Leadership and Improvement

If you are dipping your toe into leadership, management of a specific topic (such as health and safety or financial management) or maybe looking to creating better teams and continuous improvement, it is easy to be overwhelmed by the sheer number of resources available both online and in print. So, what is a good fit for you and your organization?

There are plenty of eye-grabbing headlines and enticing trailers on any of the above topics. But what is current and relevant for your needs?

The health and safety model in Australia is a useful blueprint for managing many other aspects in the workplace by:

• Consulting on ways to manage risk
• Monitoring and reviewing risk controls to check that they are effective and if necessary, revising those controls.
• Resolving issues and investigating incidents as part of a cycle of improvement.

The mechanics of a health and safety management system like other systems in the workplace such as financial, quality and environmental, achieve little without management commitment, training and resourcing. Individuals and teams that manage any of these important areas well can translate these successful actions into other areas of the organisation.

A recent quote from a LinkedIn seminar began with "Your level of success will seldom exceed your level of personal development because success is something that you attract by the person you become''

This poses the question, are you dedicating enough time to your personal development to become the person you need to be to success that you want?
Some simple tips included:

• Boost your energy levels with better diet and morning exercise;
• Clarify your priorities by journaling them;
• Practice silence for greater clarity;
• Be an active listener; and
• Read a few pages each day on a new topic that interests you.

The author freely admitted that none of these ideas were new but if practiced regularly they would become habits that may help you to be the person and/or the team you need to be.

So, consulting with your team and identifying what is working well and what could be improved (a gap analysis) would seem to be a sound starting point. Noting why things work well can also provide a basis for improvement in other areas. Focus on the team's strengths and weaknesses not just the individual. Look at accredited and other types of training that can support your management systems and consider integrating systems where appropriate.

Use free on-line sources such as LinkedIn to identify specific groups and topics that you are interested to improve and advance your organisation.

Internal and external audits by a competent person should also identify improvement actions as well as a 'fresh eyes' mentality that looks at the organization anew.

For further information that may assist:

Occupational Health and Safety (OHS) Training for Managers and Supervisors https://www.hazcon.com.au/ohs-training-for-managers---supervisors.html

Leadership Training (Non-OHS) https://www.hazcon.com.au/leadership.html

Good luck with the journey!