Developing Professional Practice in Hrd free essay sample

Until recently HRD has been seen as a reactive support function, but your role has evolved to reflect the changing nature of the HRD function as it becomes more of a strategic business partner. Development budgets have also become centralised completely to the HRD function. You have conducted a needs analysis and the manager’s view of his team’s development needs doesn’t match your own findings. To complicate things, some small groups have emerged in his section, with conflicting views on the need for development and what form it should take. Task Your approach to meeting the development needs favours on the manager doing some on-the-job coaching and providing shadowing opportunities elsewhere in the business. The manager strongly disagrees, believing that the performance issues can be rectified by his team attending a short off site training course. He now believes more senior management intervention is needed to resolve the growing disagreement between you both. We will write a custom essay sample on Developing Professional Practice in Hrd or any similar topic specifically for you Do Not WasteYour Time HIRE WRITER Only 13.90 / page †¢ What do you think are the potential sources of conflict between you and the manager? Firstly the manager’s length of service, having been with the company for â€Å"several years† suggests that he possibly sees himself as an expert in his role and is averse to the changing culture of the HRD function. He may lack understanding of my role as a strategic business partner having been used to the function previously providing reactive support. Is he resentful about a collaborative style of working? Does he feel that his expertise is being taken away in the decision making processes? Is he playing power games and engaging in political behaviour to enhance his own position? Organisation politics are a reality in most organisations, and while game-playing might outwardly appear to be wasted time, it is necessary in order to secure resources, progress ideas, achieve personal goals and often to enhance one’s standing. † https://dspace. lib. cranfield. ac. uk/bitstream/1826/4342/1/You_stab_my_back. p df His control of the development budget has been taken away and is now managed by the HRD function. Does this make him feel that responsibility has been taken away from him, taking away power and causing resentment towards me as a representative from HRD. Again, this could give cause for him to engage in politics to ascertain his position. Politics within an organisation can be vital in the progression of objectives, gaining different ideas, skills and views. The danger lies in these differences not being acknowledged or managed skilfully. The findings from my needs analysis immediately contradict his viewpoint and challenge his knowledge of his own team’s needs. The manager believes that training courses are the answer to all of his team’s performance issues – I believe that on the job coaching is a more effective way of managing performance another direct conflict of views. In sending them on a training course, the onus is put on the HRD function. In carrying out regular on the spot coaching, the onus lies on the manager. Does he fear this? I see benefit in the manager shadowing others within the business as a part of his development so that he can see how effectively on the job coaching is working in other parts of the business. The potential conflict will be getting him to see the benefits of on the job coaching and getting him to shadow to see those benefits! Why do you think the different groups within the function have conflicting thoughts about the need for development and the form it should take? The formation of smaller groups within the team concerns me and particularly their conflicting views on the need for development and the form it should take. How well does the manager manage his team? How much of an interest does he take in the development of his team on an individual and group basis? How often does he speak to them about their developme nt? How encouraging is he? How is he managing the small groups? How much influence does he have over certain team members? Their views could be genuinely held and genuinely match their manager’s, but as the groups have â€Å"emerged† I suspect that he is influencing them through using his power as a manager. Potential sources of power that he could be using can be identified by French and Raven’s research (DPPPparticipantpack Page 40): Legitimate – do they believe that because he is their manager that he has the right to expect compliance and acceptance of his own views on their development? Reward – do they believe that he has the ability to give them the development that they want or prevent them from getting any unless they agree with his views? Expert – is the manager declaring that he knows what’s best for them having been in the position for several years? Referent – does the manager have closer interpersonal relationships with certain members who he can influence more easily? Coercive – does the manager issue threats to certain team members if they don’t agree with his views? These threats can be about redundancy, demotion or similar. If the manager is using any of the above sources of power to influence his team, then this would need to be found out and addressed very quickly. I’d like to think that the workshops mentioned later in the assignment may gives hints around why small groups have emerged so that these behaviours can be managed moving forwards. †¢ What would you do to avoid conflict developing between you and the manager? In Tuckmann’s Team Development Model (DPPPparticipantpack Page 36), we are at the â€Å"storming† stage of our relationship. At this stage we have got to know each other through the â€Å"forming† stage and our differences in opinions are coming to the surface and disagreements have arisen. We need to work through this to reach the next phase in our relationship – â€Å"norming† so that we can start to agree goals and solutions to achieve them. I need to remain assertive and not take his game playing personally, but rather see it as a vital part in the progress of our relationship. My first action point in preventing conflict from developing would be to set up a meeting with the manager to discuss our potential sources of conflict. I’d explain beforehand that I’d like the objective of the meeting to focus on finding a solution to at least one of the areas of conflict and agree an action plan that we can move forward with. According to Thomas-Kilmann’s conflict styles, this represents a collaborative style of dealing with conflict. â€Å"Collaborating involves an attempt to work with others to find some solution that fully satisfies their concerns. It means digging into an issue to pinpoint the underlying needs and wants of the two individuals. Collaborating between two persons might take the form of exploring a disagreement to learn from each others insights or trying to find a creative solution to an interpersonal problem. † http://www. kilmann. com/conflict. tml During the meeting I’d encourage him to be honest with his views before sharing mine. This would avoid him thinking that I was there purely to impose my own views and shows that I’m interested in his points of view. Whilst he’s talking, I will actively listen to his views and ask questions to gain an in-depth understanding. I wouldn’t mention my own views at this point. In doing this he gets to talk about his concerns; I get to listen and understand what lies behind them. It also sets the tone for the meeting and allows for an open and honest conversation on both sides. When he’s finished talking, I will talk through my points of view and encourage him to ask questions, in the same way that I did with him. This is where influencing, persuasion and negotiation can start†¦ †¢ How would you persuade him of the benefits of your approach and gain his approval to avoid senior management intervention? In holding the initial meeting with him and gaining an understanding of his needs and concerns, I can start to influence and persuade him by presenting a factual and balanced case around the actions I have in mind. There are four basic influencing skills which I’d use during the meeting: †¢ Asserting Using positive and assertive language. Expressing my views clearly, directly and honestly. †¢ Bridging Drawing out his points of view by listening and questioning to show that I’ve understood what he’s saying and linking my views with his. Attracting Aiming to get him enthused by my propositions and getting him to feel he is taking part in an important and exciting project Observing Watching his reactions to what I’m saying through his body language, facial expressions, tone of voice and verbal reaction. †¢ These basic skills form a fundamental part of the negotiation process which will take place with the manager. To effectively negotiate I’d need to ensure that before the meeting I prepare myself by: †¢ †¢ †¢ †¢ defining my objective(s) and thinking about what I’d like to achieve by the end of it get the facts and wri te them all down organise my argument in thinking about how I present my ideas in a positive and enthusiastic way anticipate objections from him During the meeting I’d: †¢ †¢ †¢ †¢ †¢ †¢ find out what the manager wants through listening and asking questions look for hidden agendas prepare a simple presentation, with impact but ensuring that I keep it on his level and use a language that he’ll understand make him a contributor to my ideas by involving him and encouraging his input sell the benefits positively gain commitment and take immediate action DPPPparticipantpack Page 39 The immediate action from this meeting would be to agree our top priority to work with. The top priority that I’d try to influence during the meeting would be to go right back to basics and revisit the needs analysis for the team. I’d suggest running workshops with the team, which both of us would co-facilitate. By doing this, the manager would hear directly from his people what their development needs are, at the same time as me, which would allow us to progress with our next plan of action. In doing this, we are working together at each stage which will help to build trust and develop a collaborative style of working. Your word count is 1500 (+/- 10%). References used: https://dspace. lib. cranfield. ac. uk/bitstream/1826/4342/1/You_stab_ my_back. pdf DPPPparticipantpack Page 36 http://www. kilmann. com/conflict. html DPPPparticipantpack Page 39 DPPPparticipantpack Page 40 Bibliography www. mindtools. com www. businessballs. com www. cipd. co. uk DPPPparticipantpack Include a list of cited References and a separate Bibliography of sources consulted but not specifically mentioned in preparing your response. These do not count towards your word count. Understand what is required to be an effective and efficient HRD professional Tips CIPD Assessment Criteria met from this activity 3. 1 Describe the elements of group dynamics and conflict resolution methods. 3. 2 Apply a range of methods for influencing, persuading and negotiating with others. 3. 3 Explain the presence of political behaviour and how it impacts on achieving organisation objectives.