The Participant assumes the role of a newly appointed manager within a professional services organisation, Lehman and Associates. They have been asked to meet with a member of their team to talk about recent changes in the individual’s performance and to explore recent behaviour relating to email misuse. The Participant needs to raise sensitive issues in a professional manner and this will require a balance between maintaining a focus on the business issues as well as demonstrating an understanding for the team members situation.
Competencies: Problem Analysis
The Participant assumes the role of an internal Project Manager in a business services company, Biz-Data, and is responsible for managing the timely delivery of a new IT software installation. Using the information provided, the Participant is required to conduct a project update meeting with the external Project Manager from an IT software company to resolve current project issues which have impacted on the Company’s external clients. The external Project Manager seems to have lost control of the project and the Participant needs to work with them to deliver their requirements whilst not jeopardising other internal projects.
The Participant has recently been recruited to a Graduate Trainee scheme by McKay World Wide Financial Services. The Participant has been given a small project to manage which sits within the context of a larger assignment. The Participant is given background information on the larger assignment and detailed information on their component project. The Participant is required to meet with one of their peers, with whom they will be working on the project, and gain their colleagues acceptance to a high level project plan. The Participant must use planning and project management skills to deliver the assignment.
The Participant assumes the role of a Graduate Trainee at a large international building and construction company, Thornton Croft. The Participant is currently placed in the Retail Division delivering a full range of design, feasibility, shop fitting and construction services. The Participant is provided with information relating to a live project and has been tasked with briefing their Line Manager. The Participant is informed that their Line Manager is not available and is now required to brief the Director. The Participant is required to present their assessment of the current status of the project.
The Participant assumes the role of a newly appointed Manager of Exam Plus, a leading player within the educational services sector. They are required to meet with a team member who was asked to undertake a task for another manager. Due to insufficient guidance and a lack of the necessary skills and knowledge to complete the task, they missed an important deadline which resulted in the team member being publicly criticised. Having reviewed the background information provided the Participant must motivate the individual in order to rebuild their confidence and to identify appropriate development opportunities.
The Participant assumes the role of a Middle Manager within The Community Services Agency and is required to meet with one of their Team Leaders to discuss a decline in the teams performance. The Participant needs to investigate the reasons for the decline, offer support and agree a solution. The Participant must consider how to develop the Team Leader’s skills, improve team performance and to provide a high standard of customer service. In preparation, the Participant is given information about the Organisation, impending changes and the teams performance.
The Participant plays the role of the HR Manager in CoolCustomers, a medium-sized firm which supplies and installs air conditioning equipment and systems for commercial and domestic applications. The performance of one of the four Regional HR Business Partners has been declining on a number of different fronts. There are concerns around the individuals attitude to change, their relationship with peers and the quality of their work. Information about these issues are provided for the Participant along with details of several complaints. The Participant has called a meeting to try and resolve these performance problems with their team member.
The Participant plays the role of a Senior Manager in the Finance Department of a Government Agency. The organisation runs a buddying system and the Participant has been asked by an individual that they buddy to meet up. The individual is a Senior Technical Specialist who wants to talk over some upcoming decisions about an internal career move. The challenge for the Participant is to coach the individual (who is at the same level in the organisation structure as them) to make the best decision. During the discussion further information arises around personal issues outside of work and conflict with another employee.
The Participant assumes the role of the Assistant Director of Internal Project Co-ordination for the Department of Personal Data, which is responsible for the collection, co-ordination and dissemination of all personal data for use by other government departments. The Participant is required to meet with a colleague to discuss a ministerial briefing in preparation for the opening of a new Computer Data Centre. The colleague is the Chair of the Task Force responsible for overseeing the launch of the Centre. The challenge for the Participant is to brief the colleague that the meeting agenda has now changed due to a serious security breach and to liaise with the colleague to address ministerial and public concerns, agree the content and actions required, and to motivate the colleague to agree a high level plan of the next steps to take to resolve the situation.
The Participant is the Director of Change within a large Government department and is about to meet with the Head of Information Services to communicate the new Efficiency Review that the Board has agreed. The Review will mean that over the next 5 years, a number of departments will be restructured and inevitably, there will be staff losses and an outsourcing of some support functions. Using the background information provided, the Participant will need to communicate the reasons for change to the Head and gain their buy-in to the change.
