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A quarterly e-newsletter for new U of M Supervisors - Summer 2011
Whether in an administrative office, college, or other group setting, employees need to work together to accomplish goals and meet high standards. It is typically the work group manager's task to help employees cooperate, communicate, and maximize effort within the group to achieve success. However, this can be challenging because employees come from diverse backgrounds, with different skill sets, and can have competing interests. The Organizational Development Consulting Group in the Office of Human Resources has assembled information and resources that managers can use to help their work groups perform at higher levels. This information resides in the Manager's Toolkit in the Work Group Development section. Topics include:
Recommended by Corey Bonnema, Coordinator of Supervisory Development
Are you a manager or supervisor who has a hard time delegating work to others or works much longer hours than those who report to you? If so, then The One Minute Managers Meets The Monkey by Ken Blanchard is the book for you.
This short, 130-page book expertly explains the knowledge and skills needed to effectively and efficiently delegate work to others. The key to understanding the lessons in the book begins with the author's definition of a manager. Blanchard defines a manager as someone who needs to accomplish work through other people. If a manager does too much of the work of their team then they aren't a very good manager.
To illustrate important concepts the author uses the experiences of a first time manager and the practical problems they confront. The book shows how failing to delegate can have adverse impacts on a manager as well, such as becoming overworked or losing their cool.
In this book the word "monkey" is used as a metaphor. A monkey simply refers to a task or a project. Every task requires possession and supervision. Some monkeys are opportunities but many monkeys can make a manager a bottle neck and immobilize and lessen opportunities for an organization.
This book would be most useful for less experienced U of M managers who want simple, easy to understand suggestions on how to delegate work.
The on-line edition of the Wall Street Journal has done video interviews with private and public sector leaders; about 4-6 minutes in length each. In these segments leaders offer their advice on topics ranging from how to hold fewer meetings to giving negative feedback.
Tips from Wall Street Journal reporters and columnists on topics ranging from developing a leadership style to managing change.
This course is a pre-requisite for "Transitions and Change: Managing Transitions at Work." Major transitions at work are becoming more and more common. This session will outline how change and transition affect your work and personal life. This session will introduce transition and change models and allow time to practice with tools that will help you be successful in changing times. Read more
June 21, 1-4 p.m., 210 Donhowe
Supervisors and team leaders take this course as a follow-up to "Transitions and Change: Understanding the Dynamics of Change." Supervisors and team leaders play a key role in ensuring that change and transition occur smoothly and successfully. This session will provide the tools you need to effectively manage transitions and change within your work group. Read more
August 2, 1-4 p.m., 210 Donhowe
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Supervisory Development Program
Corey Bonnema, Program Coordinator
200 Donhowe Building, 319 15th Ave. S.E., Minneapolis, MN 55455