WORKING EFFECTIVELY WITH COLLEAGUES …...E.g. Team Management Systems (TMS), MBTI Use to ‘pace’ others and harness diversity of style (communication, thinking, decision-making,

WORKING EFFECTIVELY WITH COLLEAGUES DURING CHALLENGING TIMES

Rachel Holmes, Executive Coaching, Personal and Team Development

Working effectively with colleagues during challenging times

Rachel HolmesProfessional Managers’ Annual Conference

12 December 2016

The operating environment in 2016

The impact on us and our response

Tools and techniques for challenging times

Tips for managers and leaders

Q&A

Session Overview

© 2016 Rachel Holmes Ltd.

In people development since 1995

Executive Coaching: transition into new roles, career change, performance and impact

Team and Group Facilitation: newly established, needing a refresh, post-merger, dysfunctional

Leadership Development: programme design & delivery

75% of work within H.E. (last 11 years)

Also pharma, professional partnerships and FMCG

Mainly Professional Services, but also senior academic staff

Special interest: the interface between the two communities

Key Associate work with the AHUA, LFHE, BUFDG, UHR, UCISA

My background & experience


2016: a review


Term coined by the US Army War College to describe the operating environment that emerged at the end of the Cold War

Volatile, Uncertain, Complex and Ambiguous

Has featured in strategic leadership activity since the 1990’s

We cannot fail to feel the impact…

Welcome to a VUCA world


InternationalBrexit: political, financial and existential implicationsChange in PM and Cabinet responsibilitiesTrump’s new ‘grenade’ style of politicsShifts in political alliances and the emergence of the voice of the peopleWar and social upheaval

DomesticSafeguarding crises, immigration challenges, budget cuts, cash-strapped services, The ever-growing importance of individual consumersInfluence of social media on everything!

H.E. sectorHER Bill, REF2021, TEF, LEO, drop in UK applications by ~10%, agency review, Prevent

The Operating Environment


Embracing the challenge – Brave New World

Excitement, opportunity

Loss of control

Disengagement & disempowerment

Burnout & exhaustion (must try harder)

Anxiety

Generational differences

Continuing, fundamental shift in the psychological contract between employer and employee

Impact and response


Self awareness: strengths, weaknesses, blind spots

Curiosity

Growth Mindset / Stance (Dweck 2006)

Courage

Emotional literacy: being able to read others

Adaptability: flexing your style, responding to change

Ability to navigate the political landscape

Sense of balance: physical, emotional, spiritual

Resilience

Key skills required


Circles of influence and control Give people a shorthand – a common language that becomes part

of day-to-day operations Personality profiles – make sure they are robust and user-friendly,

and invest time! E.g. Team Management Systems (TMS), MBTI Use to ‘pace’ others and harness diversity of style (communication,

thinking, decision-making, organisational) Coaching Skills training Communication Triangle: to plan interactions The Ladder of Inference: to manage them ‘in the moment’

Tools & techniques


My Stance: Where am I speaking from?

Context: What does the situation demand?

Stakeholder Stance: What am I speaking into?

The Communication Triangle


Desired outcome

Our relationship and power differential

Background and history with them

Stances I know I have about them

Emotional self awareness – internal conversations

Emotional containment in the moment

Where am I speaking from?


Who are they (one or many?)

Their desired outcome

Their stance on the relationship and power differential

Their values – what’s important to them and what do they need?

Their motivation: towards or away from?

Their communication style

What am I speaking into?


What’s the context and history of the situation?

Who are the people involved? Have I thought of everyone?!

Where is the best place for the conversation?

What is the best medium?

What does the situation demand?


The Ladder of Inference (Peter Senge)

Conclude and/or decide about action

Interpret data

Select data

Data Pool


It really is about the small stuff

Get back to basics

Don’t forget the importance of maintenance: for you and the team

Create time and space for the reflective piece – “What did we do well?”, What can we learn?”, “How will we incorporate that learning?”

Re-think 1-1s and meetings: report back in writing, have learning as an agenda item, colour code meetings (idea generation, action, review)

Discuss and agree what is ‘good enough’

Give permission for mistakes and learning

Sharpen your observational skills: what’s going on?

Don’t get judgemental, get curious!


Create a new micro-environment

Documents

WORKING EFFECTIVELY WITH COLLEAGUES …...E.g. Team Management Systems (TMS), MBTI Use to ‘pace’ others and harness diversity of style (communication, thinking, decision-making,