Strategies and Skills for Leading High Performance Teams

Day 1
Learning Styles Fundamentals of High Performance Teams and Team Leadership Traits, Skills and Behaviour of Effective Leaders Key Qualities of High Performance Teams Critical Success Factors for Team Performance Development Stages of Teams Influencing Team Performance Vital Communication Skills for Personal and Team Success Factors Affecting Effective Communication Barriers to Communication and Cross Cultural Business Communication

Remember:

20% of what we READ 30% of what we HEAR 40% of what we SEE 50% of what we SAY 60% of what we DO 90% of what we HEAR, SEE, SAY & DO

LEARNING STYLES

Visual

Auditory/verbal
Kinesthetic/tactile

Visual learners
Visual learners relate most effectively to visual
displays like written information, notes, diagrams and pictures. They tend to prefer sitting at the front of the classroom to avoid visual obstruction, to have a clear view of the instructor when they are speaking so that they can see the body language and facial expression. Visual learners often prefer to take detailed notes to absorb information. They learn best by writing down key points, and visualizing what they learn. They follow written instructions better than oral ones.

Auditory learners
Auditory learners relate most effectively to
verbal lectures, discussions and by listening to what others have to say. Written information may have little meaning until it is verbalized or read aloud. Auditory learners like participating in class discussions and debates, as well as discussing ideas verbally. They would rather listen to a lecture than read the material in a textbook. They are good in making speeches and presentations.

Kinesthetic / tactile learners

Kinesthetic/tactile learners learn through
moving, doing and touching. Kinesthetic learners learn best through a hands-on approach. They may be considered hyperactive, take frequent breaks and may become distracted by their need for activity and exploration. In learning, they skim through learning materials to get a gist of the content before settling down to read it in detail. They enjoy working with their hands.

Fundamentals of High Performance Teams and Team Leadership

Teams:
Work towards common goals Personal success of team members is dependent
on others

Have an agreed and common approach Knowledge and skills of team members are
complementary

A small number of people, usually less than twenty

Successful
Team Building
Decide whether you really need a team. Determine your objectives and the skills needed to
achieve them. Plan a team-building strategy. Get the team together. Explore and establish operational ground rules. Identify individuals strengths. Include yourself as a team member. Check objectives. Time meetings with care. Dissolve the team.

Effective Leaders
Traits, Skills and Behaviour
Has an understanding and appreciation of team
dynamics. Recognizes and assesses his or her own and the team members strengths and weaknesses. Is able to develop commitment to a shared purpose and vision. Focuses on achieving, performing, stretching, demanding and challenging tasks. Has good communication skills listens, questions and tests all assumptions.

Effective Leaders
Traits, Skills and Behaviour
Has the flexibility to facilitate or be directive as the
situation demands. Is prepared for free discussions and encourages individual differences and disagreements. Always moves from conflict to consensual decisions. Provides learning opportunities encourages selfdirected learning with the emphasis on the process of learning rather than knowing. Provides ongoing feedback appraises, rewards achievements and focuses the team on goals and vision.

Key Qualities
High Performance Teams
Purpose People Processes Performance

Critical Success Factors

For Team Performance

Start with the team Determine responsibilities Make people accountable Train your people Understand team strengths,
weaknesses and self-awareness

Critical Success Factors

For Team Performance

Empower your team Delegate work efficiently Understand what motivates your team Reward your team after they have
performed well

Development
Stages in Team Building

Forming Can we do it? Storming We cant do it because Norming We can do it if Performing We are doing it!

Influencing
Team Building and Delegation: How and When to Empower People
Involvement Model Tell, Sell, Consult, Join Adding to Model Delegate

Communication Skills
For Personal & Team Success
Listening Asking questions Being assertive

Communication Skills
The Communication Process

Sender

Message

Channel

Receiver

Feedback Context

Communication Barriers
If your message is too lengthy, disorganized, or contains errors,
you can expect the message to be misunderstood and misinterpreted.

Use of poor verbal and body language can also confuse the
message.

Tend to stem from senders offering too much information too fast. When in doubt here, less is oftentimes more. It is best to be mindful
of the demands on other peoples time, especially in todays ultrabusy society.

Your audiences culture, making sure you can converse and deliver
your message to people of different backgrounds and cultures within your own organization, in this country and even abroad

Day 2
Understanding Different Personalities Behaviour Focused Business Communication Keys to Influencing People Managing Difficult Situations and Behaviours Avoiding Confrontations and Responding to Hostile Situations Managing Cross Cultural Conflicts and Differences Characteristics that Works Against Meeting of Minds Creative Problem Solving and Decision Making Skills Persuasive Communication Strategies and Choosing the Right Strategy for Performance

Personalities
Understanding Different Personalities
Dominant * Driver
Authority, varied activities, prestige, freedom, assignments promoting growth, bottom-line approach, opportunity for advancement.

Stable * Steady
Security in situations, sincere appreciation, repeated work patterns, time to adapt to change, limited territory of responsibility, identification with group, areas of specialisation.

Influencing * Inspiring
Social esteem and acceptance, freedom from details and control, people to talk to, positive working conditions, recognition for abilities, opportunity to motivate and influence others.

Compliant * Correct
Autonomy and independence, controlled work environment, reassurance, precise expectations and goals, exact job descriptions, planned change.

The 4 Rs
Managing Difficult Situation & Behaviours
Review Stop Look Listen Reframe Respond Resolve

Avoiding Confrontations and Responding to Hostile Situations

What not to do in conflict situations The Dirty Dozen
Yelling Blaming Reacting Defensively Focusing on perceived intentions Not dealing with the situation Making subtle digs and sarcastic remarks Making personal insults Complaining constantly about the situation Issuing Ultimatums Pushing harder and harder for your way Sending flaming e-mail messages Going to others rather than the source

Avoiding Confrontations and Responding to Hostile Situations

What to do in conflict situations The Magnificent Seven

Go to the source Stay in control Stay focused on the issues Actively listen Be straight and sincere Go for solutions Assume the other person means well

The Five Negotiating Styles

The Five Negotiating Styles Collaboration This results from a high concern for your group's own interests, matched with a high concern for the interests of other partners. The outcome is "win/win." This strategy is generally used when concerns for others are important. It is also generally the best strategy when society's interest is at stake. This approach helps build commitment and reduce bad feelings. The drawbacks are that it takes time and energy. In addition, some partners may take advantage of the others' trust and openness. Generally regarded as the best approach for managing conflict, the objective of collaboration is to reach consensus.

The Five Negotiating Styles Compromise -

This strategy results from a high concern for your group's own interests along with a moderate concern for the interests of other partners. The outcome is "win some/lose some." This strategy is generally used to achieve temporary solutions, to avoid destructive power struggles or when time pressures exist. One drawback is that partners can lose sight of important values and long-term objectives. This approach can also distract the partners from the merits of an issue and create a cynical climate.

The Five Negotiating Styles Competition -

This strategy results from a high concern for your group's own interests with less concern for others. The outcome is "win/lose." This strategy includes most attempts at bargaining. It is generally used when basic rights are at stake or to set a precedent. However, it can cause the conflict to escalate and losers may try to retaliate.

The Five Negotiating Styles Accommodation -

This results from a low concern for your group's own interests combined with a high concern for the interests of other partners. The outcome is "lose/win." This strategy is generally used when the issue is more important to others than to you. It is a "goodwill gesture." It is also appropriate when you recognize that you are wrong .The drawbacks are that your own ideas and concerns don't get attention. You may also lose credibility and future influence.

The Five Negotiating Styles Avoidance -

This results from a low concern for your group's own interests coupled with a low concern for the interests of others. The outcome is "lose/lose." This strategy is generally used when the issue is trivial or other issues are more pressing. It is also used when confrontation has a high potential for damage or more information is needed. The drawbacks are that important decisions may be made by default.

Avoiding Confrontations and Responding to Hostile Situations

Other Elements that affect negotiation

Communications: be careful about using the phone, e-mail, and other non-visual communication vehicles. A lack of facial expressions, vocal intonation, and other cues can result in a negotiation breakdown. Constantly reiterate your interest in the other side's concerns and your determination to find a mutually satisfactory resolution.
Personalities: be conscious of aspects of your personality such of your own needs and interpersonal style as well as the other person's personality; these factors will play a key role and understanding yourself will be an important factor

Your own personality and style: how much you trust the person; how free with your emotions; how much you want to conceal or reveal; .

Avoiding Confrontations and Responding to Hostile Situations

Other Elements that affect negotiation

Physical space: sometimes where the negotiation takes place can be important; are we negotiating in a space we are uncomfortable and other is comfortable? Past interaction: if there is a history of conflict resolution with this person, think about how this history might affect the upcoming negotiation Time pressure: Think about whether time pressure will affect the negotiation and whether you need to try to change this variable?

Values: be aware that people place very different values on elements of a negotiation. For example, in negotiating for a job, you may place a high value on location and relatively lower on salary. Finding out what is "valued" is one of the key parts of negotiation..

Managing Cross Cultural Conflicts and Differences

Managing Cross Cultural Conflicts and Differences

What is Culture?
Culture in general is concerned with beliefs and values on the basis of which people interpret experiences and behave, individually and in groups. Broadly and simply put, "culture" refers to a group or community with which you share common experiences that shape the way you understand the world.

Managing Cross Cultural Conflicts and Differences

Four Cultural Dimensions

Directness (get to the point versus imply the messages)

Hierarchy (follow orders versus engage in debate)

Consensus (dissent is accepted versus unanimity is needed) Individualism (individual winners versus team effectiveness)

Managing Cross Cultural Conflicts and Differences

Cross-Cultural Communication Challenges

Eye Contact Culture Shock Respecting Differences and Working Together Building Trust Across Cultural Boundaries Harnessing the Power of Diversity

Managing Cross Cultural Conflicts and Differences

Managing Cross Cultural Conflicts and Differences

Guidelines for Multicultural Collaboration

Learn from generalizations about other cultures, but don't use those generalizations to stereotype. Use them rather to understand better and appreciate other multifaceted human beings. Practice, practice, practice. Don't assume that yours is the only right way to communicate. Keep questioning your assumptions about the "right way" to communicate. Communicate trust and build rapport by talking in your client's preferred mode.

Managing Cross Cultural Conflicts and Differences

Guidelines for Multicultural Collaboration

Search for ways to make the communication work, rather than searching for who should receive the blame for the breakdown Listen actively and empathetically. Try to put yourself in the other person's shoes.

Honor others' opinions about what is going on.

Suspend judgment, and try to look at the situation as an outsider.

Managing Cross Cultural Conflicts and Differences

Guidelines for Multicultural Collaboration

Honest acknowledgment of the mistreatment that has taken place on the basis of cultural difference is vital for effective communication. Use this as an opportunity to develop trust. Awareness of current power imbalances is necessary for understanding each other and working together. Remember that cultural norms may not apply to the behavior of any particular individual. We are all more complicated than any cultural norm could suggest.

Characteristics that Works Against Meeting of Minds How can you overcome them? Differences
Perception

How to overcome them

Open communication to allow both members to explain their respective viewpoints and rationale Understanding and tolerance from both members Understand the importance of team synergy and working in harmony to achieve team goals

Values and beliefs Power

Creative Problem Solving and Decision Making Skills

BRAINSTORMING

Divergent Thinking Convergent Thinking Discussions and Flowcharts.

Creative Problem Solving and Decision Making Skills

Time Management Techniques

Have an Agenda
Have an Activity Schedule Have a Checklist Have a To-do list

Creative Problem Solving and Decision Making Skills

Six Steps to Decision Making

1. Define the problem

2. Analyze Potential Causes

3. Identify Possible Solutions 4. Select Best Solution 5. Develop An action Plan 6. Implement Plan and Monitor Progress

Persuasive Communication Strategies and Choosing the Right Strategy for Performance

The Seven Triggers of Persuasion

Contrast
Because all judgment is relative, use contrast to make your argument appealing. Establish a benchmark, one that lets your proposal show up in a favourable light. If you are trying to explain to your team that a round of retrenchment is a reasonable step by management, for example, mention other companies that had to layoff many thousands more workers.

Reciprocity
Most people feel that if they have been given something, they should give something in return. Wise leaders are first givers, than takers. Always be ready to make the first concession in a negotiation. Cooperate in little things, so that you can win the big things later.

Persuasive Communication Strategies and Choosing the Right Strategy for Performance

The Seven Triggers of Persuasion

Commitment and Consistency
Get small initial commitments. You will bind your team in a web of commitment that will ultimately extend to larger issues. People like to believe that they are behaving consistently, so establishing a consistent pattern of commitment is essential. Smart facilitators know this and get negotiating parties to agree on ground rules first, both to have the rules and to establish the pattern of agreement.

Authority
Leaders are naturally given the authority that comes with the position. It is yours to keep or to lose. Dress and act the part.

Persuasive Communication Strategies and Choosing the Right Strategy for Performance

The Seven Triggers of Persuasion

Scarcity
We naturally want things that we perceive as scarce. Cultivate this sense of scarcity in your team by creating a vision of the team (company) as unique, something rare, and difficult to achieve.

Conformity
While we like to believe otherwise, the need to conform or be part of a successful team is strong. Enlist your team to your cause, not by asking them to join you, but by asking them to join a successful team that you are leading.

Likeability
We naturally like to associate with people we like. Stress similarities you have with your team, and look for ways to build bridges to them through social activities.