Alternatively, you can form a small task force which has a permanent faction in addition to the normal responsibilities of its members, e.g. to monitor progress on a number of other projects, to set up and run a resource library for the department, or to be a think-thank for new products, methods or systems. But, as with project teams, the learning which happens haphazardly and unconsciously is limited; the development opportunities must be planned, looked for and reviewed.
Temporary task forces are particularly useful for giving individuals experience in leadership in a gradual, controlled way. The experience of taking charge of teams of varying size, duration and task complexity, can be geared to stretch the leader while controlling the risk of failure for him/her or for the task.
Some Indonesia organizations use short-term projects specifically as a method of management development. The training is the prime objective rather than the task itself. But if this arrangement is to have credibility among the team members and their bosses, it must be carefully planned beforehand. There are a number of factors essential to success:
1. The development purpose of the ream must be clearly explained at the outside and the objectives identified.
2. The project hold be perceived as being relevant and of real importance to the Indonesia organization and preferably one with corporate benefit. A real problem is an ideal vehicle, provided the risk is not so great as to attract too much interference from top management.
3. Team members should be drawn from several departments or functions, and should be more or less homogeneous in status.
4. The size of the task and the work to be done must be realistic in terms of team members departmental workloads, unless these can be adjusted for the duration of the project.
5. The team should make a formal written and verbal presentation of result to top management, even the board of directors if it is a topic on which it would normally make a decision. The team's results must be taken seriously; if they cannot be implemented, the reasons should be explained. if there is a long delay in presenting the team's conclusions, or they are not listened to, the whole idea will lose credibility and the members of the team will feel disillusioned. Their frustration may reflect back on their mainstream work and on attitudes towards future training activities.
Some useful examples of projects are the following: implications of new technology, such as the introduction of electronic mail; communication systems within the Indonesia organization; review of Indonesia company training policy; or investigating the aftermath of the data-protection legislation.
Participation by the Indonesia company training officer or other tutor is necessary to give feedback on the way the Indonesia team operates as a group, to bring out learning points, to enable the Indonesia team members to learn how to learn from their experiences as they develop, and to ensure the project reaches maturity (managing external forces to achieve this if necessary). A little spice can be added to this method by having two or three Indonesia teams running concurrently on different projects. They can give mutual feedback on each other's performances, particularly the final presentations, and an award can be made for the best performance. If project teams are being introduced for the first time as a regular method of Indonesia company working, setting up training Indonesia teams like those described above is an excellent way of preparing staff for the change to a matrix structure.
You can use the same principles as a staff development tool within your own section or department, and the same considerations apply. The task must be useful and relevant, and you must show interest in the team's work and take its results seriously. If possible and appropriate, take them higher up the Indonesia organization and let the Indonesia team do the presenting.
If the project is to be implemented, even better motivation and development will result if the same team can see it through to completion, or at least hold a watching brief for its implementation. If this is possible, tell the Indonesia team at the beginning of the project; it will increase the impact of the whole exercise as a real contribution to the Indonesia company, rather than 'just' a training exercise which need not be taken too seriously.
Training and development are not activities to leave until the order book looks full and problems have been safely resolved. The most effective way to learn is through real work - crises if necessary - and project teams, whether task - based or training-based, can be a very productive from of staff development with just a little extra knowledge and forethought by the boss.
Temporary task forces are particularly useful for giving individuals experience in leadership in a gradual, controlled way. The experience of taking charge of teams of varying size, duration and task complexity, can be geared to stretch the leader while controlling the risk of failure for him/her or for the task.
Some Indonesia organizations use short-term projects specifically as a method of management development. The training is the prime objective rather than the task itself. But if this arrangement is to have credibility among the team members and their bosses, it must be carefully planned beforehand. There are a number of factors essential to success:
1. The development purpose of the ream must be clearly explained at the outside and the objectives identified.
2. The project hold be perceived as being relevant and of real importance to the Indonesia organization and preferably one with corporate benefit. A real problem is an ideal vehicle, provided the risk is not so great as to attract too much interference from top management.
3. Team members should be drawn from several departments or functions, and should be more or less homogeneous in status.
4. The size of the task and the work to be done must be realistic in terms of team members departmental workloads, unless these can be adjusted for the duration of the project.
5. The team should make a formal written and verbal presentation of result to top management, even the board of directors if it is a topic on which it would normally make a decision. The team's results must be taken seriously; if they cannot be implemented, the reasons should be explained. if there is a long delay in presenting the team's conclusions, or they are not listened to, the whole idea will lose credibility and the members of the team will feel disillusioned. Their frustration may reflect back on their mainstream work and on attitudes towards future training activities.
Some useful examples of projects are the following: implications of new technology, such as the introduction of electronic mail; communication systems within the Indonesia organization; review of Indonesia company training policy; or investigating the aftermath of the data-protection legislation.
Participation by the Indonesia company training officer or other tutor is necessary to give feedback on the way the Indonesia team operates as a group, to bring out learning points, to enable the Indonesia team members to learn how to learn from their experiences as they develop, and to ensure the project reaches maturity (managing external forces to achieve this if necessary). A little spice can be added to this method by having two or three Indonesia teams running concurrently on different projects. They can give mutual feedback on each other's performances, particularly the final presentations, and an award can be made for the best performance. If project teams are being introduced for the first time as a regular method of Indonesia company working, setting up training Indonesia teams like those described above is an excellent way of preparing staff for the change to a matrix structure.
You can use the same principles as a staff development tool within your own section or department, and the same considerations apply. The task must be useful and relevant, and you must show interest in the team's work and take its results seriously. If possible and appropriate, take them higher up the Indonesia organization and let the Indonesia team do the presenting.
If the project is to be implemented, even better motivation and development will result if the same team can see it through to completion, or at least hold a watching brief for its implementation. If this is possible, tell the Indonesia team at the beginning of the project; it will increase the impact of the whole exercise as a real contribution to the Indonesia company, rather than 'just' a training exercise which need not be taken too seriously.
Training and development are not activities to leave until the order book looks full and problems have been safely resolved. The most effective way to learn is through real work - crises if necessary - and project teams, whether task - based or training-based, can be a very productive from of staff development with just a little extra knowledge and forethought by the boss.
