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Influencing For Business Results
Influencing For Business Results
Flexing Communication Styles (Using DiSC®)
Objectives
1. Reduce
misunderstandings and conflicts by viewing behaviors
positively or neutrally
2. Recognize varying behaviors by analyzing self & team perceptions
3. Influence others to sell the value of ideas, products and/or services
4. Flex four communication styles to achieve business results
Purpose
To influence, you must “sell” how the features of your idea, product and/or service benefit others. How are you adding value, providing opportunities, and satisfying needs? What interests some people may not motivate others. How are you anticipating concerns, overcoming objections, and solving problems?
Customer needs may widely vary, or even conflict. And overselling certain features may cause greater resistance. These challenges require all professionals to vary their behaviors — to “flex” a variety of communication styles — for effective business results.
Why is it difficult to communicate with certain people? Why are some people so readily open to change while others seem set in their ways? Why can’t some teams get anything done while others smoothly sail forward?
Some people impatiently interrupt with domineering points of view. Others impulsively jump to simplistic, unrealistic conclusions. Some people passively avoid conflict while quietly possessing grudges. Others insensitively criticize any idea that is not theirs, causing analysis-paralysis.
Are these “difficult people,” or are your judgments of others’ behaviors part of the problem?
People tend to view the world from a variety of differing,
often conflicting, perspectives.
The Everything DiSC For Management, Workplace or Sales, or the DiSC Classic 2 Plus or DiSC Classic 2.0, a pre-work assessment instrument used within this workshop, identifies communication
styles — behavioral tendencies or patterns of how you typically think, feel,
act, and react to various situations.
These insights will provide additional ways to work more effectively
with others to achieve individual, team, and organizational goals.
Effective communicators reduce the likelihood of misinterpreting others’ behaviors and being misunderstood by others. These leaders know themselves, recognize the demands of varying situations, and adapt strategies to achieve desired results.
Leading Teams
Leading Teams
Influencing Culture & Choosing Leadership Styles
Objectives
1. Influence culture
2. Develop four leadership styles
(and team member competence, confidence & commitment)
3. Agree on leadership styles & choose decision-making roles
4. Combine leadership styles & DiSC strategies
Purpose
Effective leaders actively influence their organization’s culture by their behaviors. Employees may perceive, think, and feel differently based on what the leader says or does. Since what leaders say and actually do may be different, some of the “teaching” is conscious, some is unconscious, some is supportive, and some is contradictory.
When leaders don’t teach and model company values and their supporting behaviors, employees create their own. Unintended consequences include negative impacts on customers, reduced cost-effectiveness, increased uncertainty/anxiety, and more conflict and competing needs, versus teamwork and focus.
Therefore, leaders should not leave culture to chance. The primary ways leaders influence culture (based on world-renowned research from M.I.T.) must all be actively & appropriately managed to have a significant & desirable effect on their organization's culture.
In addition, just as leaders have a dominant communication style (e.g., DiSC), they often have a leadership style with which they’re most comfortable — their “auto pilot” way of leading teams. Yet, the same leadership style won’t work in all situations or with all team members. Team members have different levels of competence, confidence, and commitment per task.
“Situational leaders” adapt their leadership behaviors as appropriate to balance the amount of direction and support they provide. They develop people over time so they can reach their highest level of performance on each specific goal and task — to a point where others become self-motivated and self-directed.
This highly interactive training program develops core skills necessary for leaders at all levels to effectively influence culture & choose leadership styles to develop their team members as they achieve business goals.
Coaching Through Effective Feedback
Coaching Through Effective Feedback
Applying The Feedback Planner
Objectives
1. Collect & select performance feedback regularly to
lead employee performance
2. Provide effective feedback
(share praise, constructive feedback, development plans)
3. Diagnose & resolve performance challenges through
progressive counseling
4. Recognize & reward desirable performance
(with motivational strategies)
Purpose
In business, coaching is the ongoing process of guiding, developing, and improving employee performance. Coaching is a daily responsibility of all team leaders (including project leaders) to ensure employees understand and meet or exceed performance expectations. So, how do you openly work with a “poor team player?” Positively handle a “negative attitude?” Objectively deal with “bad judgment?” Sensitively criticize others, including your boss, customers or peers (and keep your job)? And, how do you praise others to capitalize on their strengths? Open communication is necessary in any work environment, however feedback is often neglected or avoided. Without it, improvements may not occur.
Coaching using The Feedback Planner® — a powerful and professional communication tool applied in this highly interactive workshop — shows you how to “sell” the need for change to improve a situation. The Feedback Planner reinforces understanding of the impacts and consequences of current behaviors, especially performance strengths and areas of needed improvement. This proven process does not require position-authority. Effective feedback, including constructive criticism, may be discussed with peers, upper management, customers, suppliers, contractors, etc.
You will develop your ability to objectively observe, collect, analyze, and discuss a situation to gain involvement and commitment to change behaviors and increase performance. Equipped with this practical way to prepare and give meaningful feedback, you will more confidently offer ideas for improvement and build your working relationships through successful communication.å
Leading Transitions
Leading Transitions
Choosing Best Practices To Manage Change
Objectives
1. Lead team members through the stages of reaction to change
2. Identify leadership actions to accelerate the
change management process
3. Facilitate team transitions to gain acceptance
(and overcome resistance)
Purpose
Change is constant. Driven by global competition, advancing technology, increasing customer demands, etc., all industry leaders experience growth, downsizing, reorganization, mergers and acquisitions, and re-directions in strategic and/or operating plans. Often following are changes in leadership and shifts in team membership (due to a promotion, transfer, new hire, resignation, leave of absence, retirement, termination, etc.).
The magnitude, momentum, and complexity of change experienced within organizations today are unprecedented. And, the need for leaders of change has never been greater.
Being a change leader is not just being a manager. Leading people through a change effort is different from leading them to perform a project. Change leaders use a subtle process of mutual influence that brings together thoughts, feelings, and actions to produce a collective effort that serves the purpose and the values of all stakeholders. This highly interactive workshop provides a summary of best practices to manage change within organizations.
Leaders engage in new directions and use change to continuously improve business results & skills of team members. Effective teams optimize team performance during challenging times.
Negotiating Cooperatively
Negotiating Cooperatively
Employing Assertive "Win-Win" Strategies
Objectives
1. Assertively negotiate in stages to separate interests from positions,
and achieve “win-win” objectives
2. Strategically focus on negotiations to identify
negotiable components for mutual gains
3. Negotiate performance expectations to maintain team commitment
4. Assess sources of strength, set targets based on aspirations,
and make concessions to break deadlocks
5. Cooperatively counter competitive tactics
Purpose
Many individuals possess natural negotiating instincts. Most, however, must learn and practice the principles of negotiation regularly. Fortunately, there are many opportunities. In fact, there are few situations when you are not negotiating. Negotiations are a natural part of every day.
You negotiate with customers and management who are competing for limited resources as you clarify performance requirements and secure team members and resources to complete your projects. You must agree with peers on roles and responsibilities (often trading assignments based on availability and skill).
Project teams negotiate priorities, delivery sequences and schedules to get their products in on time. These teams must continually seek agreements as they conduct analyses, interpret results, and make recommendations as a collective unit. All project and functional team meetings are a continuous negotiation between members regarding who leads, presents, decides, takes action, etc.
You negotiate with management to gain more responsibility, authority, promotions, transfers, staffing, funding, equipment, training, merit increases, office space, procedural and schedule changes, support services, and approvals on proposals. And, those in management positions must negotiate with others to gain their support and commitment.
This highly interactive workshop will build selected skills required to lead a “win-win” negotiation.
Building Teams
Building Teams
Developing Teams & Team Agreements
Objectives
1. Understand stages of team development
2. Diagnose team development needs
3. Establish team agreements & build accountability
4. Influence team culture
Purpose
Leaders are often faced with the challenge of transforming a group of diverse individuals into a productive team to tackle complex projects. They must align individual efforts to gain a greater return from teams working toward shared goals. Developing a successful team is not as easy as it may appear. It requires a critical balance between a focus on task and a focus on people.
This workshop provides practical tools and techniques for developing and maintaining high performing teams. Leaders will assess the current development stage of their teams, and identify opportunities for team development. Team agreements will be established that are aligned with your organization’s strategic plans. Finally, leaders will examine how they can impact and influence team culture.
Evaluating Performance
Evaluating Performance
Describing & Developing Talent
Objectives
1. Collect & select feedback for appraisals
2. Describe performance in writing
3. Identify opportunities for employee growth
4. Draft employee development plans and performance objectives
5. Conduct effective appraisal meetings
Purpose
Evaluating performance is not an event. It is a process that includes up-front planning and regular maintenance. It requires time. It demands thought. And evaluating performance begins way before you start filling out the performance evaluation form.
Performance appraisal provides a way to describe how your team members have performed on the job, and how they can improve their performance in the future. It also provides an opportunity to formally sit down and mutually develop work objectives and ways to achieve them. And, of course, it provides documentation to support all personnel decisions.
This program provides leaders and managers with the skills and tools to successfully prepare for, write and administer your company performance reviews.
Sharing Effective Feedback
Sharing Effective Feedback
Using The Feedback Planner Without Authority
Objective
1. Share effective feedback (praise and constructive feedback) with
peers, management, customers, suppliers, consultants, contractors
Purpose
How do you openly work with a “poor team player?” Positively handle a “negative attitude?” Objectively deal with “bad judgment?” Sensitively criticize others, including your boss, customers or peers (and keep your job)? And, how do you praise others to capitalize on their strengths? Open communication is necessary in any work environment, however feedback is often neglected or avoided. Without it, improvements may not occur.
The Feedback Planner® — a powerful and professional communication tool applied in this highly interactive workshop — shows you how to “sell” the need for change to improve a situation. The Feedback Planner reinforces understanding of the impacts and consequences of current behaviors, especially performance strengths and areas of needed improvement. This proven process does not require position-authority. Effective feedback, including constructive criticism, may be discussed with peers, management, customers, suppliers, consultants, contractors, etc.
You will develop your ability to objectively observe, collect, analyze, and discuss a situation to gain involvement and commitment to change behaviors and increase performance. Equipped with this practical way to prepare and give meaningful feedback, you will more confidently offer ideas for improvement and build your working relationships through successful communication.
Aligning Vision
Aligning Vision
Balancing Strategic Plans & Tactical Projects
Objectives
1. Clarify your organization’s vision, mission, and values
2. Establish critical success indicators
(key focuses, benchmarks, goals)
3. Select differentiating strategies and critical projects to
achieve your goals and vision
4. Align functional team operating plans and projects
to your strategies
5. Streamline project plans (purpose, objectives, boundaries, etc.)
6. Specify team agreements (roles, responsibilities, processes, etc.)
7. Link employee performance management systems
Purpose
As you grow your organization, it becomes increasingly complex to communicate your vision, measure your effectiveness in implementing strategies to meet your goals, and balance ever-changing project priorities. Business leaders need a clear, practical way to establish direction and motivate their teams to achieve their visions. A constant charge to “hit the numbers” is critical, yet a broader focus is necessary to ensure long-term business growth.
This highly interactive process will offer you a framework to begin describing key components of a strategic business plan. Functional team operating plans, project plans, and team agreements will be streamlined. Performance management systems will be identified to reward employees who meet and exceed performance expectations. Create vision, align strategic direction, and sustain financial success!
Building Customer Loyalty
Building Customer Loyalty
Providing "Unbelievable!" Service
Objectives
1. Describe quality service, profile customers, and
define what customers value most
2. Evaluate service encounters & customer perceptions
3. Encourage customer feedback, and
resolve customer complaints with service recovery strategies
4. Sustain customer loyalty
Purpose
96% of dissatisfied customers do not complain to you. They just don’t come back, and tell everyone else why. How loyal are your customers? What do they tell others about your business? Do you provide them what they need and want? Do you hear from them again?
In extremely competitive markets, customers have more ways to satisfy their needs than ever before. One essential way to compete is to acquire and maintain a loyal customer base. Customers become loyal over time. It requires daily execution of philosophies, principles, and processes in favor of the customer. Not the enforcement of a set of rules and regulations.
This highly interactive training program explores the many components that add up to excellent service as perceived by your customers. You will take a very serious look at your current service level and realize the impact it is having on your customers. In addition, you will develop ways to strengthen the relationship through problem solving and service recovery in difficult situations.
Solving Problems
Solving Problems
Applying Process Improvement Tools
Objectives
1. Solve business problems and improve processes
2. Generate ideas by exploring creative possibilities
3. Sort, evaluate and select ideas
4. Build consensus with 10 selected Process Improvement Tools:
+ Delphi
+ Multi-Voting
+ Causal Loop (Systems Thinking)
+ Check Sheet & Pareto Chart
+ Affinity
+ Cause & Effect
+ Brainstorming
+ Keep/Start/Stop
+ Criteria Rating & Ranking
+ Action Plan
Purpose
“Solving Problems” provides organizations with a common language, tool set, and consistent process with which to solve problems, analyze opportunities, and make process improvements.
At each step, Process Improvement Tools are used to expand and contract ideas — to generate ideas by exploring creative possibilities, and to sort, evaluate and select ideas.
Facilitating Productive Meetings
Facilitating Productive Meetings
Meeting For Results
Objectives
1. Select efficient and effective alternatives to holding meetings
2. Prepare for, conduct, and follow-through for effective meetings
3. Facilitate meetings to control challenging members,
manage conflict, and achieve meeting objectives
4. Apply targeted Process Improvement Tools to
attain group consensus
Purpose
With time at such a premium, the increasing pressures from today’s marketplace demand that your organization do more with the same amount, or fewer resources, to remain competitive. While ineffective meetings waste valuable time and productivity, effective meetings can contribute to the success of your team and your organization.
As the Meeting Leader, Facilitator, Recorder, or Participant, you are responsible for the quality and efficiency of the meetings you lead or attend. You must use meetings as business tools. As with computers, software, or any other business tool, meetings can improve your productivity or really slow it down.
Effective meetings don’t “just happen.” Meetings take up space like an underutilized computer unless they’re appropriately used. You must learn and follow certain processes and apply proven techniques to properly maximize their usefulness.
This highly interactive workshop will build selected skills required to prepare for, conduct, and follow-through to achieve results in meetings.
Enhancing Presentations
Enhancing Presentations
Building Confidence & Credibility
Objectives
1. Develop a personal delivery style that conveys confidence, energy,
& enthusiasm while selling ideas, products and/or services
2. Eliminate ineffective, distracting nonverbal behaviors
3. Develop targeted presentation content based on
audience/customer needs
4. Create visual tools that support main points, &
present visual media confidently
5. Field challenging questions to overcome resistance,
clarify intentions, and achieve mutual goals
Purpose
You never get a second chance to make a first impression.
No matter what industry or line of business, individuals and teams are viewed as more effective when they are able to present ideas, products, and services with clarity and conviction. The only way to achieve these skills is through practice that includes feedback and coaching. We often hear that “practice makes perfect.” Unfortunately, practice only makes permanent. If we are practicing ineffective ways of communicating and presenting on a daily basis, they become habit. These habits are hard to break, especially in situations when we are often uncomfortable, as when giving formal presentations.
This highly intensive workshop provides numerous opportunities for participants to develop confident and credible presentations. Through the use of videotaping and immediate feedback and coaching, participants begin to realize the impact their presentation style has on others. Newly learned skills that are repeatedly practiced begin to form new habits that can be immediately applied on the job.