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Results through People

More than meets the eye

By Sergeant Margo McFadden

Viewing the advertisement on my email about the Results through People (RtP) workshop to be conducted in Wagga Wagga, I wondered what it was about. Was it yet another three-day course on leadership and management? What could this workshop offer that others hadn't addressed? I was curious. Ironically, three work colleagues who had attended previous RtP workshops made comments to me about the workshop and said that I would love it. So, thinking that there may be more to this workshop than what the descriptor explained, I submitted my application.

On completing the course I've reflected on and have allowed a week or two to assimilate what I learnt, and I have the following observations to offer:

  • The set-up of the course, its structure and the flow of the content worked very well. The openness and respect with which our facilitator treated us set the scene for course members to reciprocate in the same manner.
  • The content of the workshop is real and relevant to daily life in Defence, regardless of the profession, position or service of participants. By exploring a variety of tools and systems, our facilitator allowed us to bring to life the theory and principles of self-management and managing others.
  • Whether you are leadership- or management-focused, the key theme is communicating—and doing it well. As we all need to interact with each other in our day-to-day lives, the way in which the interaction occurs can make a huge difference. The importance of personal interactions, of building relationships and of acknowledging each other's value was discussed over the three days.

Another valuable aspect of the workshop was getting to know the other participants, both on a personal and professional level. Discussion of common experiences indicated that changes in the work environment don't depend on an employee's profession, seniority, educational background or work area.

We discussed the reality that there can be a range of reasons for a work environment turning sour:

  • not being validated or acknowledged for our work effort;
  • not being recognised for our contribution to the workplace;
  • not having the right 'tools' to carry out our duties; or
  • not having the right sense of self to address an issue after a troublesome staff member caused upset in the workplace.

Regardless of the different reasons, we had all had similar experiences.

The politics of the workplace can be both challenging and rewarding. The RtP workshop allowed us to discuss these topics and to consider strategies to empower us to take stock of what we have available to us. How we manage ourselves and how we might influence others through building relationships will make the difference for team members to work harmoniously.

Participants with 12 to 15 years of employment would probably gain the greatest benefit from attending the RtP workshop. Such a claim does not suggest that people with less work experience wouldn't find the workshop useful because the course provides an opportunity to learn about training tools, to consolidate existing knowledge, to look at challenges differently and to come up with innovative solutions for better management.

SGT Margo McFadden works in the School of Postgraduate Studies at RAAF Base Wagga.

A better deal for our people

By Janine Hall

The importance of looking after our people—and treating each other with respect—is behind an increase in the availability of Results through People (RtP) workshops for all Defence personnel around Australia.

The workshop continues to be supported by the Secretary and Chief of the Defence Force as part of their recognition that how we do business in Defence is just as important as what we do. The increased number of workshops is also evidence of their call, in a recent joint message to all senior leaders in Defence, for 'continuing momentum with the Results through People philosophy as well as our Defence Values—empowering and equipping our people with the necessary skills to achieve results'.

The three-day, centrally funded RtP workshop builds on the strong cultures (military and civilian) in Defence, and emphasises commitment to building better working relationships and working together to improve workplace business processes.

The workshop explores the fundamental components of all our jobs, regardless of specific tasks and positions, namely:

  • knowing and using critical technical skills and principles,
  • demonstrating personal qualities aligned with Defence Values, and
  • developing and maintaining effective relationships.

A mix of individual and group activities culminates with each participant developing and committing to an individual improvement plan. While the workshop is open to all Defence personnel in both military and civilian roles, the target audience is personnel with both supervisory and leadership responsibilities.

Further information including the dates and locations of workshops through to June 2007 can be accessed on the Defence Restricted Network at http://intranet.defence.gov.au/cpa/manual/cgr/renewal/rtpworkshops.htm.

Training Calendar

Results through People

The three-day Results through People workshops explore the skills and attributes that outstanding managers have—skills that are the key to optimising results but are simple in concept. There are 12 places available on each workshop. The target audience is all personnel with supervisory responsibilities.

http://intranet.defence.gov.au/cpa/manual/cgr/renewal/rtpworkshops.htm

Personal Effectiveness

The one-day Personal Effectiveness workshops focus on self-awareness, self-management, social awareness and relationship management in a Defence context. There are 20 places available on each workshop. The target audience is all Defence personnel.

http://intranet.defence.gov.au/cpa/manual/cgr/renewal/peworkshops.htm

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