Operational Leadership and
Line Management
Overview
Your convenor
 Objectives
 Leadership and Management
 Managing remote teams
 Short break
 Managing change
 Team motivation and engagement

Jenny Lyons
Associate Director- GfK NOP
 Specialist in Telephone Research
 27 years MR experience
 IQCS Council member since 2002

…and I still love it!
Objectives
Understanding “Management” and
“Leadership”
 Exploring some of the challenges of
working within Operations
 Increasing confidence
 Re-igniting enthusiasm to motivate and
engage our teams

Management and Leadership
Management v Leadership
Exercise 1
We need some Managers and Leaders
What do they do?
 What are the differences?
 What key words describe their actions?

Management
instruct
control
today
tasks
Operational: Present Orientated
supervise
Leadership
strategy
vision
future
inspiration
Evolutionary: Future Orientated
guiding
“ People tolerate being managed, but they
love being led”
-Stuart Wyatt, ‘The Secret Laws of
Management’ 2010
How are we managing? (1)
Team/individual results
 Appraisals
 360 degree feedback systems
 “My team loves me…”
 We feel good about what we are doing

So that’s good, isn’t
it??
How are we managing ? (2)
Team expectations v reality
 Staff rarely rebel against poor managers
 Incompetent managers often slip
through the net
 Things tend to get done….
 Company politics

How are we leading? (1)
“It is the followers, not the leaders or someone
else who determines if the leader is successful.
To be successful you have to convince your
followers, not yourself or your superiors, that
you are worthy of being followed”
-Don Clark
How are we leading? (2)
Team inspired to do/be the best
 Raised performance levels
 Air of encouragement
 Team feel empowered
 High levels of enthusiasm and energy

Skill Sets
??
Management Skill Sets
fair/consistent
listening
self-aware
judgement
accountable
acknowledge
decisive
TECHNICAL
communication
integrity
motivate
team-player
approachable
delegate
adaptable
Leadership Skill Sets
Visionary/strategic
 Planning
 Coaching and Development
 Relationship- building
 Influential

Management & Leadership (1)
We need both…
 Good management elicits good
performances
 The team knows what to do and how
they need to do it
 .. but without leadership they are less
motivated to give their best

Management & Leadership (2)
Good leadership inspires….
 Team more likely to become
empowered
 More drive towards peak performance
 …but without good management there
can be a lack of coordinated direction

Managing Remote Teams
Managing Remote Teams
Field workers
 Home workers
 Staff based at other sites
 Staff based in other countries

Managing Remote Teams
Exercise 2
What are the main challenges?
Challenges
trust
lack of control
communication
personal
interaction
no history
difficult
conversations
motivation
managing
performance
team building
time
flexible working
technology
Trust
Determined by all you say and do
 Be consistent and honest
 Follow- up as agreed
 Make the most of face-to-face contact
 Use opportunities to get involved
 Demonstrate accountability

Lack of Control
Change of mindset
 We cannot monitor all activities
 Change of focus to outcomes
 Coach the team to achieve these
outcomes

Communication
Set out how you will communicate
 Many variables out of our control
 Regular v impromptu
 Consider the tone
 Meetings need to have structure
 Encourage peer group communication
 Encourage team to communicate with
us

Personal Interaction
Do the best you can
 Maximise opportunities
 Hearing a voice can work wonders….
 Encourage peer group contact

No History
Not always a bad thing
 Maximise opportunities for getting to
know the team
 Starting relationships “from scratch” can
reap rewards
 It can be tough for the team too…..

Difficult Conversations
Always better face-to-face
 Recognise not always possible
 The first and last thing you say will be
the most powerful
 Don’t “fluff” the issue
 … or go “overboard” if you are not
having the meeting face-to-face

Motivation
Ensure you have communicated a clear
strategy to the team
 Let the team know what you are doing
 Aim to empower as much as possible
 Acknowledge achievements

Managing Performance
Set clear objectives and targets
 Follow-up as agreed
 Be fair/consistent
 Be clear about the priorities
 Revisit processes used to manage team
performance

Team Building
It’s tough……
 Most people want to “belong”
 Encourage peer group bonding
 Maximise opportunities for personal
contact
 Communication is key
 Look for “bridges”

Time
Our biggest enemy
 There is no easy solution …..
 Be organised
 Understand and communicate the
priorities
 Believe your team are worthy of your
time

Flexible Working
Don’t be scared……
 Remember the benefits
 Use your HR department
 Activities v outcomes

Technology
Can be your friend or enemy
 Variables out of our control
 Understand team preferences
 Sometimes the personal touch will be
best
 Experiment… (and encourage your
team to do so too)

Managing Change
Change Happens …
… we know that
(but it doesn’t stop it from being annoying)
Big Things……
Take-overs/ mergers
 Company names
 Locations
 Roles
 Teams
 Technology
 Processes

Small Things…
New corporate colours
 Stationery
 Another new pen, mug and mouse
mat…

Prosci’s Change Management
Methodology
Individual Change Management
Understanding how one person
makes a successful change
Organisational Change Management
Understanding what tools we
have to help individuals make
changes successfully
Individual Change
A
Awareness of the need for change
D
Desire to participate
K
Knowledge of how to change
A
Ability to implement required
skills/behaviours
R
Reinforcement to sustain the change
Organisational Change
preparing
for change
managing
change
reinforcing
change
•Sponsor roadmap
•Training plan
•Communication plan
•Coaching plan
•Resistance
management
Connecting the two ….
Communications
Awareness
Sponsor Roadmap
Desire
Coaching
Knowledge
Resistance
Management
Ability
Training
Reinforcement
It’s all about attitude…..
… an attitude that builds a culture
that supports change
Mindset
Consider change as an opportunity
 Rekindle enthusiasm
 Incorporate ideas from the team
 Change is ongoing and should be
expected
 Change is not an imposition
 Be as open as possible

Channelling that attitude …
Appear positive
 Encourage team to instigate change
 Acknowledge resistance/ concerns
 Explain changes clearly
 Be involved and follow-through

Things will go wrong….
Opportunity for negative people to
justify their opposition
 Be calm…..
 Acknowledge the situation
 Revisit your plans and amend where
necessary

Don’t Forget…..
To acknowledge those who helped
make the change happen
 To review the process (formally or
informally)

Team Motivation and
Engagement
Team Motivation and
Engagement
Exercise 3
What are the common de-motivators?
Common De-motivators
Persistent criticism
 Unattainable targets/changing them
 Withholding information
 Being singled-out
 Over-monitoring of work
 Lack of recognition
 Stolen Credit
 Removing responsibility

Creating the Team Culture
Be seen to make things happen
 Be disciplined
 Set clear goals and targets and revisit
 Ensure roles and responsibilities are
clear
 Know your team
 Acknowledge and praise
 Encourage and empower

Ultimately, it’s about us
…. and what we bring as
individuals to the team
Those who know much may be learned,
Those that understand themselves are more
intelligent.
Those who control others may be powerful, but
those who master themselves are mightier still.
Lao-Tzu 4th century BC
Questions/ Comments?
Thank you