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Flexible Management Development in Hong KongAuthor: Michael Cumbers, AE, BSc, CEng, FIMC, FinstM,
Director, The Management Development Centre of Hong Kong "All of us involved in training and development want results. We want effectiveness. If we are concerned with developing managers, we want them to contribute positively to the continued viability of their organization. But what do we mean by effectiveness?" IntroductionMost of the participants in our training courses are unknown to us. We do not know what their needs are; we do not know their strengths and weaknesses. But, most surprising of all, many employing organizations do not know what competencies or capabilities are required in order for their executives to be effective in :heir jobs. They have job titles, in some cases they have specified projects or tasks and, in some cases, specified targets. Often they have a brief, minimal, job description. The un-met needA course may have 'learning objectives' represented as providing something so that participants can satisfactori1y perform 'X' or 'Y'. But these may not be the learning objectives of each participant because we do not really know what they need. Even when pre-programme questionnaires have been used this generally serves to emphasize that the needs of each participant are different. Participants may leave at the end of the course with a memory of the subjects, particular handouts, and what they have learned from some of the discussions. Perhaps they also have a strengthened resolve to do something about their special, individual, areas of need! The un-met need is for a development programme tailored for each individual. This is difficult when dealing with areas of management which include the development and practice of 'people skills' or personal skills. Knowing the real needs of each individual is usually the impassable road-block. We have taken this road-block to pieces and largely cleared it away at The Management Development Centre of Hong Kong (MDC). Managerial capabilitiesThe capabilities required for 2,000 different middle management jobs in Hong Kong were analysed as part of an MDC research programme1.This provided, in priority order, a list of 11 common capabilities considered necessary for middle managers in Hong Kong.
You will argue quite correctly that the priorities which apply to capabilities will be different from organization to organization and from job to job. There is no such thing as an 'average' manager. But the differences are catered for in the way that these capabilities are used in the MDC FLEXED programme (Flexible Executive Development). Self-analysis and selectionUsing the identified capabilities, a managerial analysis tool was designed. MDC produced a computerized programme 'The Management Capability Profile' which has sold widely in Asia. Intending FLEXED participants undertake this capability profiling. At the same time the manager or boss of each participant uses the same tool to prepare a profile of the participant. The two will then establish agreed areas of need with regard to the managerial capabilities required of the participant. Hence, the result is a prioritized short list of perhaps four or five capabilities which are agreed by both the participant and his or her boss to be important to the individual in improving job effectiveness. The process can be applied to the existing job or to the requirements of an anticipated future job. This managerial profiling and determination of priorities is a vital part of the selection process. It demonstrates the company support for the candidate and allows the Flexed Team to make up productive groups. Components of 'Flexed'
Starting with the managerial profile, the short list of required capabilities is agreed. A facilitator may then help the boss-subordinate team to identify capabilities to be included in the first Flexed Programme, and to determine an agreed personal improvement plan (PIP). Preparing the PIP requires a good knowledge of the various learning vehicles which can be used to improve capabilities in a particular area. The development plan should also be limited in content so that real progress is attainable. Hence the need for external expertise and knowledge. The ideal facilitator is someone from outside the employing organization who has very good personal skills, particularly in communications, is resourceful, and will maintain confidentiality. Content of the PIPOut of 11 or 12 capabilities there will generally be only two or three which are selected for treatment during the programme. This is based on two factors. In some areas of capability, potential improvement may be solely related to time or length of experience. Although a participant may have four or five areas for improvement, some of the areas may be solely related to time, in other words a requirement can only be met by a longer time and experience in a certain type of work; and others may be part of a participant's innate character such that the behaviour cannot be changed. In this second area, if a participant has become an effective middle manager with this weakness or defect, the chances are that other stronger areas are compensating for its effect and there may be opportunities for this compensation when taking on future responsibilities. In areas of total weakness, success may not be achievable in the relatively short time committed to a single Flexed Programme. It is better to select areas of capability where there is not a total weakness or inability so that the individual is faced with a target which is achievable within a relatively short time frame. Also, it is usually impracticable to be working on more than two or three areas for improvement at the same time, especially when a participant is also carrying out his or her normal duties of employment. During the preparation of each personal development plan there is a need to access a database of learning activities or development activities. Because available learning opportunities can be diverse and numerous, anyone company is unlikely to have ready access to all the programmes. A specialized agency may be required.2 The fourth component is a structure for the participants to undertake the learning in a logical sequence within an acceptable time frame. A programme manager manages the overall programme. A facilitator is assigned to each group. Having assisted in preparing the PIP the facilitator will act as mentor and adviser when required. The learning group is the fifth component of the MDC FLEXED approach. It is desirable to have three or more groups of six to eight people in the programme at anyone time. Four groups can be managed by one programme manager (in addition to other duties), with an ongoing time commitment of about one day per week. Composition of each groupThe group will not only have managers employed in sizeable organizations but will also contain chief executives from smaller businesses. The latter group members tend to be general managers in all senses of the word, with very high motivation and personal involvement in many aspects of a business. Traditionally, employed managers would be responsible for only one or two functions or aspects of a business. Hence their approach may be governed by principles or rules which have been established in the organization over a period of time, and they can learn tremendously from those who are frequently making decisions without precedent. In making up each group it is beneficial to have plenty of candidates from which to choose. It is preferable to select people from different functional areas, from different employers, and to have a mix between managers from medium- to large-size companies and chief executives from smaller companies. One criteria for inclusion in a group may be that the group members all have personal development plans for about the same time period. Hence, in one learning group members might all have plans for between five and eight months; in another group the estimated plan times might be from 10 to 14 months. Putting it all togetherGroups meet about once every six weeks. Members are each expected to have completed some part of their development plans by the time of each meeting. Hence there is peer pressure to motivate members to learn. The many different functions and different types of enterprise represented in each group allow the sharing of knowledge, and members help each other in related learning aspects of their plans. The group is also a network with access to different types of expertise and information which can be made available to members outside of group meetings. Over a period of, say, six months, a learning group will have an initial briefing and 'warm-up' meeting and probably four further meetings. Each meeting will be arranged by the group's facilitator based on the needs of the group and would usually occupy about eight hours including a meal. For example, a group meeting could start in the afternoon and finish after dinner on the same day, or could start early on Saturday morning and finish after a late lunch. During the period of the plan, participants are mapping their own progress and should be in frequent contact with their facilitators. There should also be regular reviews by each participant's boss. At some stage, a participant can undertake managerial profiling in order to review progress. This might be after six months. These reviews can lead to decisions concerning withdrawal or extension. SummaryWe started with a managerial profile to identify the needs of each individual. With knowledge of the range of learning vehicles available, a personal development plan was prepared. The employer was involved and agreed the desired course of action. There was support and commitment by both parties. A facilitator was assigned to each individual as an adviser and, if necessary, a mentor, to progress the development plan and identify the types of learning most suitable for the individual. Learning groups were set up as part of the supporting structure of the development process. These groups met periodically and the members remained in contact until each individual's personal development was implemented. The overall process was managed by an organization with expertise in management development. Starting with the three groups of eight, 21 managers stayed with the programme for the varying group lifetimes of up to ten months. These managers achieved all (or a satisfactory part) of their learning objectives. EpilogueFrom 'Flexed', it was but a small step to operate level 4 and 5 NVQ programmes in management but termed 'MDQ' (the Management Development Qualification Programme). MDC currently have 90 candidates of which 23 have so far attained up to seven units certificated by UODLE. MCI standards have been vetted and are being revised where necessary to meet Hong Kong requirements. Methods of individual developmentThere are many ways in which the development of an individual can be furthered or enhanced, methods of development which do not rely on traditional training courses. These methods are self-evident when you see them, but the practice in most companies does not necessarily encourage such activity. 3
Executive development in Hong KongThe range of companies in Hong Kong is probably unlike anywhere else in the world. There are about 250 which employ more than 500 people. Some of these are regional or international headquarters with many employees elsewhere. So the 'corporates' who traditionally pay for executive development programmes in other places, are very few in Hong Kong. Most of the senior management development arranged by larger companies is through attendance at courses or programmes run by the household names in the USA and UK. Since the local market cannot support frequent regular senior management courses, these are not generally provided in Hong Kong. However, the General Manager Programme which was designed and tested by The Management Development Centre of Hong Kong is offered about twice per year by The Hong Kong University. References
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