building management potential

© 2014 C. H. Paul Consulting, Inc. 1 | P a g e

Developing Management Potential A White Paper by Charles H. Paul of C. H. Paul Consulting, Inc.

October 2014

Introduction

Organizations like people sometimes fall short of realizing their full potential and

achieving their goals. Obsolete ideas, lack of proper focus, direction and trust,

cumbersome management structures, lack of effective performance management,

inability to retain key employees, and the lack of teamwork, all seriously hinder forward

progress and threaten the competitive edge.

Organizational development is defined as the planned, organization-wide effort to

increase an organization’s effectiveness by improving the processes that define it.

Implied in that definition is the development of management potential.

Any effort to develop management potential must:

Improve management communication and team effectiveness.

Focus efforts and energy on the things that count – profit, quality, customer service, competitive edge, growth, and innovation.

Improve operational and administrative processes.

Improve manager to manager and manager to labor communication and trust.

Build leaders that are capable of leading the organization to greater market position and growth.

To be effective, management training must be directly relevant to the participant’s

job, working environment, and corporate vision and goals. Most management training

programs fail because they are simply too generic to have any real meaning for the

participant. After training, participants are expected to transfer the generic skills and

knowledge they have learned to their actual job. A very difficult feat for even the most

sophisticated!


Another reason why management development initiatives fail is because they do not

have the support of senior management either from a performance management or

content selection and development standpoint.

Management development initiatives can be generically structured but must be specific

to the job, reflect the corporate culture and vision, and address the problems and issues

endemic to the organization.

This paper intends to present one curriculum approach for the development of

management capability that addresses both the issue of generic design with job

specific curriculum content and the need for senior management and involvement and

support to ensure implementation success. I call this approach the Dynamics of

Leadership.

Curriculum Structure

The Dynamics of Leadership for Front Line Leaders is a unique comprehensive

approach to providing Front Line Leaders with the skills and knowledge they need to

effectively lead in today’s global business environment.

The curriculum is a custom-tailored blended learning process in which each

instructional segment is directly relevant to the company’s unique global working

environment, market demands and operating challenges, and the specific skill and

knowledge needs of the target population. By custom-tailored, I mean that within

the curriculum structure that can be applied to any company, are custom-tailored

segments that reflect the specific operational aspects of the company itself.

The curriculum consists of three tiers of instruction presented over the course of one

year with each tier, beginning with Tier 1, foundational and prerequisite to the next.

The one year span of time is established to allow for practice, mastery, and

measurement of the skills taught one block of instruction at a time.

This development program is not the usual “data-dump” program that provides reams

of information without any bridge to company or job relevancy. Activity

requirements throughout the learning experience interaction with both customers and

suppliers to the participant for virtually every key skill and competency taught.

Knowledge of others’ needs, wants, and expectations and how to achieve them are


crucial to the effectiveness of any manager. This program is as much about

communications and understanding of others as it is skill building.

Each tier of the curriculum is designed to address one facet of a Front Line Leader’s

overall competency requirements. Tier 1 – Professional Development, addresses the

leader’s/manager’s specific individual job functions and requirements from a

personal, business, and core skill and knowledge standpoint. The content within this

tier is predominantly company and job specific.

Tier 2 – Relationship Development addresses the issue of identifying and strengthening

the leader’s key relationships as both customer and supplier while being mindful of

the role trust, mutual respect, and cultural awareness play in sustaining and

strengthening those relationships. Expectations for the outcomes both provided and

supplied are discussed and agreed to with each member of the leader’s relationship

network as a required activity component of the training. This tier provides

significant benefit to the organization in terms of improved work output quality and

cycle time reduction as these bonds are established.

Tier 3 – Team Development empowers the front line leader within the roles of

performance manager, team leader, and resource manager.

Within the curriculum structure, learners are provided flexibility in how they interact

with the learning process. They are able to Plan when, where, and how they will

acquire the skill and knowledge required of each tier within an established schedule.


As a result of the media selected for the knowledge portions of each tier – elearning,

a variety of instructional experiences (case studies, discussion scenarios, independent

study projects, activities, role plays, etc.) are utilized within each tier’s curriculum

to enhance the Learning of both skill and knowledge. Participants are provided

significant opportunity to Share and discuss experiences and receive counseling and

feedback from peers and mentors relevant to the content provided both in and out of

the classroom setting above and beyond the knowledge elearning aspects of the

program.

For any skill-based program to be successful, learners must be provided an

opportunity to Practice the skills learned. This curriculum structure provides

practice opportunities for critical skills at each juncture of the learning process with

peers in a controlled environment. Both instructor and peer provided counseling and

feedback of demonstrated performance are utilized to maintain focus and hone the

demonstrated skills prior to “real-world” application.

Skill and knowledge acquisition is Measured during, as well as after, the introduction

of each new concept through a variety of tests and exercises. Participants are

expected to Apply their new learned skills within the actual work environment as

soon as they have been acquired. Job performance is Assessed at intervals during the

program to insure that these skills are in fact being successfully utilized.

Target Audience Description

The Dynamics of Leadership curriculum is designed for leaders who have received

little formal management training. Participants are targeted as newly designated

Front Line Leaders or FLL’s or leaders that have been in the role for several years.

The overall goal is to improve the natural leadership and management talents of

these individuals in a systematic manner by providing varied, intense, and

standardized developmental opportunities and to build two-way bridges of

communication – continuous, truthful, detailed, and complete information flows –

with all key functions having some impact on the participant’s overall management

performance.


Program Goals

The Dynamics of Leadership for Front Line Leaders program has been designed to:

Communicate the company’s values as well as the roles, responsibilities, and

required leadership competencies to Front Line Leaders.

Create a peer-to-peer coaching and feedback community network.

Strengthen the leadership capability of the target population.

Provide FLLs with the necessary skill, knowledge, and support to leaders to

facilitate the development of higher performing work and project teams.

Foster an environment and culture of continuous individual development among

FLLs.

Key Success Factors

The Dynamics of Leadership Program for Front Line Leaders is designed to provide

participants with a variety of instructional experiences that enhance learning, an

element of control over their learning process, and relevant skill and knowledge that

can be applied in the work setting as it is mastered.

The key success factors of this program include:

Relevancy

Performance Measurement

Learning Design

Coaching Support

Relevancy

The key to the success of any leadership development effort is its relevance as to

content and application. If the core content of the program is not directly relevant to

the participant’s job and if the skills, tools, strategies, etc. presented cannot be

easily applied within the “real-world,” participants will simply not invest the time,

effort, and enthusiasm required to complete the program successfully.

To insure content relevancy, it is critical to conduct comprehensive task and

competency analyses to validate job and organizational requirements against program

content. Although a portion of the content is generic and able to be applied across a


broad spectrum of companies and industries, the uniqueness of the development

program is its job relevancy and its applicability to each participant. As previously

discussed, this training is custom-tailored which requires that some instructional

development be exercised to the program’s shell to ensure the relevancy that this

design demands.

Relevance as to application is achieved through the development of exercises,

activities, case studies, projects, role plays, and discussion points that are totally

specific to the company’s unique culture, environment, challenges, planning,

strategies, and operational requirements and history. To achieve this end, data

gathering interviews of a representative sample of the target population and their

management are conducted during the development phase to identify company-

specific examples/non-examples of behaviors, case study candidates, scenarios,

issues, etc. that can be sanitized, adapted, and integrated into the content of each

training module.

As a component of module presentation, success is ensured by encouraging frank and

candid discussion in a non-confrontational and confidential environment to explore

the feelings and conflicts that inhibit participants from being effective in their

leadership roles. The fruits of these discussions are then incorporated into the

training with application to generic concepts making those concepts specific, real,

and relevant to both participant and organization.

Performance Measurement

The training modules themselves are behaviorally specified using performance

objectives with participant achievement measured against objective performance

criteria. The training at all levels is truly competency-based. Exercises, tests, and

activities are assigned and evaluated as an integral component of each module with

the participant’s attainment of criteria being a requisite condition of advancement to

the next module or series of modules within the tier.

Most importantly, the real-world performance of the behaviors, methods, and

approaches learned must be integrated into the learner’s performance management

system with those behaviors being consistently managed and assessed both

individually and organizationally.


Learning Design

The curriculum itself is designed to be highly interactive and engaging to maintain

participant interest and energy level. Varied presentation media will be utilized to

present content in an appropriate and instructionally efficient and effective manner

such as eLearning, self-study, webinars, and workshops. For example, knowledge is

presented using elearning and self-study formats while skill practice and peer-to-peer

and participant-to-expert interactions are executed through webinars and workshops.

The specified content must be directly relevant to the participant’s job, meets the

identified leadership needs of this audience, and is on target with the Leadership

Competency Model.

Coaching Support

Coaching support is essential to any leadership or management development effort if

it is to be successful and sustaining. A formal coaching structure has been designed

into this program consisting of peer-to-peer as well as mentor-based coaching

support.

Peer to Peer Coaching

The benefits of peer-to-peer coaching are numerous and are extremely beneficial to

organizational health, business success, and personal development. They include:

Coaching On-demand – Coaching support is never far away. Participants

receive the coaching they seek in the workplace when they require it from a

small group of trusted trained peer coaches.

Mutual Respect – The assumption that valued input can be obtained from peers

within the workplace increases the worth of everyone’s support even those

outside of the peer-to-peer network.

Accessible Knowledge – Some of the most valued knowledge resident within

any organization is the informal knowledge that is endemic to the organization


itself. Unfortunately, this knowledge is seldom documented or readily

available to the uninitiated or unconnected. This knowledge or “tribal

knowledge” as it is sometimes known, is very easily and quickly transferred

within the peer-to-peer network. This has the added benefit of contributing to

the organization’s collective intellectual capacity as each peer-to-peer

exchange is successfully executed.

Workplace Relationship Improvement – Peer-to-peer relationships are

impacted by the Law of Reciprocity which encourages receivers of coaching

support to be willing givers when called upon to provide support. The process

of gracious and generous giving and receiving is an essential element of any

relationship. The more successful the exchanges the more those relationships

improve.

General Listening Improves – There is no place in the peer-to-peer relationship

for excuses and fruitless justifications. Peer-to-peer relationships require

acute listening skills coupled with sincere open-mindedness for the exchange to

be mutually satisfying and valuable to the receiver. As participants experience

the benefits, listening skills naturally improve.

Silos are Minimized – A peer-to-peer coach can be anyone in the organization

who may possess the needed information. As a result, silos are penetrated as a

natural component of the process often to the point that they are minimized or

even disappear.

Mentor Relationships

Mentor relationships although much more formal than the peer-to-peer, have also

been included as a component of this design. A mentor is a senior manager and a key

member of the participant’s formal relationship network of business partners,

technical support, customers, suppliers, etc. The mentor-participant relationship has

significant benefits to the participant and is also essential for program success.

No program can survive and grow without leadership and direction. This program

requires the support, involvement, and commitment of senior management through

this “mentoring” program. At the beginning of the process, each participant is

assigned to a senior management mentor who oversees the participant’s progress as


he or she advances through each phase of the program. Mentors are trained in their

roles and responsibilities at the onset of the process at their own orientation

workshop. Mentoring is accomplished through structured weekly meetings at which a

specific aspect of the process is discussed. Meetings are structured through published

guides to insure that all elements of the program and expected behaviors and

outcomes are addressed. This aspect of the program is designed to establish

demonstrated participant commitment and to strengthen the bond between line

leadership and their immediate senior management.

The role of the mentor includes:

Insuring that concepts and skills presented throughout the training have been

understood.

Insuring that all assigned assignments, exercises, and activities are underway

and being completed.

Providing “real-world” opportunities and experiences for new skill and

knowledge application.

Removing obstacles to the application and implementation of learned concepts

in the workplace and the completion of assigned activities.

Communicating to workshop leaders any issues relevant to workshop

presentation and participant performance.

Demonstrating effective leadership behavior and skills essentially serving as a

model of leadership performance to be emulated.

CURRICULUM STRUCTURE

The specific instructional modules comprising each tier of the curriculum are

presented in the following table. A general overview of the anticipated content for

each module is also provided for review.


Curriculum Structure

Tier Module Preliminary Content Overview

Tier 1 – Professional Development

Personal Roles, Responsibilities,

Accountabilities, & Challenges

of the FLL

Clarify individual position/function within the organization

Determine roles, responsibilities, and accountabilities

Identify expectations

Identify challenges and mitigation strategies

Developing Functional

Competence

Determine/analyze individual job tasks/ requirements

Determine sources of knowledge

Utilize knowledge base to gather required knowledge

Individual Development

Planning – As Performer

IDP overview

Write SMART goals

Develop action plan for achieving goals

Have goal discussion & seek constructive feedback

Prepare for collaborative performance discussion

Seek/receive constructive feedback

Help establish mutual understanding & achieve closure

Establish foundation for next goal setting function

Individual Development

Planning – As Manager

Establish foundation for goal setting

Conduct collaborative goal setting discussion

Monitor progress & provide support

Conduct collaborative performance discussion

Conduct performance evaluation

Business Vision, Mission, Goals,

Strategies, and Tactics

Define each concept

Define concepts in terms of their relationship to the company’s organizational structure down to the FLL job function

Create shared vision

Define mission

Devise a strategy and set business/team goals/objectives/ targets

Develop implementation tactics



Ethics and the Leader Define/discuss company’s ethics policy

Define ethics in business and why it is important

Define corporate responsibility

Define social responsibility

Define operational responsibility

Describe the impact of ethics on the individual and the business

Compare ethical differences globally

Influencing and Effecting

Change

Describe principles of influence and influencing style

Understand other individuals involved in the process, their motivation and needs, and how they make decisions

Using pressure rather than coercion

Explain the various organizational structures.

Understand the change process.

Determine what changes are necessary in the organization.

Develop optimal interventions for implementing change.

Create and use an effective change management plan.

Monitor the change process and correct as necessary

Core Thinking Clearly – Critical

Reasoning

Define the basic concepts of critical reasoning

Define inference and arguments

Define uses of arguments

Define types of arguments

Place arguments in standard form

Explain how arguments are evaluated

Listening and Organizing Explain the importance of effective listening

Describe the listening process

Identify the barriers to listening

Define and exhibit active listening

Explain how listening analytically is accomplished

Providing Clear and Unbiased

Information

Explain the six step communication model

Determine the purpose of the communication to be held

Explain how the audience is identified

Explain how an effective message is prepared

Explain how a comfortable communication environment is established

Explain how information is logically, clearly, and concisely presented

Explain how a “win-win” result is achieved



Effective Coaching and

Feedback

Define coaching in terms of key characteristics that help to build commitment

Structure feedback message so that it is timely, clear, accurate, and objective

Deliver the feedback message

Accountability, Authority, and

Responsibility

Define accountability

Define authority

Define responsibility

Describe how to hold people responsible and accountable

Describe the Situational Leadership Model and explain how it applies

Describe the consequences that “move” behavior

Describe the consequences that “stop” behavior

Problem-Solving Define the problem-solving model

Explain how the problem is identified

Explain how potential causes are analyzed

Explain how possible solutions are identified

Explain how the best solution is determined

Develop an action plan

Execute the solution

Monitor results

Decision-Making Explain the difference between problem-solving and decision-making

Define the nature of decisions

Explain the decision-making process

Define the situation

Develop options

Explain how risks are weighed

Explain how options are selected

Explain the implementation process

Explain how results are evaluated

Risk Assessment –

Identification & Mitigation

Define risk

List and describe tools for assessing risk

Explain when risk analysis must be used

Explain how risk analysis is accomplished

Explain how risk is managed

Planning, Scheduling, &

Determining Priorities

Explain the 80/20 rule as it relates to planning and scheduling

Determine the tasks to be completed

Explain how tasks are prioritized

Explain how low and high priority tasks are scheduled



Negotiation Determine your personal negotiation strategy

Identifying sources of conflict

Explain how conflicts can quickly escalate

Define both destructive and productive uses of conflict

Explain the process for dealing with conflict

Explain the concept of negotiating from strength

Define the difference between positional bargaining and interest bargaining

Define what to give away and what to get

Explain how you help your opponent win

Leadership Fundamentals Define the differences between management and leadership

Define the core elements of leadership

Explain how each of those core elements contributes to the ability to lead effectively

Describe the principles of leadership

Project Management Define project management

Explain how projects are initiated

Explain how projects are planned

Explain how projects are executed

Explain how to handle multiple project assignments

Explain how projects are monitored and controlled

Explain how projects are closed

Tier 2 – Relationship Development

Identify & Strengthen Key

Relationships

Identify and define relationship roles

Describe the relationship improvement model

Explain how “customer” relationship feedback sessions are conducted

Explain how “supplier” relationship feedback sessions are conducted

Building Peer-to-Peer

Coaching Network

Relationships

Define peer-to-peer coaching

Explain the benefits of peer-to-peer coaching

Explain the peer-to-peer coaching process

Explain how peer coaching network candidates are determined

Define the guidelines for peer coaching



The Role of Trust and Mutual

Respect in Nurturing and

sustaining Relationships

Define trust

Define empathy

Explain how trust is an advantage in all facets of business relationships

Describe the elements of trust

Define the trust principles

Define the trust creation process

Achieving Cultural

Competence

Define the levels of cultural competence

Define the elements of cultural competence

Explain the impact of culture on business relationships

Explain how cultural due diligence is accomplished

Explain how style switching is accomplished

Tier 3 – Team Development

Fundamentals of Performance Define the elements of performance

Define the 6-cell performance model

Explain how the model is used to manage performance

Define worthy performance

Determine the potential for improving performance

Diagnose possible influences on behavior

Team Dynamics Define the elements of team dynamics

Define the stages of team growth

Explain how team dynamics are recognized

Define team work functions

Define the elements for successful team performance

Explain how team performance is measured

Explain how team dynamics are managed

Motivating Team Members

Explain why motivation is important

Explain the importance of knowing your team members

Define what motivates team members

Define the role of goals and challenges

Explain how to delegate effectively

Explain how team motivation is accomplished

Training Others Define leader’s role in training

Determine difference between a training need and performance issue

Describe how training is presented at the leader level

Develop single-point training

Techniques and aids used to enhance training

Evaluate results of training



Handling Difficult Situations Define and categorize difficult situations

Define the process for handling difficult situations

Explain how to achieve a “win-win” outcome

Terminal Learning Objectives

At the completion of the training, members of the target audience – Front Line

Leaders – will be able to:

Define their roles, responsibilities, and challenges within their individual job

function and work groups, and the company organization as a whole.

Successfully fulfill and apply the technical requirements of their job.

Function effectively within the company’s business environment and global

community.

Identify and strengthen their critical business relationships across the global

enterprise.

Develop, foster, optimize, and manage team performance.

Instructional Media and Method

The following instructional strategy is proposed and recommended in the execution of

this curriculum:

eLearning – Used to present all core content in a standardized controlled manner.

Projects & Activities – Projects and activities are assigned as practice, that relate to

core content and that are completely job relevant. “Job relevant” means that the

project or activity is something that the participant would/should normally

accomplish as part of his/her assigned job function.

Tools – Tools simplify and structure the application of core content. Some of the

tools anticipated include:


The Leader's Library - A collection of participant guides - one per module -

who's content forms the structure of the program. Also included are

recommended readings from books available commercially that form the

participant’s personal leadership library.

Participant Logbook - As training progresses from one tier to another,

participants are required to demonstrate, in a structured standardized manner,

their mastery of the skills, knowledge, and concepts presented. The Logbook

contains a series of check sheets, exercises, and activities that will need to be

completed in order to demonstrate that mastery.

Case Studies – Case studies that reflect company “real-world” issues and

challenges to insure a reality-based treatment and application of learning

content.

Structured Meeting Guides – Where module content requires participants to

meet with individuals within the work setting for a specified purpose, a

meeting guide is available to guide the participant through the discussion and

provide a location for any prepared notes.

Webinars – Used to discuss and clarify core content – one per module

(approximately 60 minutes in length) – to provide the opportunity for instructor

interaction/support, clarification of key concepts, experience sharing, etc.

Workshops – Three two-day workshops presented over the course of the

program designed to apply, practice and sharpen clusters of learned skill &

knowledge – the focus of each workshop is upon skill practice, discussion and

large/small group activity. A two-hour introductory workshop introduces

participants to the program.

WS #1 – Professional Development

WS #2 – Relationship Development

WS #3 – Team Development


Performance Measures

Participant performance is measured in a variety of means to include:

Testing Instruments – Presented at the end of each content module –

participants will be expected to achieve criteria on each in order to progress to

the next module in the series. All testing instruments are performance-based

with their particular form depending upon the behaviors and outcomes being

assessed.

Assigned Projects – Assigned projects for critical skills will be completed over

the breadth of the program that will be reviewed and assessed by assigned

mentors and instructors.

Capstone Projects – A capstone project at the completion of each tier and

unique to each participant, is jointly selected by mentor/participant and

evaluated by an assessment team.

Peer-to-Peer Counseling and Feedback Network – The benefits of this support

process have been previously presented. All peer counselors must, as a minimum,

complete the Coaching and Feedback and Building Peer-to-Peer Coaching Network

Relationships modules before participating as either givers or receivers of peer

counseling and feedback.

Mentor Support – The benefits and need for mentor intervention have been previously

presented. All mentors, before assuming that function, must complete the Mentor

Workshop which is developed as a component of this curriculum.

Instructor Guidance – Detailed instructor guides are included for each module,

webinar, and workshop which will detail the expected outcomes, presentation

sequence, discussion points, testing methodologies, etc. that the instructor will be

required to manage.


Job Relevant Programs and Activities

The most critical components of this curriculum are the job-relevant activities that

make the concepts and techniques taught a real part of actual job performance for all

participants. As an example and as a minimum, some of those demonstrated and

assessed activities are listed below:

Development of vision, mission, strategy, and tactics as they personally apply

to the participant’s job function.

Action planning for delivering effective communications

Conduct customer-supplier analysis.

Conduct customer feedback meeting.

Conduct a supplier feedback meeting.

Apply the problem-solving process model for one or more problems.

Apply the decision making process to a major decision that must be made.

Perform a training assessment of team members.

Develop single-point training to meet a specific training need(s).

Apply feedback and coaching techniques to appropriate participant

relationships

Complete cumulative capstone project(s).

Plan and organize a project.

Implementation Strategy

The following implementation strategy would be required for a development program

of the depth, complexity, and magnitude.

Set the stage - corporate support for the program – advertise the program,

demonstrated senior management support (participant invitations, discussions,

live video conference, videos, etc.)

360 degree assessment conducted at the beginning of the program so

participants can gain insight and personal focus for the program.

Selection and training of instructors in module content.

Selection and training of mentors.

Assignment of mentor to each participant.

Participants attend initial 2-hour workshop to be introduced to the program.

Content modules assigned.


Participants complete content modules.

Participants attend webinars.

Participants complete assigned activities/projects.

Participants attend workshops at specified intervals.

Participants participate in mentor meetings.

Participants engage in and document for review their peer-to-peer counseling

and feedback opportunities.

Participants complete capstone projects.

360 degree assessment conducted at the end of the program to assess

skill/knowledge gain.

Summary

The curriculum presented is not event but a process – a process of transformation

from manager to leader and change agent. The uniqueness of this program is in its

integration into the framework of the organization through requirements of

continuous two-way communication, completion of job-relevant activities and

projects, management of learned behaviors and outcomes, realization of performance

expectations, and the establishment of peer-to-peer networks.

This design unfortunately does not reflect an “off-the-shelf” product. Granted, core

content is generic but the success of the program lies in its applicability to the

organization and the treatment of job specific knowledge and tasks. This one unique

feature requires that instructional systems design be applied to execute this

requirement.

This curriculum has been applied within a variety of organizations with varied results.

The result common throughout all applications was the significant improvement in

communications between peers, team members, and other customers and suppliers

resulting in many cases, in the reduction of cycle times relating to new product

introductions, new product design, project completions etc.


C. H. Paul Consulting, Inc. is a consulting organization located in the

Pocono Mountains of Pennsylvania just celebrating their 25th

anniversary in business. Their client base extends throughout the

Fortune 500 particularly within regulated industries. They can be

contacted at 7370 Ventnor Drive, Tobyhanna, PA 18466 – 570-216-

45712 – 908-794-9247 – [email protected] –

www.chpaulconsultinginc.com.

mailto:[email protected]

building management potential

Leadership & Management