Kick-Start Your Cohort: Creating a Culture of Helpfulness and

Connectedness - fast.

Michael AlexanderDirector & LecturerProfessional MBA Program

Nyetta Meaux-DrysdaleAssistant DirectorMBA Admissions & Recruitment

Introduction• Texas A&M Mays Business School’s Professional MBA Program• The Reciprocity Ring

Reciprocity Ring Exercise - DEMONSTRATION• Intro• Materials• Requests & Offers

Conclusion• Texas A&M Application• Questions & Answers

Agenda

• Houston, TX - CityCentre• Cohort, lock-step program• 45 credit hrs, including 6 hrs of electives• In person delivery• Alternating weekends• One intake per year, fall• 45-55 students per year• Women, +40%• Average work exp., 7-8 yrs

Professional MBA program

The Reciprocity Ring®

• Create a sense of mutual accomplishment towards greater objectives

• Recognize the importance of contribution and engagement

• Expose you to the depth of resources available among your colleagues/classmates

A guided collaboration exercise that generates high quality connections, strengthens networks, and builds social capital.

Introduction• Texas A&M Mays Business School’s Professional MBA Program• The Reciprocity Ring

Reciprocity Ring Exercise - DEMONSTRATION• Intro• Materials• Requests & Offers

Conclusion• Texas A&M Application• Questions & Answers

Agenda

• Most people are willing to help.

• 90% of giving in the workplace is in response to requests for help.

• Most people don’t ask for what they need.

• Therefore, most of the time, nothing happens.

The Dilemma

Source: Just Ask (Baker 2018)

Giving

Receiving

7 Reasons Why: 1. Overreliance on self-reliance.2. The belief that competent people don’t ask for help and the

perceived social costs of seeking help.3. Lack of psychological safety.4. Underestimating others’ willingness and ability to help.5. Organizational systems, procedures, and practices get in the way.6. Not knowing what to request or how to ask.7. You haven’t earned the privilege of asking for help.

It’s Hard to Ask for Help

Source: Just Ask (Baker 2018)

Request Card Offer Cards

The materials

Resource Card

Writing a Request

S M A R TSpecific Meaningful Actionable Real Time-bound

What do you need?

Making a request

Information Expertise

Advice or support

Introduction

Connection

ReferralSkill

Second set of eyes

VolunteersBest practices

RecommendationsOpinions

Request Examples: Personal

Bad Request

I need a dog sitter.

Good Request

I have the most adorable gold retriever named Sadie that I rescued three years ago. She is my world and is a very high needs. She hates kennels because of her life before I adopted her. I am going on a trip abroad the first week in August and I need a reliable and experienced pet sitter to care for Sadie. Does anyone have a recommendation?

Request Examples: Professional

I need some volunteers to review a report for me.

I am working on a new version of our quarterly TPS report for the management team. The goal of revising the report is to make it easier and more efficient for our team to complete. I need 3-5 people that can spend approximately one hour reviewing the new report and providing their feedback. I can send the reports right away and need feedback in the next 5 business days.

Bad Request

Good Request

Making an Offer

Introductions Advice

Examples

Connections

ReferralsTime

Outside perspective

Experience

ResourcesAnswers

What type of help can you give?

Real Requests & OffersProfessional Request

I am looking for advice on how to identify whether or not a candidate will be a good fit for our business culture. Does anyone have suggestions on best practices, interview questions to ask, etc.?

Our leadership group just read the book, The Ideal Team Player, by Patrick Lencioni. Highly recommend. Moral of the story, know your business culture and don't hire people that don't fit your culture.

I have a good friend who is a business consultant that focuses on company culture I would be happy to introduce you to her.

A couple of my favorite interview questions: 1) What two characteristics of your current job motivate you?2) What two characteristics of your current job are you happy to avoid?

Real Requests & OffersProfessional Request

My team is growing and we are tackling multiple projects where we are each teammate by up in different areas. What process/method have you found successful in keeping track of everyone’s status and project progress? I need your help in the next two weeks.

I use the program Trello with both of my teams. It's a great way to track progress if you have lots of ongoing projects/tasks that aren't quickly checked off a list.

I have put a big sheet of paper on a wall with the left side being today, and the right side being end date, and milestone dates on a timeline in between. I have post-it notes color coded by person, detailing who is doing what, by when, so everyone can see it and knows who is doing what.

I have a great excel document I created for this, I’ll send it to you.

Real Requests & OffersPersonalRequest

It has been a lifelong dream of mine to see a Bengal Tiger in the wild. I am not getting any younger so the sooner the better. If anyone has a connection or knowledge of the best way to go about this I would greatly appreciate it your help in fulfilling this dream.

I know someone who owns a game preserve in Nepal, I’m not sure if they have a Bengal Tiger but I will provide you his contact information.

I used to be a safari guide in India. I will connect you with the company I used to work for. I highly recommend them.

I just returned from Bangladesh. I can recommend to you the resort we stayed on, they had several safari options to see tigers.

Make a personal request using your resource card for guidance.

Round 1:A Personal Request

Make a professional request using your resource card for guidance.

Round 2:A Professional Request

Specific Meaningful ActionableRealTime-bound

Good requests are:

Introduction• Texas A&M Mays Business School’s Professional MBA Program• The Reciprocity Ring

Reciprocity Ring Exercise - DEMONSTRATION• Intro• Materials• Requests & Offers

Conclusion• Texas A&M Application• Questions & Answers

Agenda

Our Application

• GOALS: • Jump-start connections.• Increase a willingness to ask for help.• Accelerate a culture of helping.• Demonstrate the diversity of interests & backgrounds in the cohort.

• Conducted before teams are assigned during orientation.

Our Application

• Cohort formed into 2 or 3 separate “rings”.• 1 facilitator per ring, required training via online video & documentation

• Timing, 2.5 hours

• Conclude with individual and group reflection • A good place to adapt to your needs / goals

Activity Minutes

Briefing (together) 20

Personal Round 55

Professional Round 55

Debrief / Conclusions 15

Our Application

Feedback

“Loved this! Everyone should experience this!! Must keep! Bravo!!!”

“This was a good activity – we need to know that we’re here for each other. “

“This was a lot of fun. I think it helped bring us together as a class more than anything else this week.”

“This was very interesting. It'll be nice to see how many apply this mindset of helping others and asking for help throughout the rest of the program and everyone's individual careers.”

Resources

• Give and Take Web site• Givitas, online platform• Forbes Article

Cheryl BakerDirector, Social CapitalGive and Take, Inc.cheryl.baker@giveandtakeinc.com734-431-6842

Nyetta Meaux-DrysdaleAssistant Director, MBA Admissions & RecruitmentTexas A&M Universitynmeaux@mays.tamu.edu281-407-5676

Mike AlexanderDirector, Professional MBA ProgramTexas A&M Universitymalexander@mays.tamu.eduCell: 979-229-1387

• Vendor provides all materials, training, advice, etc.• Materials are shipped to you in advance

(board, request cards, offer cards, pens, etc.)• Fee based – priced per participant

Kick-Start Your Cohort: Creating a Culture of Helpfulness and

Connectedness - fast.

Michael AlexanderDirector & LecturerProfessional MBA Program

Nyetta Meaux-DrysdaleAssistant DirectorMBA Admissions & Recruitment

Following are the slides that were condensed in the presentation.

This is the section to “build the case” for reciprocity, and running The Reciprocity Ring, as part of a typical introduction to the event.

Human Capital & Social Capital

Social CapitalHuman Capital

Your knowledge, skills, strengths, experience

Your network and the resources it contains

• Over 55,000 people have participated worldwide across dozens of industries

• Cost savings & revenue generation per Ring = up to $480,000

• Average time savings per Ring = 1,600 hours

• Used at major companies and universities:

The Proof

• Solve problems

• Increase your knowledge

• Achieve your goals

• Create high quality connections

• Boost your career

• Be happier and healthier

Individual Benefits

Generous GiversWell-regarded, less productive

Giver-RequestersWell-regarded,

most productive

IsolatesLeast productive

Selfish TakersLess productive

Help Often

Seldom Request Request Often

Seldom Help

Giver-Requesters

• Promoted more quickly

• Promoted at younger age

• Paid better

• Improve their reputation

• Knowledgeable and trusted colleagues

Be a Giver-Requester

Source: Just Ask (Baker 2018)

• Improve knowledge sharing

• Increase team productivity

• Build stronger connections

• Create a giving culture

• Have greater cross-collaboration

• Generate positive business outcomes

Team/Organizational Benefits

Mar

Bill

Tim

AnnBob

Jim

Sue

Jane

Rob

Ed

Sal

Toshi

Before After

Ed

Bill

Tim

AnnBob

Jim

Sue

Jane

Rob

Sal

ToshiMar

REALco

Case Study

• Most people are willing to help.

• 90% of giving in the workplace is in response to requests for help.

• Most people don’t ask for what they need.

• Therefore, most of the time, nothing happens.

The Dilemma

Source: Just Ask (Baker 2018)

Giving

Receiving

7 Reasons Why: 1. Overreliance on self-reliance.2. The belief that competent people don’t ask for help and the

perceived social costs of seeking help.3. Lack of psychological safety.4. Underestimating others’ willingness and ability to help.5. Organizational systems, procedures, and practices get in the way.6. Not knowing what to request or how to ask.7. You haven’t earned the privilege of asking for help.

It’s Hard to Ask for Help

Source: Just Ask (Baker 2018)

Additional real requests and offers

Real Requests & OffersProfessional Request

I was wondering if someone could spend some time with me this week or next week to develop a Tableau Calendar for increased transparency within the senior leadership level in my area. I need help in the next week.

The Tableau COE should be able to help with this. To get their time submit a ServiceNow request -Application Support - Tableau and select General Inquiry / Consultation ticket and explain what you want to do.

I am happy to help you! I have enough Tableau experience to do what you are looking for.

I am going to be taking an online course in Tableau in a few weeks. This may not help you with this project but want to take the course with me?

Real Requests & OffersProfessional Request

I’m about to pay an outside vendor $50,000 to synthesize a strain of the PCS alkaloid. I need a lab that is a cheaper alternative as that cost is not in my budget for this project. Does anyone know of an affordable outside vendor that can do this?

I have a great vendor I use in Australia, they are more affordable than the labs I have used in the States. I will email you the contact information.

My lab actually had a major set back so my lab has some capacity next week, we can do it for you.

Have you ever used Total Labs? They are great to work with and the prices are usually below industry average.

Reflection and conclusion

Individual Reflection

ConnectedEngaged

EnergizedCurious

Thoughtful

PotentialOptimistic

ExcitedMotivated

Empowered

InspiredFocused

InterestedGenerous

Which of these resonates most with you after the exercise?

If you want, tweet your feelings and reactions with this exercise with the hashtag #ReciprocityRing

What can we do to create a culture that encourages reciprocity?

A Culture of Productive Generosity

What can we do to create a culture of gratitude?

Reciprocity in Action - Example 1

Monday Morning Brainstorming“The designers who attend brainstorming sessions

do so because they believe they can contribute distinctive technical solutions to the problem and because, if they don’t help with others’ projects, the favor will not be returned.”

“These interactions made visible the norms for asking for help, sharing knowledge, and giving help….”

Reciprocity in Action - Example 2

Givitas by Give and Take• A purpose-built platform designed for

individuals to easily engage in reciprocity.• Over 1,000 members participate from SHRM,

across hundreds of companies and industries, to ask and offer help to others

• Participation leads to greater individual social capital, knowledge and business outcomes.

Use GivitasBenefits Reciprocity Ring GivitasOne-time exercise ✔Requires in-person participation ✔Dynamic group exercise ✔Build or reinforces a giving culture ✔ ✔Increase social capital ✔ ✔Increase feelings of gratitude and trust ✔ ✔Problems are solved ✔ ✔Strengthens bonds ✔ ✔Efficient ✔Every day ✔Appropriate for large or geographically distributed group ✔Implants a habit of giving ✔Captures organizational memory ✔