Improving Your CIS – For Supervisors and Managers Chris Thomsen Montreal 2012

Common Issues for Supervisors and Managers Managing your service Staff training and retention Monitoring for quality

Standards for Quality Management ICISG has established international quality standards: – Code of ethics – Code of practice – Philosophy and mission of a CIS Examples at

Staff Selection – Hire the Best People Establish qualifications – Cancer experience? – Health care experience? – Counseling experience? Communication skills are essential – Providing information by telephone is hard – No visual cues, active listening needed

Provide On-Going Education, Supervision, and Peer Support Learning never ends – Changing information – New technology – Career development

Staff Retention – a Supervisor’s Challenge Have a calm, supportive work environment Provide feedback to staff; make them feel valued and competent Establish peer support networks Monitor for burn out and plan for stress reduction

Quality Management Make quality your top priority Monitor the delivery of information: – Ensure excellent service delivery – Identify skill needs of staff – Identify training and education needs – Spot bad habits in communication

Lessons Learned A good CIS has good supervisors and managers Attributes: – Leader – Coach – Communicator – Motivator – Problem solver

Lessons Learned Have lots of patience, be aware of group dynamics Build a strong team Believe in your program Motivate and lift spirits Be diplomatic, be tactful, be supportive Your staff is your greatest asset

Resources Chris Thomsen: ICISG ICISG Website: CIS Tool Box for program operations Staffing and Training Quality Management