New Supervisor Training
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New Supervisor Training
John E. Jones Chris W. Chen
• BOSTON • HEIDELBERG • LONDON • NEW YORK • OXFORD • SAN DIEGO • SAN FRANCISCO • SINGAPORE • SYDNEY • TOKYO
AMSTERDAM PARIS
Pergamon Flexible Learning is an imprint of Elsevier
This eBook does not include ancillary media that was packaged with the printed version of the book.
Pergamon Flexible Learning is an imprint of Elsevier Linacre House, Jordan Hill, Oxford OX2 8DP 30 Corporate Drive, Suite 400, Burlington, MA 01803, USA First published in Great Britain 2006 Copyright © 2006, The American Society of Training and Development. Published by Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved The right of The American Society of Training and Development to be identified as the author of this work has been asserted in accordance with the Copyright, Designs and Patents Act 1988 No part of this publication may be reproduced, stored in a retrieval system or transmitted in any form or by any means electronic, mechanical, photocopying, recording or otherwise without the prior written permission of the publisher Permissions may be sought directly from Elsevier’s Science & Technology Rights Department in Oxford, UK: phone (+44) (0) 1865 843830; fax (+44) (0) 1865 853333; email:
[email protected]. Alternatively you can submit your request online by visiting the Elsevier web site at http://elsevier.com/locate/permissions, and selecting Obtaining permission to use Elsevier material British Library Cataloguing in Publication Data A catalogue record for this book is available from the British Library ISBN–13: 978-0-7506-6366-3 ISBN–10: 0-7506-6366-9 For information on all Pergamon Flexible Learning publications visit our web site at http://books.elsevier.com Typeset by Charon Tec Ltd, Chennai, India www.charontec.com Printed and bound in Great Britain 06 07 08 09 10 10 9 8 7 6 5 4 3 2 1
The Trainer’s Workshop Series
The Trainer’s Workshop Series is designed to be a practical, hands-on roadmap to help you quickly develop training in key business areas. Each book in the series offers all the exercises, handouts, assessments, structured experiences and ready-to-use presentations needed to develop effective training sessions. In addition to easy-to-use icons, each book in the series includes a companion CD-ROM with PowerPoint™ presentations and electronic copies of all supporting material featured in the book.
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C o n t e n t s
Preface
xi
About the Authors
Chapter 1
Chapter 2
Chapter 3
Chapter 4
xiii
INTRODUCTION: HOW TO USE THIS BOOK EFFECTIVELY
1
Realities of Training New Supervisors
2
The Top 10 Mistakes Made by New Supervisors
3
How to Use This Workbook Most Effectively
5
What This Workbook Includes
7
Icons
8
ASSESSING THE LEARNING NEEDS OF NEW SUPERVISORS
11
Methods for Needs Assessment
11
General Warnings and Caveats
12
Two Key Resources for Needs Assessment
13
Using Focus Groups to Assess Training Needs
14
DESIGNING INTERACTIVE TRAINING FOR NEW SUPERVISORS
19
Principles of Adult Learning
19
Using the Sample Designs to Create Successful Trainings
21
Tips on Designing Effective Training for New Supervisors
22
FACILITATING NEW SUPERVISOR TRAINING
25
What Is a Facilitator?
25
Experiential Learning
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Contents
Chapter 5
Chapter 6
Chapter 7
Chapter 8
Chapter 9
Debriefing Experiential Learning
28
Creating the Learning Environment
30
What to Do Next
31
EVALUATING AND IMPROVING NEW SUPERVISOR TRAINING
33
Why Bother Evaluating?
33
The Classic Levels of Training Evaluation
34
Instruments for Evaluation in This Workbook
35
Improving Training for New Supervisors
36
What to Do Next
37
NEW SUPERVISOR TRAINING FOR INDIVIDUALS AND SMALL GROUPS (1–2 1/2 HOURS)
39
Individual Training
39
Small Group Training
42
HALF-DAY SESSION (3–4 HOURS)
45
Half-Day Training Sessions
45
Half-Day Agenda One
47
Half-Day Agenda Two
48
Half-Day Agenda Three
49
FULL-DAY SESSION
51
Full-Day Agenda One
54
Full-Day Agenda Two
56
MULTI-DAY SESSION
59
Sample Agenda
62
Chapter 10 CONTENT MODULES
67
Using Content Modules
67
Modules Presented
68
Coaching Module (75 minutes)
70
Delegation Module (50 minutes)
74
Learning Opportunities Module (45 minutes)
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Contents
Learning Partners Module (15–60 minutes, depending
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on number of participants) Motivation Module (75 minutes) 1 4
1 4
79
Teamwork Module (2 / –4 / hours)
81
Visioning Module (90 minutes)
83
Chapter 11 TRAINING INSTRUMENTS AND TOOLS
91
Training Instruments and Tools
91
Instruments and Tools Presented
92
Instrument 11–1: Trainer Competencies
94
Tool 11–1: Trainer’s Action Plan for Professional
100
Improvement Instrument 11–2: Structured Interview Protocol for
102
Assessing the Learning Needs of New Supervisors Instrument 11–3: Self-Assessment for New Supervisors
105
Tool 11–2: New Supervisor’s Action Plan for
113
Self-Improvement Instrument 11–4: Coaching Skills and Practices
115
Assessment Tool 11–3: Action Plan for Self-Improvement in
119
Coaching Skills Instrument 11–5: Supervisor Training Follow-Up
121
Assessment
Chapter 12 STRUCTURED EXPERIENCES
131
Structured Experiences Presented
132
Structured Experience 12–1: Alpha Beta
134
Structured Experience 12–2: Balloon Sculpture
145
Structured Experience 12–3: Caterpillar Race
149
Structured Experience 12–4: Distance Teaming
152
Structured Experience 12–5: Federal Reserve
156
Structured Experience 12–6: Paper Tower
161
Structured Experience 12–7: Peer Feedback
165
USING THE COMPACT DISC
169
Contents of the CD
169
Computer Requirements
169
Appendix
ix
x
Contents
References
Printing from the CD
170
Adapting the PowerPoint Slides
171
Showing the PowerPoint Presentations
171 175
P r e f a c e
New supervisors have particular needs. They are making a critical transition into management, and this change requires developing a number of competencies quickly. We wrote this book to provide trainers and consultants with a resource that allows them to meet the needs of new supervisors in ways that reflect local organizational reality. Our goal was to provide a workbook that is flexible – that makes it easy for trainers and consultants to assess the learning needs of their prospective participants and adapt training material accordingly. The training designs included in this workbook are intended to help trainers and consultants create dynamic developmental modules. The elements in this book may be used as stand-alone features, or in various combinations. We also wanted to replace timeworn overheads and viewgraphs with simple multimedia technology. The compact disc that accompanies this book contains Adobe Acrobat .pdf files of all printable components, so it is easy to view and print these files from almost any kind of computer. The PowerPoint files included on the compact disc are also user-friendly and adaptable. Users can even opt for overheads and viewgraphs by printing viewgraphs from the overhead masters PowerPoint files included on the CD. We came together as authors in 2002 from different places. John Jones had contributed to the development of theory, technique and technology for many years, and had edited, co-edited and written more than 30 books in the area of adult learning theory and methodology. Chris Chen is actively involved as an internal training and development professional. The successful melding of our two backgrounds produced a book that benefits from our experience and day-to-day involvement and from the creativity of collaboration.
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Preface
Developing this book was stimulating for both of us. We were able to combine our experiences and insights quickly and easily, and in the process we also created a new friendship. John E. Jones Chris W. Chen
A b o u t
t h e
A u t h o r s
John E. Jones, who died in 2003, was president of Organizational Universe Systems, and he consulted widely with a variety of clients, including Air Canada, AT&T, Blanchard Training & Development, Coca-Cola, Owens Corning, General Motors and Motorola. He was an experienced trainer, presenter, counsellor, professor, entrepreneur and consultant, who effectively bridged theory, research and practical applications. Jones probably is best known for his work on popular experience-based training and consulting handbooks that are used by trainers and consultants around the world. Jones was a member of the American Society for Training & Development and the Organization Development Network. He received the Network’s award for outstanding contributions to the field and served the Network as a consulting editor for its major publication, OD Practitioner. He taught counsellor education at the University of Iowa for eight years, and lectured on an array of topics in education, training, organization behaviour and leadership. Executive team building, one-on-one coaching, intergroup problem solving, organizational survey feedback, and management development were Jones’s special interests. He has collaborated with William L. Bearley on state-of-theart employee and leadership survey technology and on management training instruments that address empowerment, participative management, team development, organizational change, intergroup relations, neurolinguistic programming, and employee burnout.
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About the Authors
Chris W. Chen is an organization effectiveness manager with Sempra Energy, a Fortune 500 company in San Diego, California. He also runs his own consulting business, specializing in leadership training. Previously, Chen led Sempra’s organization development function, where he was responsible for leadership development, organization development, training and employee communications. He held a similar role at the National Steel and Shipbuilding Company. While working for the Center for Creative Leadership, Chen was programme manager for the Looking Glass Experience and Leading Downsized Organizations, and trained Foundations of Leadership and Leadership Development. Before moving to San Diego, Chen spent 10 years as an organization effectiveness specialist in a high-technology Fortune 500 company. There he worked as a finance manager, human resource generalist, and organization development consultant. He has been responsible for conducting strategic needs assessments and preparing leadership development and succession plans for a 30,000-person organization, and has provided consulting in TQM, work design, team building, culture change and performance management. Chen has a Bachelor of Arts degree from the University of California, Irvine, where he majored in economics. He also received his Master of Business Administration degree from UCI, where his studies included an emphasis in organizational behaviour. He was an adjunct professor of organizational behaviour at California State University, Long Beach, and lectured on TQM at the John Anderson Graduate School of Management (UCLA). His previous publications include Simply Spoken Leadership (David and Roe Press, 1998) and articles on a variety of human resource topics. He has spoken at several major conferences, including the Colby leadership conference.
C h a p t e r
1
Introduction: How to Use This Book Effectively What’s in This Chapter?
Realities of training new supervisors
Top 10 mistakes made by new supervisors
How to use this workbook most effectively
The first level of supervision in any company or organization has a dramatic impact on employee performance and behaviour because for most employees an immediate supervisor is the embodiment of the company. The behaviours and attitudes of supervisors therefore drive employee perceptions of the company. Frontline supervisors are a main determinant of performance, retention and morale. As newly appointed agents of a company, new supervisors can create huge liabilities if they do not know their responsibilities or the magnified impact of their actions. This workbook aims to facilitate the development and effective delivery of training for new supervisors and for other supervisors. That preparation is critical for it helps protect the company’s interests, maximizes its performance, and enables an organization to get the most from its employees. In developing this workbook, the authors reviewed the available literature on new supervisor training, interviewed other experts in the field and combined that knowledge with their extensive experience designing and delivering interactive training that hits the mark. Both authors have led numerous seminars and developmental sessions with newly appointed supervisors, and have pioneered the development of hands-on, experiential learning that features interactive technology. The approaches in this book reflect a broad range of experience and knowledge gleaned from many years of fruitful experimentation and evaluation. 1
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New Supervisor Training
The training materials here focus on helping a new supervisor make the transition from contributor to leader, and they can be used in a broad array of private and public organizations. Although the material is designed for training newly appointed supervisors, many experienced supervisors continue to need assistance with the transition from individual contributor to leader, and they, too, can benefit from this training.
Realities of Training New Supervisors Because new supervisors often are promoted from within an organization, they usually work directly with employees who were previously their peers. It follows that most people new to a supervisory role face common challenges. Many were selected for advancement because they were the best individual contributors in their units, but they lack formal training on how to delegate work to others and they often have little or no knowledge of a supervisor’s legal responsibilities. New supervisors typically feel great pressure to perform in new roles although they lack the comfort of excellent job knowledge and relevant experience. In addition, new supervisors may be subject to jealousy and resentment from those former peers not selected for supervisory positions, and they may feel uncertain about how relationships and friendships with former peers will be affected by changes in roles. Organizations find it cost-effective and motivating to implement the policy of promoting hourly workers or individual contributors to supervisory positions. It takes time for ‘outsiders’ to become properly orientated to the mission, goals, values and work requirements of a particular organization. Promoting from within avoids the extra expenses of orienting new people. Also, for employees who are motivated to become leaders in an organization, the logical career path includes first-line supervision. They will find it highly desirable to be chosen, so it is important to provide them with the resources they need to make a successful transition. The formal reward systems of many organizations can be described as consisting of three Ps — pay, perks and promotions. For most people, promotion is seen as a validation and recognition of past contributions. Of course, not all employees are motivated the same way, and not every individual seeks promotion to a supervisory position. Some may be more properly rewarded informally with forms of recognition other than increased responsibilities. Those
Introduction: How to Use This Book Effectively
who do want to become supervisors need to develop the competencies, skills and knowledge required for leadership and management.
The Top 10 Mistakes Made by New Supervisors Because new supervisors face common challenges, they often make predictable mistakes. It is important that trainers and facilitators anticipate these common errors in judgement and strategy. 1.
Seizing power and attempting to hold onto it. New supervisors often are enemies of empowerment. They see their supervisory authority as an opportunity to wield long-sought power. They seem to think they will solidify their power base by making all decisions because they don’t understand the paradox of power: the more you give it away, the more you have. The best way to ‘give it away’ is to develop team members, remove roadblocks to task accomplishment and empower others to make the decisions necessary to get the job done.
2.
Failing to solicit feedback. The rhetorical question, ‘How are you ever going to know if you don’t ask?’ applies directly to new supervisors. Perhaps more than other leaders, they need to ask for feedback on how well they are performing in new roles. Unfortunately, newly appointed supervisors often lack the security to ask for honest feedback because they fear what they might be told.
3.
Delegating without authorizing. Like many of these mistakes, this problem is not unique to new supervisors. Nonetheless, it is common for new supervisors to hold people accountable without having given them appropriate authority. This practice is linked to the mistake of attempting to hold on to power. Requiring people to produce results without enabling them to manage their own work processes frustrates team members and is an inefficient means to accomplish organizational goals.
4.
Reprimanding employees in the presence of others. No one likes to receive negative feedback (much less harangues and threats) in front of colleagues. The practice of pointing out mistakes or reprimanding supervisees within earshot of colleagues can be demeaning, degrading and demotivating. It is also not a very intelligent course
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New Supervisor Training
of action and is perhaps behind the observation, ‘whoever gets unionized deserves it’. 5.
Supervising everyone the same way. It is clear there is no one best way to supervise employees. Yet many new supervisors confuse differentiating among direct reports with showing favouritism. For example, rarely do new supervisors conduct group meetings to explain why they treat different people differently or consider such differentiation to be a legitimate practice to be discussed. New supervisors tend to make assumptions about what motivates their people, but studies have shown they actually tend to lack knowledge about what their people want, need and expect.
6.
Keeping the interesting work for themselves. Employees commonly complain that supervisors give them only routine, noncreative work tasks. Sometimes new supervisors appear overwhelmed by responsibilities because their new work calls for competencies they have not yet developed, and they are most comfortable doing familiar tasks. Sometimes they revert to what got them the promotion – working as individual contributors – rather than learning how to get the work done through others.
7.
Siding with team members. New supervisors can feel overly sympathetic to team members, especially those who are also their friends. When conflicts arise, new supervisors’ close relationships with former peers and empathy for those in familiar situations can keep them from appropriately balancing the needs of employees and the needs of the organization.
8.
Distancing themselves from direct reports. Although some side with team members in detrimental ways, other new supervisors see it as necessary or desirable to pull away from former colleagues. They live by the adage ‘familiarity breeds contempt’, and they often destroy valuable relationships. Supervising others’ work does not mean walling oneself away from them, but some new supervisors interpret their responsibilities as requiring a separateness that direct reports interpret as aloofness, arrogance or insecurity.
9.
Promoting an us-versus-them attitude. This can take two forms. On one hand, the new supervisor may blame management for lack of support of the group’s work or for changing priorities. On the other hand, some new supervisors develop an attitude toward their
Introduction: How to Use This Book Effectively
own people: ‘They’ are untrustworthy, lazy, unimaginative and so on. Both conditions deny two important facts: To employees, the supervisor is the organization, and the supervisor’s main task is the development of the team. 10.
Engaging in unlawful behaviours. Often new supervisors have observed their former supervisors and other leaders within the organization engaging in indefensible practices or even breaking the law which could lead to action being taken against an individual manager or the organization itself. It follows that new supervisors may engage in questionable practices without knowing they are behaving unlawfully.
That is a formidable list, but it is instructive and it can help focus the training of new supervisors. Individuals usually mean well, but they often don’t know how to perform the role of supervisor effectively. Avoiding mistakes requires competencies, skills and knowledge. Awareness of the potential negative effects of common errors can be a constructive first step in the development of supervisors. As we are fond of pointing out, awareness precedes meaningful choice.
How to Use This Workbook Most Effectively This workbook is a resource for developing and conducting training sessions that help improve the performance and confidence of supervisors. Participants in trainings may include a mix of new and experienced supervisors seeking improvement of leadership skills. Both experienced and novice trainers will be able to use this book in a flexible manner to ensure that sessions meet the real needs of client organizations. Sample training programmes are included in this workbook, along with the materials required for various sorts of training. The individual modules, structured learning activities and instruments provided also can be incorporated into existing training, or mixed and matched into a variety of custom designs. In developing training, the authors strongly suggest that you:
identify the target audience for supervisory training
assess the learning needs of potential participants
modify the enclosed designs to suit specific needs, if necessary
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New Supervisor Training
evaluate the outcomes of training sessions in order to engage in continuous improvement of trainers and training sessions.
This book can be a reference for you, and you can borrow from it those structured experiences, handouts and designs that fit your local needs. Follow this more comprehensive set of steps to use this workbook most effectively: 1.
Study the book. Study the entire list of contents of this workbook to get an overview of the resources it contains.
2.
Review the CD. Review the contents of the accompanying compact disc to see how they relate to the material in the printed book. Open the printable files and PowerPoint presentations so that you can determine how those materials will enrich your training and which handouts you may want to print and copy. This step should include a careful reading of the Appendix, ‘Using the Compact Disc’, found at the back of the workbook or on the accompanying CD.
3.
Review Chapter 2. Study and apply the strategies outlined in Chapter 2, ‘Assessing the Learning Needs of New Supervisors’, to identify the needs in your organization and ensure that your sessions with new supervisors are relevant and timely.
4.
Review Chapter 3. When you have absorbed the trends that you discover in your needs assessment, proceed to Chapter 3, ‘Designing Interactive Training for New Supervisors’. Design your session to meet the specific learning needs expressed by potential participants. As you formulate a plan for facilitating the learning of your client audience, carefully consider modifying the designs included in this workbook. There are sample designs in Chapters 6–9 that may be used as written or modified as your needs analysis suggests. The content modules in Chapter 10 are detailed so you can plan to use them as is or modify them. Chapters 11 and 12 include the structured experiences, worksheets and assessments required by the training modules. Each of these is also a stand-alone item so you can easily incorporate any or all of them into existing training designs.
5.
Review Chapter 4. Prepare to facilitate your training by studying the approaches in Chapter 4, ‘Facilitating New Supervisor Training’. Each session should improve on previous trainings, and that chapter
Introduction: How to Use This Book Effectively
includes tips on how to ensure that facilitators learn and improve along with trainees. While participants learn about becoming highly effective supervisors, you will learn about becoming a highly effective facilitator. 6.
Review Chapter 5. Plan to evaluate each of your training sessions. Chapter 5, ‘Evaluating and Improving New Supervisor Training’, explains why this is important and provides steps to follow to assess the payoffs of training new supervisors. Outline the steps you will take to gather and analyse data and to modify your training in response to your evaluation.
7.
Design your training. Chapters 6–9 offer step-by-step instructions for creating training events of varying lengths (from one hour to several days) and for audiences of various sizes. The specific materials found in Chapters 10, 11 and 12 (and on the accompanying CD) fill out these sessions with appropriate content, structured experiences and assessments. Follow the directions and you are ready to train!
What This Workbook Includes The aim of this workbook is to equip trainers with the tools to design and conduct highly interactive, engaging training that is clearly on target concerning the needs of new supervisors. This compendium contains numerous individual items that can be combined in myriad training designs. These items include the following:
methods and effective practices for assessing the learning needs of actual or potential training participants (Chapter 2)
training modules that may be used as is or modified to meet local needs (Chapter 10)
tips and tricks for effective training of new supervisors (Chapter 4)
evaluation methods and effective practices for new supervisor training sessions, including tools for trainer assessment and approaches that encourage continuous improvement (Chapter 5)
structured experiences applicable to a variety of topics that are relevant to training new supervisors (Chapter 12)
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New Supervisor Training
training instruments that address several vital dimensions of new supervisor effectiveness (Chapters 10, 11 and 12)
printable documents that can be used in trainings (CD)
Microsoft PowerPoint presentations and slides for making presentations and giving instructions (CD)
Icons For easy reference, icons are included in the margins of this workbook so you can identify key points in a chapter or module, and easily locate particular instruments and handouts. Here is what the icons look like: CD: This icon indicates materials included on the CD accompanying this workbook.
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3
Clock: This icon indicates suggested time frames for an activity.
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Discussion Questions: This icon points out questions you can use to explore significant facets of the training.
Handout: This icon indicates handouts you can print or copy and then use in ways that enhance the training experience.
Key Point: This icon will alert you to key points that should be emphasized in relation to a particular training topic.
PowerPoint item: This icon indicates PowerPoint presentations and slides that can be used individually. These presentations and slides are on the CD included with your workbook, and copies of the slides are included in Chapters 10 and 11. Instructions for using PowerPoint slides and the CD are included in the Appendix.
Introduction: How to Use This Book Effectively
Structured Experience: This icon introduces structured experiences included in Chapter 12.
Tool: This icon identifies a tool that offers useful information for supervisors.
Training Instrument: This icon introduces the interactive training instruments included in Chapters 10 and 11.
What to Do Next: This icon denotes recommendations for what to do after completing a particular section.
The first step of training includes identifying what your trainees need to learn. The following chapter will help you assess the needs of your clients so that you can then decide how to use the resources provided in this workbook to develop your training.
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C h a p t e r
2
Assessing the Learning Needs of New Supervisors What’s in This Chapter?
Methods for needs assessment
General warnings about what not to do
Two key assessment tools
Tips on conducting successful focus groups
Before you can begin training, you need to know some specific things about what potential trainees need to learn. This chapter will give you some basic guidance in assessing the needs of clients.
Methods for Needs Assessment Trainers should adopt methods that will uncover the competencies new supervisors need both in the present and in relation to the future of the organization. There are four discrete strategies for determining what new supervisors need to learn. It is seldom desirable to employ only one of these methods in assessing those learning needs, so a fifth option – combining various strategies – is also discussed below. 1.
Survey. This is a paper or Intranet method of gathering information from a large or geographically dispersed group of newly named supervisors. The advantages of surveys are speed of data collection, objectivity, repeatability and ease of analysis. ‘Multirater’ or ‘360°’ assessments are preferable to simple self-assessments in determining new supervisors’ learning needs.
2.
Interview. This method involves talking either face-to-face or by telephone with prospective participants. The advantages of interviews include the personal interface, and the fact that the interviewer has 11
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an opportunity to clarify responses, but interviews are very timeconsuming. In addition, data from interviews – even highly structured ones – often are difficult to analyse. 3.
Job Analysis. In many organizations, new supervisors are provided with specific job descriptions. This strategy involves studying actual job descriptions to determine the needed competencies for a particular position. For facilitators considering this method, it is important to remember that research has shown that many jobs don’t make sense. Analysing skill and knowledge requirements can therefore produce a misleading description of learning needs. When the positions in question have been designed effectively in a socio-technical sense, however, job analysis can be a vital part of training needs assessments.
4.
Organizational Analysis. When senior leaders have established a vision for an organization, the resulting statement can imply what new supervisors need in order to help actualize an organization’s goals. This method involves careful study of the organization’s vision, purpose, mission, values and goals.
5.
Mixed Methods. A combination of methods offers the greatest likelihood of finding the real developmental needs of new supervisors and enrolling them as active participants in the training. Each aspect of a mixed strategy requires attention to the realities, requirements and constraints of a particular organization.
General Warnings and Caveats Assessing the learning needs of new supervisors should be carried out in a thoughtful, sensitive and involving manner. Here are some warnings about pitfalls to avoid:
Don’t ask anyone about others’ needs. Often trainers solicit information about the learning needs of new supervisors from their managers. A problem with this practice is that managers often do not directly observe supervisors’ work. Also, if managers are the sole source of data about supervisors’ learning needs, supervisors may not feel personally involved in the training in a meaningful way. They may even feel threatened by the prospect of being rated by managers.
Assessing the Learning Needs of New Supervisors
Don’t assess needs you can’t meet. Training needs assessment raises expectations. It sends a message to new supervisors that the organization expects them to be competent in particular areas. For example, if you ask about the degree to which new supervisors need to be competent in time management, you are signalling that this is an important competence, and that the organization is prepared to train supervisors in time management.
Involve new supervisors directly. Sometimes new supervisors don’t see a need to participate in training. They believe supervision is simple and straightforward. In assessing needs, trainers also need to prepare new supervisors to buy into the training. Asking useful questions and listening carefully to stated needs are excellent methods for accomplishing both of those goals. Some useful questions are, ‘To what degree would you like to learn how to do [X] more effectively?’ and ‘To what degree would you seriously consider participating in training to improve your competency in [X]?’
Make the identified needs an obvious part of your training design. Trainees should be able to see that they have influenced the content and emphasis of the training session. A good practice is briefly to summarize the local trends discovered in the training needs assessment when you introduce the goals of the session.
Don’t think of training as a ‘magic bullet’. Sometimes a given supervisor needs coaching, counselling or consulting. These activities are best carried out one-on-one and should be completely customized to each supervisor’s situation. If the only development opportunities presented to that individual are training and attending the school of hard knocks, much of what the person learns may miss the target.
Two Key Resources for Needs Assessment Two useful instruments included in this workbook are designed to assess the developmental needs of new supervisors. The Structured Interview Protocol for Assessing the Learning Needs of New Supervisors (Instrument 11–2) and the Self-Assessment for New Supervisors (Instrument 11–3) can be adapted according to local requirements. Instrument 11–2: Structured Interview Protocol for Assessing the Learning Needs of New Supervisors – Use this protocol to take interview notes. The .pdf
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New Supervisor Training
version of this protocol is included on the CD that accompanies this workbook, and the protocol is found in Chapter 11, on page 103. Instrument 11–3: Self-Assessment for New Supervisors – Use this assessment instrument either as a survey questionnaire or in preparation for the training session. You also may adapt the instrument for 360° assessments. The .pdf file version of this self-assessment is included on the CD that accompanies this workbook, and the instrument is found in Chapter 11, on page 111.
Using Focus Groups to Assess Training Needs An efficient method for gathering data on the learning needs of new supervisors is to form groups to discuss relevant needs. It is important to bear in mind that focus groups can be slippery – that is, they can go off track easily. Participants may begin to complain about ‘the system’, or they may want to talk about anything but their personal deficiencies as supervisors. That is why good facilitation is necessary for effective focus groups. Remember that when several participants are speaking rapidly, it is difficult to capture the data. We advise using recording/taping for that function. The following step-by-step method is effective for adapting, preparing for and conducting effective focus groups to assess the developmental needs of new supervisors. Step 1.
Determine the target audience for your training and generate a list that includes name, length of service as a supervisor and contact information for each person.
Step 2.
Schedule one or more focus group sessions in accessible, private venues. Allow about an hour for each session.
Step 3.
Invite members of your target audience to register to attend one or more focus groups discussing the challenges supervisors face. Plan for groups of five to seven members because groups should be small enough to allow everyone a chance to talk freely, and to allow you to efficiently capture what they say.
Step 4.
Print sufficient copies of Instrument 2–1: Needs Assessment Focus Group Discussion Questions. You will find this handout at the back of this chapter, and on the accompanying CD. Insert the CD and locate the file Instrument 2–1: Needs Assessment Focus Group Discussion Questions.pdf. Be sure to bring pens or pencils to the session.
Assessing the Learning Needs of New Supervisors
Step 5.
When a group convenes, greet each individual personally. Then introduce yourself and have them introduce themselves by following this outline, which you may want to write on a flipchart or whiteboard:
Step 6.
name
job position
length of service in the job
what’s going well in the job
what chronic problems are being encountered in the job.
Pass out copies of the Needs Assessment Focus Group Discussion Questions, and ask participants to complete it candidly. Explain that they should not write their names on the questionnaire and that you will collect them at the end of the meeting.
Step 7.
When all members have completed the questionnaire, explain that they are free to make changes at any time during the discussion. (Tip: Don’t ask, ‘Is everyone finished?’ No one can answer that question. Instead, ask, ‘Does anyone need more time?’)
Step 8.
Begin a go-around on the first question. Make sure you understand participants’ responses. Paraphrase often, ask for examples and probe for specifics. After everyone has contributed, ask the group what the members seem to have in common, based on their answers to the question.
Step 9.
Proceed by similarly discussing the remaining questions. Vary the direction of the go-around and begin with a different person each time.
Step 10.
After all questions have been discussed, ask the group to summarize the common themes that have emerged.
Step 11.
Test the accuracy of your notes on what was said and correct the record if necessary. Do not use names in your summary.
Step 12.
Collect the completed questionnaires.
Step 13.
Remind participants that you will be using the information gathered to shape the training that they will be invited to attend.
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If the training has been scheduled, give each person a hard copy of the schedule. Step 14.
Thank everyone for participating.
Insert CD and locate the file Instrument 2–1: Needs Assessment Focus Group Discussion Questions.pdf.
The next chapter provides an overview of some important things to take into account when designing training sessions for adult learners.
Assessing the Learning Needs of New Supervisors
17
Instrument 2–1 Needs Assessment Focus Group Discussion Questions Instructions: Use this sheet to prepare for the focus group discussion. Write your first thoughts in response to each question. You may make any changes you wish to your responses during this focus group session. Do not write your name on this sheet.The facilitator will collect this sheet at the end of the session. 1. When you first became a supervisor, what did you need to learn right away?
2. What unexpected challenges have you faced?
3. What are you doing particularly well as a supervisor?
4. What do you think is the toughest part of being a supervisor?
5. In what areas do you need help as you learn how to be a better supervisor?
6. How receptive would you be to receiving training in the skills you hope to develop as a supervisor?
7. How receptive would you be to one-on-one coaching to build up your supervisory skills?
8. What training format do you prefer? (Circle one letter) a. Group sessions lasting two days b. One-day group sessions c. Half-day group sessions d. Individual instruction e. No preference
Thank you for your cooperation with this needs assessment.
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C h a p t e r 3
Designing Interactive Training for New Supervisors What’s in This Chapter?
Basic principles of adult learning
Ideas for creating successful training
Tips on planning your training
Developing training for new supervisors is not a random activity. It also is not a matter of filling up available time or stringing together a series of fun activities. Rather, it is a matter of carefully thinking through the learning readiness and training needs of potential participants and creating a sequence of events to maximize their learning in the time allotted. That requires designed learning, or a structured plan for assisting new supervisors to develop the knowledge, skills and strategies they need to become both competent and successful.
Principles of Adult Learning Much has been documented about how adults learn best. In The New Fieldbook for Trainers (1996), Jones, Bearley and Watsabaugh point out several truths about adult learning. See Table 3–1: Principles of Adult Learning and Their Implications for Training Design for some of these truths and their implications for training. These principles and what they imply for designing experiential learning for adults should make it clear that training is not quite the same as teaching. Many people have negative memories of their formal school experiences, and trainers should be careful not to bring those to mind in designing sessions for new supervisors. For example, trainers should not use terminology associated with education. Suggestions for appropriate training language are provided in Table 3–2. 19
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Table 3–1 Principles of Adult Learning and Their Implications for Training Design LEARNING PRINCIPLE
IMPLICATION FOR TRAINING DESIGN
The adult is a partner with the facilitator in the learning process.
Participants should actively influence the learning approach.
Adults are capable of taking responsibility for their own learning.
Incorporate self-directed learning activities in the session design.
Adult learners gain through two-way communication.
Avoid overuse of lectures and ‘talking-to’. Emphasize discussion.
Adults learn through reflection on their and others’ experience.
Use interactive methods such as case studies, role playing and so forth.
Adults learn what they perceive to be useful in their life situations.
Make the content and materials closely fit the assessed needs.
Adults’ attention spans are a function of their interest in the experience.
Allow plenty of time to ‘process’ the learning activities.
Adults are most receptive to instruction that is clearly related to problems they face daily.
Promote enquiry into problems and affirm the experience of participants.
Adult learning culminates in action plans.
Include applications planning in each learning activity.
Adults do not typically see themselves as learners.
Give participants a rationale for becoming involved and provide opportunities for success.
Adults learn better in a climate that is informal and personal.
Promote getting acquainted and interpersonal linkages.
Adult learners apply learning that they have been influential in planning.
Diagnose and prioritize learning needs and preferences during the session as well as before.
Adults learn when they feel supported in experimenting with new ideas and skills.
Use learning groups as ‘home bases’ for participants.
Adults are likely to have somewhat fixed points of view that make them closed to new ways of thinking and behaving.
Include interpersonal feedback exercises and opportunities to experiment.
Adults learn to react to the differential status of members of the group.
Use subgroups to provide safety and readiness to engage in open interchange.
Adults are internally motivated to develop increased effectiveness.
Make all learner assessment self-directed.
Adults filter learning through their value systems.
Provide activities that focus on cognitive, affective and behavioural change.
Designing Interactive Training for New Supervisors
Table 3–2 Educational Language Compared with Training Language EDUCATIONAL TERMS
TRAINING TERMS
Course
Training session/workshop
Instructor
Facilitator
Evaluation
Assessment
Classroom
Training room or venue
Textbook
Participant materials or guide
Using the Sample Designs to Create Successful Training If you study the sample designs in Chapters 6–9 and the content modules in Chapter 10, you will discover a number of effective tools for creating interactive training for new supervisors. Here are some important general suggestions about how to use those tools to create successful training:
Break up the time allotted into segments. This applies to brief training sessions as well as longer ones. Determine the amount of time you have available (such as a half-day, a full day, or several days) and divide it into segments.
Design each segment so that it has a beginning, middle and end. Break these time segments into smaller divisions, based on the time needed for training activities and debriefing.
Anticipate which training activities might take more or less time than expected. If a group discussion seems particularly productive, you may need to stay with it longer than expected. When a structured experience goes quickly, you should be prepared to adjust the timing of your remaining learning activities or insert another activity on the spot.
Transition seamlessly from one set of activities to the next. Your training session should not feel segmented. Make transition statements that bridge the different segments. For example, you might say, ‘Now that we’ve considered what it takes to be an effective supervisor in this organization, let’s build on that by considering [X].’
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Don’t shortchange the debriefing process. Debriefing is the point at which learning becomes crystallized and commitments are made to implement more effective practices in the future. Allow plenty of time to discuss the results of each learning activity.
Spell out a step-by-step plan for each session. The samples in this book provide models of thoroughly planned sessions. Sometimes your design will include activities to be carried out after the formal session.
Make sure training participants see how the pieces fit together. It is helpful to present an overview at the beginning of the session. You can then refer to it as you move through the sequence of activities that make up your design.
Consider designing a follow-up session. If you can get participants to commit, plan a booster-shot session for about a month after the training session. During that meeting you can facilitate discussions of what in the training worked, what difficulties participants still face and what additional training they would like to attend.
Tips on Designing Effective Training for New Supervisors Developing your plan for facilitating the learning of new supervisors is as much an art as it is a science. Your training designs implicitly express your theory of learning. Here are some things to keep in mind as you prepare your detailed plan:
Begin with learning goals. Your needs assessment should have resulted in a clear understanding of what the new supervisors you are training need to learn. Remember the slogan ‘More than three goals are no goals’ as you prepare a statement of what you hope to accomplish in your training session. Avoid getting bogged down by too many specific objectives (for example, ‘By 8:37 a.m. participants will be able to . . .’). Don’t confuse goals with activities. Goals are what you will purposefully explore with your group, and activities are how you plan to conduct that exploration.
Pay particular attention to beginning and ending activities. It is said that you never get a second chance to make a good first impression. Because it often is difficult to recover from an unfortunate
Designing Interactive Training for New Supervisors
beginning in training, think through your opening carefully. The first words you say and the first things you do are critical. You want participants to leave feeling informed, empowered, focused and confident, so your closing should emphasize their potential for success in their next steps.
Allow plenty of time for debriefing after activities. It is tempting to emphasize the fun aspects of training. It is imperative that you guide participants carefully through all the steps of experiential learning — doing, sharing, looking for patterns and considering both ‘So what?’ and ‘Now what?’. A good rule of thumb is to plan at least as much time for debriefing, or talking through the outcomes of a learning experience, as you plan for the activity itself. (See Chapter 4 for more on debriefing experiential activities.)
Make contingency plans. Training sessions rarely go exactly as planned. It is best to consider in advance how you will respond to various unplanned events. Anticipate such things as interruptions, attendees leaving the room and returning, fire drills, power cuts and domineering participants.
Ask colleagues to critique your designs before implementing them. You can benefit greatly from the experience of other trainers. Avoid becoming defensive if they make suggestions or question your rationale. Promise to let them know how the session turns out in practice.
Solicit the feedback you need to improve your designs. You will not be objective in determining how participants react to your training. Be sure to ask them how the session might be improved for the next time, including what you need to continue or change in order to be more effective. Invite other observers to watch the training and give you feedback about what is working and what needs to be changed.
Creating a training programme that pays off for participants and for the organization requires training designs based on solid information about real learning needs. It also requires creatively and thoughtfully using your available resources.
The following chapter highlights the features of effective facilitation and how to create an environment that is conducive to learning.
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C h a p t e r
4
Facilitating New Supervisor Training What’s in This Chapter?
Pointers on role terminology
The five phases of the Experiential Learning Cycle
Tips on debriefing
Tips for creating a learning environment
This chapter provides an overview of how to facilitate your new supervisor training in a way that meets local needs.
What Is a Facilitator? There is confusion within the field of training and development about the terminology used to denote various roles. Here are some distinctions that will be useful in understanding the role of the facilitator:
Facilitator. From the French word facile, or ‘easy’, facilitation is the art and science of assisting learners who are exploring content experientially. Facilitation typically occurs in organizational meetings and training sessions.
Educator. This is a person who teaches, or disseminates knowledge and understanding to students or pupils. The educator, or teacher, operates in classroom and laboratory settings, leading students from a position of authority and superior knowledge. In training and development terms, many educators play the role of ‘subject matter expert’ (SME).
Trainer. This role centres on getting trainees up to speed on competencies. The trainer is able to specify what excellence looks like in the 25
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area in which trainees are working. The focus of training includes knowledge concerning specific job tasks, skills and effective practices. Trainers typically operate in training rooms, with groups of trainees.
Coach. Coaching, spelled out in some detail in Chapter 10, is oneon-one training. It is maximally responsive to the learning readiness of the trainee. Coaching new supervisors involves privately working through real on-the-job situations.
Consultant. This role involves working with employees, such as new supervisors, in a partnership arrangement. Consultants help clients analyse situations that need attention, explore and evaluate options, and commit to action plans. There are two basic types of consulting – expert and process. Experts advise about matters requiring specific kinds of knowledge and skill, and process-oriented consultants help clients learn how to improve work processes, including interpersonal ones.
Counsellor. Counsellors provide private, confidential assistance to employees regarding personal problems. Counselling is a useful professional service requiring specialized education and training. Most training and development practitioners are not qualified to engage in this activity.
Facilitators work with learners in a manner that creates openness to new learning and makes the learning process easy. The role requires that you avoid presenting yourself as a subject matter expert, and that you set up activities that foster learning through hands-on experience and interaction. Major aspects of excellence in facilitation include setting up proper experiential learning activities and exercises and debriefing, or leading discussions of the results.
Experiential Learning Jones and Pfeiffer (1985) developed a theory of the Experiential Learning Cycle that guides much of what is included in this workbook. The cycle, depicted in Figure 4–1, demonstrates graphically the importance of facilitation in activitybased learning. The cycle has five phases.
THE FIVE PHASES OF THE EXPERIENTIAL LEARNING CYCLE 1.
Experiencing is the activity phase of experiential learning. It involves engaging learners in a common activity that can be extrapolated
Facilitating New Supervisor Training
Figure 4–1 The Five Phases of the Experiential Learning Cycle Experiencing
Applying
Generalizing
Publishing
Processing
to the real world. In the structured experiences that are included in Chapter 12 of this workbook, everything that precedes debriefing can be considered experiencing. 2.
Publishing occurs when learners share what they have experienced and observed in learning activities, or the experiencing phase. This sharing may include feelings, thoughts and reactions to the behaviour of others. Publishing provides the raw data that supports learning in the next two steps of the cycle.
3.
Processing is group discussion of the dynamics of the learning activity. The search is for commonality, trends and patterns in the data set flushed out in the publishing step. Generally, the processing step is most successful when the facilitator asks questions that begin with ‘what’ or ‘how’, not ‘why’.
4.
Generalizing involves moving the group discussion from the immediate context to the real world. It requires drawing out truths from the common learning experience, and enabling learners to answer the question ‘So what?’. Facilitators should pose questions that lead participants to think about what the discussion of their common learning experiences, including their reactions to the exercises, implies about real-life situations.
5.
Applying includes discussing the next steps and committing to putting the learning to work. The facilitator leads learners in a discussion
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of responses to the question ‘Now what?’. Applications may focus on individuals, teams or the organization itself. Typically, the facilitator encourages concrete action planning based on what has been learned in the training. That involves specifying what will be done, by whom, with what intent, to what degree and exactly when. The facilitator also pushes learners to decide what metrics they will use to track progress toward their goals.
Debriefing Experiential Learning As you can see, experiential learning requires that the trainer act as a facilitator of learning rather than a dispenser of knowledge. As opposed to the mugand-jug approach, in which the trainer is like a jug filling up the little mugs, experiential learning takes adults seriously as active participants in learning. Good facilitation is maximally sensitive to the experiences and insights of participants, and so it appeals to adult learners. It also can result in broader application of what is learned. When the participants themselves help develop the learning experience, they are more likely to own the outcomes. Some trainers fill their sessions with activities, emphasizing the experiencing phase, but fail to work through the complete cycle, including the publishing, processing, generalizing and applying phases. A rule of thumb is to spend at least as much time debriefing after exercises as you spend conducting them. In talking through experiences, participants crystallize information that applies to their work as supervisors. In training, participants don’t just have fun – they develop plans to make practical applications. Many training activities are inherently pleasant. Some people enjoy competition, and others enjoy contemplating how relationships help or hinder the work of an organization. Trainers should thoroughly understand the importance of skilful debriefing and should commit to continuous growth and improvement as learning facilitators. In debriefing, the best approach is to keep the Experiential Learning Cycle in mind as you lead the group from general to specific considerations. Below are representative marker questions that facilitators can use to fully implement the cycle.
PUBLISHING
What emotions did you experience during the activity?
What seemed to elicit those feelings?
Facilitating New Supervisor Training
How did you see yourself behaving during the exercise?
What did you notice in the behaviour of others?
How did you react to others’ behaviour during the exercise?
How did others respond to your behaviour?
PROCESSING
What patterns of behaviour seemed to emerge during the activity?
What common themes emerged in the feelings expressed by group members?
GENERALIZING
What can we conclude from the results of this exercise?
What causes lead to what effects in this type of situation?
How does this exercise mirror what goes on in our work as supervisors?
What appear to be the costs involved in doing tasks the way we did in this exercise?
What would be substantially better?
As a result of participating in this exercise,
what did you learn?
what did you relearn?
what are you beginning to learn?
what do you need to learn?
APPLYING
How might we behave more effectively as supervisors, given what we learned in this exercise?
How might our work teams use what we learned in this activity to make tasks and relationships more effective?
As a supervisor, what will you do differently as a result of what we learned in this exercise?
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When will you do that?
How much will you do that?
Where will you do that?
How will you track progress in applying what you learned in this exercise?
Of course, the facilitator should adapt those questions to his or her own style and personality. Avoid simply reading them aloud. It is helpful to keep in mind the mentality and reality of supervisors as you guide them all the way through to answering ‘So what?’ and ‘Now what?’. Remember that the job of a facilitator is not to teach, but to make the process of learning through discovery easy. Trust that learners, as adults, can take what they need from experiential activities. Conducting exercises and facilitating debriefing are not the only roles trainers play in helping develop new supervisors. Sometimes facilitators lecture, guide participants through assessments, introduce SMEs and host senior managers. There is more than one way to learn, but it is incumbent on trainers to be proficient in facilitating experiential learning.
Creating the Learning Environment A critical factor in making learning easy is the creation of a supportive learning environment. There are four conditions the facilitator should create to maximize learning. 1.
Confidentiality. The first step to learning is admitting ignorance. New supervisors may resist admitting their learning needs because they fear the repercussions of showing their weaknesses. You can alleviate these concerns by assuring participants that the sole purpose of the training is to build their skills, and that no evaluations will take place. Establishing that anything shared during the training programme should remain confidential among participants and facilitators will help create a relatively risk-free environment.
2.
Freedom from distractions. Work and personal demands cannot be ignored during training, but to maximize each participant’s learning, and as a courtesy to others, they should be minimized. Selecting a training site away from the workplace will help a great deal in
Facilitating New Supervisor Training
reducing distractions. Acknowledge the fact that participants probably feel that they should not be away from work. Ask that mobile phones and pagers be turned off or set to silent alerts. Emphasize that because they are spending this time in training, trainees should immerse themselves in the learning experience and thereby maximize the value of their time away from work responsibilities. 3.
Personal responsibility for learning. A facilitator can only create the opportunity for learning. Experiential learning requires that participants be actively engaged and committed to learning – they cannot sit back and soak up information like sponges. Remind participants that if they leave the programme without learning anything, they have no one to blame but themselves.
4.
Group-wide participation. Each participant brings relevant knowledge to the training programme. Through discussion and sharing of information, a successful training session will tap into the knowledge of each participant. Encourage all participants to accept responsibility for helping others learn.
What to Do Next
Plan. Make sure you are prepared to use all elements of your design effectively. Plan and develop an appropriate facilitation style by answering the following questions: What will you be working on in your approach to training? What skills do you want to sharpen while facilitating this training? How will you obtain coaching and feedback on these skills?
Practise. Carefully review the training materials in your design. Be prepared to respond to questions that the materials and activities are likely to generate. Practise the PowerPoint presentations in front of a friend or colleague in order to become comfortable with the technology and to solidify the points you want to make.
Recruit co-trainers. If it is true that two heads are better than one, you and your training group participants will benefit from the addition of a co-facilitator (although more than two facilitators can be confusing and excessive). When an experienced supervisor or manager is your co-trainer, you may need to coach her or him to play the role of facilitator. Nonetheless, the active involvement of such personnel
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can greatly augment the legitimacy of your training. Using subject matter experts from within the organization can also add depth and credibility to your training.
Prepare all needed materials and test your equipment. Using this workbook and the accompanying CD, print sufficient copies of instruments, tools, exercises and other handouts needed in your design. Set up your computer to project the PowerPoint slides and presentations, and rehearse the ones called for by your design.
The only way to know if your training design is truly effective is to evaluate it. The next chapter discusses why evaluation is so important, and outlines several useful evaluation methods.
C h a p t e r
5
Evaluating and Improving New Supervisor Training What’s in This Chapter?
Overview of a classic evaluation method
How to use the included instruments for your own evaluations
Tips on interpreting and making use of evaluation results
Steps to successful evaluation
Evaluations of training benefit both trainers and client organizations. Failing to evaluate training is like hitting golf balls into a fog: you know they land, but you don’t know where. They may all be out of bounds, or they could be in the centre of the fairway. Until you search for evidence, you are left to guess and hope.
Why Bother Evaluating? There are three major reasons to evaluate the training you design and deliver to new supervisors: 1.
Training outcomes ought to be aligned with the developmental needs you have assessed. Evaluation is the only way to find out if your training has delivered on the present needs of new supervisors in your organization.
2.
You can most effectively justify the continuation of new supervisor training if you can demonstrate that your training hits the mark. Evaluation enables you to answer the following questions:
Did they like it?
Did they learn from it? 33
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3.
Did they use it?
Did it pay off?
Evaluation is necessary for implementing a scientific approach to improving the design and delivery of your training. Most total quality programmes emphasize making data-based business decisions. Carefully evaluating your training ensures that the continuous improvement of your work is based on real information, not merely hunches or anecdotal evidence.
The Classic Levels of Training Evaluation Donald Kirkpatrick (1996) developed a famous model of training evaluation that guides the practice of measuring the outcomes of training in many countries. His model consists of four levels that range from the relatively simple to the more complex. Level 1.
Reaction. Measuring the reaction of participants in the programme. This level measures customer satisfaction, because those who attend trainings are customers whose reactions significantly affect the success of present and future programmes.
Level 2.
Learning. Measuring the extent to which knowledge has been increased, skills improved and attitudes changed as a result of the program.
Level 3.
Behaviour. Measuring the extent to which participants changed their behaviour as a result of their participation in the programme.
Level 4.
Results. Measuring the final results brought about by changes in participants’ behaviour.
The least effective method is the first one, usually carried out through evaluation forms (commonly referred to as ‘smile sheets’) completed at the end of a training session. There are many things wrong with relying on end-of-session ratings to evaluate supervisory training. In the article ‘Don’t Smile About Smile Sheets’ (1990), Jones discusses the limits of that approach and offers alternative methods. Unfortunately, more organizations use smile sheets than attempt to measure learning. Few track on-the-job behavioural changes, and still fewer engage
Evaluating and Improving New Supervisor Training
in the difficult task of specifying the returns on investing in training. We strongly recommend that trainers push for the support they need to evaluate training designs thoroughly. If training is to be thought of as a key business activity, we need to model accountability regarding the value we claim to add to organizations.
Instruments for Evaluation in This Workbook We include three instruments for evaluating training. The first two can be used in training designs as well.
Instrument 11–1: Trainer Competencies – This questionnaire helps you establish learning priorities for your own development. It can be used at any time, and you can use it to solicit feedback from attendees at the end of sessions or sometime afterwards. This questionnaire can be found in Chapter 11, page 99, or by inserting the accompanying CD and locating the document file Instrument 11–1: Trainer Competencies.pdf.
Instrument 11–3: Self-Assessment for New Supervisors – This instrument asks participants in new supervisor training sessions to analyse their strengths and developmental needs. The questionnaire can be used to gather information before an initial training module, and as an instrument for gathering information at the end of the session or sometime afterwards. You can find it in Chapter 11, page 111, or by inserting the accompanying CD and locating the document file Instrument 11–3: Self-Assessment for New Supervisors.pdf.
Instrument 11–5: Supervisor Training Follow-Up Assessment – This assessment addresses issues at the level of behaviour. It should be distributed some time after the close of the new supervisor training, and can be used in subsequent booster-shot sessions. It can be used also as a survey questionnaire or to acquire ratings from relevant others in the participants’ work environments. This questionnaire can be found in Chapter 11, page 122, or by inserting the accompanying CD and locating the document file Instrument 11–5: Supervisor Training Follow-Up Assessment.pdf.
Of course, trainers are not limited to using these three instruments. What is most important is that you commit yourself to systematic evaluation and
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conduct it regularly. That way you build up an understanding of what works with your people or with client organizations.
Improving Training for New Supervisors A large contribution that the Total Quality Movement made to organizations is the concept of continuous improvement. You need not wait for technological breakthroughs or innovations to improve. Rather, improvement comes from attending to the details of what you are doing to get work done, especially in work processes. Applied to training new supervisors, commitment to continuous improvement means
specifying the steps you are taking
analysing the logic of the sequence of activities
looking carefully at the efficacy of each detailed step
making changes that offer opportunities to create more effective trainings.
This approach requires that you document what you are doing and carefully evaluate the effects or outcomes of each step. Paying attention to customers is a central aspect of quality. In training, that means assessing the learning needs and preferences of potential participants, involving them in evaluating the training and providing other services – such as one-on-one coaching – as supervisors apply what they learn in busy work situations. Trainers should avoid holding on to their favourite training activities. If aspects of your training do not produce desired results, either change or eliminate them. A good approach to improving training is to experiment with both the content and the design. Try new ways and new methods to deliver on your objectives. Also, learn ways to evaluate training on more than one level. The data described in levels 2 to 4 of Kirkpatrick’s model can provide rich insight into how to improve your training of new supervisors. Gathering that data takes more time than simply administering smile sheets, but the payoffs can be substantial. After your training, when some time has passed, you can solicit more feedback on your competencies as a trainer and facilitator. That information can help
Evaluating and Improving New Supervisor Training
you develop as a professional. The root cause of inferior supervisory training is often the trainer, not the design. Trainers actually can get in the way of the effectiveness of their sessions. Asking for feedback on what you might change is a direct way of managing your own growth as a trainer. Unfortunately, soliciting feedback is far down the list of things that supervisors do naturally. They want feedback, but they are reluctant to ask for it. You can become their role model by engaging them actively in your own quest for excellence.
What to Do Next Here is a step-by-step method for maximizing the benefits of evaluating your training sessions. 1.
Decide which steps to follow. Lay out a step-by-step plan for evaluating the outcomes, effects and payoffs of implementing your training for new supervisors. Specify who will do what, when, to what extent and for what purpose. Establish a timeline for these steps.
2.
Gather feedback. Solicit data from attendees and all relevant others. Use the instruments included in this book to assist you in that process.
3.
Analyse results. Conduct both statistical and content analyses of questionnaire responses and other evaluation data. Be as objective as possible during this step because you may be predisposed to use the data to validate your own opinions and observations.
4.
Modify design as necessary. Your evaluation programme is the beginning of your design improvement process. Use the results to strengthen what is working well, and change the selection, content or sequence of activities to deliver on your training objectives more effectively.
Now you are ready to map out your training design. The next chapter begins with a useful design for training one-on-one and in small group sessions.
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6
New Supervisor Training for Individuals and Small Groups (1–21/2 Hours) What’s in This Chapter?
Advice on working with individuals and small groups
Considerations in choosing the right content for training sessions
Step-by-step preparation and training delivery instructions
Sample agendas
The materials in this workbook are designed to meet a variety of training needs. They cover a range of topics related to supervision, and can be offered in many different time frames and formats. Although lengthy immersion in a learning environment can enhance and increase the depth of learning experiences, organizational life sometimes demands training be done in short, small doses. Organizational size and work demands also may limit the number of participants available at any particular time. This chapter discusses individual and small group session designs for training new supervisors.
Individual Training OBJECTIVES The objectives of an individual training session are to convey as much information as possible to the participant in a short period of time, and to build the relationship between the trainer and the participant. The one-on-one interaction between trainer and trainee is the greatest advantage of individual training sessions. The participant’s particular questions and issues can be explored in greater depth than in a session with multiple participants.
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WHEN TO USE AN INDIVIDUAL TRAINING SESSION An individual training session is appropriate for the following circumstances:
The targeted, available audience for training is one person.
One individual requires training in one particular area.
Training facilities for multiple participants are not available.
CHOOSING THE CONTENT One of the advantages of training a single participant is the ability to customize content in relation to a specific individual need. All of the content modules in this book can be used for individual training, but some are more easily tailored to one-on-one sessions. The structured experiences in this book typically require multiple participants, but some exercises may be effective with a single participant and a trainer. Another issue to consider when choosing content for training sessions is the timing of the training. For instance, there are certain matters that supervisors should understand prior to assuming supervisory responsibilities. Although topics such as coaching and delegation are critical, and should be addressed as soon as practical in a supervisor’s career, they can usually be learned when the timing is convenient for both supervisor and facilitator. On the other hand, the moment an employee becomes a supervisor, that individual becomes a representative of the organization in a legal sense. It may, therefore, be appropriate to include training in the supervisor’s role and responsibilities within the legal framework. The following content modules are most appropriate for individual training sessions:
Coaching (Chapter 10, page 70)
Delegation (Chapter 10, page 74)
Learning Opportunities (Chapter 10, page 77)
For the sample agenda on page 42, we’ve selected the Learning Opportunities and Delegation modules. The Learning Opportunities module helps participants recognize the learning opportunities that offer the greatest possibility for improving their supervisory skills. That is a great way to start the process
New Supervisor Training for Individuals and Small Groups
of learning about being a supervisor. The Delegation module helps supervisors learn how to avoid ‘drowning’ in their workload.
STEP-BY-STEP PREPARATION AND DELIVERY Before the training session: 1.
Identify the training participant and assess that individual’s most critical training needs.
2.
Determine the time available for the training session.
3.
Select the highest-value content module(s) based on steps 1 and 2 above.
4.
Schedule the session with the participant. Provide an agenda to the participant prior to the session.
5.
Arrange a location for the training session.
6.
Prepare training materials (handouts, instructions, presentations).
At the training session: 1.
Introduce yourself to the participant. Include a description of your role in the training process and your training and work experience. First impressions count and this is your chance to establish credibility with the participant.
2.
Ask the participant to introduce himself or herself to you, providing name, role and supervisory experience. Let the person know that this is an informal session and try to put him or her at ease.
3.
Review the agenda and learning objectives with the participant.
4.
Go through the selected content module(s).
5.
Take a break about an hour into the session.
6.
Ask for questions and test understanding frequently.
7.
Close the session with an opportunity for the participant to ask questions. If appropriate, offer your help and availability on an ongoing basis.
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SAMPLE AGENDA
12 9
3 6
8:00 a.m.
Introductions (5 minutes)
8:05
Learning Opportunities module (45 minutes)
8:50
Break (15 minutes)
9:05
Delegation module (50 minutes)
9:55
Close (5 minutes)
Small Group Training OBJECTIVES The objectives of a small group training session are to convey as much information as possible to the participants in a short period of time, and to build relationships among the trainer and the participants. The small group setting allows in-depth discussion of a limited set of issues.
WHEN TO USE A SMALL GROUP TRAINING SESSION A small group training session is appropriate for the following circumstances:
The targeted, available audience for training is seven or fewer.
A few individuals require training in one particular area of content.
Training facilities for large groups are not available.
CHOOSING THE CONTENT All content modules in this book can be used for small group training. This training can even take place prior to participants’ assumption of supervisory duties. Select the module(s) based on your assessment of the needs of the participant group. For this sample agenda, we have assumed the most pressing need is to understand teamwork. The following modules should be used with this agenda:
Learning Partners (Chapter 10, page 78)
Teamwork (Chapter 10, page 81)
The Learning Partners module is an introductory exercise that helps create the learning environment by preparing participants to act as partners in learning.
New Supervisor Training for Individuals and Small Groups
The teamwork module helps supervisors build effective teams and act as effective team members.
STEP-BY-STEP PREPARATION AND DELIVERY Before the training session: 1.
Identify the training participants and assess their most critical training needs.
2.
Determine the time available for the training session.
3.
Select the highest value content module(s) based on steps 1 and 2 above.
4.
Schedule the session.
5.
Arrange a facility for the training session.
6.
Invite participants.
7.
Send a confirmation to participants. Include an agenda and any preparatory handouts with the confirmation.
8.
Prepare training materials (handouts, instructions, presentations).
Just prior to the training session: 1.
Arrive early at the facility.
2.
Set up and test equipment (that is, projectors, flipcharts).
At the training session: 1.
Introduce yourself to the participants. Include a description of your role in the training process and your training and work experience. First impressions count and this is your chance to establish credibility with the participants.
2.
If you do not run the Learning Partners module, ask the participants to introduce themselves, providing name, role and supervisory experience.
3.
Let participants know they will be helping each other learn.
4.
Review the agenda and learning objectives with the participants.
5.
Go through the selected content module(s).
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6.
Take a break approximately an hour into the session.
7.
Ask for questions and frequently test for understanding.
8.
Close the session with an opportunity for the participants to ask questions. If appropriate, offer your help and availability on an ongoing basis.
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3
SAMPLE AGENDA
6
08:00 a.m.
Learning Partners module (15 minutes)
08:15
Teamwork module (21/4 hours)
10:30
Close
When you have the need and the time to cover more content, a longer training session may be appropriate. The following chapter focuses on developing half-day training sessions.
C h a p t e r
7
Half-Day Session (3–4 Hours)
What’s in This Chapter?
Advice on choosing the content for training sessions
Step-by-step preparation and training delivery instructions
Sample agendas
The materials included in this workbook can be used for a variety of training needs and time frames. This chapter covers designs suitable for half-day (fourhour) training sessions. We encourage group training because the learning environment is enhanced by contributions from a variety of participants. Although group learning dynamics can be obtained with as few as three participants, we find groups of 12 to 24 participants to be the most conducive to learning.
Half-Day Training Sessions OBJECTIVES Half-day training sessions are intended to build understanding of the learning content of greatest value to the organization and the participants and to build relationships among the trainer and participants. The group setting allows for rich and diverse discussion of various topics.
WHEN TO USE A HALF-DAY TRAINING SESSION A half-day training session is appropriate for the following circumstances:
The targeted, available audience for training is three or more.
The targeted audience requires training in several areas of content. 45
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New Supervisor Training
Training facilities for groups are available.
Time available for the training session is limited to four hours.
CHOOSING THE CONTENT All of the content modules in this book can be used for half-day training sessions. Select the modules based on your assessment of the needs of the participant group. If the group does not have a set of assessed needs identified (for example, if an assessment was not completed or an open registration process is being used), select the modules based on the competencies the organization seeks to develop. The content contained in this workbook can be offered in a series of half-day sessions. The timing of the training should be considered when selecting which content to offer first. Together, the sample agendas below cover all content modules included in this workbook. When your training session is at least a half-day long, you’ve crossed the refreshment threshold. Hunger and thirst are enemies of the learning environment. Offer drinks and snacks at breaks so that participants’ biological needs are well met.
STEP-BY-STEP PREPARATION AND DELIVERY Before the training session: 1.
Identify training participants and assess their most critical training needs, or identify the competencies the organization seeks to develop.
2.
Design the agenda using what you determine to be the highest-value content modules, based on what you learn from step 1 above.
3.
Schedule the session.
4.
Arrange a facility for the training session.
5.
Invite participants.
6.
Send a confirmation to participants. Include an agenda and any preparatory handouts with the confirmation.
7.
Prepare training materials (handouts, instructions, presentations, teamwork exercise materials).
8.
Order food and drinks.
Half-Day Session
Just prior to the training session: 1.
Arrive early at the facility.
2.
Set up and test equipment (that is, projectors, flipcharts).
3.
Confirm refreshments.
At the first training session of the series: 1.
Introduce yourself to the participants. Include a description of your role in the training process and your training and work experience. First impressions count and this is your chance to establish credibility with the participants.
2.
If you do not run the Learning Partners module, ask the participants to introduce themselves, providing name, role and supervisory experience.
3.
Let participants know they will be helping each other learn.
4.
Review the agenda and learning objectives with the participants.
5.
Go through the selected content module(s).
6.
Ask for questions and frequently test for understanding.
7.
Close the session with an opportunity for the participants to ask questions. If appropriate, offer your help and availability on an ongoing basis.
At subsequent sessions: 1.
Review the agenda and learning objectives with the participants.
2.
Go through the selected content module(s).
3.
Ask for questions and test frequently for understanding.
4.
Close the session with an opportunity for the participants to ask questions. If appropriate, offer your help and availability on an ongoing basis.
Half-Day Agenda One The first sample agenda includes the following modules:
Learning Partners (Chapter 10, page 78)
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New Supervisor Training
Learning Opportunities (Chapter 10, page 77)
Delegation (Chapter 10, page 74)
The Learning Partners module is an introduction exercise that helps to create the learning environment by preparing participants to act as partners in learning. The Learning Opportunities module helps participants recognize the learning opportunities that offer the greatest possibility for improving their supervisory skills, and is therefore a good module to cover in the first of several sessions. The Delegation module introduces new supervisors to the basics of delegating tasks to members of the team. 12 9
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SAMPLE AGENDA ONE
6
09:00 a.m.
Learning Partners module (30 minutes, although time needed may vary with group size) Objective: Prepare participants to help each other learn
09:30
Break (10 minutes) (optional)
09:40
Learning Opportunities module (45 minutes) Objective: Identify each participant’s highest-value learning opportunities
10:25
Break (10 minutes)
10:35
Delegation module (50 minutes) Objective: Understand how to get work done through others
11:25
Close (5 minutes) Objective: Reinforce learning points
Half-Day Agenda Two The second sample agenda includes the following modules:
Visioning (Chapter 10, page 83)
Motivation (Chapter 10, page 79)
Coaching (Chapter 10, page 70)
Including breaks, this design is slightly longer than four hours. The Visioning module stresses the importance of having a vision in exercising leadership and
Half-Day Session
spells out a method for establishing a view of a desirable, obtainable future. The Motivation module presents a basic model of motivation theory and a practical method for managing the motivation of others. In the Coaching module, participants acquire coaching skills through self-assessment and action planning.
SAMPLE AGENDA TWO 08:00 a.m.
12 9
3 6
Visioning module (90 minutes) Objective: Introduce participants to the role of vision in leadership
09:30
Break (10 minutes)
09:40
Motivation module (75 minutes) Objective: Understand how to influence the behaviour of others
10:55
Break (10 minutes)
11:05
Coaching module (75 minutes) Objective: Understand how to sustain and improve the performance of team members
12:20
Close (5 minutes) Objective: Reinforce learning points
Half-Day Agenda Three The third sample agenda features the Teamwork module (Chapter 10, page 81). The half-day time slot allows for several teamwork activities that present observation opportunities and a rich feedback session.
12 9
SAMPLE AGENDA THREE 08:00 a.m.
Begin Teamwork module (75 minutes) Run Structured Experience 12–6: Paper Tower (Chapter 12, page 161, or insert the CD and look for the file Structured Experience 12–6: Paper Tower.pdf ) Objective: Understand how to build effective teams
3 6
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New Supervisor Training
09:15
Break (10 minutes)
09:25
Continue Teamwork exercises (80 minutes) Run Structured Experience 12–4: Distance Teaming (Chapter 12, page 152, or insert the CD and locate the file Structured Experience 12–4: Distance Teaming.pdf )
10:45
Break (10 minutes)
10:55
Peer feedback (60 minutes) Run Structured Experience 12–7: Peer Feedback (Chapter 12, page 165, or insert the CD and locate the file Structured Experience 12–7: Peer Feedback.pdf )
11:55
Close (5 minutes) Objective: Reinforce learning points
In the following chapter, we will consider how to choose content and design full-day training sessions for new supervisors.
C h a p t e r
8
Full-Day Session (6–8 Hours)
What’s in This Chapter?
Advice on choosing the content for training sessions
Step-by-step preparation and training delivery instructions
Sample agendas
The materials included in this workbook can be used for a variety of training needs and time frames. This chapter covers designs suitable for full-day (six- to eight-hour) training sessions. Longer learning sessions may raise concerns that participants will be overloaded with information. We believe the benefits of extended learning experiences outweigh the potential drawbacks. Although a shorter programme might be seen as part of a typical workday, a longer programme (especially one held at an offsite venue) can become a memorable life experience for the participant. As discussed in Chapter 4, the learning environment is established more readily and the synergistic relationships of various supervisor competencies can be explored more thoroughly in extended programmes. A different physical environment and a complete break from daily routine help participants focus on learning. For full-day sessions we strongly recommend group training because the learning environment is enhanced by the input of participants with a variety of backgrounds and experiences. In full-day sessions, groups of 12 to 24 participants are most conducive to learning. This chapter includes illustrative designs and sample agendas but the trainer should adapt them to fit local purposes. Each design can be modified in relation to available resources, the learning readiness of potential participants, 51
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New Supervisor Training
and most importantly, the assessed development needs of newly appointed supervisors.
OBJECTIVES Full-day training sessions free participants from daily routines, so they are open to the learning content that is of greatest value. The group setting and the longer time allowed for interaction promote rich and diverse discussion of various topics, and support the building of relationships among trainer and participants.
WHEN TO USE A FULL-DAY TRAINING SESSION A full-day session is appropriate for the following circumstances:
The targeted, available audience for training is 12 or more.
The targeted audience requires training in several areas of content.
Training facilities for groups are available.
A full day is available for the training session.
Funding for meals and (optionally) an offsite location is available.
CHOOSING THE CONTENT All of the content modules in this book can be used for full-day training sessions. Select the modules based on your assessment of the needs of the participant group. If the group does not have a set of assessed needs identified (for example, if an assessment was not completed or an open registration process is being used), select the modules based on the competencies the organization seeks to develop. Also, as noted for the half-day sessions, the content contained in this workbook can be offered in a series of full-day sessions. When your training session is a full day long, you’ve crossed over the meal threshold. Remember that hunger and thirst are enemies of the learning environment. Offer drinks and snacks at the breaks so participants’ biological needs are well met. For a day-long session, offer lunch. Keeping participants together during the lunch break encourages further discussion of learning
Full-Day Session
points. It also helps to strengthen the relationships among participants, and therefore helps support the learning environment. A scheduled lunch discourages participants from going back to the office or getting distracted from their learning focus, and it helps to keep your programme on schedule, as participants are less likely to come back late from the lunch break. We include two sample agendas that, together, cover all of the content modules in two days.
STEP-BY-STEP PREPARATION AND DELIVERY Before the training session: 1.
Identify training participants and assess their most critical training needs, or identify the competencies the organization seeks to develop.
2.
Design the agenda using what you determine to be the highest-value content modules, based on what you learn from step 1 above.
3.
Schedule the session.
4.
Arrange a facility for the training session.
5.
Invite participants. Check for any special dietary needs.
6.
Send a confirmation to participants. Include an agenda and any preparatory handouts with the confirmation.
7.
Prepare training materials (handouts, instructions, presentations, teamwork exercise materials).
8.
Order food and drinks.
Just prior to the training session: 1.
Arrive early at the facility.
2.
Set up and test equipment (that is, projectors, flipcharts).
3.
Confirm food and drinks.
At the first training session of the series: 1.
Introduce yourself to the participants. Include a description of your role in the training process and your training and work experience. First impressions count and this is your chance to establish credibility with the participants.
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New Supervisor Training
2.
If you do not run the Learning Partners module, ask the participants to introduce themselves, providing name, role and supervisory experience.
3.
Let participants know they will be helping each other learn.
4.
Review the agenda and learning objectives with the participants.
5.
Go through the selected content modules.
6.
Ask for questions and frequently test for understanding.
7.
Close the session with an opportunity for the participants to ask questions. If appropriate, offer your help and availability on an ongoing basis.
At subsequent sessions: 1.
Review the agenda and learning objectives with the participants.
2.
Go through the selected content modules.
3.
Ask for questions and test frequently for understanding.
4.
Close the session with an opportunity for the participants to ask questions. If appropriate, offer your help and availability on an ongoing basis.
Full-Day Agenda One The first sample agenda covers the following modules:
Learning Partners (Chapter 10, page 78)
Learning Opportunities (Chapter 10, page 77)
Visioning (Chapter 10, page 83)
Motivation (Chapter 10, page 79)
The Learning Partners module is an introductory exercise that helps create the learning environment by preparing participants to act as partners in learning. The Learning Opportunities module helps participants recognize those learning opportunities that offer the greatest possibility for improving their supervisory skills. The Visioning module stresses the importance of having a vision
Full-Day Session
in exercising leadership and spells out a method for establishing a view of a desirable, obtainable future. The Motivation module presents a basic model of motivation theory and a practical method for managing the motivation of others. The first sample agenda also includes an ‘Executive Kickoff’ early in the programme. Here is how you conduct the kickoff. When time allows, and an executive is available and willing, invite one or two respected executives from your organization to open the programme. This involvement gives senior management a sense of ownership of the training programme, and shows participants that top-level managers support what they are about to learn. Two topics appropriate for executives to speak about are 1.
The business context of leadership: These remarks can include an update on current business conditions and challenges facing the organization. For example, what challenges from the business environment are new supervisors likely to face?
2.
Personal leadership transition: These remarks can include an account of the executive’s personal transition from individual contributor to leader. For example, what challenges did he or she face? What were the most valuable lessons learned? Participants are often gratified to learn that executives have struggled with many of the same issues they face.
Time for this kickoff will vary with personnel availability, but we recommend allowing 30 minutes for each topic. 12
SAMPLE AGENDA ONE
9
3 6
09:00 a.m.
Learning Partners module (45 minutes, although time needed may vary with class size) Objective: Prepare participants to help each other learn
09:45
Executive Kickoff (60 minutes) (see instructions above) Objective: Demonstrate senior management support for training and provide ‘face time’ with senior managers
10:45
Break (15 minutes)
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11:00
Learning Opportunities module (45 minutes) Objective: Identify each participant’s highest-value learning opportunities
11:45
Review and opportunity for questions (15 minutes)
12:00
Lunch (60 minutes)
01:00
Visioning module (90 minutes) Objective: Introduce participants to the role of vision in leadership
02:30
Break (15 minutes)
02:45
Motivation module (75 minutes) Objective: Understand how to influence the behaviour of others
04:00
Close (15 minutes) Objective: Review and reinforce learning points
Full-Day Agenda Two The second sample agenda covers the following modules and assessments:
Delegation (Chapter 10, page 74)
Coaching (Chapter 10, page 70)
Teamwork (Chapter 10, page 81)
Peer Feedback (Chapter 12, page 165)
The Delegation module introduces new supervisors to the basics of delegating tasks to individual employees. In the Coaching module, participants acquire coaching skills through self-assessment and action planning. The Teamwork module helps supervisors build effective teams and act as effective team members. This session closes with a Goal Setting module. For this module, ask participants to review the action plan they developed during the Learning Opportunities module of the training, when they completed Tool 11–2: New Supervisor’s Action Plan for Self-Improvement (Chapter 11, page 114). Break the large
Full-Day Session
group into smaller groups of two or three, and ask them to help each other review and revise the action plans. Close the programme by asking each participant to share one goal with the group.
12
SAMPLE AGENDA TWO
9
3 6
08:00 a.m.
Open and review (10 minutes) Objective: Re-establish the learning environment and present the agenda
08:10
Delegation module (50 minutes) Objective: Understand how to get work done through others
09:00
Break (15 minutes)
09:15
Coaching module (75 minutes) Objective: Understand how to sustain and improve the performance of team members
10:30
Break (15 minutes)
10:45
Begin Teamwork module (75 minutes) Run Structured Experience 12–2: Balloon Sculpture (Chapter 12, page 145, or insert the CD and find the file Structured Experience 12–2: Balloon Sculpture.pdf ). Objective: Understand how to build effective teams
12:00
Lunch (60 minutes)
01:00
Continue Teamwork exercises (90 minutes) Run Structured Experience 12–3: Caterpillar Race (Chapter 12, page 149, or insert the CD and find the file Structured Experience 12–3: Caterpillar Race.pdf ).
02:30
Break (15 minutes)
02:45
Peer feedback (60 minutes) Run Structured Experience 12–7: Peer Feedback (Chapter 12, page 165, or insert the CD and find the file Structured Experience 12–7: Peer Feedback.pdf ).
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03:45
Goal setting (60 minutes) Objective: Help participants turn learning into action
04:45
Close (15 minutes) Objective: Reinforce learning points
If you have more than one day available for training, you can cover a broad range of topics. But the longer your training, the more carefully you must think about format and design. In the next chapter, we present useful models of multiple-day training sessions.
C h a p t e r
9
Multi-Day Session
What’s in This Chapter?
Advice on choosing the content for training sessions
Step-by-step preparation and training delivery instructions
Sample agendas
The materials included in this workbook can be used for a variety of training needs and time frames. This chapter covers designs suitable for multi-day training sessions. As noted in Chapter 8, longer learning sessions might raise concerns that participants will be overloaded with information. You can avoid information overload by designing programmes that allow participants to learn efficiently and at their own pace. Our approach in multi-day sessions is to present a significant amount of content by mixing short, to-the-point theories and models with experiential exercises and assessments. That approach keeps participants from feeling like they are ‘drinking from a fire hose’ of information, and instead produces an enjoyable, fruitful learning experience. There are important benefits to be gained from extended learning experiences. Although a shorter programme might be seen as part of a typical workday, a longer programme can become a memorable life experience for the participant (especially if held at an offsite venue, and including an overnight stay). A multi-day design provides ample opportunity to create the learning environment (as described in Chapter 4) and to establish participants’ roles as learning partners. Discussion during breaks, meals and evening activities often provides valuable opportunities for feedback and additional learning. A different physical environment and a complete break from daily routine help participants focus on learning. 59
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Multi-day sessions are appropriate for group training because the learning environment is enhanced by the input of participants with a variety of backgrounds and experiences. For the multi-day sessions, groups of 12 to 24 participants are most conducive to learning. Smaller groups can limit the richness of group interactions, and very large groups are unwieldy and can depersonalize the learning experience. Although we have included illustrative designs and sample agendas, the trainer should adapt them to fit local purposes. Each design can be modified in relation to available resources, the learning readiness of potential participants, and most importantly, the assessed development needs of the target audience.
OBJECTIVES Multiple-day training sessions free participants from daily routines and so help to open them to the learning content that is of greatest value. The group setting and the longer time allowed for interaction promotes rich and diverse discussion of various topics, and helps to build relationships among trainer and participants. Residential programmes held at appealing facilities also can be used as rewards for participants who must assume additional responsibilities as new supervisors.
WHEN TO USE A MULTI-DAY TRAINING SESSION A multi-day training session is appropriate for the following circumstances:
The targeted, available audience for training is 12 people or more.
The targeted audience requires comprehensive training in all areas of relevant content.
Training facilities for groups are available.
Participants are available for multiple days.
Funding for meals and (optionally) an offsite location is available.
CHOOSING THE CONTENT All of the content modules in this book can be used for multi-day training sessions. Although such a session allows time to cover all the content modules, we recommend you perform a needs assessment of the participant group and review the competencies the organization seeks to develop. Include only those modules indicated by your needs assessment.
Multi-Day Session
With a session that covers multiple days, you’ve crossed over the meal threshold, and possibly the overnight room threshold as well. Remember that hunger and thirst are enemies of the learning environment. Offer drinks and snacks at the breaks so participants’ biological needs are well met. We strongly suggest that you also offer meals to participants. Keeping participants together during meals encourages further discussion of learning points, helps strengthen the relationships among participants and supports the learning environment. Much discussion and feedback occurs during dinner after a long day of training. As noted in Chapter 8, scheduled meals discourage participants from going back to the office or getting distracted from their learning focus, and they keep your programme on schedule because participants are less likely to come back late from meal breaks.
STEP-BY-STEP PREPARATION AND DELIVERY Before the first session: 1.
Identify training participants and assess their most critical training needs, or identify the competencies the organization seeks to develop.
2.
Design the agenda using what you determine to be the highest-value content modules, based on what you learn from step 1 above.
3.
Schedule the session.
4.
Arrange a facility for the training session. Book a block of rooms if this is a residential programme.
5.
Invite participants. Check for any special dietary needs. If this is a residential programme, check for accommodation requirements (that is, smoking/nonsmoking, single/double).
6.
Send a confirmation to participants. Include an agenda and any preparatory handouts with the confirmation.
7.
Prepare training materials (handouts, instructions, presentations, teamwork exercise materials).
8.
Order food and drinks.
Just prior to the training session: 1.
If this is a residential programme, confirm room bookings with hotel.
2.
Arrive early at the facility.
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3.
Set up and test equipment (that is, projectors, flipcharts).
4.
Confirm food and drinks.
At the training session: 1.
Introduce yourself to the participants. Include a description of your role in the training process and your training and work experience. First impressions count and this is your chance to establish credibility with the participants.
2.
If you do not run the Learning Partners module, ask the participants to introduce themselves, providing name, role and supervisory experience.
3.
Let participants know they will be helping each other learn.
4.
Review each day’s agenda and learning objectives with the participants.
5.
Go through the selected content modules.
6.
Ask for questions and test frequently for understanding.
7.
Close the session with an opportunity for the participants to ask questions. If appropriate, offer your help and availability on an ongoing basis.
Sample Agenda The following sample agenda covers all the content modules in this workbook in a three-day session. We also include the Myers-Briggs Type Indicator (MBTI) in this design. The MBTI is one of many assessment tools available for providing participants with feedback on their leadership styles. The MBTI, not included in this workbook, can greatly enrich multi-day programmes. Here are the modules you will use in the multi-day programme:
Learning Partners (Chapter 10, page 78)
Executive Kickoff (see Chapter 8, page 55, for instructions)
Learning Opportunities (Chapter 10, page 77)
Visioning (Chapter 10, page 85)
Multi-Day Session
Delegation (Chapter 10, page 74)
Motivation (Chapter 10, page 79)
Coaching (Chapter 10, page 70)
Teamwork (Chapter 10, page 81)
Myers-Briggs Type Indicator
Goal Setting (see Chapter 8, page 56 for instructions)
The timing of the Learning Partners, Executive Kickoff and Learning Opportunities modules is important. They should be offered at the beginning of the session because they help focus the learning of participants and create a context for the remaining content modules. The sample agenda covers all the modules in this workbook. The Learning Partners module is an introduction exercise that helps create the learning environment by preparing participants to act as partners in learning. The Executive Kickoff helps show participants that senior management supports what they are about to learn, and gives senior managers a sense of ownership of the training programme. The Learning Opportunities module helps participants recognize those learning opportunities that offer the greatest possibility for improving their supervisory skills. The Visioning module stresses the importance of having a vision in exercising leadership, and spells out a method for establishing a view of a desirable, obtainable future. The Motivation module presents a basic model of motivation theory and a practical method for managing the motivation of others. The Delegation module introduces new supervisors to the basics of delegating tasks to individual employees. In the Coaching module, participants acquire coaching skills through self-assessment and action planning. The Teamwork module helps supervisors build effective teams and act as effective team members. This session closes with a Goal Setting session (see Chapter 8, page 56 for more information on that session). 12
SAMPLE AGENDA: DAY ONE
9
3 6
09:00 a.m.
Open and review (15 minutes) Objective: Establish the learning environment and present the agenda
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New Supervisor Training
09:15
Learning Partners Module (60 minutes, although time needed may vary with class size) Objective: Prepare participants to help each other learn
10:15
Executive Kickoff (60 minutes) Objective: Demonstrate senior management support for training and provide ‘face time’ with senior managers
11:15
Break (15 minutes)
11:30
Learning Opportunities module (45 minutes) Objective: Identify each participant’s highest-value learning opportunities
12:15
Lunch (60 minutes)
01:15
Visioning module (90 minutes) Objective: Introduce participants to the role of vision in leadership
02:45
Break (15 minutes)
03:00
Motivation module (75 minutes) Objective: Understand how to influence the behaviour of others
04:15
Close (15 minutes) Objective: Reinforce learning points
04:30
Recreation activity (if offsite) (optional)
06:00
Dinner (if offsite)
07:00
Evening activities (if residential offsite)
12 9
3
SAMPLE AGENDA: DAY TWO
6
09:00 a.m.
Open and review (15 minutes) Objective: Re-establish learning environment and present agenda
09:15
Delegation module (50 minutes) Objective: Understand how to get work done through others
Multi-Day Session
10:05
Break (15 minutes)
10:20
Coaching module (75 minutes) Objective: Understand how to sustain and improve the performance of team members
11:35
Review and opportunity for questions (10 minutes)
11:45
Lunch (60 minutes)
12:45
Myers-Briggs Type Indicator (120 minutes)
02:45
Break (15 minutes)
03:00
Begin Teamwork module (75 minutes) Run Structured Experience 12–2: Balloon Sculpture (Chapter 12, page 145, or insert the CD and find the file Structured Experience 12–2: Balloon Sculpture.pdf ). Objective: Understand how to build effective teams
04:15
Close (15 minutes) Objective: Reinforce learning points
04:30
Recreation activity (if offsite) (optional)
06:00
Dinner (if offsite)
07:00
Evening activities (if residential offsite) 12
SAMPLE AGENDA: DAY THREE
9
3 6
09:00 a.m.
Open and review (10 minutes) Objective: Re-establish learning environment and present agenda
09:10
Continue Teamwork exercises (95 minutes) Run Structured Experience 12–3: Caterpillar Race (Chapter 12, page 149, or insert the CD and find the file Structured Experience 12–3: Caterpillar Race.pdf ).
10:45
Break (15 minutes)
11:00
Continue Teamwork exercises (60 minutes)
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Run Structured Experience 12–5: Federal Reserve (Chapter 12, page 156, or insert the CD and locate the file Structured Experience 12–5: Federal Reserve.pdf ). 12:00
Lunch (60 minutes)
01:00
Peer feedback (60 minutes) Run Structured Experience 12–7: Peer Feedback (Chapter 12, page 165, or insert the CD and find the file Instrument 12–1: Peer Feedback.pdf ).
02:00
Goal setting (60 minutes) Objective: Help participants turn learning into action
03:00
Close (15 minutes) Objective: Reinforce learning points
Chapter 10 includes the content modules used in the preceding sample agendas. The interactive designs will help you create training sessions that are informative, engaging and effective.
C h a p t e r 10
Content Modules What’s in This Chapter?
Instructions on using the content modules
Seven content modules:
Coaching
Delegation
Learning Opportunities
Learning Partners
Motivation
Teamwork
Visioning
This chapter contains all of the content modules included in the sample agendas found in the previous chapters. The term ‘content’ refers to the emphases within the modules. Each content module is a self-contained learning experience that can be used as a stand-alone training session or incorporated into a broader agenda. The interactive designs explore content areas in a step-by-step fashion. They are handy, readily available resources to help trainers address the issues that new supervisors face.
Using Content Modules These content modules are the building blocks for a training programme for new supervisors. As appropriate, each module includes
step-by-step instructions
key learning points
discussion questions 67
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a list of materials to be used in each module, including
instruments
exercises
PowerPoint presentations
structured experiences.
Trainers should review the content module they are going to teach and any resources used in that module. After becoming familiar with the content, follow the step-by-step instructions for facilitating the module. Time estimates are provided for each module and for each step, but the time needed for each activity may vary with different facilitators and participants. The timings given in the agendas can be adjusted as necessary. Trainers can modify modules to comply with local organizational priorities, the readiness level of potential participants and available resources (including time, space and number of trainees). These modules incorporate many of the principles of adult learning specified in Chapter 3 of this workbook. It is important that the trainer keep these principles in mind when considering revisions of the step-by-step approaches included here.
Modules Presented The designs presented in this chapter emphasize learning through doing. The modules use the materials included in this workbook. As discussed in Chapter 2, we recommend conducting a needs assessment before deciding what modules you will use, how you will modify them and how you will combine various modules into longer sessions. This chapter provides a step-by-step breakdown of each module followed by a description of key points, discussion questions and directions for locating all needed materials. Here is a brief description of the seven modules presented: 1.
Coaching module. This design is an interactive set of experiences that spell out the role of coaching in supervisory positions. The session focuses on the acquisition of coaching skills through self-assessment and action planning. Effective coaching practices are also introduced.
2.
Delegation module. This design introduces new supervisors to the basics of delegating tasks to individual employees. Graphic methods are used to help supervisors learn how to size up an employee’s
Content Modules
readiness for a given task and how to decide what form the delegation should take. 3.
Learning Opportunities module. This module uses a selfassessment instrument to help participants identify areas in which their learning might have the most impact. It also provides a ‘learning road map’ for new supervisors.
4.
Learning Partners module. This module helps create a collaborative learning environment by introducing participants to each other and to the idea that their role is to contribute to the learning process.
5.
Motivation module. This design presents a basic model of motivation theory and a practical method for managing the motivation of others.
6.
Teamwork module. This design includes a set of interactive experiences that show how to lead a group of employees in collaborative action towards common goals. The supervisor is viewed as the team leader, with special responsibility to facilitate collective productivity and positive morale.
7.
Visioning module. Supervisors primarily need to work with their people in relation to the present and future, not the past. This session enables new supervisors to think through the process of developing a vision of the organization’s future and aligning work and behaviours accordingly. The PowerPoint presentation points out the importance of having a vision in order to exercise leadership, and spells out a method for establishing a view of a desirable, obtainable future.
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Coaching Module (75 minutes) To sustain and improve the performance of their team members, new supervisors often are required to take on the role of ‘coach’. Although coaching covers a broad range of activities, unique issues are presented when supervisors coach the employees they supervise. 12 9
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6
1.
Discussion questions (5 minutes)
2.
Review the ‘Coaching Is . . .’ PowerPoint slide (slide 10–2) (5 minutes).
3.
Administer Instrument 11–4: Coaching Skills and Practices Assessment (5 minutes).
4.
Review the results of the Coaching Skills and Practices Assessment and discuss how each competency relates to coaching (30 minutes).
5.
Cover the key points using the ‘Coaching Matrix’ and ‘Supervisors as Coaches’ PowerPoint slides (slides 10–3 to 10–5) (10 minutes).
6.
Review Tool 10–1: The Gift of Feedback, and have participants practise feedback skills in groups of three (20 minutes).
KEY POINTS 1.
Coaching is helping someone else expand and apply skills, knowledge and abilities. It involves teaching, motivating, empowering and listening to others so they can take action on specific tasks.
2.
Coaching approaches should be adapted to each situation. Each coaching opportunity is person- and task-specific. Someone may be selfmotivated and fully skilled in one task, but need teaching and encouragement in another. Be careful to choose your coaching approach based on each person’s abilities and motivations regarding each specific task. Avoid ‘patterns of behaviour’, such as assuming your star team members who are good at many tasks are good at everything. Following a pattern of behaviour in that case will lead to undercoaching on some tasks. Another tempting pattern of behaviour is to assume team members who need lots of support for some tasks need a good deal of support for every task. In that case, following a pattern of behaviour can lead to overcoaching.
Content Modules
3.
Special issues arise when supervisors act as coaches. These issues include the following:
The coach is also the appraiser of performance.
The performance of the person being coached directly affects the performance of the coach.
Coaches who are also supervisors often are experienced and very proficient at the jobs of the people they are coaching, so the tasks in question seem second-nature to them.
4.
Those factors can result in the following challenges:
The person being coached will not want to admit ignorance or inadequacy to a supervisor, and that can be a barrier to learning.
Because of performance deadlines and high expectations, it can be difficult for the coach to be appropriately patient with the person being coached.
High expectations may cause the coach to push the person too hard. To get a sense of what that is like, imagine what often happens when parents coach their own children in sports.
Coaches can contribute inadvertently to low self-esteem or cause the person being coached to feel stupid because the task in question seems so easy to the coach.
5.
Those specific challenges can be overcome. Helpful strategies include the following:
Recognize that the person being coached is not you. He or she may not have the same values, experiences or skills as you do.
Separate coaching activities from performance management activities. Clearly distinguish when you are coaching from when you are engaging in performance appraisal. Because performance appraisal discussions often revolve around questions about compensation and promotion, they can raise defensiveness and inhibit learning.
Set realistic goals with the person being coached. This effort can reduce the likelihood of your having unrealistically high expectations.
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DISCUSSION QUESTIONS 1.
What are some synonyms for ‘coach’?
2.
What are some synonyms for ‘bad coach’?
MATERIALS USED IN THIS MODULE Training Instruments
Instrument 11–4: Coaching Skills and Practices Assessment can be found on page 118, or insert the CD and open the file Instrument 11–4: Coaching Skills and Practices Assessment.pdf.
Tool 10–1: The Gift of Feedback can be found below, or insert the CD and open the file Tool 10–1: The Gift of Feedback.pdf.
PowerPoint Presentation Review the PowerPoint presentation ‘Fundamentals of Coaching’ by viewing slides 10–1 to 10–7 printed on pages 86–87, or insert the CD and locate the file Fundamentals of Coaching.ppt to run the presentation. Individual slides also can be found on the CD for use in creating your own presentation.
Content Modules
Tool 10–1 The Gift of Feedback Everyone practises the art of giving feedback every day. Although we often are unaware that we are giving feedback, many of our actions deliver signals to others about how we perceive them and their actions. In addition, our effectiveness at giving feedback is a powerful determinant of how others perceive and respond to us. An awareness of when you are delivering and receiving feedback effectively can be a powerful coaching tool. Think of giving feedback the same way you think of giving a gift. That mental picture facilitates effective feedback. The following points are helpful in learning how to provide useful feedback.
Give feedback for the right reasons. We give gifts that are of value to others. In the same way, feedback should be of value to the recipient. Occasionally, we make the mistake of giving feedback intended to harm the recipient or to show how perceptive or intelligent we are. Feedback should always be helpful.
Give feedback at an appropriate time. Just as Valentine’s Day gifts are better given in February than in October, feedback should be given at the appropriate time. Is the receiver ready to hear the feedback? Is the receiver in an emotional state conducive to hearing the feedback? Can that person devote full attention to hearing the feedback? Feedback about a particular event should be given promptly after the event, unless the receiver is upset or too distracted to listen.
Feedback must be voluntarily accepted. Feedback is not a command; it is information for the consideration and benefit of the recipient. You cannot force feedback on anyone. Just as people can refuse gifts, they can refuse feedback. The receiver always has the option to listen or ignore whatever feedback you offer.
Feedback begets feedback. When you give a gift to someone, he or she may give a gift in return. The same is true for feedback. Returning feedback is a natural reaction for many people, so be prepared. Because this often is a two-way conversation, it is useful to practise the art of listening while giving feedback.
Feedback is not the same as truth.You select a gift from many choices. When you provide feedback, you are presenting one perspective out of many. Recognize that you are not providing indisputable truth to the recipient – you are describing your perception and reaction to an event. Because it is subjective, feedback is more effective if it is specific and descriptive, not general and evaluative.
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Delegation Module (50 minutes) The change from doing work oneself to getting work done through others is one of the most challenging aspects of making the transition from individual contributor to supervisor. The benefit and necessity of delegation is evident to most supervisors, but few feel confident about their delegation abilities. This module helps new supervisors understand how and when to delegate and illustrates some of the beliefs and paradigms that inhibit effective delegation. 12 9
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6
1.
Facilitate a discussion of the first discussion question. Review the related PowerPoint slide (slide 10–9) (5 minutes).
2.
Discuss the second question. Review the related PowerPoint slide. Review key point number one (slide 10–10) (10 minutes).
3.
Discuss key points 1 to 3 using the PowerPoint presentation ‘Fundamentals of Delegation’ (10 minutes).
4.
Run the Trust and Delegation exercise (15 minutes).
5.
Discuss key points 4 and 5 using the PowerPoint presentation ‘Fundamentals of Delegation’ (10 minutes).
KEY POINTS 1.
Delegation is more than just a means of distributing work among many people. Effective delegation also
2.
increases the commitment of team members to the organization
provides developmental experiences for team members.
Supervisors can overcome their reasons for delegating inappropriately by considering commitment and developmental benefits.
3.
For each task to be delegated, the supervisor’s trust of the motivation and skills of the team member involved determines the appropriate level of delegation. Delegation options for supervisors include the following:
Fully delegate: When you trust both motivation and skills, give full responsibility for completing the task to the team member.
Content Modules
Develop: When you trust the motivation but not the skills, work with the team member to complete the task or assign other developmental resources.
Manage: When you trust the skills but not the motivation, monitor progress closely to ensure that schedules are met.
Redeploy: When you do not trust the motivation or the skills, find another task to delegate.
4.
To ensure a good handover of the delegated task, attention is required to several matters. Be sure to take the following actions:
Provide the big picture (explain why the task is important).
Give a clear definition of the deliverable.
Provide schedule or deadline expectations.
Verify adequate skill and resource availability.
Agree on follow-up steps, if any are needed.
Give direction regarding what is needed and when, not how to do things.
5.
Accountability for a task can be delegated, but the supervisor always remains responsible for the outcome. A supervisor should never blame a team member for failure on a delegated task.
DISCUSSION QUESTIONS 1.
What is the benefit of delegating?
2.
What stops us from delegating?
MATERIALS USED IN THIS MODULE Trust and Delegation Exercise Divide participants into pairs, and ask each participant to describe a real work task he or she needs to delegate and the person to whom the participant wants to delegate it. Participants take turns coaching each other through the matrix laid out on the ‘Trust and Delegation’ slide (slide 10–12), located on the CD and pictured on page 87 of this workbook.
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PowerPoint Presentation Review the PowerPoint presentation ‘Fundamentals of Delegation’ by viewing slides 10–8 to 10–15 on pages 87–88, or insert the CD and locate the file Fundamentals of Delegation.ppt to run the presentation.
Content Modules
Learning Opportunities Module (45 minutes) This module will help participants recognize learning opportunities that offer the greatest possibility for improving their supervisory skills. That recognition will increase the effectiveness of the training that follows. 12
STEP-BY-STEP DELIVERY
9
3 6
1.
Discuss the key points (5 minutes).
2.
Administer Instrument 11–3: Self-Assessment for New Supervisors (15 minutes).
3.
Discuss the two questions presented below (25 minutes).
KEY POINTS Successful supervisors create three conditions in their organizations: 1.
All team members share a common understanding of the vision of the organization.
2.
All team members are committed to achieving the vision.
3.
The team has the skills and resources needed to achieve the vision.
If those three conditions are met, the supervisor’s job will be rewarding and enjoyable.
DISCUSSION QUESTIONS 1.
How can your strengths help you create the three organizational conditions?
2.
What can you do to address your areas of need?
MATERIALS USED IN THIS MODULE Training Instrument
Instrument 11–3: Self-Assessment for New Supervisors can be found on page 111, or insert the CD and open the file Instrument 11–3: SelfAssessment for New Supervisors.pdf.
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Learning Partners Module (15–60 minutes, depending on number of participants) This module helps create a collaborative learning environment by introducing participants to each other and to the idea that their role is to contribute to the learning process. 12 9
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6
1.
Discuss the key points (5 minutes).
2.
Run the Introduction exercise (3 minutes per participant).
3.
Review some of the strengths and learning priorities of participants (5 minutes).
KEY POINTS 1.
Everyone knows something about supervising and can contribute to learning.
2.
One person’s development needs are often the strengths of another.
MATERIALS USED IN THIS MODULE Introduction Exercise There are many introduction techniques that can be used successfully. Choose one based on the time available and the preferences of the facilitator. One technique is to begin with pairs of participants interviewing each other. Then get each participant to introduce his or her interview partner to the group. An introduction should include
name
areas in which the participant works
how long he or she has been a supervisor
one thing the person does well as a supervisor
one thing the person would like to learn about being a supervisor.
Content Modules
Motivation Module (75 minutes) One of the fundamental issues facing supervisors who need to get work done through other people is how to motivate team members. This module presents a simple, practical model for understanding and influencing the behaviour of others. 12
STEP-BY-STEP DELIVERY
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3 6
1.
Discuss the first question. Review key point 1 (5 minutes).
2.
Review key point 2 using the PowerPoint slide of Maslow’s hierarchy (slide 10–17) in the PowerPoint presentation ‘Motivation’. Discuss the remaining discussion questions (15 minutes).
3.
Discuss key point 3 using the PowerPoint presentation ‘Motivation’ (10 minutes).
4.
Complete the Values and Beliefs exercise (45 minutes).
KEY POINTS 1.
Different drivers motivate people at different times.
2.
There are principles of motivation that can be applied to most people. The ‘hierarchy of needs’ described by Abraham Maslow (1987) supports these general principles:
Only unsatisfied needs motivate an individual.
The supervisor’s greatest ability to have an effect is at the levels of security, the sense of belonging and self-esteem.
3.
People do what they think they need to do to get what they think they want. To understand this aspect of motivation, it is helpful to remember the differences between values and beliefs.
Values drive what people think they want. Values help people define and prioritize what they take to be important, and those values typically are established by the time we reach adolescence. Because values are unlikely to be changed by external influences, supervisors should not spend effort trying to change others’ values. For example, a supervisor with a strong work ethic may want
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team members to share that work ethic, but it is unlikely that the supervisor can change others’ views on the value of hard work.
Beliefs are what people think they need to do to get what they want. Unlike values, beliefs about the world can be affected by others. Although a supervisor cannot change others’ views on the value of hard work, it is possible to help them believe that hard work will result in acquiring or achieving something they value, such as money, independence, or success. Focus on changing the beliefs of others, not their values.
DISCUSSION QUESTIONS 1.
What motivates you?
2.
Where in Maslow’s hierarchy does money fit?
3.
What motivational drivers can supervisors control or influence?
MATERIALS USED IN THIS MODULE Values and Beliefs Exercise Divide participants into groups of three. Ask each participant to describe a situation in which he or she wants to influence someone’s behaviour. The situation can be at work, at home, or in a social context. Direct participants to take turns coaching each other on developing a win–win solution using the ‘Values and Beliefs Worksheet’ slide (which also can be printed and distributed as a handout) to identify the differences and similarities between values and beliefs. The ‘Values and Beliefs Worksheet’ slide is slide 10–23 in the PowerPoint presentation ‘Motivation’.
PowerPoint Presentation Review ‘Motivation’ by viewing slides 10–16 to 10–23 on pages 88 and 89, or insert the CD and locate the file Motivation.pps to run the presentation.
Content Modules
Teamwork Module (21/4–41/4 hours) This module helps new supervisors learn how to build effective teams and become valuable team members. 12
STEP-BY-STEP DELIVERY
9
3 6
1.
Lead the group through the discussion questions (5 minutes).
2.
Discuss key points using PowerPoint presentation (10 minutes).
3.
Divide participants into teams of five to seven members.
4.
Run at least one structured experience, based on the amount of time available (1–3 hours) and the training location. Select structured experiences with the most relevance to your participants’ current needs. For example, Structured Experience 12–4: Distance Teaming is appropriate for participants with geographically disbursed team members, and Structured Experience 12–6: Paper Tower is useful for organizations facing a great deal of change. Alternate exercises requiring a more analytical approach, such as Structured Experience 12–5: Federal Reserve, with an exercise that has subjective goals, such as Structured Experience 12–2: Balloon Sculpture.
5.
Facilitate Structured Experience 12–7: Peer Feedback (1 hour).
KEY POINTS Effective teams share common attributes. Five of the most critical attributes are the following: 1.
Common goals: Team members must have a common understanding of what the team is trying to accomplish and a commitment to achieving it.
2.
Shared consequences: All team members must share in the rewards and negative consequences of the team’s work. If one person can win although the team fails, or if one person can lose although the team wins, teamwork is negatively affected.
3.
Trust and respect among team members: Effective interpersonal interaction is crucial in highly functioning teams. Mutual trust and respect are the foundations of effective relationships.
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4.
Clear roles: Each team member should have a clear understanding of how he or she, and others on the team, can contribute to the team’s success.
5.
Effective leadership: What is effective varies in different teams and circumstances, but some form of leadership typically emerges in effective teams, and is instrumental in the team’s success.
DISCUSSION QUESTIONS 1.
What’s the difference between a group and a team?
2.
Think about a team of which you’ve been a member. What made the team successful? What made it unsuccessful?
MATERIALS USED IN THIS MODULE PowerPoint Presentation Review ‘Teamwork’ by viewing slide 10–24 on page 89, or insert the CD and locate the file Teamwork.pps to run the presentation.
Structured Experiences
Structured Experience 12–2: Balloon Sculpture can be found on page 145, or insert the CD and open the file Structured Experience 12–2: Balloon Sculpture.pdf.
Structured Experience 12–3: Caterpillar Race can be found on page 149, or insert the CD and open the file Structured Experience 12–3: Caterpillar Race.pdf.
Structured Experience 12–4: Distance Teaming can be found on page 152, or insert the CD and open the file Structured Experience 12–4: Distance Teaming.pdf.
Structured Experience 12–5: Federal Reserve can be found on page 156, or insert the CD and open the file Structured Experience 12–5: Federal Reserve.pdf.
Structured Experience 12–6: Paper Tower can be found on page 161, or insert the CD and open the file Structured Experience 12–6: Paper Tower.pdf.
Structured Experience 12–7: Peer Feedback can be found on page 165, or insert the CD and open the file Structured Experience 12–7: Peer Feedback.pdf.
Content Modules
Visioning Module (90 minutes) Successful leadership of an organization requires a shared vision. When all team members are moving in the same direction and pursuing the same goals, their behaviours are more likely to become aligned and to produce positive results. When team members share a vision of what they are trying to achieve, supervisors are better able to empower the group and delegate tasks effectively. 12
STEP-BY-STEP DELIVERY
9
3 6
1.
Facilitate the Alpha Beta exercise (1 hour).
2.
Lead group through the first discussion question (5 minutes).
3.
Present key points, using the PowerPoint presentation ‘Visioning’ (15 minutes).
4.
Lead group through the second discussion question (10 minutes).
KEY POINTS 1.
To create energy and promote creativity, a future vision must be significantly different from the current state of affairs. Consider a six-year-old gymnast who dreams of becoming an Olympic gold medallist. She pictures herself standing on the centre podium of the stadium, a gold medal draped around her neck. That future vision helps drive her to train with incredible intensity and to devote the necessary energy to becoming the best gymnast in the world. After 10 years, her effort pays off. At the age of 16, she achieves her vision and wins the gold medal. What will motivate her from that point forward? Without a motivating vision, she runs the risk of peaking at 16. Even a gold medallist must create a new vision if she wants to aim toward further accomplishments. Achieving a vision provides an opportunity to consider accomplishments and savour your success, but it does not produce creative energy. The closer your vision is to your current state, the more likely it is that your actions will be guided by complacency and ambivalence. The vision that initially drove Microsoft was of ‘a computer on every desk and in every home’. Shortly before Bill Gates resigned as CEO, he realized that because that vision had nearly been achieved, it no
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longer created substantial energy. The new vision of Microsoft is ‘to empower people through great software – any time, any place, and on any device’. Such a vision is sufficiently different from current reality to drive creativity and energy in that company. 2.
Effective visions are realistic, easy to understand, commonly understood, inspiring and meaningful. Use examples to illustrate the following aspects of effective visions.
Realistic: Visions that are unattainable do not motivate. A vision such as ‘Be number one or two in every market that we serve’ might work for General Electric, but it’s likely to be a far stretch for a smaller company.
Easy to understand: Vision statements that are short and to the point are more effective than ones that need to be printed on a card or poster to be remembered.
Commonly understood: A vision statement composed of vague terms leaves too much room for conflicting interpretations. For example, ‘Be the best technology company in the world’ is very ambiguous. What do ‘best’ and ‘technology’ mean? A good vision should create a shared sense of purpose so its meaning must be clear and accessible.
Inspiring: The best visions have emotional appeal. ‘Achieve 20 per cent return on equity’ doesn’t reach the hearts of most people. In contrast, a telecommunication company’s vision of ‘everyone connected, anywhere, all the time’ could be illustrated through universally appealing stories of how technology saves lives by enabling communication in remote areas.
Meaningful: Effective visions help organizations make decisions, prioritize short-term goals and determine resource tradeoffs.
3.
Team members should be involved in creating the team’s vision. The more involved team members are in the process of creating the team’s vision, the more ownership they will feel, and the more responsibility they will take in making the vision a reality.
Content Modules
DISCUSSION QUESTIONS 1.
If you suddenly left your job, would your organization know what to do?
2.
What do you need to do to create a vision for your organization?
MATERIALS USED IN THIS MODULE Structured Experience Locate Structured Experience 12–1: Alpha Beta on page 134, or insert the CD and open the file Structured Experience 12–1: Alpha Beta.pdf.
PowerPoint Presentation Review ‘Visioning’ by viewing slides 10–25 to 10–29 on page 90, or insert the CD and locate the file Visioning.pps to run the presentation.
In the next chapter, you will find the training instruments called for in these content modules.
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Slide 10–1
Slide 10–2
Copyright© John E. Jones and Chris Chen, New Supervisor Training
Slide 10–3
Copyright© John E. Jones and Chris Chen, New Supervisor Training
Slide 10–5
Copyright© John E. Jones and Chris Chen, New Supervisor Training
Slide 10–4
Copyright© John E. Jones and Chris Chen, New Supervisor Training
Slide 10–6
Copyright© John E. Jones and Chris Chen, New Supervisor Training
Content Modules
Slide 10–7
Slide 10–8
Copyright© John E. Jones and Chris Chen, New Supervisor Training
Slide 10–9
Copyright© John E. Jones and Chris Chen, New Supervisor Training
Slide 10–11
Copyright© John E. Jones and Chris Chen, New Supervisor Training
Slide 10–10
Copyright© John E. Jones and Chris Chen, New Supervisor Training
Slide 10–12
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Slide 10–13
Slide 10–14
Copyright© John E. Jones and Chris Chen, New Supervisor Training
Slide 10–15
Slide 10–16
Copyright© John E. Jones and Chris Chen, New Supervisor Training
Slide 10–17
Copyright© John E. Jones and Chris Chen, New Supervisor Training
Slide 10–18
Copyright© John E. Jones and Chris Chen, New Supervisor Training
Content Modules
Slide 10–19
Copyright© John E. Jones and Chris Chen, New Supervisor Training
Slide 10–21
Copyright© John E. Jones and Chris Chen, New Supervisor Training
Slide 10–23
Copyright© John E. Jones and Chris Chen, New Supervisor Training
Slide 10–20
Copyright© John E. Jones and Chris Chen, New Supervisor Training
Slide 10–22
Copyright© John E. Jones and Chris Chen, New Supervisor Training
Slide 10–24
Copyright© John E. Jones and Chris Chen, New Supervisor Training
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Slide 10–25
Slide 10–26
Copyright© John E. Jones and Chris Chen, New Supervisor Training
Slide 10–27
Copyright© John E. Jones and Chris Chen, New Supervisor Training
Slide 10–29
Copyright© John E. Jones and Chris Chen, New Supervisor Training
Slide 10–28
Copyright© John E. Jones and Chris Chen, New Supervisor Training
C h a p t e r
11
Training Instruments and Tools What’s in This Chapter?
Instructions for using instruments and tools
Eight training instruments and tools:
Instrument 11–1: Trainer Competencies
Tool 11–1: Trainer’s Action Plan for Professional Improvement
Instrument 11–2: Structured Interview Protocol for Assessing the Learning Needs of New Supervisors
Instrument 11–3: Self-Assessment for New Supervisors
Tool 11–2: New Supervisor’s Action Plan for Self-Improvement
Instrument 11–4: Coaching Skills and Practices Assessment
Tool 11–3: Action Plan for Self-Improvement in Coaching Skills
Instrument 11–5: Supervisor Training Follow-Up Assessment
There are many worksheets and data-gathering instruments you might use in training sessions for new supervisors. This chapter includes assessment instruments and other tools to rate relevant traits, competencies and practices.
Training Instruments and Tools A training instrument differs from a test in that the answers to the questions are not considered ‘right’ or ‘wrong’. Many of the instruments included here are assessments and self-assessments – instruments that ask participants for information about perceptions of others or themselves. Training instruments differ from evaluations in that instruments address the question, ‘How much?’ and evaluations ask, ‘How well?’ The instruments in this chapter focus on what we have found to be the most important aspects of supervision.
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Can training instruments be reliable or valid if they tend to enquire about perceptions, instead of looking for right answers? There seems to be much confusion regarding this question. Some trainers believe they should look for some magic quality called ‘validity’ in the information gathered through training instruments. But the major benefit of training instruments is their usefulness, not their predictive power. Training instruments are designed to facilitate learning, not to help with personnel issues or promotion decisions. Their primary use is to generate data for action planning and to help learners focus on the most important aspects of a training session. For a more thorough discussion of training instruments, see the article by Jones and Bearley, ‘Reliability and Validity for Training Instruments’ (1998).
Instruments and Tools Presented The following training instruments and tools are included in this chapter and on the accompanying CD:
Instrument 11–1: Trainer Competencies. This form helps you establish learning priorities for your own development. It can be used as a self-assessment or to solicit feedback from trainees at the end of a session or some time later.
Tool 11–1: Trainer’s Action Plan for Professional Improvement. Through a step-by-step process, this tool helps trainers turn their self-assessment into a plan for professional improvement.
Instrument 11–2: Structured Interview Protocol for Assessing the Learning Needs of New Supervisors. When you meet with individuals and groups to assess their learning needs, it is important to operate in an organized way. This is a protocol for conducting such exchanges.
Instrument 11–3: Self-Assessment for New Supervisors. This instrument can be used as preparation for new supervisor training, to help the trainer get a sense of the common learning interests of trainees. It also can be used in a training module to help trainees focus on learning needs and develop realistic action plans for self-improvement. This instrument is also suitable for a follow-up assessment some time after the new supervisor training to track the payoffs on the investment in training. Finally, trainers may modify this instrument and
Training Instruments and Tools
use it to solicit feedback for training participants from line managers, peers and team members.
Tool
11–2:
New
Supervisor’s
Action
Plan
for
Self-
Improvement. This training tool lays out a step-by-step process by which new supervisors can turn their self-assessments into practical plans.
Instrument 11–4: Coaching Skills and Practices Assessment. This self-assessment instrument is intended especially for new supervisors. It helps them understand the competencies required for good coaching, and provides a format for setting developmental priorities and plans.
Tool 11–3: Action Plan for Self-Improvement in Coaching Skills. This training tool lays out a step-by-step process by which new supervisors can turn their self-assessments into practical plans for becoming better coaches.
Instrument 11–5: Supervisory Training Follow-Up Assessment. This questionnaire is designed to find out how supervisors change behaviours after attending the training programme. It is best to implement this instrument a few months after the training has been completed.
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Instrument 11–1: Trainer Competencies This assessment instrument is useful for managing your own professional development, and can help increase the effectiveness of your training sessions with newly appointed supervisors. Trainers can use this instrument in the following ways:
Self-assessment. Trainers can rate their own competencies on a five-point scale to generate a profile of overall competency and to identify the areas that most need improvement. After completing the self-assessment, trainers can use Tool 11–1: Trainer’s Action Plan for Professional Improvement to outline a specific and detailed action plan for enhancing competencies.
End-of-course feedback. Trainers may use this instrument to solicit ratings from participants, to gather information on how their work is perceived by others and to correct self-perceptions regarding vital competencies. When participants do not have sufficient information to rate trainers on all 12 competencies addressed in this instrument, specify which items they should answer or ask them to rate only those for which they can provide accurate feedback.
Observer feedback. This instrument can be used by observers of training programmes, including co-trainers, to provide very meaningful feedback for the trainer.
Repeat ratings. This instrument can form the basis for tracking professional trainers’ growth in the competencies needed to develop new supervisors effectively. It can be used repeatedly as a self-assessment or feedback form to track progress in relation to an action plan for improvement.
RATIONALE Training new supervisors is challenging, especially because it requires such a range of skills. This instrument addresses a set of 12 vital competencies for trainers. Not all seasoned trainers are experts in all 12, and so these are areas of potential learning and growth for almost any trainer. The discussion below describes the importance of the 12 dimensions of trainer competence addressed in this instrument. 1.
Facilitation. Trainers should lead group discussion without directing the outcome, and should create an environment of openness and trust.
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Experiential learning is learning through discovery, not lecturing by a trainer. Because experiential learning activities are absorbed and debriefed through group discussion, trainers must be competent at initiating, guiding, drawing out and summarizing group interchanges. It is equally important that trainers refrain from contributing too much content to group discussions, and that they not try to get participants to generate ‘right’ answers. To learn effectively, training group members must trust themselves and their own experiences, and they must trust the trainer. The trainer should promote equality of participation and inspire all participants to be actively involved in exercises and debriefings. There is an old saying: ‘Training goes to where the trainer is coming from’. Trainers need to be vigilant in making sure the learning process does not deteriorate into indoctrination. 2.
Communication. Trainers must speak clearly, express themselves well in public settings and convey ideas in terms the listener can understand. It is nearly axiomatic that trainers should be skilled communicators. Skilled communication involves good listening, accurate empathy and unambiguous self-expression. Training also requires clearly presenting instructions for activities, and facilitating discussions by building on the ideas of others. Ideally, the trainer should be the most competent communicator in the training room and should serve as a role model for others.
3.
Listening. Trainers should demonstrate attentive listening and convey understanding to others. This is the core communication competency for trainers. It involves not only attending to facts and points of view, but also to feelings, attitudes and nuances of expression. Any time a trainer does not understand what a participant is saying, or where a group member is coming from, the process should be slowed down to generate understanding. No one listens perfectly in every instance, so learning to listen effectively can be a lifelong project.
4.
Coaching. The ability to assess the strengths and weaknesses of others and to give timely, specific and constructive feedback is key to good training.
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Coaching can be thought of as individual training because it focuses on the specific needs of an individual trainee. Effective one-on-one training requires observing new supervisors in work contexts and involving them in self-assessment activities (see Instrument 11–3: Self-Assessment for New Supervisors). Using assessment data greatly enriches coaching because it helps focus attention on what is important and it can help track growth. 5.
Sensitivity to others. Trainers must learn to recognize and identify the feelings, attitudes and concerns of others. Because new supervisors’ emotional responses can interfere with their effectiveness, trainers must be able to recognize the feelings and attitudes of their programme participants. This skill involves the ability to separate one’s own inner state from those of the group members. It also requires paying close and continuous attention to what participants are experiencing emotionally. In the context of training, the trainer may or may not explicitly draw attention to emotional dynamics, though good training requires competency in monitoring them and knowing when to adjust the training accordingly.
6.
Conflict management. Trainers should be able to identify sources of conflict, to turn conflict into a constructive exchange of ideas and to keep energy focused on desired outcomes. Conflicts sometimes arise in the training room so trainers need to be able to manage conflict constructively. The goal is not necessarily to resolve conflict because often no real resolution is possible. Rather, the aim should be to work with conflict and to model conflict management by responding effectively when it occurs. A trainer’s own level of comfort regarding conflict is evident in his or her competency level here – if a trainer is someone who tends to avoid conflict, he or she will find it difficult to deal with conflicts that arise in the training room. Trainers must recognize the potential for conflict in new supervisor training, and they should be ready, willing and able to work with it as facilitators and role models.
7.
Influence. Trainers must be able to persuade others to consider a desired point of view, to gain support and commitment from others, and to effect change in others’ behaviour.
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Although trainers are not indoctrinators, they often are expected to help new supervisors understand and accept organizational policies and practices. Trainers therefore need to be convincing. They need to be able to sell the organization’s message and to solicit active participation in experiential learning activities. Highly competent trainers help others cultivate a genuine commitment to change behaviour and make improvements. 8.
Time management. Trainers must be able to set efficient work priorities, balance the importance and urgency of tasks, and work on many tasks simultaneously. Trainers do many things in addition to conducting training room activities and one-on-one coaching sessions. They need to be skilled at finding time to prepare for training events, keep records and report to their own supervisors. Highly competent trainers are capable of multi-tasking, or keeping goals and priorities clearly in focus as they carry out many different responsibilities.
9.
Motivation channelling. Trainers must be able to create enthusiasm and commitment in others and to encourage others to achieve desired goals. New supervisors already are motivated by something so the task is not really to create motivation. Rather, the task for trainers is to channel the motivation of programme participants in productive ways and to help them approach the task of learning with vigour and commitment. Newly appointed supervisors are usually quite motivated to learn how to manage new responsibilities, so trainers should capitalize on that motivation by enrolling them in meaningful learning activities.
10.
Teamwork. Trainers must cooperate with others to achieve a common purpose. This competency is vital in two ways. First, trainers often work in teams, and training professionals should model effective teamwork when they conduct training sessions together. Second, as this workbook emphasizes, efficient training uses group exercises and learning teams. Trainers should be able to help groups become effective teams in the formal learning environment and to help teams commit to cooperative work and common objectives.
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11.
Planning and organizing. Good training requires a well-ordered and logical approach to organizing work and completing tasks. Sloppy work habits generate haphazard training sessions. Trainers who have the important responsibility of working with new supervisors must be capable of organizing their own work and modelling good habits for participants. New supervisors can easily become overwhelmed with new responsibilities and relationships. Trainers can help them stay on top of their jobs through effective planning and organization.
12.
Attention to detail. Trainers must make certain that work is done correctly and completely. Training is not magic – some training practices are more effective than others. Many organizations have explicit training standards and methods in place to monitor and measure adherence to them. In their efforts to meet the needs of participants and client organizations successfully and consistently, trainers must identify and implement effective methods. This means making sure that all responsibilities – especially training events – are planned in detail and executed accordingly.
To use the version of this instrument included on the compact disc, insert the CD and locate the file Instrument 11–1: Trainer Competencies.pdf.
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Instrument 11–1 Trainer Competencies
1. Facilitation: Leads group discussion without directing the outcome; creates an environment of openness and trust 2. Communication: Speaks clearly and expresses self well in public settings; conveys ideas in terms the listener can understand 3. Listening: Demonstrates attentive listening and conveys understanding of others 4. Coaching: Assesses strengths and weaknesses of others; gives timely, specific and constructive feedback 5. Sensitivity to others: Recognizes feelings, attitudes and concerns of others 6. Conflict management: Identifies sources of conflict; uses conflict as a constructive process to exchange ideas; keeps energy focused on desired outcomes 7. Influence: Persuades others to consider a desired point of view; gains support and commitment from others; effects change in behaviour of others 8. Time management: Sets efficient work priorities; balances importance and urgency of tasks; can work on many tasks simultaneously 9. Motivation channelling: Creates enthusiasm and commitment in others; encourages others to achieve desired goals 10. Teamwork: Cooperates with others to achieve a common purpose 11. Planning and organizing:Takes a well-ordered and logical approach to organizing work and completing tasks 12. Attention to detail: Makes sure work is done correctly and completely
EXPERT IN THIS AREA
ADEQUATE IN THIS AREA
SOME IN THIS AREA
LITTLE IN THIS AREA
COMPETENCY
ALMOST NONE IN THIS AREA
Instructions: If you are using this instrument as a self-assessment, write an X in the box to the right of each of the 12 trainer competencies that best describes your level of skill. If you are using this form to give feedback to a trainer, place the X in the box that best fits his or her level of competence in each area.
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Tool 11–1: Trainer’s Action Plan for Professional Improvement Trainers owe it to those they train to model continuous learning. The best way to do this is to establish and commit to a set of steps that make continuous professional growth part of the trainer’s day-to-day work. This tool is intended to assist trainers in thinking through a realistic and achievable action plan for improvement. To use the version of this instrument included on the compact disc, insert the CD and locate the file Tool 11–1: Trainer’s Action Plan for Professional Improvement.pdf.
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Tool 11–1 Trainer’s Action Plan for Professional Improvement Instructions: Answer the following questions. In drafting your action plan, focus on creating a plan to which you are completely committed. Write your responses in the spaces provided below. 1. What two or three competency areas most need your immediate attention? (Remember the saying, ‘More than three goals are no goals’.)
2. What opportunities are available to you to develop in those competency areas?
3. What support do you need to develop in your chosen areas of emphasis?
4. What is your first step?
5. What other moves do you need to make in order to grow in your competency areas?
6. How will you track your progress in those areas?
7. Who needs to know about your plan?
8. How willing are you to do whatever it takes to implement your plan?
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Instrument 11–2: Structured Interview Protocol for Assessing the Learning Needs of New Supervisors With this instrument, trainers gather data to help determine the content of new supervisor trainings. Interviews are effective ways to learn what competencies new supervisors need both in the present and in relation to the future of the organization. The advantages of interviews include the personal interface and the interviewer’s opportunity to clarify responses. To use the version of this instrument included on the compact disc, insert the CD and locate the file Instrument 11–2: Structured Interview Protocol for Assessing the Learning Needs of New Supervisors.pdf.
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Instrument 11–2 Structured Interview Protocol for Assessing the Learning Needs of New Supervisors Instructions: Use this form for taking notes during interviews with newly appointed supervisors to assess their developmental needs. Be certain that you understand the person’s response to each question before writing a summary of what he or she says. Assure the interviewee that the responses will be anonymous and confidential. 1. How did you become a supervisor?
2. What competencies did management see in you before appointing you as a supervisor?
3. What concerns (if any) did management tell you about when you became a supervisor?
4. With your new responsibilities, what day-to-day concerns occupy your time?
5. What do you especially like about being a supervisor?
6. What do you see as your primary strengths as a supervisor?
7. As a supervisor, what is your most common source of stress on the job?
8. What do you think you could improve in your work as a supervisor? continued on next page
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Instrument 11–2, continued Structured Interview Protocol for Assessing the Learning Needs of New Supervisors 9. How interested are you in receiving training in how to lead your people effectively?
10. How would you describe your relationships with the people who report directly to you?
11. How well does your work unit relate to other work units in the organization?
12. What preferences do you have about the new supervisor training you may receive?
13. How might you sell your plan for development as a supervisor to your manager, in order to obtain his or her support?
14. What else can you tell me about your needs for training at this time?
15. What questions do you have about me?
End the interview by thanking the person for his or her candid responses to your questions. Reassure the supervisor that he or she will not be quoted by name, although responses will be analysed for common themes. Explain that your upcoming training for new supervisors will reflect the priorities expressed in these interviews.
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Instrument 11–3: Self-Assessment for New Supervisors This assessment instrument is a useful tool for identifying the developmental needs of new supervisors, and it can help participants determine what to focus on in training sessions. In presenting the instrument, trainers might explain why these competencies are important for new supervisors. It is also helpful to follow up with Tool 11–2: New Supervisor’s Action Plan for Self-Improvement, which participants can use to outline an action plan for improving in particular areas and in specific ways.
RATIONALE The 16 competencies considered in this assessment are the vital few that are crucial for new supervisors. They represent what supervisors need to do well in order to be successful leaders. This list is based on years of experience in supervision and management, and grounded in a solid body of theory and research concerning the particularities of professional supervision. 1.
Influence. A supervisor with influence is able to persuade others to accept a desired point of view, to gain support and commitment from others, and to effect change in others’ behaviour. The essence of leadership is influence. Unless what you say and how you act have a positive influence on the attitudes and behaviour of your people, you are not their leader. Much has been said and written about differences between managing and leading. It is clear that people don’t want to be managed – they want to be led. The best way to increase your influence is to encourage your people, tell them about where you want the group to go in the service of the organization’s vision, and model the way.
2.
Facilitation. An effective supervisor leads meetings or group efforts without directing the outcome, creates an environment of openness and trust, and leads groups to decisions in which all participants feel a sense of ownership. Many new supervisors are reluctant to have group meetings with their people. This competency serves efficiency in that it enables you to inform, instruct and listen to your people all at once. Because supervisors must lead meetings and facilitate discussions, it is important to remember that leading a discussion is not the same as running
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a meeting. Facilitating discussion requires promoting evenness of participation, capturing key points and assuming a nonjudgemental attitude, especially about people’s feelings. 3.
Planning and organizing. An organized supervisor develops comprehensive project plans, monitors progress against goals, assigns clear responsibilities and breaks work down into manageable portions. New supervisors need to know how to work with others to develop plans for how and when things will be accomplished. It is important to resist the temptation to hold on to the power that seems to come from making decisions alone. Empowering others to make decisions helps them develop skills, encourages them to take responsibility and enables you to get your own tasks accomplished. Be careful not to practise what has been called ‘leave alone, zap’ supervision. You need to show your people how to succeed, observe them and provide regular feedback on their progress. A supervisor is ultimately a frontline trainer and people developer. Working collaboratively to establish work plans and organize tasks is an excellent way to empower the people you supervise.
4.
Analysis. Supervisors need to gather relevant information, consider a broad range of issues and factors, perceive relationships within a range of information and use logic effectively. This competency is vital for new supervisors because you must work with a range of information to accomplish your own tasks and lead your people effectively. The Total Quality Movement in many organizations resulted in a culture shift toward an emphasis on using data to justify specific plans. New supervisors therefore need to be available to consult with managers, associates and peers on data-based problem solving. You also need to be good at thinking through situations logically and making moves based on the best available information.
5.
Decision making. Supervisors must make timely and effective decisions. Delaying or putting off decisions can be frustrating for your team and may cause you to miss windows of opportunity. But timely decisions are not necessarily quick ones. Decisions must be based on solid data and take into account potential impacts on the people affected
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by them and on the organization as a whole. Effective decision making also involves assessing the importance of the outcome for the organization, the amount of time available, the degree to which people trust each other and how a particular decision will be accepted by various parties. 6.
Delegating. Supervisors must effectively assign tasks to others while taking responsibility for any results. In delegating, they should take into account both the skill levels of employees and the difficulty of assignments. Supervision that produces results requires working with your people in ways that encourage them to take on specific work tasks. Delegating tasks can be a developmental strategy. You can sell the benefits of taking on a task to an individual or team to challenge them to stretch towards new goals. Supervisors still need to maintain a connection in order to observe relevant behaviours and provide specific feedback. Delegation is also a way to unload some tasks that are overloading you. Something that you consider a chore may be a meaningful or desirable responsibility for someone else.
7.
Follow-up and commitment. Effective supervisors follow plans through to closure, persist despite obstacles and keep their word. Most plans fail in the implementation stage. Supervisors must be good at monitoring progress toward the goals of a specific plan and, when necessary, adjusting the strategies and tactics used to carry it out. For example, you may need to run interference for your people to help them produce desired outcomes on time and within budget. When you commit to support your team’s implementation of plans, it is critical that you do what you promise – not doing so rapidly erodes trust. Acting reliably will inspire your people to follow your leadership faithfully.
8.
Communication. Successful communication often depends on speaking clearly, expressing oneself well in groups and conveying ideas in terms the listener can understand. Communication may be the most vital competency in this set. Your success as a supervisor is directly related to your effectiveness as a communicator. US President Ronald Reagan was called the ‘Great Communicator’, and millions of people implicitly trusted his leadership
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because of his skills in this area. The two skills that make up this competency are self-expression and the ability to build on the ideas of others. Of course, people must be able to understand you, so if you mumble or have a heavy accent you may need to work on developing clear speech. The goals are to make your message clear and to be understood accurately. 9.
Listening. Supervisors should demonstrate attentive listening and convey their understanding to others. Listening is closely related to a competency in communication. You need to commit to a lifetime of continuous development in this area. This competency requires keeping one’s mind open to what others say, and attending to both the content of what they say and the feelings they are expressing (consciously and unconsciously). Listening effectively involves checking your understanding of others’ messages by reflecting what you hear, using phrases such as, ‘What I hear you saying is [X]’, or ‘You seem to be concerned about [X]’.
10.
Managing conflict. Supervisors need to identify sources of conflict, to turn conflict into a constructive exchange of ideas and to keep energy focused on desired outcomes. Conflict is seldom resolved. There are almost always lingering feelings after the parties to a conflict reach an agreement. Sometimes the result is simply an impasse at which people agree to disagree, and no commitment is made to change. Often a supervisor can encourage parties to look beneath a conflict, to isolate its root causes and make decisions at a more fundamental level. This competency requires being able to communicate with the parties in a conflict and to work together toward improvement, even when you are one of the conflicting parties. In dealing with any conflict, remember that the glue that can bind people together is commitment to shared goals. Work with others to make those commitments explicit and consider all exchanges in the context of desired results.
11.
Fostering teamwork. Supervisors clarify roles and responsibilities. Many organizations have flattened their structure and as a result supervisors have more people reporting directly to them. This means that supervisors have less time with each individual associate. A good strategy for success in this context is to forge work teams from groups
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of employees whose work is interdependent or whose goals require collaboration. Remember that groups are not teams. Effective teams can accomplish more than can a collection of Lone Rangers. You need to excel at facilitating the formation of effective teams, and you must provide individual members with clear roles and responsibilities. Supervisors should create teams that are capable of effective problem solving within an atmosphere of trust and collaboration. 12.
Technical and functional expertise. Supervisors should possess current knowledge of their profession and industry and be regarded as experts. Supervisors absolutely need to know the work, but that does not mean they should function primarily as troubleshooters. Your people should view you as knowledgeable and skilful so they will be inclined to consult with you on difficulties they encounter. Commit yourself to remaining current on the content of the tasks you supervise. This entails continuously studying emerging trends and effective practices in your organization’s industry and in the professions of the people who report to you.
13.
Time management. It is important for supervisors to be able to set efficient work priorities, work on many tasks simultaneously and balance the importance and urgency of tasks. In computer terms, supervisors need to be highly competent in multitasking or working on several tasks almost simultaneously. Expect many interruptions that will require your complete attention for at least a few minutes. To remain effective as a supervisor you need to be able to maintain your priorities, and you need to know when to drop everything and focus on a situation that demands your attention. Managing your time effectively requires knowing what is important and what is comparatively trivial, and consistently focusing on critical tasks.
14.
Channelling motivation. Supervisors must be good at encouraging others to achieve desired results and at creating enthusiasm and commitment in others. It is not really possible to motivate another person. (Try motivating a teenager who is not doing things your way!) Instead, work from the premise that people are already motivated. Your people do not
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want to fail, and some of them want to be real winners. In encouraging your associates, it is important to know what motivates them and to link work tasks to those inner drives. To discover what motivates people, it is more helpful to ask questions than to try to read minds. The ability to link your team members’ motivations to your expectations is a vital competency that is likely to create a committed work group. 15.
Coaching and developing. Provide timely, specific and constructive feedback and give challenging developmental assignments. Training employees is not only the responsibility of trainers. Supervisors are also frontline developers of employees. You therefore need to observe, give feedback to and suggest improvements for the people you supervise. Coaching can be thought of as a form of teaching whereby you help an individual develop necessary job skills. Being a coach requires skill and patience. Your communication and listening competencies will help make you a good coach.
16.
Providing direction. Supervisors need to provide clear direction, set clear priorities and foster a common vision. Employees need to know where you and the rest of the management are taking the organization. You therefore need to be highly articulate in spelling out the vision, mission, purpose and values of the organization. Supervisors should be effective at enrolling people in collaborative work toward a shared vision in ways that are consistent with the espoused values of the organization. Work with your people to establish priorities that are clearly in line with the organization’s goals.
Review the PowerPoint presentation ‘Competencies for New Supervisors’ by viewing slides 11–1 to 11–22 printed on pages 124–127, or insert the CD and locate the file Competencies for New Supervisors.pps to run the presentation. To use the version of this instrument included on the compact disc, insert the CD and locate the file Instrument 11–3: Self-Assessment for New Supervisors.pdf.
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Instrument 11–3 Self-Assessment for New Supervisors
DEFINITELY NEED TO DEVELOP THIS
NEED TO DEVELOP THIS MORE
DOING OK ON THIS
SUPERVISOR COMPETENCY
ONE OF MY STRENGTHS
Instructions: The purposes of this activity are to help you learn what is needed to be successful as a supervisor, and to help you create an action plan for self-improvement. Write an X in one of the boxes to the right of each competency, defining how you see yourself at the present time. Obviously, you must be honest with yourself to make this activity worthwhile. No one will see your ratings unless you share them voluntarily.
1. Influence: Persuades others to accept a desired point of view; gains support and commitment from others; effects change in others’ behaviour 2. Facilitation: Leads meetings or group efforts without directing the outcome; creates an environment of openness and trust; leads groups to decisions in which all participants feel a sense of ownership 3. Planning and organizing: Develops comprehensive project plans; monitors progress against goals; assigns clear responsibilities; breaks work down into manageable portions 4. Analysis: Gathers relevant information; considers broad range of issues and factors; perceives relationships among diverse information; uses logic effectively 5. Decision making: Makes timely and effective decisions 6. Delegating: Effectively assigns tasks to others while maintaining responsibility for results; considers skill level of employee and challenge level of assignment 7. Follow-up and commitment: Follows plans through to closure; persists despite obstacles; keeps one’s word 8. Communication: Speaks clearly and expresses self well in groups; conveys ideas in terms the listener can understand 9. Listening: Demonstrates attentive listening; conveys understanding to others
continued on next page
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10. Managing conflict: Identifies sources of conflict; uses conflict as a constructive means to exchange ideas; keeps energy focused on desired outcomes 11. Fostering teamwork: Clarifies workers’ roles and responsibilities 12. Technical and functional expertise: Possesses current knowledge of profession and industry; is regarded as an expert 13. Time management: Sets efficient work priorities; can work on many tasks simultaneously; balances importance and urgency of tasks 14. Channelling motivation: Encourages others to achieve desired results; creates enthusiasm and commitment in others 15. Coaching and developing: Provides timely, specific, constructive feedback; gives challenging, developmental assignments 16. Providing direction: Provides clear direction; sets clear priorities; fosters a common vision
DEFINITELY NEED TO DEVELOP THIS
NEED TO DEVELOP THIS MORE
DOING OK ON THIS
SUPERVISOR COMPETENCY
ONE OF MY STRENGTHS
Instrument 11–3, continued Self-Assessment for New Supervisors
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Tool 11–2: New Supervisor’s Action Plan for Self-Improvement Supervisors should be committed to continuous learning. The best way to do this is to establish and commit to a set of steps that make continuous professional growth part of your day-to-day work. This tool is intended to assist supervisors in thinking through a realistic and achievable action plan for improvement. To use the version of this tool included on the compact disc, insert the CD and locate the file Tool 11–2: New Supervisor’s Action Plan for Self-Improvement.pdf.
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Tool 11–2 New Supervisor’s Action Plan for Self-Improvement Instructions: Answer the following questions. In drafting your action plan, focus on creating a plan to which you are completely committed. Write your responses in the spaces provided below. 1. Which two or three competency areas do you most need to improve at this time?
2. What do you stand to gain by bettering yourself in these areas?
3. What have you tried before?
4. What steps can you personally take to improve in those areas?
5. What help and support do you need to improve in those competencies?
6. As a supervisor in these areas of competency, how will you monitor your progress in self-improvement?
7. Who needs to know about your action plan for improvement?
8. How will you tell them?
9. What are your first few steps?
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Instrument 11–4: Coaching Skills and Practices Assessment Coaching, or working with your people one-on-one, maximizes the likelihood that your leadership will be in alignment with their motivation. This selfassessment instrument is intended especially for new supervisors who aim to be good coaches. It helps them understand the competencies required for good coaching and provides a format for setting developmental priorities and plans. Use Tool 11–3: Action Plan for Self-Improvement in Coaching Skills as a follow-up.
RATIONALE The 10 skills and practices emphasized in this assessment can be considered the vital few. They build on the fundamental competencies that all new supervisors need to develop, mapped in the parallel Instrument 11–3: SelfAssessment for New Supervisors. These vital areas of coaching can make you a superior supervisor. 1.
Delegating tasks: Effectively assigning tasks to others while maintaining responsibility for results. Considers both the skill level of the employee and the challenge level of the assignment. Giving employees new tasks can be part of a developmental strategy. Your ability to gauge others’ readiness to take on additional responsibilities and perform mission-critical tasks determines the effectiveness of your leadership.
2.
Communicating instructions: Showing the employee how to accomplish the task and clarifying when, where, how much and to what standard it should be done. Working with individuals on new tasks is an investment of your time and energy. The best way to get a payoff is to inform the employee about how, when and to what standard the task should be completed. The opposite of this approach has been termed ‘leave alone, zap’ management.
3.
Setting task-performance goals: Collaborating with employees to establish immediate and long-term goals for performance on particular tasks.
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The major difference between goals and objectives is that the latter are measurable. Begin by working with an employee to set broad goals, and then get more specific regarding desired outcomes and how they will be measured. 4.
Providing task-relevant feedback: Carefully observing the employee’s performance of individual tasks and sharing those observations in a nonthreatening manner. Giving employees feedback on task performance is usually best done individually. For feedback to be most effective, it is necessary to observe the person at work on the task, noting what he or she is doing well and what can be improved. Working with an individual enables you to see if your feedback is understood adequately and to discuss how it might be used developmentally.
5.
Rewarding improvement: Using formal and informal means to compliment and reward employees making progress towards the accomplishment of critical tasks. Don’t wait until you see either perfection or utter failure on a task to give feedback. Look for growth in task accomplishment, and individually reward growth soon after you observe it. The reward may be formal (pay, perks, promotions) or informal (pat on the back or other nonmonetary recognition).
6.
Dealing with failure: Working with and encouraging employees when they do not meet expectations. When an individual demonstrates a complete inability or unwillingness to perform a task according to your expectations and standards, you must be able to deal with the result. This often means reprimanding, reassigning, retraining, or otherwise adjusting how the task will be carried out. Some people learn more slowly. Others get demoted or fired.
7.
Working with personal problems: Listening with empathy and without judgement, and offering appropriate emotional support regarding personal difficulties. New supervisors are not expected to function as counsellors or psychotherapists. Few are qualified to carry out such responsibilities, and the nature of the supervisor/subordinate relationship usually precludes
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such interactions. However, when you are faced with an individual whose personal situation is interfering with work, you need to be able to intervene. Humanely adjust an individual’s work priorities when that support will help him or her through a difficult situation, and be prepared to refer your people to appropriate sources of professional assistance. Regarding appropriateness, a good rule of thumb is that when you feel you are in over your head, you probably are. 8.
Confronting difficult situations: In one-on-one meetings with employees, bringing up potentially uncomfortable issues that are affecting the work. Organizations often accumulate topics that we term ‘nondiscussables’ because talking about them makes people uncomfortable. Our advice is clear: When in doubt, confront. When all else fails, try honesty. This practice requires courage, diplomacy and tact.
9.
Responding to requests: Consulting with employees when needed, and making win–win decisions. Remember that, as an agent of the organization, your responses to requests hold legal weight. It is incumbent upon you to respond with care and to avoid making promises that may later come back to haunt you and the organization. The best practice is to adopt the role of a consultant, working with employees individually to sift through options before making joint decisions.
10.
Following through: Monitoring the outcomes of coaching and providing additional assistance when necessary. Coaching requires that you stay close to your people in order to observe task performance, provide feedback and offer continuous encouragement. You may need to run interference for them as they carry out their responsibilities and exercise their abilities, and you may need additional resources to enable their attainment of goals.
Review the PowerPoint presentation ‘Coaching Skills & Practices’ by viewing slides 11–23 to 11–38 printed on pages 128–130, or insert the CD and locate the file Coaching Skills & Practices.pps to run the presentation. To use the version of this instrument included on the compact disc, insert the CD and locate the file Instrument 11–4: Coaching Skills and Practices Assessment.pdf.
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Instrument 11–4 Coaching Skills and Practices Assessment
1. Delegating tasks: Effectively assigns tasks to others while maintaining responsibility for results; considers skill level of employee and challenge level of assignment 2. Communicating instructions: Shows the employee how to accomplish the task; clarifies when, where, how much and to what standard the task should be done 3. Setting task-performance goals: Collaborates with employees to establish immediate and long-term goals for performance on particular tasks 4. Providing task-relevant feedback: Carefully observes the employee’s performance of individual tasks; shares those observations in a nonthreatening manner 5. Rewarding improvement: Uses formal and informal means to compliment and reward employees who make progress toward the accomplishment of critical tasks 6. Dealing with failure: Works with and encourages employees when they do not meet expectations 7. Working with personal problems: Listens with empathy and without judgement; offers appropriate emotional support regarding personal difficulties 8. Confronting difficult situations: In one-on-one meetings with employees, brings up potentially uncomfortable issues that are affecting the work 9. Responding to requests: Consults with employees when needed; makes win–win decisions 10. Following through: Monitors the outcomes of coaching; provides additional assistance when necessary
DEFINITELY NEED TO DEVELOP THIS
NEED TO DEVELOP THIS MORE
DOING OK ON THIS
COACHING SKILL AND PRACTICE
ONE OF MY STRENGTHS
Instructions: A primary way in which supervisors empower their people is by working with them one-on-one to improve skills and attitudes. Use the following instrument to assess the extent to which you presently possess the 10 vital skills of coaching, and whether you engage in the behaviours that are characteristic of highly effective ‘people developers’.
Training Instruments and Tools
Tool 11–3: Action Plan for Self-Improvement in Coaching Skills Supervisors should be committed to continuous learning and improvement as coaches. The best way to do this is to establish and commit to a set of steps that make continuous professional growth part of a supervisor’s day-to-day work. This tool is intended to assist supervisors in thinking through a realistic and achievable action plan for improvement as coaches. To use the version of this tool included on the compact disc, insert the CD and locate the file Tool 11–3: Action Plan for Self-Improvement in Coaching Skills.pdf.
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Tool 11–3 Action Plan for Self-Improvement in Coaching Skills Instructions: Answer the following questions. In drafting your action plan, focus on creating a plan to which you are completely committed. Write your responses in the spaces below. 1. Which two or three coaching skills areas do you most need to improve at this time?
2. What do you stand to gain by bettering yourself in those areas?
3. What have you tried before?
4. What steps can you personally take to improve in those areas?
5. What help and support do you need to improve in those coaching skills?
6. How will you monitor your progress in self-improvement?
7. Who needs to know about that?
8. How will you tell them?
9. What are your first few steps?
Training Instruments and Tools
Instrument 11–5: Supervisor Training Follow-Up Assessment This assessment instrument is designed to find out how supervisors change behaviours after attending your training session. It is best to implement this instrument a few months after the training has been completed. It is designed to be administered to a supervisor’s direct reports, but may be modified as a self-assessment. To use the version of this instrument included on the compact disc, insert the CD and locate the file Instrument 11–5: Supervisor Training Follow-Up Assessment.pdf.
The final chapter includes the structured experiences that will help make your training sessions interactive, and that make learning most effective.
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Instrument 11–5 Supervisor Training Follow-Up Assessment Supervisor Code: ___________ Instructions: This form focuses on the outcomes of the training in which your supervisor recently participated. Please give your anonymous, open and honest assessment of your supervisor’s current level of functioning. Based on the scale below, write a number from 1 to 6 to rate your supervisor on each of the 16 aspects of supervision. 6 = HIGHLY EFFECTIVE
3 = A BIT INEFFECTIVE
5 = EFFECTIVE
2 = INEFFECTIVE
4 = SOMEWHAT EFFECTIVE
1 = HIGHLY INEFFECTIVE
1. Influence: Persuades others to accept a desired point of view; gains support and commitment from others; effects change in behaviour of others 2. Facilitation: Leads meetings or group efforts without directing the outcome; creates an environment of openness and trust; leads groups to decisions in which all participants feel a sense of ownership 3. Planning and organizing: Develops comprehensive project plans; monitors progress against goals; assigns clear responsibilities; breaks work down into manageable portions 4. Analysis: Gathers relevant information; considers broad range of issues and factors; perceives relationships among diverse information; uses logic effectively 5. Decision making: Makes timely and effective decisions 6. Delegating: Effectively assigns tasks to others while maintaining responsibility for results; considers skill level of employee and challenge level of assignment 7. Follow-up and commitment: Follows plans through to closure; persists despite obstacles; keeps his or her word. 8. Communication: Speaks clearly and expresses self well in groups; conveys ideas in terms the listener can understand 9. Listening: Demonstrates attention to others and conveys understanding 10. Managing conflict: Identifies sources of conflict; uses conflict as a constructive means to exchange ideas; keeps energy focused on desired outcomes 11. Fostering teamwork: Clarifies workers’ roles and responsibilities 12. Technical and functional expertise: Possesses current knowledge of profession and industry; is regarded as an expert
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Instrument 11–5, continued Supervisor Training Follow-Up Assessment 13. Time management: Sets efficient work priorities; can work on many tasks simultaneously; balances importance and urgency of tasks 14. Channelling motivation: Encourages others to achieve desired results; creates enthusiasm and commitment in others 15. Coaching and developing: Provides timely, specific, constructive feedback; gives challenging developmental assignments 16. Providing direction: Offers clear direction and sets clear priorities; fosters a common vision
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C h a p t e r
12
Structured Experiences
What’s in This Chapter?
Explanation of structured experiences
Step-by-step instructions for using structured experiences
Seven structured experiences:
Structured Experience 12–1: Alpha Beta
Structured Experience 12–2: Balloon Sculpture
Structured Experience 12–3: Caterpillar Race
Structured Experience 12–4: Distance Teaming
Structured Experience 12–5: Federal Reserve
Structured Experience 12–6: Paper Tower
Structured Experience 12–7: Peer Feedback
This chapter includes the structured experiences that are used in the training designs presented in this workbook. Structured experiences enhance training sessions for new supervisors by engaging participants in energetic activities. The activities enable the training group members to exhibit and practise behaviours that start the Experiential Learning Cycle. The interactive learning activities included in this chapter are considered ‘structured experiences’, although they include activities that many trainers refer to as ‘exercises’ or ‘games’. When considering the specific usefulness of structured experiences in training new supervisors, it is helpful to consider the various types of activities that trainers might run.
Structured experiences. These are step-by-step designs that implement the Experiential Learning Cycle discussed in Chapter 4. This chapter includes seven such designs.
Exercises. This term refers to repetitive activities designed to teach skills. Exercises follow a general format that includes illustration of 131
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good performance, opportunities for practice of desired behaviour, observance of performance, feedback and repetition of the cycle until improved performance is achieved consistently.
Games. Games are events staged to allow training participants to have fun. Games often lack direct relevance for learning.
Activities. Any interaction during a training session – even private work – can be considered an activity. Activities enable experiencing, which is the first step of the Experiential Learning Cycle. Activities therefore create the common experiences upon which learning is built.
Icebreakers. Participants sometimes come into training feeling inexperienced, sceptical, reluctant, or scared. Using icebreaker activities to open a training session enables participants to interact in a fun and nonthreatening way, and to warm up to the group before approaching more serious content.
Energizers. When enthusiasm for learning and interaction sags, it is helpful to engage in an activity that peps up participants. An energizer can be as simple as in on-the-spot physical exercise, or as complex as engaging in a competitive activity.
Structured Experiences Presented Each of the following items is a self-contained design. Accordingly, all can be used in a variety of modules. Be sure to read through all instructions before facilitating the experience in a training session.
Structured Experience 12–1: Alpha Beta. Groups of participants solve a puzzle in a situation in which rules limit their communication. The experience demonstrates the need for a commonly held vision to maximize task performance.
Structured Experience 12–2: Balloon Sculpture. This structured experience allows new supervisors to experience the importance of teamwork while performing an ambiguous task.
Structured Experience 12–3: Caterpillar Race. This design allows participants to practise and learn team skills of planning, communication and cooperation in the context of a high-energy, competitive, physical activity.
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Structured Experience 12–4: Distance Teaming. This activity explores the challenges of long-distance and virtual teams, including difficulties in long-distance communication, planning, implementation and decision making.
Structured Experience 12–5: Federal Reserve. This experience is intended to improve team communication and team problem solving in an analytical context.
Structured Experience 12–6: Paper Tower. This design explores how participants react to change.
Structured Experience 12–7: Peer Feedback. This instrument can be used following all structured experiences and exercises that call for teamwork. It enables team members to express their perceptions of others’ behaviour and to learn from the feedback they receive from others.
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Structured Experience 12–1: Alpha Beta GOALS The goals of this exercise are
to energize participants through an experience that relates to their work realities
to help participants understand the importance of a common vision in an effective team
to help participants address the challenges and demands faced by supervisors.
MATERIALS The materials needed for this exercise are
notepads and writing instruments for each participant
copies of instructions to hand out to participants.
12 9
3
TIME
6
30 minutes for exercise
30–60 minutes for debriefing
SET-UP Sets of five participants sit in the following configuration, facing the front of the training room. Alphas sit closest to the front. Alpha
Beta
Gamma
Delta
Epsilon
Draw the configuration on a flipchart and ask participants to arrange chairs for the exercise. Allow them to select their seats. If the number of participants is not divisible by five, assign some people the roles of messenger and observer, as appropriate. Messengers and observers may be assigned to multiple groups,
Structured Experiences
or the exercise can be run without observers. If participant messengers are not available, the facilitator should serve in the role of messenger. Provide notepads and writing instruments for participants.
INSTRUCTIONS FOR THE FACILITATOR Announce, ‘Your task is to solve a simple, analytical problem. During this exercise you may communicate in writing only, using the notepads provided. No oral communication is permitted. Please observe the following communication channels [use the flipchart to diagram the channels]: Alpha can communicate with Beta. Beta can communicate with Gamma, Delta and Epsilon. Gamma, Delta and Epsilon can communicate with Beta, but not with each other. Your messages will be carried by “h-mail” [human mail].’ Alpha
Beta
Gamma
Delta
Epsilon
Introduce the messenger. Then continue, ‘Your messages must be addressed correctly following this format: TO: [recipient] (for example, Alpha) FROM: [sender] (for example, Beta). ‘If not addressed correctly, your messages may be returned to you or lost in cyberspace. When you believe you have solved the problem, Alpha or Beta should raise a hand, and I will check your answer.’ The correct answer is
When you have given these instructions verbally, distribute the instructions for participants (they can be found at the end of this section or by inserting the CD and locating the file Structured Experience 12–1: Alpha Beta) and announce the start of the exercise. If participants raise their hands to ask questions, ask them to address their question quietly to you. Typically someone will ask, ‘What are we supposed to do?’ Reiterate the instruction that they are performing a
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simple analytical exercise and they should do their best with the instructions they have received. Start with a time frame of 15 minutes and adjust as necessary. If possible, run the exercise until at least one of the groups arrives at the correct answer. When approximately seven minutes have passed, ask the Beta participants for a status report. To add the element of time pressure, tell them half of the time has elapsed and ask if they are halfway through the task. Throughout the exercise, remind all participants that this is a ‘simple analytical exercise’. When a group completes the exercise, announce they have solved the problem and ask them to move to a part of the room where other participants cannot hear them, to discuss the experience. After 15 minutes, ask remaining groups if a few more minutes will help them complete the exercise. If they have not solved the problem after 20 minutes, stop the process and begin debriefing. If no group has solved the problem after 20 minutes, extend the time for up to 30 minutes. Be sure to let the groups know that most groups reach a solution within 15 minutes.
DEBRIEFING Begin by having one Alpha, one Beta, and a Gamma, Delta, or Epsilon read their instruction sheets aloud to the group. Point out that the seating and communication structure reflects a typical organizational hierarchy, with Alpha representing the manager, Beta the supervisor and Gamma, Delta and Epsilon the line workers. Ask members of each level of the hierarchy to comment on their experiences. Then have the observers and messengers share their observations. Ask participants how this experience was similar to what really occurs in work situations.
KEY POINTS In debriefing and discussion, be sure to discuss the following points. They may emerge spontaneously or the facilitator may raise them.
Managers often assume everyone in their organization knows what to do.
Supervisors get pressure from above and below, and often are overwhelmed by communication demands. Welcome participants in the ‘Beta seat’ to their new roles as supervisors.
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Line workers sometimes work actively to solve a problem, even if they don’t know what the problem is. Similarly, participants in the Gamma, Delta and Epsilon seats often try to interpret the symbols on the instruction handout. These interpretations can be a source of humour during the debriefing.
Line workers sometimes disengage from a process if they don’t know what the organization is trying to accomplish.
Even if an organization is successful, members don’t feel satisfaction unless they know what the organization is trying to accomplish.
Time pressure can be counterproductive.
Knowing that a task is simple does not necessarily make it easier, and may increase frustration.
A commonly shared vision is critical for effective teamwork.
INSTRUCTIONS FOR PARTICIPANTS Instructions for participants are found on the following pages, and copies can be printed directly from the CD that accompanies this workbook. Insert the CD and locate the file Structured Experience 12–1: Alpha Beta.pdf.
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Structured Experience 12–1 Alpha Beta Instructions for the OBSERVER: Observe how the group you are assigned to reacts to the following elements. Record your observations here. After the exercise is complete, you will be asked to share your observations with the group.
Definition of the problem or objective
Time pressure
Limited communications
Differing roles
Performance of team members
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Structured Experience 12–1, continued Alpha Beta Instructions for the MESSENGER:
Deliver messages that are properly addressed.
Do not deliver messages if not properly addressed.
Return to the originator or throw away messages not delivered.
Move as rapidly as you can.
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Structured Experience 12–1, continued Alpha Beta Instructions for ALPHA: In this exercise, you are Alpha. The reporting structure is as follows: Beta reports to you; Gamma, Delta and Epsilon report to Beta. You may communicate with Beta only through exchange of written notes. Beta may exchange notes with you and Gamma, Delta and Epsilon, who may exchange notes with Beta only. No other communication is permitted.
There are six familiar symbols.
Each person has five of the six symbols.
There are four copies of five of the symbols.
There are five copies of one of the symbols.
Your objective is to determine which one symbol all five people hold.
Your symbols are
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Structured Experience 12–1, continued Alpha Beta Instructions for BETA:
Alpha and Beta may exchange notes.
Gamma, Delta and Epsilon may exchange notes with Beta only.
No other communication is permitted.
There are five symbols below. You may not show them to anyone.
If you have any questions, raise your hand.
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Structured Experience 12–1, continued Alpha Beta Instructions for GAMMA:
Alpha and Beta may exchange notes.
Gamma, Delta and Epsilon may exchange notes with Beta only.
No other communication is permitted.
There are five symbols below. You may not show them to anyone.
If you have any questions, raise your hand.
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Structured Experience 12–1, continued Alpha Beta Instructions for DELTA:
Alpha and Beta may exchange notes.
Gamma, Delta and Epsilon may exchange notes with Beta only.
No other communication is permitted.
There are five symbols below. You may not show them to anyone.
If you have any questions, raise your hand.
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Structured Experience 12–1, continued Alpha Beta Instructions for EPSILON:
Alpha and Beta may exchange notes.
Gamma, Delta and Epsilon may exchange notes with Beta only.
No other communication is permitted.
There are five symbols below. You may not show them to anyone.
If you have any questions, raise your hand.
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Structured Experience 12–2: Balloon Sculpture GOALS The goals of this exercise are
to energize participants through an experience that relates to their work realities
to enable participants to practise effective teamwork behaviours, including planning and communication, while accomplishing a task with an ambiguous goal
to explore how participants react to control and trust issues.
MATERIALS The materials needed for this exercise are
balloons (60–100 per team)
one roll of masking tape for each team
blindfolds
prizes, if desired
copies of instructions for observers. 12
TIME
9
3 6
45 minutes for set-up and exercise
30–60 minutes for debriefing
INSTRUCTIONS FOR FACILITATORS 1.
Select an observer for each team. Give each observer an instruction sheet (found at the end of this section or by inserting the CD and locating the file Structured Experience 12–2: Balloon Sculpture.pdf ).
2.
Divide remaining participants into teams of even numbers. If necessary to create even teams, one observer may observe two teams.
3.
Explain that the task is to create an artistic sculpture using only balloons and tape.
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4.
Half of the members of each team will be blindfolded. Each blindfolded person will be paired with a sighted person. The sighted person is responsible for the blindfolded person’s safety.
5.
Explain that the teams have 10 minutes to prepare and to plan how they will create their sculpture. During this time the teams should choose who will be blindfolded, apply the blindfolds, assign partners and start to blow up balloons. No other assembling of materials is permitted during the planning phase.
6.
The planning phase is followed by a 15-minute implementation phase. After implementation begins, only people with blindfolds may touch the sculpture materials.
7.
The teams are in competition with each other. The winning sculpture will be decided through a voting process.
8.
After giving full instructions, the facilitator should check for questions and begin the planning period.
9.
After 10 minutes, make sure blindfolds are applied and start the implementation phase. After 15 minutes, stop activity and have participants remove their blindfolds.
10.
Give participants five minutes to look at sculptures and five minutes to meet as a team to decide for which sculpture it will cast its vote.
11.
Tally votes, announce the winner and award the prize.
DEBRIEFING Discuss the experience in teams. Instruct the observer to begin by sharing his or her comments, and then open up the discussion to the entire team. Each team should identify at least three things learned, or three observations to share with the larger group. Take approximately 30 minutes for this part of the debriefing. Bring the teams back together for approximately 15 minutes, to share with the larger group what they have learned and observed.
KEY POINTS In debriefing and discussion, be sure to discuss the following points. They may emerge spontaneously or the facilitator may raise them.
Structured Experiences
What did the teams do well?
What could the teams have done better?
Did teams have a common vision at the start of implementation? At any time?
Were everyone’s ideas and inputs considered?
How did participants react to being blindfolded and being sighted?
How did the teams handle time pressure?
Were the team’s tasks and roles clear to each team member?
INSTRUCTIONS FOR OBSERVERS Instructions for observers are found in Structured Experience 12–2, and copies can be printed directly from the CD that accompanies this workbook. Insert the CD and locate the file Structured Experience 12–2: Balloon Sculpture.pdf.
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Structured Experience 12–2 Balloon Sculpture Observer Instructions: These questions are meant to help you look for relevant phenomena. You do not have to answer every question. Record your observations in the space provided below. 1. How effective was the team’s initial plan? How thoroughly were alternatives considered?
2. How effectively did the team anticipate, define, or identify problems?
3. How did the blindfolds affect leadership of the team?
4. How did the blindfolds affect trust and control?
5. How clearly were ideas communicated? How well did the partners listen to each other?
6. How clear were the team’s tasks and roles?
7. What process did the team use to decide which sculpture would receive its vote?
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Structured Experience 12–3: Caterpillar Race GOALS The goals of this exercise are to practise and learn team skills of planning, communication and cooperation in a high-energy, competitive, physical context.
MATERIALS The materials needed for this exercise are
crepe paper
stopwatch
one copy of the debriefing instructions for each team. 12 9
TIME
3 6
30–60 minutes for exercise
45 minutes for debriefing
SET-UP Find a suitable course for the race. The course length and difficulty may vary, depending on how much time you have for this exercise and the amount of challenge you wish to create. The course should not be dangerous, but it should be challenging. Don’t be overly concerned about the physical limitations of individual participants because teams usually find creative ways to compensate for those limitations. For example, we observed a team that included a member in a wheelchair. Because they were working in a hilly terrain, the facilitator gave the team the option of not including that participant. The team and the participant, however, decided that he should be included and they successfully moved through the course with the member in the wheelchair.
INSTRUCTIONS FOR FACILITATORS 1.
Form teams of five to seven members each.
2.
Have teams make up team names.
3.
Explain the objective and rules.
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Objective: To complete the course in the shortest amount of time. The winning team will be the one with the lowest total time.
Rules: a.
The team must complete the challenge course and return to home base with all team members connected by its lifeline, made from the crepe paper.
b. Your team may not advance unless the lifeline connects all members. c.
Each break in the line results in a two-minute penalty. Breaks must be fixed before the team can proceed.
d. The line must be attached to each team member. 4.
Distribute the crepe paper, and give the teams 10 minutes to plan before the race begins. During this planning period, each team should connect all of its members with its lifeline.
5.
Start teams out in random order at one-minute intervals. Note the start and finish time for each team.
6.
Record the start and finish times and any penalties on a flipchart so that the information can be viewed by all participants. When all teams have completed the course, determine the total times and announce the winning team.
DEBRIEFING Debriefing should occur in teams. Each team should identify at least three things learned or three observations to share with the larger group. Take approximately 30 minutes for this part of the debriefing. Bring the teams together for approximately 15 minutes to share what they have learned and observed with the larger group. Call for input from each team.
DEBRIEFING INSTRUCTIONS Debriefing questions are listed in Structured Experience 12–3: Caterpillar Race below. Copies can be printed directly from the CD that accompanies this workbook. Insert the CD and locate the file Structured Experience 12–3: Caterpillar Race.pdf.
Structured Experiences
Structured Experience 12–3 Caterpillar Race Debriefing Instructions: Discuss the questions below and identify key observations and things learned through this experience. 1. How effective was the team’s initial planning? Were all alternatives considered?
2. How effectively did the group define or identify potential problems?
3. To what degree were everyone’s ideas and input considered?
4. How clearly were ideas communicated?
5. How well did the group members listen to each other?
6. How did the team handle the pressure of competition?
7. How clearly did each member understand the team’s tasks, resources and roles?
8. What did the team do well?
9. What could the team have done better?
10. Identify key observations and things learned.
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Structured Experience 12–4: Distance Teaming GOALS The goal of this experience is to explore concerns that are particularly relevant to virtual teams, or teams with geographically separated members. Those concerns include communications, resource tradeoffs and issues that arise from planning and implementation across distance.
MATERIALS The materials needed for this exercise are
paper cups
sheets of newspaper
rubber bands
plastic straws
masking tape
paper clips
a raw egg
play money
copies of purchase request forms for participants
prizes, if desired
purchase request form for each subteam.
12 9
3
TIME
6
40 minutes for exercise
40 minutes for debriefing
INSTRUCTIONS FOR FACILITATORS 1.
Divide the team – which includes all training participants – into subteams according to location, organization or function (depending on what is relevant to this group). Seat subteams apart from each other so that they cannot overhear or signal one another.
Structured Experiences
2.
Explain the objectives and procedures. The team objective is to build a device that will prevent a raw egg from breaking after a 10-foot freefall drop.
3.
Explain that there are two phases: planning and implementation. The time allotted for planning is 15 minutes. During planning, subteams may communicate with other subteams only through writing. Subteams may not talk to each other. The facilitator will act as messenger.
4.
The team receives resources for the project in the amount of £1,200, which is divided equally among the subteams.
5.
During the planning phase, a subteam may purchase conference time for the entire team at £100 per minute. A conference table should be centrally located so that during conference time all team members can meet at the conference table and communicate freely. Conference time counts against the planning time allotment of 15 minutes. Extra planning time for the team may be purchased at £100 per minute.
6.
The following materials may be purchased for device construction. No other materials may be used for construction.
7.
paper cups: £300/cup
sheets of newspaper: £100/sheet
rubber bands: £20/band
plastic straws: £10/straw
lengths of masking tape: £50/foot
paper clips: £10/clip
At the conclusion of the planning period, purchase requests and payments for construction materials must be submitted to the facilitator.
8.
Materials may not be handled prior to the implementation period. The implementation period begins after the facilitator has delivered the construction materials, and lasts for 10 minutes. The team may interact freely during the implementation period.
9.
At the end of the implementation period, the device is delivered to the facilitator for the quality-control test drop.
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10.
We recommend debriefing before the actual free-fall, leaving the drop for a dramatic close to the exercise and discussion.
DEBRIEFING The facilitator should lead a debriefing discussion with the large group, focusing on the following questions:
How did physical separation affect team effectiveness?
How effectively did the team communicate?
How effective was the team’s plan?
How could the team have planned better?
What role did each subteam play?
How well did the team make use of all of its resources?
How balanced was the members’ participation?
How were decisions made?
The purchase request form needed for this structured experience is found on page 155, and copies can be printed directly from the CD that accompanies this workbook. Insert the CD and locate the file Structured Experience 12–4: Distance Teaming.pdf.
Structured Experiences
Structured Experience 12–4 Distance Teaming Purchase Request Form ITEM
COST
QUANTITY REQUESTED
TOTAL COST
Paper cups
£300 each
__________
__________
Newspaper
£100/sheet
__________
__________
Rubber bands
£20 each
__________
__________
Plastic straws
£10 each
__________
__________
Masking tape
£50/foot
__________
__________
Paper clips
£10 each
__________
__________
TOTAL COST
__________
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Structured Experience 12–5: Federal Reserve GOAL The goal of this experience is to foster team communication and team problem solving in an analytical context. The US setting of the scenario has no bearing on the exercise as the analytical skills it requires can be universally applied.
MATERIALS The materials needed for this exercise are
one instruction sheet for each team
one set of information cards for each team.
12 9
3
TIME
6
30 minutes for exercise
30 minutes for debriefing
INSTRUCTIONS FOR FACILITATORS 1.
Divide participants into teams of four to six members.
2.
Read the instructions for participants aloud to the groups. Give each team a copy of the instruction sheet. Within each team, divide the 20 information cards evenly among members.
3.
Explain that team members may not show each other their cards, but may otherwise communicate freely.
4.
Set a 30-minute time limit. Give time reminders at 10, 15 and 25 minutes.
5.
Note the starting and ending times for each team. Score the results as directed on the instruction sheet.
DEBRIEFING Facilitate a group discussion using the following questions to stimulate thinking and participation.
What worked well?
What didn’t work well?
Structured Experiences
How did leadership emerge?
Was there a plan to follow?
Was there an effective process for including everyone’s contributions in the discussion?
How equal was participation in the team’s work?
How were decisions made?
How did time pressure affect the team?
How would you approach this exercise differently next time?
Were there any similarities to the real operation of your team at work?
INSTRUCTIONS FOR PARTICIPANTS Instructions and other materials for this structured experience can be found in Structured Experience 12–5 on the following pages, and copies can be printed directly from the CD that accompanies this workbook. Insert the CD and locate the file Structured Experience 12–5: Federal Reserve.pdf.
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Structured Experience 12–5 Federal Reserve The following five people are Federal Reserve governors, listed alphabetically:
Evan
Patricia
Leslie
Rob
Martina
The names of their regions, listed alphabetically, are
Central
Southern
Eastern
Western
Northern
The following account numbers, listed in numerical order, have been issued to the governors:
551986
23158884
4444582
87958997
9866321
The accounts contain the following amounts, listed in descending order of size:
$800 million
$100 million
$350 million
$25 million
$200 million
The regions have their headquarters in the following cities, listed alphabetically:
Atlanta, Georgia
New York City, New York
Chicago, Illinois
San Francisco, California
Detroit, Michigan
Instructions: Your task is to match the name of each person with the appropriate region, account number, account balance and city. If your team solves the problem correctly in every area, it will receive a score of 100. Each time a team turns in an answer that is incorrect in any area, 10 points will be deducted from that team’s score. In addition, if your team turns in the correct answer before the 30-minute deadline, your team will receive one bonus point for each minute you are early.
continued on next page
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Structured Experience 12–5, continued Federal Reserve Information Card Data Instructions: Each of the 20 pieces of data should be put on an information card, with one piece of data per card. You will need one set of 20 cards for each team.
Patricia is not in the Southern Region.
The balance in account number 9866321 is $350 million
Patricia’s headquarters are in Chicago.
Chicago is the headquarters for the Central Region.
Patricia’s account number and Evan’s account number contain the same number of digits.
The balance in the Detroit reserve bank is less than $150 million.
The balance in Evan’s reserve bank is $200 million.
Evan is not in Detroit.
New York’s reserve account number is 23158884.
Leslie is in San Francisco.
There is a balance of $100 million in New York’s reserve account.
The reserve balance in the Eastern Region is $100 million.
The Western Region account has six digits.
Rob is not the reserve governor of the Southern Region.
Rob’s account number is 87958997.
The balance in the Western Region reserve account is more than $100 million.
Eastern Region believes the economy is slowing down.
Western Region wants to raise its reserves to $1 billion.
Pat drives a 1995 Explorer.
Central Region headquarters are not in the downtown area. continued on next page
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Structured Experience 12–5, continued Federal Reserve Answer Sheet NAME
REGION
ACCOUNT NUMBER
ACCOUNT BALANCE
HEADQUARTERS
Rob
Northern
87958997
$25 million
Detroit
Evan
Southern
4444582
$200 million
Atlanta
Martina
Eastern
23158884
$100 million
New York
Leslie
Western
551986
$800 million
San Francisco
Patricia
Central
9866321
$350 million
Chicago
Structured Experiences
Structured Experience 12–6: Paper Tower GOALS The goals of this exercise are
to energize participants through an experience that relates to their work realities
to allow participants to practise effective teamwork behaviours while accomplishing a task with an ambiguous goal
to observe how participants react to change.
MATERIALS The materials needed for this exercise are
newspapers (a 6–12-inch stack for each team)
one roll of masking tape for each team
one roll of string or twine for each team
one pair of scissors for each team
Alternatively, this exercise can be done using firm tofu, food colouring, cocktail sticks, plastic knives and a few sheets of newspaper to protect the work areas. The food colouring is introduced when the ‘aesthetically appealing’ criterion is added. 12
TIME
9
3 6
45 minutes for set-up and exercise
30–60 minutes for debriefing
INSTRUCTIONS FOR FACILITATORS 1.
Form groups of 10 or fewer participants (groups of five to seven people work best).
2.
Each group should select an observer. Give observers instruction sheets.
3.
Explain that the task is to build a free-standing tower, using only the materials provided: newspapers, tape, string and scissors.
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4.
Point out that the groups are in competition with each other. The criteria for the winning tower are height and structural soundness.
5.
The groups have 25 minutes to complete their towers. After providing instructions, check for questions and begin timing.
6.
Ten minutes into the exercise, add the criterion that the towers must also be aesthetically appealing. Let the groups know that the prize winner will be judged by a group voting process, and that each group gets one vote.
7.
At 25 minutes, stop the activity. Direct the groups to clean up their areas. Give them five minutes to look at other towers and 10 to meet again as teams and decide for which tower to cast their votes.
8.
Tally the votes, announce a winner and award a prize.
DEBRIEFING Discuss the experience in teams. Instruct the observer to begin by sharing his or her comments, and then open up the discussion to the entire team. Each team should identify at least three things learned or three observations to share with the larger group. Take approximately 30 minutes for this part of the debriefing. Bring the teams together for approximately 15 minutes to share what they have learned and observed with the larger group.
KEY POINTS In debriefing and discussion, be sure to discuss the following points. They may emerge spontaneously or the facilitator may raise them.
What did the teams do well?
What could the teams have done better?
Did each team have a common vision at the start of implementation? At any time?
Were everyone’s ideas and inputs considered?
Did the teams respond effectively to the change in criteria?
Structured Experiences
How did the teams handle time pressure?
Were the team’s tasks, resources and roles clear to each team member?
INSTRUCTIONS FOR OBSERVERS Instructions for observers can be found in Structured Experience 12–6. Copies can be printed directly from the CD that accompanies this workbook. Insert the CD and locate the file Structured Experience 12–6: Paper Tower.pdf.
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Structured Experience 12–6 Paper Tower Observer Instructions: These questions are meant to help you look for relevant phenomena. You do not have to answer every question. Record your observations in the spaces provided below. 1. How effective was the team’s initial plan? How thoroughly were alternatives considered?
2. How effectively did the team anticipate, define, or identify problems?
3. How well did the group handle the change in criteria?
4. How well did the group handle time pressure?
5. How clearly were ideas communicated? How well did members of the group listen to each other?
6. How clear were the team’s tasks and roles?
7. What process did the team use to decide which tower would receive its vote?
Structured Experiences
Structured Experience 12–7: Peer Feedback GOALS The goals of this instrument are
to provide feedback to participants, to increase knowledge of personal strengths and weaknesses, and to assist in setting goals for improvement
to enable participants to practise coaching and communication skills learned during the training programme
to teach participants how to give and receive feedback. 12
TIME
9
3 6
Depends on team size. Allow 10–15 minutes per person.
INSTRUCTIONS FOR FACILITATORS Use this instrument immediately following a structured experience. Any teams or subteams formed as part of the exercise should remain intact for the feedback session. Explain the process to participants as follows: 1.
Participants will take turns asking for feedback. They will ask each of the other team members, one at a time, ‘What did I do that helped our team?’ and ‘What did I do that hindered our team?’
2.
When asked for feedback, team members should focus their remarks on specific behaviours and effects on members. Feedback statements generally should follow the format of ‘When you did [X], I felt [Y]’ or ‘When you did [X], the impact on the team was [Y].’ Feedback givers should avoid evaluative statements with words such as ‘good’ and ‘bad.’ It is up to the feedback receiver to decide on the value of the feedback.
3.
The person receiving feedback should speak only to acknowledge feedback or to ask clarifying questions. No defending or explaining of behaviours is permitted.
4.
Remind the feedback recipients to say ‘thank you’ at the end of each person’s feedback.
5.
Have each person take turns asking for feedback from his or her team members.
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6.
After the first participant has asked each person on the team for feedback, the next participant will repeat the process.
DEBRIEFING Facilitate a group discussion regarding the value of peer feedback and methods of asking for and receiving it. Debriefing questions can be found in Structured Experience 12–7 below. Copies can be printed directly from the CD that accompanies this workbook. Insert the CD and locate the file Structured Experience 12–7: Peer Feedback.pdf.
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Structured Experience 12–7 Peer Feedback Debriefing Instructions: Discuss the questions below, and identify key observations and things learned through the experience of requesting and offering feedback. 1. What was it like to ask your peers for feedback?
2. How did receiving feedback make you feel?
3. What was it like to give someone feedback on the effects of his or her behaviour?
4. How difficult was it to remain descriptive and to avoid evaluating others’ behaviour?
5. How might we give each other feedback in the future?
6. How might we ask for the feedback we need to improve our work behaviour?
7. How might we mess it up?
8. What will you do as a result of the feedback you received?
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A p p e n d i x
Using the Compact Disc
Insert the CD and locate the file How to Use This CD.txt.
Contents of the CD The compact disc that accompanies this workbook on training new supervisors contains three types of files. All of the files can be used on a variety of computer platforms.
Adobe .pdf documents. These include instruments, handouts and training tools.
Microsoft PowerPoint presentations. These presentations add interest and depth to several training activities included in the workbook.
Microsoft PowerPoint files of overhead transparency masters. This file makes it easy to print viewgraphs in black-and-white or colour rather than using an office copier.
Computer Requirements To read or print the .pdf files on the CD, you must have Adobe Acrobat Reader software installed on your system. The program can be downloaded free of charge from the Adobe Website, www.adobe.com. To use or adapt the contents of the PowerPoint presentation files on the CD, you must have Microsoft PowerPoint software installed on your system. If you simply want to view the PowerPoint documents, you must have an appropriate viewer installed on your system. Microsoft provides various viewers free for downloading from its Website, www.microsoft.com.
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Printing from the CD TEXT FILES You can print the instruments and handouts using Adobe Acrobat Reader. Simply open the .pdf file and print as many copies as you need. The following .pdf files can be directly printed from the CD:
Instrument 2–1: Needs Assessment Focus Group Discussion Questions
Tool 10–1: The Gift of Feedback
Instrument 11–1: Trainer Competencies
Tool 11–1: Trainer’s Action Plan for Professional Improvement
Instrument 11–2: Structured Interview Protocol for Assessing the Learning Needs of New Supervisors
Instrument 11–3: Self-Assessment for New Supervisors
Tool 11–2: New Supervisor’s Action Plan for Self-Improvement
Instrument 11–4: Coaching Skills and Practices Assessment
Tool 11–3: Action Plan for Self-Improvement in Coaching Skills
Instrument 11–5: Supervisor Training Follow-Up Assessment
Handouts for use in the structured experiences also are included on the CD, under the following .pdf file names:
Structured Experience 12–1: Alpha Beta
Structured Experience 12–2: Balloon Sculpture
Structured Experience 12–3: Caterpillar Race
Structured Experience 12–4: Distance Teaming
Structured Experience 12–5: Federal Reserve
Structured Experience 12–6: Paper Tower
Structured Experience 12–7: Peer Feedback
Appendix
POWERPOINT SLIDES You can print the presentation slides directly from this CD using Microsoft PowerPoint. Simply open the .ppt file and print as many copies as you need. You can also make handouts of the presentations by printing 2, 4 or 6 ‘slides’ per page. These slides will be in colour, with design elements embedded. PowerPoint also permits you to print these in greyscale or black-and-white, although printing from the overhead transparency masters file will yield better blackand white representations. Many trainers who use personal computers to project their presentations bring along viewgraphs, just in case there are glitches in the system.
Adapting the PowerPoint Slides You can modify or otherwise customize the slides by opening and editing them in the appropriate application. However, you must retain the denotation of the original source of the material – it is illegal to pass it off as your own work. You may indicate that a document was adapted from this workbook, written by John E. Jones and Chris W. Chen. The files will open as ‘Read Only’, so before you adapt them you will need to save them onto your hard drive under a different filename.
Showing the PowerPoint Presentations The PowerPoint presentations are in .pps format. This means that they automatically show full-screen when you double-click on their filenames. You also can open them in Microsoft PowerPoint and show them from there. Use the space bar, the enter key, or mouse clicks to advance through a show. Press the backspace key to back up. Use the escape key to abort a presentation. If you want to blank the screen to black while the group discusses a point, press the B key. Pressing it again restores the show. If you want to blank the screen to a white background, do the same with the W key. Table A–1 summarizes these instructions. We strongly recommend that trainers practise making presentations before using them in training situations. You should be confident that you can cogently expand on the points featured in the presentations and discuss the methods for working through them. If you want to engage your training participants fully (rather than worrying about how to show the next slide), become familiar with this simple technology before you need to use it. A good
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Table A–1 Navigating Through a PowerPoint Presentation KEY
POWERPOINT ‘SHOW’ ACTION
Space bar or Enter or Mouse click
Advance through custom animations embedded in the presentation
Backspace
Back up to the last projected element of the presentation
Escape
Abort the presentation
B or b
Blank the screen to black
B or b (repeat)
Resume the presentation
W or w
Blank the screen to white
W or w (repeat)
Resume the presentation
practise is to insert notes into the Speaker’s Notes feature of the PowerPoint program, print them out and have them in front of you when you present the slides. The following PowerPoint presentations are included on this CD:
Coaching Skills & Practices.pps. This presentation reviews the 10 critical competencies for effective one-on-one coaching and explains why each is important. The slide show is included in the coaching module of this workbook, but it also can be presented as a stand-alone lecture.
Competencies for New Supervisors.pps. This presentation reviews the 16 skill areas measured by Instrument 11–3: SelfAssessment for New Supervisors. The presentation includes a definition of each competency and brief input on its importance. It concludes with a set of slides that guide the action planning process.
Fundamentals of Coaching.pps. This presentation lays out the basics of developing employees through one-on-one coaching and introduces the coaching matrix.
Appendix
Fundamentals of Delegation.pps. This presentation outlines basic methods for delegating tasks to individual employees. The show introduces the delegation matrix.
Motivation.pps. This presentation provides an overview of Maslow’s hierarchy of needs, and some general principles of motivation that are useful for new supervisors.
Teamwork.pps. The presentation reviews the basic features of effective teams and the meaning of teamwork.
Visioning.pps. If supervisors want to be perceived as organizational leaders, they need to work from a commonly shared vision. This presentation defines and describes organizational vision and provides guidelines for developing one.
Overhead Transparency Masters.ppt. This file contains all of the slides included in this workbook, formatted in black-and-white. Use the file to print viewgraphs, not as a presentation.
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References
Jones, John E. ‘Don’t Smile About Smile Sheets’, Training and Development Journal, December 1990. Available free at the Website, http://ous.iex.net. Jones, John E. and Bearley, William L. ‘Reliability and Validity for Training Instruments’, 1998. Available free at the Website, http://ous.iex.net. Jones, John E., Bearley, William L. and Watsabaugh, Douglas C. The New Fieldbook for Trainers: Tips, Tools, and Techniques. Amherst, MA: HRD Press, 1996. Jones, John E. and Pfeiffer, William. ‘The Experiential Learning Cycle’, in Reference Guide to Handbooks and Annuals. San Francisco: Pfeiffer, 1985. Kirkpatrick, Donald L. ‘How Effective Are Your Supervisory/Management Training Programs?’, in Elaine Beich and John E. Jones, eds, HRD Handbook. Amherst. MA: HRD Press, 1996. Kirkpatrick, Donald L. Evaluating Training Programs: The Four Levels (2nd edition). San Francisco: Berrett–Koehler, 1998. Maslow, Abraham H. Motivation and Personality (3rd edition). New York: Harper and Row, 1987.
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SUPERSERIES Flexible Learning Resources for Developing Leadership and Management Skills
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MANAGEMENT SUCCESS ORDERINGINFORMATION: Super Series books can be ordered online at http://books.elsevier.com/ pergamonfl or by calling +44 (0)1865 474010
The ILM Super Series is a comprehensive set of 40 open learning workbooks on key management topics. They allow the individual to train at their own pace and help build motivation, professionalism and best practice. The books are designed for first line managers to develop management skills in their selected areas and can be used to address specific areas in need of development. Each workbook contains case studies, questions and activities to ensure learning can be applied to the workplace. Thousands of professionals have successfully developed their skills with Super Series and gained the qualifications they need to progress their careers.
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