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

178 THE LEADERSHIP TRAINING ACTIVITY BOOK

can agree on. You will submit your design for approval to our Quality Assurance Engineer, who is ______ .”

Visit each team and silently listen to what they are discussing. Answer any questions they have, and remind them of how much time is left before judging begins.

Step 6: When time is up, have the leaders deliver their designs for inspection. Give marks according to the criteria, and give $4 as a reward to the team with the best design. Judging is based on:

–Neatness

–Creativity

–Promptness in submitting the design

Step 7: Explain the instructions for this production phase: “Each work group has 10 minutes to produce as many snowflakes as they can before time is called. Each snowflake must be identical to your design. There will be a reward for the work group that produces the most snowflakes. We will start at the same time.” (Announce ‘Start’ when you’re ready.)

Visit each team and silently listen to what they are discussing. Answer any questions they have, and remind them of how much time they

have left.

When time is up, have them turn in their products for final inspection by the Quality Assurance Engineer. Give marks on the following criteria:

–Neatness of products

–Accuracy in replicating the original design

–Quality control

Present the remaining money as a reward. (Note: You can collect anywhere from $.25 to $1.00 from each participant at the beginning of the session. Just be sure you award 25% of it during the design phase and 75% of it for the production award.)

Step 8: Debrief the simulation, explaining that each leader was asked to behave in a specific leadership style.

Ask followers to share what they experienced and discuss their responses to these questions:

What style (of the four) did you see your leader exhibit?

How did it feel to be led with this style?

Share evidence of that style (what behaviors did you experience?).

SET AN EXAMPLE

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On a scale of 1–5, how motivated were you?

On a scale of 1–5, how productive was your group?

Step 9: Summarize by discussing how the theory can be applied to their leadership responsibilities. Ask these questions:

How was this simulation like real life?

When is each style most appropriate to use?

Which style(s) do you, personally, need to develop?

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 ctually spent on the activity.

HANDOUT 32.1

Let’s Make Snowflakes

Role of a Directive Leader

Take charge from the beginning! Let the group members know that you are the boss and that you will tell them what to do. Proceed to outline exactly how the group will design and later produce the snowflakes. Decide on the steps that will be followed, who is to do what, what equipment will be used, and where the activity will be done. If participants have suggestions be polite, but do it your way. Supervise their work very closely.

Role of a Coaching Leader

You will give both direction and support to the group members. Start by explaining your own ideas on how to plan and (later) produce the snowflakes. Listen to everyone’s feelings and ideas and keep two-way communication open. However, the final decision will be yours. This is not consensus!

Role of a Supporting Leader

Assume that the members of your group are committed to this task and bring to it useful experience. Therefore, remind them of your confidence in them based on their past performance and tell them that they will jointly decide how to manage this task of planning and producing snowflakes. Emphasize that your role is one of facilitation: You will make sure that they understand the task and know their choices for solving the problem. Although you are their leader, your part and contribution is equal to theirs. Everyone needs to be in agreement or reach consensus on all decisions.

Role of Delegating Leader

Your group has extensive on-the-job experience and is also motivated to get their work done. They have been working as a team for some time now, with the intention of moving toward a self-managed team. Therefore, your role is to explain the task of planning and producing snowflakes. Once they understand their task, delegate the work to them and leave them alone to decide how it will be accomplished. They run their own show and will report in to you when they have questions or are ready to submit their design. Be available; don’t leave the room.

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

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CLAIM CONFLICT

Overview of Activity

By practicing body language and tone of voice, the participants will recognize how to effectively manage conflict.

Objectives

To identify a variety of ways of speaking that can be used to minimize conflict.

To use body language to minimize conflict.

To provide practice in handling conflict to develop the ability to communicate clearly and directly.

Setting Up the Activity

GROUP SIZE

Any number of participants

ESTIMATED TIME

20 minutes

TRAINING METHODS

Demonstration

Paired activity

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MATERIALS

Sets of white, green, and yellow index cards on which is printed an example of either Message, Tone of Voice, or Body Language. (The white cards should each contain a message from the sheet provided. The green cards should each contain a different tone of voice from the sheet. The yellow cards should each contain a different example of body language from the sheet.) See Job Aid 33.1: Activity Cards.

Handout 33.1: Phrases for Practice Rounds

EQUIPMENT AND SUPPLIES

Flipchart

Markers

ROOM SET-UP

A circle of chairs

Comments

All leaders, no matter at what level they work in their organization, need to hone their communication skills. Many conflicts can be avoided if leaders carefully select not only the words, but the tone of the message and accompany it with appropriate body language.

Trainer’s Notes for Activity 33

STEP-BY-STEP PROCEDURE

Step 1: Introduce the activity by saying, “Communication, especially during conflict resolution, requires an ability to use and interpret carefully both verbal and nonverbal cues. We are going to practice with some examples so that you, as a leader, will be comfortable making your points clearly in a conflict situation.”

Distribute Handout 33.1: Phrases for Practice Rounds. For Practice #1, divide participants into pairs and have them move their chairs to face one another.

Step 2: Then write this phrase on the flipchart: Please, try that again!

“Take turns speaking the following simple phrase, putting inflection or emphasis on a different word in the phrase each time you say it.”

Ask them to say this phrase four different ways:

SET AN EXAMPLE

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Please, try that again.

Please, try that again.

Please, try that again.

Please, try that again.

Step 3: Debrief by asking participants to respond to these questions:

Which worked?

Did you have to think of some specific situation to make a true difference in your language style?

Step 4: Begin Practice #2 by saying, “In your pairs, take turns speaking the following phrases, putting inflection or emphasis on a different word in the phrase each time.”

a.You did that well this time.

b.Have you read the procedures for this process?

c.Is this the result you intended?

d.What do you think?

Step 5: Debrief by posing this question for discussion:

“Why do simple phrases like these get you into trouble during a conflict?”

Step 6: For Practice #3, ask participants to change partners and tell them,

“This time, take turns speaking the same phrases, but put inflection or emphasis on a tone of voice that shows emotion. Listen to the way I can show a different emotion each time for:

Anger (demonstrate)

Interest (demonstrate)

Pleasure (demonstrate)

Apathy (demonstrate)

Distraction (demonstrate)”

Step 7: Debrief by posing these questions for discussion:

Which tones of voice seem to be most valuable? What might be most appropriate?

Which tone is the best one for a leader who is trying to resolve a conflict? Why?

184 THE LEADERSHIP TRAINING ACTIVITY BOOK

Step 8: “Now, working separately, let us experiment with the three aspects of communication that are affected during conflict resolution: MESSAGE, TONE OF VOICE, and BODY LANGUAGE.” Display three stacks of printed cards that are of different colors. Let people choose a card from each pile and demonstrate an example of what the card says. Have participants guess the tone of voice and the body language that is being demonstrated. Then emphasize:

“The message is what you are saying, as the earlier examples indicate. The white cards represent the words themselves—the message.

The tone of voice has to do with how you are saying what you are saying. This is generally your emotional state. The cards that represent this are green.

Body language refers to what you are showing with your body. As you are talking, are you looking away? Down? Or, in general, looking displeased? Might direct eye contact, nodding your head in approval, or extending your hand to pat the person give a better result? The body language cards here are yellow.”

Have participants try another round and decide which interpretations were on-target.

Step 9: Bring the activity to a close by asking,

“Are there instances when your voice, message, or body language has an affect on the conflict? Please share an example with us.”

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.

JOB AID 33.1

Activity Cards

Cut out text message from all three columns and glue each one on a separate card. All the items in the Message column go on white cards; all the Tone of Voice columns go on green cards; and all the Body Language items go on yellow cards.

Message	Tone of Voice	Body Language
“How’s it going today?”	Abrupt	Make no eye contact
		(look down)
“You seem to be doing	Indifferent	Turn and walk away
a great job.”		as you speak.
“Tell me what you think	Empathetic	Sit, and lean toward the
about this situation.”		person. Look into his/her
		eyes.
“We are glad to have you	Distracted	Sit, lean back, and put
on our team.”		your hands behind your
		head.
“Does this work meet the	Angry	Look around as you say
standard you have set		the message.
for yourself?”
“What can I do to	Puzzled	Touch their arm and look
help you?”		them in the eye as you
		speak.
“Feel free to come to me	Genuinely	Cross your arms on your
whenever you have a	pleased	chest as you deliver the
question or problem.”		message.

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

HANDOUT 33.1

Phrases for Practice Rounds

Round #1

Please, try that again!

Round #2

You did that well this time.

Have you read the procedures for this process?

Is this the result you intended?

What do you think?

Round #3

Anger

Interest

Pleasure

Apathy

Distraction

You did that well this time.

Have you read the procedures for this process?

Is this the result you intended?

What do you think?

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

34

WALK IN ANOTHER’S SHOES

A Diversity Exercise

Overview of Activity

This activity is a hands-on way of practicing diversity in a group setting, so that leaders will gain comfort and experience with the diverse worker population in a real-world work environment.

Objectives

To increase empathy for those who are different from ourselves.

To provide the opportunity to increase understanding of other people’s perspectives.

To explore the role leaders play in honoring and respecting diversity.

Setting Up the Activity

GROUP SIZE

Up to twenty-five.

ESTIMATED TIME

1 hour

TRAINING METHODS

Reflection

Simulation

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