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> How Well Do You Develop Your People?
Training and development is key to an effective team.
When you manage a team, how well it performs often depends on how well you've trained and developed your people.
Individuals need ongoing training and development to help them become more effective, and take on bigger and more significant challenges. More than this, they need help learning new skills as the nature of their work – and of your organization – changes.
Too often, companies limit training and development to new hires and to people moving into new roles. This is a mistake, because ongoing training helps people adjust to changing job requirements. It also creates a pool of qualified and available people, who are ready to step into new roles as your organization needs them. This process helps you develop a more effective, efficient, productive, and motivated workforce. Done properly, this will ensure that you achieve your objectives and improve your competitive position.
How Well Do You Develop Your People?
Instructions
For each statement, click the button in the column that best describes you. Please answer questions as you actually are (rather than how you think you should be), and don't worry if some questions seem to score in the 'wrong direction'. When you are finished, please click the 'Calculate My Total' button at the bottom of the test.
Your last quiz results are shown.
You last completed this quiz on , at .
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16 Statements to Answer
Not at All
Very Often
We carry out exit interviews when people leave the organization.
I actively seek learning opportunities for my team in everyday situations.
I use the same motivational methods for all of my team members.
I promote people to reward good performance.
When people come to me with a problem, I ask questions to better understand the issue.
I change my communication style to fit the situation, as well as to meet the needs of the person with whom I'm communicating.
I track leadership potential among my staff members.
I coach my people by telling them what they should and shouldn't do to advance their careers in the organization.
Our training program for new staff focuses only on logistics and on helping people become oriented to their new roles.
I track and manage my team's competencies related to personal and organizational needs.
I encourage mentoring within my team and in my organization.
I help team members develop career plans, and map out their career progression within our organization.
I have a succession plan for key positions on my team.
I work with my people to develop their leadership skills and talents.
I know which skills each member of my team needs to develop.
When people attend courses or other training events, they're required to share their knowledge with the rest of the team.
You may be trying to focus on people development, but other activities have a higher priority. Try to set aside time, on a regular basis, to meet the development needs of your team. You, your team, and your organization will all benefit & by boosting productivity and helping people feel happier in their jobs. (Read
to start.)
You're doing many of the right things to develop and train your people. Take it to the next level by making staff development a priority. Think about creative ways of sharing knowledge and inspiring your people to improve their skills on a daily basis. The more you show that you're committed to their long-term success, the more motivated, satisfied, and productive they'll be. And that will make your job much easier. (Read
to start.)
Well done! You clearly understand that your people are the future of the organization. Keep the momentum going by continuing to be a role model for others, and by showing that staff development and training produces results. (Read
to start.)
This quiz highlights five main factors related to developing people. These are:
Understanding the needs of your organization and team.
Leadership development.
Training and career development.
Managing knowledge.
Coaching and mentoring your people.
Look at these categories in detail below, and review your answers to identify the areas where you are strong, and the areas where you could improve.
By analyzing your current performance and learning more about each area, you can ensure that you develop your people effectively.
(Questions 3, 6, 10, 15)
Your score is
out of 0&&
Before developing your team, you must first identify the best development opportunities for your people and your organization.
Hold regular one-on-one meetings with staff to discuss and
&. In these meetings, explore their current performance, and identify areas for improvement. From there, create a development plan to fill any skill gaps and prepare the team member to meet the challenges ahead. This is where it helps to have a
& for each person's role, and it's where it's worth conducting a
& to identify the training and development that each person needs.
Throughout this process, different people will want or need different things in relation to work and training. For example, some people respond well to increased responsibility, while others may prefer to develop a wide variety of skills.
& tells us that we all have a dominant motivator, and these motivators influence things such as what type of development we want, what types of goals will cause us to respond positively, and what types of rewards we want. As a manager, you should understand these different patterns of motivation.
You can also use models such as
& to assess individual needs, and provide training and development opportunities accordingly.
Talk to people to find out what training they want and need, and then work with them to develop a personal training and development plan that helps them get this training, economically and efficiently.
(Questions 4, 7, 14)
Your score is
out of 0&&
Successful teams and organizations typically put a lot of effort into
&. If you identify and develop competent managers and supervisors, you'll ensure that you have people trained and ready to fill new leadership positions, rather than being forced to recruit unproven people externally.
These programs rely heavily on choosing the right people to involve. Start tracking leadership potential from the very early stages of a person's employment.
& initiatives will help you focus on and retain the best people. These initiatives will also help you recruit top talent, and create a high performance culture.
Make an effort to identify strong performers early on & this will help you ensure that you reward the best and brightest on your team with appropriate promotion opportunities.
However, be sure to promote people for their potential to succeed in the leadership role: if, instead, you use promotion as a general reward for good performance, this may lead to the
& & in other words, you may promote a person beyond his or her skills and competencies.
Mind Tools is a great vehicle for providing high quality management and leadership training!
(Questions 2, 9, 12)
Your score is
out of 0&&
Not everyone wants to be a leader. However, every person can achieve his or her full potential. So, whatever the skill set, expertise, or position, your people should be
& throughout their careers.
Look for ways to train staff on a daily basis through prompt and effective
& and offer training courses and programs to help people develop the specific skills they need. Whether you do this in-house or send people to outside training, your team should know that learning is directly connected to successful performance.
Communicate this attitude from the start. During people's
& to your team, emphasize your commitment to ongoing professional development. Encourage people to come to you with training ideas and career development plans. Make career development a strategic objective. When people can map out career paths within your team and organization, this improves staff retention and increases the likelihood that they'll develop the skills they need for the future – as well as for today.
The Bite-Sized Training session
will help you plan specific training interventions.
For effective training delivery, see our article on
&, which reviews different ways to deliver material, as well as the article on
&, which provides a step-by-step framework for creating a great learning experience.
(Questions 1, 13, 16)
Your score is
out of 0&&
In many organizations, retaining and sharing organizational knowledge is critical to success.
& is another great way to provide development opportunities for your staff as they share ideas and expertise with one another, identify best practices, and look for ways to work more efficiently with one another. Whenever people start talking about work practices, you'll probably find ways to inspire and innovate, which is exciting for individuals as well as useful for the organization.
Create simple ways of sharing ideas, like developing a company wiki or having regular roundtable meetings to discuss issues and find answers.
Another powerful way to retain knowledge within your organization is through
&. Identify people who can take over key positions when those positions become open. (Typically, this is used in
& situations, where the person holding the position acts as a mentor and transfers his or her knowledge to a trainee.)
There are many other ways for people to pass on their knowledge & including
& others, preparing an orientation-type book or document, or even conducting on-the-job training. People who have been with the company for a long time, or who have held top positions, have a wealth of information that isn't easily acquired, except through experience. So allowing other people to have access to this information and experience can be a fantastic development opportunity.
Similarly, it is often useful to conduct
& with people who leave the organization. Ask these people for feedback, and then use this feedback to identify training needs, develop people, and improve operations.
(Questions 5, 8, 11)
Your score is
out of 0&&
Perhaps the best way to develop people is to support and encourage their training and growth. From
& staff for long-term development, show your team members that you truly care that they improve their skills and develop a satisfying career. This is highly motivational & and it's almost guaranteed to improve performance.
& and mentor, remember that your primary role is to help people better understand their positions. It's not your job to tell them what to do or how to do it & it's far better for you to ask questions to help them develop their own solution. Use the
& and provide
& to improve your coaching sessions, and you'll help your team members develop skills and abilities they'll keep throughout their careers.
The advantage here is that both the coach and the mentor can benefit from the relationship. When you have an opportunity to think about your own experiences and share them with others, you're learning and developing yourself. This willingness to support other people's development sets a great example for future leaders within your organization, and it contributes to a positive culture of training and development.
Key Points
Your commitment to training and developing your people is a major factor in determining the ongoing success of your team and organization.
By making a commitment to developing and training your team, you send a clear message that you care about your people, and that you're willing to support their growth and job satisfaction. This helps you retain good people, and ensures that your organization has the skills it needs in the future.
Work often changes at a fast pace. When your people keep up with change & and succeed & it's good for them as well as your organization.
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Please check your Inbox, and click on the link in the email from us. We can then send you the newsletter.Fighting for health, privacy, and safety
How YOU Can Stop ‘Smart’ Meters
SmartMeters are really StupidMeters.
Because they, ,
that can cause cancer, damage your DNA,
and harm wildlife, , and .
Need any more reasons?
New to this issue and have questions?
Check our .
Now, what can YOU do to stop them?
1. REFUSE SMART METERS (on your home, business and in your community).
If you still have an analog meter:
o Do not allow smart meter installers on your property.
Call police if they trespass.
Form a neighborhood watch.
to your utility refusing consent to install
o behind lock and key
o Refuse to pay opt out fees.
Hundreds of thousands are refusing to pay fees to keep their analogs in California and elsewhere, and while PG&E in CA has threatened disconnects, they have yet to carry out this threat, simply for refusal to pay “opt out fees” currently in dispute.
If you have a “smart” meter:
o Revoke consent via certified letter to the utility and set a deadline for removal of existing smart meter.
o Demand that the meter be removed.
Do not take no for an answer.
It is your home and your authority- not theirs.
Assume everything the utility says is a lie.
o Do not be fooled by a digital “radio off” meter or an analog meter with transmitting equipment in it.
Ask them to confirm in writing that the meter is a “non-electronic electromechanical analog meter.”
o If a utility continues to insist on their illegal trespass, people have had their smart meters removed by a qualified professional and replaced with purely electromechanical analog meters.
(Note that this may result in a disconnect depending on the sanity of your utility). You can purchase a reliable analog meter online .
o Keep your distance (pets and plants too!) from all transmitters.
Find out about as a last resort.
Avoidance is best.
Be aware that cell phones, cordless phones, wi-fi routers, microwaves, and baby monitors also emit carcinogenic radiation and their use should be curtailed and eliminated.
Get wired!
o Refuse to pay opt out fees.
California Utility Contact Numbers:
o Pacific Gas and Electric (PG&E):
1-866 743 0263
o Southern California Edison (SCE):
1-800-810-2369.
o San Diego Gas and Electric (SDG&E):
1-800-411-7343
o Sacramento Municipal Utility District (SMUD):
1-888-742-7683
o San Francisco PUC Water Meter Opt Out at: 415-554-3204
(For info on areas outside of California click .)
2. DEFEND your analog meter! Unfortunately utility companies cannot be trusted to respect your wishes so we also strongly recommend locking up your analog meter.
. In addition, staying at home, or having someone appointed by you to do this during the installation period (typically 2-3 weeks), is an assurance against trespassing. Property owners and renters can ask anyone at any time to leave their property, for any reason.
3. WARN your neighbors that smart meters are coming and pass out brochures and “Smart Meter Free Zone” signs. You can download brochures in pdf format .
Spanish flyer (en espanol) . Here is
4. POST a “Smart” Meter Free Zone sign on both your electric and your gas meter, and throughout your neighborhood on utility poles and in front yards etc. Click here to download pdf and then print it out:
WRITE the California Public Utilities Commission (CPUC), 505 Van Ness Ave. San Francisco, CA 94102, or call them at 866-849-8390. Outside of CA, check for what governmental body regulates your utilities. Visit this webpage to file a complaint:
Tell them that you oppose the installation of smart meters on your home or business because of health, safety, and privacy concerns, and insist that they enforce the “opt-out” option for individuals, cities, and counties.
If you have a smart meter and have been suffering health impacts, go to your doctor and get written documentation, submit a complaint the to CPUC at the above webpage and submit a complaint to
You can also tell your story on .
If the utility company or their agents come around to install, ask them to leave and if they don’t comply call the police and report a trespasser.
You have the right to get anyone (apart from a cop with a warrant) off your property (regardless of whether you rent or own).
You have a right to a radiation-free home!
6. CONTACT your elected officials and demand a safety recall! It’s easy and quick to . Or click here to
Start a blockade protest at your local meter installation yard or utility commission. In Santa Cruz County,
were successful at stopping county-wide installation for a year.
Direct action gets the goods.
8. VOLUNTEER with Stop Smart Meters! Contact us at info[at]stopsmartmeters[dot]org if you want to volunteer or get more involved.
This is a grassroots effort, and we could use all the help we can get to carry on fighting for your health and safety.
9. DONATE to our ongoing campaign Donations of any amount are gratefully accepted and will contribute to our work to put a halt to the ‘smart’ meter program.
Please help keep us going with even a small donation today!
10. REDUCE your EMF exposure by
or eliminating your cell phone usage, and curtailing the use of cordless phones, wifi, microwave ovens, baby monitors, compact fluorescent lightbulbs etc. If you already have a ‘smart’ meter you have the right to have it removed.
You can also
11. DEMAND that your city/ county pass an ordinance banning ‘smart’ meters More than 57 local governments throughout California have demanded a halt
to smart meter installation, and more are considering taking action.
The full, current list is provided . Inform your local government about the rights it has over the utility- the following was sent to us by former seven-time Mayor of Fairfax CA Frank Egger:
The law is on our side and its time to give PG&E the facts:
California cities (480) and counties (58) have the right to protect the health, safety and welfare of their residents, period. PG&E touts this pre-emption line but cities and counties are legal jurisdictions with constitutional rights.
Every city and county has an approved Franchise Agreement with PG&E. Fairfax’s first franchise agreement with PG&E allowing them to operate in Town was 1938 and it was amended in 1954. Check with your city or county and ask for a copy of their PG&E Franchise Agreement. This is just one of supporting documents that gives your city or county some control over PG&E separate from the California Public Utilities Commission.
If your city or county has a Telecommunications Ordinance that governs antennae and either wireless or wired transmitters in your community, they have another legal means of authority over PG&E.
Contact Stop Smart Meters!
BEFORE WRITING.
info[at]stopsmartmeters[dot]org
No attachments please
Book We Are Reading:
Twitter updates
couple spreading awareness about smart meters- local TV news fails investigation, parrots utility propaganda
Statement on
Opt Out Fees struck down in
RT : Today: Smart Meters, EMFs, Surveillance & the Precautionary Principle
Judge Rules Electric utility's
opt out fe
refuses to reconnect
We don't want to get engaged. We don't want to date. You're like that psycho
who won't hear no
this is your organization represented pictorially:
We don't want to get engaged. We don't want to date.
You're like that psycho
who hear take no.
association cautions strongly on
effects of wireless technology.
TX takes to the streets to Stop Smart Meters!
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Disclaimer
USE OF THIS SITE DEPENDS ON AGREEMENT WITH OUR DISCLAIMER: This website is intended to help advance knowledge and stimulate further research. While all reasonable precautions have been taken to ensure the validity of the information given, no warranty is given towards its accuracy. It is not intended to substitute for medical or legal advice nor as a final statement with regard to possible prevention and avoidance recommendations or potential biological effects. No liability is accepted by the authors for damages arising from its use or misuse and interpretation by others. All references to smart meters refer to digital, wireless and powerline carrier (PLC) devices, which may vary in their emissions and frequencies.