Self Management in the workplace Flashcards
(14 cards)
Adapting and being flexible
Adapting and being flexible are important attributes in the workplace. Both these skills improve working relationships, especially within teams.
•Adapting or being flexible means that you are willing to change in order to adapt to different situations or conditions.
•For example: changing your plans or schedule in order to accommodate an urgent meeting, taking on new responsibilities as part of your role, accepting the use of new systems and processes, or offering help to another team member.
Benefits of adapting and being flexible
Have a backup plan.
Be able to accommodate last minute changes.
Be able to accept business decisions.
Be able to change their own habits to accommodate others.
Emotional intelligence
Emotional intelligence is the ability to perceive, use, understand, manage and handle emotions.
In the workplace this ability will help you adapt your emotions when working with others and have an impact workplace interactions. It will allow you to communicate effectively.
Minimise unconscious bias
Unconscious bias is automatically making judgements based on aspects not relevant to the situation. In the workplace this could be making a HR decision based on someone’s friendship with a person rather than their ability to do the job.
Support work activities
Emotional intelligence can improve work activities as it will allow people to be aware of others’ emotions, increase ability to make good decisions, manage stress and accept constant change.
Prioritising work
To ensure you meet your goals, objectives and deadlines you must prioritise your own workload.
•This will ensure you allow yourself enough time to complete the tasks allocated and deliver to a high standard
•You will also waste less time by having a clear plan for your tasks that need to be completed.
How to prioritise work
Make a list of the tasks you have been allocated.
Agree a realistic deadline for completion of the work (allowing for any potential delays or extra ‘buffer’ time).
Identify which of the tasks are urgent and which are lower priority.
Estimate the time required for completion of each task.
Keep an updated list of the priorities.
Use a scheduling tool.
Use a calendar to keep track of dates & availability.
Delegate tasks where appropriate.
Accountability
Accountability is taking ownership of your work and the actions that happen as a result of the work you completed.
It is being responsible and able to justify the decisions you decided to make.
How to be accountable
Showing honesty and fully owning your work.
If you make a mistake, then apologise.
Not blaming others or making excuses.
Being responsible and being able to justify.
Taking ownership of any decisions made.
Reflecting on the decisions you made to find out how they could have been more effective.
Escalate a problem
When issues occur at work you may need to escalate them to a manager or senior colleague.
Understanding how and when to escalate a problem or concern will reduce any conflict associated with the escalation.
When to escalate a problem or concern
It is also important to understand when to escalate a problem in the workplace, in order to ensure that the problem can be dealt with appropriately and within a timely manner.
Feedback
Feedback in the workplace environment is important as it allows staff to learn more about strengths and weaknesses and areas that need particular focus in relation to their work.
•Giving feedback also allows for any issues to be resolved and is an opportunity give others positive or constructive feedback.
•Feedback can be used by both individuals and the wider organisation. It is important in order to help both parties understand their strengths, weakness and opportunities for improvement.
Individual feedback
How to improve morale in the workplace (an open and honest culture).
Increase staff productivity.
Identify areas for improvement.
Identify areas that they do well (strengths).
Make staff feel better about themselves.
Organisation feedback
The identification of areas for improvement in the organisation.
Action to be taken quicker to resolve problems.
Provision of invaluable insights across the organisation.
Continual improvement across the organisation in relation to processes, staffing and service.
Feedback from customers in areas such as products and service.
