operational leadership participant guide sample

3Operational Leadership Training: Participant Guide

Lesson 1: Course Introduction . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .7

Course Expectations and Introductions . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .7

Course Objectives . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .8

Sphere of Influence . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .8

Lesson 2: Increasing Your Leadership Quotient . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .9

Objectives . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .9

Exercise: Leaders You Admire . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .10

Leadership Defined . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .11

Positioning Yourself for Growth . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .11

Who Am I? . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .12

Exercise: Who Am I? . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .12

Leadership Styles . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .14

Exercise: Leadership Styles Experiences . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .14

Who Do I Want To Be? . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .15

Exercise: Your Personal Mission Statement . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .15

Sample Mission Statements . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .15

How Will I Get There? . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .16

Exercise: Personal Action Plan . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .17

Lesson 3: Leadership in Action . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .19

Objectives . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .19

Building a Strong Foundation of Trust . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .19

Diversity in Teams . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .20

Table of Contents

4 Operational Leadership Training: Participant Guide

Exercise: Taking Stock of Generational Diversity . . . . . . . . . . . . . .21

Generations in the Workplace . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .22

Succession Planning . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .24

Exercise: Planning for Your Successor . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .25

Exercise: Workforce Planning Questionnaire . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .26

Mentoring: True or False . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .27

Mentoring . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .28

Types of Mentoring . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .28

Exercise: Effective Mentoring . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .29

How to be an Effective Mentor . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .30

How to be an Effective Protégé . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .32

Lesson 4: Interpersonal Skills . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .33

Objectives . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .33

Communication . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .33

Working with Difficult People . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .34

Conflict Management . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .34

Ways to manage conflict: . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .35

Exercise: Working with Difficult People . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .36

Tips for Working with Difficult People . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .38

Communicating with Executive Leadership . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .39

Preparing for a Briefing . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .40

Delivering a Briefing . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .40

Exercise: Deliver a Briefing . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .41

Observation Checklist . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .42


Lesson 5: Effective Change Management . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .43

Objectives . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .43

Change . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .43

Key Elements of Change . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .44

Change Management Process . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .45

Change-Management Action Items . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .46

Exercise: Experiences in Change . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .47

Resistance to Change . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .48

Exercise: Change Management Action Plan . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .49

Process Management . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .52

Exercise: Identifying Your Processes . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .53

Supporting Process Improvement . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .54

Process Management Tools and Techniques . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .54

Brainstorming . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .55

Exercise: Brainstorming . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .56

Narrowing Down the List . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .56

Exercise: Decision Matrix . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .57

Exercise: Forced Fits . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .60

Course Conclusion . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .60


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Welcome and Overview

Day OneP Course Introduction

P Increasing Your Leadership Quotient

P Leadership in Action

Day TwoP Interpersonal Skills

P Effective Change Management

P Course Conclusion

Course Expectations and Introductions

P Name

P Job title or office

P Length of time in position

P One learning goal for the next two days

Lesson 1: Course Introduction


Course Objectives

After completing the Operational Leadership course, you will be able to:

P Position yourself for growth through self-awareness, self-management, and apersonal action plan.

P Apply your leadership and organizational skills to inspire others in your organization.

P Enhance your interpersonal skills.

P Master the skills and knowledge needed to prepare, organize, and deliver successfulbriefings.

P Embrace and apply change-management techniques to propel your team into thefuture.

Sphere of Influence

What tasks or processes are included in your sphere of influence?

Lesson 1: Course Introduction (continued)


Objectives

P Identify the gaps between key leadership competencies and individual competencylevels.

P Position yourself for growth through self-awareness, self-management, and apersonal action plan.

Lesson 2: Increasing Your Leadership Quotient


List one or two leaders that you admire.

What traits make them admirable?

Lesson 2: Increasing Your Leadership Quotient (continued)

Exercise: Leaders You AdmireInstructions:

1. Divide into groups.

2. Share with your group one or two leaders you admire and why.

3. Consider the qualities they possess that make them special.


Leadership Defined

P Leaders influence

P Leaders act

P Leaders take responsibility

Positioning Yourself for Growth

P Identifying my real self: Who am I?

P Identifying my ideal self: Who do I want to be?

P Creating my learning agenda: How will I get there?



Who Am I?

Effective leaders foster strong connections between peers and across organizationalfunctions and levels.

Exercise: Who Am I?Leadership Behaviors Diagnostic

To complete this assessment, rate yourself on the following scale:1 – Never 4 – Often2 – Rarely 5 – Always3 – Sometimes

Leaders Influence:

I set and work towards a vision for my organization in linewith OPM’s overall vision, missions, strategy, and values. 1 2 3 4 5

I establish and clearly communicate objectives. 1 2 3 4 5

I initiate action and provide support and systems to achieve goals. 1 2 3 4 5

I manage and champion organizational improvement. 1 2 3 4 5

I understand that all personnel on my team are followers. 1 2 3 4 5

I seek to understand others through listening and questioning. 1 2 3 4 5

I work with other leaders to ensure successful attainment of goals. 1 2 3 4 5

I speak effectively before an audience. 1 2 3 4 5

Leaders act:

I commit to action and I am decisive. 1 2 3 4 5

I learn to consider and assess risks and alternatives. 1 2 3 4 5

I make decisions based on the needs and goals of theorganization. 1 2 3 4 5

I develop networks of contacts and colleagues. 1 2 3 4 5

I ensure internal and external customers’ needs are met. 1 2 3 4 5




Areas for improvement Action Items

Leaders take responsibility:

I personify high standards of honesty, integrity, openness,fairness, and compassion. 1 2 3 4 5

I consider and respond to others’ needs. 1 2 3 4 5

I help others identify professional goals, strengths, and areasfor improvement. 1 2 3 4 5

I use position and power appropriately. 1 2 3 4 5

I have confidence in my own ideas and abilities. 1 2 3 4 5

I learn my strengths and weaknesses. 1 2 3 4 5

I am self-motivated, professional, and results-oriented. 1 2 3 4 5

Leaders act: (continued)

I seek and accept challenging tasks to learn and grow as a leader. 1 2 3 4 5

I recognize and reward performance. 1 2 3 4 5

I empower others by delegating power and responsibility andholding them accountable. 1 2 3 4 5

I keep current on technological advances. 1 2 3 4 5

I effectively organize and prioritize tasks. 1 2 3 4 5


Exercise: Leadership Styles ExperiencesShare with your group specific examples of when you have used each ofthese leadership styles.

P Authoritarian

P Participative

P Delegating


Leadership Styles

P Authoritarian

P Participative

P Delegating



Who Do I Want To Be?

“If you don’t know where you’re going, any road will take you there.”— Lewis Carroll

Exercise: Your Personal Mission StatementAn effective mission statement is short, about 3-5 sentences. Keep itpositive. When you have completed writing your mission statement, askyourself if it inspires you.

Some questions to ponder:P When I look back on my career, what accomplishments do I want to see?

P How can I utilize my strengths in my leadership role?

P What do I most value?

P What do I believe in?

Sample MissionStatements

“My purpose is to help my organizationhire 25 new employees this year. I plan onaccomplishing this goal by devoting onehour each week to learning a new skill in recruiting, and then applying what I’velearned. If I do this faithfully, I will help my organization achieve its goals whilelearning new skills.”

“My purpose is to express my commitment to quality, perseverance, and businesssavvy by insuring my customers always get the best, by keeping on track with my goals,and by staying on top of the latest industry trends.”

“I will experience the organization and the people in it in a positive manner, to thehighest possible degree, without sacrificing long-term relationships.”

My Personal Mission Statement

John F. Kennedy, referring to theU.S. space program, said that we would put a man on the moon by

the end of the decade.

— a clear goal with a specifictimeline for its achievement.


How Will I Get There?

Developing a personal action plan

SMART objectives are:

P Specific: answers who, what, where, when, or why.

P Measurable: answers how much, how many, or how will I know when theobjective has been accomplished.

P Achievable: you have the skills and resources to reach the objective.

P Relevant: the objective is consistent with other objectives and with immediateand long-range plans.

P Time-bound: you have identified a target date for completing the objective.




Exercise: Personal Action PlanCreate an action plan with two or three objectives to guide you in yourpersonal development.

My Personal Action Plan

Objective #1:

Objective #2:

Objective #3:

Objective #4:



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Objectives

Increase the overall effectiveness of your team by:

P Establishing trust, credibility, and respect.

P Promoting a culture of teamwork.

P Valuing diversity.

P Implementing succession planning.

P Identifying opportunities for mentorship.

Building a Strong Foundation of Trust

How can you gain trust, credibility, and respect?

How to gain trust, credibility, and respect:

P Raise the bar

P Be a role model by trusting others

P Show sincerity and demonstrate integrity

P Listen and ask questions

Lesson 3: Leadership in Action


Diversity in Teams

Leaders need to:

P Manage and develop diverse teams.

P Approach diversity openly.

P Recognize that heterogeneity promotes creativity.

P Challenge institutional practices that present barriers.

P Be consistent.

P Encourage expression of concerns.

P Embrace different work styles.

Lesson 3: Leadership in Action (continued)



Exercise: Taking Stock of GenerationalDiversity

Instructions:

1. Review the generations.

2. Work with your team to answer the questions.

What does your cohort bring to the workplace?

How do you motivate this generation in the workplace?

What are the conflicts between this generation and the other generations?



Generation

Veterans,Silent

Generation,The Great

GenerationBaby

Boomers Generation X

GenerationNext,

Nexters,Millennials,

Generation Y

Birth Year 1922-1943 1943-1965 1965-1980 1980-2000

Number 52 Million 73 Million 70 Million 69 Million

Definingevents and trends

The GreatDepression

FDR

New Deal

Pearl Harbor

WWII

Hiroshima

Korean War

Patriotism

Golden age ofradio

Silver screen

Rise of laborunions

The Cold War

McCarthyhearings

Viet Nam

Civil RightsMovement

Women’sLiberationMovement

Kennedyassassination

Kingassassination

Moon landing

Woodstock

Prosperity

Suburbia

Television

Oil embargo

Stagflation

Watergate

First personalcomputers

Challengerexplosion

John Lennonshot

Exxon Valdezaccident

Rodney Kingand LA riots

Latchkey kids

MTV

AIDS

End of the ColdWar

Persian Gulf war

Oklahoma Citybombings

Princess Diana’sdeath

9/11

Schoolyardviolence

Multiculturalism

Internet

Cell phones

Over-programmedlives

Attitudetowardsmoney

Save and pay cash

Buy now, pay later

Cautious,conservative

Spend money as fast as you can

Attitudestowardsteam

Loyal to the team

Tend to see theteam as a verylarge unit

Focused on ownneeds or needsof small teams

Loyal toprofession orindividuals ratherthan company

Loyal to team

Attitudetowardsauthority

Trust andrespect authority

Rebel againstauthority

Are unimpressedby authority,often see it assomething toignore or workaround

Trust andrespect authority

Generations in the Workplace

This table summarizes some of the key attributes of the four generations present intoday’s workforce. These attributes are broad guidelines not intended as stereotypes.(Generations At Work: Managing the Clash of Veterans, Boomers, Xers, and Nextersin Your Workplace by Ron Zemke, Claire Raines, and Bob Filipczak.)



Generation

Veterans,Silent

Generation,The Great

GenerationBaby

Boomers Generation X

GenerationNext,

Nexters,Millennials,

Generation Y

Birth Year 1922-1943 1943-1965 1965-1980 1980-2000

Number 52 Million 73 Million 70 Million 69 Million

Corevalues

Dedication/sacrifice

Hard work

Law and order

Respect forauthority

Patience

Delayed reward

Duty beforepleasure

Adherence torules

Honor

Optimism

Team orientation

Personalgratification

Health andwellness

Personal growth

Youth

Work

Involvement

Diversity

Thinking globally

Balance

Technoliteracy

Fun

Informality

Self-reliance

Pragmatism

Optimism

Civic duty

Confidence

Achievement

Sociability

Morality

Street smarts

Multiculturalism

Liabilities

Not comfortablewith ambiguityand change

Does not speakup whensomething isgoing wrong

Uncomfortablewith conflict

Does not focuson budget

Uncomfortablewith conflict withpeers

Might be overlysensitive tofeedback

Judgmental ofthose who seethings differently

Self-centered

Impatient

Cynical

Poor peopleskills

Needsupervision andstructure

Don’t alwaysrecognize theirinexperience

Might have anover-inflatedsense ofentitlement andself-worth

Assets

Stable

Detail-oriented

Loyal

Thorough

Service-oriented

Driven

Goodrelationship andteam skills

Flexible

Creative

Comfortable withtechnology

Not intimidatedby authority(unimpressed byauthority)

Collective action

Optimism

Tenacity

Multitasking

Technologicalsavvy


Succession Planning

Succession-planning programs:

P Identify employees whose experience match targeted positions.

P Allow additional time for individuals to prepare for their next assignment.

P Identify jobs critical to the organization’s success.

P Have a positive effect on employee retention.


Exercise: Planning for Your SuccessorReview and complete the worksheet.

Succession-Planning WorksheetDescribe your current position:

P What skills are required to do your job?

P What knowledge is required to do your job?

P If you were to begin training someone to replace you, what top five items would yoube sure he or she understood about your job?

P What other skills, knowledge, or abilities would you communicate to your successorso he or she could function effectively?

P What else would you share?



Exercise: Workforce Planning QuestionnaireThis questionnaire will enable you to more accurately assess theworkplace needs of all employees.

Check the appropriate boxes.

1. The positions on my team are:

Q administrative support staff (receptionist, secretary, administrative assistance)Q front line staff (deliver service to customers and support direct service to

customers)Q directorQ supervisorQ manager

2. How many members of my team are eligible to retire in the next:

Q 5 years ____________ retireQ 10 years ____________ retireQ 15 years ____________ retire

3. Positions on my team that will require filling in 5 years.

Q supervisorQ managerQ directorQ executiveQ other (specify) _______________________





Copyright © October, 1997 InfoLine. Reprinted with permission of American Society for Training & Development.



Mentoring: True or FalseCircle your response.

True | False 1. A mentoring program cannot be implemented unless it issanctioned by upper management.

True | False 2. All mentors are good communicators.

True | False 3. Mentors control the next career step.

True | False 4. Mentoring provides freedom to explore and change direction tosuit a particular business need.

True | False 5. It is the mentor’s job to keep the employee’s boss informed abouthis or her progress.

True | False 6. Mentoring provides an excellent environment for learning throughanother’s experience.

True | False 7. Mentoring enables a new employee to become productive andcomfortable in a shorter period of time.

True | False 8. A mentor should have specific information on career pathpossibilities.

True | False 9. Mentoring helps to preserve institutional memory.

True | False 10. Mentoring helps to develop a line of succession for futureleadership in the organization.

True | False 11. An individual should have the same mentor for the span of hisor her career.

True | False 12. Mentoring helps new employees face new challenges throughreflective activities and professional conversations.

True | False 13. Mentoring fosters the professional development of both parties.



Mentoring

P Captures the acquired knowledge and experience.

P Impacts employee retention.

Types of Mentoring

P One-on-one mentoring

P Group mentoring

P Virtual mentoring

What are some benefits of mentoring?


Exercise: Effective MentoringInstructions:

1. Review the information about how to be an effective mentor andprotégé.

2. Write the names of those who you think would be an appropriatementor for you, and indicate what you think the goals of therelationship might be.

3. Write the names of individuals who could benefit from yourexperience (potential protégés), and indicate what you think the goalsof the relationship might be

Mentor:

Protégé:



How to be an Effective Mentor

A mentor should take pride in his or her organization, relish new challenges, andunderstand and support the mission, vision, and values of the organization.

A mentor should be:

P Supportive

P Patient

P Respected

P People-oriented

P A good motivator

P Respectful of others

P An effective teacher

P Self-confident


As a mentor, you should be aware of the stages of mentoring:

Laying the foundation. As the two partners get to know each other, boundaries are setas to what each expects of the connection. As they begin to know more about eachother, trust is established. They reach a point where they can discuss things openly andhonestly.

Clarifying objectives. In this phase, the mentor and the protégé look at realistic optionsand develop a plan to help the protégé reach his or her goals and aspirations. Thementor’s roles in this phase are primarily as coach, motivator, and teacher. He or shedevotes more time to this phase than any other, focusing on providing detailedinformation on many workplace issues and procedures and sharing the benefits andinsights of his or her experiences. It helps if the mentor provides examples of good andbad experiences, shares what did and did not work along the career path, and suggestspitfalls to avoid.


Helping the protégé grow. In this stage, the mentor serves mainly as a counselor,guide, and door-opener. The mentor coaches the protégé to find answers on his or herown. The mentor also encourages the protégé to take risks, try new strategies, askquestions, and make discoveries. Some of the activities a mentor might recommend tohis or her protégé are:

P Attending formal training that couldhelp the protégé become well-roundedand aid in advancement

P Reading books, articles, journals, andother publications to enhanceknowledge

P Trying new projects or specialassignments, or accepting temporarydetails to other positions

P Volunteering to cover for someonewho is on vacation or official travel

P Giving presentations or getting involvedin projects, working groups, or specialevents

P Assuming lead-person responsibilitiesor representing the supervisor atmeetings

P Switching jobs with a coworker for a shortperiod of time

P Joining a professional society, subscribingto a professional journal, and participatingin the society

P Attending conferences and symposiums

P Writing an article for a newsletter,magazine, or professional publication

P Teaching a course

P Mentoring a junior employee

P Shadowing a senior person for a day

P Participating on selection panels or boards

P Getting involved in community service


There are many examples of connections that lasted into retirement based on thefriendships that developed. However, an initial commitment of six months to one year isrecommended. At that time, the mentor and protégé should discuss what they haveaccomplished, whether it would be beneficial to continue, and what to work on in thefuture.

If you are interested in being a mentor, look around for someone who could use yourhelp and guidance. The relationships that cause us to grow the most are those thatchallenge us. Often this is due to our differences as individuals. So if you wish to learnand understand more about yourself and others, form a mentoring partnership withsomeone different from you.


How to be an Effective Protégé

How to make the mentoring connection successful.

P Protégés must want to be a partner in the mentoring connection. To that end, theyprepare and do the appropriate “homework” for meetings with their mentor. Theywork to gain the skills, knowledge, and abilities to grow. They’re flexible, listen totheir mentor, and consider new options. They take initiative, seeking the mentor’sadvice when needed. And they focus on the goal, not getting lost in the process.

P Protégés must know and be able to discuss their needs and objectives with theirmentor. This means they must look inside themselves to identify areas that mightneed work and share them with the mentor.

P Protégés must take responsibility for their career and goals. Although protégés havethe benefit of the mentor’s guidance, they are responsible for their own path. Thementor might guide the protégé on the path to earn a promotion, for instance, but itis the protégé who must earn it.

P Protégés must be open for feedback and look at the situation from the mentor’sperspective to gain a more objective viewpoint. One of the greatest values of theconnection is the ability to have a more experienced person’s viewpoint.

P Protégés must to be willing to try new things, to consider different ways of “gettingthere from here.”

P Protégés periodically assess the progress of the relationship, letting the mentorsknow when priorities must be reset.



Objectives

P Define and understand the importance of emotional intelligence.

P Identify and apply strategies for working with difficult people.

P Identify sources of conflict.

P Apply strategies for managing conflict.

P Prepare and deliver effective briefings.

Communication

Communication can be:

P Face-to-face (formal and informal).

P Written.

P Electronic.

Emotional intelligence is:

P Managing your own emotions.

P Perceiving, assessing, and positively influencing others’ emotions.

Lesson 4: Interpersonal Skills


Working with Difficult People

Personality types:

P The Complainer

P The Bully

P The Know-it-all

P The Procrastinator

P The Manipulator

Techniques:

P Maintain your composure

P Hold realistic expectations

P Don’t play games

P Stay positive

P Be compassionate

Conflict Management

Causes of conflict:

P Disagreements about facts

P Differences about which method will work best to accomplish the objective

P Disparity about the overall objective

P Differences in values, culture, or style of communication

Benefits of conflict:

P Provides the opportunity for growth

P Leads to improved communication

P “Clears the air”

P Increased energy, innovation, and creativity

Lesson 4: Interpersonal Skills (continued)


Ways to manage conflict:

P Allow each person to speak

P Find common ground

P Ask the parties involved to look at the situation from the other’s point of view

P Obtain additional resources

P Make concessions on low-priority issues in exchange for concessions on morehighly valued issues

P Develope a third option.



Exercise: Working with Difficult PeopleInstructions:

1. Divide into groups.

2. Read each scenario.

3. Think about the sources of conflict and techniques to resolve theconflict.

4. Answer the questions.

P Sonya and Paul are writing a report that is due in two weeks. They pulled together aworkgroup to gather the information. They now have the relevant data but arehaving difficulty agreeing how to organize the data. Paul would like to create graphs,but Sonya is worried that it will take to much time to create them. Sonya wants touse tables. They also disagree on how to finalize the report. Sonya believes thereport should go back to the original workgroup for consensus. Paul believes theworkgroup was there just to provide the raw data. He feels the recommendationsshould go directly to upper management. Paul has many years of experience andknows that he is right.

What are the sources of conflict in this scenario?

What techniques can Paul and Sonya use to resolve their conflict?



P Juanita is leading a workgroup to develop new procedures and training for managingcontracts. Members of the workgroup have divided into two factions. One sidewants to focus on lowering costs; the other side is more concerned about the qualityof services. In addition, one individual often voices her negative opinions and feelsthat the workgroup is doomed to fail.

What are the sources of conflict in this scenario?

What techniques can Juanita use to resolve the conflict?



Tips for Working with Difficult People

Tips for working with difficult managers:

P When someone goes into attack mode or becomes defensive, be aware that it isuseless to argue with him or her. Wait for a better opportunity.

P Consider that the person might be feeling insecure at that moment.

P Stay calm. Continuing to push back might escalate the situation.

P If the person confronts you directly, do not take it personally. Wait until he orshe has finished then calmly inform him or her that you would like to continuethe conversation later.

Tips for supervising difficult people:

P After a difficult incident, take the person aside and provide feedback on how hisor her negative behavior is affecting his or her relationship with others on theteam.

P Work with the individual on ways he or she might practice working with othersin more productive ways.

P Schedule regular feedback sessions to provide suggestions.

Tips for managing specific behaviors:

P The complainer is cynical and spreads negativity to others.

Pull the person aside and address his or her issues one by one, and ask forsuggestions about how to fix the problem. When the complainer sees thatyou are taking these complaints seriously, he or she is less likely to continue.

P The bully is domineering, sarcastic, aggressive, and hostile.

Ignore his or her comments. When you do not react to these attempts todistract you, the negative comments will decrease or cease altogether.

P The know-it-all is intimidating, opinionated, and appears to have all the answers.

Let him or her vent before responding. Be direct, polite, and tactful.

P The procrastinator is non-committal, postpones actions, and delays decisions.

Establish a regular time to meet and review the status of current projects.

P The manipulator possesses a strong need to feel in control.

Alter your reactions so that you no longer reward the manipulator with your cooperation.




Tips for managing your own emotions:

P Pay attention when you become defensive. Try to understand why these feelingscome up, and take a moment to think before you react.

P Listen carefully when someone asks a question or makes a suggestion. Take time tothink about his or her suggestion before responding.

P Practice active listening by repeating what you think you heard.

P Ask for more time to respond to a potentially upsetting topic.

P Be open to the possibility that others might have ideas that are just as valid as your own.

P Attend courses or workshops to enhance your listening and team-building skills.

P Ask a trusted friend, co-worker, or counselor to help you work on negative aspectsof yourself. Ask him or her to let you know when you are acting inappropriately.This feedback will help you learn to see what situations and events trigger yourinsecurity.

P Be patient with yourself. Change takes time. Do not give up on yourself.

P Spend a few moments each day reflecting on your own personality and your uniquestrengths and weaknesses to help you become more self-aware.

Communicating with Executive Leadership

Communicate with executives on:

P Action plans, status, and performance results.

P Potential budget or schedule impacts.

P Team needs and accomplishments.

When preparing to speak to executives, keep in mind that they:

P Have time constraints.

P Are focused on the big picture.

P Are interested in the bottom line.



Preparing for a Briefing

Tips:

P Meet with the executive assistant

P Stay focused on the impact of the business

P Present recommended solutions and back-up data

P Be specific about action items

When preparing for a briefing, think about:

P The content of the message.

P The audience.

P The environment.

What steps can you take ahead of time to make a briefing most effective?

Delivering a Briefing

When delivering a briefing, think about:

P Voice.

P Body language.

P Visual aids.

What are effective ways of using these tools when giving a presentation?



Exercise: Deliver a BriefingInstructions:

1. Choose a team leader.

2. Review the background information about mentoring.

3. Brainstorm ideas about the components of the mentoring programand ways to get people excited about participating in the program.

4. Prepare to deliver a briefing to the leadership team.

5. Each team member should take part in the presentation.

6. Your team will have 45 minutes to prepare for the 10-minute briefing.

Background InformationTracking the Mentoring Relationship

Answering the following questions will help the mentor and protégé determine if theyare on track.

P What have we accomplished so far?

P What have been potential barriers to our goals?

P How can we adjust our goals?

P What are our accomplishments?

Mentoring Agreement

A mentoring agreement documents the expectations of the relationship.

P How often will we meet?

P Who is responsible for rescheduling if a conflict arises?

P What is the role of the mentor and protégé?

P What are the goals and objectives of the mentoring relationship?

P What competencies does the protégé want to strengthen?

P How will we know we have met the goals we set out to accomplish? Whatbehaviors will demonstrate progress?

P What learning activities will help the protégé develop the competencies and achievethe goals?


Mentoring Skills Assessment

This assessment determines the readiness of a mentor.

P Am I comfortable being a confidante/sounding board?

P Do I have a positive attitude/optimism about the organization?

P Am I committed to helping others grow and develop?

P Do I have experience exploring a career path?

P Am I knowledgeable about the organizational culture?

Observation Checklist

Was the briefing organized?

Was there a smooth transition between presenters?

Were the visuals easy to understand and did they add value to the presentation?

Did the presenters use effective body language, voice level, and eye contact?

Is there one aspect of the presentation that might be changed to make the briefing moreeffective?



Objectives

P Describe the impact of an organization’s culture on change.

P Apply change-management principles.

P Plan for process improvement.

Change

External forces for change:

P Technological

P Social and political

P Demographic

Internal forces:

P Desire for improved quality

P Desire for increased productivity

What are some examples of external forces that you see in your organization?

What are some examples of internal forces that you see in your organization?

Lesson 5: Effective Change Management


Lesson 5: Effective Change Management (continued)

Key Elements of Change

Successful change requires:

P Vision

P Purpose

P Strategy

P Leadership

Key roles of the leader include helping individuals within the organization:

P Understand the reasons for change.

P Influence the negotiable aspects of change.

P Accept and work with the aspects that are beyond their control.

What roles have you played in the past?



Change Management Process

P Identify problems and their solutions

P Develop a shared vision for the change

P Implement change

P Institutionalize success

P Monitor and adjust


Change-Management Action Items

Action items for leaders:

P Communicate the plan to employees or leaders

P Involve everyone

P Implement the change

P Monitor impact and results

P Celebrate successes

Stages of accepting change:

P Awareness

P Confusion

P Dedication

P Assimilation



Exercise: Experiences in Change Instructions:

1. Work in pairs and discuss an organizational change you have recentlyexperienced.

2. Use the worksheet to identify the given, controllable, and negotiableaspects of change.

Controlling Change WorksheetChange—Describe the change.

Givens—Aspects of the change that I had no control over:

Controllables—Aspects of the change I could control:

Negotiable—Aspects of the change I could influence:



Resistance to Change

Reasons for resisting change:

P Mistrust or belief that the proposed change is a bad idea

P Fear of unknown

P Lack of understanding

P Loyalty to the old structure or process

P Fatigue

P Fear of losing job

What are some ways of overcoming resistance?




Exercise: Change Management Action PlanInstructions:

1. Review the Change Implementation Action Plan.

2. Think back to the organizational change you described in the previousexercise, or describe a change that will be occurring in the future.

3. Use the job aid to analyze the components of this change and identifyappropriate change management tactics.

Tactic Application

EducationAppropriate when looking to close a knowledge gap or skilldeficiency that requires college or technical education (such as thecompletion of a degree or certificate).

Training

Applies when job processes or job technologies have changed andinternal training programs are available to meet the need. Localcolleges and training firms offer technical, skills, and interpersonaltraining.

Coaching/Counseling

There are four types of coaching or counseling:

Performance coaching closes gaps in the quality or production of anindividual’s or a group’s work outputs. It can involve reviewingexamples of desired outputs, reinforcing strategies for producingdesired outputs, and giving constructive feedback on outputs.

Career coaching is useful during workforce transition situations (suchas job transfer, elimination, or redesign). It can involve skillsassessment, resume writing, cover letter writing, job searching tips(internal or external), and education planning.

Process coaching supports groups working on their flow-charting ofprocesses, identifying redundancies, and recommendingimprovements or changes. It is also an appropriate analysis activitywhen reengineering organizational systems.

Human relations coaching provides support, insight, or guidance inhandling inter-group or team relations, change adaptability, orcommunication issues.

(continued on next page)

Change Implementation Job Aid


Tactic Application

Interviewing

Useful if you are collecting sensitive information, if the questionsare mainly open-ended and less suited for a written survey, or ifthere is a need for the interviewer to interact with the intervieweeduring the interview. Can be done in-person or by telephone. In-person is desirable when hearing the information and seeing theperson providing information is beneficial to the outcome (forexample, better opportunity to establish rapport or build relationsand to observe the interviewee’s behavior).

MentoringProgram

Useful if you want to impart leadership knowledge and experienceto culture. Appropriate for addressing diversity issues aroundchange by establishing special programs for underrepresentedgroups. Can be an informal or formal program.

Tool or Model

Helpful in situations where a job aid can contribute to improvingperformance or can provide support in applying a process. Cansupplement formal training, be used as a guide when coaching, and is an effective method for enabling employees to performindependently.

Intervention

Involves using activities (such as team building, role clarification, orstructured feedback) to influence behavior, stop certain behaviors,or increase awareness. The goal is to get a group back on trackand can involve one activity or a series of activities designed tomeet a specific need.

Assessment orSurvey

Aids with collecting employees’ opinions or attitudes about change(for example, change readiness survey or team participation survey).

Focus Group

Useful to obtain sensitive information, debrief after an incident tochannel emotions, debrief after completion of a project for lessonslearned, or assess employees’ readiness for or adaptation tochange. Can be intact or cross-functional groups.

Communication

Used to inform, educate, motivate, or influence. Newsletters, e-mail,voice mail, all-employee letters, banners, and bulletin boards areexamples of communication vehicles. Appropriate during change(for example, a merger) because employees need and want to beinformed of what is happening and motivated to stay engaged. A communication vacuum leads to half-truths, innuendoes, andlies. Communication during all phases of change is necessary.Timeliness, honesty, and constancy are key.

Change Implementation Job Aid (continued)

(continued on next page)



Copyright © April 1999 Infoline. Reprinted with permission of American Society for Training & Development.

Tactic Application

ActionPlanning

Helpful in transferring classroom learning to the job, applying a process to a situation, and implementing individual or groupperformance development activities.

SystemAlignment

Involves changing systems (such as compensation, performancereview, training, and selection/promotion) to support the type ofculture the organization wants to build. For example, if yourorganization wants to create a culture of entrepreneurial thinkers,the design of its compensation system might include a reward(such as bonus) for developing and successfully implementing ideasthat grow the business. Elements like employee empowerment,risk-taking, and trust would have to be a part of this culture. Youwould also need an infrastructure of resources, tracking methods,and reporting. (This is actually more of a strategy than a tactic.)

Change Implementation Job Aid (continued)




Process Management

Important terms:

P Process

P Process improvement

P Process management

What are some examples of processes performed within your organizations?



Exercise: Identifying Your ProcessesInstructions:

1. Select a process.

2. Analyze the process.

Process Definition WorksheetIdentify:

P The starting point and end point

P The output

P Inputs

P Actions

P Individuals responsible for those actions

What challenges did your group experience when trying to identify and analyzethe processes?



Supporting Process Improvement

P Solicit team input

P Set annual improvement objectives

P Coach and develop team members

P Empower the team

P Support the team

Process Management Tools and Techniques

P Focus groups

P Training

P Team sponsorship

What are some ways for you to identify process improvements?



Brainstorming

P General brainstorming

1. Write the topic or problem.

2. Give each person the chance to express his or her idea.

3. Record each idea.

4. Continue this process until all ideas have been shared.

P Silent brainstorming

P Round robin

Remember to:P Ensure that no one criticizes or evaluates ideas during the session. This could inhibit

people from sharing.

P Welcome creativity. Encourage the group to think outside the box.

P Encourage all ideas.

P Encourage participants to build on the ideas of others.

P Make sure that everyone has a note pad to jot down ideas while others are talking.



Exercise: BrainstormingInstructions:

1. Review the processes mapped in the previous exercise.

2. Brainstorm ideas for improving the process.

3. Focus on improving the quality, productivity, cost, or any otherelement you deem appropriate.

How did you choose where to focus an improvement effort?

Narrowing Down the List

Use the list from the brainstorming session:

1. Clarify

2. Group similar ideas

3. Rank ideas

4. Compile the vote

You can use several tools to further define the appropriate solution:

P Decision matrices

P Idea selection grids



Background data:

PackageName Cost Training Installation

GP Enterprise $250,000 30 hrs. 4 weeks

MySAP ERP $500,000 50 hrs. 2 weeks

PeopleSoft $750,000 10 hrs. 1 week

Sage MAS 500 $100,000 120 hrs. 3 weeks

Exercise: Decision Matrix The decision-matrix tool is useful when there are many ideas to considerand many factors to take into account.

Instructions:

1. List the various options.

2. List the factors to consider.

3. Complete the decision-matrix table.

4. Determine the importance of each factor. Use numbers to representthis.

5. Score each option from 0 (poor) to 3 (very good). You do not need toassign a different score for each option.

6. Multiply each score by the weight of each factor.

7. Add up the scores. The option with the highest score wins.



PackageName Cost Training Installation Total Score

GP Enterprise

MySAP ERP

PeopleSoft

Sage MAS 500

Weight



Idea Selection Grid1. Determine the impact.

2. Estimate the effort.

3. Analyze the results.

High Impact

Medium Impact

Low Impact

Little Effort Moderate Effort Great Effort

Recommendations placed in the upper left quadrant (high impact, low effort) are preferableand deserve further consideration.



Exercise: Forced FitsInstructions:

1. Decide upon the concept or skill you feel is the most important ofthose reviewed in this lesson.

2. Present the concept or skill within a forced fit. Use one of thefollowing techniques:

a. Create an acronym (example: LAP — Leadership Action Plan).

b. Use a number sequence (example: One thing we must remember isthe brainstorming steps. Two concepts that will help us makedecisions are... Three steps to...).

3. Share your forced fit with the class.

Course Conclusion

Summary

P Increasing Your Leadership Quotient

P Leadership in Action

P Interpersonal Skills

P Effective Change Management

operational leadership participant guide sample

Business

operational leadership

executive leadership

leadership quotient9objectives

change management process

changemanagement techniques

leadership styles experiences

change management action

changemanagement action