1 puzzled by perplexing people and their problematic personalities? practical pointers for putting...

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Puzzled by Perplexing People and their Problematic Personalities?Practical Pointers for Putting the Pieces in Place to Prevent Personnel Predicaments


Puzzle Piece #1Understanding the Team

Self-Knowledge and Understanding


Puzzle Piece #1 Objectives:

To identify the characteristics of an effective team.

To recognize how each person’s individual style affects the team’s cohesiveness.


What is a team?

A group of individuals who collaboratively work together to accomplish a shared set of goalsthat can only be successfully achieved by the complete cooperation of each and every team memberworking together effectively.


Did you ever wonder…

• If other team members think the way you do?

• Why your team can’t seem to get anything done?

• How you can cope with various team behaviors?

• How you can help to make things work more smoothly?

• What’s teamwork all about?


Sometimes it’s all about style!


How is style defined?

Style consists of the visible, outer behaviors, characteristics and mannerisms which describe and provide clues to the workings of the mind


Why study style?

• To know and understand ourselves better; personal insight

• To improve our interactions with other team members; respect their point of view

• To enhance communications and productivity within the team


How would you describe your “team player style”?

• Think…about it• Ink…write it down• Pair…pick a partner• Share…tell one another


Who has researched styles?

• Dr. Anthony F. Gregorc, University of Connecticut

– Gregorc Style Delineator ™ Clarity of terms and definitions

– Solid 30+ years research base– Extensive practical applications to team building

and communications• Abstract Sequential (AS)• Concrete Random (CR)• Concrete Sequential (CS) • Abstract Random (AR)


How can I assess my style?

• Let’s complete the Gregorc Style Delineator™: A Self-Assessment Instrument for Adults


How do I describe 2 aspects of my style?

• 2 Mediation Abilities:– Perception - observation, view, insight,

discernment strategy

– Ordering - organizing, classifying, arranging method


How might I describemy perception strategy?

• Perception strategy:– Abstractness - Concreteness


How might I describemy ordering method?

• Ordering method:– Sequence - Randomness


What are the 4 Mind Styles?

• Concrete/Sequential (CS)• Abstract/Sequential (AS)• Abstract/Random (AR)• Concrete/Random (CR)


What do the scores and chart reveal about me as a

team member?

• High Scores = 27- 40 Pointy Heads• Intermediate Scores =16 - 26 Moderates• Low Scores = 10 - 15 Stubby Points • Balanced scores = 25, 25, 25, 25 Squares


What are some inferences that I can make?

• Dispositions are natural and learned: nature + nurture

• Mindsets arise from deeper driving forces: space, time, mental processing, relationships

• Individuals are predisposed to relate in certain ways: not compelled to do so


What are some cautions for meto remember?

• Delineator reveals only 2 mediation abilities: perception and ordering

• Individuals all have all 4 qualities to various degrees: concreteness, abstraction, sequence and randomness

• Individuals have predispositions and the ability to alter them


What can I expect from CS team members?

• Down to earth, grounded attitude• Watch bottom line, discern quality• Enforce discipline; policies, procedures• Careful, cautious, methodical, helpful• Follow directions exactly• Conservative approach to avoid mistakes


What can I expect from AS team members?

• Objective, intellectual, impersonal approach

• See the big picture• Arbitrate from neutral position• Stay above the fray• Calm, cool analytical


What can I expect from CR team members?

• Frame hypotheses, develop alternative solutions and test them

• Solve problems with limited information or data provided

• Experiment with ideas and materials through application; flexible, original

• Insightful assessment of situations• Unique, inventive approach; entrepreneurial


What can I expect from AR team members?

• Listen, learn and respond to team members• Need for contact and interaction with team• Emotionally responsive to situations• Supportive of others; brings humor to team• Offer advice, comfort and support


So what do we have here?

Team of YOU-nique Individuals


Let’s compare your responses then and now..

• Think…about it• Ink…write it down• Pair…pick a partner• Share…tell one another


Motivating the Team

Respect and Recognition



To respect and recognize each team member as a potential team leader.

To identify ways to customize the recognition and motivation of each team member.


Lead

ership

is

man

agem

ent’

s jo

b.

All bosses are leaders.

Leadership? That means you have

To pick up the slack that results

from everyone else’s mistakes.

I don’t need to be a leader.

I’m not in charge.


We’ve all heard it said, but the truth is…

• Leadership is something we all need

• In all of these places, we are all leadersTeamwork because we can’t do it alone


What is leadership?• Behaviors we exert when we take

responsibility for our actions and consequences

• Inner voice that says, “Take charge”• Challenge we face when we accept

responsibility for guiding others• Separates doers from the observers• Gives direction to individuals and

organization• Part of everyone’s responsibility


Another truism…

• Leaders are made, not born

• Leaders learn and refine their skills

• Leadership is everyone’s job

• Leadership can make a positive difference in our work teams and in our lives


What makes a good leader?

• 100 people will offer 100 different answers but

• Primary attribute of effective leaders is– Ability to work with others

• Primary attribute of effective followers is– Ability to work with others


Leaders…

• Listen and learn from others

• Energize the team and the organization

• Act for the common good of all

• Develop themselves and coach others

• Empower other to share leadership

• Recognize and reward achievement


Teams…

• Together

• Everyone

• Achieves

• More

• Success


Team DynamicsEffective team dynamics requires • Respect for one another• Clearly articulated shared goals• Frequent interaction• Shared decision-making power• Equitably divided tasks• Shared responsibility for mistakes and successes• Free expression of opinions, perspectives, &

constructive criticism


Stages of Team Development

Stage Major Processes Characteristics

1. Forming(Orientation)

Exchange of informationIncreased interdependencyTask explorationIdentification of commonalities

Tentative interactionsPolite discourseAmbiguitySelf-discourse

2. Storming (Conflict)

Disagreement over procedures

Expression of dissatisfactionEmotional responsesResistance

Criticism of ideasPoor attendanceHostilityPolarization & coalition

forming


Stages of Team Development

Stage Major Processes Characteristics

3. Norming (Cohesion)

Growth of cohesiveness& unity

Establishment of roles, standards,

& relationships

Agreement on procedures

Reduction in role ambiguity

Increased “we-feeling”


Stages of Team DevelopmentStage Major Processes Characteristics

4. Performing (Performance)

Goal achievementHigh task orientationEmphasis on performance & production

Decision makingProblem solvingMutual cooperation

5. Adjourning (Dissolution)

Termination of rolesCompletion of tasksReduction of dependency

Disintegration & withdrawalIncreasing independenceRegret


7 Cs for Team Success

• Commitment• Contribution• Communication• Cooperation• Conflict management• Change management• Connections

Adapted from The High Performance Teams Series: First Team Volume 1 Dartnell


Resolving Conflicts

• Accurately define problem• Focus on problem not personalities• Respect interests of all team members• Limit conflicts and address everyone’s

concerns• Seek a solution agreeable to everyone


Six Steps to Dispute Resolution

1. Fully and clearly identify the problem to be resolved.a) Describe all sides to the dispute.

b) Listen carefully to all sides.

c) Ensure everyone accepts the definition of the problem.

2. Generate alternative solutions to the problems.

3. Evaluate the alternative solutions.

4. Ensure that all members accept decisions.

5. Implement the solution to the problem.

6. Set a target date to evaluate the

effectiveness of the solution.


Embracing Diversity

• Accept that others know more than you in key areas

• Invite others to challenge your assumptions and dispel your stereotypes

• Encourage and maintain open lines of communication with everyone on the team

• Facilitate consensus building by listening to and respecting different points of view

• Understand the need to compromise to achieve team goals


10 Types of Team Members

• Task leader• Social-emotional leader• Tension-releaser• Information provider• Central negative• Questioner• Silent observer• Active listener• Recorder• Self-centered follower


Working with the Team

Causes of problematic personalities


Did you ever wonder…• Why team members behave the way they do?• Why team members are so difficult to get

along with?• How you can cope with various team

behaviors?• How you can help to make things work more

smoothly?


Difficult People Are...

People who don’t do what you want them to do or

who do what you don’t want them to

do--and

you don’t know what to do about them.



To acknowledge the reasons for team members behaviors and to be able to cope with their idiosyncrasies.

To develop a coping plan for dealing with difficult team members.


Difficult people...

• make your life miserable

• reduce your morale• get you angry• deplete your energy• make you feel

helpless

• ruin a good thing• make you scream• affect your

productivity• waste your time• deceive you with

their cunning behaviors


Tank

Sniper

Grenade

Staller

Whiner

NegativistKnow-It All

Super AgreeableZealot

Tight-lippedTaciturnDeceiver


What you can do:

• You can stay and do nothing.• You can vote with your feet.• You can understand the reason for their

behavior• You can change your attitude.• You can use a survival skill


Task Focus

AggressivePassive

People Focus

Lens ofUnderstanding

Normal Zone


Lens ofUnderstandingNormal Zone

Task Focus

AggressivePassive

People Focus

Intent:Get along

Intent:Get appreciated

Intent:Get it done

Intent:Get it right


Understanding

Task Focus

AggressivePassive

People Focus

Intent:Get along


Intent:Get it done

Intent:Get it right

ControllingPerfectionist

Approvalseeking

Attentiongetting

Normal Zone

Lens of


Jack’s Story:Analyzing the reasons for behavior

and attitude changes


Intent: Get it done

• Behavior becomes more controlling when the intent to get it done is thwarted

• Others appear to be wasting time, going off on tangents, taking too long– leading people to become Tanks, Snipers

and Know-It-Alls


Sherman the Tank


Sam the Sniper


Nancy, The Know-It-All


Survival SkillsListen To Understand

• When the problem person is talking, listen to understand– blend visibly and audibly to establish

common ground– backtrack using their own words– clarify, summarize what you heard– summarize by restatement– redirect to change the focus


Intent: Get it right

• Behavior becomes more perfectionistic when the intent to get it right is thwarted

• Others appear to be careless, haphazard, inexact, vague– leading people to become Whiners and

Negativists and Tight-Lipped Taciturns


Winnie the Whiner


Norm the Negativist


Tim the Tight-Lipped Taciturn


Survival SkillsReach A Deeper Understanding

When discussions degenerate into conflict, seek a deeper understanding

- identify positive intent- identify highly-valued criteria


Intent: Get along

• Behavior becomes more approval seeking when the intent to get along is thwarted

• Others appear disapproving, unsupportive– leading people to become Super Agreeable

Zealots and Stallers


Zelda, the Super-Agreeable Zealot


Stan the Staller


Survival SkillsSpeak To Be Understood

When you communicate with problem people, speak to be understood

- monitor voice tone- state positive intent - tactfully interrupt interruptions- tell your truth- listen attentively, stay flexible


Intent: Get appreciated

• Behavior becomes more attention-getting when the intent to get appreciated is thwarted

• Others appear inattentive, unappreciative, uncaring– leading people to become Grenades or

Deceivers


Greta the Grenade


Dean The Deceiver


Survival SkillsGet What You Project and Expect

• When people are at their worst, project and expect the best

– use Pygmalion Power

– assume the best; give the benefit of the doubt

– appreciate criticism


Task Focus

Aggressive Passive

People Focus

Intent:Get along


Intent:Get it done

Intent:Get it right

ControllingPerfectionist

Approvalseeking

Attentiongetting

Lens of Understanding

Normal Zone

TankSniperKnow-It-All

WhinerNegativistTaciturn

ZealotStaller Grenade

Deceiver



To identify the characteristics of an effective team

To recognize how each person’s individual style affects the team’s cohesiveness.



To respect and recognize each team member as a potential team leader.

To identify ways to customize the recognition and motivation of each team member.



To acknowledge the reasons for team members behaviors and to be able to cope with their idiosyncrasies.

To develop a coping plan for dealing with difficult team members.


Puzzle Piece #4Effective Communication and High Expectations

Making Meetings Matter



To practice effective interactive skills and high expectations by conducting meetings that are

Prompt

Purposeful

Productive


How important is communications?

• On a scale of 1-10-, how important is it to have open, honest communication with…– your family?– your co-workers?– your board?


Help Wanted

• …”excellent oral and written communication skills required…”

• …”must demonstrate outstanding communication skills”

• …”must be able to communicate…”


So much to share, so little time

– In words, in writing– A look or a glance– By gestures or body language

And every communication is up for misinterpretation!


That’s why we have meetings!

• Meetings…where minutes are kept and hours are wasted.

• Any simple problem can be made unsolvable if enough meetings are held to discuss it.

• When the outcome of a meeting is to have another meeting, it has been a lousy meeting.


We’ve got to start..meeting like this!

Our Objective – the last puzzle piece:

• To examine and promise to practice the three “P”s of meetings

PromptPurposefulProductive


Do your meetings matter?

• Test Your Meeting I.Q.– Choose the answer that best describes

your meetings.– We will ‘score’ the quiz as a group.


Prompt

Is time your

friend or your enemy?


Time..is

(free) EffectiveMeetings.com

Meeting Cost Clock

http://www.effectivemeetings.com/diversions/exe/costcounter.exe


Purposeful

• What’s the point? Information & Discussion Generating Ideas Decision-making or problem solving Action planning


Productive

Are we successfully chipping

away at our “to-do” list?


Evaluate Alternatives

High Low

Cost

Effort

Quality

Results

Timeframe

WIIFM


Rules of the Game

• Prepare an Agenda– Planning a meeting is like planning a

party – wrong people; no theme…your meeting could fizzle!

• Distribute the agenda prior to the meeting– Review briefly at the meeting

• Take minutes & make available ASAP.– Include decisions, timelines,

assignments


The AGENDA

• Clarify the purpose for the meeting• Celebrate successes (items accomplished since

the last meeting)

• Organize the agenda by mode: – Information– Brainstorming or exploring alternatives– Discussion– Decision-making


• Set a time limit for each item or section• Keep everyone focused, on-topic and

on-time (discourage ‘side-bar’ conversations)

• Conclude with follow-up assignments

The AGENDA


Killer Phrases

Words that bruise

everyone’s enthusiasm!


What’s Next?

That’s up to you!


It was our pleasure!

• Keep your folder of materials

• Add articles and tip sheets as they come your way

• Work with your team to develop and refine your library’s communications


How have all the pieces come together for you?

If there is still a missing piece, check out www.cardinalconsultinggroup.net

to download additional handouts. Or email Paula at

[email protected] with questions.

http://www.cardinalconsultinggroup.net/

mailto:[email protected]

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