Management Methods, Tools

and Techniques
Meeting
Delegation
SWOT
Project Management
Management By Objectives

MEETING

Meeting

A coming together of an assembly for a short period of

time, usually under the leadership of a manager
Why have a meeting?

To solve a problem.
To make a decision.
To develop a plan.
To gather or convey information.
To get a response to information.
To obtain approval/reach consensus.
To establish understanding/rapport.
To clarify responsibilities.
To create a sense of teamwork.

The Main Purpose of a Meeting

Deciding future strategy

Reviewing activities
To provide and
discuss information
while:
Solving problems
Updating projects
Evaluating situations or
employees

Types of Meetings
Formal with formal rules
of procedure

Annual General Meetings:

Board of Directors Meetings

Committee Meetings

Informal flexible rules

Departamental
Meetings/Meetings of
Senior Management
Project Meetings

Team meetings
Work progress meetings

Effective Meeting Management

To ensure a meeting achieves its objectives and that

costs are kept to a minimum, a meeting must be:
Properly planned
Effectively conducted
Accurately minuted

Steps:

Preparing the meeting

Opening the meeting
Conducting the meeting
Closing the meeting

Preparing The Meeting

Define the purpose of the meeting and the outcomes
Solicit input from members on any other topics/issues
that need to be discussed
Develop an agenda with timeframes taking into
consideration any outside parties coming to speak and
the relevant priority of agenda items
Distribute the agenda before the meeting
Send any relevant information or inform participants of
any necessary preparation needed to meet the meeting
purpose

Preparing The Meeting

Selecting Participants

The decision about who is to attend depends on what you

want to accomplish in the meeting.
Don't depend on your own judgment about who should come.
Ask several other people for their opinion as well.
If possible, call each person to tell them about the meeting, it's
overall purpose and why their attendance is important.
Follow-up your call with a meeting notice, including the
purpose of the meeting, where it will be held and when, the list
of participants and whom to contact if they have questions.
Send out a copy of the proposed agenda along with the meeting
notice.
Have someone designated to record important actions,
assignments and due dates during the meeting (the notes shall
be distributed to all participants shortly after the meeting).

Preparing The Meeting

Developing Agendas

Develop the agenda together with key participants in the meeting.

Think of what overall outcome you want from the meeting and what
activities need to occur to reach that outcome.

The agenda should be organized so that these activities are conducted

during the meeting.

In the agenda, state the overall outcome that you want from the meeting

Design the agenda so that participants get involved early by having

something for them to do right away and so they come on time.
Next to each major topic:
include the type of action needed,

the type of output expected (decision, vote, action assigned to someone)

time estimates for addressing each topic

Keep the agenda posted at all times.

Don't overly design meetings; be willing to adapt the meeting agenda
Think about how you label an event, so people come in with that mindset.

Opening The Meeting

Always start on time; this respects those who showed up on

time and reminds late-comers that the scheduling is serious.
Welcome attendees and thank them for their time.
Introduce any new members/visitors to the team
Review the agenda at the beginning of each meeting, giving
participants a chance to understand all proposed major
topics, change them and accept them.
Set priorities for the meeting
Note that a meeting recorder if used will take minutes and
provide them back to each participant shortly after the
meeting.
Clarify your role(s) in the meeting.

Conducting The Meeting

Establishing Ground Rules for Meetings

It pays to have a few basic ground rules that can be used

for most of your meetings.
Common ground rules:

Participate, get focus, maintain momentum and reach closure.

You may want a ground rule about confidentiality.
List your primary ground rules on the agenda.
If you have new attendees who are not used to your meetings, you
might review each ground rule.
Keep the ground rules posted at all times.

Conducting The Meeting

Time Management

One of the most difficult facilitation tasks.

The biggest challenge is keeping momentum to keep the
process moving.
You might ask attendees to help you keep track of the
time.
If the planned time on the agenda is getting out of hand,
present it to the group and ask for their input as to a
resolution.

Conducting The Meeting

Evaluations of Meeting Process
People will often complain about a meeting being a complete
waste of time - but they only say so after the meeting.
Get their feedback during the meeting when you can
improve the meeting process right away.
This evaluation is essential in long meetings, but can be
conducted if necessary in short meetings as well.
Evaluating a meeting only at the end of the meeting is usually
too late to do anything about participants' feedback, so:

Every couple of hours, conduct 5-10 minutes "satisfaction

checks".
In a round-table approach, quickly have each participant indicate
how they think the meeting is going.

Chairing the Meeting- Dos

For each item on Agenda - introduce the topic and
summarize previous discussion
Watch for dominant speakers and ask quiet ones for
their input.
Summarize points and clarify discussions
Note digressions and remind members to stay on task
Watch body language of yourself and others

Chairperson Skills

Impartiality

Assertiveness

Staying on course

Summarizing
Used to end a topic or discussion
List any decisions made to avoid later misunderstandings
Ensure tasks generated are assigned to specific
people/groups

Closing The Meeting

End on time or before

Thank all members for attending

Summarize decisions made to avoid misunderstandings

later

After a long/complex meeting, evaluate the overall

meeting

Review actions items handed out to council members

Ensure members know when next meeting is and get

their commitment

Follow up with minutes shortly after the meeting

Closing The Meeting

Evaluating the Overall Meeting

Leave 5-10 minutes at the end of the meeting to evaluate

the meeting; don't skip this portion of the meeting.
Have each member rank the meeting from 1-5, with 5 as
the highest, and have each member explain their ranking
Have the chief executive rank the meeting last.

Why Are Meetings Unproductive?

Purpose of the meeting is unclear.
There is no agenda/organization (poor preparation).
The chairperson tries to accomplish too much.
The meeting starts/ends late.
Too many people are at the meeting.
The chairperson loses control.
One person dominates the meeting.
Individuals wander from the topic.
Individuals go back over old items.
No clear direction/no clear conclusions are reached.

DELEGATION

What Is Delegation?
The process of transferring the responsibility for a specific
task to another member and empowering that individual to
accomplish the task effectively
The process of assigning tasks to subordinates and clearly
dictating expected outcomes and timeframe for completion

What Is Delegation?
It is not turning over work that the manager dislikes
It is temporary (limited to the completion of a specific task
before a specific deadline)
It must be accompanied by the commitment of subordinates
to complete the tasks or projects
A manager may designate work to subordinates but he or
she ultimately is responsible and accountable for the work
being completed successfully

Effective Delegation
Saves management time
Results in better-trained, more capable employees

Increases productivity and quality

Improves motivation, commitment and retention

Reduces costs
Fosters innovation

Reasons for Delegating

Managers delegate:
1. To have work done by subordinates
Managers must be sure that employees:
Know what the manager wants
Have the appropriate authority
Know how to perform the work
2. To provide employee development
Employees who receive designated work gain valuable experience,
knowledge and an opportunity for professional growth
Managers must devote significant amounts of time and energy to
be sure employees succeed when the purpose of delegating is to
provide career development

Key Steps for Successful Delegation

1.

2.

3.

4.

Define the task

Confirm that the task is suitable for delegating. Does it meet the
criteria for successful delegation?
Select the individual
What are the reasons for selecting this employee? As part of the
selection process, determine how he or she will benefit and how
you will benefit
Assess ability and training needs
Does the person identified have the skill sets required to be
successful? Can he or she grasp what needs to be done? If not, you
cannot proceed
Explain why
It is important to put the task or responsibility into context and
explain the reason it is being delegated

Key Steps for Successful Delegation

5.

6.

7.

State required results

What is the deliverable expected to look like? What must be
achieved and when? How will the task be measured? It is
important that the employee knows upfront how you will
determine his or her level or degree of success
Identify required resources
Discuss and agree on resources required to get the job done
(staffing, physical space, equipment, materials, inventory, storage
and other related activities and services)
Agree on a schedule
Establish action plan milestones and review dates for routine
progress evaluation and feedback. Failure to agree on such a
schedule in advance will cause the review process to be viewed
as interference or a lack of trust instead of management
practice.

Key Steps for Successful Delegation

Support and communicate
alert the employee to any unusual matters of politics or protocol
within the organization of which he or she should be cognizant
inform your own manager and your peers of a new assignment to a
direct report if the task assigned is one of high visibility and
warrants this level of support and introduction
9. Provide feedback on results
the employee assigned the project should be recognized and
applauded for successes. By the same token, failures must also be
analyzed so that the reason(s) can be turned into opportunities for
learning and risk avoidance
10. Repeat the process
each time a project is completed, the manager should attempt to
engage the employee in a task that is incrementally more
challenging than the previous one.
8.

Principles of Effective Delegation

Deciding when:
Subordinates have
needed information
Commitment is crucial
Common values are shared
Sufficient time
is available
Subordinates
capabilities will
be expanded

Deciding to whom:
Involve no one
Consult with other
individuals, but decide
alone
Consult with a team
but decide alone
Let the team decide
Participate as a
member of the team

Effective outcomes of delegation:

Readily acceptable assignments
High morale and motivation
Organizational coordination
and efficiency
Increased problem solving abilities
More discretionary time for managers
Stronger interpersonal relationships
Successful task completion

Deciding how:
Begin with the end
in mind
Delegate completely
Allow for participation
Match authority
with responsibility
Work within the
structure
Provide support
Focus accountability
on results
Delegate consistently
Avoid upward
delegation
Clarify consequences

What Can and Cannot Be Delegated

Managers may delegate whenever they need something done by their

employees and it is appropriate for their employees to complete the
task or project.
Managers may consider for delegation:
Any activity they used to do before being promoted to management
- if they have an employee reporting to them who can do this
activity now
Tasks in which the employee has more experience than the
manager
Making decisions on matters that are especially important to
employees, such as rest and meal periods or corporate teambuilding activities and meetings.
There are responsibilities and duties that managers may not
appropriately delegate, such as performance reviews, employee
discipline and strategic planning.

What Can and Cannot Be Delegated

Can Delegate:

Cannot Delegate:

Non-management tasks
Tasks with which you can pass
on authority
Tasks that boost an
employees skills and
challenges them (Trivial
Pursuit)
Tasks that are paired with
training, or are skill
appropriate

Tasks that an employee does

not have the skills to
complete (Punishment)
Tasks that are busy work
(Dumping)
Tasks which you are
constantly detailing out
instructions for (Puppetering)
Tasks that involve personnel
issues

Selecting Delegable Tasks

DELEGATION
POSSIBLE
TASK

EMPLOYEE

PROBABLE
TASK

EMPLOYEE

IMPOSSIBLE
NOTES

TASK

Possible delegable tasks, with the right employee available

Probable delegable tasks, but with no suitable employee
available (in the employee column are listed the employees
that might become suitable in the future under some specific
condition stated at notes)
Impossible tasks that only a manager may accomplish

Delegation vs. Dumping

Delegation
Examine the tasks.
Coordinate the tasks.
Assign the tasks.
Support and provide
feedback.
Reward completion

Dumping

Handing off work that

the supervisor does not
feel like doing.
Passing responsibility and
accountability

Rules For Effective Delegation

Support participation in delegation

Subordinates are given an opportunity to negotiate the roles (degree of
acceptance of delegation)
Subordinates should feel free to express ideas about the parameters of
the work

Managers should be available for consultation during the assignment on

an exceptions basis

Establish parity between authority and responsibility

Delegate the authority along with the responsibility

Ultimate accountability cannot be delegated but can be shared with

the manager

Work within the organizational structure

Delegate through subordinates not around them in the chain-ofcommand
Everyone affected by the decision to delegate should be informed

Rules For Effective Delegation

Provide adequate support

Provide relevant information
Provide necessary resources to accomplish the task
Give credit for the task publicly
When errors are made, focus on the problem, not individuals

Focus accountability on results

Specify the goal, not preferred methods
Do not micromanage
Support subordinates in the choice of their own methods to accomplish
results

Delegate consistently
Primary reason to assigning responsibilities & authority is to empower
employees

Assign both the pleasant and unpleasant tasks

Delegate continuously, not just when overworked

Reasons Delegation Fails

Lack of CEO support The CEO must not only recognize the
importance of delegation and support it, but must also be willing to
delegate to top management team members.
Failure to plan Managers often think it is easier to do work
themselves instead of taking the time to review all their activities
and determine which ones may be delegated to save their time and
to help employees learn and develop.
Lack of communication It is critical for managers to take time
to discuss their expectations with the employee, explain the
importance of an activity that he or she is being delegated and
share information that will help the employee succeed with the
new task or project.
Fear of relinquishing control Even good managers may fear
losing control of their work, having a poor result from delegating or
being threatened or replaced by a subordinate.

SWOT

The SWOT Analysis

A SWOT analysis guides you to identify the positives and

negatives inside your organization (S-W) and outside of it,
in the external environment (O-T).
Developing a full awareness of your situation can help with
both strategic planning and decision-making.
The SWOT method was originally developed for business
and industry, but it is equally useful in other arenas, and
even personal growth.
The strengths of this method are its simplicity and
application to a variety of levels of operation.

Ways To Use SWOT

A SWOT analysis can offer helpful perspectives at any stage of
an effort. It may be used to:

Explore possibilities for new efforts or solutions to problems.

Make decisions about the best path for your initiative. Identifying
your opportunities for success in context of threats to success can
clarify directions and choices.
Determine where change is possible. If you are at a point of making
a decision, an inventory of your strengths and weaknesses can
reveal priorities as well as possibilities.
Adjust and refine plans mid-course. A new opportunity might open
wider avenues, while a new threat could close a path that once
existed.

SWOT also offers a simple way of communicating and is an

excellent way to organize information gathered from studies or
surveys.

The Elements of a SWOT Analysis

The Elements of a SWOT Analysis

A SWOT analysis focuses on the four elements of the

acronym, but the graphic format varies depending on
the depth and complexity of the purpose
The purpose of performing a SWOT - to reveal positive
forces that work together and potential problems that
need to be addressed or at least recognized.
First step in a SWOT analysis - decide what format or
layout you will use.

Sample Layouts of a SWOT Analysis

Sample Layouts of a SWOT Analysis

Internal

External

Strengths Weaknesses Opportunity

Threats

Sample Layouts of a SWOT Analysis

Positives
strengths
assets
resources
opportunities
prospects

Negatives
weaknesses
limitations
restrictions
threats
challenges

Sample Layouts of a SWOT Analysis

STRENGTHS
1.
2.
3.

WEAKNESSES
1.
2.
3.

OPPORTUNITIES
1.
2.
3.
4.

(OS) Strategies use

strengths to take
advantage of
opportunities
1.
2.

(OW) Strategies
overcome weaknesses by
taking advantage of
opportunities
1.
2.

THREATS
1.
2.
3.
4.

(TS) Strategies use

strengths to avoid
threats
1.
2.

(TW) Strategies
minimize weaknesses
and avoid threats
1.
2.

Listing Internal Factors: Strengths

and Weaknesses (S, W)
Human resources - staff, board members, target
population
Physical resources - location, building, equipment (Does
your building have a prime location? Does it need
renovations?)
Financial - grants, funding agencies, other sources of
income
Activities and processes - programs you run, systems
you employ
Past experiences - building blocks for learning and
success, reputation in the community

Listing External Factors:

Opportunities and Threats (O, T)

Forces and facts that the organization does not control

Future trends - in your field
The economy local, national, or international
Funding sources - foundations, donors, banks, etc.
Demographics - changes in the age, race, gender,
culture of those you serve or in your area
The physical environment (Are you outgrowing
your buildings, older buildings, increased utilities?)
Legislation (Do new legal and accreditation
requirements make your job harder-or easier?)
Local, national or international events

SWOT Example

Who develops the SWOT?

The most common users - institutional members

responsible for decision-making and strategic planning.

An individual or small group can develop a SWOT

analysis, but it will be more effective if you take
advantage of many stakeholders.

Each person or group offers a different perspective on

the strengths and weaknesses and has different
experiences of both.

Likewise, one staff member, or stakeholder may have

information about an opportunity or threat that is
essential to understanding the organizations position
and determining its future.

When And Where Is a SWOT Analysis

Developed?

Is often created during a planning session that allows

several hours for both brainstorming and more
structured analysis.
The best results come when participants are
encouraged to have an open attitude about possibilities.
The tone when creating a SWOT analysis is usually
collaborative and inclusive.

How Do You Develop a SWOT Analysis?

1.

Designate a facilitator who has good listening and group

process skills, and who can keep things moving and on track.

2.

Designate a recorder to back up the leader if your group is

large. Use newsprint on a flip chart or a large board to
record the analysis and discussion points.

3.

Introduce the SWOT method and its purpose in your

institution. This can be as simple as asking, Where are we,
where can we go?

4.

Divide your stakeholders into smaller groups.

5.

The size of these depends on the size of your entire groupbreakout groups can range from three to ten.

6.

Have each group designate a recorder, and provide each with

newsprint or dry-erase board. Direct them to create a
SWOT analysis in the format you choose-a chart, columns, a
matrix, or even a page for each quality.

How Can a SWOT Analysis Be Used?

A SWOT analysis can be a "support team" to help managers :

To Sum Up
A SWOT analysis identifies your
S, W, O and T to assist you in
making strategic plans and decisions.
SWOT is a simple yet comprehensive
way of assessing the positive and
negative forces within and without
your organization, so you can be
better prepared to act effectively
The SWOT analysis prompts you to move in a balanced way
throughout your program.
A SWOT analysis will be most helpful if you use it to support
the vision and mission of your organization.

PROJECT
MANAGEMENT

What Is a Project?
A temporry endeavor undertaken to create a unique
product or service.
Characteristics:
Complex
Unique
Risky
Temporary
Promoter of change

Project vs. Program

Characteristic

Scale

Frequence

Continuous

Unique

Unique

Duration

Short

Short/Medium

Medium/Long

Importance

Low

Medium-High

High

Narrow

Medium-Wide

Wide

Low

Medium

High

Low-medium

Medium-High

High

Few

More Than A Few

Many

Work
Structure

Common
Organization/
Work Group

Project

Program

Approach

Business Process
Management

Project
Management

Program
Management

Scope
Resource
consumption
Cost

Organizations
involved

Trade Off Triangle

PROJECT
RISK

SCOPE (Requirements)

How are Scope, Schedule, and Budget

linked?
Which Comes First?

You can prioritize the first

(scope, schedule or budget),
optimize the second and then
accept the third.
Initiation and Alignment defines
the scope and is the foundation
for further planning and
execution.
WBS is the framework for
setting baselines for the
schedule and the budget.

SCOPE

Project Management Process

Initiate
& Align

Plan
the Work

Project
Description
Team Mission/
Assignment
Major Milestones
Boundaries
Team
Identification
Roles &
Responsibilities
Measures of
Success
Operating
Guidelines

Work Breakdown
Structure (WBS) /
Master Deliverables
List (MDL)
Task Planning &
Scheduling
Budget
Risk Planning
Communication
Plan
Change
Management Plan
Quality (QA/QC)
Plan
Transition &
Closure Plan

Endorse
the Plan

Project Team Commitment

Management Endorsement

Work
the Plan

Transition
& Closure

Managing Scope,
Schedule & Budget
Manage Risks
Manage Change
Communicate
Progress
Issues
Lessons
Learned

Implement
Transition Plan
Review Lessons
Learned
Reward &
Recognize
Archive

Continuous Communication

Steps For Managing Projects

1.
2.
3.

4.
5.

6.
7.
8.
9.

Define the project (SWOT, objectives, magnitude, duration,

departments involved, assessment criteria)
Choose a Project Manager
Organize (choose the right structure)
Develop a project team
Plan (Work Breakdown Structure, task planning & analysis,
Precedence/Network Diagram, Gantt Diagram or resource
loaded schedule, budgeting)
Define quality and the ways to control
Resolve resource conflicts & risk
Work and monitor the status (adjust resources or objectives
if necessary)
Complete and close the project

MANAGEMENT BY
OBJECTIVES

What Is MBO?

1.
2.
3.
4.

MBO - a system whereby managers and employees

define goals for every department, project, and person
and use them to monitor subsequent performance
Steps:
Set goals (all-level employees are involved)
Develop action plans (for both individuals and
departments)
Review progress and take corrective action
Appraise overall performance

Model of the MBO Process

MBO Benefits And Problems

Benefits

Manager and employee efforts

are focused on activities that will
lead to goal attainment.

Problems

Constant change prevents MBO

from taking hold.

An environment of poor
employer-employee relations
reduces MBO effectiveness.

Performance can be improved at

all company levels.

Employees are motivated.

Departmental and individual

goals are aligned with company
goals.

Strategic goals may be displaced

by operational goals.

Mechanistic organizations and

values that discourage
participation can harm the MBO
process.

Too much paperwork saps MBO

energy.