This article explores ways in which companies can assess and manage people to maximize the likelihood of the greatest success. It identifies questions to ask in assessing staff and presents a Star Chart to help establish the key attitudes for the company.

Appropriate Subject Area(s):

Business studies, careers, entrepreneurship

Key Questions to Explore:

• How do I correctly assess an employee?
• How do I establish core attitudes for my company?
• How do I coach people to make them more effective on the job?

New Terminology:

Underperformance

Materials Needed:

Copies of the article for the students

Introduction to lesson and task:

Often individuals get hired and then are left to learn on the job, without any systematic and specific plan for their professional development. This often leads to them following existing cultural norms, which are reinforced by those already on the job. The result can be a company that plods along and is quickly surpassed by those companies which practise staff assessment and coaching. Successful companies realize this and appreciate that employees need to be coached and developed in order to reach their potential and make the company vibrant and creative. In order to accomplish this, they put in place assessment and professional development strategies and rigorously employ efforts to support and develop their staff. This often includes discussions of performance, dialogue on future plans and coaching to help those individuals achieve their goals. They establish a culture of achievement and cooperation and do not simply leave their staffs to establish their own norms.

This lesson will help to alert students to the important role that assessment and personal development have in helping to develop a meaningful and rewarding career.

Action (lesson plan and task):

• Begin the lesson by asking the students to identify those things that a company should do with or for employees to maximize the greatest likelihood of success for the company and the individual.
• Compile a list of their suggestions and then ask them to write down the one thing that most helped them be as effective as they are in any job they may have had.
• Have them read their answers to see if there was any one thing that stood out as a valuable activity to help employees.
• At this point put the students in pairs and ask them to identify three things that they, as company managers, would do regarding staff to ensure the greatest likelihood of an efficient and successful company.
• Allow the students time to complete this task.

Consolidation of Learning:

• Have the pairs report their choices and respond to any questions or comments from the class.

Success Criteria:

The students will:

• Identify three basic steps to effectively managing people.
• Offer ideas as to how to support and coach individuals to either keep them satisfied and performing at a high level or help them with ways to improve or relocate.

Confirming Activity:

• Hand out the article to the groups and allow them time to read it.
• Once this has been done ask the pairs to reexamine their earlier ideas and to make any adjustments suggested by what they have just read.
• Have them report their changes to the class, explaining why they would make those changes to their approach.