The After Action Review (AAR) Process

Useful in business, as well as emergency situations.

A typical project review is done "post mortem" - after the fact, and well past any opportunity to change the outcome. You finish a project, and then you study it to determine what happened. From there, you decide which processes to keep and what you'll do differently next time.

That may help the next project - but it's too late for the project you've just finished. What's more, if your projects overlap with one-another, you may have already wasted too much time and too many resources in your current project, possibly with harmful effects.

Wouldn't it be better to evaluate along the way - so you can capture lessons learned after each milestone, and improve performance immediately? This is where organizations of all types, across all industries, could benefit from an ongoing review process.

The After Action Review (AAR) process was developed by the military as a way for everyone to learn quickly from soldiers' experiences in the field.

With this system, critical lessons and knowledge are transferred immediately to get the most benefit. The "field unit" has an opportunity to talk about what happened, and other teams can then use this experience right away. This helps the whole organization improve in a timely manner.
Benefits of an AAR

AARs provide an opportunity to assess what happened and why. They are learning-focused discussions that are designed to help the team's and the organization's leaders discover what to do differently. For example, when conducting organization-wide training, you might complete an AAR after the first training session, with a view to analyzing what to do better in the next session. Or, if you're changing your manufacturing process, you could do an AAR after completing the first 100 units, instead of finishing the entire run.

Depending on the nature and size of a project, you may actually do the AAR after completion. The common factor is applying the AAR process to all recurring, or repeating, events and activities, as well as those that pose a challenge. The AAR approach supports a continuous learning culture – and the desire to find and use best practices and innovative approaches.

It's important to note that AARs aren't limited just to large or formal projects. You can use them after staff meetings or regular operational functions, like month-end accounting. Also, when a safety incident occurs, an AAR can reveal important lessons.

An added benefit of the After Action Review process is that it improves communication and feedback within teams themselves. Because the focus is on learning instead of blaming, the process leads to improved understanding of team performance, and helps people think about how best to work together to produce better results.

The AAR process is related to the Deming Cycle, or Plan-Do-Check-Act (PDCA), and it's a great addition to any continuous improvement initiative. The Deming Cycle is a broader approach to solving problems and managing change. The AAR is a useful tool that works with PDCA, but it's not a substitute for it.

Conducting an After Action Review
An AAR is a structured meeting that does the following:

• Focuses on why things happened.

• Compares intended results with what was actually accomplished.

• Encourages participation.

• Emphasizes trust and the value of feedback.

For the AAR process to be successful, the team needs to discover for itself the lessons provided by the experience. The more open and honest the discussion, the better. Here are some of the key elements of an effective AAR:

• Discuss the purpose and rules: The AAR does not seek to criticize negatively, or find fault. The emphasis should be on learning, so make this clear right from the start to achieve maximum involvement, openness, and honesty.

• Use a facilitator: A neutral person helps focus the discussion. This person asks questions and can often lead the discussion in such a way that it remains nonjudgmental.

• Talk about TEAM performance: The AAR is not about individual performance. Look at how the team performed, and don't assign blame.

• Conduct the AAR as soon as possible: For feedback to be effective, it should be timely. By doing an AAR quickly, you'll get a more accurate description of what happened. This also helps ensure that all (or most) of the team can participate.

• Encourage active participation: When setting the rules, talk about trust. Emphasize that it's OK to disagree and that blame isn't part of the discussion. Personal attacks must be stopped immediately. Setting the right tone for an AAR is extremely important.

• Focus the discussion: If you ask, "How do you think that went?" this can be too broad a topic to discuss. Instead, direct participants to think about specific issues or areas: "How well did you cooperate?" "How could communication have been better?" "What planning activities were most effective?"

• Discussion questions typically center around three themes:

• What was supposed to happen? What did happen? Why was there a difference?

• What worked? What didn't work? Why?

• What would you do differently next time?

Tip:
Start by getting participants to agree on what was supposed to happen. If the original objectives were unclear, then it's unlikely that the project or activity was very successful. Once you have agreement, you can discuss actual versus intended results. You may need to return to the objectives as you move on to discuss what worked, and think about what you would do differently.

• Remember to ask open questions, so that participants don't think that there's a "right" or "wrong" answer:

• What would you have preferred to happen?

• What would you do differently next time?

• How could bad situations have been prevented?

• In your opinion, what is the ideal procedure?

Tip:
Sometimes it's helpful to have participants each write down their ideas, and then ask everyone to share. This helps you avoid groupthink, and it helps quieter individuals to contribute.

• Write the key discussion questions on a whiteboard or flipchart. This helps participants focus on the main purpose of the meeting.

• Let the team talk: This is an exercise in good communication, not just feedback and continuous learning. The better that team members communicate with one another and work out differences, the stronger they'll be in the future - as individuals and team players.

• Record the recommendations: Write down the specific recommendations made by the team. Then forward this information to other team leaders and stakeholders. This is how AARs contribute to organization-wide learning and improvement.

• Provide follow-up and training: If no one follows up on the recommendations, then the process is wasted. Create a system to ensure that the ideas gathered in the AAR are incorporated into operations and training activities.

Some great resources for AAR facilitators are Running Effective Meetings and Managing Conflict in Meetings.

Key Points:

After Action Reviews provide an effective approach for capturing lessons learned during activities and projects.

Rather than waiting until the end of a long project to evaluate how well the team did, AARs help you to incorporate continuous learning right from the start. They're also great for ensuring that the lessons learned from one project or team are shared with the rest of the organization, with a view to improving overall performance.

Continuous improvement helps us handle the changes that are happening around us. AARs help us keep open a steady dialogue about learning and improvement. They also help organizations to learn and adapt, so they can keep up with - and stay ahead of - change.

The After Action Review process is just one of many tools within the Mind Tools Career Excellence Club that help you learn continuously, and develop your skills - and improve your career - every day. Find out more about the Club by clicking here!

We call these skills and techniques "mind tools" – because that's what they are. We believe that anyone can learn these tools and apply them successfully, helping them make the very most of their careers.

The Building People Skills workbooks helps you evaluate your interpersonal skills across a range of dimensions, helping you spot strengths, and areas for development. Building on this, it helps you develop a clear, authentic and engaging style of communication that others will respect. And it concludes by teaching you how to engage with others in an even more harmonious, and mutually rewarding way.

Career Coaching - from Mind Tools: One-to-One Telephone Coaching, Focused on Your Self-Confidence, Fulfillment and Career Direction. For more Information Click Here.

Lead Excellently - Learn the Insider Secrets of Becoming a Top Leader In
Your Industry. Win the Respect and Success You Deserve! Become an exceptional leader, with "How to Lead: Discover the Leader Within You." For More Information Click Here.

Achieve more in less time - With the "Make Time For Success!" self-study program. 39 tips from the pros on managing time, effort, and others. Order the 142-page ebook to reduce your stress and free up time. For More Information Click Here.

Stress Management Masterclass - Cope With the Causes of Stress In Your Life, Not Just the Symptoms. For More Information Click Here.

Train-the-Supervisor Programs

The Supervisor Training Program developed by ModernManagers, is a turnkey new supervisor training course curriculum that is easy to host and designed for those who are not sure how to get their Supervisor Training Program started.

Implementation

Step 1:  We provide your trainers with leader’s guides and "master copies" of all materials including leader’s guides, attendee manuals, PowerPoint presentations, handouts and any other required materials.

Step 2: Your company designates trainers to deliver the program and adds your industry's terminology and selects your group.

Step 3: Your Company delivers the program with the assistance of your trainers. The trainers facilitate all workshops, exercises and provide attendee feedback.

  Being an effective leader involves much more than just getting things done. After being promoted, most new supervisors quickly discover the difficulties and challenges of managing other people.

New frontline managers must develop a whole range of critical management competencies quickly if they are to effectively carry out their new responsibilities.

You have everything to lose if your new supervisor doesn't excel. Why take that chance when you can provide your new supervisor with proven techniques to set them up for success.

Supervisor training can give you the higher level of supervisory skills required in today’s workplace

The Supervisor Training Program developed by ModernManagers, is a turnkey new supervisor training course curriculum that is easy to host and designed for those who are not sure how to get their Supervisor Training Program started.

This program is designed for new supervisors or those who have not attended any of the supervisor training programs and is a general overview of the training program and responsibilities as a supervisor.

This practical guide helps first-time supervisors master the problems and challenges they will face in their new position.

"The Trainers Workshop" is designed to be a practical, hands-on roadmap to help you quickly develop training in key business areas and allows training professional to quickly develop training in key areas.

PowerPoint presentations of all supporting material included in the course. "New Supervisor Training" helps new and experienced supervisors make the transition from individual contributor to leader with ready-made training tools and materials.

This guide provides key skills to new leaders. It contains exercises, handouts, assessments and tools to help you: set up supervisor training in record time; provide key skills to new leaders; become a more effective and efficient facilitator; and ensure training is on target and gets results.

Your employee earned your new supervisor position ...

· Non-supervisory employees who are transitioning into a supervisory position should be exposed to training as soon as possible after they are promoted, if not before. 

Managing other people is highly rewarding and demanding, and the transition from frontline employee to frontline manager—and leader—is a particular challenge.

Help make new supervisor move into your new supervisor position smoother and more successful. In their previous position they did a great job. Yet, you're smart enough to know the skills that made them a great team player won't necessarily make them a great supervisor. For any new supervisor, training is key to success in this role.

Promoted managers typically had strong technical skills as employees. They knew their job and they did it well. And while these technical skills are important to managers, they become less useful. Promoted managers must perform new tasks, uncover new knowledge, and learn new skills to be successful.

· It's not enough to follow directions ... now they must give directions about what gets done, when, and by whom. Often times these people are dealing with their newly acquired status with mixed emotions – absolutely delighted with the promotion and absolutely panic-stricken with the realization that from now on they’ll be judged by how well their subordinates perform.

· It's not enough that their projects are accurate and on time ... they have to help others keep their projects on track, and see that everyone works together. Many times, a newly promoted employee has no more supervisory skills on his first day as a supervisor than he/she did the day before as a non-supervisory employee. 

· It's not enough to focus only on their department ... suddenly they're a member of the management team. Their new peers will expect them to have a broader perspective, including other departments. With the right training they'll use what they learn right away. If a tough people problem comes up, they'll know how to handle it. When you're faced with a crisis, they'll react with confidence. they'll be better equipped to keep their team motivated, productive, and on target.

· It's not enough to keep yourself motivated ... they have to be a coach, cheerleader, and "strong shoulder" to people who have bad days, conflicts with each other, and other demands that they might not be able to satisfy. Acquiring the supervisory skills needed for success helps them avoid mistakes and also gives the trainee the opportunity to embrace the idea of leading others.

This training will help your new supervisor make the most of it!  Leadership Training is a Sound Investment

Your managers and supervisors are the role models for your organization. Give them the training and the tools to model leadership and to build the spirit of teamwork throughout your organization. Your investment in a leadership development is a sound investment, and is perhaps the best investment you can make.

Learning Why "Thank You" Is So Vital

Rewards don't have to be financial.

Imagine this scenario: One of your team members has saved the company a significant amount of money with a process she spent weeks creating. It's right before the winter holidays, so you decide to reward her with a turkey that she and her family can enjoy for dinner one night.

You make a big deal of presenting the turkey to her. She smiles and shyly accepts the gift, quickly putting it in the office refrigerator. You feel good because you rewarded her efforts, and she seemed to be happy about the recognition.

But is she? Things aren't always as they appear. You didn't take the time to find out whether or not she likes turkey, so you didn't discover that she's a vegetarian. And you didn't consider that she commutes to the office one hour by train - so by the time she gets that frozen turkey home to give away to friends, it will be a drippy, soggy mess.

Have you ever wondered why the rewards you offer don't seem to be received very well? We often hear from business experts about how important it is to reward your team. But it's equally important to take the time to find out how your team would really like to be recognized. Sometimes people don't want a bonus or pay raise. Instead, what they'd really like is a sincere "thank you" or a day off to spend with their families.

This article helps you learn the "ins and outs" of recognizing your team.

Although the idea of rewarding workers beyond their pay and benefits package seems obvious, some leaders avoid the practice, perhaps because they feel that showing appreciation undermines their authority, perhaps because they want to avoid stirring up jealousy in other members of the team, perhaps because they feel they don't have the time to do it, or perhaps because they feel embarrassed praising people openly.

This is a shame, because these attitudes reduce their own performance, and all of these problems can or should be avoided. The most successful leaders are those who recognize and reward their team's efforts. This not only builds trust, but it strengthens loyalty as well. Turnover is often much lower in teams that have a strong bond with their leader, and this impacts a company's bottom line.

You should also remember that, for the most part, the world's talent pool is shrinking - mostly due to declining birth rates, which leads to an aging workforce. This means that it's becoming harder for organizations to find the people they need. Finding and keeping talented people is a key issue, and the companies that figure out how to do this now will likely be the ones that succeed far into the future. One of the best ways to keep these people is to make sure that their hard work is appreciated. If finding the few minutes needed to recognize people is a problem, just think how much time you'd have to spend replacing them!

Appropriately rewarding team members for something they've done takes some effort on your part. If you don't put much thought into what you're doing, then you may just upset the very people you're trying to thank. This is why you should sit down with your team and find out how they'd really like to be rewarded.

For example, if your team is about to start a major project, find out:

• Which team achievements would people like to be rewarded for?
• What kind of reward would they like, as individuals and as a team?
• Would they rather celebrate with several milestones along the way, or have one big celebration when they hit the team's goal?

Learning how your team would like to be recognized, and how you can show your appreciation, is a vital step toward making sure that your efforts will be appropriate.

The return on appreciation is huge. Workers who feel appreciated are twice as likely to stay at a company than those who don't feel appreciated.
If you think you don't have time or can't afford to show appreciation to your team, then stop and think about how much you currently invest in hiring and training new people. How much would you save if your staff turnover were lower? Probably a lot, which is why recognizing your team's efforts is almost always cost-effective.

And don't think that daily gratitude will "wear out" your team. Has anyone ever thanked you so many times that it lost its meaning? Probably not. It's not likely that your team will ever get tired of receiving your appreciation.

Just make sure you're sincere about why you thank people. And don't rush the "thank you" while you're on your way somewhere else. This WILL probably make your gestures lose their meaning. Stop, look at the person, and tell him how much you appreciate what he's doing.
These small gestures cost nothing except a few seconds of your time, but their payoff is enormous.

Remember these guidelines:

• Be consistent - Consistency is vital. If you praise often during one month, and then skip the next month entirely, your team will wonder what's going on. Creating a culture of recognition and reward is important – so once you start, make sure you continue.

• Be specific - Every time you praise people on your team, be specific about what they did to deserve the recognition. If you say, "Jim did a great job yesterday!" that's not only vague, but it may cause jealousy from other team members. Being specific not only makes the person you recognize feel better, it also lets the whole team know that you're paying attention. So, detail exactly what the person did and why it made a difference.

• Know your people - You must know your team to reward them adequately. For example, if you know that someone loves art and music, then opera tickets or museum passes would probably be an appreciated, thoughtful gift. If someone else is a sports fan, then football tickets might be a great idea. Getting to know your team's interests is critical to showing your appreciation well. Send out a survey, or question them about their passions. And write it all down so you don't forget.

• Make the reward relevant - Your gift or gesture should be relevant to your team member's effort. For example, if someone comes in early for a week to make sure a project is completed on time, then a gift certificate for a great breakfast would be a good fit. If, however, the person just saved the company from a mistake that would have cost millions, then something more significant is needed!

As we said earlier, chances are high that your team isn't looking for a bonus check or pay raise to feel appreciated. Sometimes, smaller gestures go further and don't break the budget in the long run. Here are some creative ideas to consider for showing appreciation to your team:

• Offer flexible scheduling - not everyone needs, or wants, to be in the office at 8:00 a.m. Or, you could offer telecommuting days.

• Send handwritten thank-you notes when someone goes above and beyond the requirements of the job.
• Create "free day" coupons that a worker could use for a free day off - no questions asked - without using vacation or sick time.

• Take your team out to lunch - and then, as a last-minute surprise, give them the rest of the day off.

• Give out "lazy Monday" coupons to allow a team member one "free" Monday morning off.
• If you e-mail a team member to say thank you, consider copying that message to YOUR boss.

There are thousands of creative ways to say "thank you." The great thing about these gestures is that they'll probably be remembered far longer than any bonus check. You'll show your appreciation - and, at the same time, you'll strengthen the bond between you and your team.

Premium members of our Career Excellence Club can listen to our Expert Interview with Chester Elton, who talks in detail about using recognition in practice within the workplace. You can also read Bruna Martinuzzi's article on the subject, which, as well as giving elegant insights into the value of praise, points towards useful supporting resources.

Leaders need to say "thank you" regularly. Your team members will likely work much harder if they feel that what they're doing really makes a difference, and that their efforts are noticed by those with "power."

Thank-you gifts don't have to be extravagant or costly. Small gestures are often remembered longer than financial bonuses. These small, entertaining rewards can also help promote a sense of fun in the workplace, which may go a long way toward helping you retain key talent.

Mind Tools' mission is "to help people around the world learn the practical skills needed to excel in their careers".

They teach and publish the practical, proven skills and techniques that, used together, show themselves in high personal effectiveness, good leadership, career success - and even happiness.

We call these skills and techniques "mind tools" – because that's what they are. We believe that anyone can learn these tools and apply them successfully, helping them make the very most of their careers.

The Building People Skills workbooks helps you evaluate your interpersonal skills across a range of dimensions, helping you spot strengths, and areas for development. Building on this, it helps you develop a clear, authentic and engaging style of communication that others will respect. And it concludes by teaching you how to engage with others in an even more harmonious, and mutually rewarding way.

Career Coaching - from Mind Tools: One-to-One Telephone Coaching, Focused on Your Self-Confidence, Fulfillment and Career Direction. For more Information Click Here.

Lead Excellently - Learn the Insider Secrets of Becoming a Top Leader In
Your Industry. Win the Respect and Success You Deserve! Become an exceptional leader, with "How to Lead: Discover the Leader Within You." For More Information Click Here.

Achieve more in less time - With the "Make Time For Success!" self-study program. 39 tips from the pros on managing time, effort, and others. Order the 142-page ebook to reduce your stress and free up time. For More Information Click Here.

Stress Management Masterclass - Cope With the Causes of Stress In Your Life, Not Just the Symptoms. For More Information Click Here.

Lessons From The Geese - Useful In

Another fact I would like to share was that the honking of the geese we hear as they migrate is actually them encouraging each other to continue on. Okay, perhaps that could arguably be considered an opinion, but so what?!

It made me think of how we can emulate the compassionate and wise behavior of the geese. It also reminded me of something I have always felt and that is being in the company of like-minded people elicits a sense of strength, purpose, and community.

So what can we learn from our fine feathered friends, the geese?

1. The 'V' formation adds the whole flock extra flying range.
Lesson: People who share a sense of community can help each other get where they are going more easily because they are traveling on the trust of one another.

2. When a goose falls out of formation, it suddenly feels the drag and resistance of flying alone. It quickly moves back to take advantage of the lifting power of the birds in front.
Lesson: If we have as much sense as geese, we stay in formation with those headed where we want to go. We are willing to accept their help and give our help to others because we are traveling on the trust of one another.

3. When the lead goose tires, it drops back into the formation and another goose flies to the point position.
Lesson: It pays to take turns doing the hard tasks. We should respect and protect each other's unique arrangement of skills, capabilities, talents and resources.

4. The geese flying in formation honk to encourage those up front to keep up with their speed.
Lesson: We need to make sure our honking is encouraging. In teams where there is encouragement, production (result) is much greater. Individual empowerment results from quality honking.

5. When a goose gets sick, two geese drop out of formation and follow it down to help and protect it.
Lesson: If we have as much sense as geese, we will stand by each other in difficult times as well as we are strong.
The most productive outcomes occur when each member helps out the other so that their combined efforts will create the best result because no one person had to do it all. This is similar to multi level marketing.

When we're 'in charge', share the position, don't get power hungry, and ask for input from others. When we are not 'in charge', offer to help, carry your own weight. In either case, say thanks to others involved. Cheer each other on when the going gets rough. Maybe if we offer encouragement right from the start, it may not even get rough!

If a friend ever gets frustrated, feels overwhelmed, and wants to quit, the best thing you can do for them is quality HONK!

Use these principles over and over again. It will not only lift your mood but help you to develop commitment to peak performance within yourself and within your teams. By: Jackie Khor

Effectively trained and better skilled staff will benefit any organization in striving to become a better performing business, however the method, efficiency and speed at which it can be done, has been changed forever.

The new breed of Learning Management Systems, provide organizations with the ability to target the delivery of training to those who require it, driving better business performance through better employee performance.

It is a worn out cliché that people are an organizations best asset. However, they are also an organization’s greatest expense. That's why it's so important to ensure employees are kept up to a level where they're able to perform to the best of their ability and provide the organization with the best possible rate of return.

However to acquire the skills and knowledge necessary to fulfill their role, every employee needs to undergo training and further development. It makes sense then, to ensure that there is a specific process surrounding the training and development of the employee.

Thus ensuring the employee not only learns the basics and fundamentals of their role, to perform it at an optimal level, but also continues to increase their skills, knowledge and abilities, which ultimately brings further benefit to the organization.

So how do we do this without hiring a team of HR consultants who will want to change your entire organizational culture and put more fish tanks around the office?

Say hello to the new breed of Supervisor Training Systems -- all inclusive solutions that provide the identification, mapping, training and tracking of employee skills and knowledge.

ModernManagers.com offers a program in accordance with the desires of most Senior Management to ensure the quality of the work of its supervisory staff to foster employee satisfaction, growth and development, and to minimize the legal, financial, and physical risks posed by insufficient leadership training .

Help new and experienced supervisors make the transition from individual contributor to a leader with ready-made training tools and materials in ModernManagers.com practical, hands-on guide. Everything you need to quickly administer a new supervisor training program is included.

The end result is a system that helps businesses ensure their staff is provided with training that is specific, relevant and timely

  The skills to conduct effective interviews are critical at every level of the office hierarchy. An employee will experience the interview process from getting hired into the organization, to daily interactions with customers and higher-ups, even during performance appraisals, all the way to exit interviewers should the employee resigns or retires from the company.

Frontline staff needs some degree of interviewing skills to thresh out and clarify customer concerns.

Middle managers must be able to probe their staff members to assess their performance and address any area of needs which may not be obvious in the conduct of day-to-day operations.

Higher management needs to interview the rest of the organization to draw out problems, or solutions to problems and is crucial in the pursuit of business development, managerial promotions as well as in maintaining high-key customer relationships.

The value of interviewer training goes beyond the recruitment process, contrary to what most people may perceive. The interview activity is used in just about every aspect of a business.

While interviewing may seem as simple as an exchange of questions and answers, the real skillful interviewer will be able to derive answers and valuable information that may otherwise go unspoken in normal conversations.

This is why interviewer training is critical for any personnel that needs to interact with a client, a potential candidate or another employee of the company.

The people who must be proficient in interviewing includes the human resource department, the customer service staff, auditors, supervisors, managers and the top executives.

This demonstrates clearly that interviewer training is an indispensable requirement in workforce development.

The Role of the Interviewer

The interviewer’s role is critical in any business environment because their aim is to assess qualifications and competencies as compared against the business objectives of the company.

For example, the human resource interviewer may look at the qualifications of a candidate for a job opening.

A manager may probe into the performance of staff members and see if they are operating up to expectations.

The chief executives will need to interview key employees to determine issues and come up with solutions to fulfill the goals of the business organization.

In addition, the interviewer does not simply ask questions to their subjects. The interviewer must be able to elicit a response as well as challenge that response appropriately to test and verify the information provided.

During recruitment especially, everybody puts their best foot forward in hopes of landing the job. The interviewer needs to be aware of verbal and non-verbal cues exhibited by the interviewee to properly assess the value of the response.

Areas in Interviewer Training

In interviewer training, the following areas must be addressed:
• Enhancement of listening skills
• Preparation of interview questions
• Becoming familiar with common answers
• Developing probing skills or the ability to draw answers
• Understanding body language

Other matters that require learning concerning the conduct of interviews include pacing of questions, proper phrasing and being conscious of interviewer bias.

Interviews are at the core of staffing development from recruitment to post-employment. Interviewer training is therefore vital at every step of the organizational ladder.

Through interviewer training, businesses can save precious dollars that would otherwise be siphoned off by high employee turnover rates and failed business objectives that may be attributed to faulty interviews.

America’s housing and bank financial crisis demonstrates the lack of good Manager Training and Supervisor Training and has taken on new meaning in today’s work place. Everybody seemed to be blissfully following allegiance and working happily in their position while the companies were suffering terribly and imploding.

There are pitfalls to a mindless following like this.  Executive leadership training is meant to train leaders in recognizing this and finding a balance between alignment verses bandwagoning and blind allegiance mentality, which can stifle creative independent thought.

This is basically saying the idea of merely doing something because "it's my job," rather than a personal feeling and the belief that doing the work is the right thing to do.

Successful companies are looking to maintain that winning streak. New Supervisor Training and Management Training needs to find its way back into many "successful" businesses as a mainstay once again.

Leadership training is meant to help new supervisors and new managers learn new methods that help them go where they want to go with their business, bringing their workers and constituents along -- willingly -- with them. This is done by evoking change in the company's culture.

Some of the pitfalls within the company structure should be looked at. Mostly this has to do with the overall corporate attitude or culture. One may venture to think of companies in the tech industry during the turn of the 21st century that were overvalued or had corruption run rampant -- they possibly had a slice of this negative culture style.

For the most part, executive leadership training needs to begin with management: CEO, executives and general managers.

Depending on where management wants to go with the company and the flow of information our new supervisor training guide typically deals with the culture and thought process within the company and helps the new supervisor or new manager:

- Building trust for executives and staff alike
- Aligning belief system and promoting teamwork
- Empowering all levels to take ownership of their work
- Refining communication and transparency

You may be familiar with past employers who, you can tell, held a position in a company that suffered from bad culture. One dominant style of executive leadership style is where there is a micro controlled system will a lot of policy and negative reinforcement measures. Bureaucracy and procedural adherence is forced upon new employees. If not like this, then the groupthink opposite could occur.

	Are you sending and receiving accurately?

Communication skills are some of the most important skills that you need to succeed in the workplace.

We talk to people face to face, and we listen when people talk to us. We write emails and reports, and we read the documents that are sent to us. Communication, therefore, is a process that involves at least two people - a sender and a receiver. For it to be successful, the receiver must understand the message in the way that the sender intended.

This sounds quite simple. But have you ever been in a situation where this hasn't happened? Misunderstanding and confusion often occur, and they can cause enormous problems.

If you want to be an expert communicator, you need to be effective at all points in the communication process - and you must be comfortable with the different channels of communication. When you communicate well, you can be very successful. On the other hand, poor communicators struggle to develop their careers beyond a certain point.

So are you communicating effectively? Take this short quiz to find out.

The Communication Quiz

Instructions:
For each question, circle the number in the column that most applies.
 

Statement		Not at all	Rarely	Some times	Often	Very Often
1	I try to anticipate and predict possible causes of confusion, and I deal with them up front.	1	2	3	4	5
2	When I write a memo, email, or other document, I give all of the background information and detail I can to make sure that my message is understood.	5	4	3	2	1
3	If I don't understand something, I tend to keep this to myself and figure it out later.	5	4	3	2	1
4	I'm sometimes surprised to find that people haven't understood what I've said.	5	4	3	2	1
5	I tend to say what I think, without worrying about how the other person perceives it. I assume that we'll be able to work things out later.	5	4	3	2	1
6	When people talk to me, I try to see their perspectives.	1	2	3	4	5
7	I use email to communicate complex issues with people. It's quick and efficient.	5	4	3	2	1
8	When I finish writing a report, memo, or email, I scan it quickly for typos and so forth, and then send it off right away.	5	4	3	2	1
9	When talking to people, I pay attention to their body language.	1	2	3	4	5
10	I use diagrams and charts to help express my ideas.	1	2	3	4	5
11	Before I communicate, I think about what the person needs to know, and how best to convey it.	1	2	3	4	5
12	When someone's talking to me, I think about what I'm going to say next to make sure I get my point across correctly.	5	4	3	2	1
13	Before I send a message, I think about the best way to communicate it (in person, over the phone, in a newsletter, via memo, and so on).	1	2	3	4	5
14	I try to help people understand the underlying concepts behind the point I'm discussing. This reduces misconceptions and increases understanding.	1	2	3	4	5
15	I consider cultural barriers when planning my communications.	1	2	3	4	5

  Score Interpretation

Now add up the scores you've circled.

Detailed Interpretation

Whenever you communicate effectively with someone else, you and the other person follow the steps of the communication process shown below.

Here, the person who is the source of the communication encodes it into a message, and transmits it through a channel. The receiver decodes the message, and, in one way or another, feeds back understanding or a lack of understanding to the source.

By understanding the steps in the process, you can become more aware of your role in it, recognize what you need to do to communicate effectively, anticipate problems before they happen, and improve your overall ability to communicate effectively.

The sections below help you do this, and help you improve the way you communicate at each stage of the process.

The Source: Planning Your Message (Questions 1, 2, 11)

For questions in this category, fill in your scored answers in the table below, and then calculate your total.

Before you start communicating, take a moment to figure out what you want to say, and why. Don't waste your time conveying information that isn't necessary - and don't waste the listener or reader's time either. Too often, people just keep talking or keep writing - because they think that by saying more, they'll surely cover all the points. Often, however, all they do is confuse the people they're talking to.

To plan your communication (Premium Members):

When you do this, you'll be able to craft a message that will be received positively by your audience.

Good communicators use the KISS (Premium Members) ("Keep It Simple and Straightforward") principle. They know that less is often more, and that good communication should be efficient as well as effective.

Encoding: Creating a Clear, Well-Crafted Message
(Questions 1, 5, 8, 10, 15)

For questions in this category, fill in your scored answers in the table below, and then calculate your total.

When you know what you want to say, decide exactly how you'll say it. You're responsible for sending a message that's clear and concise. To achieve this, you need to consider not only what you'll say, but also how you think the recipient will perceive it.

We often focus on the message that we want to send, and the way in which we'll send it. But if our message is delivered without considering the other person's perspective, it's likely that part of that message will be lost. To communicate more effectively:

• Understand what you truly need to say.
• Anticipate the other person's reaction to your message.
• Choose words and, if appropriate, use body language that helps the other person really hear what you're saying.

With written communication, make sure that what you write will be perceived the way you intend. Words on a page generally have no emotion - they don't "smile" or "frown" at you while you're reading them (unless you're a very talented writer, of course!)

When writing, take time to do the following:

Another important consideration is to use pictures, charts, and diagrams wherever possible. As the saying goes, "a picture speaks a thousand words." Our article on charts and graphs has some great tips that help you to use these to communicate clearly.

Also, whether you speak or write your message, consider the cultural context. If there's potential for miscommunication or misunderstanding due to cultural or language barriers, address these issues in advance. Consult with people who are familiar with these, and do your research so that you're aware of problems you may face. See our articles on Communicating Internationally (Premium Members) and Effective Cross-Culture Communication (Premium Members) for more help.

Choosing the Right Channel (Questions 7, 11, 13)

For questions in this category, fill in your scored answers in the table below, and then calculate your total.

Along with encoding the message, you need to choose the best communication channel to use to send it. You want to be efficient, and yet make the most of your communication opportunity.

Using email to send simple directions is practical. However, if you want to delegate a complex task, an email will probably just lead to more questions, so it may be best to arrange a time to speak in person. And if your communication has any negative emotional content, stay well away from email! Make sure that you communicate face to face or by phone, so that you can judge the impact of your words and adjust these appropriately.

When you determine the best way to send a message, consider the following:

Decoding: Receiving and Interpreting a Message (Questions 3, 6, 12, 14)

For questions in this category, fill in your scored answers in the table below, and then calculate your total.

It can be easy to focus on speaking: we want to get our points out there, because we usually have lots to say. However, to be a great communicator, you also need to step back, let the other person talk, and just listen.

This doesn't mean that you should be passive. Listening is hard work, which is why effective listening is called active listening. To listen actively, give your undivided attention to the speaker:

Empathic listening (Premium Members) also helps you decode a message accurately. To understand a message fully, you have to understand the emotions and underlying feelings the speaker is expressing. This is where an understanding of body language can also be useful.

Feedback (Questions 3, 4, 9)

For questions in this category, fill in your scored answers in the table below, and then calculate your total.

You need feedback, because without it, you can't be sure that people have understood your message. Sometimes feedback is verbal, and sometimes it's not. We've looked at the importance of asking questions and listening carefully. However, feedback through body language is perhaps the most important source of clues to the effectiveness of your communication. By watching the facial expressions, gestures, and posture of the person you're communicating with, you can spot:

As a speaker, understanding your listener's body language can give you an opportunity to adjust your message and make it more understandable, appealing, or interesting. As a listener, body language can show you more about what the other person is saying. You can then ask questions to ensure that you have, indeed, understood each other. In both situations, you can better avoid miscommunication if it happens.

Feedback can also be formal. If you're communicating something really important, it can often be worth asking questions of the person you're talking to to make sure that they've understood fully. And if you're receiving this sort of communication, repeat it in your own words to check your understanding.

Key Points:

It can take a lot of effort to communicate effectively. However, you need to be able to communicate well if you're going to make the most of the opportunities that life has to offer.

By learning the skills you need to communicate effectively, you can learn how to communicate your ideas clearly and effectively, and understand much more of the information that's conveyed to you.

As either a speaker or a listener, or as a writer or a reader, you’re responsible for making sure that the message is communicated accurately. Pay attention to words and actions, ask questions, and watch body language. These will all help you ensure that you say what you mean, and hear what is intended.

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