Poisoned chalice or chance of a lifetime?

The early 90s saw huge delayering of management by organisations. At that time part of my work involved advising executives and mature graduates on their career options and job search. The majority were 50+ and talked openly about their careers and personal experiences. Many had occupied very senior positions with major national companies.

Yet, all too often, redundancy was, with the benefit of hindsight, seen as a blessing in disguise. Some felt they were out of their depth and lacked the skills of modern management. Many had simply risen through the ranks and admitted ‘management’ had become something of a poisoned chalice.

Selecting the right people—and that doesn't just mean recruitment, it includes promotion, transfer and role change—requires objective and experienced handling.

It is essential to analyse exactly what the position will demand, both now and in the future, and what will be required from the successful candidate. Not always easy in businesses where owner managers are often not experienced recruiters and the speed of change breathtaking.

Being objective in dealings with people we work with day after day is hard. Often selecting people for, say, new opportunities or promotion can be clouded by both positive and negative personal experiences

Success means having the right people; doing the job right. My business is making that happen. But a key part of my role is helping select the right people in the first place.

The guide How to Manage Performance, published by ACAS, acknowledges that Performance Management systems cannot change one irrefutable fact. Some people should not have been put in their job in the first place.

It is no good appointing someone just because they seem OK and have the right kind of experience and/or qualifications. If they are going to be managers and leaders they must have the proven and potential talent to carry out that role now and in the future.

All too often business bosses want managers to up their game. But the reality is - some can't. They’d love to; but they don't have what it takes. And what makes the situation even more difficult is that their boss is loathe to try and work out a solution.

To the detriment of the business, the underperforming manager's colleagues and, very probably, the manager's family, the whole sorry saga drags on interminably. Relationships at work and at home are affected, work:life balance becomes impossible and, all too often, health becomes an issue.

All because a situation has developed and no one knows how to start unpicking the problem. It is so common, especially in close-knit businesses with long serving colleagues.

Of course it can usually be resolved, with a bit of delicate negotiation and support. But all too often such situations are simply left; maybe in the hope they will get better.

These are the precisely the kind of problems in which I specialise. That is why I believe Business and Management Coaching are both sides of the same coin.

The need for success in business is both professional and personal. It is as important for the business as those who depend on it for their livelihood.

Visit my website for more information www.thebusinessandmanagementcoach.co.uk you can also email me barry@barryelliott.biz

It seems to have fallen on deaf ears......

ACAS has given a stark warning that removing the retirement age has many implications for employers. Little wonder businesses pleaded with government to delay implementation and allow more time to plan and think it through.


No such luck! And it’s not just older workers that are affected. The management of every employee's performance — let’s face it; that’s a major part of management — must be felt by all to be fair and consistent.

The BBC has been quoted as saying that employment law solicitors expect 'business to pick up'.

My approach to Business and Management Development helps deliver fair and consistent performance management. Driven by common sense and experience, my work is underpinned by a belief that people perform best when they know what is expected of them and have 'bought in' to the goals of the organisation.

It is not rocket science but it does need the kind of expertise that takes decades to refine.

Visit my website www.thebusinessandmanagementcoach.co.uk or email me barry@barryelliott.biz