BSBLDR502 - Learning Resource - Handout

Handout
BSBLDR502 Lead and manage effective

workplace relationships
Lonsdale Institute PTY LTD
Learning Resource
BSB51915 Diploma of Leadership and Management
BSBLDR502 Lead and manage effective workplace relationships
Disclaimer:
Lonsdale Institute PTY LTD does not own the rights to the resources below. Any resources provided in this
document are to be used for study/research purposes only, as per Section 40 of the Australian Copyright Act 1968.
Citations attributing works to the copyright owner have been provided for all resources used.
CONTENTS
Manage ideas and information .....................................................................................................................................2

Achievement of work responsibilities .......................................................................................................................3
Consultation process .................................................................................................................................................4
Outcome of consultation – Feedback ........................................................................................................................8
Issues management ...................................................................................................................................................9
Establish systems to develop trust and confidence.....................................................................................................11
Cultural diversity ......................................................................................................................................................11
Diversity policy.........................................................................................................................................................13
Top ten tips for writing a diversity policy and strategy ...........................................................................................17
Example of diversity policies ...................................................................................................................................19
Ethical values in the workplace ...............................................................................................................................19
.................................................................................................................................................................................21
Professional conduct in the workplace ....................................................................................................................22
Interpersonal communication .................................................................................................................................24
Manage the development and maintenance of networks and relationships .............................................................27
External influence on workplace relationships ........................................................................................................29
Relationships external to your team .......................................................................................................................31
Manage difficulties to achieve positive outcome ........................................................................................................32
Conflicts management .............................................................................................................................................32
Identify problems in the workplace .........................................................................................................................40
Problem solving in the workplace ...........................................................................................................................41
Learning Resource Page 1 of 43

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Learning Resource
“Your success as a manager is directly related to how well you lead and connect with your people”
The reality of Australia’s changing demographics—an ageing population, critical skill shortages and a shrinking
proportion of younger people entering the labour market—presents ever increasing and acute capability issues for
organisations.
The Australian) workforce itself is also changing. Employees today are now more likely to pursue higher
educational levels. Many expect greater diversity within their careers and more flexible working arrangements.
They are keen to pursue jobs that are interesting and to maintain a good balance between work and other aspects
of their lives. As a result, businesses are experiencing an increased readiness and capacity of people to ‘move on’ if
their work experience does not measure up to their expectations.
The impact of these factors is felt most acutely by line managers, who must balance day-to-day management with
ensuring they have an ongoing capability to deliver business results. They face increasing challenges in their ability
to attract, develop and retain the people they need to produce those results.
(Source: adapted from http://www.apsc.gov.au/publications-and-media/archive/publications-archive/productive-

people )
MANAGE IDEAS AND INFORMATION
It is important that communication with staff does not only occur around negative instances and that positive
achievements are well communicated as well. All of this helps to engage staff and reduce turnover - highly
engaged staff are more profitable staff.
• Communication and feedback is the key to

a successful working environment as it
helps:
o people learn
o create opportunity for professional
and personal development
o boost morale and loyalty
o provide insight into how your
business is running
(Source: http://www.business.vic.gov.au/hiring-
and-managing-staff/staff-
management/communication-skills-in-the-
workplace-for-managers )

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ACHIEVEMENT OF WORK RESPONSIBILITIES
It is important that you ensure strategies and processes are in place to communicate information associated with
the achievement of work responsibilities to all co-workers.
1. When good communication skills are

present in a company, workers tend to keep one
another accountable. Just because effective
communication in the workplace provides clear
instructions, workers know exactly what is
expected from each of them. This helps improve
accountability, which in turn increases the
productivity. If there is no accountability in the
workplace, there will be no incentive to get
improved.
2. With the help of good communication
among managers and employees, it becomes
clear where the company is, where it needs to
be in the future and which steps need to be
taken to get there. All this information provides
clear directions for all employees, which increases
productivity and decreases uncertainty. Giving exact direction to employees makes their works less
stressful, faster, more efficient and enjoyable.
3. Some tools:
• Newsletters: One of the ways to improve the communication is to make your employees read the
company newsletter once a week. This document should list all of the achievements during the
week/month and show how much company values the dedication and motivation of its workers. For
example, if your Twitter campaign was successful because of so much of your employee, then you
should mention this in your newsletter to make him/her and other employees more motivated.
• Intranet: There are many companies which don't use this channel and really miss a great chance to
stay connected with their employees. A company intranet may create two sided communication
between the managers and employees. Make sure to share some questions, interesting tips, planned
marketing campaigns, videos, designs and other important and useful information to improve
employee engagement.
• Face-to-face: The methods mentioned above are, of course, effective, but nothing is more effective
than face-to-face interactions. Instead of directly entering your room in the mornings, make sure to
chat with your employees, discuss their problems, give them advice, feedback and clear instructions.
(Source: https://explore.easyprojects.net/blog/5-ways-workplace-communication-effectiveness-can-
increase-productivity )
4. Do not forget that is also about communicating the achievement of your own responsibilities as a
manager to your team. Lead by example.

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Read also:
’30 smart tips to improve workplace communication’ :
https://axerosolutions.com/blogs/timeisenhauer/pulse/210/30-smart-tips-to-improve-workplace-
communication
Check the HR manual template for examples on how to write policies and processes at
http://www.business.vic.gov.au/hiring-and-managing-staff/staff-recruitment/workforce-planning-and-
HR-templates
CONSULTATION PROCESS
Best practice is about developing and implementing effective consultation mechanisms which encourage
cooperation and engagement of employees and management. In some instances, consultation is not a choice, but
required by law
There are significant benefits associated with

implementing and maintaining a culture of
consultation and cooperation in the workplace.
Businesses working to best practice recognise
the benefits of regularly seeking opinions and
views from employees, whether that be through
consultation with individuals, groups or unions,
or a mixture of all three.
This is because employee awareness of, and

involvement in, decision-making regularly leads
to:
• more productive workplaces as a result of

greater cooperation and collaboration
• better and more informed decision making and successful implementation of ideas
• attraction and retention of skilled and positive staff
• workplaces that are better able to cope with change
• minimisation of employer/employee disputes
• minimisation of employee claims against the employer.
All modern awards contain consultation provisions, and the Fair Work Act 2009 (FW Act) requires that consultation
provisions are set out in all enterprise agreements. In addition, the FW Act requires employers to consult with
employees in other situations, whether or not a modern award or enterprise agreement applies.

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Download the ‘ Consultation and cooperation in the workplace best practice guide’ at :
http://www.fairwork.gov.au/how-we-will-help/templates-and-guides/best-practice-guides/consultation-and-
cooperation-in-the-workplace
(Source: http://www.fairwork.gov.au/how-we-will-help/templates-and-guides/best-practice-guides/consultation-
and-cooperation-in-the-workplace)
Employee communications and consultation are essentially about involving and developing people in an
organisation. Whatever the size of an organisation, and regardless of whether it is unionised or non-unionised,
employees will only be able to perform at their best if they know their duties, obligations and rights and have an
opportunity of making their views known to management on issues that affect them. With the trend towards
flatter management structures and the devolvement of responsibilities to individuals, it is increasingly important
that employees have a real understanding not only of what they are required to do but why.
Good communications and consultation are central to the management process and assume critical importance
when dealing with changes in working practices and procedures. All managers need to communicate and consult
with employees in order to be effective but they also need to exchange information with other managers which
necessitates lateral or inter-departmental communications. Failure to recognise this need may result in
inconsistency of approach or application.
Employee communication and consultation offer many benefits although, done well, they require time and money.
In particular good employee communications and consultation can:
• improve organisational performance - time spent communicating at the outset of a new project or
development can minimise subsequent
rumour and misunderstanding
• improve management performance and
decision making - allowing employees to
express their views can help managers
and supervisors arrive at sound
decisions which can more readily be
accepted by employees as a whole; this
may be particularly important at times
of emergency or where new practices or
procedures are being introduced
• improve employees' performance and
commitment - employees will perform better if they are given regular, accurate information about their
jobs such as updated technical instructions, targets, deadlines and feedback. Their commitment is also
likely to be enhanced if they know what the organisation is trying to achieve and how they, as individuals,
can influence decisions
• help develop greater trust - discussing issues of common interest and allowing employees an opportunity
of expressing their views can engender improved management/employee relations

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• increase job satisfaction - employees are

more likely to be motivated if they have a good
understanding of their job and how it fits into
the organisation as a whole and are actively
encouraged to express their views and ideas.
• encourage a more flexible working
environment - employers can help to promote a
good 'work-life balance' within the organisation
by talking to all their staff about developing
flexible working policies and practices
Communications and consultation are not, and

should not, be an end in themselves.
Nevertheless, used properly they have a key role
to play both in ensuring the business success of
organisations and in involving and empowering
employees.
(Source: http://www.acas.org.uk/index.aspx?articleid=665 )
When should consultation occur?
Consultation should be undertaken by duty holders in a number of circumstances, including:
• when identifying hazards and assessing risks to health and safety arising from work
• where there is a change to the system of work
• when making decisions about the adequacy of facilities for worker welfare
• when making decisions about ways to eliminate or minimise risks
• when proposing changes that may affect the health or safety of workers, and
• when making decisions about how to consult.
Importantly, consultation must be proactive. That is, it must occur before work is commenced or, in the case of
work already underway, as soon as new risks are encountered. The requirement to consult will be triggered when
a new worker starts as well as when new processes, plant, equipment and/or substances are introduced into the
workplace—as each may introduce a new risk into the workplace.
How should consultation be undertaken?
Workplace consultation can be undertaken in a number of ways. The most common method for consultation with
workers is through health and safety committees. Consultation with other duty holders is usually done through the
use of pre-work meetings.

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Before consultation occurs, the following questions should be considered:
• What is the relevant activity or issue that requires consultation?

• What obligations does the duty holder have regarding that particular activity?
• Who else is involved in the activity?
• What information does the duty holder need to know to ensure compliance with its duties in relation to
that activity?
• Where do the activities of the duty holder intersect with the other duty holders?
• How do each of the parties compromise or support the health and safety activities of the other party?
Workers must be given an opportunity to express their views and raise health and safety issues throughout the
consultation process. These views must also be considered in any decisions that are made. Where workers are
represented by a health and safety representative should be involved in the consultation. Workers and other duty
holders should be advised of the outcome of the consultation in a timely manner.
The WHS legislation does not set out a specific mechanism for how consultation should be undertaken. Rather, the
consultation process needs to be tailored to suit the particular workplace. For example, the consultation process
for workers in a factory will not be suitable for a workforce that is not confined to a single workplace, such as truck
drivers. This means that duty holders may also be required to consult about the appropriate consultation process.
Other considerations
The various duties of each duty holder

performing work should also be
considered during consultation. For
example, you will need to determine
which duty holder is required to
provide plant, equipment, processes
and supervision in relation to the work.
Site access, site security and the
provision of amenities are also relevant
considerations.
Ultimately, it is the outcome of the

consultation that is important. The
consultation must achieve an effective
exchange of information between all relevant
parties and should result in workplace health and safety measures that can be implemented.
The duty to consult with workers and other duty holders is subject to the qualifier of what is reasonably
practicable in the circumstances.

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What do I need to do?
Duty holders should prepare a consultation procedure if their workplace does not already have one in place.
Consultation procedures should include:
• the type of matters and activities where consultation should occur

• the frequency of consultation
• who should be consulted
• how consultation will occur
• how information will be shared with workers
• what opportunities workers will be provided to give their views on proposed matters and how these will
be considered, and
• how duty holders and workers will be advised of the outcome.
(Source:
http://www.mondaq.com/australia/x/316356/Health+Safety/Workplace+consultation+why+when+and+how )
Methods:
• Online/Paper based survey

• Face -to-face chat/informal discussion
• Compulsory meetings
• Focus group
• Use existing committees, work groups and/or clubs for focus groups
OUTCOME OF CONSULTATION – FEEDBACK
The outcome of the consultation process should be shared with employees.
The feedback should be honest, factual and transparent. It

should present the summary of quantitative and
qualitative data.
It can be shared using:
• A presentation to interested employees

• Newsletter
• Email
• Delegated to line managers to disseminate to their
teams

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ISSUES MANAGEMENT
You should develop and/or implement processes to ensure that issues raised are resolved promptly or referred to
relevant personnel.
A formal process for managing issues will ensure that the problems are identified and resolved as quickly and
effectively as possible. Consider the following process as a way to formally manage these issues.
• Solicit potential issues from any stakeholder, including the team, clients, sponsors, etc. The issue can be
surfaced through verbal or written means, but it must be formally documented using an Issues Form. (This
may seem a burden, but an issue must be formally defined before it can be communicated and resolved
effectively. If an issue cannot be documented, there is no way it can be resolved.)
• The manager determines whether the problem can be resolved without outside help or whether it should
be classified as a formal issue.
• Enter the issue into the Issues Log. The Issues Log
contains one entry per issue and is used for
tracking purposes.
• Assign the issue to a team member for
investigation. (The manager could assign it to
herself.) The manager should also determine who
needs to be involved in the decision-making
process.
• The team member will investigate options that
are available to resolve the issue. For each option,
she should also estimate the impact to the team
and the wider organisation.
• The various alternatives and impacts are
documented on the Issues Form. The manager
should take the issue, alternatives and project impact to the people that need to be involved in the issue
resolution.
• Document the resolution or course of action on the Issues Form.
• Document the issue resolution briefly on the Issues Log.
• Add the appropriate corrective activities to the workplan to ensure the issue is resolved.
• Communicate issue status and resolutions to team members and other appropriate stakeholders through
the reports, meetings and other appropriate communication means.
Having this type of issues resolution process defined ahead of time will allow you to calmly and effectively work
through a problem resolution process whenever issues arise.
(Source: adapted from: http://www.techrepublic.com/article/use-this-issues-management-process-for-resolving-

major-problems/ )
You might also consider an escalation process, to escalate the issue to higher management personnel within the
organisation and/or specific organisational units.

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Example:
Source: http://www.publicprocurementguides.treasury.gov.cy/OHS-
EN/HTML/index.html?6_4_7_confrontation_of_problems.htm )

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ESTABLISH SYSTEMS TO DEVELOP TRUST AND CONFIDENCE
CULTURAL DIVERSITY
Many people use the terms diversity and multiculturalism interchangeably, when in fact, there are major
differences between the two. Diversity is defined as the differences between people. These differences can include
race, gender, sexual orientation, religion, background, socioeconomic status, and much more.
Diversity, when talking about it from the human

resource management (HRM) perspective, tends
to focus more on a set of policies to meet
compliance standards.
The Equal Opportunity Act makes discrimination,

sexual harassment and victimisation against the
law in many areas of public life, such as
employment, education, accommodation, and
providing goods and services.
Multiculturalism goes deeper than diversity by

focusing on inclusiveness, understanding, and
respect, and also by looking at unequal power in
society. In a report called “The 2007 State of
Workplace Diversity Management Report1,” most
HR managers said that diversity in the workplace
is:
1. not well defined or understood at work,
2. focuses too much on compliance, and
3. places too much emphasis on gender and ethnicity.
When many people look at diversity and multiculturalism, they think that someone’s gender, skin colour, or social
class shouldn’t matter. So diversity can help us with policies to prevent discrimination, while multiculturalism can
help us gain a deeper understanding of the differences between people. Hopefully, over time, rather than look at
diversity as attaining numerical goals or complying with the law, we can combine the concepts to create better
workplaces. Although many books discuss laws relating to diversity, not many actually describe why diversity is
necessary in the workplace. Here are a few main reasons:

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• It is the law.
• We can better serve customers by offering a broader range of services, such as being able to speak a
variety of languages and understanding other cultures.
• We can better communicate with one another (saving time and money) and customers.
• With a multicultural perspective, we can create better ideas and solutions.
Promoting a multicultural work environment isn’t just the law. Through a diverse work environment and
multicultural understanding, organisations can attain greater profitability. A study by Cedric Herring called Does
Diversity Pay? (Herring, 2006) reveals that diversity does, in fact, pay. The study found those businesses with
greater racial diversity reporter higher sales revenues, more customers, larger market shares, and greater relative
profits than those with more homogeneous workforces. Other research on the topic by Scott Page, the author of
The Difference: How the Power of Diversity Creates Better Groups, Firms, Schools, and Societies (Page, 2007)
ended up with similar results. Page found that people
from varied backgrounds are more effective at
working together than those who are from similar
backgrounds, because they offer different
approaches and perspectives in the development
of solutions. Often people believe that diversity is
about checking a box or only providing window
dressing to gain more customers, but this isn’t the
case. As put by Eric Foss, chairperson and CEO of
Pepsi Beverages Company, “It’s not a fad. It’s not
an idea of the month. It’s central and it’s linked very
directly to business strategy” (Holstein, 2009). A
study by the late Roy Adler of Pepperdine University shows similar results. His 19-year study of 215 Fortune 500
companies shows a strong correlation between female executives and high profitability (Adler). Another study,
conducted by Project Equality, found that companies that rated low on equal opportunity issues earned 7.9
percent profit, while those who rated highest with more equal opportunities resulted in 18.3 percent profit
(Lauber, 2011). These numbers show that diversity and multiculturalism certainly is not a fad, but a way of doing
business that better serves customers and results in higher profits.
As managers, we need to recognise this and develop policies that recognise not only the importance of diversity
but the importance of nurturing multicultural understanding in the workplace.
While state and federal laws must be followed to ensure multiculturalism, the culture of the company and the way
the organization operates can contribute to the nurturing of a multicultural environment (or not). Most companies
have a formalised and written antidiscrimination and harassment policy. For example, Zappos’s policy states, “The
diversity of Zappos’ employees is a tremendous asset. We are firmly committed to providing equal opportunity in
all aspects of employment and will not tolerate any illegal discrimination or harassment. Examples of such
behaviour include derogatory comments based on racial or ethnic characteristics and unwelcome sexual advances.

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DIVERSITY POLICY
Implementing a policy is an excellent first step, but what is important is how the company acts on those formalised
processes and written policies. Let’s say, for example, an organization has a published policy on inclusion of those
with physical disabilities, but much “schmoozing” and relationship development with managers takes place on the
golf course on Friday afternoons. While the policy states the company doesn’t discriminate, their actions and
“traditions” show otherwise and do discriminate against those with disabilities. If this is where the informal work
and relationship building take place, an entire group could be left out of this process, likely resulting in lower pay
and promotion rates. Likewise, organisations that have a “beer Friday” environment may discriminate against
those whose religions do not condone drinking alcohol. While none of these situations are examples of blatant
discrimination, a company’s culture can contribute to an environment that is exclusive rather than inclusive.
Many organizations have developed diversity management plans that are tied to the written diversity policy of the
organization. In fact, in many larger organizations, such as Hilton, manager- or director-level positions have been
created to specifically manage diversity plans and programs. Josh Greenberg, a researcher in the area of workplace
diversity, contends that organizations with specific diversity plans tend to be able to facilitate changes more
quickly than companies without diversity plans (Greenberg, 2004). He says there are three main steps to creating
diversity plans:
1. Assessment of diversity. Employee satisfaction surveys, discussions, and open forums that can provide insight
into the challenges and obstacles to diversity. Inclusion of all workers for input is necessary to create a useful plan.
2. Development of the diversity plan. Based on step 1, a series of attainable and measurable goals should be
developed regarding workplace diversity.
3. Implementation of the plan. The commitment of executives and management is necessary. Formulating action
plans based on the goals developed in step 2 and assignment of implementation and measurement of those plans
must follow. The action plan should be the
responsibility of the entire organization, not just the
director of diversity or human resources.
Recruitment and Selection
Sometimes organizations do not mean to be exclusive

or discriminatory, but their practices are discriminatory
and illegal. For example, the Equal Employment
Opportunity Commission (EEOC) in the US says it is
illegal to publish a job advertisement that shows a
preference for a particular type of person or
discourages someone from applying for a job. For
example, a Facebook post that says “recent college

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graduates wanted” might be inclusive to a younger group and discouraging to a diverse (older) workforce, not
making the post multicultural. Another example might be the reliance on word-of-mouth advertisement for job
openings. Suppose you have a mostly Hispanic workforce and use word of mouth for recruitment. It is likely that
most new hires will also be Hispanic. This is also illegal, but perhaps a consideration is the lack of diversity you will
have in your workplace with these recruitment methods.
Make sure that job announcements aren’t posted only for your Facebook friends to see; post them in a variety of
places to gain the largest and most diverse response.
Testing
If employment tests are required, a test must be in direct relation to the job. For example, an organization that
uses a personality test in hiring must be able to show that the personality test results are non-discriminatory and
do not exclude a population.
In addition, if a reasonable accommodation is needed, such as an interpreter, and it does not cause financial
difficulty for the organization, this should be granted.
Pay and Promotion
Development of policies related to pay and promotion is key to

fairness in a multicultural situation. It is widely published that
women make about 77 percent of what men earn for similar
jobs2. Many studies have tried to determine a cause for this
pay inequity, and here are some of the possible reasons
studied and researched:
1. Hours worked. Studies have said that women tend to

work fewer hours because of child-care and housework
expectations.
2. Occupational choice. A study performed by Anne York at

Meredith College (York, 2008) found that women tend to
choose careers that pay less because they are worried about
balancing family and career. In addition, numerous studies
show that women choose careers on the basis of gender
stereotypes (e.g., nurse, teacher) and that this leads to lower pay.
3. Stereotypes. The concept of male bias is a possibility. In many studies, people were more likely to choose male
doctors over female doctors, even when experience and education were the same (Hekman, et. al., 2010). There
appears to be a perception that men may be more competent in certain types of jobs.
4. Maternity and family leave. Women leaving the workforce for a short or extended period of time may affect the
perception of promotability in the workplace.

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5. Salary negotiation (Bowles & Babcock, 2008). A study performed by Bowles and Babcock showed that men were
eight times more likely to negotiate salary than women. In addition, when women did negotiate, they received
lower monetary returns. Consider a study performed by Cornell University, which found that women were often
negatively affected in their job when they negotiated salary, as compared to men not being viewed negatively
after negotiations.
Whatever the reason for pay difference, all managers should be aware of these differences when hiring and
promoting. Allowing managers to determine the pay for their employees can also bring out negative stereotypes—
and lead to breaking of the law. Determining a set pay schedule for all new and promoted employees can help
remedy this situation.
A factor in promotions can also be the mentor-mentee relationship. Most individuals in organizations will have an
informal mentor who helps them “through the ranks.” Traditionally, this informal mentor relationship results in
someone “pairing up” with another who has similar physical characteristics, is the same gender, or has a similar
mind-set. As a result, if the organization has, for example, mostly men.
Now What?
Now that you have an awareness of the aspects of HR that could be affected by multiculturalism, you may consider
what steps you can take to create a more multicultural workplace. The first step would be to create a diversity
plan, as discussed earlier in this section. The second step would be to look at the operation of the HR department
and to figure out what departmental
measures can be taken to promote diversity.
HR, for example, can provide a training series

on power and privilege and how it relates to
the workplace. Awareness is the first step to
creating a truly multicultural environment.
Once employees recognize their own power
and privilege, the training could be
developed to include laws related to
diversity, and discussions on bias can take
place. Then discussions can be held on how
to improve HR plans such as job analysis,
recruitment, and selection to create a
multicultural work environment. Rather than thinking about this training as one of many objectives that must be
accomplished, think about the training from the conversation perspective. Getting the conversation started is the
first step in this personal and professional development process for employees.
Checking your own perceptions on multiculturalism can be a good first step to creating a more multicultural and
diverse workplace.
Some of the aspects to creating a training focused on multiculturalism might include the following:

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1. Build a cultural knowledge about customs, religions, and histories.
2. Discuss treatment of people based on them as individuals, rather than as part of a “group,” which can result in
stereotyping.
3. Teach employees to listen actively, which can help raise cultural awareness.
4. Train employees to rethink current policies and how those policies might be exclusive to a certain group.
5. Work on resistance to change. Many employees think, “This is the way we have always done it, and now we
have to change it because we have a group of ____ working here now.”
6. Does your leadership team have a multiculturalism perspective? Are many ethnic backgrounds and other
multicultural traits represented?
The ability to talk about differences and expectations can be a key ingredient to creating a more inclusive
environment. Sometimes this type of training can help people evaluate their perceptions. For example, suppose a
complaint came through that a woman was making derogatory sexual comments to only one group of men in an
organization. When talked to about it, she said she made comments to the “techies” because she thought the
comments would provide them a needed confidence boost, but she generally wouldn’t make those types of
comments. This is an example of her perception (“techies” need confidence boosts from women) followed by her
action (the comments) on this perception. When we assume our perceptions are correct, we are usually wrong.
Training can get people to consider their emotions, stereotypes, and expectations. Besides training, asking
ourselves a series of important questions can be the start to making diversity and multiculturalism work. The
University of California, San Francisco human resource department lists some of these questions, which are shown
in the sidebar
Things to Consider When Creating a Multicultural and Diverse Work Environment
•Do you test your assumptions before acting on them?
•Do you believe there is only one right way of doing things, or
that there are a number of valid ways that accomplish the same
goal? Do you convey that to staff?
•Do you have honest relationships with each staff member you
supervise? Are you comfortable with each of them? Do you
know what motivates them, what their goals are, and how they
like to be recognized?
•Are you able to give negative feedback to someone who is

culturally different from you?

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•When you have open positions, do you insist on a diverse screening committee and make additional outreach
efforts to ensure that a diverse pool of candidates has applied?
•When you hire a new employee, do you not only explain job responsibilities and expectations clearly but orient
the person to the campus and department culture and unwritten rules?
•Do you rigorously examine your unit’s existing policies, practices,

and procedures to ensure that they do not differentially impact
different groups? When they do, do you change them?
•Are you willing to listen to constructive feedback from your staff

about ways to improve the work environment? Do you implement
staff suggestions and acknowledge their contribution?
•Do you take immediate action with people you supervise when
they behave in ways that show disrespect for others in the
workplace, such as inappropriate jokes and offensive terms?
•Do you make good faith efforts to meet your affirmative action
goals?
•Do you have a good understanding of institutional isms such as racism and sexism and how they manifest
themselves in the workplace?
•Do you ensure that assignments and opportunities for advancement are accessible to everyone?
•What policies, practices, and ways of thinking have differential impact on different groups?
•What organizational changes should be made to meet the needs of a diverse workforce?
Source: University of California, San Francisco, “Managing Diversity in the Workplace,” chap. 12 in Guide to
Managing Human Resources, accessed July 11, 2011,
http://ucsfhr.ucsf.edu/index.php/pubs/hrguidearticle/chapter-12-managing-diversity-in-the-workplace/#684.
(Source: Human Resource Management is adapted from a work produced and distributed under a Creative
Commons license (CC BY-NC-SA) in 2011 by a publisher who has requested that they and the original author not
receive attribution.)
TOP TEN TIPS FOR WRI TING A DIVERSITY POLICY AND STRATEGY
Businesses that commit to and implement diversity policies are more likely to retain a committed and satisfied
workforce resulting in greater profitability.

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Many businesses in Australia have diversity compliance and reporting responsibilities as part of their requirements
to anti-discrimination legislation. But having an effective diversity and inclusion strategy and policy is not just
about compliance.
Effective policies can help protect businesses from costly litigation and compensation claims, potential
reputational damage as well as unwanted staff turnover.
Research carried out for the ASX Corporate Governance Council shows that companies with diversity policies
report improved corporate image as well as improvements to the bottom line, access to a broader talent pool and
a better environment for generating ideas.
A reputation for having a diverse and inclusive workplace enhances your business: talented employees are
attracted and want to stay and a broader range of customers and suppliers opens up new markets and
opportunities.
Is your organisation just getting started on diversity or developing your first diversity and inclusion strategy? Or
perhaps you need to update your current diversity policy?
For the best results, here are the top ten things
you need to consider when writing or updating
your diversity policy or strategy.
Top ten tips for writing a diversity policy or

strategy
1. Consult with your employees

2. Include an objective or purpose
statement
3. Explain what you mean by diversity &
inclusion
4. Explain why diversity is important to
your business
5. Specify who the policy applies to & who is
responsible for its implementation
6. Identify the legal framework
7. Detail your strategies for delivering diversity
8. Ensure that your diversity & inclusion policy is linked to other relevant policies
9. Identify key outcomes
10. Identify how you will communicate, monitor & report your performance.
(Source: https://www.dca.org.au/News/All/Top-ten-tips-for-writing-a-diversity-policy-or-
strategy/423#sthash.bYMElNrb.dpuf )

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EXAMPLE OF DIVERSITY POLICIE S
Commonwealth Bank: https://www.commbank.com.au/about-us/PDS_PDF/CBT638-Diversity-Policy.pdf
Australian Institute of criminology - Workplace diversity Policy and Action Plan :

http://www.aic.gov.au/media_library/aic/institute/workplace-diversity-policy-action-plan-2015-2018.pdf
University of Wollongong: http://www.uow.edu.au/about/policy/alphalisting/UOW157844.html
ETHICAL VALUES IN THE WORKPLACE
Values and ethics are important in the workplace to help keep order, ensuring that a company runs smoothly and
remains profitable. Each individual company makes its values and ethics known almost immediately after hiring an
employee, or many times, during the interview process. And in many businesses, no matter how well an employee
performs, if he doesn’t follow workplace values and ethics, it can result in termination.
Dedication
How hard an employee works, or how much effort she puts forth, can go a long way. Obviously, companies want
results, but most employers prefer a worker who gives an honest effort to one who might be considered a
“natural” at the job, but is otherwise disruptive. Either way, when an
employee signs on with a business, she is agreeing to perform her
best to help the company flourish.
Integrity
An important aspect of workplace values and ethics is integrity, or

displaying honest behavior at all times. For instance, an employee
who works at a cash register is expected to balance the drawer and
deposit the correct amount of money at the end of the night.
Integrity in the business world also might mean being honest when
turning in an expense report or not attempting to steal a sales
account from a co-worker.
Accountability
Employees in all industries are expected to act accountable for their actions. That means showing up when they
are scheduled and on time, and not taking advantage of time allotted for breaks. It also means accepting
responsibility for when things go wrong, gathering yourself and willingly working toward a resolution. And
sometimes it might mean working longer than planned to see a project through to completion.

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Collaboration
In almost every industry, workplace values and ethics consist of teamwork. That’s because most companies believe
that when morale is high and everyone is working together, success will follow. So it is important for employees to
be team players--whether assisting co-workers on a project, teaching new hires new tasks, or following the
instructions of a supervisor.
Conduct
Employee conduct is an integral aspect of workplace values and ethics. Employees must not only treat others with
respect, but exhibit appropriate behavior in all facets of the job. That includes wearing proper attire, using
language that’s considered suitable around the office and conducting themselves with professionalism. Every
company enforces its own specific rules on conduct, and typically makes them extremely clear in employee
handbooks and training manuals.
(Source: http://smallbusiness.chron.com/workplace-values-ethics-4887.html )
Employee awareness of how to make ethical decisions is part of good workplace practice. Adherence to ethical
standards based on the organisational values and the Code of Conduct reduces the level of organisational risk and
increases performance.
The values and principles help people determine how things ought to be done. They guide work practices,
interactions and behaviour within an organisation. They are the foundation on which an organisation operates and
apply across all levels of the organisation – from the CEO to frontline employees.
The most effective ethics development programs

from around the world help employees make
sense of organisational values, raise awareness of
ethical responsibility and assist employees to
develop skills in ethical problem solving.
Senior accountability for the ethics system

reassures your employees that ethical issues are
taken seriously within the organisation. Think
about whether your organisation has the right
• governance arrangements
• style of supervision
• role models.
Every organisation should appoint a senior

executive Corruption Prevention and Integrity
Champion to lead and coordinate work within their organisation and to share good practice. Making appropriate

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expectations around integrity front and centre in all performance agreements helps embed high ethical standards
throughout the organisation.
You will need to assign an ethics officer or an ethics committee to design, implement and maintain the ethics
system. Their tasks will include:
• conducting an ethics audit to identify ethical risks that must be addressed by the ethics system
• setting up and advising you and the executive team on the design and operation of the ethics system.
The senior accountable officer or committee oversees a system for rewarding and encouraging ethical behaviour
and deterring unacceptable behaviour. Their tasks include:
• monitoring information from surveys, turnover data and other sources

• informing and involving employees in discussions about the values and principles
• developing policies and procedures in consultation with employees
• incorporating the values and principles in induction and other staff development programs
• rewarding, recognising and promoting employees who exemplify the values and principles
• enabling employees to raise concerns about application of the values and principles.
The values and employment principles

guide our relationship with the
Government, community and each
other but what do these mean in
practice?
Ethical behaviour means always taking

the high road when making decisions. For managers, it also means leading when managing yourself and your staff.
There are tips for sustaining an ethical workplace so that ethics become a natural function of your organisation. Try
these activities:
• lead your team in discussing a workplace problem in your next team meeting
• start a discussion about the values and principles the next time you make a major decision
• read the code of conduct, examine your own behaviour and challenge misconduct in the workplace
• speak to HR about how you can develop a values-based organisation
Put the values and employment principles on display, not only through your behaviour, but also by hanging posters
in your foyer, lunch room or workplace.
(Source: http://vpsc.vic.gov.au/ethics-behaviours-culture/ethics-in-the-workplace/ )

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PROFESSIONAL CONDUCT IN THE WORKPLACE
You can gain and maintain the trust and confidence of colleagues in the workplace through professional conduct.
Professionalism is defined as an individual's conduct at work. In spite of the word's root, this quality is not
restricted to occupations we describe as "professions," typically those that require a lot of education and have high
earnings.
Cashiers, maintenance workers, and waitresses, who don't usually make a lot of money and don't need college
degrees, can demonstrate a high level of this trait, just like doctors, lawyers or engineers can display a low level of
it, and vice versa.
As with good health, the absence of professionalism is usually more noticeable than its presence. Who will detect
whether you have this quality or not? Your boss and customers and co-workers will, and it can affect your ability to
keep your job and advance in your career. So, what can you do to make sure you exhibit professionalism or, at
least, not show a lack of it? Follow these dos and don'ts:
Make Being on Time a Priority
Showing up late for work or meetings gives the

impression that you don't care about your job,
so make sure you pay attention to the clock.
Not only does this go for start times, but this
tip also applies to returning from your lunch
break.
Don't Be a Grump
Leave your bad mood at the door when you

come to work. We all have days when we
aren't feeling our best. Remember not to take it
out on your boss, your co-workers and especially
your customers. If work is the thing that is causing you to be grumpy, it may be time to think about quitting your
job.
If that isn't a good option for you, make the best of the situation until it is.
Dress Appropriately
Your workplace attire may or may not include wearing a suit and tie. Whether you have to dress up for work, or
you can wear more casual clothes, your appearance should always be neat and clean. A wrinkled suit looks no
better than a ripped pair of jeans.

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Wear the type of clothing your employer requires or that is the norm for your place of employment. Generally
speaking, revealing or tight clothing is a no-no. You should save flip-flops, shorts, and tank tops for the weekends.
Watch Your Mouth
Swearing, cursing or cussing—whatever you call it—has no place at work, particularly if those who you might
offend are present. If you wouldn't say it to your grandmother, refrain from saying it at work.
Offer To Help Your Colleagues
A true professional is willing to help his or her co-workers when they are overburdened. He or she isn't afraid to
share knowledge, opinions or simply an extra pair of hands. One person's success reflects well on everyone in his
or her workplace.
Don't Gossip
While you may be tempted to tell your cubicle neighbors what you heard about Suzy or Sam down in accounting,
gossiping makes you look like a middle school student. If you know something that you simply must share, tell
someone who has nothing to do with your workplace, like your sister, mother, or best friend.
Try to Stay Positive:
Negativity at work brings everyone down. Your boss certainly will not appreciate a drop in morale among his or her
employees. Instead, if you think something can be improved, find a way to make that happen.
Don't Hide From Your Mistakes
As hard as it may be to do, take ownership of your mistakes and do your best to correct them. Make sure you don't
make the same one twice. Never blame others, but set an example so that those who share responsibility for the
mistake can step forward and admit it.
Always Fight Fair
You will inevitably have disagreements with

your co-workers or even your boss. You may
think that something should be done one way
while someone else will believe another way is
better. Don't let yourself get angry. No matter
how upset you are or how strongly you think
you are right, screaming isn't allowed, nor is
name calling or door slamming.
It should go without saying, also, that you

should always avoid physical attacks, no matter

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what. Calmly explain your opinion and be ready to walk away if you cannot sway the other person or if he or she
begins to lose control.
Don't Lie
Dishonesty never makes anyone look good, whether it's lying on one's resume or calling in sick when you aren't. A
true professional is always upfront. If you aren't qualified for the job, either don't apply for it or send in your
application despite this and explain why you'd be perfect for the job regardless of the one skill or attribute you are
lacking. As for lying about being sick, if you need a day off, take a personal or vacation day.
Don't Air Your Dirty Laundry
While confiding in a close friend at work is usually okay, sharing too much information with the entire office is not.
Be judicious about whom you talk to, particularly when it comes to discussing problems you are having with your
spouse or other family members. If you do decide to share personal information with your coworkers, don't do it
where customers and clients can overhear you.
(Source: https://www.thebalance.com/professionalism-526248)
INTERPERSONAL COMMUNICATION
To communicate effectively, in other words, to be understood and understand others, is a set of skills to be
learned and practiced.
Common misconceptions about communication
It is fairly common for two people not to understand each other. Often, without even knowing it, we hold certain
misconceptions about how to communicate with one another.
These misconceptions create barriers to engaging in effective
exchange and genuine conversation. Below is a list of the
common misconceptions we can hold about communication.
Take a look and see where your pitfalls might be. Becoming
more aware of your own "habits of mind" about
communication could help increase your effectiveness at work.
"If I say it, the other person will understand."
Not necessarily. Meaning is ascribed by the receiver of a

message, so saying it doesn't mean it will be understood. We

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need to check to see if the meaning of our message is understood as intended.
"The more communication, the better!"
If you are feeling misunderstood, talking too much and louder is a mistake. This can actually exacerbate a situation
versus clarify it. Excessive talking won´t help. Try different ways of expressing yourself. Knowing when to remain
silent is part of communicating effectively.
"Any problem can be solved at any time if we communicate

with each other."
There are times when taking some time away from each
other and the situation can be a better solution than
trying to talk it out. Often high intensity emotions such
as anger or sadness can blow an interaction out of
proportion. A few moments of self-reflection and calm
can help you gain perspective on the issue.
"Communication is a natural ability – some have it, some

don´t."
Communication is not an innate ability. Skillful

communication can be a learned with practice. There are
some very simple tips that can dramatically increase how
you understand others and are understood. Try them out and
see for yourself if anything changes.
(Adapted from Johnson, Reaching Out, 2003)
Self-awareness at work
Although interpersonal communication requires at least two people, the most important place to begin is with
you. Being open with another person starts with being aware of who you are and what you are like. Self-awareness
helps you identify the actions required to behave competently in different situations. The more self-aware you are,
the more able you are to manage your own behaviour and your ability to adapt your behaviour to changing
circumstances is greater.
Key areas for self-awareness
• Personality – understanding your unique traits and characteristics of your personality can help you find
situations in which you will thrive, as well as help you avoid situations in which you will experience too
much stress. Awareness of your personality helps you analyze such a decision.
• Values – are your beliefs in which you have an emotional investment. For example, if you value respect,
you will make sure that you and your teammates are treated with fairness and courtesy.

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• Habits – are the behaviors that are repeated routinely and often automatically. Although we would like to
possess the habits that help us interact effectively with and manage others, we can probably all identify at
least one of our habits that decreases our effectiveness. For example, if you are a manager who does not
always consult with your staff before making decisions, that habit may interfere with your ability to build
your staff members' commitment to the decisions and their decision-making skills as well.
• Needs – are a condition or situation in which something is required or wanted. For instance, you may be
someone who needs continuous feedback to keep motivated at work. If this is the case, think about which
processes you can implement with your co-workers to get the feedback you need. Needs create
motivation; and when needs aren't satisfied, they can cause frustration, conflict and stress.
• Emotions – acknowledging your own feelings such as anger, happiness, fear, or surprise, what causes
them, and how they impact your thoughts and actions is a fundamental step in becoming self-aware.
By stepping back from your experience, you can become aware of what is happening rather than being immersed
and lost in it. For example, being enraged at someone and having the self-reflexive thought "This is anger I´m
feeling" demonstrates a subtle shift that can occur within you. From this place, you can objectively decide how you
want to respond to an interaction with confidence and finesse.
Communicating effectively
Communication amongst people is a process in which everyone receives, sends, interprets, and infers all at the
same time, and there is no beginning and end. How do you send messages effectively? Taking into account your
own internal states, what can you do to ensure effective communication of your ideas and feeling?
Use "I" statements. Powerful and influential statements are made when a person uses personal pronouns when
speaking. It contributes to direct communication. Simply say what you think or feel about something. "I feel
frustrated when people are late to meetings" versus "Some people may think that people who come late to
meetings are passive aggressive".
Describe behaviours without judgment or an evaluative statement. "You interrupted me several times during
our staff meeting" versus "you are an attention-seeker and have no care for others".
Describe your feelings: this is an important part of

the message that often gets skipped even though
the emotional content is directly colouring your
message. Best to just name it so that others can
understand what is going on for you. For instance,
"I felt angry when you cut me off during our staff
meeting."
Maintain congruence between your verbal and non-

verbal messages. Saying, "I enjoyed your
presentation to the board.." with your eyes rolling or
a sarcastic tone, will confuse the person and most likely

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decrease trust which closes communication down. Your body language accounts for more than 60% of your
message - verbal and physical congruence will build trust and clarify your intent.
For many people it will take practice to become an effective communicator. Ask for feedback around the clarity,
delivery, and timing of your message. It might feel risky but each small risk will build your confidence and increase
trust in those you work with.
Trust is especially necessary for open and effective communication. When we have a high degree of trust in the
other person, we tend to be willing to share our thoughts, feelings, and ideas. Trust simplifies our interactions by
giving us confidence in other people´s words and deeds. On the other hand, a lack of trust reduces the amount of
information the sender shares and increases the receiver´s suspicion of what little information is communicated.
Listening and responding
Too often in our conversations, we talk to each other but don´t listen attentively. We are often distracted, half
listening, half thinking about something else or formulating an answer.
Listening and responding is how we understand the feelings and thoughts of the other person. There is no skill
more important for effective communication than taking into consideration the other person´s perspective. Try
standing in someone else´s shoes; it will considerably improve your communication with that person.
Tips for listening and responding
• Focus on what is being said – tune out distractions

• Look for non-verbal cues such as eye contact, facial expressions or body postures
• Listening is about the other, not you. Try to refrain from forming your response before you have even
heard what the other is saying
• Clarify and ask pointed questions to help you
understand what is being said
• Paraphrase: restate in your own words, what the
person says, feels and means
• Try to understand the message from the sender´s
perspective: "So if I understand you.."
(Source: http://hrcouncil.ca/hr-toolkit/workplaces-
interpersonal.cfm )
MANAGE THE DEVELOPMENT AND MAINTENANCE OF NETWORKS AND RELATIONSHIPS

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Whether you are a corporate employee, self-employed professional or entrepreneur, climbing the ladder to
success can be easy if you are committed to consistently following a few simple networking strategies in your
career.
As an entrepreneur and small business owner, referrals can make up 80%-90% of new business revenues.
Networking is both a competency and a process that you need to hone in order to be successful.
Here are 10 networking and business tips:
1. Build Your Networking Muscle
Practice networking by attending lots of different

networking events. You will meet many interesting
people and contacts, some of which will become great
clients, colleagues or friends.
2. Develop Thick Skin
Get comfortable hearing the word “no”, over and over

and over again. It will build your character and make
you tenacious about your business.
3. Be Nice to Everyone You Meet
I had a boss once who used to say “be nice to the people on the way up because you never know when you’ll be
meeting them on the way down.” The world is getting smaller all the time. Don’t burn any bridges and be
genuinely nice to everyone.
4. Be Giving
Give your time, your advice, and especially your referrals. It will all come back to you in positive karma and
plentiful business opportunities.
5. Grow Your Relationship Database
You are only 4 or 5 people away from anything you ever want or need. All you have to do is ask.
6. Communicate
Maintain regular and consistent contact with the people in your database. One of my most successful
communication tactics is to periodically meet with people in my network face to face. It’s much more personal,
and much more fun too. When you can’t meet in person then a phone call or personal note works well too. Of
course, I’m also on various social networks, but other than my “Road to Results Newsletter”, I try to stay away
from canned email communication.

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7. Keep it Simple
Look at where you are spending your time and your precious energy. What is generating you the best results?
Those are the activities you want to continue doing and do more of. Get rid of the time and/or money wasting
activities.
8. Build Rapport
Are you a people magnet or a people repellent? What are

you projecting outwardly? Make sure others see you as a
positive, warm and friendly person they would like to
interact with. Make sure your positive personality and
outlook is attracting relationships and not pushing them
away.
9. Set Goals
If you have a clear vision of where you are going, the rest
will fall into place. Make sure you decide on what you want
short, medium and longer term and in every area of your life.
10. Access Available Resources
There are so many resources available to support you in whatever you wish to do. Build a strong support team
which includes family, friends and colleagues.
(Source: http://www.humanresources.com/617/10-essential-networking-strategies/ )
Read the following article: https://hbr.org/2007/01/how-leaders-create-and-use-networks
EXTERNAL INFLUENCE ON WORKPLACE RELATION SHIPS
When managers work closely with team members, the exciting relationship that builds is value-creating on both
sides. Greater productivity and performance being the most likely outcomes for the manager, whilst career
development and a much better working experience for an employee - just two examples for each that can come
from working well together. There are challenges enough for those two to get together productively, with both
sides needing to have the intention to succeed in how they interact, as well as being able to work to come closer
together to create the right environment.
That said, theirs will not be the only influences that will come to bear, despite this seemingly being a one-to-one
relationship. We are all shaped by our whole environment and it's likely that these 'external' influences will need
consideration and the working relationship progresses.

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So, just who could be implicated in how two people interact, apart from those individuals themselves? Here are
some possibilities: -
Family and Friends
This can present some of the most difficult challenges.
In such cases, employees can be influenced into working in certain ways by others who, variously, may not have
the full picture; will have had very different work experiences; and ultimately, just be unwilling to go half way to
work well with other people, especially managers who are trying hard
to make things work better.
Managers need to acknowledge such pressures and ensure that

whatever they do to make workplace relationships better, the
external influences can be very robust. It's not to give up on at all,
indeed these workplace experiences might be a breath of fresh air
to the person they are trying to be creative with. It might take
time.
Having a consistent approach with all team members will help, so

that those facing this particular issue will be encouraged to
overcome other prejudices, to dig in and take the risk of trying on
better working relationships with supervisors or managers.
Other Colleagues
When two individuals are working together to build a better working relationship, this can be influenced by the
shared perceptions of others in the team.
This is usually caused by fear and other emotions, like jealousy or frustration and more.
Managers need to watch for the reluctance of individuals to get more involved. By ensuring that everyone in the
team gets the same treatment, this issue usually resolves itself.
Other Line Managers
Managers are frequently encouraged to work in some bizarre ways by their colleagues, who might have
experiences that are set in quite different circumstances and with different people and situations involved.
Managers need to understand that they will create relationships best, when they are being at their most authentic
with themselves and not feel obliged to 'do it their way'.
Being able to stand up and develop their own strategies takes courage and, from time to time, the occasional
failure. this is all part of management self-development and is a very worthwhile exercise!

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External Business Contacts
There may be times where the impact of other business contacts can affect the way that managers get on with
their team.
Sometimes such extraneous influences can be hard to pick up on and adjust in favor of your own activities.
The key here is to be good at creating good working

relationships with all of your people, all of the time, so
that anyone affected by external influencers can see
that the 'home way' is best and then they are likely to
gradually fall in line.
These are a few of the possibilities - and there may be

more. The key element here is to remember that whilst
two individuals might wish to create a much more
positive working relationship, there will be underlying
and sometimes even unconscious thought processes
that can take time to overcome.
Great working relationships are hugely valuable, not

just to a manager who can get more out of their team, but,
when working well, to each single individual who is on the other side of the desk, in the personal reward and
development, not to mention exciting and motivating work, that they can experience too.
(Source: http://www.evancarmichael.com/library/martin-haworth/Effective-Workplace-Relationships--External-
Influences.html )
RELATIONSHIPS EXTERNAL TO YOUR TEAM
There are likely to be a range of people, other work areas or organisations whose work directly impacts on yours,
or whose work your team has a direct impact upon.
This includes people you have no direct authority over, though how well they perform or respond to your requests
may have a huge impact on your team’s success.
Solid relationships here can reduce risks and lead to increased efficiency and better outcomes for the teams
involved and for the organisation.

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You may have developed relationships with these people before you
became a manager. However, the nature of these relationships is now
likely to be different, particularly in terms of:
• Playing a greater role in representing your

team/division/organisation internally and externally, for
example
o getting buy-in to your team’s work agenda from external
stakeholders
o creating internal alliances with your peers
o using the authority of your role to resolve issues.
• Influencing others to ensure your team has the necessary
resources (e.g. equipment, finance, people) to achieve its
work goals
• Acting as a conduit for information to and from your team
• Managing the performance of your team
Your relationship with your manager is likely to set the scene for much of you and your team’s success. Your
manager acts as an important intermediary with the rest of the organisation. From day one it’s important to
understand what your manager expects of you and how they can best support you in your new role.
(Source: http://vpsc.vic.gov.au/html-resources/welcome-to-management-a-guide-for-new-managers-in-the-
victorian-public-sector/5-build-relationships/ )
MANAGE DIFFICULTIES TO ACHIEVE POSITIVE OUTCOME
CONFLICTS MANAGEMENT
Conflict exists in every organization and to a certain extent indicates a healthy exchange of ideas and creativity.
However, counter-productive conflict can result in employee dissatisfaction, reduced productivity, poor service to
clients, absenteeism and increased employee turnover, increased work-related stress or, worse case scenario,
litigation based on claims of harassment or a hostile work environment.
As an executive director or manager, it is often your role to discern when a conflict is a normal part of the work day
and work relationships or whether you need to engage an external alternative and/or refer to a more formal
conflict resolution policy and procedure.
Common sources of conflict

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Conflict is an inevitable part of human relationships. Where commitment to mission and long hours with minimal
resources intersect, nonprofit workplaces can be rife with conflict interchanges. Conflict can arise from managing
differing perspectives and seemingly incompatible concerns. If we can accept it as a natural part of our emotional
landscape, it can be easier to work with than if we expect (or wish!) conflict to disappear and never resurface.
As a manager, it is important to be able to identify and to understand the varying levels of conflicts and how these
levels are manifested in different ways. An early sign of conflict is that "nagging feeling" or tension you feel,
indicating that something is brewing under the surface. Pay attention to non-verbal behaviours such as crossed-
arms, eyes lowered or someone sitting back or away
from you or the group. These signs can provide you
with important information about your current
situation and can help you in assessing your next
steps. If these signs are not dealt with in a timely
manner, this sense of apprehension can shift to
another level of conflict and can be manifested more
directly with opposition and conviction. This aspect
of conflict is addressed in more depth in the sections
below.
More often than not, these early warning signs are a

part of a larger web of dynamics present in your
organization. As part of our analysis, it is helpful to
understand the source of potential conflict. Below are
some common sources of conflict:
• Values conflict
Involves incompatibility of preferences, principles and practices that people believe in such as religion,
ethics or politics.
• Power conflict
Occurs when each party wishes to maintain or maximize the amount of influence that it exerts in the
relationship and the social setting such as in a decision making process.
• Economic conflict
Involves competing to attain scarce resources such as monetary or human resources.
• Interpersonal conflict
Occurs when two people or more have incompatible needs, goals, or approaches in their relationship such
as different communication or work styles.
• Organizational conflict
Involves inequalities in the organizational chart and how employees report to one another.
• Environmental conflict
Involves external pressures outside of the organization such as a recession, a changing government, or a
high employment rate.

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Once you know more about where the conflict stems from, you will be better equipped to address it. A variety of
factors influence when and how conflict will surface. To get the bigger picture, consider all the sources above
before taking action. Now, we will look at the various ways in which we can respond and manage conflict.
Understanding conflict styles
Thomas and Kilman (1972) developed a model that identified five common strategies or styles for dealing with
conflict. They state that individuals tend to have a personal and habitual way of dealing with conflict which can
take over when we are under pressure. Sometimes it's the most productive style for resolving the conflict, but very
often it's not and simply worsens the situation. A first step in dealing with conflict is to discover your preferred
conflict style(s) and subsequently, learn how to manage a variety of situations using different approaches.
These styles have two basic dimensions:
• Assertiveness, which relates to behaviours intended to satisfy one's own concerns. This dimension is also
correlated to attaining one's goals,
• Cooperativeness, which relates to behaviours intended to satisfy the other individual's concerns. This
dimension can also be tracked as being concerned with relationships.
A combination of these dimensions results in five

conflict behaviours:
• Competing
• Accommodating
• Avoiding
• Collaborating
• Compromising
Each style is appropriate in particular contexts and

learning how to be strategic when approaching
conflict is ideal.
Accommodating
The accommodating style is unassertive and cooperative. The goal of this stance is to yield. Typically a person using
this conflict mode neglects his or her needs to satisfy the concerns of the other person. There is an element of self-
sacrifice and this stance is concerned with preserving the relationship versus attaining goals. The mode is also
known as an appeasement or smoothing style and is the opposite of competing.
Example: Catch phrase: "It's ok with me, whatever you want."
o Pro : Can preserve harmonious relationships, can admit there is a better way
o Con : Can lead to resentment by not getting your needs met, can diminish your influence, martyr stance
Competing

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The Competing style is a power-oriented mode that is high in assertiveness and low in cooperativeness. The goal of
this stance is to win. In this mode, the individual aims to pursue one's agenda at another's expense. This may mean
standing up for one's needs, defending a
cherished position and/or simply trying to win.
The goal is deemed very important. This style
is also referred to as a forcing or dominant
style.
Example: Catch phrase: "My way or the

highway."
o Pro : Decisive, assertive, addresses personal

needs
o Con : Can damage relationships, shut others
down
Avoiding
The avoiding style is both unassertive and uncooperative. The goal of this stance is to delay. In this mode an
individual does not immediately pursue his or her concerns or those of another. There is indifference to the
outcome to the issue and the relationship and the person withdraws or postpones dealing with the conflict. This
style can provide a needed respite from the situation or it can inflame things if the issue keeps being pushed aside.
This mode is also known as flight.
Example: Catch phrase: "I will think about it tomorrow."
o Pro : Doesn't sweat the small stuff, delays may be useful

o Con : Avoidance builds up and then blows, important issues don´t get dealt with, it can take more energy
to avoid then deal at times
Collaborate
The collaborating style is both assertive and cooperative. The goal of this stance is to find a win-win situation.
Typically this mode is concerned with finding creative solutions to issues that satisfy both individual's concerns.
Learning, listening and attending to both the organizational and personal issues are addressed with this conflict
style. It takes time and effort. This mode is also known as a problem solving or integrative style and it is the
opposite of avoiding.
Example: Catch phrase: "Two heads are better than one."
o Pro : Finds the best solution for everyone, which leads to high commitment, higher creativity in problem
solving, team-building
o Con : Takes time and energy; if applied to all conflicts it can be draining and unnecessary
Compromise

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The compromising style lands one right in the middle of being assertive and cooperative. The goal of this stance is
to find a quick middle ground. Parties find an expedient, mutually acceptable solution by having each person give
up something and split the difference. This mode is also known as sharing.
Example: Catch phrase: "Let's make a deal."
o Pro: Fixes things quickly, satisfies needs of both parties, finds temporary settlements to complex issues,
has backup up strategy when competition or collaboration fails
o Con: Can play games, bypass longer-term solutions, compromises found may be dissatisfying and may
need to be revisited
A note on conflict styles:
All the styles are relevant, useful and when used

strategically, can help you navigate conflict with
success. Most people have an instant reaction to the
names of the conflict styles deeming some of them
better than others. People can be quick to pass
judgment, believing that competing style as bad and
collaboration as good.
Learn to keep your value judgments in check. Each

style is useful and necessary. The more an individual
can move with ease between the conflict styles and
use them when the timing is right, the more adept
one will become at navigating tension and conflict. If
you think one is better than the other, you will be
locked into certain styles that will not serve you or you will
judge others who may employ those styles at times. Obviously if someone is competing in every situation, this will
have negative impacts on that person and those around them. The same can be said of each of the conflict modes.
The trick is to understand when to use which style.
Using Styles Strategically
While every person can use all five styles at different times, we tend to prefer one or two habitual responses in
conflict situations. For example, a person may unconsciously use the compromising style of approaching conflict
even when the situation would move more quickly and effectively if they were using an accommodating approach.
In order to be effective in conflict situation, you will need to learn to expand your use of conflict strategies.
Strategy grid
An easy way to use the conflict styles strategically is to use the following grid. First, assess your situation: What is
the most important to you? Team? Organization? Is it the goal or is it the relationship involved? When the
relationship matters the most, use the strategies on the right of the grid (i.e., collaboration or accommodation). If

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Learning Resource
the goal is vital to maintain, above all else, you could use the top two strategies of the grid (i.e., competitive or
collaborative). When the result and relationship are both relatively important to you, a compromising style will
probably be most effective. If neither the goal nor relationship matter, avoiding conflict may be the best bet.
Cheat sheet:
• goal high (most important) and relationship low = compete

• goal low and relationship high = accommodate
• goal AND relationship high = collaborate
• goal AND relationship low = avoid
• goal and relationship are equally important = compromise
The grid is useful for thinking through any given situation.
When assessing what conflict resolution strategy to use, also consider the impact and energy your efforts will
make. For example, in many organizations coming to consensus is a valued way of working and making decisions
together. For obvious reasons, the "win/win" result of consensus or collaboration is the most rewarding for all
parties involved. That being said, it is not always the best approach. It is the most difficult of all styles to achieve
due to the high amount of participation, cooperation and time required by you and the other person(s). Before
engaging in any type of conflict situation, take a step back (breathe and count to 5) and do a quick scan of the
situation to ascertain which style would have the most impact.
Lastly, check your perceptions, clarify your understanding of the conflict and be tough on issues, not on people.
Conflicts can help you deepen your relationships, help you identify what matters most, release emotions and act as
a cleanser in your relationships – getting rid of irritations and resentments. In the end, conflict navigated
successfully can build trust and increase your self-confidence.

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Dealing with difficult people
When working in a group, there may be times when you will have to work with a difficult person. Often times, this
person is not aware of his or her impact on the group or the implications of his or her actions on others. Depending
on the perspective, everyone has been viewed at one time or another, as a difficult person. Everybody has the
capacity to be both productive and problematic in the workplace. It is all in how you view the situation. With a
simple change in perspective, your experience with a difficult person can change from a situation that is happening
to you to a possibly enriching learning experience.
If you are experiencing a strong reaction to another person, there are two elements you need to consider: you and
the other person. First, start with yourself. It is essential to understand why you are reacting to that person and
the possible strategies you can use to address the
situation. For example, a preferred conflict
style can be exacerbated by a particular
method of communication. If you have a
tendency to avoid conflicts, are emails the only
way you solve issues at the office? Or do you
find yourself saying things on email that you
would never say in person. Many of us can
hide behind our computers or take on a bolder,
more aggressive persona. In essence, change
your behaviour to work effectively with
someone. There are many ways in which to
communicate with your colleagues – face to
face meetings, phone calls, e-mails, video
conferencing etc. the possibilities are limitless.
When working with a difficult person, begin to locate the problem inside yourself. Dr. Ronald Short, in his book,
Learning in Relationship, states: "The impact someone has on us (feeling and thoughts we have inside) is our
responsibility. To understand impact, we need to look at ourselves – not judge others" (1998). Remember, as a
rule (and this is easier said than done), try not to take things personally. Nothing others do is because of you. What
others say and do is a direct reflection of what is happening inside of this person.
When tension arises, ask yourself:
o What bothers me about this person?

o Why is it impacting me so much?
Once you have a clearer idea why this person is upsetting you and have a larger perspective as to why they might
be acting as they are, you are in a good position to engage in a conversation.
Important

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Remember, you can only control your response to the conflict, not the outcome. Sometimes people are just
difficult and nothing you can do will change this reality. More often than not, there are other forces at play in
someone else's behaviour that are beyond our capacity to deal with. Although it is important to understand this
fact, it doesn't lessen the negative impact and emotional turmoil a difficult person can have on you and your
organization. Dealing with difficult people may be an unavoidable fact but in no way is bullying ever acceptable.
If you decide to address the person involved, remember that successful conflict resolution depends on effective
communication. This, in turn, depends on two factors: (1) acknowledging, listening, and productively using the
differences in people, and (2) developing a personal approach for dealing effectively with difficult people. Try these
suggestions:
• Address the situation immediately, directly and respectfully

• Speak directly to the person and not to someone else about another person's behaviour
• Separate individuals from the problems. Remind yourself that the problem is the issue or relationship, not
the individuals themselves
• Objectively try to understand what is behind the difficult person's actions rather than reacting right away
• Examine your own contributions to the situation
• Be clear in all your communication so the situation is
not further complicated with misunderstandings
• Discuss the issue using "I" statements (for instance, "I
feel uncomfortable when you...")
• Reinforce any positive changes (even small ones) made
by the difficult person
When this type of discussion is conducted successfully, it results

in far more than a simple change in how you address the
situation or your use of language. Remain open and curious:
you have so much to learn from each other. Conflict strategies,
however, are one side of the coin; how you handle
communication in relation to conflict is the corresponding side.
Check out the section on interpersonal communication to get
some ideas on how to communicate effectively.
(Source: http://hrcouncil.ca/hr-toolkit/workplaces-conflict.cfm )
Example of conflict resolution management policies in the workplace are provided below:
Society for Human Resource Management : https://www.shrm.org/resourcesandtools/tools-and-

samples/policies/pages/cms_000517.aspx
Human Resource Council of Canada: http://hrcouncil.ca/hr-toolkit/conflict-resolution.cfm
Institute of community directors of Australia :

https://www.ourcommunity.com.au/files/policybank/StaffDisputeResolution.doc

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Learning Resource
IDENTIFY PROBLEMS IN THE WORKPLACE
The workplace contains a hub of activities that can either produce desirable or business-wrecking performances.
Good relations and equipment in an office can boost a firm’s performance. On the other hand, bad office relations
and bad equipment can mother problems that result in detrimental performances. Using the right tools and
techniques to identify these issues can help you solve problems in the workplace and help grow your business.
Employee Reviews
Conducting employee performance reviews is an effective technique used to identify problems in the workplace.
The worker should be the most likely person to identify potential issues that need to be dressed. Some of the
methods that can be used to collect this information include questionnaires, surveys and oral interviews. This
information can then be used to identify or predict
workplace issues, such as health and job safety concerns,
discrimination, harassment, work-life balance and
remuneration, among others. For instance, health
hazards in the workplace can be identified more
effectively when performed informally by supervisory
and non-supervisory employees during the course of
daily work activities with technical assistance from
safety and health professionals.
Employee Safety
Healthy employees are more active and productive

compared to their sick counterparts. It is vital that a
business owner knows his workplace well enough to
offer his employees information on the hazards associated
with their line of work. One way of achieving this is by ensuring that office equipment is safe for use and meets
standards. Reviewing Occupational Safety and Health Administration regulations can help you determine whether
your equipment meets the standards. Additionally, employers can warn workers of areas where accidents are
more prone to occur.
Group Assessments
Putting your employees together in small groups may help when trying to diagnose problems within the office. The
groups should consist of staff from the same department working toward acknowledging a common problem. A
moderator who is unknown to the employees makes it easier for the employees to mention problems they
frequently encounter. Peer-group assessment helps the company identify numerous problems within the firm’s
departments.
Risk Assessment

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Learning Resource
Risk assessment is a practical activity that involves a thorough review of the workplace structure to identify the
situations or processes that may cause harm to the people. Risk assessment is not only limited to collecting
information from employees. Other risk factors, such as the construction design of the workplace, safety of power,
lighting systems, and office equipment or machinery, are also assessed. After identification of risk-enhancing
factors is made, evaluation is done to estimate the likelihood of occurrence and severity of the potential risk in
order to decide what strategies should be in place to effectively prevent or control the harm from happening.
(Source: http://work.chron.com/tools-techniques-identify-problems-workplace-23330.html)
PROBLEM SOLVING IN THE WORKPLACE
Problem-solving and decision-making. Ask anyone in the workplace if these activities are part of their day and they
answer 'Yes!' But how many of us have had training in problem-solving? We know it's a critical element of our
work, but do we know how to do it effectively?
People tend to do three things when faced with a problem: they get afraid or uncomfortable and wish it would go
away; they feel that they have to come up with an answer and it has to be the right answer; and they look for
someone to blame. Being faced with a problem becomes a problem. And
that's a problem because, in fact, there are always going to be problems!
There are two reasons why we tend to see a problem as a problem: it

has to be solved and we're not sure how to find the best solution, and
there will probably be conflicts about what the best solution is. Most of
us tend to be "conflict-averse". We don't feel comfortable dealing with
conflict and we tend to have the feeling that something bad is going to
happen. The goal of a good problem-solving process is to make us and
our organization more "conflict-friendly" and "conflict-competent".
There are two important things to remember about problems and

conflicts: they happen all the time and they are opportunities to
improve the system and the relationships. They are actually providing us
with information that we can use to fix what needs fixing and do a better job. Looked at in this way, we can almost
begin to welcome problems! (Well, almost.)
Because people are born problem solvers, the biggest challenge is to overcome the tendency to immediately come
up with a solution. Let me say that again. The most common mistake in problem solving is trying to find a solution
right away. That's a mistake because it tries to put the solution at the beginning of the process, when what we
need is a solution at the end of the process.
Here are seven-steps for an effective problem-solving process.

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1. Identify the issues.
Be clear about what the problem is.
Remember that different people might have different views of what the issues are.
Separate the listing of issues from the identification of interests (that's the next step!).
2. Understand everyone's interests.
This is a critical step that is usually missing.
Interests are the needs that you want satisfied by any given solution. We often ignore our true interests
as we become attached to one particular solution.
The best solution is the one that satisfies everyone's interests.
This is the time for active listening. Put down your differences for awhile and listen to each other with the
intention to understand.
Separate the naming of interests from the

listing of solutions.
3. List the possible solutions (options)
This is the time to do some brainstorming.

There may be lots of room for creativity.
Separate the listing of options from the

evaluation of the options.
4. Evaluate the options.
What are the pluses and minuses? Honestly!
Separate the evaluation of options from the selection of options.
5. Select an option or options.
What's the best option, in the balance?
Is there a way to "bundle" a number of options together for a more satisfactory solution?
6. Document the agreement(s).
Don't rely on memory.

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Writing it down will help you think through all the details and implications.
7. Agree on contingencies, monitoring, and evaluation.
Conditions may change. Make contingency agreements about foreseeable future circumstances (If-then!).
How will you monitor compliance and follow-through?
Create opportunities to evaluate the agreements and their implementation. ("Let's try it this way for three months
and then look at it.")
Effective problem solving does take some time and attention more of the latter than the former. But less time and
attention than is required by a problem not well solved. What it really takes is a willingness to slow down. A
problem is like a curve in the road. Take it right and you'll find yourself in good shape for the straightaway that
follows. Take it too fast and you may not be in as good shape.
Working through this process is not always a strictly linear exercise. You may have to cycle back to an earlier step.
For example, if you're having trouble selecting an option, you may have to go back to thinking about the interests.
This process can be used in a large group, between two people, or by one person who is faced with a difficult
decision. The more difficult and important the problem, the more helpful and necessary it is to use a disciplined
process.
(Source: http://www.mediate.com/articles/thicks.cfm )

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BSBLDR502 - Learning Resource - Handout

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Handout

BSBLDR502 Lead and manage effective

Manage ideas and information .....................................................................................................................................2

Learning Resource Page 1 of 43

(Source: adapted from http://www.apsc.gov.au/publications-and-media/archive/publications-archive/productive-

MANAGE IDEAS AND INFORMATION

• Communication and feedback is the key to

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ACHIEVEMENT OF WORK RESPONSIBILITIES

1. When good communication skills are

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There are significant benefits associated with

This is because employee awareness of, and

• more productive workplaces as a result of

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• increase job satisfaction - employees are

Communications and consultation are not, and

When should consultation occur?

Consultation should be undertaken by duty holders in a number of circumstances, including:

How should consultation be undertaken?

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Before consultation occurs, the following questions should be considered:

• What is the relevant activity or issue that requires consultation?

The various duties of each duty holder

Ultimately, it is the outcome of the

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What do I need to do?

• the type of matters and activities where consultation should occur

• Online/Paper based survey

OUTCOME OF CONSULTATION – FEEDBACK

The outcome of the consultation process should be shared with employees.

The feedback should be honest, factual and transparent. It

It can be shared using:

• A presentation to interested employees

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(Source: adapted from: http://www.techrepublic.com/article/use-this-issues-management-process-for-resolving-

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ESTABLISH SYSTEMS TO DEVELOP TRUST AND CONFIDENCE

Diversity, when talking about it from the human

The Equal Opportunity Act makes discrimination,

Multiculturalism goes deeper than diversity by

1. not well defined or understood at work,

2. focuses too much on compliance, and

3. places too much emphasis on gender and ethnicity.

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Recruitment and Selection

Sometimes organizations do not mean to be exclusive

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Pay and Promotion

Development of policies related to pay and promotion is key to

1. Hours worked. Studies have said that women tend to

2. Occupational choice. A study performed by Anne York at

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HR, for example, can provide a training series

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1. Build a cultural knowledge about customs, religions, and histories.

Things to Consider When Creating a Multicultural and Diverse Work Environment

•Do you test your assumptions before acting on them?

•Are you able to give negative feedback to someone who is

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