This week my CEO told me she could not do my job, but still seems to try. These attempts always end in utter failure and require a significant amount of relationship repair. Driving to class on Monday, I received a phone call from my CEO, who directed her anger towards me and accused me of falling down on the job. I employed Carnegie’s listening method and let her release. This is a departure from my usual defensive method, where I try to get in on the conversation quickly to defend myself.
Upon completion of her diatribe, I merely said, “you have some good points and I would like to sit down and discuss recommendations you may have.” The mood of the call immediately changed and before I knew it we were discussing our kids and college selections. Now I have no intention of letting her win the battle, but a small skirmish on the phone wasn’t worth my time. However, armed with facts and supporting documentation I will carefully plot my stake through the heart moment for our meeting next week. More to follow…
0 Comments
The "Fears in a Hat" activity is a teambuilding exercise that promotes unity and group cohesion. This is accomplished by allowing members to anonymously express what can be very intimate, yet commonly shared concerns, and receive heartfelt and proven guidance on how to address and alleviate their fears. The fears expressed by our group members and the proposed means to reduce any associated are:
1. Public speaking. - Become knowledgeable of your topic. - Practice, practice, and practice - Seek constructive criticism - Use visual cues 2. Fear of disappointing others. - Prioritize your goals - Use clear communication techniques to ensure clarity of message - Understand that you will never be able to be everything to everyone 3. Fear of being injured and unable to work / Not being able to provide for my family. - Avoid risks when possible - Conduct thorough risk analysis and mitigation techniques - Adopt a healthy lifestyle, e.g. diet and exercise 4. Fear of drowning (literally and figuratively). - Learn how to swim! - Learn how to say "No!" - Enable others. Delegate! The MOD Squad is comprised of a group of individuals with a unique set of skills.
Below is a list of team roles identified by Dr Meredith Belbin, which are based on observed behavior and interpersonal styles of each member within a team. Each member of the MOD Squad members was asked to describe their role, and why they feel confident they can fulfill their role. Action Oriented Roles 1. Shaper: challenges team to improve 2. Implementer: puts ideas into action 3. Completer Finisher: ensures thorough, timely completion People Oriented Roles 4. Coordinator: acts as a chairperson 5. Team Worker: encourages cooperation 6. Resource Investigator: explores outside opportunities Thought Orientated Roles 7. Plant: presents new ideas and approaches 8. Monitor-Evaluator: analyzes the options 9. Specialist: provides specialized skills Mike C: Resource Investigator, Coordinator and Completer-Finisher. I'm an avid researcher that can cull the internet for ideas, a timekeeper and driver that can keep our efforts focused and on-time, and a closer that likes to make sure things get done. I help get things done. Mike B: Team Worker and Monitor-Evaluator. My leadership style tends to foster strong squad cohesion while displaying high levels of reliability and genuine commitment to the cause. Mike J: Coordinator and Specialist. These roles best describe my leadership style and squad contribution capabilities; goal oriented, mission focused and eager to support the squad! Omar A: Shaper and Implementer. I'm in the habit of pushing squad members to deliver cutting-edge, pixel perfect products that convey stories by translating big data into useful visual communications. My personal mode d'emploi: Transforming Ideas into Results. Darrell S: Plant, Specialist, and Monitor-Evaluator. I like to provide ideas and let others work the details. The MOD Squad has tested and proven ways for any team that wants to coalesce and level-up its collaboration skills through the following 5 team building exercises: Mike B: My activity tested everyone's ability to maintain a good poker face while picking up on non-verbal expressions from other members of the squad in an exercise called Two Truths and a Lie. Each member of the squad was instructed to write down two truths about themselves and one lie on an index card. After everyone completed this step, the team was given 15 minutes of open conversation to quiz each other on their three questions. The purpose of the activity was to convince everyone that your lie is actually a truth, as well as determine each persons truths or lies. After the open discussion, each team member read aloud their three statements while the rest of the group voted on which one they thought was the lie. This exercise encouraged better communication among the team members which helped the team establish rapport. Mike J: The MOD Squad's trip down memory lane... My activity, "The Life Highlights Game" from www.huddle.com. Required each squad member to close their eyes for one minute and think about the best moments of their life. When the minute passed, squad members were asked to narrow that memory down to the best 30 seconds; this 30 snap shot is one they would want to re-live if they only had 30 seconds left in their lives. The squad then went around the table and shared their 30 second snap shot. This exercise proved to be valuable and allowed each member to share a special memory from their past, ultimatley bringing the team closer together. Michael C: My activity was designed to learn more about each group member in addition to the obligatory five questions answered by each group. To do this, I passed around a new roll of toilet paper and asked each member to remove as much as they would need to clean up after their boss on a daily basis. After each member removed a minimal to moderate amount, I instructed them that for each TP square they held, they had to tell us one thing about themselves that they haven't already shared. The results were quite informative and provided greater insight into who my comrades are, the multiple skills they possess, and the many experiences we share in common. Omar A: Synergy is the concept that when parts come together in a system, their working together can exceed the individual summation of their efforts. In this way, I proposed a trial where four members of the MOD squad were given one direction to control, with a fifth member to direct the efforts, in a 1980's style snake game, where a snake grows longer each time it eats a dot and dies if it hits the game boundary. The expectation was that over time, the squad's efforts would produce increasingly positive results given the team having to adapt and communicate more effectively by learning to work together. This was the case, as after a rocky start, the squad began to coalesce and collaborate more effectively and deliver more effective and consistent results. The squad found the approach innovative, exhilarating, and fun. Darrell S: Physics tells us the rate of melting is inversely proportional to size. The one-question icebreaker game is designed to melt the hard exterior and get to the true person encapsulated by a litany barriers designed to obfuscate and protect. It’s quite simple: the leader gets to decide the situation the question will pertain to. Example situations include babysitting, leading the company, or being married. After pairing participants into teams, the leader will pose this question: If you could ask just one question to discover a person’s suitability for (insert topic here), what would your question be? Say the leader chose to go with a marriage situation. That means each person in a two-person team would come up with one question that would help them discover whether their partner was suitable to be married to them. Here's a list of five questions that each member of the Mod Squad will answer to give you some interesting insight into their persona!
1. If you can only have one superpower, what is it, and why? 2. If you didn’t have to worry about money or a job, where would you live in the world? 3. What are your main hobbies? 4. Describe your career in 140 character tweet? 5. What leader would you emulate and why. So for question 1: FAVORITE SUPERPOWER Michael C: Ability to fly. I could go where I wanted, when I wanted. Michael B: Regeneration abilities like Wolverine so I could take unlimited risks. Michael J: Invisibility so I can be the ultimate spy. Omar A: Like Sylar, I'd like to be able to steal other people's superpowers so I can take over the world. Darrell S: Time-travel so I can sit in on all the great moments in history. Question 2: WHERE TO LIVE Michael C: On a yacht so I could sail the world and go fishing whenever I desired. Michael B: Off the grid in the rain forest of Washington. Michael J: A nice beach front property on an island in Thailand. Omar A: Monaco so I can watch the Grand Prix of Monaco on my balcony every year while sipping espresso Darrell S: The Big Island (Hawaii), so I can have all sun, surf, rain forest, and snow in one location. Question 3: MAIN HOBBIES Michael C: Raising chickens in my back yard, playing poker, and fishing. Michael B: Playing basketball, lifting weights, running, and hiking. Michael J: Weightlifting, running, and vacationing with family. Omar A: Watching Formula One and other racing, playing bass and writing songs, graphic design, coffee, and motorcycles... Darrell S: Hunting, fishing, and all other outdoor activities. Question 4: RESUME TWEET Michael C: Project Manager and utility player. Able to lead, follow, learn, and support! Michael B: Grain inspector, construction worker, USMC infantryman, moving consultant, warehouse and loss prevention manager for Sears. Michael J: Paperboy, busboy, and cook in my teens. Enlisted in the USMC, retired Major after 25 years. Currently work as a MSG program analyst with DoS. Omar A: Retail thru school, consulting at Booz Allen and others 5yrs, then business strategy at the US House of Reps 14yrs. Director of Strategy. Fun! Darrell: Fast Food, Grocery Stocker, Brick Mason, Electrician, Marine, Project Manager Question 5: LEADER TO EMULATE Michael C: Thomas Jefferson. He was a true renaissance man - intellectual, author, inventor, farmer, entrepreneur, lawyer, architect, linguist, surveyor, founder and leader of this country... Michael B: Steve Jobs; leader and innovator who changed the game for several industries. I admire his passion and fearlessness articulating his concepts and bringing them to life. Michael J: Franklin Delano Roosevelt; admire how he led America through some of her most difficult times, all while dealing with a debilitating handicap of his own. Omar A: Ernest Shackelton, the Antarctic explorer, who, against all odds, was able to lead his crew to safety after they were stranded in the ice through the Antarctic winter and lost their boat to the ice floes. Darrell S: Jimmy Carter, he had the courage to try and operate out of his comfort zone. |
Cast of
|