NORMAN-TURKINGTON ASSOCIATES - MENTAL HEALTH

WORKPLACE SUPPORT AND SERVICES

Tailored training programs written and developed to meet individuals and corporate needs.

MANAGERS, SUPERVISORS AND STAFF

CHANGE MANAGEMENT TRAINING

A significant number of Councils in NSW are currently experiencing the destabilising effects of Government directives to amalgamate.

There are potential psychological and emotional effects for staff caused by both the uncertainty and increased work demands associated with these changes.

We offer education programs for those responsible for the change process to assist them to:

• firstly recognise and appropriately deal with their own reactions to change, and
• also to assist them to help and guide their colleagues and team members dealing with the change

CHANGE FOR EMPLOYEES and CHANGE FOR LEADERS

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COACHING AND MENTORING

To coach or mentor is a requirement for all managers. This program will review both coaching and mentoring, the differences and the similarities and when to apply each. All staff will benefit from managers skilled in both coaching and mentoring. The program includes the essential skill of both and when to use them.

COACHING SKILLS FOR LEADERS

In today’s more demanding world for managers they need to be better equipped to assist their colleagues and to help their colleagues be more self sufficient. Coaching is the process where the manager assists their colleague to develop their own solution to the issue.

All managers need to have an expanded tool kit to deal with today’s many demands of both managers and staff. Coaching is a skill where the manager assists their colleague to find their own solutions to their issues. Through skilful listening and questioning techniques the manager guides the colleague to a conclusion. The more that managers use specific coaching techniques the more their colleagues are expected and encouraged to resolve their own matters.

Over time the colleague will be better able to identify their own solutions and be less reliant on their manager.

CODE OF CONDUCT - STAFF (2020 CODE)

All organisations have a Code of Conduct of expected behaviour of the staff. Most staff know that it exists but are much less knowledgeable about its contents or specific application. This half day program will make clear the specific requirements of the Code and will use a variety of real examples to reinforce the learning points in the session.

CONFLICT RESOLUTION

Conflict is a natural part of life when two or more people come together. The effective resolution of conflicts is much less natural. This program will offer many tools to equip the participant deal better with conflicts. Unfortunately there is no magic bullet to resolve conflicts so the more tools in the bag the better to help reduce the potentially harmful effects of conflict.

DEALING WITH DIFFICULT PEOPLE

All of us come up against difficult people from time to time and often say, after the interaction, “if only I had said...” Interestingly not all ‘difficult people’ are difficult for everyone. Employees are increasingly having to handle people who are difficult, aggressive and both verbally and physically threatening. Sometimes the difficult ones are the customers, but sadly sometimes the difficult ones are work colleagues. Some staff find that different behaviours are more or less bothering to deal with, for example ‘The Tank’, The Snipper’, ‘The No person’, ‘The Whiner’.

This interactive and practical workshop is designed to assist staff to manage these situations in a way that ensures their safety, and lessens their levels of stress. This program will help the participant to identify the types of difficult behaviour that they struggle with and develop strategies to be more effective in dealing with them. Several strategies will be discussed and demonstrated to help participants to remain professional and to reduce the conflict experience.

DEALING WITH INAPPROPRIATE PERFORMANCE AND BEHAVIOUR

Most managers have to deal with unwanted performance or behaviour. BUT it is often avoided and a staff member is allowed to continue as if all is well with their performance or conduct. Yet other staff are asking them selves “why doesn’t the manager deal with this person?” This program builds an approach to assist managers’ deal with performance or behaviour issues and to ensure that the documentation is completed appropriately should the matter continue or escalate.

DEALING WITH POOR PERFORMANCE

This is perhaps the most difficult and least dealt with issue in the workplace today. Poor performance not only causes the organisation’s productivity to be below par it causes great tensions among managers and staff alike. Most staff when surveyed about what is holding them back from being high performing report that not dealing with poor or unsatisfactory performers in the top 4 or 5 items. Managers often avoid dealing with their poor performers because they simply don’t know what to do about it. This program will develop both specific approaches, language to use and documentations to support future challenges about what you did to improve the performance.

DEVELOPING HIGH PERFORMING TEAMS

High performing teams don’t happen by accident. Yet most staff today are organised into teams and expected to ‘just get along’. High Performing Teams are more than ‘just getting along’ . This program will review where your team is at now on a range of measures and assist you to develop strategies and approaches to allow you to become a High Performing Team.

DEVELOPING RESILIENCE

Recent research has shown that those who are more resilient are better able to adapt to change, recover after setbacks and are better able to deal with the stressful demands of the workplace. To develop our own resilience requires effort, insight and developing skills to equip us to deal with life’s challenges. This program includes recent research and many tools to better equip us to improve our own resilience.

DIGNITY AND RESPECT AT WORK (D.R.A.W)

This is one of the most important aspects of any workplace. It applies to all levels of people interactions and has the biggest impact on productivity, financial bottom line for the organisation and overall morale.

Enhancing the organisations workforce with skills and awareness of D.R.A.W and upskilling Managers in dealing with issues in the early stages, will ensure a more productive and happier workplace. This in turn will improve rates of retention, lower Workcover insurance costs, relieve the pressure on HR by minimising incidents of Bullying and Harassment and also ensure the organisation gains the reputation of a great place to work.

EFFECTIVE CONSULTATIVE COMMITTEES

Consultative Committees are part of the Local Government Award and are designed to ensure organisational wide consultations on matters which affect staff. Some committees work exceptionally well others much less so. This program will equip all committee members to better understand their role, how to consult effectively and how to ensure the committee meeting is productive and professional. The program works best when all members of the current committee attends the one day training session.

LEADING WITH EMOTIONAL INTELLIGENCE

In a recent research article about hiring senior managers almost 90% of all job ads required as an essential criteria “superior people skills”. Experience and the research also show that those managers with strong people skills are better managers. Emotional Intelligence has been identified in many forms as far back as Aristotle but brought to our attention in more recent years as a necessary component of being a good manager. Staff can also benefit from developing their emotional intelligence as team members. Using current research and appropriate testing staff will learn both what it is and how to develop it.

INFLUENCING SKILLS FOR MANAGERS

Significant research shows us what techniques of influencing others works or doesn’t work. It is important for all staff who need to influence others to better understand the approaches to use in a variety of settings. In the book by Robert Cialdini, The Psychology of Influence he presents us with the latest research and practical techniques to ensure our influencing of others is more likely to be successful. The six universal Principles of Persuasion are presented with both examples and skills practice. Video Here

LEADER ASSISTANCE PROGRAM

You have probably heard of an Employee Assistance Program.

But what about YOU?

Where can you go if you have leadership question you just want to pass by someone.

This service is staffed by long term corporate leaders who can assist you deal with your staff or workplace problem. You simply phone to make an appointment with the corporate coach. You will then discuss your issue on the phone and receive on the spot strategies to help you resolve the issue. Several strategies will be discussed so that you can choose the most appropriate for your circumstances.

LEADER SERIES (Supervisors and Managers)

Leaders/Supervisors are perhaps the most important people in an organisation as they directly deal with the front line. Supervisors are often chosen because they demonstrated sound technical skills in their area of work. This program is presented as 5 half days and each session focuses on a specific supervisor skill area. The five core topics can be expanded to include specific workplace needs and also delivered as half day or full day components. Program is suited for Supervisors and Managers.

LEADERSHIP ON THE GO

This is a unique opportunity to help people leaders solve the leadership issues which are keeping them awake at night. Facilitated by an experienced Leadership facilitator, this unstructured session allows participants to explore their leadership issues, brainstorm ideas and work through their own issues. Participants should come prepared with an open mind and some questions to explore.

LEADING AND MANAGING EFFECTIVELY

This four day program is designed to equip managers at all levels with the essential leadership and management skills required in today’s workplace. The program is presented in two blocks each of two days and four weeks between part one and part two. There will be between sessions work and a presentation of work to the group on the third day.

LEADING CHANGE AND RESILIENCE (LEADERS PROGRAM)

In today’s workplace the demands are ever greater than twenty or even ten years ago. Think about the technological changes in the last five years alone with social media. Leaders today need to have ‘super’ vision to assist their staff. The senior executive expect it from you and the staff expect it from you. This program will help develop strategies to help both you, the leader, and your staff work through change. It is also important that and strategy you use is not just a quick fix. Your also need to develop resilience in yourself and in your staff to inoculate you for the ever increasing demands of change in your ever demanding world

LEADING PEOPLE THROUGH CHANGE AND UNCERTAINTY

Change is ever present. We don’t need to look far to prove that claim. On the other hand organisations are inherently conservative and resistant to change. Managers need to understand the human elements in change and to better equip themselves to deal with the statement – “organisations don’t change, people do – or don’t as the case may be” (Dr. Carol Kinsey Goman). Managers need to understand the emotional and psychological aspects of change. They need to understand that their colleagues will move through four reasonably predictable stages of change and to develop the strategies to deal with those stages. This program will help develop those skills.

MANAGING PERSONAL CHANGE & RESILIENCE (STAFF)

This one day program will assist participants to better understand their role in implementing change in the workplace.

There are significant drivers for change today in local government many of which are beyond our control. We are all expected to embrace these changes and then implement them in a constructive manner. However, most change initiatives are either not successful or result in significant and time consuming resistance. This program will equip you with both an understanding of the critical success factors, and the tools to better manage yourself in the changes ahead.

MANAGING STAGES OF CHANGE

As change is ever present there is a good body of evidence to help us understand the usual stages that staff go through in finally accepting and implementing the organisational change. These stages can be identified and specific interventions and approaches applied to each. This program will focus on developing the manager’s skill to better lead their colleagues through change.

MENTAL HEALTH @ WORK (for Senior Managers and HR Professionals)

This program poses the question, ‘do you have a mentally healthy workplace?’. Recent research found that staff considered Mental Health (92%) more important than most other matters about their workplace. Do you have a Mentally Healthy Workplace?. This program will present the most current research and approaches for Council to ensure their work[place is working towards best practice for a Mentally Health Workplace. This program includes; best practice for a mentally healthy workplace, how to establish your current status against the best practice, how to measure current and progress towards best practice, tools and activities to implement now.

MENTAL HEALTH AWARENESS (for Staff)

The research informs us that 1 in 5 people will experience a mental illness this year. That is potentially 20% of the staff. Together with each staff members extended family and friends it is likely that most will have some interaction with a person experiencing a mental illness. This program will introduce all staff to the most common mental illnesses. The signs, symptoms, and actions to support others are discussed in a sensitive and factual manner. With open discussion, examples and questions answered to reduce or eliminate the common concerns about mental illness. This program would form part of Council’s overall approach to address Council’s commitment to the topic.

MENTAL HEALTH FIRST AID

All organisations endorse physical first aid as part of the WHS suite of activities. Mental Health First Aid is now an active part of that suite of activities. It is a two day intensive course to equip identified staff to become ‘first responders’ for any mental health issues occurring at the workplace. The participants will be introduced to the common mental health issues in significant detail together with detailed actions to equip them as first responders. The participants are not required to become ‘counsellors’ but to assist stabilise the situation until appropriate professional assistance is available or the crisis passes. Extensive notes, text book and practice scenarios are part of this course materials.

OUTDOOR LEADERSHIP

Outdoor leaders work in a very hands-on environment. Their learning style tends to be more practical and task specific. This program is highly interactive while covering the key components of leadership, team work and dealing with performance issues. The two day program also includes a between-days assignment which is focused on an aspect of their team which is holding them back from being high performing. They present their finding and solutions to the program participants on day two.

PATHWAYS TO LEADERSHIP

Emerging leaders need to be identified for appropriate and smooth succession planning in the organisation. This program is structured to both identify the emerging leaders and to introduce them to leadership and supervision topics appropriate to their current stage of learning.

PERFORMANCE CONVERSATIONS

One of the truths for many councils is that poor performance is allowed to continue well after it becomes known to the senior staff. This lethargy in confronting poor performers usually leads to other staff becoming disengaged because they see the poor performer being allowed to under-perform. The reason this is the case is that many managers are underprepared for this part of their managerial duties. It is also possible that many managers may rarely have to deal with a performance issue and when confronted with it may just hope that it goes away. With appropriate skills, including understanding the appropriate documentation to complete managers can reduce their stress of having to deal with the poor performer.

PREVENTING AND RESPONDING TO WORKPLACE BULLYING FOR STAFF

Bullying occurs in all workplaces in every society. If allowed to continue it is potentially life threatening. All staff need to be aware of the impacts of inappropriate behaviour on one another and how to better deal with bullying behaviour. In a recent survey 87% of staff agreed that the unwanted bullying behaviour experienced at work had detrimental impacts on their personal relationships (Bully Free at Work, Valerie Cade). This program will identify those behaviours and possible strategies to deal with them.

PREVENTING AND RESPONDING TO WORKPLACE BULLYING FOR MANAGERS

All staff look to their managers to ensure that they are working in a safe workplace. The policies may be in place but if there is no effective manager intervention the policy is an empty document. In a recent survey 93% of managers said ‘NO’ when ask if they had the skills to effectively deal with bullying behaviour (Bully Free at Work, Valerie Cade). This program will assist the managers to identify inappropriate behaviour, develop skills to deal with both the behaviour and the bully and to ensure, as far as possible, they manage a bully free workplace.

RESILIENCE AND WELLBEING

Martin Seligman brought to us the new field of study called Positive Psychology. It is less about the glass being half full or empty but more about how we view the world, the intentions of others and how we can better deal with the many challenges of life. It is without doubt that the more resilient of us will be better able to cope with the challenges of an ever changing and increasing pace of modern life.

RESPECTFUL WORKPLACE FOR ALL

Of all the behaviours staff want from their managers it is to be treated with respect. This also goes for the many hundreds of councillors we have worked with. They also, not surprisingly, want respectful behaviour from their colleagues. One of the simple difficulties is that most people do not clearly define what they mean by respectful behaviour. In a recent session with councillors, 17 major behaviours were identified as representing respectful behaviour for them. Do not fall into the trap that you know what another person means by respectful behaviour. This activity will assist you and your colleagues identify and agree the requirements of all present to behave in a respectful manner.

TEAMS IN CONFLICT

Most work today is completed in teams. In recent research in the USA found that 89% of all work was completed in some form of teams. When there is conflict in a team the productivity will decline. It is incumbent on all managers to ensure the foundations of the workplace, teams, are as professional and harmonious as possible. This program is usually designed for specific team intervention to allow the team to resolve their conflicts and to agree a clear set of ground rules for all future interactions.

WORKING WITH CHANGE TEAMS

Change may be ever present but no manager can successfully change the organisation on their own. Change teams help spread the load and become an important conduct for the change communication process. The change team need to be enthusiastic, have the respect of their colleagues and be prepared to put in the effort to bring about the changes needed. The development of a change team is not a nice to have addition to the change process it is mandatory. This program will assist the change team establish itself in the organisation and develop the procedures and protocols necessary for success.

WORKPLACE COMMUNICATION

We can all communicate! Right? Well then why do so many problems result from poor communication? It is usually not that we don’t communicate but fail to communicate the important information often enough so that all staff are aware of the key message. As irritating as politicians can be they are very well taught to present clear messages and to repeat them over and over. The other component of good communication is to ensure that all staff understand the meaning of the communication for example most if not all staff will say that ‘respect’ is important at work. But most staff will mean different things by ‘respect’. The second component of communication is to ensure common meaning about the words used. This program will assist you develop clear and understood messages for teams and the organisation.