Using the MSC Management and Leadership standards in the Lifelong Learning sector by Lifelong Learning UK

User Guide: Using the MSC Management and Leadership standards in the Lifelong Learning sector

What are the MSC management and leadership standards? The MSC management and leadership standards are benchmarks of best practice in management and leadership. They bring together the outcomes, behaviours and knowledge required to deliver identified management functions into a tool which can be used by individual managers and their employers, across a range of sectors.

F B A E C D Achieving Results

Using Resources

Providing Direction

Managing Self and Personal Skills

Facilitating Change

Working With People

The MSC standards are presented as a series of units divided into six areas: A. Managing self and personal skills B. Providing direction C. Facilitating change D. Working with people E. Using resources F. Achieving results

How can they be used in the lifelong learning sector? The cross-sectoral nature of the MSC standards means that they can be used in a number of ways in the lifelong learning sector, while retaining comparability and enhancing transferability to other sectors.

Continuing professional development Individual managers can use the standards to: • describe the skills they need • evaluate the skills they already have • identify the skills they will need in the future • identify, undertake and evaluate appropriate professional development.

Talent management, succession planning and recruitment Employers can use the standards to: • aid selection and recruitment • aid workforce development and planning • evaluate the skills already in the workforce • identify skills gaps • plan training and recruitment.

How can I use the standards in my organisation? The standards can be used to support and facilitate a number of key processes in your organisation. Figure 1 shows how the standards are seen by the MSC as central to a framework that supports workforce management and development.

Workforce Planning Recruitment & Selection

Role & Team Profiles

Induction

Career Development

Job Description

Management and Leadership National Occupational Standards Learning & Development

Organisational Quality Standards Performance Management

Continuing Professional Development

Qualifications FIGURE:1

Recruitment and selection

Induction

Accurate and up-to-date job descriptions and person specifications are the foundation of effective recruitment and selection. The standards support the development and review of job descriptions, as linking job descriptions to relevant units generates a description of the skills, behaviours, knowledge and understanding required for competent performance, and hence, the attributes of the ideal candidate for the job (i.e. the basis of a person specification).

Effective induction results in managers getting ‘up to speed’ more quickly, which benefits the confidence of the individual and the delivery of organisational objectives. Induction is most effective when the process is clearly based on the demands of the role and addresses the specific needs of the individual concerned.

The standards also support objective assessment of applications and interviews, and facilitate the provision of clear feedback against the requirements of the role.

The standards can be used during the induction process to identify and prioritise the individual’s learning and deployment needs. In addition, they can help recognise where an individual is currently competent, and support and motivate the individual in seeing where their skills and knowledge are relevant to the role.

Role and team profiles

Performance management, supervision and appraisal

An effective starting point in using the standards is to identify those units that are relevant to a particular role. First, refer to the unit titles and unit summaries to make a shortlist of potentially relevant units. Then review the shortlisted units in detail to confirm whether they do describe the functions/activities relating to a particular role.

The process of a job holder and line manager reviewing units within a job description is particularly effective when it is part of the supervision and/or appraisal process.

Profiling can be applied to teams by reviewing and selecting the units that are relevant to the team as a whole. It may then be useful to identify which team members are involved in each activity and to what degree. This builds a picture of the role and responsibilities of a new or existing team, and the contributions of the job holders in the team. This will clarify the expectations of the team and ensure that their combined competencies can deliver the required team outcomes.

During an appraisal, job holder and line manager may agree to review, from selected units, the outcomes of effective performance and the behaviours that underpin effective performance. This will provide objective standards against which to appraise performance, and leading to: • recognition of a job holder’s achievements (e.g. outcomes achieved or skills developed) • identification of existing skills, knowledge and experience • identification of development needs.

Job descriptions Job descriptions can be improved or up-dated by linking them to the standards. If an existing job description is being reviewed, a list of unit titles that are key to the role could be added to the job description. If a new job description is being created, the standards can suggest the functions/activities to be included. This supports: • development of new job descriptions and revision of existing job descriptions • the future performance management and development of the job holder, as each unit title links to detailed descriptions of performance standards, and related skills, knowledge and understanding. Aspects of the job not covered by these key units can be included within the text of the job description.

“The mapping process can be used for new or existing roles....”

Recognising skills, knowledge and experience The review and development of individual and team profiles provides an opportunity to recognise individuals’ skills, knowledge and experience either informally or during the supervision and appraisal process, reflecting the developmental approach which is most effective when using the standards. Using the standards is not just about identifying ‘gaps’ in individual and team competences – they also provide a valuable opportunity to give credit and recognition for achieved standards of performance, skills, knowledge and understanding.

Identifying learning and development needs When job descriptions are linked to standards, job holders can review the relevant units to assess where they are currently competent, and where they require further learning and development. This process may take place in a variety of contexts, from informal self-assessment, to formal supervision and appraisal. For example, a job holder and line manager may agree to review the required skills, knowledge and understanding from selected units. These provide objective standards against which to judge the job holder’s existing skills, knowledge and understanding and to identify development needs. The standards therefore help to: • recognise existing skills, knowledge and understanding • identify and prioritise learning and development needs.

Career development

“The MSC management and leadership standards are entirely complementary....”

In order to progress their careers, individuals may consider which competences they will need in the future, particularly when seeking to develop into new work areas that call for new skills, knowledge and understanding. An individual may wish to move into a role that involves more management and leadership, or into a different area of management and leadership. The standards provide a useful description of the range of competences required, which may help them identify where they already have some competence, and where they may need additional development and/or experience. The standards can also be used to support progression if they are used to identify the units of competence required for a higher role, how they will be demonstrated in that role, and the development needed for the individual to be able to demonstrate them at the new level.

Planning learning and development activities

Compliance with organisational quality standards

The knowledge and understanding described in each unit can help to plan learning programmes and other development activities. Specific learning and development activities may be agreed as part of a personal development plan, or provide the framework for a learning syllabus, for example, in the design of a training course. When planning or designing a learning programme, these sub-categories within the knowledge and understanding are particularly useful:

There are many organisational quality standards that describe the standards of performance and service required of an organisation as a whole, such as Investors in People (IiP), Practical Quality Assurance Systems for Small Organisations (PQASSO) etc. The MSC management and leadership standards are entirely complementary to these organisational quality standards. National occupational standards support the effective management and development of people within an organisation which, in turn, contributes to compliance with organisational quality standards. The use of common standards supports the aim of ‘Framework for Excellence’ in allowing comparisons of performance across the entire post-16 sector.

• general knowledge and understanding • industry/sector specific knowledge and understanding • organisation/context specific knowledge and understanding. The standards then provide an objective benchmark against which to evaluate the impact of learning and development activities.

Continuous professional development Continuous professional development (CPD) is increasingly important for managers and leaders who wish to maintain and update their professional competence. CPD is most effective when the individual takes responsibility for their own learning and development, assesses their current skills, knowledge and understanding and sets objectives for their own personal development. This can be greatly facilitated by self-assessment against the relevant units and planning/prioritising learning and development according to the required skills, knowledge and understanding described within those units.

Partnership working National occupational standards provide recognised benchmarks for management and leadership in the UK, applicable in all organisations. When organisations work in partnership, the use of common standards provides a consistent understanding of performance across different organisations, supporting effective communication and mutual understanding of roles and responsibilities.

Talent management and succession planning The standards can also be used to support strategic planning of talent reviews and planning, informing the development of the leadership and management talent needed to deliver the organisation’s strategic objectives. Subsequently, the standards can help to define individual job roles and team roles (see above) and to identify and implement changes such as restructuring or individual development. As noted above, these approaches may also be used within partnership arrangements to support the parties in working towards shared goals. Jobs can be designed based on the competences and the number of job holders required to achieve organisational objectives, with standards helping to: • identify the functions/activities required in a team, organisation or partnership in order to deliver its objectives • estimate the number of people needed to carry out these functions/activities • design roles (linked to the relevant units) to deliver the desired objectives.

Using the MSC standards units to support staff and role development in your organisation

As we saw earlier, the MSC standards are arranged into six areas: A. Managing self and personal skills B. Providing direction C. Facilitating change D. Working with people E. Using resources F. Achieving results Within each of these areas a number of units that describe the skills and competencies relevant to leadership and management. These skills and competencies are applicable (and transferable) across sectors.

Area A Managing self and personal skills Unit

Description

Unit

Description

Unit A1 A2

Description Manage your own resources Manage your own resources and professional development Develop your personal networks

C1 C2 C3 C4 C5 C6

Encourage innovation in your team Encourage innovation in your area of responsibility Encourage innovation in your organisation Lead change Plan change Implement change

Area B Providing direction

Area D Working with people

Unit

Description

Unit

Description

Develop and implement operational plans for your area of responsibility Map the environment in which your organisation operates Develop a strategic business plan for your organisation Put the strategic business plan into action Provide leadership for your team Provide leadership in your area of responsibility Provide leadership for your organisation Ensure compliance with legal, regulatory, ethical and social requirements Develop the culture of your organisation Manage risk Promote equality of opportunity and diversity in your area of responsibility Promote equality of opportunity and diversity in your organisation

Develop productive working relationships with colleagues Develop productive working relationships with colleagues and stakeholders Recruit, select and keep colleagues Plan the workforce Allocate and check work in your team Allocate and monitor the progress and quality of work in your area of responsibility Provide learning opportunities for colleagues Help team members address problems affecting their performance Build and manage teams Reduce and manage conflict in your team Lead meetings Participate in meetings

B2 B3 B4 B5 B6 B7 B8 B9 B10 B11 B12

Area C Facilitating change

D2 D3 D4 D5 D6 D7 D8 D9 D10 D11 D12

Area E Using resources

Area F Achieving results

Unit

Description

Unit

Description

E1 E2 E3 E4

Manage a budget Manage finance for your area of responsibility Obtain additional finance for the organisation Promote the use of technology within your organisation Ensure your own actions reduce risks to health and safety Ensure health and safety requirements are met in your area of responsibility Ensure an effective organisational approach to health and safety Manage physical resources Manage the environmental impact of your work Take effective decisions Communicate information and knowledge

F1 F2 F3 F4 F5 F6 F7 F8 F9

Manage a project Manage a programme of complimentary projects Manage business processes Develop and review a framework for marketing Resolve customer service problems Monitor and solve customer service problems Support customer service improvements Work with others to improve customer service Build your organisation's understanding of its market and customers Develop a customer focussed organisation Manage the achievement of customer satisfaction Improve organisational performance

E5 E6 E7 E8 E9 E10 E11

F10 F11 F12

For each of the units, the MSC standards define the: • set of skills necessary for effective performance • behaviours which underpin effective performance • outcomes of effective performance • knowledge and understanding necessary for effective performance.

Profiling and mapping The MSC standards units can be used to profile a role within an organisation, or a member of staff’s performance, training needs etc. This may be done manually, using the MSC standards as a guide, or using a computer-based assessment tool. An example of such a tool is available via the MSC website, but more detailed and sector-specific products based on the MSC standards are available. Profiling may be done to assess the nature of a role, performance against the units characteristic of a role, or to assess CPD or training needs for personal development within a role. The mapping process can be used for new or existing roles, and as an assessment, career development, management or resource analysis tool. The resulting mapping of performance, skills, CPD needs, etc may not match either that expected of the role or of someone performing that role effectively. This resulting ‘spikey profile’ can indicate what further action to take.

The case of the misguided manager? For example, when using the MSC standards to assess their own responsibilities in Area C ‘Facilitating change’ of the MSC standards, a manager might respond as shown in Table 1 to each of the six units within that area of the standards:

“The mapping process can be used for new or existing roles...”

Unit Description

Is this your responsibility?

C1 C2

Yes

C3 C4 C5 C6

Encourage innovation in your team Encourage innovation in your area of responsibility Encourage innovation in your organisation Lead change Plan change Implement change

Yes Yes Yes Not sure No

The manager’s responses would indicate that further discussion is needed on how they see their role in planning and implementing change within the organisation. It may be that they feel that they have a more strategic role and are not involved in implementing change, but their uncertainty about the part they play in planning change is certainly a cause for some concern, as it may reflect a sense of being ‘left out’ of the planning process or of muddled areas of responsibility. Hence, the standards can be used as assessment tools in the many different ways described earlier.

Delving deeper In the case of the misguided manager, described above, the standards could then be used to drill down into the reasons for their responses to the questions about leadership and management of change, as these are covered by Unit C6 of the standards. The next stage might be to discuss or facilitate self-assessment as to whether or not the manager felt that the items of general knowledge and understanding described in Unit C6 of the MSC standards were relevant to their role. One way to achieve this would be with a simple set of questions based on that unit of the standards. General knowledge and understanding (Unit C6)

Is this relevant to your role?

If not, then why is it not relevant?

1 The main models and methods for managing change effectively, and their strengths and weaknesses. 2 Theory and application of the change/performance curve.

3 Theory and understanding of teams, including an understanding of team-building techniques and how to apply them. 4 How to manage reward systems.

5 Problem solving techniques.

6 The political, bureaucratic and resource barriers to change, and the techniques that deal with these. 7 How to identify development and other support needs and ways in which these needs can be met. 8 How to manage expectations during change.

TABLE:1

Using the MSC standards to assess organisations and teams The technique of mapping against the units of the MSC standards may be applied to a range of roles across an organisation or team in order to assess the effectiveness and/or the developmental needs of an organisation or team. When applied to a number of roles in an organisation or team, the mapping produces a matrix showing the units assessed against the management roles in the organisation.

A1 Team Leader

The MSC has produced a matrix (shown in Table 2) that maps the relevance of the units within the MSC standards to a set of four typical leadership and management roles (Team Leader, First Line Manager, Middle Manager and Senior Manager). The unit numbers are shown along the top line of the matrix, and the asterisks indicate the relevance of a unit to the role in the left hand column.

• • •

•

First Line Manager Middle Manager Senior Manager B1

• •

First Line Manager

•

Senior Manager C1 Team Leader

Senior Manager E1

•

• •

•

D10 D11 D12

• •

• • • •

•

• •

• • •

• •

• • • •

• •

• • • •

E10

E11

• •

• • • •

F10

F11

• • •

• •

•

• •

•

• • • •

• •

Middle Manager Senior Manager F1

•

Team Leader

Senior Manager

B12

• •

Team Leader

Middle Manager

B11

•

• •

Middle Manager

First Line Manager

B10

•

Senior Manager

First Line Manager

•

• •

Middle Manager

First Line Manager

•

First Line Manager

Team Leader

•

Team Leader Middle Manager

• •

F12

• •

• • • •

• •

• TABLE:2

Mapping your organisation The mappings generated by the MSC, and shown in Table 2, are to typical cross-sectoral leadership and management roles and titles.

The steps in using the standards in this way are to:

The number and names of roles in your organisation may differ from those in Table 2, and the units that are relevant to those roles may also vary from those indicated in the MSC matrix. The resulting ‘spikey profile’ reflects the flexibility and diversity of definition of how management and leadership roles are defined in the lifelong learning sector.

• map the roles in your organisation against the units in some or all of the areas of the standards.

The process can be used for new or existing teams or organisations, and to help resource analysis, assessment, management or restructuring.

• identify typical managerial levels and their role names in your organisation

For example, your organisation might omit the ‘Team Leader’ role identified by MSC, but have three roles, identified in the tables as FLM, MM or SM that correspond roughly to the MSCs First Line Manager, Middle Manager and Senior Manager. The next step is to check whether the MSC mapping of units to management roles is consistent with the reality in your organisation. For example, is Unit B12 relevant to a Big Cheese in your organisation? Your completed matrix might look like that shown in Table 3.

A1 First Line Manager Middle Manager Senior Manager B1

First Line Manager Middle Manager

Senior Manager C1

Middle Manager

First Line Manager

Middle Manager Senior Manager E1 First Line Manager

Middle Manager

First Line Manager Middle Manager Senior Manager

D10 D11 D12

E10

E11

F10

F11

Senior Manager F1

Senior Manager D1

First Line Manager

B10

B11

B12

F12

TABLE:3

The mapping in Table 3 suggests that there is a significant amount of work to do to understand the results for this organisation. For example, it would appear from responses to Units B5 and B6 that middle and senior managers feel that, while they should provide leadership in their area of responsibility, they see team leadership as the responsibility only of the lowest tier of managers. Similarly, the lack of responses to Unit E9 suggests an organisation or team that is in need of guidance or support with respect to its environmental responsibilities. How would your team/organisation fare? The blank matrix in Table 4 provides an opportunity for you to try it for yourself.

B10

B11

B12

D10 D11 D12

E10

E11

F10

F11

F12

TABLE:4

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