Resources

Citation

Nolan, S. (2013), "Resources", Strategic HR Review, Vol. 12 No. 5. https://doi.org/10.1108/shr.2013.37212eaa.010

Resources

Article Type: Resources From: Strategic HR Review, Volume 12, Issue 5

Event reviews

Security Awareness Special Interest Group meeting, Knowsley, UK, 7 March, 2013

Lisa SpriggsLisa Spriggs is Marketing Executive at SASIG.

Cyber Crime is the fastest growing element in the near £40 billion a year organized crime wave sweeping the corporate world, and the inaugural North West meeting of the Security Awareness Special Interest Group (SASIG) concluded that the “Human Factor” is the biggest area of concern.

SASIG, formed of leading security experts, meets regularly to discuss the issues facing businesses across the UK and gathered most recently at QVC’s headquarters in Knowsley, Merseyside in March 2013.

Among the speakers were Helena Fearon, director of Risk and Compliance, Trader Media Group; James McAllister, Business Continuity manager, Merseyside Police and chair of the BCI NW Forum; Richard Davies, head of Information Security, QVC; and Bernadette Palmer, head of Communications at The Security Company.

Human factor contributes to data security breaches

The discussion focused on “The Human Factor in Cyber Security,” and panelists reinforced the idea that human error, ignorance, omission or even malicious behavior were at the root of all data security breaches, and worryingly common within many organizations. The only way to tackle the problem effectively was from within, they concluded, by engaging employees with security awareness initiatives and training.

UK businesses were urged to share intelligence, initiate awareness programs, enthuse senior managers to get involved, use employees as “the eyes and ears” of their organizations, and create a multi-layered defense strategy that incorporates both prevention and detection.

“Attendees were reminded that security awareness amongst employees depends on engagement from the top down and the role of senior managers in ensuring the success of any initiative was emphasized,” reports Bernadette Palmer who attended as a speaker for The Security Company. “The threat from both malicious and unintentional behavior by employees presents a significant threat to companies and is to be ignored at the company’s peril. Participants were also advised that many training initiatives are rolled out too early in their awareness programs. If employees understand ‘why’ (awareness) security is important, they are far more likely to embrace the ‘how’ (training) rather than regarding it as something onerous that must be completed once a year.”

For more information

SASIG is a subscription-free quarterly networking forum organized by The Security Company (International) Limited as an entirely no-cost exercise. Membership is drawn exclusively from CSOs, CISOs and staff with responsibility for security awareness. It represents hundreds of organizations of all sizes from across the world and from all sectors, public and private. SASIG has a members’ web site at www.thesasig.com

Talent Forum: How Best to Engage Talent to Drive Innovation?, Nottinghamshire, UK, 7 February 2013

Jane RawdenJane Rawden is Head of Strategic HR Services at Awbery Management Centre.

A debate involving HR specialists, business leaders and professional advisers found the key to successfully driving business innovation is to give employees with entrepreneurial flair a “safe” environment and effective engagement to support their talent and creativity. The views and ideas were discussed at a recent Talent Forum, the third in a series hosted by leadership and management development organization, Awbery Management Centre.

The Forum set-out to answer: “How best to engage talent to drive innovation?” and was led by Awbery’s head of Strategic HR Services, Jane Rawden, and facilitated by David Holmes of Transformational Leadership Group, a former business coach to The Body Shop founder Anita Roddick.

Culture is key

From the debate, it would seem that culture and values within an organization and its management team are as essential as financial investment in the business if innovation is to succeed. In order to effectively engage employees and invest in these bright and creative individuals, an organization must seek to find a balance between management and innovation, by creating a “top down” innovative culture and a relationship that is based on shared values and effective communication.

The forum found that many organizations and their employees see a number of barriers that influence the cultivation of innovation. These barriers have a potential to significantly influence the chances of innovation success. If leaders are risk averse when it comes to innovation, then this will impact on its overall culture. If an employee is scared of failing it is unreasonable to expect them to innovate.

Talent loses its way when the potential of an idea is not understood by management and is a great waste of an employee’s passion and drive; when innovation is blocked by old ideas and a lack of appetite for change from the management team. To overcome this and engage this talent, the balance between rock solid management and innovation has to be in place, which will ensure the organization can be run in a predictable and safe way first and then support and promote an innovative culture.

Removing fear of failure

It is the balance between organizational management and creative employees that generates the most effective foundations and cultivates successful innovation, where workers feel safe to test their ideas with the support of their leaders.

It is vital for a business to create the right culture for an innovative environment, where the fear of failure is removed. The members of the debate agreed that ensuring workers are in the “right place to create an innovative environment” is vital for the creative process to work.

This could take the form of a “protected space” where those people identified with talent are brought together to work on projects, showcase new skills and ideas, with the backing of leaders and the opportunity for managed experimentation.

There should be no battle between management and creativity in the workplace, but a pact between the two to work together towards a common goal. After all, successful organizations need great ideas and great people, and a balance between the two in order for innovation to flourish and the business to survive.

For more information

To download a copy of the full Awbery Talent Forum report, visit: www.awberymanagement.co.uk; e-mail: enquiries@awberymanagement.co.uk; or tel: +44 1283 703828.

Recommended reading

Sara NolanEditor, Strategic HR Review Manager as Coach. The New Way to Get ResultsJenny Rogers with Andrew Gilbert and Karen WhittleworthMcGraw-Hill EducationISBN-13: 978-0-077-14018-2 (pb), ISBN-10: 0-077-14018-4 (pb), eISBN: 978-0-077-14019-9

This book aims to give a practical solution to the problem of reconciling two very different approaches to managing people – the tough approach of setting high standards, being in control and achieving results by not accepting under-performance, versus the softer approach of encouraging people and pulling them gently towards goals rather than pushing with directives.

According to the authors, employee engagement is the “magical ingredient,” and while many talk about it, few organizations achieve it. They believe coaching is a major part of the solution to creating employee engagement in the organization and achieving that seemingly illusive balance.

Step-by-step practical guidance

The book starts by dispelling myths about what works in management and breaking down traditional assumptions. It provides a definition of coaching, explores how it can motivate people and manage performance, before providing practical guidance on developing coaching skills and creating a coaching culture. It includes examples of coaching used in everyday managerial practice.

It also shares details of the OSCAR model developed by the authors. OSCAR stands for outcome, situation, choices and consequences, action and review and is a framework for holding a coaching conversation. It recognizes that managers are responsible for goals and performance being met, with the review stage critical to meeting this expectation.

It is an evidence-based book drawing on the experiences of the three authors – all of whom are coaches themselves and trainers of coaches – that acts as a step-by-step guide to developing the skill of coaching. The book is validated by the Institute of Leadership, which has included it as recommended text for some of its coaching and mentoring qualifications. It would be a useful read for managers looking to develop coaching skills and for HR professionals looking to move an organization towards a coaching culture.