Cultivating Leadership & Human Relations Skills

Presented by

Liberty EAP

315-451-5164 or 1-800-835-5012

www.libertyeap.com

Objectives

• Developing Self-Appraisal Skills

• Improving interpersonal communication skills with employees

• Understanding and effectively utilizing emotion based perceptions

• Suggestions for improving oral, written and nonverbal communication skills

• Guidelines for coordinating effective meetings

Objectives Continued

• Suggestions for communicating understandable instructions

• Strategies for enhancing employee motivation

• Suggestions for effectively communicating with colleagues and superiors

• Techniques for dealing with rumor mills and organizational politics

Developing Self-Appraisal Skills

• Am I theory X oriented: “Most people dislike either working or the job itself?”

• Am I theory Y oriented: “Most people are interested in their work and need it for their self-esteem?”

• Both are extremes, so tailor management system to suit you, your business, and your employees

Developing Self-Appraisal Skills, cont.

• An effective management system will include-

• Adequate organization of resources

• Accurate, accessible and relevant information

• A reliable means to measure performance

• Allow for future planning

Developing Self-Appraisal Skills, cont.

• Am I being objective as well as subjective in my assessments?

• Do I accept the need to weigh equally both the positive features, as well as areas that critique my need for improvement of an honest self-appraisal evaluation effort?

• Do I utilize standardized performance evaluation tools that can qualitatively and quantitatively measure both tangible and intangible necessary work skills

Improving interpersonal communication skills with employees

• Am I being clear, and is the employee able to hear?

• Are the barriers internal or external?

• What non-verbal communication behaviors are competing with the verbal content to frustrate the success of a message transmission?

• Is there historical, personal or social context that should be addressed?

Improving interpersonal communication skills with employees, cont.

• Is the content of the information to be shared, better supported in a 1:1, group or written communication manner?

• Am I presenting myself in a manner that is perceived as genuinely being a good listener?

• Am I making good eye contact?

• Am I being defensive? Do I block negative input or feedback?

• Do I try not to pre-judge?

Improving interpersonal communication skills with employees, cont.

• Can I keep it honest, make it simple but complete, make it timely, take a positive approach, and make it direct but also supportive to what the employee(s) need so they can process and digest what has been shared in order to assimilate the information ands act in the desired outcome direction for the purpose of this discussion area need?

Understanding and effectively utilizing emotion based perceptions

• Myers-Briggs is a good tool to begin to appreciate how diversely people respond to information, communication and unexpected circumstances and situations.

• Realize some people lead with an emotional reaction to such experiences and only later, if ever, catch up with a more rational and hopefully adaptive response.

Understanding and effectively utilizing emotion based perceptions, cont.

• You are not, nor need you expect yourself to have to be, your employee’s counselor: that is what, when appropriate Human Resources, and Employee Assistance Program counselors are for.

• As time and propriety may allow, ask the employee of they meant to communicate what was shared, or respond to what was shared in the manner that is now a point of concern.

• Be concrete, do not conjecture what their manifest versus latent meaning or intention was/is.

Understanding and effectively utilizing emotion based perceptions, cont.

• Ask employee to attempt to re-frame what they were trying to communicate.

• See if employee is able to recognize how they perceived the issue in the manner that they did.

• Assess if this is consistent with said employee’s typical communication approach, or a significantly different manner of their usual interpretation style.

• Engage in rational based discussion.

Suggestions for improving oral, written and nonverbal communication skills

• Listen, listen, listen!

• Avoid selective listening, judging the speaker and defensive reactions.

• Be honest, employee respect and trust rely on it.

• Explain things clearly using language everyone can understand.

• Utilize a positive approach.

• Direct communications: bulletin boards, memos, posters, graphics, etc…

Suggestions for improving oral, written and nonverbal communications, cont.

• Know your audience and your reason to communicate; who & why?

• Know your subject; research & prepare.

• Organize materials; prioritize, order & outline.

• Use attention getters, i.e.. quotes, facts, stories.

• Personalize points to the receivers so as to create buy-in to the message.

• Self-awareness of body language

Guidelines for coordinating effective meetings

• Determine if a meeting is necessary: just because it is routinely held, is probably not enough of a justification.

• Is there a specific problem that will benefit from the sharing of ideas for its solution; is it important enough to justify costs of time & labor to meet; have prior meetings produced workable solutions?

• If Yes=then meet; if No=then do not meet.

Guidelines for coordinating effective meetings, cont.

• Determine objectives: problem solving, policy setting, planning, training, attitude shaping, developing team cooperation, information, appraisal, decision-making…?

• Time & Location: schedule for optimum advance notice to enhance attendance and buy-in.

• Choose your leadership role: The Dominator, The Spectator, The Moderator.

• Start on time; elicit input; let all sides be heard; use humor strategically; be impartial while steering towards positive vs negative aspects of the topic.

Guidelines for coordinating effective meetings, cont.

• Summarize near end of scheduled time frame.

• State clearly action to be taken after the meeting.

• Wrap up as near to the scheduled time frame as possible.

• Have recorder/minutes taker compile report and disseminate to attendees ASAP; at least a memo.

Suggestions for communicating understandable instructions

• Memos: most effective when brief, concise, address one subject, highlight essential information, put important information first, underline key words/phrases/concepts.

• Reports: know your audience, determine type (formal/informal, routine/special, general/analytic), utilize relevant attention getter, personalize for recipient buy-in.

• Draft first version, edit and revise…• Instruction 101: “Tell ‘em what you’re going to

tell ‘em; tell ‘em; tell ‘em what you told ‘em.”

Strategies for enhancing employee motivation

• The Art of Persuasion: the conscious effort to change thought and action in employees towards predetermined ends.

• Solicit suggestions; appeal to their sense of responsibility; keep it positive; permit no personal attacks; keep discussion cool; appeal to experience; “Let it all hang out”.

• Keep them in the loop.

Suggestions for effectively communicating with colleagues and superiors

• Determine their focus of attention: task-oriented vs people-oriented.

• Understand leadership involves followership.• Understand organizational scheme and your

place within it relative to your key responsibility points and people.

• Bring your superior into the picture.• Ask for an opinion.• Don’t go over your superior’s head, unless

emergent, and then tell your superior ASAP!

Suggestions for effectively communicating with colleagues and superiors, cont.

• Give priority to assignments from superior.• Be predictable; be timely; know what you’re

talking about; if you make a mistake, tell superior ASAP; don’t offer excuses; know what your boss wants; suggest improvements or solutions; share viewpoints and insights; share appreciation for assistance and oversight; don’t take criticism personally.

• Use your experience to help carry the burden and relieve part of the worries of higher management.

Techniques for dealing with rumor mills and organizational politics

• Openly discuss the rumor with your department; encourage questions & give complete and accurate answers; reassure those that appear to need it, uncertainty causes worry; make sure employees know what is expected from them, when confusion reigns, rumors fly!

• Tap key people; keep sources confidential.

• Take preventative action: disseminate accurate information; inform in advance any upcoming changes; let employees know where they stand.