Hart L.B., Waisman C.S. - The leadership training activity book (2005)(en)

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Identify topics for discussion that members want to cover at upcoming meetings. Individuals volunteer to prepare a presentation or questions that will help group members delve deeper into the topic.

Set aside time at the beginning of each meeting to let people share successes and other good news.

Periodically conduct a team-building activity.

9.Share these additional tips for success:

Avoid allowing outsiders to attend, unless they are needed as presenters.

On a quarterly basis, evaluate how the group is functioning. Review what you have discussed and accomplished in the recent meetings. Review your purpose and guidelines and update as needed.

You will find that some individuals will want or need to drop out because of other commitments or a shift in their professional goals. It is important that others in the group understand and not resent this change. Be sure to recognize this person’s contributions at their final meeting.

Consider naming a replacement. This is difficult on the remaining group members as well as someone new because the group now has a shared history. It is possible to make this transition, however. Review the criteria for membership, and brainstorm to come up with a list of individuals who meet the criteria. Assign someone to give the new person some background on group members, review the guidelines, and explain anything else that will help him or her integrate.

Step 4: Begin establishing the group. Explain that there are several ways to form the group. For example, if you used “work teams” in the workshop for portions of your modules, ask those people if they’d like to continue as a group.

Another way is to ask participants to state the kind of group they would like to be in, such as, “Others in my telecommunications industry,” “Others who work in my part of the city,” or “A group of only women.” Some people might wish to form a group around a specific topic or issue. Once individuals explain what they are proposing,

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consider having the rest of the participants get together with the person making the proposal closest to their needs.

Once the groups are formed, provide time for each group to either go through the steps outlined in Step 2, or at least to set the time and place for their first meeting.

Step 5: This activity was inspired by a real-life experience in which the co-author of this book, Lois Hart, was involved. A group of six women, who all worked in the same profession, decided to form a support group. At the first meeting, she facilitated the discussion to hear what each person hoped to get out of the group.Based on that information, the members created their purpose and mission.

With those key items as the foundation, it was easier to complete some important details. They were familiar with team guidelines, so reaching consensus on this group’s goals went quickly. The fun part was creating a name. They chose “Arriba,” which means “go fast” or “hurry up” in Spanish.

They met every 4 to 6 weeks, rotating locations and always sharing a meal. Eventually, they lost two members because of illness and job change, but they were replaced. Arriba was definitely a success, as the members are still meeting after 11 years.

Now, you know how to start and maintain a professional support group. Let’s work out a system so we can follow your success. I’d be willing to receive your updates and forward them on to your other colleagues.

POST-ACTIVITY REVIEW

Take time shortly after conducting this activity to reflect on how it went, how engaged the participants were, and what questions they raised. Then, make notes that include how much time you actually spent on the activity.

HANDOUT 15.1

Guidelines and Tips for Success

We will openly contribute what we know and think.

We will attend all of the meetings.

We will take time to prepare for our meetings.

We will freely share ideas, resources, and materials with one another.

We will help each other solve problems.

Avoid allowing outsiders to attend, unless they are needed as presenters.

On a quarterly basis, evaluate how the group is functioning. Review what you have discussed and accomplished in the recent meetings. Review your purpose and guidelines, and update as needed.

You will find that some individuals will want or need to drop out due to other commitments or a shift in their professional goals. It is important that others in the group understand and not resent this change. Be sure to recognize this person’s contributions at their final meeting.

Consider naming a replacement. This is difficult on the remaining group members as well as someone new because the group now has a shared history. It is possible to make this transition, however. Review the criteria for membership, and brainstorm to come up with a list

of individuals who meet the criteria. Assign someone to give the new person some background on group members, review the guidelines, and explain anything else that will help him or her integrate.

© 2005 AMACOM, A DIVISION OF AMERICAN MANAGEMENT ASSOCIATION. This handout is available in PDF form at www.amacombooks.org/leadershipact.

16

SAYING GOODBYE

Overview of Activity

Appreciation is a leadership competency that is often underutilized. The structure of this activity encourages appropriate and positive comments.

Objective

To provide an opportunity for workshop participants to express appreciation for the contributions of the other participants and their facilitators.

Setting Up the Activity

GROUP SIZE

Up to 20 participants

ESTIMATED TIME

10 minutes to introduce the activity

Break time to write and put up comment slips

5 minutes at the end of the program

TRAINING METHOD

Personal reflection

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MATERIALS

Five to seven sentence “stems” on a page cut into separate slips of paper (use brightly colored paper to make it more fun). Feel free to make up your own comment sheets. See Job Aid 16.1: Appreciation Sentences for samples to get started.

An 81/2″ × 11″ sheet of paper for each participant and facilitator, preprinted with his or her name on it and some visual image that is appropriate for each person. (These should be hung around the room before the activity is announced.)

EQUIPMENT AND SUPPLIES

Tape

ROOM SET-UP

Flexible

Comments

Too often we rush the end of a program, tacking on the evaluation and hurrying through the goodbyes. This activity focuses on what individuals have learned and gained from one another, participant-to-participant and facilitator-to-participant.

The slips of paper with sentence stems need to be distributed several hours before the close of the workshop, but after the participants and the facilitators have been together long enough to gather perceptions about one another.

As you plan the ending of your program, put the evaluations and other housekeeping tasks first, so that you can end on a high note. This activity will ensure that participants leave with positive feelings about their experience.

Trainer’s Notes for Activity 16

STEP-BY-STEP PROCEDURE

Step 1: Introduce the topic by saying:

“We believe it is important to reflect on what you learned from one another during this leadership program. As we wind up this workshop, let’s also celebrate the experience.”

Step 2: Give instructions for the activity, saying:

“I have here slips of paper, each with a different sentence stem. Please try to fill out one slip of paper for each person who impressed you, touched you, or left you with a good memory.

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Fill out these comment slips throughout the remaining hours we have together. On the wall is a comment sheet for each participant. Tape each comment slip, one for each of your fellow participants, to each person’s sheet.”

Throughout the day, remind participants of this task.

Step 3: Complete closing tasks, including evaluations. Then ask each person to go to their “place” at the wall. With quiet music in the background, ask them to silently read and absorb what others have said about them.

When everyone is done reading, gather people into a circle. Ask participants to silently look at each person’s face and express thanks with their eyes.

End with a cheer, such as

“Lead on!” or

“We can do it! We have done it! We will do it!”

JOB AID 16.1

Appreciation Sentences

Sent to –––––––––––––––––––––

You really made a difference by. . . .

Sent to –––––––––––––––––––––

I’m impressed with. . . .

Sent to –––––––––––––––––––––

You got my attention with. . . .

Sent to –––––––––––––––––––––

One of the things I enjoy most about you is. . . .

Sent to –––––––––––––––––––––

I just wanted to let you know. . . .

JOB AID 16.1

APPRECIATION SENTENCES (continued)

Sent to –––––––––––––––––––––

We couldn’t have done it without you!

Sent to –––––––––––––––––––––

What an effective way to . . . .

Sent to –––––––––––––––––––––

The gift you have given me is . . . .

© 2005 AMACOM, A DIVISION OF AMERICAN MANAGEMENT ASSOCIATION. This handout is available in PDF form at www.amacombooks.org/leadershipact.

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PART TWO

To Thine Own Self Be True

Leaders come to their positions with a great many skills, attitudes, values, experiences, and educational backgrounds. Highly effective leaders have in common a set of specific leadership competencies, which we will explore in this next section. We chose the title To Thine Own Self Be True because the activities focus on the development of the individual

as leader.

This section begins with three assessments. The first, Organizational Leadership, assesses a leader’s skills in six dimensions relative to his or her level in the organizational hierarchy. The second, The Leadership Challenge, provides an overview of an outstanding model of leadership competencies developed by Barry Posner and Jim Kouzes. The third uses a card-sort activity so that participants can learn the difference between management skills and leadership skills.

The next set of activities in this section can help leaders recognize the importance of maintaining a sense of adventure in their work and building a trusting relationship with the individuals they guide. All leaders need to explore how they respond to change so they will be able to help their own followers handle change. Before you can do that, however, you need to clarify your own values because values are the basis of ethical decisions. The activity A Metaphor for Change will help you do that. The exercise that comes next will help you solve ethical dilemmas using a step- by-step process.

Three activities address the subject of power. In the first, leaders complete a handout that helps identify their personal style of power. This is followed by a fun activity using a courtroom scenario that puts this knowledge into practice. An affirmation activity completes this trilogy on power.

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