‘how to’ session - pinnacle group...

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‘How to’ session:Building a sense of individual and collective efficacy to sustain health and wellbeing in teams responsible for highly routine tasks

3rd July, 2015


Pinnacle Group Australia - Why we do what we do!

The slide layout and content is the intellectual property of Pinnacle Group Australia. Any reproduction must have express written permission from Pinnacle Group Australia.


According to the U.S Occupational Outlook Handbook, industrial-organisational

psychology is predicted to be the fastest growing occupation of the next decade.



constrained

Yet, in Australia,we are supply



It is incumbent on us to foster our profession (this is a key focus for PGA)

Supporting endorsements

Interns from around Australia

Early exposure for undergrads

Mentorships

Team of psychologists & diverse projects

Peer learning (internationally)

PD for staff (exposure to best practice)

R&D (Neuropsych study)

Integrating technology Please approach us to share what you are doing to nurture the profession



Scientist Practitioner

However, we believe the best way we can promote Organisational Psychology in Australia is to make it digestible and applicable to our clients and our peers

Scientist-Practitioner model



1. How to bring psychology to life in the workplace (i.e. the scientist-practitioner model in action)

2. How to engage staff in foundational skill building to improve self efficacy, health and wellbeing

3. How to engage multiple levels of an organisation in a team-based project (and the importance of doing this)

4. How to adapt your methodology to the context, complexity and capability of the team you are working with

What we hope to achieve with you in this session



Our case studyThe context


We have been working with this organisation for nearly 10 years across our three services

Peopledevelopment

programs

High performing

teams

Individual & team coaching



Background and context



Background• Some members have been working in this team for 20+ years, other

members have been in the team for less than 3 months• Change in location

Work type• Highly transactional workload• Dealing with difficult calls and difficult customers

Behaviours• Reported feeling stressed, anxious and depressed• High levels of absenteeism • Tensions amongst members of the team were rising and a number of

incidents had occurred

The complexity of this project



Our case studyProject methodology


The project methodology was designed and communicated to the team in a transparent and simple format

1. Why Frame 2. Data collection3. Feedback &

validation4.

Recommendations

5. Board & Executive Approval

6. Team Charter development

7. Development series –

constructive communications

8. Development series – Building

resilience + Giving & receiving feedback

Individual and team commitments made for continuous improvement & development



Job Demands-Resources

Source: Bakker & Leiter, 2010 (Based on Bakker & Demerouti, 2007,2008)

Job demands

Work engagement Performance

• Work pressure• Emotional demands• Physical demands• Etc.

• Vigour• Dedication• Absorption

• In-role performance• Extra-role performance• Creativity• Financial turnover• Etc.

Job resource

Personal resources / psychological capital

• Autonomy• Performance feedback• Social support• Supervisory coaching• Etc.

• Optimism• Self-efficacy• Resilience• Hope• Etc.

…a positive, fulfilling, work-related state of mind that is characterized by vigor, dedication, and absorption.

(Schaufeli, Salanova, Gonzalez‐Roma, &Bakker, 2002, p. 74)



Our case studyThe Project steps


• The team was an integral part of the organisation and the first touch point for all customers

• The importance of occupational health and safety

• Investment in this team (and other teams in the organisation) was a priority after the results of the culture survey

• There was a need to identify any development needs (at the individual and team level)

STEP 1 - The why frame



Appreciative Inquiry

Positive core

Dream“what

might be”

Deliver“Create what

will be”

Discovery“what is”

Design“How might we”

Cooperrider & Whitney, 2005; Zolno, 2002; Mohr, & Watkins, 2002

STEP 2 – DATA COLLECTION




Customer-focused

Supportive Helpful

Appreciative

Task-focused

Tense

Stressed

Unhappy

Angry

Resentful

Disjointed

Disconnected

Lonely

ToxicMiserable

Tired

ConfusedThe slide layout and content is the intellectual property of Pinnacle Group Australia. Any reproduction must have express written permission from Pinnacle Group Australia.



Perceived weaknesses

and concerns

Individual

Team/Management

Organisation/context



• Fractured and dysfunctional relationships

• Feeling emotions very intensely and not dealing with them

• Personal issues impacting on behaviour at work

• Some mistakes being made

• A lack of acceptance, and even tolerance of different working styles

• Lack of self-awareness

STEP 3 – FEEDBACK & VALIDATIONIndividual factors

Key takeaway:Individual factors have a substantial impact on the team as a whole



• Absence of a feedback

• Inconsistent application of processes

• The need for formalisation of procedures for managing absenteeism

• Perceived bias of management towards certain team members

• Perceived exclusivity for some informal and formal practices

• Insufficient management intervention

• No real shared understanding of team norms for behaviour

STEP 3 – FEEDBACK & VALIDATIONTeam/management factors

Key takeaway:Common expectations for professional practice need to be made explicit and team norms, processes and procedures need to be more formalised and structured.



• Operating context has changed but the team hasn’t yet fully adapted

• Physical seating arrangements reinforce a sense of isolation and don’t encourage collegiality

• The team still works in isolation

• Implications for providing services for clients over the phone are not yet commonly understood and/or accepted

STEP 3 – FEEDBACK & VALIDATIONOrganisation/context factors

Key takeaway:The team is not yet fully integrated into the organisation



STEP 4 & 5 – RECOMMENDATIONS & BOARD APPROVAL Action Plan – Phase 1 (immediate action)

Objective Task(s) Timeframe Responsibility Success criteria

Getting the basics right (‘immediately’ 0 – 1 month, August – September)

Managing absenteeism and leave

• Develop a white board with the leave roster and approvedflexible working arrangements listed

• Two hour team session to:1. Review and update awareness of HR protocols,

conditions/processes etc.2. Simplify and communicate explicitly to team (this

contributes to part of the professional code of conduct)3. Develop a shared understanding of team processes and

procedures

• White board –Immediately

• Team session –August to September

• Management to organise whiteboarddevelopment by 1-2 team members

• PGA to undertake 2 hour team session

• Adherence to relevant policies and procedures• More transparency in terms of leave and absenteeism• Improved planning process for leave and flexible work arrangements – proactive management of leave and flexible work arrangements

Sharing knowledge in a consistent way

• Team members to develop detailed written procedures manual for sharing knowledge about ‘how to do’ business rules for completing tasks and ensuring compliance.

• Team members assigned a section of the manual to develop in pairs (preferably a newer team member with a longer serving team member)

• Team members present their sections at team meetings to get agreement from team

• Start immediately –completed by the end of September

• Management to create pairs and assign sections in August

• Consistency and standardisation of processes and operational procedures

• Consistency in service provision

• Decrease in duplication of tasks

Centralised task assignment

• Create one location for work in-tray, centralised in terms of desks• Agreement from team members to only take work from the in-

tray that can be completed that day

Currently being tested by the team

Individual members of the team to agree and adopt new practice

• Centralised tasking, to avoidduplication and individuals searching for incomplete tasks




Putting the foundations in place for professional practice (1-3 months, October – December)

Develop a Team Charter

• 2 hour session to develop a professional code of conduct basedon the organisation’s values

• October • PGA to design and facilitate workshops

• Develop shared understanding of acceptable and unacceptable behaviours

• Develop expectations to hold themselves and each other to account

Developing ‘business as usual’ levels of engagement

• 3 x 2 hour sessions on communications – fundamental skills for participating in business as usual

• Process:• Give team members a few skills in a 2 hour session• Simulate and practice skills• Assign challenges in between workshops• Report back – what went well, what didn’t?• Reflect and adapt

• 1 workshop every 2 weeks –October to November

• PGA to design and facilitate workshops

• Individual team members improve their engagement with each other and with their clients and other teams

• Decrease the likelihood of tension and difficulties between team members

• Increase the sense of inclusiveness in the team

Develop ability to give and receive feedback

• Feedback skills workshop training focused on giving and receiving feedback at work in real time

• Group coaching on giving and receiving feedback using scenarios and simulations

• December • PGA to design and facilitate workshops and coaching

• Day-to-day informal feedback giving and receiving about tasks and performance

• Improved relationships between team members

STEP 4 & 5 – RECOMMENDATIONS & BOARD APPROVALAction Plan – Phase 2 (1 - 3 months)




Professional Development for improving individual and team practice (4-6 months, January – March)

Understanding emotional intensity and how to effectively express emotions

• Workshop and group debrief session to further explore own levels of emotional intelligence and skill drills for improving emotional intelligence.

January • PGA to design and facilitate workshop

• Increased emotional intelligence for individual team members

Understanding how to have difficult conversations

• 2 hour skill drill session for understanding and practicing how to have difficult conversations

January • PGA to design and facilitate session

• Ability to plan for and have a difficult conversation

Building resilience and developing coping strategies

• Workshop for building resilience and identifying and developing coping strategies to deal with stress in the workplace

February • PGA to design and facilitate workshop

• Utilisation of Individual and team coping strategies

Understanding different working styles

• Self-assessment for each team member to understand own working style preferences

• Workshop and group debrief session to further explore own working style preferences and better understand each others’ preferences – develop ways to work with each other more effectively, based on different working style preferences.

March • PGA to administer self-assessment and design and facilitate workshop

• Understanding self and others working styles

• Increase in self awareness and awareness of others

• Utilising strategies to work together more effectively

STEP 4 & 5 RECOMMENDATIONS & BOARD APPROVALAction Plan – Phase 3 (4 – 6 months)



STEP 6 - Team CharterOur purpose is to XXXXXOur organisation

1. Service Delivery• X• X• X• X• X• X

2. Work attendance• Individual accountability for being

present in the workplace• Team accountability for completing

the work• Accountable for workplace morale• Following relevant processes

Expectations for what we do (functions to be performed)

Expectations for how we work together

Measurement of effectiveness:• Delivering on KPIs at individual and team

level and adherence to processes

We exist to assist XXXXXXOur Team

2. Processes to support:Information sharing• Refer to business rules for sharing knowledge and keep document up-to-date and relevant. Review regularly.• Continual, informal, day-to-day knowledge sharing• Informal, on-the-job assistance• Discuss and share critical information at team meetings

Annual PDP process• Making individual KPIs explicit and measurable• Used to develop at individual level - PD activities linked to individual KPIs and role• Each individual jointly (with their manager) commits to, at minimum, one PD action

Resolving issues/concerns• Timely resolution - proactive communication of issues• Individual and team stress management and coping strategies• Management to be engaged early (asap) and action to be taken

3. Procedures to manage:• Workplace flexibility and attendance• Absenteeism• Leave• Issues/concerns

Professional relationships

1. Communication• Understanding and making the most of

people’s interests, needs and working styles before we (re)act

• Active listening and active participation• Conversations are held in appropriate

locations• Conversations about difficult issues are

constructive• All members of the team provide informal

feedback by:• Sharing the observation• Sharing the impact• Engage in discussion

2. Connectedness• Acceptance of different working styles • Commitment to making the most of

individual and team strengths• Being inclusive- mindful of where/where

not appropriate• Think about others’ perspectives or point

of view

Measurement of effectiveness:• All processes and procedures documented and accessible and relevant tools are available and accessed when required• Adherence to team meeting protocols, procedures and processes. This is monitored.

Measurement of effectiveness:• Sourcing feedback from peers and

managers and using this constructively

XXXXOur shared values

Signed by.............................................

Mechanisms and protocols1. Weekly team meeting• Informal/relaxed meeting context where staff can express their ideas

and views freely• Responsibilities - on a rotating basis a team member will be

responsible for the taking and distribution of notes of the meeting and sharing outcomes and information

• Outstanding items from previous meetings are followed up

2. Fortnightly unit meeting• Interactive and engaging members of the team in discussion• Team member attendance expected with provision for external

guests• Minutes need to be provided and additional information emailed

beforehand with hyperlinks • Informative of Board and big picture• Evaluation of meetings conducted



STEP 6 - Code of conductAcceptable/Constructive behaviours Unacceptable/Destructive behaviours

We will recognise and reinforce behaviour that impacts positively on our work and on each other, including:

We will strive to modify behaviour that impacts negatively on our work and on each other, including:

Respect & Diversity

• Friendliness• Politeness• Positivity• Open communication

• Respect for personal space• Individuality• Attendance• Professionalism

• Conflict that is destructive to the team as a whole and individuals within the team

• Daily interactions that are exclusive

• Negative attitudes, comments and body language

• Anger and rage• Grudges being held• Being rude

Integrity

• Personal responsibility for work• Keep confidences

• Be authentic• Taking responsibility for acting when a

need is identified

• I Not admitting our mistakes• Spreading negative talk about our

stakeholders

• Judging others before knowing all of the facts

Transparency

• Making prioritisation of work and reasons for this explicit• Providing constructive feedback about work and working styles• Containing the impact of personal problems in the workplace

• Talking about each other behind each others’ backs• Avoiding following procedures or processes put in place• Losing perspective on workplace issues/happenings

Empowerment

• Inclusiveness• Helping each other• Sharing knowledge• Listening to each other

• Mentoring and guiding new team members

• Working together to solve challenges• Acknowledging the contribution of the

roles played by all members of the team

• Working in isolation• Absence of positive feedback and

reinforcement

• Destructive feedback• Silence at team meetings

Beh

avio

urs

to

be

rein

forc

edB

ehavio

urs to

be m

od

ified



Our case studySome example activities to take away


Take 2 minutes to list all of the emotionsyou have experienced over the last 24 hours.

STEP 7 – Development series – constructive communications




1. How many emotions did you list?

2. What was the ratio of positive to negative emotions?

3. Do you think the emotions you have noted are normal for you or not i.e. do the emotions represent an average day?

-+



Now try again. This time you can use these words to help you.





1. How many emotions did you list this time?

2. Is there a difference between the positive and negative balance?

3. Is there anything you notice about the words you have now used?



STEP 7 – Development series – giving and receiving feedbackRobert Plutchik’s wheel of emotions – first described in 1980



STEP 8 – Development series – giving and receiving feedback

In groups of 3, arrange the emotions you have been given in order of intensity i.e. from least to most intense

3-5 minutes




Intensity cards activity – the answers

ecstatic enraged grief-stricken terror hatred scorn passionate

joyous furious sorrowful panicked loathing contempt loving

happy mad despairing fearful sickened cynical adoring

positive angry sad worried revulsion disdain devoted

amused upset gloomy nervous disgustcondesce-

nsionadmiring

please frustrated down wary antipathy derision trusting

content annoyed blue edgy dislike sceptical liking

calm irritable neutral attentive aversion indifference friendly



STEP 8 – Development series – giving and receiving feedback debrief questions

Why do you think you got the order correct or incorrect?

Why do you think it is important to use the correct level of intensity when giving or receiving feedback?

What did you learn from this exercise?

Which emotions do you think were the most challenging to order? Why?

How might knowledge of emotional intensity be used in conflict resolution?




Micro Expressions Exercise

Identify each facial micro expression

Ekman and Friesen – “Lie to me”



Answers




I will listen without

interrupting.

Thepledgetree



1. Bring the ‘agile psychologist’ to each engagement

• Don’t just rely on what you know or what you have done before.

• Don’t take capability for granted. Sometimes our work involves getting back to basics.

2. Be a ‘strategic psychologist’

• It’s not just about paying attention to the immediate problem/task –you must think about the implications for the wider organisation and its context.

3. Know your boundaries as an organisational psychologist (i.e. versus clinical psychologist, counselling psychologist, etc)

Key insights



Level 2, 546 Collins StreetMelbourne 3000, Australia

p +61 3 9001 1577e [email protected] pinnacle-group.com.au

Justin Bown [email protected]

Katie Berman Senior [email protected]


Thank you

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