Guidance

Good management

Published 27 October 2014

© Crown copyright 2014

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This publication is available at https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/improving-civil-service-skills-good-management/good-management

Introduction

Managers play a central role in any organisation. They connect people to the purpose of their work and help them understand why their work is important. They set tasks and track performance, and they recognise the contribution of each individual in achieving the organisation’s goals. They also play a leading role in helping their team to identify the areas they need to develop.

Despite the significant changes in the Civil Service over the last 4 years our annual People Survey benchmark scores for ‘My manager’ have remained high, relative to other benchmark topics. The current figure of 67% is consistent across all grades except for the Senior Civil Service which is much higher at 79%. This is an achievement that we should be proud of and celebrate.

The Good Management campaign is a year-long showcase of the great work managers at all levels are doing across the Civil Service. It will also highlight what being a good manager looks like, and provide learning and support to help managers become even better.

Why is this a key area for the Civil Service?

The Civil Service Reform Plan called for a more skilled, pacier and more efficient Civil Service. To help build the Civil Service of the future, it made a commitment that every civil servant should take at least 5 days a year for learning and development. There is evidence that this ‘5 a year’ message is gaining currency, but many report being unable to access the learning and development they need. Often the barrier to take-up of learning opportunities is lack of support by line managers.

Research has shown where civil servants feel their manager took an active role in their learning and development, they are nearly 3 times more likely to take their 5 a year.

What makes a good manager?

What all inspirational managers have in common is they have taken the time to demonstrate 1 or more of the following positive behaviours that people look for in a good manager:

  • they understand how to model leadership behaviours, inspire a shared vision and enable and support others to act
  • they champion learning and development for themselves and their teams and create an environment where the giving and receiving of feedback is the norm
  • they know and listen to their team and encourage open discussion and constructive challenge

How can I develop myself as a manager?

We already have a collection of case studies about good management which you can read, which we will add to during the campaign:

There is also a range of practical learning to help you develop in this area:

The Management essentials pages on Civil Service Learning make it easier for new managers to find advice for them, as well as providing information for experienced managers who may be grappling with specific issues.

New learning pathways on a range of topics such as communication and influence and managing change show how managers can effectively use a mix of learning types to get to grips with an issue. These includes topics such as:

  • team performance
  • developing others
  • implementing change

Good communication is vital to performing well as a manager. The Communicating with confidence toolkit provides managers with ideas, tips and resources to build their confidence in dealing with a range of scenarios such as:

  • dealing with difficult situations
  • managing upwards
  • leading change
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