NZIM : From Research to Management Models

NZIM is building New Zealand’s management and leadership capability. It does so by offering quality learning programmes for managers, professional qualifications framework that recognises members’ personal level of management skill and experience, and by providing mentoring programme that enables them to tap into leading managers’ experience.
NZIM seeks out the best international research and converts it into practical Management Model that defines critical contemporary development targets as foundation for these services.
The model helps managers match their existing skill level and experience and identifies areas to focus their ongoing learning and development. It also acts as reference for NZIM mentors who can use the model to assess the needs of the people they are mentoring and then help guide them. Finally, the model enables NZIM to link its learning programmes to specific management development areas to provide management development framework.
The model is made up of four groups of attributes: management, leadership, organisational development and governance.
It is based on the work of worldwide authorities on current and future management practice, and particularly on the long-term research of Jim Collins, independent researcher and author of the management classic Good to Great, John Kotter, the Konosuke Matsushita professor of leadership at Harvard Business School, and David Ulrich, the professor of business administration at the University of Michigan.
The first two key groups of attributes are management and leadership, which are really the opposite ends of the same spectrum.
A manager is, by dictionary definition, an organiser of business or someone responsible for directing and controlling the work and staff of business. leader is someone people follow and who guides or directs others. Management and leadership are intertwined in most management roles. So, to be an effective overall manager, it is essential to understand and develop both attributes.

Management
NZIM’s management model identifies six target areas for developing capable manager. Each area is equally relevant to new or experienced manager. They are targets for life-long learning. An increased depth of knowledge increases the manager’s worth. These six management development targets are:
•a general understanding and study of management principles in theory and practice to build the individual’s management toolkit;
•a good understanding of how the manager’s organisation works so he or she can operate effectively within it;
•a good understanding of the external factors impacting an organisation to enhance understanding of the need for change as it arises;
•a general knowledge of the range of business disciplines across the organisation (finance, IT, marketing) to enable effective communication with other managers;
•having at least one area of expertise where the manager is recognised as specialist to provide strong “reason for being” in their organisation;
•developing broad range of personal management skills that enable managers to communicate and work effectively with others – eg, presentation, time management, and report writing skills.

Leadership
Leadership sits at the other end of the management spectrum as an essential component of effective management.
The NZIM model breaks leadership down into three core target areas for personal development – leadership ability, skill, and behaviour.
1) Leadership ability is about managers earning the right to be recognised as leader in their organisation.
Being able to create and communicate clear vision for action is key leadership attribute as is the ability to focus on developing others to build the organisation. Able leaders think strategically, are self aware so that they can see what reality is and make effective decisions. Finally, they need the intellectual capability to handle all of this. Managers can’t necessarily do much about their intellect but it is possible to learn and practise the other attributes.
2) Leadership skill is about having the skills necessary to operate as an effective leader in an organisation. The first two leadership skill attributes include broad management expertise and the ability to communicate effectively.
3) Leadership behaviour is the final core target for leadership development. If the manager acts as role model leader they become highly credible and people listen and follow.

Organisational development
Developing and building capable organisation is the third critical management attribute in the NZIM model. It is not sufficient for managers to simply define plans and agree objectives and then manage people to achieve those objectives. Today’s workforce is generally better educated than in the past and people are often in position to choose their employer and method of employment. And globalisation offers opportunities to work in other countries. There are three key organisational development areas that modern managers must be aware of and competent at handling.

1) Culture
The way people behave in an organisation can make it either more capable or dysfunctional. Managers can identify the core behaviours that should underpin the organisation and strengthen its ability to achieve strategic goals. These can be incorporated in organisational performance feedback systems which in turn move the organisation toward culture that is aligned with strategy and enhances overall capability.

2) Engagement
Effective managers understand how to “engage” the people they manage. People make choices about the extent to which they will commit to the organisation they work for. Some commit the minimum. Others commit themselves 100 percent. An engaged organisation acts like vehicle filled with high octane fuel. It fills the same space but goes faster. To successfully compete and grow in today’s world requires ideas and innovation. Creating an engaged environment is the way to achieve this and so it needs to be part of manager’s toolkit.

3) Organisational change
Organisations are subject to ongoing change from both internal and external drivers. Managers must understand and be able to apply successful methods of implementing change.

Governance
This covers the responsibilities of managers on boards or trusts. The Model covers five key governance responsibility areas; strategy, ethical values, policy, monitoring and review, coaching and support of the chief executive.
The latest version of the NZIM Management Model can be accessed in more detail on the NZIM website www.nzim.co.nz. Managers can use it to assess their continuing development needs. Mentors can use the model as guide and reference when they are in mentoring relationship. As further support for managers NZIM links its own management learning programmes directly with the Management Model.
NZIM regularly updates the model to maintain its relevance for New Zealand managers.

Kevin Gaunt, FNZIM, FAIM, is CEO of NZIM Auckland and has been senior executive with, and consultant to, some of New Zealand’s largest companies.

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