Internal Organizing Best Practices: Are Internal Organizing Best Practices: Are You an Ambassador for Your Union? You an Ambassador for Your Union?

November 14, 2008

Cornell University School of Industrial and Labor Relations

Union Leadership Institute

Saratoga Springs, New York

Facilitator

Arthur T. Matthews

Partner, Matthews & Matthews Consulting

www.diversityofficers.com

Ladder of Knowledge for Internal OrganizingLadder of Knowledge for Internal Organizing

Wisdom

Judgment

Knowledge

Information

Wisdom

Judgment

Knowledge

Information

Navigating the Ships of the Internal Organizing Navigating the Ships of the Internal Organizing JourneyJourney

•Leadership•Fellowship•Relationships•Mentorship•Stewardship•Gamesmenship

Properly navigated the journey can be calm and balmy not contentious and tumultuous!

What happens if your Internal What happens if your Internal Organize Strategy Fails?Organize Strategy Fails?

Test Your Communication BeliefsTest Your Communication BeliefsAnswer True or False Answer True or False

1. Speaking is a more important part of the1. Speaking is a more important part of the

communication process.communication process.

2. People listen every day. Therefore training is not 2. People listen every day. Therefore training is not

needed.needed.

3. People remember most of what they hear.3. People remember most of what they hear.

4. Attitudes are unrelated to listening. 4. Attitudes are unrelated to listening.

How do you as a Union Ambassador How do you as a Union Ambassador INFLUENCE others and organize internally?INFLUENCE others and organize internally?

II InvestInvest

NN Nurture Nurture

FF Faith Faith

LL Listen Listen

UU Understand Understand

EE Encouragement Encouragement

NN Navigate Navigate

CC Connect Connect

EE Empower Empower

6 Ways to Make People Like You*6 Ways to Make People Like You*

Become genuinely interested in peopleBecome genuinely interested in peopleSmileSmileA man’s name is to him the sweetest sound to his earsA man’s name is to him the sweetest sound to his earsBe a good listener. Encourage others to talkBe a good listener. Encourage others to talkTalk in terms of the other man’s interestTalk in terms of the other man’s interestMake the other person feel importantMake the other person feel important

*Adapted from Dale Carnegie: How to Win Friends and Influence People

Internal Organizing: Building Cultural Internal Organizing: Building Cultural CapacityCapacity

It’s understanding that there are legitimate cultural, social, It’s understanding that there are legitimate cultural, social, spiritual and religious roots that underlie peoples logic, spiritual and religious roots that underlie peoples logic, behavior, intent and ethical decisions. behavior, intent and ethical decisions.

Our ability to understand can help us to adjust our behavior Our ability to understand can help us to adjust our behavior to function effectively in diverse settings. This is a example of to function effectively in diverse settings. This is a example of situational leadership.situational leadership.

Culture is like an iceberg where some of it can be seen Culture is like an iceberg where some of it can be seen above water where it might be visible to all. However most of above water where it might be visible to all. However most of a iceberg’s mass is underwater, unseen and easily a iceberg’s mass is underwater, unseen and easily overlooked.overlooked.

Emotional Intelligence: Why it Matters Emotional Intelligence: Why it Matters

Self Determination Using our deepest preferences to move and guide us

toward our goals, to help us take initiative and strive to improve, and to persevere in the face of setbacks and frustrations

Self Awareness Knowing what we are feeling in the moment and using

those preferences to guide our decision making; having a realistic assessment of our own abilities and a well grounded sense of self confidence

Emotional Intelligence: Why it Matters Emotional Intelligence: Why it Matters

Self Regulation Handling our emotions so that they facilitate rather than

interfere with the task at hand; being conscientious of what we say and how we say it

Empathy Sensing what people are feeling; being able to take their

perspective and cultivating rapport and attunement with a broad diversity of people

Emotional Intelligence: Why it MattersEmotional Intelligence: Why it Matters

Social SkillsSocial Skills

Handling divergent relationships well and accurately Handling divergent relationships well and accurately reading social situations and networks; using these skills reading social situations and networks; using these skills to persuade, influence, lead and communicate to persuade, influence, lead and communicate

MicroinequitiesMicroinequities

• Advanced by Dr. Mary Rowe• Small events, covert, often unintentional, frequently

unrecognized by the perpetrator• Subtle discrimination is now the principal scaffolding for

segregation in the U.S• Original research was grounded in sexism and racism

MicroinequitiesMicroinequities

• Cumulative pattern of subtle, semi conscious, devaluing messages which discourage and impair performance

• Verbal or Non-verbal• Conscious or unconscious• Subtle or non-subtle• “Death by a thousand cuts” ( Alvin Poussaint, Author)

MicroinequitiesMicroinequities

• Wristwatch or clock watching• Phone or computer watching• Yawning or inattentive listening• Using internal e-mails to invite colleagues to a social event and not invite others• Asking rhetorical questions• Snapping your fingers while requesting support

MicroinequitiesMicroinequities

• Instead of asking for names, we refer to people as “hey you”

• Cutting someone off in mid sentence• Acknowledging some stakeholders in a room but not

others• Answering emails or glancing at your computer while

meeting with someone• Checking our PDAs or Treos during a meeting

The 7 Strategies of Master NegotiatorsThe 7 Strategies of Master NegotiatorsAdapted from the book by Dr. Brad McCraeAdapted from the book by Dr. Brad McCrae

1. 1. Build the Future With Optimal SolutionsBuild the Future With Optimal Solutions

2. Come to the Table Incredibly Well Prepared2. Come to the Table Incredibly Well Prepared

3. Create and Claim Maximum Value3. Create and Claim Maximum Value

4. Understand Negotiating Styles4. Understand Negotiating Styles

5. Master the Negotiation process5. Master the Negotiation process

6. Build Strategic Alliances6. Build Strategic Alliances

7. Become a Lifelong Learner7. Become a Lifelong Learner

What is your SWOT?What is your SWOT?

S S trengthstrengths

WWeaknesseseaknesses OOpportunitiespportunities

TThreatshreats

Small Group DynamicsSmall Group Dynamics

• Create an environment that is inclusive and embraces civilityCreate an environment that is inclusive and embraces civility

and respect for each of the membersand respect for each of the members

• Develop a value proposition that encourages each member toDevelop a value proposition that encourages each member to

feel they have a vested interest in the direction of the unionfeel they have a vested interest in the direction of the union

• Cultivate open communication with the members and explainCultivate open communication with the members and explain

the mechanism for internal protocol in the unionthe mechanism for internal protocol in the union

Small Group DynamicsSmall Group Dynamics

•Encourage each member to become familiar with the bylaws,Encourage each member to become familiar with the bylaws,

constitution and collective bargaining agreement and haveconstitution and collective bargaining agreement and have

extra copies available in case they need oneextra copies available in case they need one

•Prepare questions in advance that you can ask the membersPrepare questions in advance that you can ask the members

which allows for interactive dialogue (5 W’s +, Who, What,which allows for interactive dialogue (5 W’s +, Who, What,

Where, Why, What, How and What Else) This will establishWhere, Why, What, How and What Else) This will establish

a bilateral conversation and as a result the members won’ta bilateral conversation and as a result the members won’t

think they are being talked to. think they are being talked to.

  

Small Group ExerciseSmall Group Exercise

1.Despite differences of opinion the senior leadership1.Despite differences of opinion the senior leadership

of the union has decided to launch a internalof the union has decided to launch a internal

leadership academy and you are expected toleadership academy and you are expected to

articulate the primary topics that would be part of this process.articulate the primary topics that would be part of this process.

2. 40% of the membership is retiring in the next 2 years and you2. 40% of the membership is retiring in the next 2 years and you

are responsible for informing the members of a strategic andare responsible for informing the members of a strategic and

tactical plan that the union is looking at in terms of recruitingtactical plan that the union is looking at in terms of recruiting

new membersnew members

Focus Group DynamicsFocus Group Dynamics

• Prepare 5-6 questions in advance which can generatePrepare 5-6 questions in advance which can generate

responses that will provide invaluable information about theresponses that will provide invaluable information about the

vital signs and serve as a diagnostic of the unionvital signs and serve as a diagnostic of the union

• Design the agenda for the focus group and makeDesign the agenda for the focus group and make

sure it is distributed in advance and clearly emphasizes thesure it is distributed in advance and clearly emphasizes the

ground rules of inclusion, respect, civility and transparency ground rules of inclusion, respect, civility and transparency

Focus Group DynamicsFocus Group Dynamics

• Underscore that a focus group is a large brainstormingUnderscore that a focus group is a large brainstorming

session and that participants are not there to debate asession and that participants are not there to debate a

perspective articulated by another memberperspective articulated by another member

• Utilize clusters as the ideal seating configuration toUtilize clusters as the ideal seating configuration to

encourage members who may not know each other to interactencourage members who may not know each other to interact

before and after the sessionbefore and after the session

• Validate the responses from participants by paraphrasing whatValidate the responses from participants by paraphrasing what

they have said. Capture the essence of their responses on athey have said. Capture the essence of their responses on a

flip chart.flip chart.

Focus Group ExerciseFocus Group Exercise

1.1. As a huge cost cutting measure the union is consideringAs a huge cost cutting measure the union is considering

eliminating the utilization of outside attorneys to present eliminating the utilization of outside attorneys to present cases at arbitrationcases at arbitration

2. The union is considering spearheading webcasts, 2. The union is considering spearheading webcasts, podcasts and simulcasts on the union web site in order to podcasts and simulcasts on the union web site in order to attract younger members so that they can become more attract younger members so that they can become more involved involved

Final Thoughts……Final Thoughts……

““Always do right…this will gratify some and Always do right…this will gratify some and astonish the rest”astonish the rest”

Mark TwainMark Twain