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Leading remote teams
Written by John Berry on 15th February 2021. Revised 25th February 2021.
6 min read
Commentators suggest that leading remote teams during lockdown is new. It's not - it’s just that a whole new cohort of managers is being challenged to perform in this new environment. We argue that managers must engineer opportunities for exchange, ensure that organisational goals are widely understood and support the hell out of their people. Here's how.
Eleven crass things managers do when recruiting
Written by John Berry on 31st August 2020. Revised 22nd February 2021.
6 min read
Interviews are two-way affairs. Many managers forget this and assume that the interviewee is super-keen to have the job – and as a result the manager can do anything and say anything to the interviewee without negative effect on their organisation. You and your management team who might conduct interviews are on measure too. Make the effort and bolster your organisation's reputation.
Fourteen crass questions managers should not ask at interview
Written by John Berry on 31st August 2020. Revised 22nd February 2021.
6 min read
When asking questions at interview, the manager is looking for evidence that the interviewee is going to excel in the job. Simply, if your questions don’t provide evidence, don’t ask them. If your questions can’t be objectively scored against a required competency, don’t ask them. Here are fourteen popular questions that fail to provide evidence.
Walk then run: the golden rule of personnel development
Written by John Berry on 18th February 2021.0
3 min read
You can’t build on weak foundations. No amount of high-level training can plug the lower-level skills and knowledge gaps. Any re-skilling or technology introduction must begin with an audit of skills and knowledge. Training may be needed to level-up foundation competencies in readiness for specific training on new systems. So… in personnel development, walk, then run.
How will work and the workhome change post-Covid?
Written by John Berry on 27th January 2021. Revised 31st January 2021.
10 min read
A number of modern trends, along with the upset of the Covid virus, have put pressure on firms to accept more flexibility in the way their employees work. Arguably, flexibility and working from home can enhance wellbeing. The drivers for lasting change are there. But so are the difficulties. Time will tell if flexibility and home working take hold universally.
The Role of Competency in Staff Development
Written by Sue Berry on 1st November 2017. Revised 27th January 2021.
9 min read
This article explores effective staff development showcasing a simple but effective competency framework model that can be used by any firm of any size and complexity to explore their competence gap. To understand competence gap you need to know what competencies you have now, what you need for the future, and how you are going to develop your people to bridge the gap.
