“I found both courses really valuable.”
The courses provided frameworks that made her consciously think about her actions and how her behaviours impact on the team. She thinks more about interpersonal relationships and how to behave in certain situations.
Megan works for a global company that provides diagnostic services for animal healthcare. As Team Leader, she oversees 8 lab staff. Most are permanent but she also arranges training for casual workers to meet seasonal testing demands. The scope of testing requires some specialisation. So, Megan needs to roster staff to cover all areas, which can be challenging when samples arrive throughout the day and staff work flexitime. As a global company there are also formal structures to administer and follow, including a performance review process. Megan works alongside her manager to set goals with her staff and ensures that their personal interests align with the company’s objectives.
On top of this busy role, Megan says, “I took on two LearningWorks courses in the past year; the Introduction to Team Leadership 3 (ITL3) course and the First Line Management 4 (FLM4) one. I thought there might be some overlap, but they complemented each other nicely. There are similar themes in both, but the focus was quite different and I found them both valuable.
Some of the course content you’re aware of subconsciously. But it raises your consciousness. The frameworks introduced help you to consider your actions and how they impact on the team. Difficult circumstances can be simplified, so a resolution can be reached, and a constructive outcome achieved.
We often get trapped with the problem rather than the solution, and when dealing with interpersonal relationships it can be hard to progress. I think the course provides some helpful frameworks for that. You consider how you’re behaving and how you want to behave in certain situations.
In FLM4 I found the project helpful. It provides a process, the steps to consider at each stage, and how I can use leadership styles to my advantage to be more effective. I can see different styles in the managers around me, so it helps me understand what to expect in a situation and how to respond to reduce conflict. It helps things move smoothly.
“For the time that I put into doing these courses, I got a lot in return. Actually, I might do the Adult and Tertiary Teaching (Level 4) course as well.”