Workbook ENLP Stage 1 - radius-networks.org

ENLP Stage 1 Workbook

Leadership Strategy Demonstrating & Measuring Success

Brand & Identity Authenticity Network Influence

Communications Widening `Your Network

Agile & Innovative Networks

Sponsors & Stakeholders

Leadership qualities and behaviours

Focussing on your qualities as a leader will help you understand what you value in Leadership. Have a go at the steps on this page.

What are your top three qualities as an individual (not just as a network leader)? Explain why you consider these to be significant.. This may take a while to narrow down to three!

1.

2.

3.

Sketch out your real or imagined role model. You can use quotes, drawings, qualities, behaviours, anything you like...

Return to this any time you see a leadership behaviour you admire and add to it - like an evolving diary. Make a note of what you admired, how they behaved, how they interacted with others and coped with challenges.

This should help clarify your vision of a role model.

© Radius Networks FOR YOU

Leadership impactWe suggest you have a go at the self reflection exercises on the next 4 pages individually first, but then seek input from a trusted colleague to test your self-awareness, we are often harder on ourselves than others are:!

© Radius Networks

WHY - describe your current impact, efforts and challenges in these areas.

How developed is this now? (1-5)

How important is it to develop? (1-5)

My purpose as a leader is...

Our purpose as a network is...

This benefits the organisation by...

Our key stakeholders understand...

FOR YOU

Leadership impact

© Radius Networks

HOW - describe your current impact, efforts and challenges in these areas.



I demonstrate role modelling by...

My authenticity means...

I advocate network strategy by...

I encourage input by...

I cope with ambiguity and change by...

FOR YOU

Leadership impact

© Radius Networks

WHO - describe your current impact, efforts and challenges in these areas.



Our network members are motivated by...

Our network members are skilled in...

Our internal stakeholders are…

And they receive these key messages...

Our external stakeholders are…

And they receive these key messages...

FOR YOU

Leadership impact

© Radius Networks

WHEN - describe your current impact, efforts and challenges in these areas.



In the short-term I want to achieve...

In the long-term I want to achieve...

This aligns to the D&I strategy by...

The legacy I want to leave is...

FOR YOU

Stretching yourself as a leader

Consider some activities and responsibilities you face as a network leader. Find three example which fit each of the three zone: comfort, stretch and panic. You can enter them in the diagram above.

Do you have enough spread across the zones to help you develop as leader, while avoiding burn-out or boredom?

What can you do to start moving your panic activities into your stretch zone: e.g. coaching, research, delegation...

© Radius Networks

StretchExample aExample bExample c

ComfortExample aExample bExample c

PanicExample aExample bExample c

FOR YOU

Resistance to change Your response as a Leader

© Radius Networks

Neg

ativ

ity

Sayer, not Doer

Openly HostileSecretly Hostile

Apathetic

feel negatively about the change you’re trying to bring about, but aren’t vocal

about it

feel negatively about the change you’re trying to bring about, and are vocal about what’s wrong with it, what won’t work and

why it shouldn’t happen

neither feeling particularly negatively about the change or saying much

about it

say all the things you want to hear, feeling that they will be allied to the network, but it

doesn’t actually materialise into action

Consider how you can turn these people into champions of your change by identifying and

communicating what’s in it for them.

Consider how you might educate this on the change to ensure they understand why you’re implementing it and how it

impacts them.

Think about how you can at least verbally agree on deadlines for activity and alternatives if it doesn’t get done.

Try running focus groups amongst stakeholders to ensure to are getting as much

qualitative feedback to overcome barriers.

Neg

ativ

ity

Noise

Sayer, not Doer

Openly HostileSecretly Hostile

Apathetic

What reaction have you had? What reaction have you had?

What reaction have you had? What reaction have you had?

What can you do?

What can you do? What can you do?

What can you do?

Noise

WITH

STAKEHOLDERS

Leadership vision

Imagine you are a direct stakeholder of a network in 2 year’s time (perhaps a sponsor or D&I lead). Draft a review about how the network has been led and the impact that leadership has had on the organisation. This can take the form of a performance review, a film review, a Which review, anything you like…

You may also want to try this exercise with your active membership/committee and discuss the results with them. What similarities or differences did you find? How realistic do you all think this vision is? What strategic touchpoints can you add to your plans to make sure you get there?

© Radius Networks

WITH

YOUR TEAM

Strategy: SWOT and PEST Looking at your network and it’s context in terms of these models can help you understand what problems and opportunities you have which will ensure you prioritise your strategic focus.

Brainstorming these with your team will ensure a wide range of views and perspectives, as well as ensuring alignment behind the strategic outcomes.

© Radius Networks Ltd

Threats

WeaknessesStrengths

Opportunities

For example: lived experience, passion for change, engaged membership

For example: lacking resources, time, clarity of purpose

For example: trends in industry, media, or special sponsor attention

For example: competitor brand, lockdown, pipelines

Technological

EconomicPolitical

Socio-cultural

Factors:

Opportunities:

Threats:

Factors:

Opportunities:

Threats:

Factors:

Opportunities:

Threats:

Factors:

Opportunities:

Threats:

WITH

YOUR TEAM

Linked Strategies

What are the most relevant parts of your organisation’s strategy for your network?

1.

2.

3.

What are the most relevant parts of the D&I strategy for your network?

1.

2.

3.

How does your network strategy connect with those pillars above?

1.

2.

3.

Talk with your managers, D&I leads, and sponsors about completing these sections, and make sure they understand how your network activities are linked to the overall organisational strategy.

This should help with future buy-in.


WITH

YOUR TEAM


WITH

YOUR TEAM

Strategy: The Business Case

Create your own business case from the examples which are most relevant to your network and organisation. Try to be as specific as possible by linking it back to the overarching strategies and published research.

This may include:

● Higher Performance● Attracting Talent● Understanding workforce and users● Better decision making and innovation● Employee engagement

Strategy: Making a Statement

Some people write a Vision or Mission statement. You can use this as a basis for creating new statements, or simply suggest adopting this model for clarity.

© Radius Business Ltd

Why does your network exist? How is your network organised?

What guides your activities? Where do you see your network in the future?

WITH

YOUR TEAM

Strategy: Examples of key network roles

(Co)Chair Deputy Chair Secretary Treasurer

Can originate from any part/level of the organisation. Guides the network and play a key role in shaping its agenda and be the lead contact for the Executive Sponsor. Is ideally representative of the network’s target employee group and is not filled by someone from an HR or Diversity function.

Supports the activities of the Chair and coordinates the Stream-Leads (see below). The deputy is often seen as a future successor for chair.

Provides traditional secretarial function such as minute keeping, organising and coordinating meetings and other operational matters. Can be held by either HR staff or network member.

Manages budget and funding strategy. Can be held by either HR staff or network member.

Communications Events and Membership

Learning and Development

Responsible for the development and implementation of the communication plan. Activities may be targeted at improving awareness of current initiatives, highlighting key achievements, and promoting awareness and advocacy for the network.

Coordinates the planning and execution of key network events, as well as managing membership engagement and recruitment.

Coordinates the development and delivery of key training and education initiatives.

Ally Reps Organisers Regional Reps

Does not identify as a member of the target employee demographic group but provides advocacy and support to champion the interests and activities of the employee network.

Assists with the planning and delivery of networking activities on behalf of the employee network.

Key point of contact in regional areas, hosts network events and takes a lead in setting up a regional branch to expand coverage.

WITH

YOUR TEAM

Strategy: Examples of sponsor role

Sponsor Role Description: • Disability Employee Network

Objective: • To encourage and support employees in your organisation to develop and implement inclusive practices for people with disability• Champion the inclusion of people with disability• Support the activities of the Employee Network

Suggested Activities:• Speak at internal (or external if appropriate) events throughout the year on inclusion of people with disability• Raise profile and intent of role, be visible and approachable though inclusion of role on Intranet, newsletters, senior leadership meetings• Receive and discuss regular progress reports from D&I• Attend Disability Employee Network meetings and events• Craft the organisation’s key messages in relation to people with disability (with the support of D&I)• Read, consider and if required, challenge all papers, reports and information• Understand the organisation’s key drivers which may relate to skills shortages, business objectives and diversity targets• Personal support of inclusion in the workplace

Personal Qualities: • Strong leadership, influencing and engagement skills• Strong desire to assist the organisation to be inclusive of people with disability• A genuine regard for inclusion of people with disability• Confidence in relating to people with disability• Be visible and make the time to undertake the role

WITH YOUR

SPONSOR

Strategy: Agreed Ways of Working

You may want to reach an agreement with your team, then create a charter from this and have new key members sign it.

© Radius Business Ltd

Face to Face MeetingsFor example: How often are they? What are they for? How do we run them? How do we improve them?

Online Working For example: How do we meet (as above)? How do we track activities? How do we embrace agility?

Commitment and Accountability For example: How do we set expectations? How do we agree role? How do make people accountable?

ValuesFor example: What principles do we have around the way we work? How do we empower active members? Do we walk the talk of our network?

WITH

YOUR TEAM

Measuring Impact:Decision Matrix Analysis

1) List all the options in rows on the table.

2) Decide on some factors which would affect effort and success. You can of course add

as many options and factors as you want.

3) Work your way through grid assigning values to each crossover of option and factor.

Use a 0-5 scale where is 0 is poor and 5 is excellent.You don’t need to have different

values for each grid, just put whatever you want.

4) Consider the weighting of these factors - how important is each in your final decision?

Again, award between 0-5 for not at all important, to crucial, and it’s OK to repeat values.

5) Multiply your initial marks by the weight you’ve just created.

6) When you’ve done that, total up the complete values for each option. The highest total

should suggest your priority of options.


Factor Factor 1 Factor 2 Factor 3 Total

Weight

Option A

Option B

Option C

WITH

YOUR TEAM

Measuring Impact:Ladder of Inference

Think about an action that you or network is about to undertake, and use the ladder of inference below to investigate how you got here.

Has this exercise has thrown any new light on how you should approach this action, or communicate it to stakeholders?


BELIEFS

CONCLUSIONS

ASSUMPTIONS

MEANINGS

SELECTED DATA

OBSERVATIONS

POOL OF‘OBSERVABLE’ DATA

Take actions based on our beliefs

Adopt beliefs based on out conclusions

Draw conclusions from our assumptions

Make assumptions based on our meanings

Add meanings to selected observations

Select from observations

Instead of jumping to “CONCLUSIONS,” analyse and test the assumptions, meanings, selected data & observations that created them

Reflexive loop: our beliefs tend to affect what data we select next time

INFE

REN

CE

ACTIONS

WITH

YOUR TEAM

Kapferer’s brand prism: Your organisation

Use the space above to map out your thoughts on each section of the prism as it relates to the brand of your organisation.


WITH

YOUR TEAM

Kapferer’s brand prism: Your network

Use the space above to think about how your network supports or challenges your organisation in each of these brand prisms.


WITH

YOUR TEAM

Brand elements

How would you currently define your network’s brand elements, and how can they be improved?


Current Improvement

Logo

Colour

Typography

Photos / Illustrations

Slogan / Tagline

Character

Voice / Tone

WITH

YOUR TEAM

Personal brand

What are people’s current perception of your brand, and how do you want to change or develop that?


Area Current perception Brand development

Your identity

Your USP

Your audience

Your channels

Your authenticity

FOR YOU

Authenticity

You may wish to use this space to capture your thoughts as you move through this module.

When you’ve finished the module, don’t forget to write down what authenticity means to you.

© Radius Networks Ltd FOR YOU

Networking for influence


BELIEFS

CONCLUSIONS

ASSUMPTIONS

MEANINGS

SELECTED DATA

OBSERVATIONS


ACTIONS

How do your current activities reflect this?

How could you evolve (increase or reduce) in this area?

Operational(everyday teamwork)

Personal(providing referrals)

Strategic(getting stakeholder support for future activities)

FOR YOU

Network FAQ Template Adapt this one and add in detail, or create your own

It doesn’t contribute to our strategy or business objectives

Engaged employees stay longer, work harder and are biggest advocates of a company. Employees who belong to a network are committed to the business and want to make this a great place to work. Without the right people who are passionate about their work, we can’t serve our customers. In addition, the network supports the D&I strategy by… Which in turn supports the organisational strategy by… My business objectives that relate to network activity for this year are...

It will take up too much of your time

The amount of time any one individual can dedicate to volunteering can vary, and is down to each person. Some of our members are very active, and some are more supportive. Throughout the year we may host events that are optional, and it’s down to each member how much time they dedicate. This means that network commitments can wax and wane with the business needs. Our time does not clash with our day job, but the outcomes do enhance it. The organisation encourages us to spend x number of days per year volunteering or contributing to causes like this.

Is this about you being (a career woman/lgbt+/BAME/disabled...)

Not necessarily, we encourage everyone to get involved and either contribute through personal experience, or by supporting as an ally and learning from the network. It’s about encouraging a better workplace, and making sure we can all do our best without the hindrance of unnecessary barriers.

What’s in it for you?

A lot! Between building new relationships, making the business better, increasing satisfaction with the day job and perhaps even gaining new skills, it’s fun. Members are given the opportunity to make a difference in their locale, as no one knows what the office is like more than them. It’s a chance to make a difference to the everyday. We may be exposed to new situations and new people, and this may deepen our understanding of our business, or add clarity to our career path. Networking is a great way to build a profile and learn something new.

Share this with other network leaders and store it in an accessible way where other people can use it and contribute.


WITH

YOUR TEAM

Global vs Local


BELIEFS

CONCLUSIONS

ASSUMPTIONS

MEANINGS

SELECTED DATA

OBSERVATIONS


ACTIONS

Global(Consider this as beyond one location, and decide whether you want to assess your global organisation, or a national network)

Local(Either consider your approach generally, or extend this column to represent specific locations)

StrategyE.g. How is it formed?What are its goals?How is it implemented?

LeadershipE.g. What are the responsibilities?How are they appointed?How do you build communication and trust?

BrandHow are networks perceived generally?How is your membership perceived?How are recent activities perceived?

WITH

YOUR TEAM

What’s working?


BELIEFS

CONCLUSIONS

ASSUMPTIONS

MEANINGS

SELECTED DATA

OBSERVATIONS


ACTIONS

What is currently happening in this area?

How do you want to develop and prioritise this (or not)?

Mandatory training

Voluntary training

Cross-discipline training

Grievance systems

Mentoring

Diversity manager/task force

Recruitment drives

Job tests

Self-managed teams

WITH

YOUR TEAM

Events in a box

Using the above example as inspiration, start to create your own “events in a box” guidelines. Focus on adding practical information on how each can be achieved. Your aim is to make engagement in your network activities easier for the next events planner, and so on as it evolves.


BELIEFS

MEANINGS

OBSERVATIONS


ACTIONS

AUDIENCEUnderstand your

target audience and what they want to get

from the event

LOGISTICSDetermine type (e.g.’

social, charity), capacity, location, cost

and RSVP tracking

UNIQUENESSIs your event different?

What is the key attraction? Speaker?

Empowering?

MARKETINGHow to spread the

word?

NETWORKINGHow will you encourage?

Leverage allies to your network?

ASSESSMENTALWAYS FOLLOW UP AFTER THE EVENT!

Audience Logistics Uniqueness

Marketing Networking Assessment

WITH

YOUR TEAM

Inclusive meetings


BELIEFS

CONCLUSIONS

ASSUMPTIONS

MEANINGS

SELECTED DATA

OBSERVATIONS


ACTIONS

Send out a summary

Ask for feedback

Reflect Take action

Be on time, stick to the

agenda

Use facilitators

Keep clarifying and ask

questions

Check your messages

Rotate roles

Make a plan What is the meeting

about

Provide remote options

Attach any presented / talked about

materials

Ask if anyone has any access

needs

Use this checklist as a reminder to evolve your meetings and reflect on their inclusivity. You may want to develop your own and share it within meeting rooms.

FOR YOU

The Comms Role

Fill out one of these forms with each active team member of your network who contributes to your communications. This can help form the basis of your plan for taking advantage of strengths, building opportunities and personal development, as well as a quick reference for who owns what type of message and delivery method.


Team member / role

Comms skills(for example: writing, presenting, visuals, listening to feedback…)

Plan to share skills(for example: workshop, mentoring - with who?)

Plan to develop own skills(for example: course, practice, mentee…)

Key messages(for example: specialises in network purpose, owns latest membership data…)

Key activities(for example: updates intranet, social media, public speaker…)

WITH

YOUR TEAM

Comms Audit

To what extent do each of the following statements describe communications within your network and beyond? Grade between 1 (Not at all) to 5 (Absolutely). A higher number, while generally ideal, may not suit your needs or your team/work culture.

After you’ve assessed each point, create a prioritised plan for improvement.

What challenges have you identified and what ideas do you have?

How will this be resourced?


We understand the link between our network’s comms goals and our D&I/Business comms goals.

We communicate one message about our network’s purpose and goals.

We regularly communicate as a team about our network’s strategic progress.

Network leaders keep members informed about present or upcoming concerns.

Sponsors/champions keep networks informed about present or upcoming concerns.

We regularly share updates about our activities with the organisation in general.

We regularly communicate as a team about our personal objectives.

We communicate using a variety of methods and test their effectiveness.

WITH

YOUR TEAM

Comms Planning

This comms cycle is based on Charles Berner’s model, updated by Michael Argyle (The Social Psychology of Work, 1972)

Step One: Clarify Your Aim

With whom are you communicating?

What are you trying to achieve with this message?

Why do you need to send it?

What emotions will be evoked?

What does your audience need from this message?

What actions should be taken as a result of this message?


WITH

YOUR TEAM

Comms Planning

Step Two: Compose/Encode

What form of communication should you use?

What language should you use (official/current terms/jargon/relaxed)?

Does your audience have any prior knowledge?

Will your audience need any supplementary materials?

Does the audience have any assumptions about you or your network that need to be addressed?

Do your communications contain any biases that you could make more inclusive, less assuming, or less personal?


WITH

YOUR TEAM

Comms Planning

Step Three: Transmit/Deliver

What’s the best time to deliver your message?

How will you take into account your audience’s state of mind, workload, and attention span?

Will there be any distractions that may negatively affect your impact?

Should you include a secondary/supportive audience?


WITH

YOUR TEAM

Comms Planning

Step Four: Receive Feedback

How will you take into account any immediate feedback (for example, live chat messages, clarifying questions)?

Will you have a process for getting feedback from your audience following the communication?

Step Five: Analyse/Decode/Learn

What does the feedback tell you about your message?

What could be done differently to get the response that you wanted?

How did the audience feel, and was that expected or surprising?

Step Six: Change/Improve

What actions are you taking as a result of the feedback?

What resources do you need to support these actions (for example people, more data, more planning)?


WITH

YOUR TEAM

Widening your network:Intersectional Teams

You may find it useful to prepare some topics of conversation to guide your assessment of intersectional issues and opportunities within your network. Use the below as your starting point and see where it takes you.


What inspired each of your network members to join?They may have had the choice to join other networks instead but have chosen this one. What were their motivations?

What other memberships do they have (formal or informal)?These may be down to sheer interest or because they are part of another community.

What is their understanding of intersectionality?Do your network members understand the relevance of intersectionality to your network and the organisation, and can they articulate that to their stakeholders?

Do they feel their priorities are conflicting with different causes they care about?Talk about ways in which you and the network can support this and the potential for collaboration.

What does a range of experiences and backgrounds bring to the network?Frequently open up the floor to ideas that come from different experiences and backgrounds to ensure a broad-minded approach.

WITH

YOUR TEAM

Inter-Network Collaboration

When engaging with other networks, think about how you can first of all set the scene so that you get the best from this intersectional collaboration.


What is their strategy to success?

How can they help you understand your obligation to their activities (and vice-versa)?

Can you share resources?

How do your audiences interact?

Who are the best people to lead on this?

WITH

YOUR TEAM

A Guide for Allies

Elaborate on each of the points in a way that makes sense for your network and organisation. Then think about how you can add further guidance, and communicate this to potential allies.

Take on the issues

Speak out

Transfer power

De-centre yourself

Own your education


WITH

YOUR TEAM

Sharing Skills

First, think about your network strategy and the makeup of your team. How might a skill sharing session be of benefit?

Prepare a brief outline of your proposal, including:

- What skills you intend to share

- How it will help your organisation and team

- Who it will help

- What resources are required

- What you will do at the session

Share the proposal with your team and discuss what sounds appealing and why.


WITH

YOUR TEAM

How will you embrace agility?

• How is your network currently bureaucratic, and how can it be made more agile?

• Who are your customers (or end users)?

• How do you get value from them?

• How do you give value to them?

• How could your network better embrace the agility of small teams?

• How does your network link into the broader organisational network, and how can you make better connections?


Liberating Structures

www.liberatingstructures.com

• Which of the liberating structures did you try?

• What worked?

• What would you do differently next time?


http://www.liberatingstructures.com

How will you create space for innovation?

• How will you ensure a diversity of input to generate your proposals?

• How will you offer “prototype” ideas and get feedback?

• How will you set the scene with stakeholders (e.g. your network, wider organisation, executives, etc) to increase the odds of adoption?


Mapping Stakeholders


Network contact and associated activity

InternalName, role, contact info

ExternalName, role, contact info

Network contact and associated activity

WITH

YOUR TEAM

Stakeholder engagementSelf check-in


I know who my key internal stakeholders are, those openly supportive and engaged and those that need more time or convincing

I know who the key external stakeholders are and the best way to communicate with them

I’m not sure about all key stakeholders, but have requested more information or a meeting

I have set clear goals on what is needed from my stakeholders

I have done my research and know what is important to my stakeholders

I have regular, scheduled check-ins with key stakeholders in the diary

I know my key stakeholders style and preference, as that is key to influence

I know which stakeholders are influencers and which are decision makers

I have done a basic risk assessment on the risks associated with not keeping stakeholders sufficiently informed and regularly engaged

FOR YOU

Stakeholder engagementPlanning


Name and role of stakeholder

Stakeholder’s priorities and interests

Stakeholder’s potential impact

Engagement strategy

WITH

STAKEHOLDERS

What do you want from your sponsor?

Reviewing the model above, where would you like your sponsor to support you?

Share with your sponsor, do they have the same view?


WITH YOUR

SPONSOR

Sponsor relationship: having great discussions

Questions to help you plan your meetings:

What are your priorities or key focus areas?

How will we make the most impact?

Is there anything that I should be aware of?

Is there anyone I need to speak to?


WITH YOUR

SPONSOR

Peer support

How do you gain and impart knowledge among peers?

How do you invite feedback and challenge from peers?

How can you use your peers to better engage your stakeholders?


Responding to stakeholders

Are you as a leader and network responsive to requests?

How do you demonstrate your openness?

What processes do you have for responding?

What successes have you had in supporting a request from the organisation or your membership that you can communicate?


Documents

Workbook ENLP Stage 1 - radius-networks.org