Glossary
360 degree feedback
Performance feedback is sought from multiple perspectives, eg self, peers, supervisor, customers, staff.
Accountabilities
Areas in which members accept full responsibility for their actions.
Agenda
Lists the desired outcomes and topics for discussion in a meeting.
Audit
Structured checklist for recording performance compared to pre-determined standards.
Australian Workplace Agreements (AWAs)
Individual agreements made between an employer and a single employee. An alternative to common rule Industrial Awards, AWAs can be used to tailor terms and conditions for workers to link them to productivity gains for the particular workplace or industry.
Autocratic
An autocratic leader is one who simply gives directions, dominates discussions and does not take a consultative approach.
Benchmarking
Provides a reference point so that comparisons can be made between current and past performance in a single department or across an organisation. Comparisons can also be made with competitors within the same industry, including the market leaders.
Certified Workplace Agreements
Collective agreements made directly between an employer and a group of employees or between an employer and a union(s). An alternative to common rule Industrial Awards. CWAs may be used to tailor terms and conditions for workers to link them to productivity gains for the particular workplace or industry.
Check sheet
A chart used to collect information on variations to the ideal working practice.
Coach
A person who conducts on-the-job training, usually in a one-to-one situation. Also see coaching.
Coaching
Coaching involves training learners, and encouraging them throughout the learning process. Coaching is offered to individuals and teams with the aim of achieving superior performance or achieving a set goal.Code of conduct
Many organisations have a set of clear guidelines, called a code of conduct, for how people who are part of the organisation must behave.. As a team leader you must know these guidelines and practise them. You must also encourage your team members to practise them. In some organisations the code of conduct is not written down, but is reflected in the example set by managers and team leaders.Codes of practice
Codes of practice give detailed advice about how employers can meet the requirements of Regulations and legislation. Also see regulations and legislation.Common law
Also referred to as 'case law', evolved over time from precedents set by cases that have come before the courts.
Communication
Communication is about striving to arrive at a mutual understanding with another person or group of people.
Communication barriers
Factors that prevent communication from being successful.
Communication processes
More than just ways of communicating, communication processes are agreed systems and methods to communicate certain things around the organisation, for example, ideas from staff, new work to be done by the team, occupational health and safety concerns.
Competency
A way of describing all the knowledge, skills and personal qualities that you need to effectively carry out a particular part of your job.
Conflict
Conflict happens when a person or group of people perceives there is a difference with another person or group and this results in interference or opposition.
Conflict management
The traditional view of conflict is that conflict is bad and must be avoided. A more positive view of conflict is that it is a natural and inevitable thing that happens in any organisation. Conflict management aims to harness conflict to achieve positive outcomes.
Consultation
Consultation means you outline the situation or problem to other people, and take their ideas or opinions into account before deciding what needs to be done.
Consultative mechanisms
Systems and processes that have been set up to promote consultation in an organisation.
Contingency action
An action in a contingency plan, which may contain one or more actions to follow if certain events occur. Also see contingency plan.
Contingency planning
The development of alternative plans that the team can follow if certain events occur, eg a supplier is not able to deliver ingredients due to a shortage or a strike.Contingency plan
An alternative or 'backup' plan that the team can follow if certain events occur, eg a supplier is not able to deliver ingredients due to a shortage or a strike.
Continuous improvement
The idea of continuous improvement is related to the belief that there is always a way to improve the way we do business. By identifying opportunities, having consistent processes in place and constantly reviewing performance, businesses can remain competitive. This relates to the whole organisation as well as all tasks undertaken by all work units and individual employees.
Control chart
A simple graph used to show variation in results. An upper and lower limit are set, in an attempt to identify when performance moves away from the ideal.
Corporate culture
Refers to an organisation’s values, beliefs and behaviours. It creates the tone of an organisation.
Cross functional teams
Teams that involve employees from all departments of an organisation,fFor example, people from the production floor, retail, marketing, sales and finance. This helps improve communication across the organisation and allows for realistic operational plans.Culture
A system of shared meaning held by members that distinguish it from other teams. It includes a set of values, beliefs, understandings and way of thinking that is shared by members within the team.Customer
A person or organisation buying or obtaining the goods or services of another.Customer service
The range of help and support offered to customers before, during and after a sale has been made.Cycle of service
All the moments of truth that make up the customer’s experience in a service interaction.Data
Information gathered and organised for the specific purpose of research.
DeBono’s six thinking hats
Used for changing thinking patterns of a team. Members use the coloured hats to represent different perspectives: white hat for facts, figures and objective information; red hat for emotions and feelings; black hat for logical negative thoughts; yellow for positive constructive thoughts; green hat for creativity and new ideas; blue hat for control of the other hats and thinking steps.
Decision-making
The process of selecting the best decision from the options available. Also see problem-solving.
Deliverable
Any measurable, tangible, verifiable output that must be produced to complete a task or a project.
Diversity
Your workplace is made up of lots of different types of people. Differences between people at work, such as in their age, gender, race, values, etc, creates diversity in the workplace.
Due diligence
This is where all reasonable steps are taken to prevent pollution and protect the environment, to promote action to prevent or minimise potential environmental damage and to ensure that all precautionary and control measures are in place and are regularly checked and maintained to minimise the risk of an environmental incident.
e-business
Using the Internet to exchange goods and services, eg your customers browse an online catalogue and order online.
e-commerce
See e-business.
e-learning
Learning where you get your course materials and/or communicate with your trainer and other learners via a network, an intranet, or over the Internet. Course materials may be delivered on CD-ROM where learners don’t have access to the Internet.
e-team
See e-workers.
e-workers
Team members who do not work in the same location as each other, but use a network, an intranet or the Internet to communicate and/or supply their work. These people form an e-team. This may be done because of cost benefits, individual circumstances or because the nature of the work requires team members to be spread out or on the move. The arrival of broadband Internet and wireless Internet in recent times makes e-workers and e-teams a more workable option.
Empathy
Demonstrating understanding by seeing a situation from another’s point of view.
Employment contract
An employment contract may be a written document, or a verbal agreement between an employer and an employee. It may cover things like wages, benefits, bonuses, confidentiality agreements, discipline policy and procedures, duties, hours, etc. Written contracts are clearer, more able to be verified, and thus safer and easier to uphold.
External customer
A person or group outside of your organisation that uses your products or services.
Evaluation
An overall determination of the success of a program or a strategy.
Facilitator
A person who manages the group dynamics in team so that they can meet the specified outcomes.
Feedback
Information that is passed back about something that has been said or done.
Financial statements
Reports on the financial aspects of an organisation. The Income and Expenditure Statement (also termed the Profit and Loss Statement) and the Balance Sheet are two financial reports all organisations produce. Various Financial Ratio Statements are also important financial reports.
Fishbone diagram
A diagram where each line or 'fishbone' represents an area that may have caused a problem. The areas could be listed under headings, eg human factors, procedures, hardware, management, environment.
Goals
What you want to achieve. A goal should be measurable by quantity or quality, have a time frame for completion, and be achievable.
Hazard
Anything in the workplace environment, physical or human, that may lead to an accident or injury.
Hazard register
A check sheet where information on workplace dangers can be recorded for immediate action. The register is checked and signed off on a daily basis by a staff member assigned this responsibility.
Hierarchy of controls
In managing occupational health and safety, the hierarchy of controls identifies a number of measures which can be used to control hazards.
HRMIS
Human Resource Management Information System; computer system to collect and analyse information to assist in the making of timely HR management decisions. Examples are databases, spreadsheets, information networks.
Incident
In managing occupational health and safety, an incident is something that happens in the workplace that must be recorded or reported.Induction
The process of receiving new employees, introducing them into the organisation and to their colleagues, and making them part of the organisation.Industrial awards
Also referred to as 'awards'; historically in Australia, the main mechanism for confirming minimum terms and conditions for workers in a particular occupational group or industry.Information needs
We are living in what is commonly referred to as 'the information age'. Being aware of our information needs helps us to find ways of sifting through the volume of information that comes our way, keeping what is useful to us and discarding what is not.
Injury register
A current record of any injuries suffered by workers, whether they result in claims or not.
Internal customer
A person or group in an organisation to whom completed work is passed.
Interpersonal skills
The behaviours you use when interacting with another person. Behaviour refers to the way you speak, the tone of your voice, how you hold your body, how much time you allow for the interaction.
Interview
A conversation with a purpose.
Intranet
A computer network where information may be viewed as web pages, but may only be viewed by people inside an organisation (or other people authorised to view it); a popular way for middle to large size organisations to distribute information to staff.
Job description
A detailed description of the activities and responsibilities of a position. A standard of work performance is also included, as well as anything else relevant to the position, such as who a person reports to and those reporting to the position.
Key result area (KRA)
Describes the main areas of accountability and responsibility of an organisation, department or job, eg to provide excellent customer service, to provide a healthy and safe work environment.
Key performance indicator (KPI)
A measure used to gauge performance for a team or individual against agreed targets or goals.
Lag indicators
Measure the success of a process or operational plan after the plan has been completed.
Lead indicators
Monitor a process or operational plan as it is occurring.
Legislation
Law that is enacted by Parliament.
Market research
Finding out what your customers want and need from your team. Can be formal research, eg a questionnaire, or informal research, eg a conversation with a customer.
Mentor
An experienced person who provides advice and support to a less experienced person.
Mentoring
Mentoring is the advice offered to an individual over a period of time, to assist their development. This is a beneficial process that can be applied successfully in the workplace to increase the capacity of individuals by encouraging the development of their latent or undeveloped abilities.
Mission statement
An organisation's strategic plan usually includes a mission statement, which describes the organisation's values and how it does business. Example: 'Through the provision of excellent customer service, environmental awareness and community responsiveness, we will be the region of choice for families living in regional NSW.' Also see vision statement.
Modelling
Setting a good example for the rest of the team to follow, as in being a good ‘role model’.
Moment of truth
An episode in which a customer comes into contact with an organisation, however remote, and thereby has an opportunity to form an impression of the organisation and its people.
Monitoring
The process of measuring and comparing actual results or work in progress with the planned performance.
Motivation
The individual drive that causes us to behave in a certain way.
Negative assessment
A tool that requires decision makers to concentrate only on the negative aspects of each choice.
Networking
To be influential inside or outside your organisation you need to be connected to other people and have access to information. Networking means using your connections or contacts to stay informed about what is happening inside or outside your organisation, and to convey information that you need passed on to others.
Objectives
Objectives are the smaller steps we need to take to achieve our goals.
Occupational health and safety
Organisations are required by legislation to provide a workplace where employees are not exposed to hazards. This responsibility includes the development of work processes, facilities and training to enable employees to work safely.
Off-the-job training
Training that is undertaken away from the everyday workplace setting, eg local training rooms or a specialised training facility.
OHS committee
A group of employees and managers who meet regularly to discuss and recommend OHS actions.
OHS representative
A person who looks after the OHS interests of employees and may be a member of an OHS committee.
On-the-job training
Training that is conducted within the workplace and at the work location. Either the supervisor or a trainer may conduct this. Also see mentoring.
Overhead costs
Overhead costs are those costs that are required to keep an organisation operating but are not directly attributed to the production of goods and services.
Pareto Principle
A small proportion of people/effort/time (20%) accounts for a large proportion of the results (80%). Also called the 80/20 rule.
Participative leader
Participative leaders encourage participation in the team, and they involve the whole team in decision-making.
Performance
The way in which a person or team behaves, and the extent to which they complete their work tasks.
Performance agreement
A performance agreement outlines what is to be done and when, the standard that it should be done to and who is going to do it.
Performance appraisal
An interview and/or document that details an employee’s past work performance, and goals for future development.
Performance counselling
A structured discussion between an employee and their supervisor to determine the cause of a performance problem and to generate solutions.
Performance development plan
An action plan that provides a means of helping an employee maintain or enhance the knowledge, skills, and abilities needed to do the current job.
Performance gap
The difference between the required performance and the actual performance.
Performance management
A process for creating a shared understanding of what an individual is to achieve and managing and developing individuals to achieve in both the short and longer term.
Performance standards
The level of performance set for an individual or group.
Planning
The process of deciding what needs to be done in order to accomplish specific objectives.
Primary research
In customer service research, primary research is collecting information about a particular customer service problem.
Problem-solving
The process of identifying a problem, its causes, generating options, and choosing a solution. Also see decision-making.
Process
A series of activities directed towards a stated outcome.
Productivity
A measure of the value of outputs compared with inputs.
Project
Projects are generally short-term one off jobs with a defined start and end date that require detailed planning and team work to ensure smooth implementation.
Project management
Project management is the process of planning, organising and controlling a project.
Project manager
The project manager is the person responsible for the supervision of the planning, implementing and controlling the project. The project manager needs to play a role in all stages of the project to ensure its smooth completion. The project manager needs to understand the organisational culture and political issues, be a good supervisor of people, respond well and quickly to change and the unexpected, and be able to learn from mistakes.
Project milestone
A milestone is usually where a deliverable takes place in the project and where a sign-off is often required. Milestones are not work steps; they are markers for summarising work that has been completed to that point.
Project plan
The project plan is a detailed document that describes all of the stakeholders, activities, resources and schedules required to meet the project goal and objectives. It tells you where you are, where you are going, and how you are going to get there.
Project scope
The purpose of the project scope is to provide a clear description of the project goal, what is to be achieved, how it is to be achieved, who will achieve it, when it will be achieved, and with what resources. May also be referred to as the project ‘scoping document’.
Protégé
A protégé is one whose welfare, training or career is promoted by an influential person. Also see mentor.
Quality
In customer service, quality is when a product or service meets or exceeds the customer’s expectations.
Questionnaire
A list of questions seeking information for statistical or other purposes.
Recognition
In the training setting, this means getting credit where it's due. Recognition is a procedure used in the Vocational Education and Training (VET) sector when students want to get all or part of a qualification by having their current knowledge, skills and experience recognised. Training providers that offer a qualification will often provide recognition services as well.
Recruitment
The initial steps in filling a job vacancy, including examining the job, deciding on sources of suitable applicants and attracting their applications. Also see selection.
Regulations
Regulations are legally binding. Regulations give the exact details about requirements, duties and procedures to control risks of particular hazards.
Risk
In managing occupational health and safety, a risk is the likelihood that a hazard will actually lead to an accident or injury.
Risk assessment
In managing occupational health and safety, an assessment of the risk or likelihood of a hazard causing an accident or injury, usually involving a scale.
Role
A set or group of behaviours.
Schedules
A list of activities, in step-by-step order, that indicates what is to be done, who is to do it and the time that has been allocated to complete it.
Secondary research
In customer service research, secondary research is collecting information that already exists, as it has been collected for another purpose, eg statistics.
Selection
The second stage of filling a job vacancy by assessing applicants, making a choice among them and offering employment to the person you choose. Also see recruitment.
Skills audit
A skills audit identifies all the knowledge and skills that you have; a simple and effective tool for individuals and teams. Often used as the step before a training gap analysis. Also see training gap analysis.
SMS
Short Message Service. A way of sending text messages to and from mobile phones; SMS can also be sent from an Internet-connected computer to one or more mobile phones. Very useful when team members work in different locations or are 'on the road'.
Staffing
Planning personnel needs; recruiting, selecting, training and developing capable employees.
Stakeholder
Stakeholders are the individuals or organisations that are involved in, or may be affected by, the work that your team does. These may include managers, external customers, a project sponsor, internal customers, contractors, suppliers, project team, external clients, government agencies and the public.
Standards
A rule or basis for comparing other things.
Statutory law
Also referred to as 'legislation', comprises the statutory Acts enacted by Federal and State Parliaments.
Strategic plan
A plan that describes the overall goals and objectives for the entire organisation.
Stratification chart
Graphical picture of data that can be used to analyse information and identify trends.
Summary dismissal
When the decision to dismiss is taken ‘on the spot’, it is described as summary dismissal. This must be done in accordance with organisational procedures and Federal and State employment laws.
SWOT analysis
Organisations use this tool to identify their internal strengths and weaknesses and external or environmental threats and opportunities. The analysis allows an organisation to answer the question ‘where are we now?’
Synergy
The idea that two or more people working together produce more than they would have done on their own. The equation which best describes synergy is: 1 + 1 = 3.
System
A set of procedures that, when implemented, aims to achieve a desired outcome.
T Chart
Used when trying to decide between two or three options. Write options on a flipchart and under each option draw a T. Mark one side for and the other against.
Total quality management (TQM)
TQM refers to an integrated approach by organisational leaders to focus all levels of the business on quality. Continuous improvement systems and processes are employed to improve quality in all aspects of the business. This ultimately results in a better quality product and consequently to greater customer satisfaction.
Training gap analysis
The process of comparing current knowledge and skills to the level that the job requires. Gaps indicate what areas you or your team members may need training and development in. Often used as the step after a skills audit. Also see skills audit.
Training needs analysis (TNA)
A formal process of identifying training needs, usually in term of a group of people and/or for a process.
Training plan
A training plan is an action plan outlining the training and development activities to be completed by you or your team, to enable you to perform your job properly or to the standard required.
Values
Core beliefs or desires that guide or motivate attitudes or actions. They define things we prize and therefore provide the basis for ranking the things we want in a way that elevates some values over others. Thus our values determine how we will behave in certain situations.
Variance
In a quality management system, variance is any deviation or variation from a particular level of performance outcome. Specific tools are used to measure and manage variance.
Vision statement
An organisation's strategic plan usually includes a vision statement, which describes the values or beliefs of the organisation. Example: ‘Always looking for a better way to serve our community.’ Also see mission statement.
Work Breakdown Schedule (WBS)
A tool used in project management; the WBS gives a way to show the goal, objectives, tasks, sub-tasks and work packages in a project by using an hierarchical tree which shows all of the levels of breakdown. The top branch represents the goal of the project and the bottom branches represent the individual work activities to be performed.
Workplace bullying
You may think of bullying as something only happens in the school playground. Unfortunately it happens in workplaces as well. Workplace bullying is any ongoing behaviour that is directed at a person, or a group, that creates a risk to mental or physical health and safety.
Zone of tolerance
The latitude between a customer’s desired level of service and what they are prepared to accept as adequate.