Recognizing and Leveraging Team Strengths for Peak Performance

Recognizing and Leveraging Team Strengths for Peak Performance BPI Emerging Leader Series

Tara Powers, MS Your Business Acceleration Expert Powers Resource Center, LLC Small Shifts…Fast Results www. Powers. Resource. Center. com www. Emerging. Leader. Program. com EMERGING LEADERS HIGH POTENTIAL TEAMS HIGH POTENTIAL EXECUTIVE COACHING To Be used only in conjunction with the Team 1 Dimensions Profile 2. 0 PRC, LLC Copyright 2012

Why EL Success Is Important Ø Sustainability in business Ø Investment cost Ø Bench strength Ø Mentoring opportunity Ø Good retention tool for high performers

Seminar Goals § Identify individual approaches to innovative teamwork § Match individual strengths with team roles § Reinforce and appreciate the contributions of others § Reduce team stress and conflict § Foster trust and build mutual support § Encourage team innovation and problem solving § Reduce project cycle time and increase productivity OH-3

Poll: What is most frustrating about working on a team? OH-4

Teams § Individuals are creative § Teams are innovative OH-5

Approaches to Teamwork § Conceptual § Spontaneous § Normative § Methodical

Conceptual Approach § Likes to come up with new ideas § Is good at exploring alternatives and discussing concepts § Is good at visualizing the master plan § Prefers to focus on the future § Develops theories, principles, and ideas § Is good at recognizing alternatives

Spontaneous Approach § Wants freedom from constraint § Tends to move from one subject to another § Focuses on many things at once § Likes to have respect and influence § Lets their feelings guide their decisionmaking

Normative Approach § Prefers to put ideas into familiar context § Relies on past experiences to guide them § Likes to see consequences before acting § Prefers to let others take the lead § Tries to fit in with others

Methodical Approach § Prefers order and rationality § Tends to follow a step-by-step process § Examines the details and thinks things through before acting § Focuses on what they can prove to be true § Likes to see things fit together

er in ec u to r f Re Ex r ce ea t n va or Ad Cr Team Roles

Creator Role Normative Approach Conceptual Approach Cr ea t or Spontaneous Approach Methodical Approach

The Creator § Has original ideas and fresh concepts § Loves the process of creating § Thinks outside the normal patterns and paradigms § Don’t perceive risk as risky

Advancer Role Spontaneous Approach r ce an v Ad Conceptual Approach Normative Approach Methodical Approach

The Advancer • Takes ideas and puts into a familiar context • Proceed in a fairly safe manner as they move ideas forward • Promote ideas with determination and careful planning • Thrive on recognizing good ideas in their early stages

Refiner Role Normative Approach Conceptual Approach Spontaneous Approach er fin Re Methodical Approach

The Refiner • Plays the role of devil’s advocate • Forces team to clarify points and face up to certain realities others overlook • Insist that people think a concept through more thoroughly • Challenges concepts and points out weak spots • Improve the process by which ideas are implemented

Executor Role Spontaneous Approach Ex ec u to r Conceptual Approach Normative Approach Methodical Approach

The Executor • Turn concepts into reality • Pay attention to details and focus on ensuring implementation proceeds in an orderly manner • Love to finish the job • Excel at completing the job as smoothly as possible

Flexer Role Cr ce an ea t v Ad or Spontaneous Approach ec u to r Normative Approach Conceptual Approach r er fin Ex Re Methodical Approach

POLL • What role do you play on your team? OH-21

Distribution of Patterns Other Combos Creators 27% 33% Advancers 5% 2 Patterns 5% Executors 18% Refiners 11%

P. E. P. Cycle “What a good idea!” “I’ll never have a good idea. ” Panic OH-23 Elation “I really look stupid with this idea. ” Panic

Creator P. E. P. Cycle Panic Short-lived stage. Elation Gets an idea. Panic “What if they don’t like it? ” OH-24

Advancer P. E. P. Cycle Panic Doesn’t have any ideas. Elation “I hear one I like. I have some experience with a similar idea. ” Panic People poke holes in the ideas and raise objections to them. OH-25

Refiner P. E. P. Cycle Panic No ideas. Advancer brings ideas. Elation Clarifies objections, pokes new holes in ideas, makes them better. Panic “What if they can’t handle the requirements? ” OH-26

Executor P. E. P. Cycle Panic “Oh, you’re going to change? ” Elation “Now I have the information I need and can implement the plan/idea. ” Panic Afraid it won’t work. OH-27

Flexer P. E. P. Cycle Panic “We have nothing. ” Elation Plays role of dealmaker — providing team balance Panic “What if they don’t buy it? ” OH-28

The Z-Process Possibilities Analysis Interaction Realities OH-29

The Z-Process WHAT IS THE Z-PROCESS? § The Z-process describes the stages through which projects or ideas often progress in an organization → Stage 1: Creating → Stage 2: Advancing → Stage 3: Refining → Stage 4: Executing § Each individual has areas within this Z-process that are more natural for him or her than others § The goal is to identify these natural strengths and help co-workers develop a dialogue around them OH-30

The Creating Stage § Generate as many new ideas as possible. • No ideas are rejected as unrealistic or impossible. OH-31 Realities Analysis Interaction § Should start with an open brainstorming Creating Z • See things from a new angle and perhaps break some traditional rules. Possibilities

The Advancing Stage Analysis Interaction OH-32 Realities Advancing § Communication is key as the team attends to the "human" part of the project. • Team members need to know � What's going on � What role they might play � Why it's important § The team needs to maintain energy and optimism around the idea. Possibilities Z § The team moves the idea forward and starts to give it some shape. • They consider the practical issues and begin to • Put together a broad plan to turn this idea into reality.

The Refining Stage Analysis Refining Realities Interaction OH-33 Possibilities Z § The team evaluates the idea to see what's realistic. • They examine project ideas for holes or flaws. • They scrutinize and analyze plans to determine if they will work in the real world. § The team puts together a more specific plan for implementation. • This plan considers what could go wrong. • What could be more efficient • How communication will flow.

The Executing Stage Executing Realities Analysis Interaction OH-34 Possibilities Z § The team sets its plan into full swing. § This stage requires considerable dedication, organization, and scheduling. § Team members need to have the patience to follow through on routine or repetitive tasks.

Performance The P. E. P. Cycle Executor Refiner Advancer Creator r F e x e l Advancer Refiner Advancer Creator Time OH-35

World Record for the Outdoor 400 Meter Dash: 43. 18 Seconds World Record for the 400 Meter Relay: 37. 4 Seconds OH-36

Understand, respect, appreciate, and value the contributions of each member on the work team. OH-37

A Balanced Team Creators develop new concepts. Advancers move things forward. Flexers can monitor the process and step in to fill gaps on the team. Refiners examine Executors follow details. through on implementation. OH-38

Together, We’re Better! OH-39

Seminar Highlights § We all have natural strengths that enable us to perform certain roles comfortably. § Our individual tendencies toward change make us less effective alone than when we are part of a team. § We need to balance our strengths as team members. § Being aware of the P. E. P. Cycle can help us understand the team process better. OH-40

Seminar Highlights § The Z process identifies a model of role interactions that demonstrate how each team member’s strengths can be used most effectively. § We need to understand, respect, appreciate, and value the contributions of all team members. OH-41

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