Managing People for Improved Performance

Midlands Regional Probation Training Consortium has been running this programme in probation areas and trusts across the Midlands for three years. The programme is accredited by the Chartered Management Institute.  This programme is suitable for all middle managers especially those in the early stages of their career.

The programme consists of a mix of taught days and Action Learning Sets. The Learning Sets are an opportunity to work in a small facilitated group to address issues that are challenging the members and to relate the learning on the course to real life situations. They are an integral and essential part of the course. Learners will be expected to attend every session except in very exceptional circumstances.

The aim of the programme is to facilitate and support personal and group learning and development in order to develop managers who are more confident and competent to manage performance, cope with changes as they affect them and to perform the full range of management tasks effectively.

Learning Outcomes for Middle Managers

On completion of this programme participants should be able to:

• Manage their staff through the performance management process including planning and running supervision, appraisal and personal development meetings
• Apply their understanding of Kolb’s Learning Cycle to the supervision process in order to ensure that supervisees are always learning and therefore improving performance
• Apply their understanding of their own and others learning styles of to ensure that supervisees can learn and therefore maximise performance
• Use their power and authority appropriately in the supervisory relationship
• Develop and adapt their interaction style according to the situation and person you are dealing with in order to increase their influence and thereby maximise performance
• Set SMART objectives and follow these up during the supervision cycle
• Write and manage learning plans
• Coach their staff for improved performance
• Use the appropriate policies and procedures for managing staff
• Manage challenging staff situations effectively
• Develop their teams to work effectively, so that members support each other and performance is enhanced
• Lead and manage change, understanding and managing the effect it has on individuals and themselves
• Develop and use a solution focused and motivational approach to managing staff.

Learning Methods

The programme (30 guided learning hours) will consist of:

• 3 training days – These will be interactive and engaging and focus on the real life experience of learners
• 3 Action Learning Sets (1/2 day) one following each training day. The learning sets will be an integral part of the course and will be run with smaller groups than the training days. The learning sets will give participants an opportunity to consolidate their learning and to address an issue that is of concern to them, in a systematic way with the support of their peers and the facilitator. Learning sets also teach participants valuable skills such as asking facilitative questions, active listening, being solution focused and problem solving which they can use in supervision and appraisal to develop their own staff.

Learners will be provided with a comprehensive learning manual with support materials for the course and the assessment and space to record their own learning. Previous learners have told us that they keep these on their desks and use them for reference long after the course has finished.

The programme is a generic management skills course and congruent with National Occupational Standards for Managers. It is also congruent with the NOMs Probation Leadership and Management Framework and the Prison Service Leadership Qualities Framework.

Accreditation: The programme is accredited and participants will have the opportunity to undertake assessment for the Chartered Institute of Management Level 5 Certificate in Leadership and Management Award in Performance Management by submitting 3 1000 word assignments. The Award is a qualification in its own right and this will give you 9 credits towards the full certificate (13 credits).  The qualification is nationally and internationally recognised.  MRPTC offers further units or you could complete the certificate at a local college.

The Programme

Module One: Introduction to the programme and to the accreditation process

• Overview of programme
• Getting the most out of the programme
• Learning Contract
• Evaluating the training
• Looking at the strategic context
• The Legitimate Use of Authority
• Supervision/staff development as a Learning event and Learning Styles
• Taking a Solution Focused Approach
• Introducing the Assessment Process
• Action Learning.

Module Two: Supervision and Appraisal

• Understanding the role of supervision and appraisal in managing people, using straightforward underpinning theories
• Understanding the organisational  context of supervision and appraisal
• The nuts and bolts of the supervision and appraisal interviews
• Personal style and situational leadership
• Managing a diverse workforce fairly
• Setting and managing SMART objectives.

Module Two: Developing your Staff

• Understanding and helping staff who are ‘stuck’
• Identifying individual learning needs within set objectives
• Writing and managing development plans
• Practical performance coaching skills (this will form the major part of this day).

Module Three: Leading Sustained Improvement

• Understanding and using policies and procedures
• Giving feedback
• Motivating staff
• Using assertive influencing skills
• Using authority appropriately
• Being solution focused
• Structuring and managing performance improvement plans.

Action learning Sets: These are an opportunity to work in a small facilitated group to address issues that are challenging the members and to relate the learning on the course to real life situations.  They are an integral and essential part of the course. Each set will consist of 5 or 6 people meeting for half a day each.

National Occupational Standards that apply to the programme:

• A1: Manage their own resources
• A2: Manage their own resources and professional development
• A3: Develop their personal networks
• B5: Provide Leadership for their team
• B11: Promote equality of opportunity and diversity in their area of responsibility
• B12: Promote equality of opportunity and diversity in their organisation
• D1: Develop productive working relationships with colleagues
• D5: Allocate and check work in their team
• D6: Allocate and monitor the progress and quality of work in their area of responsibility
• D7: Provide learning opportunities for colleagues
• F11: Improve organisation performance.

More Information:

Sally Cherry – Learning and Development Manager (Management Development)  Midlands Regional Probation Training Consortium

T: 0121 730 3360  M: 079769011987

E: sally.cherry@swm.probation.gsi.gov.uk