Steps to Success COS 4860 Bruce K. Barnard

Steps to Success Be Prepared – What is the objective? – Research – Environment (internal & external)

Steps to Success Interview Effectively – Ask questions (who, what, where, when, how, why) – Identify the organizational culture Learning is more about asking the right questions than knowing the right answer!

Steps to Success Gain trust – Be honest & open – Avoid hidden agendas – Honor commitments and guidelines – Respect confidentiality

Steps to Success Listen! – Use the empathic listening model – Listen – Paraphrase – Empathize – Question – Listen

Steps to Success Commit to Quality – Evaluate your performance – Improve your skills – Be open to feedback

Steps to Success Communicate Intentionally – Respond to diverse learning styles and approaches to issues – We respond to the client’s preferred style not our own!

Steps to Success Focus on our clients – Communicate – Demonstrate concern Understand needs – Probe for problems in communication – Take a big picture view

The Central Question Who is responsible for the performance and results of the team?

10 Steps to Team Success (Rees, 1997) Focus the Team – Get acquainted – Write a charter – Begin documentation

10 Steps to Team Success (Rees, 1997) Assign Roles – Review team functions – Assign roles – Clarify responsibilities

10 Steps to Team Success (Rees, 1997) Establish guidelines – Review healthy team behaviors – Decide team guidelines – Add to team charter

10 Steps to Team Success (Rees, 1997) Plan the work – Lay out major goals – Break into tasks – Schedule asks – Assign responsibility

10 Steps to Team Success (Rees, 1997) Do the work – Meet regularly – Update action items – Communicate – Address problems

10 Steps to Team Success (Rees, 1997) Review team performance – Complete evaluation – Discuss – Decide actions

10 Steps to Team Success (Rees, 1997) Complete the work – Aim for completion – Overcome problems – Document results

10 Steps to Team Success (Rees, 1997) Publish the results – Set communication goals – Plan the communication – Present/publish

10 Steps to Team Success (Rees, 1997) Reward the team – Celebrate milestones as a team – Recognize the team in the organization

10 Steps to Team Success (Rees, 1997) Move on – Disband – Restructure – Renew

Outcomes Traditional Individual work is clearly defined Competition among individuals “This is my job” Team-Based Team performance is clearly defined Collaboration among individuals Competition among teams “This is our job”

Decision-Making Minority Decisions Majority Decisions Unanimous Decisions Consensus Decisions

Decision-Making Minority Decision – No time to draw people into the process – Only a few people are affected – The group assigned decision-making to an individual or subgroup

Decision-Making Minority decision advantages – Quick and efficient, especially for non critical decisions – Capitalizes on knowledge and experience of the decision-maker Minority decision disadvantages – Lack of commitment to the decision

Decision-Making Majority decision advantages – Quick and efficient – Works for very large groups – Expedient for decisions not affecting process Majority decision disadvantages – Winners/losers – Can promote conflict & alliances

Decision-Making Unanimous decision advantages – Commitment to decision Unanimous decision disadvantages – Quick, unanimous decisions can lead to poor decisions – Group think

Decision-Making What is consensus? “A state of mutual agreement among members of a group where all legitimate concerns of individuals have been addressed to the satisfaction of the group”. Saint and Lawson

Decision-Making How do we reach consensus? – Share goals, needs, and ideas – Debate, organize, and prioritize – Construct a solution or decision together

Decision-Making Consensus decision advantages – Highest level of commitment – Each consensus decision creates fertile ground for the next Consensus decision disadvantages – Can be time-consuming and difficult

Decision-Making Advantages of consensus Disadvantages of consensus

Evaluation What are we doing well? What do we need to stop doing? What do we need to start doing? What do we need to do more of? What do we need to do less of?

Tasks Coordinating the team Keeping the team focused on tasks Keeping the team focused on working together as a team Facilitating meetings Documenting Supporting the team within the organization

Tasks Collaborating and reaching consensus Communications with team members Communicating with people outside the team Contributing to the team effort Seeking resources and support

Formal Roles Team leader Team facilitator Team member Team sponsor (mentor, advisor, coach) Team recorder

Informal Roles Clarifier Compromiser Consensus Taker Encourager Opinion Seeker Follower Gatekeeper Intitiator Orienter Reality tester Standard Setter Summarizer Harmonizer Information Seeker Informer