by Michelle Murphy | Jun 15, 2017 | Career, Career and Interview Advice, General Interest
Question: I hold a senior role in a large software company and manage a team of 20 software developers. Managing a growing team can be a challenge but I enjoy it most of the time. However, I have a situation where two of my more senior team leaders do not get on. This has been obvious since the most recent hire joined the team. While neither has done anything that would cause me to discipline them, the morale of the team has definitely been affected by the tension between them. How do I resolve this? Answer: Conflict resolution is an issue a lot of managers have to face and it can be unsettling for everyone. You need to take the right approach as early as possible to ensure it doesn’t grow out of proportion. Conflict can cause a toxic environment within the workplace so you need to totally understand the situation and act responsibly. Management is not about popularity or avoiding a negative reputation but about ensuring you act in the best interest of the team and the organisation in an ethical manner. All managers and leaders must expect to have to deal with a conflict situation at some point so here are some pointers to consider. Timing is key Avoiding the situation or putting it off until another day will not wash. You need to take action where you have evidence that there is a situation, which is negatively impacting others – and that there is a pattern to it. Striking too early without proper information will lead to possible confrontation. But the other team members need to see that you are acting and can deal with adversity. Know your employees Some employees may not understand the consequences of their actions, so you need to be able to understand their boundaries. Ensure you can read the timing of when they do actually cross the line, understand their behavioural tendencies, mindset shifts, etc, so you can reach them just before that point of ‘no return’. This can be achieved by having one-to-one discussions with employees on a regular basis or engaging in coaching sessions so all employees know what is expected and what is not acceptable. There will be differences Everyone will view things from differing points of view – so you do have to listen, interpret the situation and respect cultural and generational diversity. Often your role may be that as a facilitator or mediator so your listening skills may take centre stage, but if tensions rise you need to ensure no one steps out of line. Confront the issue Management is about doing the things most other people would not like to do, so you need to activate your management skills. Be the wise owl and deal with the situation, even if it seems trivial to you, as it could be a major grievance for one of the parties involved and lead to attrition down the road. The longer you leave the situation, other team members will start discussing it and question your management capability. Your team needs to be able to trust you as a leader to deliver a safe, healthy and conflict-free environment Build team cohesion There are several factors that must be present for cohesion within a team. They must share a common goal and collectively work towards it. Communication is essential and, above all, they need to understand that what they do together as a team is better than what they do on their own and so respect for each other is essential. It is important to recognise that some people can work through conflict with no repercussions but others often feel overwhelmed, afraid or too proud to work through it. You need to foster an environment where the workplace will embrace healthy conflict but not tolerate negative or toxic issues that will cause a breakdown in the culture you are creating. A sprinkling of healthy conflict is not all negative and can foster growth as it allows people to listen, discuss and reach a conclusion. It will test the fabric of the relationship when the tension is resolved and both parties can foresee a win-win outcome for themselves and the team. For the manager, this will certainly hone their own maturity in dealing with situations and not just brushing them under the carpet. Michelle Murphy is director of Collins McNicholas, Recruitment & HR Services, which has six offices in Dublin, Cork, Galway, Sligo, Athlone and Limerick. Send your questions to sundaybusiness@independent.ie Michelle Murphy Director, Collins McNicholas Recruitment & HR Services Group This article was originally published in the Business section of the Sunday Independent, June 4th 2017. The original article can be found...Read More
by Michelle Murphy | May 23, 2017 | Career, Career and Interview Advice, General Interest
I am a female in my late 50s and am enjoying my work at my job in the media sector. There are a lot of younger employees coming into the workplace with IT skills that are far superior to my own. While I am their manager, sometimes I feel like my lack of tech skills is putting me at a disadvantage. I wonder are there ways in which I can quietly upskill, without drawing too much attention to my own lack of knowledge to newer employees and bosses? It is important to be aware of the area you are working in, as many sectors change rapidly – information technology in particular. This requires employees not only to keep their skills updated, but also learn new ones. Upskilling is a personal endeavour, as everyone has unique interests and talents that align with certain skills. Tackle one skill or skill set at a time, instead of trying to build several skills in one go. Although many employers offer on-the-job training and the chance to take more formal qualifications, it’s still up to you to keep your skills sharp. This is particularly true for a manager or leader, as by keeping up to speed your team can see how committed you are to your role and the company will see you as a leader and expert. By refining and updating your expertise, you can ensure that you always stay relevant. It puts you in a more competitive position in your industry, makes you more valuable to your company, provides job security, and highlights your desire to learn and grow, illustrating a great...Read More
by Michelle Murphy | May 19, 2017 | Career, Career and Interview Advice, General Interest
Question: I am in middle management and have been passed over for promotion on three occasions. I am not in a position to leave the company but I desperately want to progress in my career and I feel that I am stuck in the role that I am in. Is there some way that I can approach my boss and find out where I am going wrong? Answer: I understand how frustrating it can be not to get a promotion. you are probably feeling a lot of emotions including disappointment, humiliation, resentment and, maybe, anger. It is impossible not to feel personally offended. However, it is important for our own sanity to understand why this has happened and, of course, leave you in a position to improve so you can go forward for future opportunities. It is important to organise that ‘dreaded discussion’ with your bosses promptly so you are getting fresh feedback. ask for specific things you could work on to improve your chances in the future. However, when you ask for suggestions, be ready to listen and be prepared ti make those changes. It Is Not Yours Because You Expect It Some employees feel entitled to be promoted because they have been in the organisation for a long time, but tenure is no longer a key consideration. Contribution will be the ultimate decision maker. Performance Is Not Everything Employees are often under the misconception that promotion decisions are based solely on performance in their role. Success in one area doesn’t always translate to another. You need to become familiar with the requirements and competencies needed. Could It Be Your Softer Skills?...Read More
by Michelle Murphy | May 8, 2017 | Career, Money Matters, Work Life
Q: I am a female line manager in a technology company and am feeling frustrated, as I believe I am being paid less than a male colleague for the same role. But I don’t know what to do about it – how do I approach my boss about getting a pay rise? A: Over the past few years, I have noticed that the gender pay gap (GPG) is starting to close, which is welcome. New UK legislation on this issue is also heartening and could be mirrored here. The UK equality regulations, which came into place last month, will make employers with more than 250 employees publish annual gender pay and bonus figures online. The same regulations come into effect in the North next month. Once companies start to monitor their GPG, hopefully, they will work towards creating a more equal playing field. But, in order to close the gap, we need to look at supporting women who want to return to work, looking at flexibility, parental leave arrangements and subsidising childcare costs. I have seen a greater balance of pay within the tech field, including engineering and IT, which would have traditionally been dominated by male employees. As women move closer to the top, I have seen the pay gap decreasing and am happy to report that the executive roles I have placed recently are all at par with the market rate whether male or female. Broaching the topic of pay inequality is never easy but if you are sure there is a gap then I would recommend this course of action: 1 Research what your pay...Read More
by Niall Murray | Apr 4, 2017 | Career, Economy, General Interest, Jobs in Ireland
Collins McNicholas has seen a 9% growth in registered job vacancies in the first quarter of 2017 compared with the first quarter of 2016. The number of candidates registering with Collins McNicholas has increased by 1% in the same period. The unemployment rate for February 2017 was 6.6%, down from 6.7% in January 2017 and down from 8.4% in February 2016. As the unemployment rate declines, we are seeing a tightening in the labour market and increased demand for certain types of skills. The biopharma, medtech and software sectors continue to grow and there is increased demand for engineering, science, data analytics and software development skills within these sectors. It is encouraging to see the growth of the Coder Dojo movement and the increased applications in the STEM subjects at third level, positioning Ireland to take advantage of the expected growth in these sectors globally where the competitive advantage is centred on access to talent. The short to medium term outlook for the Irish economy is good. The ESRI forecasts GDP growth of 3.8% in 2017 and 3.6% in 2018, with a corresponding fall in the unemployment rate to 6.4% by the end of 2017 and 5.6% by the end of 2018. Although Brexit will likely have some negative impact on trade, the economic outlook for Ireland’s principal trading partners looks positive in the short to medium term. Domestic factors are playing a more important role in economic growth with a resurgent construction sector expected to be a significant driver of this growth as the housing shortage is addressed. Ireland continues to attract international investment and this year has...Read More
by Niall Murray | Jan 5, 2017 | Career, General Interest, Jobseeking
Like most people I make new year’s resolutions, and like most people by the end of January they lie in ruins. The changes I so desired to make just a few weeks earlier have failed to materialise as I let myself slip back into old habits, consoling myself with the thought that I was being unrealistic with my plans in the first place. It doesn’t have to be this way. What you need is a plan, a roadmap that will give you the structure you need to stay disciplined in pursuit of your goals. If your new year’s resolution is to progress your career, you cannot afford to be casual in the way you pursue it. You don’t want to be putting the same resolutions on next year’s list too. Most people think that all they have to do is update their CV, send it out to a few agencies, and sit back and wait for the job offers to come in. They are wrong. If you are serious about developing your career in 2017 here are 9 things you can do: Set Goals– how can you progress your career without taking some time out to think about what you want to do? Decide where you want to be in five years and figure out what you need to do to make it happen. Speak to people who are currently doing that job and find out how they got there. Update your CV – your CV needs to to be clear and easy to read. Hiring managers don’t have time to comb through your CV looking for the right information,...Read More
