A520.6.5_RB_Team Roles_Wathen_Sandra

A520.6.5_RB_Team Roles_Wathen_Sandra

This is my blog with respect to task-facilitating and relationship-building roles. I am reflecting upon my understanding of how these roles enhance team performance. Considerations on how I generally relate as a team-member. Whether I actively engage my team to accomplish its mission? And Whether I work to improve the team cohesion and collaboration?

First it is important to understand the definitions of task-facilitating and relationship-building roles in order to use these roles to enhance team performance.  Task-facilitating roles are those that help the team to meet its goals and objectives.  Basically, these roles help the team to work more efficiently at meeting their objectives.  As I lead the team, I will be finding ways to keep the team “on task”; helping the team to move forward on task accomplishment.  Whereas, relationship-building roles are more focused on interpersonal aspects of the team and provide a feeling of goodness amongst one another.  Having these types of roles are important when there are tensions or disagreements within the team.  Often, when in the task-facilitating role there is more of a group harmony, group empathy and high motivation. 

Although there are two distinctly different types of roles, it is important to understand that it still requires balance between the two to ensure that the tasks are accomplished and the team remains united.  That is the challenge for the team lead to execute their specific role; while maintaining balance and avoiding becoming undimensional in roles.  These roles enhance team performance and achieve exceptional results.  Through understanding, use, and balancing of both the task-facilitating and relationship-building roles, it will provide a team positive high-performance team environment that will effectively meet the task objectives; plus a win/win situation.

I am both a team leader and a team member on many types of teams.  I am on technical integrated product teams which are more “functional” task oriented and also am active on numerous process improvement teams which are more “process” related, such as; Lean Six Sigma (LSS), Total Quality Management (TQM), etc.  I have also performed roles as the “coach” or “facilitator” on many teams.  In that capacity, I strive to keep mutual, yet dynamic communication and cohesion with the team and encourage team members through the duration to achieve goals or stated mission.

In addition, I am a type “a” personality and strive diligently for excellence in what I do.  However, I am also a “people” person and very “team oriented”.   I am always seeking to do things better; more efficiently and effectively.  Paradigms are not part of my way of thinking; rather I encourage change and try to think “outside the box”.

For the teams that I am members of, I prefer to have a specific scope/purpose, clear, concise goals or vision on what we want to achieve and at the same time creating positive energy amongst the team.  I also prefer to have a schedule to work from that also is timely, reasonable, and achievable.  I am both task facilitating and relationship building in my roles.  I do have to admit that I do not like conflict; however, through experience, I have been able to overcome my fear of addressing problems diplomatically and I normally can come to some type of resolution without any disruption ot the meetings.

A520.5.3.RB_Forrestor’s Empowerment_Wathen_Sandra

A520.5.3.RB_Forrestor’s Empowerment_Wathen_Sandra

Re:  Forrestor, R. (2000) Empowerment: Rejuvenating a potent idea.  The Academy of Management Perspectives; ProQuest Central, p. 67.

This is my blog to compare and contrast the concepts discussed to those discussed in the “Empowerment: Rejuvenating a potent idea” by Russ Forrester and those of text.

As described by Russ Forrestor, empowerment is a concept that we need to learn how to apply more effectively.  He describes empowerment “implies the freedom and the ability to make decisions and commitments, not just to suggest them or be part of making them”.  He also mentions that “empowerment is about power and enhancing it”. 

One of the things that organizations tend to do with respect to empowerment is fall short in their method by which they empower.  Many organizations have problems with implementation of empowerment and that there are ways to successful ways for those that continue to struggle to bring it to fruition.  Unfortunately, some of those causes are due to the lack of throughput once implemented by those who were the implementers.  Other problems are that, although the implementation is sincere, it ends up back to status quo; often interfered with same bureaucracy as what was not intended originally.   Often times it becomes fruitless when empowerment is just an assumption of more responsibilities with no power or control.  These types of perceived empowerment implementations, often brings the workforce down and as a result has negative impact on productivity.  As Russ Forrestor states, “it is a retractable leash”. 

Much of Russ Forrestor’s writings talk about the transfer of power to those who have less power or to share power to more people who are able to exercise that power.  It is mentioned that those who were empowered did not execute satisfactorily of what was transferred to them and it became a psychological variable based on perception and that the psychological approach is not well served as it negatively affects motivation.  It is often seen as words of empowerment versus actual implementation – convince them they have it, but not really transferring it.   Other unsuccessful implementations are those that try to shift power to most of the employees in which this tries to make the empowerment equally distributed based on a fairness perspective as to not discriminate.  Sometimes one of the crippling factors is that organizations will empower without having the employees ready to accept the empowerment.  Other problems associated with empowerment, is that those who are supposed to release their powers have a hard time letting it go.  Therefore, not letting the one accepting the delegation to really have the reins on the things.  Another example of failure of empowerment implementation is that it is “piece mealed” which is only providing the person the empowerment of pieces rather than the whole.  However, the selective approach is a method of empowerment implementation that tends to be more successful.  It focuses on differentiating amongst the employees and identifies those that are ready to accept the additional power.  Some of those are finding ways to build upon the natural strengths of each employee.  Seek ways to assist them to meeting their capacity or expanding their scope of responsibility.   

So what does all this mean?  It means when an organization is sincere and wants to truly empower others within the organization they must take the necessary steps and process to implement effectively. 

For example:

·         Focus on finding ways to empower employees through increasing their  abilities

·         Foster training and development opportunities

·         Build their proficiencies through mentoring or hands-on

·         Top-Down approach for transitioning empowerment; start low-risk delegations first

·         Space to exercise their power

·         Clear goals, clear results

In comparison to the text (Developing Management Skills, 8^th Edition (Whetten & Cameron), empowerment is to develop others with a sense of self worth that includes determination, control, meaning and trust.  However, tendency is to be less empowering rather than more.  As people are often threatened by releasing power, they will tend to seek more control over their employees.  A competent manager who understands empowerment must apply his skills for empowering successfully.  If you can produce a sense of empowerment in employees and find effective ways of delegating responsibility, the outcomes are desirable for both the organization and the employee – win/win situation.  It will foster productivity, motivation and a much healthier working environment for all.  The text also provides behavioral guidelines for empowering others:  Self-efficacy (self competence); Self-determination (personal choice by alternatives); Personal consequence (personal impact); Meaningfulness (sense of value); Trust (sense of security); Delegate work effectively (using guidelines).

Our text focuses on the benefits of empowerment and the specific steps or guidelines to use for assisting with successful implementation.  Whereas, Russ Forrestor seems to focus more on the problems associated with implementing empowerment in an organization.  Although it is an important aspect with respect to understanding prior unsuccessful implementations, I felt his article focused too much on the negative aspects versus the procedures for implementing successfully.

In summary, empowerment is a win/win situation if implemented and followed through correctly.  In can bring a positive work environment to both the employee and organization.  The main thing is to do it right from the get go!

A520.4.3_RB_Motivation Beyond Money_Wathen_Sandra

A520.4.3_RB_Motivation Beyond Money_Wathen_Sandra

Sure we like to be paid, but money is not always the most important.   As identified by Andy Mulholland’s (2010) four minute citation in The Three Things We Work For (Money Isn’t One of Them) he mentions that money is not among the three most important things we work for.

Our bosses and our work environment affect our work behaviors and attitudes.  He mentions that good Human Relations (HR) develops a good working attitude, which in turn develops good leadership.  In addition as leaders/managers we are responsible for HR; we need to be the human manager.

One of the areas that Mulholland emphasizes is that the greatest salary does not necessarily equal the greatest job.  Income and job satisfaction are not equal.  He stresses that motivators are not necessarily for the money - in fact, he described the real motivators below:

The three reasons people really work for are these:

·         Give me interesting work

·         Help to expand skill sets

·         Recognize me, to be valued. Value you me for what I can do.

Also, to realize that if someone isn’t happy, you can’t pay them more money to stay – that is not the answer.

Additional areas to foster additional motivators:

One of the things I can do is to conduct a brief survey that reveals job satisfaction and attitudes towards work and the work environment.  I can use the survey to identify areas of concern and to also address the top several concerns immediately and then focus on the remaining (less priority) concerns throughout the remainder of the year.  This will give me an opportunity to get first hand insight of what the workforce attitudes are with respect to the work environment.  In addition, it will also provide me an opportunity to focus on the areas that will have most impact for improving motivation in the workforce.

I can also schedule a meeting with other corporate members within my company to address areas of concern regarding job satisfaction and work attitudes.  I would like to include areas of discussion with respect to how well our company does in the areas: offering interesting work to employees, finding ways for employees to have continuous learning and expansion of their skill sets, and also about recognizing and valuing employees.  I would like to put an action plan together to ensure that this is periodically followed-up with and meeting the purpose of the goals.  This will give me an opportunity to maybe influence top leadership on ideas that can provide the workforce the ability to expand their careers within the company – win/win situation.

I would also develop a method to find sincere and meaningful ways to recognize employees for jobs well done.  This would be for both formal and informal means of recognition.  I plan to send a “kudos” email for the less formal recognition.  For those that deserve formal recognition, I plan to write formal letters of appreciation to be signed by the President of the Company and also be added to our quarterly company newsletter.

I am very hopeful that this will add additional motivators for those that are looking beyond more than just the money.

A520.3.5_RB_Supportive Communication_Wathen_Sandra

A520.3.5_RB_Supportive Communication_Wathen_Sandra

This is my blog to describe how I can integrate supportive communication in my present position, utilize the guidelines detailed on page 265 and describe the expected outcomes that may result from my efforts.

There are ten behavioral guidelines for supportive communication as defined in Chapter 4 of the 8^th edition of Developing Management Skills (David A. Whetten & Kim S. Cameron, 2011):

1.       Differentiate between coaching situations, which requiring giving advice and direction to help foster behavior change, and counseling situations, in which understanding and problem recognition are the desired outcomes.

2.      Communicate congruently by acknowledging your true feelings without acting them out in destructive ways.  Make certain that your statements match your feelings and thoughts and that you communicate authentically.

3.      Use descriptive, not evaluative, statements.  Describe objectively what occurred, describe your reactions to events and their objective consequences, and suggest acceptable alternatives.

4.      Use problem-oriented statements rather than person-oriented statements; that is, focus on behavioral referents or characteristics of events, not attributes of the person.

5.      Use validating statements that acknowledge the other person’s importance and uniqueness.  Communicate your investment in the relationship by demonstrating your respect of the other person and your flexibility and humility is being open to new ideas or new data.  Foster two-way interchanges rather than dominating or interrupting the other person.  Identify areas of agreement or positive characteristics of the other person before pointing out areas of disagreement or negative characteristics.

6.      Use specific rather than global (either-or, black-or-white) statements, and, when trying to correct behavior, focus on things that are under the control of the other person rather than factors that cannot be changed.

7.      Use conjunctive statements that flow smoothly from what was said previously.  Ensure equal speaking opportunities for others participating in the interaction.  Do not cause long pauses that dominate the time.  Be careful not to completely control the topic being discussed.  Acknowledge what was said before by others.

8.      Own your statements, and encourage the other person to do likewise.  Use personal words (“I”) rather than impersonal words (“management”).

9.      Demonstrate supportive listening.  Make eye contact and be responsive nonverbally.   Use a variety of responses to others’ statements, depending on whether you are caching or counseling someone else.  Have a bias toward the use of reflective responses.

10.  Implement a personal management interview program with people for whom you have responsibility, and use supportive communication to coach, counsel, foster personal development, and build strong positive relationships.

Using the behavioral guidelines identified above will assist in increasing my abilities for developing effective supportive communication skills.  Applying these guidelines will provide a positive interpersonal relationship with people and therefore avoiding a feeling of distrust, hostility, defensiveness, etc.  It will also help me to foster interpersonal growth; both personally and professionally.  I also see how it will help me to have strong relationships that will aid in delivering negative news as how this type of information needs to be communicated in a sensitive manner.  Through reading this chapter, I now understand that one of the biggest problems with supportive communication and its affects with positive relationships and positive performance.  Effective supportive communication is essential for a successful leader or manager. 

These guidelines have also made me realize how in applying these guidelines will provide clarity and understanding of the message I am trying to provide and how it will be received by the recipient.  Basically, it is an effective tool for me to use to improve my competence level of communication with others.

In essence, supportive communication using the guidelines described above will provide me the ability to build positive interpersonal relationship in a way that enhances feelings of trust, openness, and support; hopefully long lasting.    It will also assist with the accuracy of the information that I am trying to transmit with little change from my original intent.    Basically, it will allow me to communicate accurately and honestly; especially during challenging times or circumstances.  It will encourage me to strive to maintain positive relationships between me and others – address the problem, give feedback (both positive and negative) and resolve the issue at hand. 

In summary, if I apply these guidelines, I feel strongly that I will be able to obtain positive interpersonal relationships, and as a result - the recipients will feel energized and motivated from our conversation.

A520.3.1_RB_Decision Making_Wathen_Sandra

A520.3.1_RB_Decision Making_Wathen_Sandra

It is essential for effective decision making, that I must understand my style of decision making so that I can make the best choices and decisions.  I need to gain confidence in my decision making by evaluating alternatives.  I need to be confident of my choices by using positive decision making strategies; what feels right for me.  I need to consider trade-off and short/long-term affects on my potential decisions. I need to evaluate criticism before making decisions as I may reconsider my mindset. 

I need to recognize when decisions are complex or important as to chart out options.  Gaining confidence by evaluating alternatives for positive decision strategies.  They are described by 5 steps:

1 – Define the goal, what to accomplish and objectives

2 – Assess the alternatives

3 – Gather the Information

4 – Assess the consequences and evaluate sources

5 – Establish a Plan of Action (PoA) to Achieve Goals

Another important factor is for me not to procrastinate, make decisions based on time management.  An additional factor is that I must remind myself that uncertainty is a product of the decision outcome.  No one can ever be sure of the outcome and people typically desire certainty.  I must become comfortable with the fact that there is no such thing as certainty with my decision making.  However, I must be confident in my decision making while clearly and identifying evaluating alternatives and concentration on positive decision strategies. 

There are different management styles to decision making.  Some of the key words that are identified for styles are:

·         Cautious

·         Risk Taking

·         Intuitive

·         Logical

·         Influenced by Others

·         Self-Motivated

·         Emotional

·         Rational

·         Passive

·         Active

·         Quiet

·         Assertive

My Style is primarily is combined with Intuitive and Active.  I strive to think “outside the box” and am very proactive with implementation of solutions.  I look for direction that feels right or comfortable for me.  I research alternatives that feel right – having insight that fits my personality.  I usually have goals, assess the alternatives and develop an action plan; no using the linear process.

If I use opposite words that I am comfortable with I feel that my best decision making will be compromised.  This will be due to losing confidence in my strategy approach to decision making based on my personality type.

A520.2.6_RB_Time Mgmt_Wathen_Sandra

A520.2.6_RB_Time Management_Wathen_Sandra

This is my blog for assessing my management skills, evaluating how these skills have increased my locus of control.  This includes three new areas in which improved time management skills will reduce my stress.  In addition, I will have an action plan on how to integrate these into my daily routine.

Current assessment of my management skills is that I must continually re-evaluate to identify and eliminate stressors altogether.  I will need to learn to manage time and stress.  As the old saying goes “too much to do, and too little time to do them”.  Although some time stressors can be a motivator for getting my work done, I must be aware that it can also be harmful if not managed well.

The four key sources of stress are:  Time Stressors, Encounter Stressors, Situational Stressors and Anticipatory Stressors.  I realize that I can eliminate time stressors through the use of effective time management.  I will need to develop skills for eliminating time stressors.  One is to use time efficiently each day and over the long term. 

I need to be efficient as well as effective with time management, as this will assist me with getting the planned things done before the unplanned which will cause some of my most important tasks to never get done.

I will have a personal action plan for gaining control over my time and to develop effective organization.  As such, I will try to spend more time on important matters rather than urgent items; determining relevance of importance. 

Develop self-awareness for maintaining my awareness of my own core values so that I have a set of basic principles to guide my behavior.    Things that I plan to do are:

·         Conduct Initial time management survey

·         Generate “to-do lists”

·         Event calendars and planers

·         Learn to say “no”

·         When reading, read selectively as too not overload information or material

·         Make a list of things to accomplish each day; focusing on the things I want to achieve 

·         Keep things more organized as too not take a lot of time to find things

·         Prioritize my work or tasks; leaving less important items on the lower priority of the list

·         Complete one important item but strive to do things simultaneously

From a more personal level I need to think about how to save time for important matters, keep track of time, set deadlines, continue to be productive during slow time, do busy work at a set time of the day, schedule personal time for myself, write down long-term objectives, don’t procrastinate, and always seek ways to improve my time management. 

From a more professional level I need to hold routine meetings at the end of the day and hold short meetings standing up, set time limits on meetings and appointments, cancel meetings once in a while especially if they are not needed, have agendas that I stick to, always start meetings on time, prepare minutes to meetings and follow up with meetings, encourage subordinates to suggest solutions to problems.  I also need to meet visitors in the doorway versus sitting in my office, go to subordinates office for brief meetings to control length of meeting, don’t over schedule the day or be a slave to the phone and my emails.  I need to have a place to work uninterrupted for getting things done so that I can have mind focus.  Also, I need to do something definite with every piece of paperwork even if that means throwing it away.  Keep the workplace clean and delegate work is also something that I need to strive to do routinely.

So what does this all mean?  It means I need to find life balance with concentration of time management both at work and at home; to remove stressors.  To do this I must find the things that case negative physiological, psychological and social reactions; coping with stress.  The best way for me to eliminate stress is to do so through effective time management, delegation, collaboration, interpersonal competence, work redesign, prioritizing, goal setting and setting myself up with small wins.    I also need to improve my resiliency.  This will be done through me developing an exercise program and improving my diet. 

A520.2.3.RB_Conflict Resolution_Wathen_Sandra

My blog is to describe an example of a successful conflict resolution that I have either witnessed or participated in.  What was the conflict? What role did you play? Who were the other participants in the negotiation? What was the result? Did I see any room for improvement to how the conflict was handled?

In a recent program manager’s meeting, there were several leaders that participated in a discussion that led to two of the managers getting into a heated debate.  I had some insight going into the meeting that there was a chance that these two individuals would have differences based on their strong personalities and the type of discussion at hand.

As a support contractor to one of the leaders, I had prepared myself that there could be a need for me to be either a mediator or that I may have to diplomatically interject to assist with the conflict.  One of the things that I have learned over my career is to be prepared for these types of situations so that I can already have an action plan in place.

In this particular case, the two individuals had different ideas and approaches to how the project should be executed.  At first, the meeting seemed to be going in a mutually agreed approach with how they were to resolve the problem.  Then all of a sudden, the one leader (not the one that I directly support) stood up and started to ridicule the leader that I support; for no reason.  This continued for several minutes.  I looked over at the leader that I support and I looked at his face and I could tell from his expressions that he didn’t know what to say and I could see that he was becoming frustrated and humiliated.  Right away I took a few seconds to think how I was going to handle the situation.

I quickly spoke up and said “sorry to interrupt, but if you can give me a few seconds, I would like to reflect back on a couple comments you mentioned earlier that you may be able to use to get to a mutual decision that could work for meeting both parties needs”.  At that point in time, she sat back down and said “sure”.

I then took the lead, went over to the whiteboard and started putting the high-level bullets down so that they could start a more positive discussion.  At this point in time, I realized I had just become the “coach”. 

I went through each of the bullets and gave them time to make comments as I wrote them down so they both could see and reflect on their thoughts.  Often, I found myself guiding them down the thought processes in order to define the solutions. 

When the subject became too debated, I would diplomatically adjust them back to the focus points.  After about an hour, they were able to work their issues out.  As a result, they were able to come to mutual agreed solutions with some compromises of each party – but overall it was a win/win success!

In hind sight, maybe it would have been nice to have already had those bullets on a slide from the very beginning versus just an open discussion.  I think seeing the thoughts on the board and making changes to them together makes a more mutual way of initial discussions.