1. Inspiring professionals since 1915
Sage CEO
Jayne
Archbold
Keeping an industry
leading company
ahead of the game.
Q2, 2015Manager

2. CPD is essential to your effectiveness and
development and also makes a significant
contribution to your team’s and your
company’s performance. This is true whether
your employer benefits from your individual
membership of the IAM or the increasingly
popular corporate membership for professional
administration and management teams.
To help you to benefit from CPD in the most
efficient way, the IAM provides a focused, logical
structure that helps you to keep learning as your
career progresses. It enables you to identify any
gaps in your knowledge and skills. It also directs
you to a range of activities to help you confidently
bridge the gap from where you are currently and
where you want to be in the future. By recording
your progress with these activities, you will
demonstrate direct and concrete proof of your
commitment to continuous development. In turn,
this will show current and potential employers
that you are serious about maintaining your
knowledge and skills and striving for excellence.
So wherever you are now and wherever you want
your career path to go, continuing professional
development helps you take the next step forward
to further professionalism and excellence.
To start developing your CPD portfolio visit
www.instam.org/learning/cpd to download your pack.
The new IAM CPD year has just begun
(it runs from May 2015 - April 2016) so now is the time to start thinking
about how you log your Continuing Professional Development (CPD).

3. Manager | Q2, 2015 3
CONTENTS
ManagerQ2, 2015
LEADERSHIP
TRAINING NETWORK
MENTOROPPORTUNITIES
DEVELOPMENT
OPPORTUNITI
DEVELOPMEN
TALENT
CREATIVE
LEADERSHIP
TRAINING
LEADERSH
TRAINING
LEADERSHIP
TRAINING
14
Top of the ops
18
Landing your
dream job
24
Your workplace
26
PA’s, EA’s and VA’s
NEWS
5 Viewpoint
A welcome from the Chair of IAM Raymond Clarke
6 News
8 Special report: Tougher sentences for
H&S breaches
Managers must be aware of proposed sentencing changes
9 IAM News
The very latest news from the Institute
10 Manager profile: Northern Star
Many IAM members will have used Sage software.
We meet CEO Jayne Archbold
14 Top of the Ops
The Top 10 things to be grateful for as an
administrative professional
16 Books for business
We review the latest business and management books
CAREER PATH
18 How to land your dream job
Career and recruitment experts give hints and tips
on how to get that dream role
20 Talent Show - Want to get noticed
and climb the career ladder?
Michelle Adams explains how O2 spots its talent
WORKPLACE
22 Top 10 worst health and safety myths
Judith Hackett, Chair of the HSE goes on a
myth-busting mission
24 Working on the workplace
FM expert Craig Shepherd explains why managing the
workplace can help productivity
26 PA
A regular profile of PA’s, EA’s and VA’s -
the people who make the office tick.
Manager is the official publication of the
Institute of Administrative Management

4. Achieve your potential with the
new IAM Academy by developing
the skills to advance your career!
Fit study around your work and life with our flexible delivery model to achieve the IQ IAM Level 4, 5 or 6
Diplomas in Business and Administrative Management at your own pace. You can even study individual
units in subjects such as HR or finance.
Your enrolment will include:
• Access to online study materials 24/7 to guide you through your chosen course
• Three hours of one on one tutoring with one of our subject experts
• All qualification registration, assessment submission and certification fees*
• A year’s free student membership of the Institute of Administrative Management (IAM) upon application.
Available Courses Cost**
IQ IAM L4 Diploma in Business and Administrative Management £1700
Guideline Entry Requirements: At least two years’ experience working in a relevant
administrative or managerial role or a relevant Level 3 qualification
Resit fee (per assignment) £85
IQ IAM L5 Diploma in Business and Administrative Management £1900
Guideline Entry Requirements: At least three years’ experience working in a relevant
administrative or managerial role or a relevant Level 4 qualification
Resit fee (per assignment) £105
IQ IAM L6 Diploma in Business and Administrative Management £2100
Guideline Entry Requirements : At least four years’ experience working at managerial
level or a relevant Level 5 qualification
Resit fee (per assignment) £125
Additional tutor support per hour (all levels) £100
If you do not meet the requirements in full please contact our admissions team who will consider your
suitability on a case by case basis.
*Failed submissions will incur an additional resit fee **Costs quoted exclude VAT
Visit www.instam.org/academy to find out more
Academy

5. Manager | Q2, 2015 5
BRIEFING
Welcome to the second edition of the new
Manager Magazine. We were really pleased
by the response we received to the first edition
and hope that you find this one equally as
informative.
It is now a year since IQ purchased IAM out of liquidation and
we continue to make progress in bringing the Institute back to
life. With the exception of the membership benefits package
launched last year, much of the work is currently unseen as we
establish structures and systems that will propel the Institute
forward over the coming years.
Three key initiatives which are currently high on our list of
priorities are the development of regional hubs, to act as a
platform for continuing professional development and regional
events, the development of corporate membership and chapters,
and the development of international chapters.
The regional hubs will in general be built around the
FE College network, offering IQ/IAM awards and IAM
events. We intend to involve the many high quality training
centres currently working with IQ and IAM in this
initiative, but to use the hub network to develop greater
consistency and regional accessibility to IAM services.
Internationally, the re-launched IAM will be organised around
locally anchored chapters, offering locally relevant services, but
with the active involvement of and guidance from the IAM in
the UK. Our ambition is to develop a globally relevant network
of administrative management professionals. IAM chapters will
be established in Africa, ASEAN, India and the Middle East over
the coming months, as we build the presence of the Institute.
We hope that you will agree that we have come a long way from
the dark days of a year ago, when the very existence of the
Institute was in doubt. There is still much to do, however, and
with the first Council meeting planned shortly, we look forward
to bringing you further updates as we continue to build a
vibrant and effective 21st Century Institute which has respect for
its rich heritage.
Raymond Clarke
Chair - Institute of Administrative Management
Manager Magazine
IAM & Industry Editor
Thomas Roberts- 01952 457452
www.facebook.com/instam.org
www.twitter.com/IAM_1915
www.linkedin.com/groups?gid=1241107
Editor
Richard Pagett - 01727 884874
manager@instam.org
Advertising contact
Thomas Roberts - 01952 457452
Technical Production
Rod Farquhar
Printed by
Chapel Press
Manager is published on behalf of the Institute
of Administrative Management by
Aria Public Relations Limited.
Copyright IAM
No part of this publication may be copied, broadcast,
interpreted, or stored, in any form, for any purpose,
without the written permission of the publisher. Every
effort is made to ensure the veracity and integrity of the
companies, persons, products and services mentioned
in this publication and details given are believed to be
accurate at the time of going to press. No legal liability
can be accepted for any errors.

6. NEWS
6 Manager | Q2, 2015
New business
registrations
booming in Britain
Last year in the UK 586,784 new
businesses were registered with
Companies House, taking the
total number to a record high of
3,513,186. According to figures,
compiled by Inform Direct, London
remains by far the most prolific area
for start-ups with 191,915 new
companies started in 2014. Greater
Manchester and the West Midlands
have also seen success with 25,381
and 25,059 new companies
established respectively.
Survey finds one in
five employees fiddle
their expenses.
A survey by KDS, a travel and
expense solution provider, reveals that
one in five of us are “fiddling our
expenses” and paper based claims
are costing businesses time and
money. Respondents were also asked
how they treat blank receipts given
to them by taxi drivers. A sizeable
majority (78 per cent) say they claim
the right amount, while 16 per cent
add a small amount, 5 per cent add
a couple of pounds and 1 per cent
double the amount or more.
Business group warning over EU exit
A British exit from the EU would cause long-lasting damage to Britain’s
economy, say Business for New Europe. The Group’s Advisory Council
includes Chairmen and CEOs of FTSE 100 companies and their executive
consists of experts in foreign and economic policy, including former
heads of the UK diplomatic service and senior journalists.
IN BRIEF
GOVERNMENT
LAUNCHES DIGITAL
APPRENTICESHIP
VOUCHER
The government says it is putting
employers in control of the funding
for apprenticeships by introducing a
new digital apprenticeship voucher.
Announced in George Osbourne’s March
2015 budget, apprenticeship vouchers will
further simplify things for employers and give
them purchasing power over the government
contribution to apprenticeship funding.
The employer would register their details
on a system being developed by the Skills
Funding Agency including their type of
business, the details of the apprentice and
the apprenticeship standard being signed
up to. The discounted rate (which could be
up to 100 per cent for 16 to 18 year olds)
at which employers can purchase training
would be calculated and the employer would
be able to pass on the voucher code to the
provider that is delivering the training for
their apprentice. The training provider would
then reclaim the value of the voucher from
the Skills Funding Agency.
SMALL AND MEDIUM-SIZED
ENTERPRISES ‘TOO BUSY’
TO FOCUS ON GROWTH
The value of effective time management among small and
medium-sized enterprises has been highlighted for in a new
report which states that
SMEs that do manage
their time well prove a
fifth more likely to clock
up higher growth margins
than those that don’t.
The report by Exact and the
Centre for Enterprise and
Economic Development
Research (CEEDR) shows
SMEs with above average
levels of operational
efficiency not only have
greater productivity levels,
but are also “considerably”
more successful in terms of achieving sales growth and more optimistic
about continuing to do so in the future.
The research included input from SMEs in the manufacturing,
professional services and wholesale and distribution sectors, and showed
70 per cent of those that consider themselves to have above industry
average levels of operational efficiency saw sales figures increase last
year, with just 8 per cent experiencing falls.
CLAMP DOWN ON
LATE PAYMENTS
The Government has made new
promises to small and large businesses
in relation to the Prompt Payment
Code. The Department for Business
Innovation and Skills promised to extend
the code in relation to the use of supplier
lists. It states companies will have to make
30 days the standard payment terms with a
maximum limit set at 60 days.
The tough new rules could see big
businesses named and shamed if they are
seen to treat suppliers unfairly and will
introduce a new enforcement body that will
eject any company failing to live up to the
standards or levy fines.
“It is important from a reputational
perspective that companies look to report
and analyse how well they are paying
suppliers. We are beginning to see more
company boards taking an interest in how
their organisations fare at paying their
suppliers on time,” said Guy Strafford,
Chartered Accountant and Chief Client
Officer, for procurement company Proxima.

7. Manager | Q2, 2015 7
NEWS
JOB INTERVIEWS FROM HELL:
CANDIDATES REVEAL THEIR
WORST EVER QUESTIONS
Questions about jam and
role-playing games involving
werewolves top the list in the
worst ever questions asked of
candidates in job interviews.
Workers have opened up to a
UK employment law consultancy
about interviews that either left
them cringing or stamping out of
the room in fury.
But according to the Leeds-based
Protecting.co.uk consultancy,
there’s a serious side to all this –
employers could leave themselves
wide open to the bad publicity
and expense of a discrimination
claim because of a badly-planned
interview that asks candidates the
wrong questions.
“Some bosses get it horribly
wrong when interviewing for new
staff or on promotion boards,”
says Protecting spokesperson
Mark Hall, “And all the guidelines
about acceptable behaviour go
right out of the window, often
with disastrous results.”
Discriminatory behaviour on
grounds of age, race, sexual
orientation, gender or disability is
illegal, and this applies equally to
the interview room as it does to
the office or shop floor. But that
didn’t stop these horror stories,
as told to Protecting.co.uk by
workers from all over the UK:
• “If you were a jar of jam, what
flavour would you be and
why?”
• “We’re going to do some role-
play now. You’ll be playing the
part of the werewolf.”
• “Are you planning on getting
pregnant?”
• “When was the last time you
got into an actual fight with
somebody?”
• “It’s not on the job description,
but would you be able to act as
my house cleaner as well?”
• “Your CV says you speak French.
How much do you think your
language skills will be worth
when Nigel pulls us out of the
Common Market?”
SME’S CONFIDENCE
UNDENTED BY
GENERAL ELECTION
Britain’s medium-sized businesses
are expecting a strong 2015 for sales
and investment and are continuing to
recruit strongly thanks to 18 months
of high optimism about the economy,
reveals the new Vistage Medium-Sized
Business Confidence Index. The research
is based on responses by 445 CEOs, MDs
and owners of medium-sized businesses.
About three-quarters of medium-sized
businesses aim to expand their workforce in
2015. Nearly half (44 per cent) expect the
economy to improve, whereas only 9 per
cent expect it will get worse. They also felt
2015 was on the whole going to be a much
better year for the UK economy, with almost
two-thirds (63 per cent) expecting improved
economic conditions compared with a third
expecting things to remain the same.
50 PER CENT OF
SICKNESS AND
HOLIDAY GOES
UNREGISTERED
A new study has revealed that 81 per
cent of UK businesses are still relying
on paper-based systems to monitor
sickness levels. The research, conducted
by aCloud TeamSeer, part of Access
Group who specialise in online absence
management, found that 67 per cent of
sickness and holiday goes unregistered as a
result of the paper filing process.
Joshua Gilbertson, Head of aCloud at
Access, says, “It is staggering to see that
over four million businesses are still using
paper documents to monitor sickness and
holiday. We are calling for UK businesses to
abandon their paper systems in favour of
digital software. HR departments can play a
key role in helping their organisation reduce
costs by having the right tools in place to
track and measure absence.”
Have you had any terrible
interview questions? Email
manager@instam.org and let
us know your experiences.

8. NEWS
8 Manager | Q2, 2015
Membership
Certificates
now available
A much requested
option, we are pleased
to inform you that
printed membership
certificates are now available to order.
The certificates, which feature the
newly-redrawn IAM crest, are available
to members at a cost of £18 (+ VAT),
including postage.
All existing members will be sent a
digital copy of their new certificate but if
you want to order a printed copy please
give us a call or email to arrange this.
IAM CENTENARY
The IAM is 100 years old this year!
Established in the winter months of 1915
to develop the effectiveness of office and
administrative work, our Institute has been
on an incredible journey since then and
played a significant role in the development
of our profession.
To mark this special occasion we will be
hosting a celebratory lunch on Friday
27th November where we hope all of our
members will join us in raising a glass to the
Institute. As well as enjoying a three course
meal in the company of our members we
will look back at some of the highlights
and the more unusual stories that have
emerged from our 100 year history, and
also look ahead to what we have planned
for the future.
The lunch will take place at the Botanical
Gardens in Birmingham, which we hope
with its central location and convenient
travel links will allow as many members to
attend as possible. The gardens themselves
play host to over 7,000 plants, drawn from
locations spanning tropical rainforests
to arid desert climates and, for those
interested, morning tours by specialist
horticulturalists will be available.
A consultation on whether corporate
manslaughter should have tougher
sentencing recently closed. Law At
Work’s Health & Safety manager Steve
Ashton looks at proposed sentencing
changes and what they could mean to
senior management teams:
Determining what a life is worth may seem
an impossible question, but it is one that
the Sentencing Council are currently trying
to answer. They have been consulting on
the introduction of tougher penalties to be
available for judges dealing with corporate
manslaughter, as well as breaches of health
and safety and food safety requirements.
If someone is killed, injured or there was a
risk that they could have been as a result of
the gross negligence of their employers -
what do you think the penalty should be?
Calculating a cost attached to a life seems
cold blooded and harsh, even inhumane,
but businesses may reasonably assess how
much they should do, and spend, to ensure
safety when the standard required in law is
‘so far as is reasonably practicable’.
In order for sentences to be more than
merely a slap on the wrist, the proposed
increases are aimed at ensuring directors
and shareholders take on board that
knowingly breaching health and safety
rules is not an acceptable or commercially
sensible way to deliver business.
The consultation is expected to result in
a clear set of guidelines for the courts in
England and Wales, which will provide a
framework where similar breaches result
in similar fines. In Scotland, the courts are
not bound by the same Sentencing Council
guidelines, but they do tend to follow
similar principles.
A company that knowingly acts in a
dangerous way can expect a higher penalty
than one where standards are generally high
but perhaps have slipped on one occasion.
An unforeseen chain of events leading to
an unusual accident will be considered less
blameworthy than an accident that follows
other similar accidents where nothing has
been done to prevent recurrence.
Businesses need to ensure their system for
responding to incidents, including near
misses, is robust, and that actions identified
as necessary from any investigations are
completed within a reasonable timescale
or they can expect harsher penalties in the
event that a recurring incident lands them
in court.
Last year, some very large fines were
upheld on appeal in the High Court,
including against Sellafield and Network
Rail, who had to pay out £700,000 and
£500,000 respectively. If the Sentencing
Council is successful in their proposed
changes, it is likely that these larger fines
will be handed out much more often to
businesses in the UK.
SPECIAL REPORT:
HEALTH AND
SAFETY BREACHES
COULD SOON
BRING TOUGHER
SENTENCES
More information on the event, including
details of how to secure your place, will
be announced shortly but please save
the date for the time being and we look
forward to providing you with further
information in due course.

9. Manager | Q2, 2015 9
IAM NEWS
News IAM’s Thomas Roberts reports on the latest from the Institute.
New Qualification
The IQ IAM Level 3 Certificate in
Professional PA and Administration Skills
(VRQ) is a new qualification we have
developed for aspiring and existing PAs.
It addresses the varied demands placed
on professional administrators and
secretaries and, depending on the units
chosen, covers the principles of writing
for business, managing workload,
managing business events, minute taking
and more. There are a total of twelve
units available, from which learners
choose five, allowing them to specialise
in the areas most suited to their role and
interests.
It follows the recent introduction of
our Level 3 Certificate in Business and
Administrative Management, which
is a more general qualification for our
members.
Study guides will shortly be available.
Members interested in taking any of our
qualifications should get in touch to find
details of their local delivery centres or
distance learning providers.
New IAM
Endorsed Training
As part of our efforts to bring our
members as many options for career
progression and professional development
as possible, we have recently re-
established IAM endorsement as a
route for recognising third party training
programmes and materials that we feel
add value.
The first programmes to be endorsed
under the scheme are from Your Excellency
and include awareness training for PAs,
mentoring advice and courses on time
management and budgets and finance.
To find out more about IAM endorsed
programmes and learning materials please
visit www.instam.org/learning/cpd/
endorsements
Preview: New IAM Login
portal coming soon
As part of our work to improve members’
experience and interaction with the
Institute we are currently developing a new
login portal. Called ‘My IAM’, the online
portal will display a personalised set of
information for members and allow them
to more easily access membership benefits
and services.
Upon logging into the service, members
will be able to see their current membership
status and grade and edit basic information,
easily informing us of things like a change
of address. You can also add or update
the copies of your CV and qualification
certificates that we hold on record,
ensuring that when it’s time to renew we
can advise if you are eligible to upgrade.
We are also introducing more convenient
ways to purchase membership online and
the option to pay over twelve monthly
instalments will be available through the
portal.
Members will also be able to digitally record
their CPD activity and track their progress
through the year against the requirements
of our CPD scheme. Evidence of attendance
and other supporting material can be
uploaded and members who have met all
of the requirements will be able to claim a
CPD certificate at the end of the year.
The portal will of course also provide you
with access to all of your IAM benefits,
including the member discounts through
Xexec, journal and e-book access, study
guides and other supporting material for
IAM qualifications and not forgetting,
digital access to this magazine.
Finally, additional purchases such as printed
certificates, printed copies of Manager or
tickets to IAM events can be made directly
through the portal.
We hope to have the My IAM portal live
sometime next month and will update you
as soon as it is available. If there are any
additional features you would like to see
please let us know.
Hannah Campbell
joins IAM team
The IAM is delighted
to welcome Hannah
Campbell to the
Institute who will
be working on our
corporate membership
offer. Hannah
joins the IAM from
Quanta Training, a
management development and project
management training provider, where she
was an Account Manager.
Having worked closely with both the public
and private sectors, Hannah understands the
importance of developing and supporting all
staff within an organisation.
Since joining the IAM, Hannah has been
working on our Corporate membership offer,
introducing perks from across the Industry
Qualifications group, ensuring the whole
organisation can benefit from membership.
Hannah will work with both our individual
members and their organisations, tailoring
our offer for larger organisations, so that the
Institute can meet your needs. If you wish to
discuss corporate membership more closely,
please give her a call on: 01952 797396.

10. Sage has become the leading name in business
management software and services, making life easier
for all types of companies in a diverse range of vertical
sectors. It’s something that Jayne Archbold, CEO of
the company’s Enterprise Market Europe division,
is immensely proud of, and the fact that millions of
companies across the world now use its products highlights
just how far Sage has grown from its humble beginnings
in 1981.
Name check
Type the word ‘sage’ into Google and information about
the Newcastle upon Tyne based company occupies the
first few results, even before the herb that shares its name.
Jayne laughs at the mention of this and recalls the story
about how the company acquired its title, which most
people erroneously assume to have been chosen due to its
connotations with eruditeness and wisdom.
‘The founders of the company – NASA scientist Paul
Muller, a local printer called David Goldman, and
computer student Graham Wylie – were discussing their
embryonic business idea at their local pub,’ she explains.
‘They were debating names when a poster stuck to a wall
caught Paul’s eye. The poster listed common herbs and
after scanning the list, he decided that sage had bit of a
ring to it. The others agreed and the name stuck.’
Originally formed to develop a software programme to
enable David Goldman to track his printing company’s
operational costs and generate invoices more quickly
and efficiently, David’s entrepreneurial instinct kicked
in and he realised there was an opportunity to develop
Over the last 17 years, Jayne Archbold has dedicated her career
to ensuring that organisations are fully served by Sage’s industry
leading business management software and services. Rob
Shepherd discovers the secrets of her success and the role good
administrative management plays in keeping the only FTSE 100
company in the North East of England at the top of its game.
NORTHERN STAR
PROFILE
10 Manager | Q2, 2015

11. Manager | Q2, 2015 11
Jayne Archbold
at the Sage Offices
in Oxfordshire.

12. 12 Manager | Q2, 2015
PROFILE
and sell the software to other businesses. When Amstrad
brought out the first real desktop PC in 1984/85 it
kicked-started Sage’s growth and sales soared. It went on
to be the accounting system of choice for thousands of
small businesses in the UK and entered the US market
in 1991, followed by France (1992),
Germany (1997), India (2004) and
more recently China in 2006. The
company has remained in Newcastle
and is now one of the North East
of England’s largest employers, with
over 1,500 people in the region and
more than 2,000 across the UK.
Close encounter
As a born and bred Geordie, Jayne
had been familiar with Sage since the
early days of her working life, but it wasn’t until her 27th
birthday that she joined the company.
Charting her path into leadership, she recalls, ‘I left school
after my A levels, joined an insurance broker and by the
age of 21 I was running my own branch and doing a
range of evening classes. After subsequently building up
my experience by working for other companies, I was
appointed Head of Sales at Sage UK in 2007 and haven’t
looked back since.’
Jayne’s career at Sage got off to a flying start and she was
named National Sales Leader of the Year 2008. She’s held
senior positions in all of Sage UK & Ireland’s divisions and
has been in her current position since October 2014.
It’s a remarkable rise to the top and she puts her
achievements down to the influence of her mother, who
instilled in her a belief that there should be no barriers
to realising your ambitions. ‘My mother became a single
parent when I was eight, which meant that I was taught to
be independent at a relatively early age. Mum worked hard
and was a great role model – she gave me confidence in my
own capabilities and a sense that I could do anything if I
put my mind to it. Just as importantly, she told me not to be
frightened of mistakes and to give things a go.’
Strategic direction
As CEO, Jayne is responsible for developing and
implementing Sage’s European Enterprise market business
strategy and corporate communications, including
expanding the business and delivering on pre-defined
targets.
‘On a Europe-wide basis, I’m responsible for attracting
new customers, keeping them, and making sure they’re
happy,’ she comments. ‘I’m also looking to expand our
offering beyond back office software and developing
ways for customers to use their corporate information
via mobile devices and the cloud, in order to improve
operational efficiency and enhance flexibility.’
Jayne is the first to recognise the important part
management and administrative personnel play in helping
to achieve these objectives. ‘I’m a firm believer that the key
to success as a team is clarity. I make sure that everyone
has a clear and unambiguous understanding of what
we, as a company, are trying to achieve and their role in
making it happen. I want to inspire people to act on their
initiative, be accountable and empowered, and share my
“When Sage started out,
IT was far from being the
mainstay of business life
that it is today. The company
grew by recognising
the opportunity for new
ideas at the right time.”

13. Manager | Q2, 2015 13
PROFILE
determination to expand the business.’
Training is an important part of the mix and Jayne has
helped to develop a successful information and knowledge
provision framework. ‘A training needs analysis is a key
component of our performance appraisal system, as
we can channel resources into the areas where they will
contribute the most to employee development, enhancing
morale and performance. Developing our existing talent
pool is critical from my perspective.’
Leading light
After spending time with Jayne, it is difficult not to
be impressed with her infectious sense of drive and
determination, and it’s clear that she has an ability to
motivate those around her.
This is apparent when she describes one of her most
memorable business achievements. ‘During my first
managing directorship at Sage, we had a six week
window to deliver some software that had various
compliance issues – it meant that there was a very real
chance that we could let our customers down. With
no time to spare, I assembled a small team to discuss
the pragmatic options. I was amazed at the dedication,
desire and determination these individuals showed in
coming up with a solution. We succeeded in addressing
the problem, our customers were happy and that
business unit has gone from strength to strength.’
Questioned about what makes a good leader, she pauses
briefly before stating, ‘Great leaders spend time with their
people and lead by example. They need authenticity,
honesty, confidence and commitment to help inspire
people, so that they can reach their full potential. Leaders
definitely need reliable, capable and committed people
around them.’
For Jayne, one of these individuals is her personal
assistant, of whom she says, ‘I would not like to imagine
life without her. She understands what my objectives are
and we sit down once a week and she challenges me about
how to most effectively use my time. We have honest, open
and tough conversations but we both have a good sense of
humour, which certainly helps!’
New direction
The world of business management software and services
is incredibly fast moving and is constantly providing Sage
with new expansion opportunities. Asked about the future,
Jayne replies, ‘When Sage started out, IT was far from
being the mainstay of business life that it is today. The
company grew by recognising the opportunity for new
ideas at the right time and I’m delighted to be in a position
where I can help it take its next steps forward.’
“The founders of the company –
NASA scientist Paul Muller, a local
printer called David Goldman, and
computer student Graham Wylie –
were discussing their embryonic
business idea at their local pub...”

14. 14 Manager | Q2, 2015
SPECIAL FEATURE
Number 1:
Laptops and computers
I learned to type on one of those clacky “old fashioned”
typewriters (how old do I feel typing that!) and at the end
of Miss Simms’ typing class, with lots of “aaaaa” and
“;;;”in our touch-typing lessons, my little fingers were
throbbing.
During my secretarial training, there was an audible groan
from all of us when the wrong “key” was hit and we had
to start again with feeding in paper and carbon copies.
Accuracy was the only key. No backspacing. No saving
documents and amending later. This was it. Live. (Tipp-
ex and/or a pile of carbon sheets at the ready).
Yesterday my “A” key came loose on my laptop
keyboard (absolutely nothing to do with the fact that I
am programmed, thank you Miss Simms, to hit the “A”
key as hard as I can with my little finger to produce a well
inked response - honest!), and I was intrigued to notice
that it was resting on its own little “cushion”. I could write
an ode to that little cushion.
Cushioned keyboards? You 21st century admin pros have
it easy.
Number 2:
Social Media (and technological advances)
The power of social media means this article is likely to be
shared on various platforms and different websites.
As 21st Century Administrative Professionals we have
information available at our fingertips – from our soft
“tippy tappy” cushioned keyboards (and of course our
“handhelds”) we have only to open our browser and we
have access and connection with the world.
And, as my nine year old daughter says; “if you
don’t know the answer mummy, just Google it”.
#prettyamazinghey!
Number 3:
Specialist training
As a specialist PA and Admin Professional trainer myself,
of course I want to mention my own training
(www.yourexcellency.co.uk) and the fact that as a former
PA, I understand the delights and the challenges you face
in your busy roles.
I put together bespoke inhouse programmes for
The Top 10 things
to be grateful for as
an Administrative
Professional in the
21st Century.
Lindsay Taylor, former
PA and now specialist
PA Trainer and Coach
at Your Excellency Ltd.
TOP OF THE OPS

15. Manager | Q2, 2015 15
SPECIAL FEATURE
administrative teams and deliver training for other well
known training companies internationally. I am proud
that several of our training programmes carry the
endorsement of The IAM too.
You only have to Google “PA Workshops” or “PA
Training” and your hunger for new learning and updating
and upscaling your skills and expertise will be fed. Give it
a go now.
Number 4:
Specialist magazines and resources
I’m an advocate of life-long learning, indeed I believe
we can learn something from every experience and every
opportunity. Whenever possible use your tea/coffee
break and travel time to immerse yourself in helpful hints,
tips and articles from online and paper magazines and
resources. Here are a few of my favourites: Executive
Secretary Magazine, Desk Demon and of course this
magazine that you are currently reading!
Number 5:
Specialist networking events
Networking plays an important part in getting yourself
out there and known. There are some amazing “in
person” networking events available to us as 21st century
administrative professionals – some at cost, others not.
These events give you an opportunity to socialise and
share ideas with other admin professionals, you get to tour
interesting venues, relax at the end of the day, be inspired
by other admin pros, trainers or speakers, win prizes, win
friends and win valuable contacts.
Number 6:
Recognition and appreciation!
We all love that pat on the back as recognition that we’re
doing a great job. There are several ways you can get
recognised professionally for the contribution you make to
your organisation – a Google under “PA of the Year” will
bring up lots of resources.
Number 7:
Specialist recruitment agencies
In the fast-paced, consumer driven 21st century, career
and development opportunities are available to you as a
valued administrative professional.
There are a number of recruitment agencies specialising
in PA/Admin recruitment who have gained my respect
for going that “extra mile” in providing you, the candidate
with extra perks. These include networking and training
sessions and professional and sound advice both personally
and via their websites. These include Sorted PA, Pure
Resourcing Solutions, Tiger Recruitment and Aspira
Consulting.
Number 8:
Specialist conferences
Where to start? There are some amazing events and
therefore networking and development opportunities for
21st century administrative professionals that you can
put into your calendar. These include office* show 2015,
The ExecSec Summit and The Executive Secretary
Live conferences, which all have fabulous line ups of
exceptional speakers.
Number 9:
The evolving role
My passion is for championing administrative
management roles. It is always a delight to meet PAs and
EAs who are thriving in the diversity of their positions
and taking a proactive approach when faced with the
challenges, demands and opportunities available to them –
they share my belief that this is a really exciting profession.
Increasingly, organisations are recognising the benefits
of their admin professionals and PAs and EAs are being
accepted as part of the management team. As the eyes,
ears (and right hand) of your manager and team you can
be influential in decision making and ultimately shaping
your organisation going forward. I’m sure you’ll agree
that’s pretty exciting!
Number 10:
Opportunity!
With all the great things covered in Numbers 1 to 9 comes
Opportunity. Opportunity to grow as an individual and
valued member of your organisation’s team, opportunity
to learn new things, opportunity to learn from others and
opportunity to meet inspirational people in the Admin
world.
What you do with Opportunity is up to you. You can
stand at the bus stop waiting for the Opportunity bus – but
unless you get on that bus (and preferably enjoy the ride!)
you aren’t going to travel anywhere.
I’m sure you’ll all agree that’s quite a lot to be grateful for
as a 21st century administrative professional. We’ve come
a long way since my clicky-clacky typewriter days and it
does make me wonder what Miss Simms would say if she
were here today!
For more details on Your Excellency visit
www.yourexcellency.co.uk

16. 16 Manager | Q2, 2015
BOOKS FOR BUSINESSIt’s never too early or too late to update your skills and knowledge. Manager casts
its discerning eye over a selection of the latest management and business books.
BOOKS
Do we need HR? Repositioning
people management for success
Paul Sparrow, Martin Hird
& Cary Cooper. Reviewed
by Mark Northway FInstAM,
BA(Hons)
In Do we need HR? the three
authors have provided a
useful contemporary view of the human
resources challenges facing organisations.
In outlining these challenges, the attempt
has been made to answer the question
posed in the title of the book.
The problem with this approach, is that
there is a tendency for authors to hope
that the question will be answered clearly
and automatically as the book progresses
– and presumably in the affirmative. This
has not been achieved convincingly, and
having read the book, one may argue
with one testimonial which states that
“This book does a giant service to the HR
profession, arguing for its continued and
unabated relevance.”
What it does do well is emphasise the
overall need for talent management
– to bring out the best in innovative
workers – and identify some of the ways
in which HR can assist in this process.
Indeed, the themes of engagement,
knowledge management and developing
the right people are all key organisational
challenges. However, how HR might
remove the common blocks to this being
achieved (poor leadership in particular,
and the effect of structures and cultures)
is largely overlooked, as is much
established theory on people management
generally.
Of more concern is the repeated
suggestion that HR needs to become
expert in roles presumably already done
by others, which sounds like an attempt
to regain functional territory within the
organisation. This theme of land-grab
continues: in talking about collaborative
arrangements with external organisations,
it is suggested (p146) that a challenge is
“making HR central to discussions about
the new business relationship” and that
HR needs to (p147): “develop leadership
for the network.”
There were some language frustrations
including American spellings and
terminology (p29: “traditional skunk
works” and p41 “So there is a
Pygmalion effect.”), as well as missed
opportunities to expand on themes. As
an example, having identified alternative
methodologies for process improvement,
the HR implications of each approach
would have been instructional for the
reader.
The topic of Talent Management takes up
two of the eight chapters, and the writers
state (p184) that “academic interest….in
talent management only really began after
2010…” This overlooks the work of Subir
Chowdhury and his 2001 book The Talent
Era: Achieving a High Return on Talent , a
consideration of which would have given
an opportunity to look at how the return
on talent investment can be measured.
But the real crunch comes at the end of
the book, when it is asked of the question
posed by the book (“Do we need HR?”)
it is written “…it is equally legitimate
to ask the same questions about the
way that all of the current functional
directorates inside organisations operate.”
This conclusion sounded a bit churlish. Far
from advancing the HR cause, the answer
to the question is left hanging in the
balance.
Mark Northway is Director and Courses Co-
ordinator at Deltic Training.
Tel: 01263 711811
www.deltic-training.co.uk
Effective Modern Coaching
The principles and art
of successful business
coaching - Myles Downey
The world of business
may be constantly
changing but the big
question for managers
remains the same –
how do you get the best out of your
workforce? In Effective Modern Coaching,
business coach Myles Downey provides
techniques for any manager or executive
wanting to bring out the full potential
of their employees and clients through
coaching.
Examining how the working generation
has dramatically changed from previous
eras, Downey discusses how employees
now have a different set of values
and altered outlooks. He believes the
workforce is often less compliant, with a
greater sense of self and therefore more
difficult to ‘command and control’ than in
previous times.
For those organisations looking to get the
best out of their more demanding teams,
Downey offers ways to engage employees
and help them develop and deploy their
talents—to their own benefit and that of
the organisation. He argues that coaching
is a demonstrably successful approach
to helping individuals perform to higher
levels and is required now more than ever.
Effective Modern Coaching aims to
develop managers and executives into
great coaches, who can transform the
performance of individuals and teams.
Downey looks at the art of coaching
from different perspectives and provides
practical tips, models and sample
dialogues of how to handle various
coaching situations.

17. Manager | Q2, 2015 17
BOOKS
Flawed but Willing
Leading large
organisations in the age
of connections- Khurshed
Dehnugara
Flawed but Willing
examines the idea that
failure is the secret fear
of many managers but shouldn’t be the
problem it is seen to be. Instead, author
Khurshed Dehnugara suggests that
accepting failure and imperfection is the
way to navigate the changing nature of
business and organisations.
Instability, disturbance, emergence,
networks, informal learning, trial, error,
adaptability, low growth, fluctuation and
momentum – these are the experiences
that are increasingly dominating the lives
of today’s business leaders and managers.
Dehnugara argues that managers who
want to survive – and succeed – need to
adopt a completely different mindset and
set of habits, as well as learn new ways to
relate to and lead people.
Written with passion and containing honest
and real case studies, Flawed but Willing
makes a case for courage, authenticity
and resilience as the key attributes of
tomorrow’s manager and addresses the
secret fears and concerns of today’s
business managers and leaders.
Management Design
Managing people and
organisations in turbulent
times - Lukas Michel
If you’re a manager looking
to gain a better perspective
of your business and key activities, then
take a look at Lukas Michel’s new book.
Management Design offers a visual-thinking
approach to help managers, leaders and
entrepreneurs think through their options
and find a way that best meets the needs
of their businesses, helping them perform
at their peak and build the capabilities to
cope with turbulent times.
Presenting management as a system or
model through a combination of graphics,
diagrams and text, this book is a valuable
tool for managers in these ever-changing
and turbulent times.
Masters of Innovation
Kai Angel, Violtka Dirlea and
Stephen Dea
Stories of innovation, eureka
moments and charismatic
leaders have filled many
books in recent years. This
book doesn’t however simply present
someone else’s story but instead offers
ideas to leaders about how to develop
their own innovation capability. Through
case studies and detailed research, Masters
of Innovation explains how managers
can make innovation more than just a
breakthrough moment.
The book contains the experiences of real-
world innovators: not just the hot ‘tech’
companies of the moment, but companies
growing in traditional sectors such as
automotive, train travel and household
appliances. Slow growth can often be
expected in these industries and yet many
have been in business for generations,
and still they grow. The authors argue that
being innovative is a repeatable process
that can be taught, studied and learned in
any organisation, regardless of size, sector,
budget or geography.
My Steam Engine is Broken
Jonathan Gifford and Mark
Powell
We have a primitive approach
to management and it
needs to change authors
Jonathan Gifford and Mark
Powell argue in their book My Steam
Engine is Broken. This text asserts today’s
management systems were invented in
the nineteenth century and based on the
military’s “command and control” model
– a model which is now outdated and ill
equipped to deliver corporate success in the
21st century.
Looking at why a new generation of leaders
is needed, one which should stop trying
to fix this broken and outmoded structure,
the authors offer advice on how to create
new structures that work with, not against,
people’s natural modes of behaviour.
The book identifies 10 paradoxes – 10
things organisations do that, paradoxically,
prevent them from achieving the very
goals that they have set for themselves.
All of these paradoxes revolve around the
relationship between the organisation and
the people who make up the organisation.
My Steam Engine is Broken offers a modern
manifesto for companies in the 21st
century - a must read for any executive with
a vested interest in organisational change.
The Impact Code
50 Ways to enhance your
presence and impact at work
- Simon Tyler
A good leader will always be
able to make a good impact.
In business, every ambitious
manager understands the need to create
impact: it enables them to make change
happen, deliver a vision, communicate an
idea and encourage action from others. In
The Impact Code, Simon Tyler looks at how
to improve and deepen the way we connect
with others and the lasting effect we have
on people when we leave the room.
Addressing five areas of leadership impact,
including visual and verbal impact and
presence, Tyler offers 50 simple solutions and
ideas to help leaders and managers change
the way they are perceived by others.
Each technique is designed to challenge the
reader’s thinking and current behaviours
and inspire them to take action. The
Impact Code is the self-help guide for any
ambitious executive who is looking to make
a positive change.
WIN!Manager magazine has a selection
of these books to giveaway to one
lucky reader. For your chance to
win simply answer the following
question:
In what year was
The IAM founded?
Email your answer to:
manager@instam.org by 1st July
2015. The first answer picked at
random will win the books!

18. 18 Manager | Q2, 2015
LANDING
YOUR
DREAM JOB
Write the perfect CV
Lee McHugh Partner, Nine Feet Tall
A CV can make or break a job application, so it
is important to pay close attention to how the document is
presented, the information that is within it, and ensure that it
speaks to the person you are applying to.
This means staying relevant and not blanket-sending the same
CV to everyone. Spending time creating a unique version shows
you value the prospective role. Make sure you do not overload
the document either. HR professionals are particularly time-poor,
so everything should be clearly laid out to express the necessary
points succinctly and to convey your skills confidently.
It is also important to be honest when selling yourself. Try not to
inflate your credentials too much, as the truth will always surface.
A little creativity is acceptable, but be realistic. If hired, you will
have to deliver on the expectations you have set out.
Finally, check and then check again. Always ask a third party to
proof the document to ensure it is accurate.
Go Social
Ron Stewart, Recruitment
Specialist, Jobs4Group
The average recruiter spends only six seconds scanning a CV, so
the layout should be simple and clean. Your CV should open with
a value proposition - a statement which explains why you would be
a valuable asset to a particular employer. This should be concise
and backed up with evidence or stats. It is also important to ensure
that your CV is digital friendly. Converting your CV to a PDF may
be a good option. Remember to include links to your LinkedIn
profile, an online portfolio, blog or relevant social media profiles on
your CV. These will act as a digital extension of your CV, allowing
employers to find out more about your skills and values.
To back up your career experience, an online portfolio and
strong social media presence can really give you the edge. Use
these channels to establish yourself as an active and insightful
professional by creating a personal brand, which is relevant,
distinctive and authentic.
Agencies can help!
Donna Barnes, Director of
Astra Recruitment
An agency is able to present you – the applicant - to a client with
an in depth knowledge having met with you and having the ability
to explain the person behind the CV. They will also be able to
prepare the applicant for each interview stage, and handle any
questions you may have but do not want to ask at interview. The
agency are also able to give the applicant information about what
the client is really looking for rather than just trying to interpret the
job description.
You can further your chances with an agency by being totally
honest with your consultant. If the candidate can be clear on what
they really want, as well as what they don’t, it will save both the
candidate and the client a great deal of time.
Every applicant should always try to perform at their best, whether
at an interview with an employer or with an agency. An agency will
want to see your passion as well as skills and experience but you
can be very honest with a consultant and discuss information that
you would not necessarily want an employer to know immediately
at interview, as well as ask questions about the potential employer.
Any fears or nerves that an applicant may have can be shared and
a good consultant will help the applicant to become confident to
deal with questions and prepare for any presentations the potential
employer may want the candidate to deliver.
CAREER PATH
Leading management, recruitment and career experts offer
Manager readers their advice and tips on how to best prepare and
plan to land your dream job, secure a promotion or aim for a pay
rise. And remember, it’s never too late to further your career.

19. Manager | Q2, 2015 19
Securing promotion or a pay rise
Stephen Hoban, Director at Capita Interim
Management & Specialist Recruitment
Managers looking to maximise their own careers need to practice what
they preach in terms of the performance framework they are working in,
ensuring that they clearly understand what is expected of them and that
they deliver it. Clear lines of communication upwards are important.
If there are barriers to delivering what is expected, they need to be
communicated. Similarly it is important to have a structured approach to
your own career, agreeing SMART objectives, which, if achieved, lead to
planned outcomes such as promotion or a salary increase.
Prepare for interview
Katherine Tiddy, Search Consultancy’s General
and Commercial Staffing Director for England
Don’t be hasty
Take a moment to consider questions and don’t blurt out answers too
quickly. There’s nothing wrong with taking time to think – but don’t
ponder for too long.
Do your homework BEFORE you arrive
Research the role you want and the company’s core values. Knowing
your stuff is the best possible way to show an employer how interested
and enthusiastic you are.
The eyes have it
Don’t forget to make eye contact when responding to your interviewers.
Staring at the table or out of the window might just be nerves, but it will
make you look disinterested.
Body talk
A strong handshake and good posture are essentials. And try not to
fidget – it’s distracting for both you and the interviewer.
Have lots of bottle – but not the vodka variety
NEVER turn up hung over.
Prepare thoroughly and get a good night’s sleep.
Don’t cheat – you’ll get caught out
Write your own CV and make sure you know it inside out. If you haven’t
written it yourself any savvy interviewer will know and you’ll likely
struggle to answer questions about it.
Money talks – but not at the first interview
Salary is a hugely important factor but be patient - let your prospective
employer raise the topic, or if you must raise it, ideally wait until your
second interview.
Mind your Ps and Qs – and forget the Fs
Never, ever, swear in an interview. It’s extremely unprofessional and
disrespectful.
Calling it off
There are few things ruder than bringing your mobile phone into an
interview so make sure it’s off well in advance.
Dealing with pre-interview nerves
Robin Kermode, communication expert
and founder of coaching company Zone2
One of the best ways to deal with nerves is this simple breathing
technique: sit upright and breathe in through your nose slowly, for a
count of three. Then breathe out for a count of three. Try to breathe
into your lower stomach rather than your chest and repeat this three
times. That should take a total of 18 seconds and in that time you will
lower your heart rate and feel much calmer.
To stop your voice from trembling during the interview, prepare with this
simple voice exercise. Open your throat by sticking your tongue out as
far as it will go, and try to say the whole of the Humpty Dumpty nursery
rhyme out loud. This will open the back of the throat and as a result
you’ll sound more confident.
Be proud of your achievements and remember that you are already
on the shortlist so they must think pretty highly of you, and, with a
confident interview, you might just land your next job!
It’s never too late
Tarnya Brink, Deputy CEO of RightStep,
independent career advice
A career change or job move can bring numerous benefits for individuals
and allows strengths and talents to be utilised, and enthusiasm and
motivation to be restored. With the support of a trained, knowledgeable
and experienced Careers Adviser, people can ensure that they make the
best possible decision for their future.
Many people can be in a career for a number of years but feel it’s not
right for them. We work with individuals to help identify the areas of
their job they like and dislike, supporting people to identify the best
career path to move forward into.
This may be through training, seeking internal promotion or other
responsibilities to enhance the role or alternatively, a new career
choice could provide the solution. RightStep offers guidance on skills
assessments, career matching, realistic goals setting and advice on the
changing world of work and growth areas.
For example, we recently helped an engineer that found himself
unemployed, aged 65, to identify his strengths and match his skills set
to that of an employment adviser. He successfully applied for a role as
a trainee careers adviser! We know how daunting it can be to change
careers, which is why we provide support for every step of the way.
Qualifications matter
Bernie Zakary – Head of Quality &
Compliance at Industry Qualifications
As your career develops, your idea of your ‘dream job’ changes. You
may move into adjacent sectors, progress within a sector or move onto
something completely different. How are you going to convince a
potential employer that you are the right person for their senior role?
One key feature of your CV that will help you get that interview is
your record of qualifications achieved and continuous professional
development (CPD) undertaken.
Some people take qualifications throughout their working life; others
stop after leaving school or with their first degree. There is a perception
that beyond this stage, qualifications are bigger, more expensive and very
time consuming. While this may be true of masters and doctorates, there
are increasingly flexible ways of taking professional qualifications which
should be looked at.
Distance Learning providers allow you to study for qualifications from
the comfort of your own home, in your own time, whilst many colleges
offer flexible or part time delivery to suit your working hours.
Regulated qualifications are widely transferrable and employers can be
confident that those in possession of a qualification have met national
standards.
CAREER PATH

20. 20 Manager | Q2, 2015
LEADERSHIP
TRAINING NETWORK
MENTOROPPORTUNITIES
DEVELOPMENT
TALENT
CREATIVE
LEADERSHIP
TRAINING
LEADERSHIP
TRAINING
CAREER PATH
As Head of Leadership, Talent and Resourcing for O2,
I am responsible for ensuring that O2 employs the right
people, for the right roles, at the right time. A key part of
this is thinking not just about the skills our people have
now, but also about the ones they will need in the future,
and ensuring that we develop a strong talent pipeline that’s
fit for the future. One way to achieve this is by identifying
those employees with leadership potential and providing
the support they need to fulfil that potential.
So how do organisations like ours identify this ‘leadership
potential’? And how can you ensure you are demonstrating
your potential to your employers, and receiving the right
support from them to help you reach the highest levels?
Here’s my advice on how to get noticed at work for all the
right reasons, and how to make sure that your potential
doesn’t go unnoticed.
Showcase your leadership potential
It goes without saying that in order to
get promoted, you need to be doing
your job to the right standard.
But unless you demonstrate
real leadership potential, it can
be hard to take your career to the next level. At O2, the
way we spot leadership potential amongst our employees
is built around the YSC’s (an international management
consultancy) concept of Judgement, Drive and Influence –
qualities that are critically important to success in more
senior, broader and complex roles. For example, one thing
we look for in our future leaders is commercial judgement.
Whatever department or industry you work in, try to
stay plugged into the broader business goals of your
organisation and into developments in the wider industry,
and demonstrate this awareness. This will show that you
are commercially minded and understand your business’s
context, and will help display the value you can bring both
to your team and to the wider business.
Make the most of the training and
development opportunities available to you
Many organisations offer a wide variety of opportunities
for further training and development, so make the most
of them – whether that’s attending training sessions,
workshops or professional development courses offered
by your employer, or speaker events and courses
outside work. We are strong believers in potential
over existing skills and results, so we’re always on
TALENT SHOW
Have you got the talent to rise up the ranks? Michelle Adams,
Head of Leadership, Talent and Resourcing at O2, explains
how to get noticed and climb the career ladder.

21. Manager | Q2, 2015 21
NETWORK
MENTOR
PROMOTION
BRAND
BRAND
BRAND
OPPORTUNITIES
DEVELOPMENT
TALENT
CREATIVE
LEADERSHIP
TRAINING
CAREER PATH
the look-out for employees who showcase that potential
by demonstrating their drive and thirst for knowledge.
Like many organisations, at O2 we also offer digital and
face-to-face professional development which we encourage
our employees to make the most of. For example, our
Emerging Leaders Courses are designed to stretch and
challenge those employees we’ve identified as having real
leadership potential.
Don’t underestimate the value
of targeted networking
Networking can play a vital role in helping you extend
your individual influence and forge meaningful
relationships with colleagues. Networking events, like
the ones we organise at O2 as part of our Women in
Leadership programme, provide an invaluable opportunity
for people of all levels to share their experience and learn
from each other. But don’t just look inside your own
organisation for networking opportunities; an outsider’s
perspective can be useful too, and you may end up finding
out about opportunities that you never even knew existed
beyond your workplace.
Consider finding a mentor
Finding a mentor that isn’t your line-manager is
invaluable. A mentor should be someone you trust
and respect and who gives open and honest feedback,
whether that’s praise or constructive criticism. We
recently conducted some research amongst 2000 working
women, as part of the re-launch of our Women in
Leadership Programme. The overwhelming majority of
the women we spoke to emphasised the importance of
individual and personalised support – either in the form
of a mentor, coach or official sponsor. Having a mentor
can give you the opportunity to learn from someone
who has valuable experience or a different perspective,
and gives you a safe and confidential sounding board
to bounce thoughts and ideas off. It also means you can
learn from their mistakes without having to make
them yourself!
Think about your own personal brand
Developing a clearly defined personal brand is important,
not just because it helps you work out what is most
important to you professionally and what you want to
be known for, but also because it allows you to identify
and project your strengths. When constructing your
personal brand, it’s essential to focus on the areas in
which your strengths lie. Consider the way you react in
everyday situations, and assess everything from style,
body language and tone of voice. Find the things that
make you stand out, and then seek out opportunities to
build on and demonstrate these skills – whether it means
putting yourself forward for a new project or working with
someone who brings out your strengths.
Finally, don’t be afraid to put
yourself forward for promotion
One of the findings of our recent research was that
many women believe that lacking the confidence to put
themselves forward for promotion, push for a pay rise or
ask for more development opportunities is one of the main
factors holding them back from reaching more senior
positions. So believe in yourself, have confidence in your
own abilities, and don’t let self-doubt deprive you of a
great opportunity.
We believe we have a responsibility to provide
the support and opportunities our people need
to reach the top, and to make sure we capitalise
on the great potential that already exists in our
business. As an employer, we make it possible.
But as an employee, you make it happen! Make
sure you are making the most of the training
and development opportunities available to
you, and taking every opportunity to showcase
what you can bring to the business. Only then
can you ensure that your potential gets noticed,
and that you receive the right support to reach
the highest levels of your organisation.

22. 22 Manager | Q1, 2015
Children banned from playing conkers
(unless they are wearing goggles)
The reality
This is one of the oldest chestnuts around, a
truly classic myth. A well-meaning head teacher
decided children should wear safety goggles to
play conkers. Subsequently some schools appear
to have banned conkers on ‘health & safety’
grounds or made children wear goggles, or even
padded gloves!
Realistically the risk from playing conkers is
incredibly low and just not worth bothering
about. If kids deliberately hit each other over the
head with conkers, that’s a discipline issue, not
health and safety.
Office workers banned from putting
up Christmas decorations
The reality
Bah Humbug! Each year we hear of companies
banning their workers from putting up Christmas
decorations in their offices for ‘health and safety’
reasons, or requiring the work to be done by a
‘qualified’ person.
Most organisations including HSE and local
councils manage to put up their decorations,
celebrating the spirit of Christmas without a fuss.
They just sensibly provide their staff with suitable
step ladders to put up decorations rather than
expecting staff to balance on wheelie chairs.
Trapeze artists ordered
to wear hard hats
The reality
Despite being widely reported at the time and
regularly repeated since, this story is utter
nonsense. There never were any such regulations.
Hard hats do an excellent job of protecting
building workers from falling debris - but they
have no place on a trapeze.
Pin the tail on the donkey games
deemed a health and safety risk
The reality
We recently read that the traditional party game
‘pin the tail on the donkey’ is allegedly under
threat because parents consider it a health and
safety risk.
Not trusting children with drawing pins seems
a little overprotective to us. After all, millions
of children have been playing traditional party
games like this for years without any problems.
Was this just a marketing ploy to drum up sales
of party games?
Candy floss on a stick banned (in case
people trip and impale themselves)
The reality
Come the summer sun and what tops off a
great day out better than good, oldfashioned
candyfloss?
WORKPLACE
TOP 10 WORST HEALTH
AND SAFETY MYTHS
There is no shortage of daft decisions being blamed
on health and safety, says Judith Hackett MBE, Chair of
the Health & Safety Executive (HSE). Over the years,
the HSE has tackled some quite incredible myths about
what health and safety bans or orders people to do.
It’s hard to tell where some of these ridiculous and baffling myths originate, but they all
have one crucial thing in common - they are not required by health and safety law. We want
people to work with us to challenge these myths - the time has come to end the madness!

23. Manager | Q2, 2015 23
But if you believe some newspaper headlines this
beloved sweet treat is under threat – because of
the dangers posed by the stick it is spun around.
The truth is that there are no health and safety
laws banning candyfloss on a stick.
Is the traditional form of this sweet disappearing
because it is easier to mass produce and store it
in plastic bags? Who knows, but it certainly isn’t
health and safety leaving anyone with a bad taste
in their mouth.
Hanging baskets banned (in case
people bump their heads on them)
The reality
Back in 2004 a town did briefly take down its
hanging baskets over fears that old lamp posts
would collapse. This was an overly-cautious
reaction to a low risk.
However, after quick checks the hanging baskets
were replaced and have been on lamp posts in
the town every year since.
Despite this, the story continues to be repeated
and the danger is someone will believe it is a
genuine requirement and follow suit.
Schoolchildren ordered to wear
clip on ties in case they are
choked by traditional neckwear
The reality
As we said at the start of the last school year,
few parents would see wearing ties at school as
a safety issue. Millions of children have been
wearing ties as part of their uniform for years
without any problems.
Simple precautions such as removing the tie
during laboratory work or around machinery
make sense. But if the concern is really about
children fighting, while clip-on ties may help, the
real issue is discipline.
So HSE doesn’t ban school ties - it’s up to schools
to make their own decisions about uniforms.
Park benches replaced because
they are three inches too low
The reality
When we heard this story it really took us by
surprise. How could there be health & safety law
on this? The simple answer is, there isn’t.
‘It seems that the story originated from a
decision by a facility manager and has no basis
in health and safety law at all. There are no
such bench height requirements and HSE will
definitely not be sending our inspectors around
measuring the benches!
Well, it looks like Britain’s park benches will
survive after all!
Flip flops banned from the workplace
The reality
During the summer, many of us think about
wearing sandals or flip-flops to work to help us
stay cool. Despite recent reports to the contrary,
health and safety law doesn’t ban them.
However, slips, trips and falls do account
for about 30% of all workplace accidents,
and what you wear on your feet can make a
difference. So, if you work somewhere where
the floor can’t be kept dry or clean then
wearing shoes that fit well and have a good grip
would be a better choice than flip-flops.
Graduates ordered not to throw
their mortar boards in the air
The reality
Health and safety law doesn’t stop graduates
having fun and celebrating their success in the
time-honoured fashion!
The chance of being injured by a flying
mortar board is incredibly small, and when
the concern is actually about the hats being
returned in good condition, it’s time to stop
blaming health and safety.
WORKPLACE

24. WORKPLACE
WORKING ON
THE WORKPLACE
Facilities Management
expert Craig Shepheard
explains why effectively
managing the workplace
and its facilities can
increase productivity
and a sense of wellbeing
for employees.
24 Manager | Q2, 2015

25. WORKPLACE
Manager | Q1, 2015 25
Bringing people together in one
space is generally the most effective
way of getting work done. Synergy
(working together) is where the sum
of the whole is greater than the
sum of the parts. The workplace
should therefore be designed to
maximise the effectiveness of the
people within the workplace.
Look at Workflow
Historically company departments were laid out based
on department teams rather than the work that the
individuals performed. These layouts were normally
adequate as a lot of people do work in departments. A
more effective layout looks at the workflow of individuals
and whom they interact with inside the company so work
groups can be created in project clusters. These clusters
are a mix of people from different departments but whom
are all working on joint tasks. A chat with your project
team across a desk is always faster than writing an email
and generally prevents any misunderstanding when people
don’t read emails properly.
Not everyone requires the same sized desk. Layouts of
office space are frequently designed using identical desks
for maximum density of desks. Some people can use
smaller desks but others require larger desks especially if
they have large drawings to review. The workspace should
be designed for the jobs that need to be done, not just for
the convenience of the workspace designer.
I was once assigned the desk next to a network
printer. The job at the time required a lot of detailed
concentration but people picking up their prints constantly
interrupted me. I was eventually allowed to move to
a quieter location, which helped improve my own
productivity.
Facility Managers
The modern Facility Manager can be incredibly influential
in a company’s productivity. If they perform their job well,
then they almost become invisible to the individuals within
the company, as everyone just gets on with their own work
tasks. Comfortable, well laid out environments mean that
people are not distracted by environmental factors.
Simple Fault Analysis
Using simple fault analysis techniques can help a Facility
Manager to identify and eliminate repeat problems. The
number one complaint in buildings is the “Too Hot /
Too Cold” issue. By using red dot stickers for too hot and
blue dot stickers for too cold, a layout plan can quickly
identify problem areas on a floor. The maintenance team
can therefore study what keeps causing these issues and
eliminate those problems.
People not Robots
Companies must remember that they are employing
people and not robots. We all spend a huge amount of
time at our workplace and we should make them nice
places to be in. I have been to far too many bland offices
with plain walls. How can someone be creative when
they are staring at white walls. Let’s get some artwork
or photography on the walls to make the place more
interesting to work in. Maybe get local art colleges to
help out. The artwork should change on a regular basis
so that the people in the office realise that you are taking
an interest in the workplace, rather than it being a one off
exercise. Schools change their displays in the classrooms
every term to encourage creativity and learning.
Try standing in the middle of your office space and look
at what the space actually looks like. Would you be proud
to show your office space to your personal friends or does
your office look a little depressing.
One of my clients had a pet corner, where a notice board
was dedicated to photos of the pets of the employees.
When a new starter joined they were asked if they had a
pet and then getting their pet’s photo on the board helped
them feel part of the team.
Repair and Refresh
It is very depressing when you have to spend all day sitting
on a chair where the fabric is ripped and the armrest is
wobbly and no one ever does anything about it. Get the
maintenance team to tighten up loose screws on armrests
or replace the worn fabric or even replace the entire chair.
Your workplace should get better rather than being on a
slow decline.
A manufacturing company had their quality control
laboratory painted with a bright yellow colour on the
walls. All of the other departments suddenly wanted
colour on their walls rather than the traditional grey
wallpaper chosen previously.
Getting Help
People can’t be experts at everything so sometimes it
is good to get some external professional help. Using
consultants or contractors to help you design efficient
workplaces can be very effective. They have a wealth of
experience amongst different sectors and have frequently
seen what works well and what doesn’t work well. The
key thing in selecting external help is seeing whether
they listen to what you want to achieve as a business. Too
many just suggest what has been done before rather than
sitting down with you and understanding what you need
to change or improve in your business. Before deciding on
a specific project, invite a few along and discuss what you
wish to achieve with them. The ones that actually listen to
you and help make suggestions are probably the best ones
to select.
Craig Shepheard
is Managing
Director of
FM Expert Ltd

26. PRACTICAL WORKPLACE
26 Manager | Q2, 2015
Email
As a rule, only check your and your boss’ emails three
times a day. Although it’s important to keep an eye out for
urgent emails to flag, you need to find time to complete
tasks outside of the inbox.
Communication is key
If you don’t get to have a face-to-face catch up with your
boss then send them a short email, or give them a quick
five minute call to run through urgent priorities, tasks and
blockers.
Trust
The more your manager trusts you, the more they’ll feel
comfortable with giving you more responsibility, which
often leads to working on interesting projects outside of
the usual PA quota.
Patience
There are days that can be tough and it can be frustrating
when you’re constantly requesting answers, documents, or
chasing meetings - but it’s part of the job.
Persistence
If something needs to happen, such as your boss needing
to head off to travel for a meeting, then make it happen.
Don’t be afraid to chase them or continually request for
it to be done. Be firm and assertive - they may groan, but
they’ll appreciate it.
Confidentiality
As a PA, you are privy to a lot of private and confidential
information. Do not disclose anything that is of that
nature. You’re entrusted with that information, so pick
your discussions wisely.
Organised
Juggling various projects and tasks at any given time is part
and parcel of being a PA. Keep plates spinning with good
timekeeping and prioritising.
Problem solving
Decide what is the problem and what is the end solution?
Figure these two things out and work backwards in terms
of steps needed to reach a resolution.
How to be an effective gatekeeper
Keeping abreast of their diary and tasks is paramount - if
someone wants to speak to them and it’s distracting from
something urgent and important, then it can wait.
Familiarising yourself with key clients or partners is very
useful. Your boss is likely to make more time for these
people, especially if it’s a new business enquiry.
As a general rule, if the person has never spoken to them
before, then it’s best to get as much information from
them about their enquiry, and take down their details so
that your manager can get back in touch if it’s of interest.
However always be polite about it; you’re normally the
first point of contact for external people, so you should
always leave a good impression.
Rebecca-Monique Williams, MInstAM is PA and Office Manager to
Managing Director James Haycock of Adaptive Lab, a digital innovation
agency. Here are her tips on how to be a great PA/EA or VA.
PA
What technology do
you swear by?
Google Docs, for example, is a great way to share
documents, particularly when working together on things
in real time.
Having an account with Taxi Apps (e.g. Uber) means
that you don’t get loads of bitty receipts for travel, but
a singular digital invoice (which doesn’t run the risk of
getting lost). These taxi apps also allow me to track how
far away my manager is from his meeting destination,
which is invaluable if he’s running late as I can send a
courtesy email on his behalf.
Using ToDoist means I can log into his
tasks, change the priority order of them, set
deadlines, apply tags, and see when he has
completed them.
Harvest lets me track my boss’ time and
expenses in one place.
Are you a member of the IAM and would like to be profiled? Contact manager@instam.org and we’ll be in touch.

28. Corporate
Membership
with the IAM
To find out more about our Corporate Membership packages,
please get in touch.
Benefit Silver Tier Gold Tier
Discount for staff applying for individual membership of the IAM (10%) (20%)
Ability to participate in IAM research
Printed copy of the Manager magazine 1
Ability to run IAM endorsed events
Discounted IAM endorsement for internal CPD courses and workshops (25%) (50%)
Annual Institute Input meeting
Opportunities to Sponsor IAM events
Option to display IAM Corporate Member logo on your
company literature
Qualifications and Accreditation Silver Tier Gold Tier
Reduced rate for IQ Centre Approval
Reduced rate on accrediting your training courses through IQ’s CQF (10%)
Discounted rate on all IQ Qualifications delivered at your centre2
(5%)
Discounted rate on all IQ Verify assessment services (5%)
Discounted rate on all IQ Resources products and services (5%)
Discounted rate on IAM Consultancy for accredited course design (5%)
Corporate Member Corporate Member
Corporate Membership provides access to a wide
range of benefits and is a great means of investing
in the professional development of your staff.
The IAM offer two tiers of corporate membership.
1
Up to five printed copies available upon request 2
Excluding Functional Skills