The Workshop on Leadership Development and Teambuilding

www.skillpath.com

The Workshop on Leadership Development and TeambuildingPARTICIPANT WORKBOOK

© SkillPath®. All rights reserved.All trademarks are the property of their respective owners. SkillPath claims no ownership interest in the trademarks.

Table of ContentsDevelop and Retain Your “Dream Team” .................................................................................................................................... 04

Address Weak Links: A Team Coaching Approach ................................................................................................................... 09

Remove Obstacles and Boost Team Success ........................................................................................................................... 13

Trust: Your Key to Winning Hearts and Minds ........................................................................................................................... 19

Master 21st-Century Communication: The New Rules ............................................................................................................24

Lead—and Succeed—Through the Tough Times......................................................................................................................31

04 Develop and Retain Your “Dream Team”

Develop and Retain Your “Dream Team”

Learning objectives

• Identify up-to-date performance management practices

• Describe the new employee motivators

• Recognize how to engage and retain employees

• Understand how communicating a vision is key to the team’s performance

“The productivity of a work group seems to depend on how the group members see their own goals in relation to the goals of the organization.”

—Paul Hersey and Kenneth H. BlanchardManagement of Organizational Behavior

Develop and Retain Your “Dream Team” 05

Why Leading Organizations Are Scrapping Tried-and-True Performance Management Practices and What They’re Doing InsteadTraditional employee ranking- and ratings-based performance management is considered to be outdated and

possibly even damaging to high-performance teams in today’s knowledge-based and service jobs.

Why:

• It damages employee engagement

• Today’s business climate and business priorities seldom follow the annual evaluation cycle due to shifting

goals and evolving business strategies

• Many companies have cross-functional and/or matrix teams, which makes traditional annual

evaluations difficult

• It’s an ineffective use of the manager’s time

What many top companies are doing instead:

• Asking managers to function as coaches rather than evaluators

• Decoupling compensation from evaluations to encourage coaching relationships

Adapted from Global Human Capital Trends 2014: Engaging the 21st-century workforce, Deloitte University Press

A report by Deloitte Consulting LLP and Bersin by Deloitte

A New Role for ManagersThe days when managers could lead from a position of command and control are over. With the current

business climate and use of high-performing teams, employees must take ownership of their performance and

act on their own to improve their capabilities. Managers become coaches, rather than evaluators.

• Use performance management to build skills

• Give effective feedback

• Coach everyone

Adapted from Global Human Capital Trends 2014: Engaging the 21st-century workforce, Deloitte University Press

A report by Deloitte Consulting LLP and Bersin by Deloitte


The New Employee Motivator: An Exciting, Rewarding and Engaging Job ExperienceIt’s important to understand that success depends on at least two things: Keeping good people and keeping

them engaged and productive.

• Ask your employees what matters to them

• Make certain you are meeting your employees’ needs for purpose and meaningful work

• Make learning and development a part of the job

Develop an Engagement and Retention StrategyRetaining and engaging employees are two separate but closely related organizational performance measures.

In fact, many studies indicate that the key to higher retention is having a well-planned program to increase

employee engagement.

The 12 drivers to employee engagement

People continually make choices, consciously or not, as to how committed they are to their work and their

company. There are many studies that identify a wide range of factors involved in employee engagement.

“Relationship with the employee’s direct supervisor” is listed as most important in most studies. Some list pay

and benefits as the top two drivers for employee engagement. The order of importance of other drivers varies

by study.

1. Relationship with the employee’s

direct supervisor

2. Compensation

3. Benefits

4. Nature of the job

5. Relationships with co-workers/team members

6. Trust and integrity of management

7. Clear connection between the employee’s

performance and organization performance

8. Employee development

9. Career growth opportunities

10. Pride in the organization

11. Communication

12. Recognition

Develop and Retain Your “Dream Team” 07

Create a climate of trust

At the heart of collaboration is trust. It’s the central issue in human relationships within and outside

organizations. Without trust you cannot lead. Without trust you cannot get extraordinary things done.

Source: The Leadership Challenge

EXERCISE

How would you rank your organization? Next to each of the 12 factors on the previous page, rank

your organization on a scale of 1 (low/poor) – 5 (high/outstanding). Where should efforts be placed

to make the organization more engaging to employees?

Emotions Are Contagious—Use Them to Gain FollowersAppeal to employees’ and colleagues’ emotions and make them feel good about what they do that helps their

teams reach success. Be positive, build enthusiasm and inspire motivation. Discover what drives and motivates

people you work with.

How to trigger emotional responses:

• Identify what kind of response you want

people to have

• Appeal to key values held by others

• Use descriptive words and vivid images

• Use positive and encouraging words

• Notice your own emotional responses

• Share success stories


Vision: Could This Be the Missing Ingredient in Your Team’s Performance?Few managers take the time or see the need to communicate the organization’s vision or strategic plan or

even keep it visible. Everyone wants to make an impact, and people need to see how their daily work benefits

the organization.

How a manager can align the organization’s vision to team performance:

• Define it

• Communicate it

• Focus on it

• Recognize it

If we want employees to buy into the organization’s mission, we must clearly communicate what it is and what

impact they make on it.

Adapted from http://vision-alignment.com/2014/07/08/doing-a-job-or-making-an-impact-what-would-your-people-say/

Address Weak Links: A Team Coaching Approach 09

Address Weak Links: A Team Coaching Approach

Learning objectives

• Explain the difference between teambuilding and team coaching

• Describe a systematic approach to coaching that generates great results

• Understand the importance of coaching instead of just evaluating

• Recognize the crucial role you play in teaching and training employees

“You can get something done in a short time with fear, but in the long run it just doesn’t pay off.”

—Wendell Parsons

10 Address Weak Links: A Team Coaching Approach

Teambuilding vs. Team Coaching

“Team building and team coaching may share similar properties but team coaching endeavours to build a comprehensive appreciation of the system a team must work within, and the actions a team needs to take, both within itself and with the outside world, to ensure task success.”

Source: http://acorn-intl.com/is-team-coaching-merely-team-building-repackaged/

Teambuilding

• Is used to establish clarity and strength by enhancing team fundamentals

• Is used to generate a shared experience and build trust, communication and openness among

team members

• Activities are used to enable a team to develop how they relate and function with each other

Team coaching

• Shares some of the same goals with teambuilding such as relationship building, but the teambuilding goals

it shares are only one element

• Has a reduced investment in time

• Is based on key areas of focus and pertinent questions, not an overall focus

Adapted from http://acorn-intl.com/is-team-coaching-merely-team-building-repackaged/

Address Weak Links: A Team Coaching Approach 11

A Systematic Approach to Coaching That Generates Quicker and Better ResultsTeam coaching’s approach is to view the situation that the team is in systemically. Team coaching aims to help

the team generate insight into who, where and how the surrounding system needs to be influenced and adapt

itself accordingly to ensure task delivery.

The framework for systemically generating insight:

• Purpose and focus

• Team leadership

• Process and interaction

• Team influence

• People

Adapted from http://acorn-intl.com/is-team-coaching-merely-team-building-repackaged/

Establish your priorities based on your values. Determining your general priorities will help you decide on your

more specific priorities, which makes it easy to create your “to-do” lists.

VALUES +

MISSION STATEMENT

GENERAL PRIORITIES

SPECIFIC PRIORITIES

TO-DO LIST

Source: Organized for Success!

12 Address Weak Links: A Team Coaching Approach

Place Your Focus on Coaching—Instead of Just EvaluatingMost performance management processes in organizations today include a process of continuous feedback,

coaching and development.

Possible starting points include:

1. Get an upper-level management and/or HR conversation started about the strategy for employee

performance improvement in the company

2. Use performance management to build skills

3. Learn to give better feedback

4. Coach everyone

The Critical Role Leaders Play in Teaching and Training EmployeesAn important aspect of management that is very often neglected is development planning—helping employees

shape the direction of their careers. For a variety of reasons, this valuable activity is often ignored … or an

afterthought. The result is that organizations pay a high price—the loss of top young talent.

The role you play and its importance—why development planning makes good business sense:

1. Employees appreciate it when you take a genuine interest in their future; they feel that you care

2. It helps build loyalty, which increases productivity

3. Talented staff want to advance, and your support helps them prosper

4. Staff builds skills and becomes more valuable to the organization

5. Work can be done at the appropriate level

6. It is cost-effective

Adapted from http://www.forbes.com/sites/victorlipman/2013/01/29/

why-development-planning-is-important-neglected-and-can-cost-you-young-talent/

Remove Obstacles and Boost Team Success 13

Remove Obstacles and Boost Team Success

Learning objectives

• Describe problems that put leaders in jeopardy and how to avoid them

• Understand how to manage change when there is resistance

• Explain methods for resolving team conflict

• Recognize obstacles to team success and how to overcome them

“You can get something done in a short time with fear, but in the long run it just doesn’t pay off.”

—Wendell Parsons

14 Remove Obstacles and Boost Team Success

Two Types of Problems Leaders EncounterIn leadership, people are going to come to you for advice and direction even when the problem is something they

may be able to work out themselves.

There are two types of problems:

1. Issues that need your individual expertise and attention

2. Questions team members can solve themselves

EXERCISE

In a small group, brainstorm answers to the following questions:

What are the reasons for having team members solve problems that arise within your team?

What kinds of problems should you solve rather than having the team solve?

Avoid becoming the person everyone in your organization brings problems to

Fostering accountability and responsibility in your organization will help others become independent thinkers

and encourage leadership skills in others. Problem solving in the workplace is important to develop because it

shows initiative and adaptability.

To empower others:

• Avoid offering your solution unless absolutely necessary

• Coach others through solving their own problems

• Foster an environment of ownership


Be a Problem Solver—Not a Finger Pointer: Apply Problem-solving Tools That Will Earn You Respect

PROBLEM-SOLVING TOOLS

Don’t worry about failure Take up creative hobbies

Set smaller goals toward your greater goal Seek out ideas before you need them

Brainstorm Keep an idea notebook

Try lateral thinking activities Find your most productive time of the day

Be playful Be curious … ask questions

Break down large problems into smaller,

solvable ones

Get help from others; after all, two minds are better

than one

Eliminate Resistance When Implementing Unwanted Change

The resistance to change

1. The risk of change is perceived as being greater than the risk of not changing

2. People are afraid they lack the capability to change

3. People feel overloaded and overwhelmed

4. Employees may have a healthy skepticism about new ideas

5. Employees fear you have a hidden agenda

6. Employees sense that the proposed change will affect their “sense of self”

7. People anticipate a loss of status or a lessened quality of life


Understand human needs and how to utilize that information when it comes to dealing with change

Knowledge

• How will the change benefit or impact them?

• What is going to change?

• How is the change going to occur?

• When is the change going to occur?

• Why is the change going to occur?

Support

• Offer opportunities to voice concerns

• Listen to ideas and suggestions

• Express empathy

• Maintain self-assurance by providing needed training

Bickering, Disagreements and Full-blown Arguments: How to Resolve Team Conflicts

Use these six steps to a win-win solution:

Step 1: Identify and define the problem

• Separate personalities from problems

• Separate facts and opinions

• Make sure everyone agrees on one version

of the facts

• Collect additional information, if needed

• Search for underlying reasons

Step 2: Identify goals

• What are we each trying to accomplish in

this situation?

• What do we want the results to be?

Step 3: Generate alternative solutions

• Brainstorm

• Accept ideas from all parties of the conflict

Step 4: Evaluate alternatives and make a decision

Step 5: Set standards for measuring the outcome

• Create an action plan

• Break the plan into achievable steps

• Make changes measurable or quantifiable

Step 6: Set a date to review implementation


Decide what to do if the plan doesn’t work:

• Review the results of the previous dialogues

• Provide clear and consistent supervision

• Work on the interpersonal issues

• Have a formal development conference

• If you’re to the point of formal discipline, get help

Source: Coping With Supervisory Nightmares

Common Obstacles to Team Success and How Leaders Overcome ThemHighly effective teams can achieve extraordinary results for the organization, and achieving success leads

to greater personal satisfaction. However, team success is not necessarily guaranteed. The following are six

common barriers to team success and what you can do to avoid them.

1. Lack of direction: Team success depends on everyone being clear about what they are trying to achieve.

When there is a lack of clarity on the direction of the team, there’s a real obstacle to successful outcomes

and achievement.

2. Unproductive conflict: All successful teams need to have challenges or the team will become too

complacent and fall into groupthink. However, it’s important to ensure that conflict is productive rather

than destructive.

3. Playing it safe: Making a change or turning things around requires teams and team members to take some

risks and step out of their comfort zone

4. Individual agendas: For a team to succeed everyone needs to be committed to the team goals, not their

own agendas

5. Lack of employee empowerment: Rigid management strategies stagnate quickly in today’s fast-paced

business environment

6. Unclear or unproductive communication


Real power is win-win

There are two ways to look at power. In the old style of management, power is a matter of position: I WIN, you

LOSE. The new style of management focuses on personal power: I WIN, you WIN.

Positional power

If you’re a manager or a team leader, you have no power. That’s right. What you have is a perception of power.

But just because you have the more perceived power, will others automatically follow you? The answer is an

emphatic no.

Personal power

The most important traits of people with personal power are trust, honesty, ability to inspire, openness and a

people-orientation. People choose to follow leaders with personal power; they don’t have to be forced to.

Source: Team Power

Trust: Your Key to Winning Hearts and Minds 19

Trust: Your Key to Winning Hearts and Minds

Learning objectives

• Explain how to develop a team identity and share expectations

• List techniques for fostering trust, respect and loyalty

• Understand the importance of authenticity, visibility and maintaining credibility as a leader

• Recognize leadership best practices that ensure loyalty

“Trust is the glue of life. It’s the most essential ingredient in effective communication. It’s the foundational principle that holds all relationships.”

—Stephen R. Covey

20 Trust: Your Key to Winning Hearts and Minds

Develop a Team Identity and Share ExpectationsDeveloping a team identity is foundational for establishing team trust, synergy and collaboration. It’s a must for

success. As a leader, one of your responsibilities is to help your team create its identity. Creating a team identity is

a great way to improve employee performance and help your department and organization thrive.

The team needs to:

1. Be clear on what it’s supposed to achieve

2. Know what its goals are

3. Work collaboratively and cooperatively

EXERCISE

In a small group, as directed by your trainer, discuss what steps you would take to develop a team

identity. Be willing to share your information with the large group after your discussion.

10 Simple Techniques for Fostering Trust and Respect

Building trust that lasts

A trusting relationship revolves around credibility. Think about these questions when trying to understand the

importance of credibility in establishing trust:

• Would you believe the message if you didn’t believe the messenger?

• Would you honestly listen to a person who refused to listen to you?

• Would someone who doesn’t care about you work harder than someone who cares about you and

your future?

• Would you trust a person who was inconsistent with their words and actions?


10 techniques that will help you obtain and maintain credibility:

1. Demonstrate fairness and consistency

2. Communicate effectively

3. Listen respectfully and openly to other

people’s ideas

4. Have a thorough understanding of

department procedures and protocols

5. Display a positive, enthusiastic attitude

6. Deal with performance issues immediately

7. Recognize good performance

8. Be proactive—when you see a problem, go for

a solution

9. Accept responsibility for mistakes as well

as accomplishments

10. Treat people with diplomacy and respect at

all times

Why Credibility Is Important for LeadersTry as you might, there will be times when credibility and trust are damaged. This may be due to factors beyond

your control. But credibility and trust, once lost, are not easily regained. You must work even harder to repair the

relationship and ensure that productivity and organizational goals don’t suffer.

Why credibility is important

“Credibility as a leader allows your subordinates to look at you as a reliable resource for information and decision making … Credibility can translate into improved staff performance under your guidance and effective relationships with vendors and clients.”

Source: http://smallbusiness.chron.com/ten-ways-build-credibility-leader-20954.html

Behaviors that damage credibility and trust:

• Broken promises

• Inconsistency in words and behaviors

• Betrayal of confidences

• Lack of integrity

• Unfair treatment

• Lack of communication and information sharing

22 Trust: Your Key to Winning Hearts and Minds

Assert yourself the right way

Asserting involves “I” statements and “we” statements rather than blaming statements using the word “you.”

Asserting means becoming calm so that your pace, vocal inflection, facial expression and body language match

the logical tone of your request.

Source: Stress Control

Be Authentic, Visible and Approachable as a Leader1. Be transparent—people trust what they see

— Be open and honest—don’t keep people

guessing your motives

— Self-disclose—reveal information about yourself

to others appropriately

2. Keep an open-door policy

— Use MBWA (management by walking around)

— Be approachable

— Use active listening skills

— Invite new ideas

3. Be professional

— Control emotions at work

— Watch your attire—present

yourself professionally

— Live by your values

EXERCISE

How will you use these techniques in your daily leadership?


Three Leadership Practices That Virtually Guarantee Loyal Followers

Leaders who have loyal followers use the following best practice behaviors:

1. Accountability

— Take full accountability when their team fails regardless of where mistakes were made or whose

performance was substandard

2. Tolerance

— Accept people as individuals who thrive best when allowed to choose their own approach to risk

and happiness

3. Humility and gratitude

— Are energized by the entire team reaching success, not by being right all the time

— Demonstrate appreciation to those who give of themselves to support the team’s success

Adapted from http://www.inc.com/kevin-daum/10-traits-of-great-leaders-and-their-followers.html

24 Master 21st-Century Communication: The New Rules

Master 21st-Century Communication: The New Rules

Learning objectives

• Use emotional intelligence to work through emotionally stressful situations

• Describe how to communicate messages effectively and appropriately according to the situation

• Explain how to delegate efficiently and effectively

“To effectively communicate, we must realize that we are all different in the way we perceive the world and use this understanding as a guide to our communication with others.”

—Tony Robbins

Master 21st-Century Communication: The New Rules 25

Use Emotional Intelligence to Work Through Emotionally Stressful SituationsA key aspect of emotional intelligence is empathy, and employees know how important it is to feel understood

by their boss. If you are not naturally empathetic, the good news is that you can learn to be.

Tips to help you show more empathy:

1. Truly listen to others when they talk to you

2. Imagine how you would feel if you were in someone else’s situation

3. Use the Platinum Rule: Treat others how they want to be treated

4. Help someone out with a task before they ask you to (this requires you to be aware of what they need

help with)

5. Try to be understanding of other people’s moods, opinions and beliefs

6. Show compassion to others—even strangers—as often as possible

This is a way to use all your faculties—your heart, logic, instincts and emotions—to make the best decision and

find solutions to problems.

Prepare

The worst time to work on a process for dealing with conflict is when you’re in the midst of one. The time to learn

about emotional intelligence and to sharpen skills in managing conflict is before it occurs.

Process matters

Pay attention not just to what the conflict is about, but how it is being handled. People are much better off if,

prior to a difficult conversation, they jointly clarify how they are going to have the conversation (e.g., debate,

argue or listen to each other for five minutes each).

Put emotional intelligence to practice in conflict situations

Emotional intelligence has been around as long as there have been human beings. People have always had this

form of intelligence. Some may be more naturally gifted than others, but anyone can benefit from refining these

skills. Refining the skill is critical.

Adapted from http://www.6seconds.org/2013/05/01/emotional-intelligence-conflict-negotation/


Email … Memo … Videoconference … Stand-up Meeting: Choose the Right Medium for Your Message

CHANNEL BEST USE

Stand-up meeting • For quick team communication that does not require discussion or

complicated information

• When documentation is not necessary

Email • For easy-to-decipher messages of new policies, procedures,

general information

• When a response may be needed, but it is not lengthy or complicated

• For noncontroversial communication to staff

Written • When you want to communicate complex or detailed information

• For reports

• When documentation is required

• When you want the document to be used over and over again or as a

resource, such as in a protocol or procedure

• When the information needs to be more structured or formal

• Use for significant changes or information

Videoconference • For virtual team meetings

• For B2B meetings when they are impractical to have in person

• When you want two-way face-to-face meetings, but the distance of people

is prohibitive

• For planning or problem solving with a virtual team


Speak Clearly, Precisely and SuccinctlyEffective leaders communicate in a way that not only builds credibility and trust, but is clear and concise, leaving

no room for doubt or misunderstanding. When your employees understand you, they trust you and more readily

follow your lead.

The four foundations that support all competent communications

1. Keep it simple, clear and concise

2. Know your audience

3. Walk your talk

4. Inspire listeners to take action

Components of Clear and Effective SpeakingWe live in a world of information overload, so we need to make our messages as simple as possible. To be clear

and succinct, use an active voice and knowledge common to your recipient. It is the sender’s responsibility to

make sure that the communication takes place and is understood.

1. Simplify your words

2. Use active voice:

Active voice

— More to the point, less wordy

— Fewer assumptions need to be made

Passive voice

— More indirect and wordy

— Assumptions have to be made

3. Use knowledge common to your listener

4. Acknowledge tone

5. Be congruent


EXERCISE

Work with a partner and read the following sentence, each time putting the emphasis on a different

word. Then read it with a different pitch, rate of speed and tone/attitude. Think how the recipient

might perceive what you are saying.

• Do you remember who you talked to yesterday?








Remember—within vocal quality there is a range in which your voice sounds professional, courteous, confident

and enthusiastic. Make yourself aware of this range and practice projecting your voice within it.

Assertive communicators can exhibit one or more of these characteristics:

• Express feelings, wants or needs clearly, appropriately and respectfully

• Use “I” statements vs. “you” statements

• Listen without interrupting (LISTEN=SILENT)

• Feel confident and in control of self (self-management)

• Make good eye contact (not glaring)

• Speak in a calm and clear tone of voice

• Have a relaxed body posture

• Feel connected to others

• Don’t allow others to abuse or manipulate them (set boundaries)

• Stand up for their rights (without infringing on the rights of others)

Source: Assertive Communication Skills


Delegate in a Way That Makes It Easy for Others to Take Action and Be AccountableIn order to be a successful delegator, there are many skills you must truly believe in regarding the value of

delegating both for you and your direct reports. Begin incorporating the following 10 things that leaders who are

good at growing their direct reports say they do when delegating.

First-rate delegators:

1. Empower others; give ownership

2. Are coaches, not players

3. Enjoy teaching, motivating and measuring

4. Delegate assignments effectively

5. Don’t hesitate

6. Take the opportunity to train team members

7. Cross-train members on various tasks

8. Ask the team member to repeat the

instructions; get general feedback to

determine understanding

9. Give support and advice, but do NOT take

over task

10. Set realistic deadlines

How to Delegate the Right Jobs to the Right People

• Make it a point to find out where people’s

interests lie

• Familiarize yourself with their skill sets

• Be aware of their current workload

• Consider taking the time to teach someone

how to do the task (so that you can save

time by delegating the same task to them in

the future)

Enhance self-determination. Any leadership practice that increases another’s sense of self-determination, self-

confidence and personal effectiveness makes that person more powerful and greatly enhances the possibility

of success.

Source: The Leadership Challenge


How Different Generations Communicate and How to Flex Your Style AccordinglyToday’s workforce is more unique than at any time in history because this is the first time in America that we

have had four different generations of employees working together. And the differences in the generations

are immense.

FLEX YOUR STYLE TO MEET THE NEEDS OF EACH GENERATION

Traditionalist (Born before 1946)

Baby Boomer (Born 1946 – 1964)

Generation X (Born 1965 – 1981)

Millennial (Born 1982 & later)

• Reassure them you value their experience

• Make changes gradually

• Provide structure

• Show loyalty

• Respect their age

• Give feedback and show appreciation

• Tie rewards to performance

• Provide training

• Give a lot of external stimulation

• Provide variety

• Focus on relationships

• Ask their opinions

• Provide an opportunity for personal achievement

• Allow them freedom to do things their way

• Provide recognition for achievements

• Listen to them and involve them

• Communicate through technology

• Have as few rules as possible

• Expect a casual style

• Treat them as adults and equals

HOW DIFFERENT GENERATIONS WANT TO COMMUNICATE

• Formally, prefers structure

• In person, prefers a call over email

• Immediately, directly

• Indirectly but quickly—more informal style

SUGGESTED FEEDBACK FOR THE GENERATIONS

• Appreciate them; acknowledge their interests; explain need for change and how it will increase value

• Communicate need for their input; jointly discuss an action plan

• Be honest and frank; focus on expected results; recommend tools and techniques

• Give business reasons for change; tell them how they affect the organization; you’re there to help; keep touching base

Lead—and Succeed—Through the Tough Times 31

Lead—and Succeed— Through the Tough Times

“Uncertainty will always be part of the taking charge process.”

—Harold S. Geneen

Learning objectives

• Understand how teams react to change and uncertainty

• Describe ways to be a stabilizing influence during stressful or pressure-packed times

• Explain how to move your team forward once change has taken place

32 Lead—and Succeed—Through the Tough Times

Two Common Reasons Why Teams Get Stuck During Times of ChangeTeams often get stuck during times of change because they feel threatened in some way. It’s important to

understand why teams resist change so it can be overcome.

Two common reasons:

1. Excess uncertainty

2. Loss of control

DISCUSSION

Working in small groups, discuss what a leader can do to help alleviate these two barriers. Be willing

to share your information with the large group.

When faced with communicating a change to your team:

• Be certain your facts and figures are accurate

• Inform your staff as soon as you know

• Require rapid turnaround to you. This will limit procrastination and harmful leaks.

• Stress professional responsibilities and job requirements. Don’t let personal misgivings interfere with

the task.

• Provide support to your staff

• Be clear that the final recommendations will be yours

Source: Lifescripts


When Uncertainty Chips Away at Motivation—What to Do

• Appear calm and relaxed even if you’re under a lot of pressure

• Find out what people are feeling—use the MBWA (management by walking around) approach

• Make yourself available for employees to voice their concerns

• Be proactive and decisive

• Gather new information continuously and share it (if appropriate) with the team

• Maintain open communication with everyone affected by a crisis

BE PROACTIVE AND DECISIVE

DON’T PANIC— BE CALM

KEEP COMMUNICATION

OPENBE AVAILABLE

ALLOW EMPLOYEES

TO STATE CONCERNS

34 Lead—and Succeed—Through the Tough Times

See Problems and Crises as Opportunities—Not ThreatsThe foundation of any solution is an objective mindset and calm nerves. So take a deep breath and follow

through on some basic steps toward resolving the situation.

1. Don’t panic

2. Use good problem-solving skills

— Identify the real problem

— Think through the problem

— Consider various options to solving the problem or crisis

— Allow people to voice their concerns and opinions

— Select the best long-term solution

— Act on the solution

3. See problems as opportunities to make positive outcomes

4. Don’t allow others to press your emotional triggers

Five Ways to Be a Stabilizing Influence Through the Most Pressure-packed MomentsIt’s not easy to see the big picture, find the solution and make it happen during a crisis. Here’s how you can do

your best work … even under pressure.

1. Be flexible

2. Articulate the long-range goals and big picture

3. Make certain employees have the training, tools and resources to do their jobs

4. Give emotional support

5. Keep people informed


Move Your Team Forward After the Dust SettlesMoving your team forward toward set objectives is a matter of keeping everyone focused and maintaining four

keys of teambuilding.

Four keys to moving your team forward:

1. Continue to link strategies and goals to foster commitment to the vision

2. Develop common values

3. Foster an environment of ownership

4. Provide a stabilizing influence during change and transition

An effective communication strategy that helps move your team forward

In order to move a team or a project forward there needs to be open communication and a sharing of

information. When you’re keeping the team informed, make sure you use the appropriate media and language,

and stick to facts. Keeping things simple will help avoid misunderstandings.

Strategies:

• Keep your team informed and use a variety of communication tools

• Use active listening skills

• Be prepared to negotiate win-win solutions

Forging a vision

Vision is central to leadership. It’s what sets leaders apart from managers.

Leaders focus on what doesn’t exist yet: The future. Leaders have the ability to know when (and how) the status

quo itself must be changed, discarded or replaced. They are driven by an energy to create a new status quo—a

better status quo.

Effective team leaders are able to express vision clearly and help their people develop ownership of a team

vision that creates a dynamic focus for team direction, energy and work.

But there are two vital imperatives here: First, the team’s vision must be in alignment with the vision and

values of the organization. Second, you must not simply impose your vision on your team—they must have an

opportunity to forge this vision with you.

Source: Leading Teams: How to Inspire, Motivate, Lead and Succeed!

Notes

skillpath.com

XCONCTS V4 VOL II 200616

Documents

The Workshop on Leadership Development and Teambuilding