateneedforfurtherdevelopmentinachieving results...

• Believing that talking about things is the same as action

• Being disorganised• Failing to see things through• Over-committing and not delivering

Staff Development