Lighting the Fire Within

A n A pproach to B uilding a Team

B y Don McLean

What’s Your Staffing Situation?What’s Your Staffing Situation?

Did you inherit staffDid you inherit staff Are you involved in employment of staffAre you involved in employment of staff Do you hold regular staff meetingsDo you hold regular staff meetings Do you appraise your staff annuallyDo you appraise your staff annually Do you allow your staff to be part of decision making Do you allow your staff to be part of decision making

in your organisation.in your organisation. How are the lines of communication – management How are the lines of communication – management

and staff.and staff. Is your workplace a happy placeIs your workplace a happy place

Barriers to a Successful TeamBarriers to a Successful Team Poor communicationPoor communication Personal differencesPersonal differences External / Personal pressureExternal / Personal pressure Lack of a challenge / motivationLack of a challenge / motivation MisinformationMisinformation Time frames / Too busy / Not taking time to smell the Time frames / Too busy / Not taking time to smell the

rosesroses Not understanding strengths and weaknessesNot understanding strengths and weaknesses Staff feel out of the loop – No ownership / visionStaff feel out of the loop – No ownership / vision Poor systems / management – no leadershipPoor systems / management – no leadership No supervision / support for staffNo supervision / support for staff

P e r s o n a l i t y P e r s o n a l i t y M e l t i n g P o tM e l t i n g P o t

In every team there may be:In every team there may be:The workerThe worker The whingerThe whingerThe greaserThe greaser The unionistThe unionistThe LazybonesThe Lazybones The cluelessThe cluelessThe hypochondriacThe hypochondriac The KnowledgeThe KnowledgeThe great guyThe great guy The JokerThe JokerThe shy oneThe shy one The loud oneThe loud oneThe Energiser BunnyThe Energiser Bunny The PessimistThe PessimistThe Social ButterflyThe Social Butterfly The Fashion modelThe Fashion model

Can you think of any others?Can you think of any others?

The Team MatrixThe Team MatrixSolicitous Motivational

problem Solving

Administrative

Passive

Political Assertive

Low

High

Concern for People

HighConcern for results

CC – Communication – Communication

LL – Leadership – LeadershipOO – Ownership /Organisation – Ownership /OrganisationVV– Vision– Visionee – Energy / Enthusiasm – Energy / EnthusiasmSS – Supervision / Support – Supervision / Support

CommunicationCommunication• Regular Planned Staff meetingsRegular Planned Staff meetings• Expectations – Clearly spell out what you expect of staff Expectations – Clearly spell out what you expect of staff

, ask what staff expect of their leaders, ask what staff expect of their leaders• Open door / mindOpen door / mind• Acknowledge feelings and be sensitive to personal Acknowledge feelings and be sensitive to personal

problems.problems.• Planning – group Planning – group • Learn to Listen – be an active listener.Learn to Listen – be an active listener.• Be confident enough to say when you’re not happy and Be confident enough to say when you’re not happy and

always willing to say when you are. always willing to say when you are.

LeadershipLeadership• Be a leader, not a mate or dictator. – Be a leader, not a mate or dictator. – staff will be looking for staff will be looking for

leadership, be prepared to make decisions.leadership, be prepared to make decisions.• Be a role model – Be a role model – act as you would expect other would actact as you would expect other would act• Be a person – Be a person – never be something your notnever be something your not

• Be a knowledge but not “the knowledge.”Be a knowledge but not “the knowledge.”• Be flexible – Be flexible – things change it’s not a disasterthings change it’s not a disaster• Be fair – Be fair – Everything doesn’t always go the way you would want.Everything doesn’t always go the way you would want.• Be approachable – Be approachable – Be relaxed, open door / mindBe relaxed, open door / mind• Be open – Be open – to different personalities/ cultures / family situationsto different personalities/ cultures / family situations• Be aware of staff needs – Be aware of staff needs – everyone has their quirkseveryone has their quirks

T h e D . O . P . E L e a d e r s h ip T h e D . O . P . E L e a d e r s h ip T e s tT e s t

Which are youWhich are youGoing to be?Going to be?

How Broad Are Your Shoulders?How Broad Are Your Shoulders? Take the DOPE test back to your organisation and get Take the DOPE test back to your organisation and get

three of your employees fill in the test for you and then three of your employees fill in the test for you and then compare them to your own results – It may be an eye compare them to your own results – It may be an eye opener!opener!

Organisation / OwnershipOrganisation / Ownership

OrganiSatiOnOrganiSatiOn Have the right management Have the right management

systems in place. systems in place. Be Planned Be Planned Be strategic Be strategic Everyone has ownershipEveryone has ownership Be realisticBe realistic Do the Paper workDo the Paper work Be flexibleBe flexible

OWnerShip:Everyone should have some

degree of ownership of… Planning – daily, weekly,

and strategic. Behaviour management Vision / Charter Staff meetings Venue layout etc

VisionVisionAll members of the staff need to be clear All members of the staff need to be clear in the direction your organisation in the direction your organisation What are your collective hopes for your What are your collective hopes for your organisation – what would you like your organisation – what would you like your organisation to be like in three years?organisation to be like in three years?How will you get there – strategic goals How will you get there – strategic goals and action plan.and action plan.Everyone has some degree of ownership, Everyone has some degree of ownership, although you may be steering the shipalthough you may be steering the shipRegular reviews to ensure you stay on the Regular reviews to ensure you stay on the path – this will provide a focus.path – this will provide a focus.

E n e r g y & E n e r g y & E n t h u s i a s mE n t h u s i a s m

Fun – never under-rate the importance of having fun.Fun – never under-rate the importance of having fun. Total CommitmentTotal Commitment Positive firstPositive first Be enthusiastic – keep your game face on Be enthusiastic – keep your game face on Staff don’t wear your concerns/ worriesStaff don’t wear your concerns/ worries Be willing to admit you're wrong.Be willing to admit you're wrong. leave your personal pressures at the gate – same for staffleave your personal pressures at the gate – same for staff Keep your eye on the ball – goal focused but keep it realKeep your eye on the ball – goal focused but keep it real

S upportS upport At the start of each year meet with each staff At the start of each year meet with each staff

member and set out a professional development member and set out a professional development plan. plan.

This should include:This should include: Personal goals based on staff members personal areas of Personal goals based on staff members personal areas of

interestinterest Professional goals based on personal needs identified in Professional goals based on personal needs identified in

previous years appraisal process previous years appraisal process Professional goals based on organisational needs Professional goals based on organisational needs (1(1stst Aid cert) Aid cert)

A professional development calendar for year and timeframe A professional development calendar for year and timeframe performance management programme for the year.performance management programme for the year.

S upervisionS upervision With a professional development plan in place you With a professional development plan in place you

now have a tool / starting point to measure staffs now have a tool / starting point to measure staffs performance.performance.

Performance Management should include: Performance Management should include: At least two formal observationsAt least two formal observations An appraisal interview – discuss achievement of An appraisal interview – discuss achievement of

goals and set new personal goals for next yeargoals and set new personal goals for next year Appraisal report – measuring staff members Appraisal report – measuring staff members

progress against goals.progress against goals. Other options – parent and student interviews and/ Other options – parent and student interviews and/

or seek staff feedback. (360 degree)or seek staff feedback. (360 degree)

Staff RecruitmentStaff Recruitment Careful consideration is needed when you Careful consideration is needed when you

employ staff . Ask yourself…employ staff . Ask yourself… What does your organisation need or not need?What does your organisation need or not need? How would this person fit into your organisation?How would this person fit into your organisation? Is the on paper person clouding the personality?Is the on paper person clouding the personality?

HintsHints Try and get the whole picture and it doesn’t hurt Try and get the whole picture and it doesn’t hurt

go out and look for the right person.go out and look for the right person. Before you start make a list of all the qualities Before you start make a list of all the qualities

you are looking for.you are looking for.

Out with Old In with the NewOut with Old In with the NewNew StaffNew Staff Have a planned induction programmeHave a planned induction programme Assign a buddy to help with those little questionsAssign a buddy to help with those little questions Don’t think it will happen straight away allow a decent period of Don’t think it will happen straight away allow a decent period of

induction.induction.

Inherited StaffInherited Staff These can be the hardest nuts to crack – they can be bitter about These can be the hardest nuts to crack – they can be bitter about

missing out on your job, friends with former management …..missing out on your job, friends with former management ….. They have to come on board and this may take awhile.They have to come on board and this may take awhile. What if they don’t?What if they don’t? The clean slat approach is important – “I’m a new person I bring a The clean slat approach is important – “I’m a new person I bring a

new flavour, I’m interested what you have to offer but first you new flavour, I’m interested what you have to offer but first you must give me a chance.”must give me a chance.”

Forming – Storming – Norming – PerformingForming – Storming – Norming – Performing The bottom line is if they can’t accept changes they need to move The bottom line is if they can’t accept changes they need to move

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A n y A n y Q u e s t i oQ u e s t i o

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