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NMA LeaderLab

DEVELOPING DIVERSITY

RESPECT ALL TEAM MEMBERS

ACT ON ALL IDEAS

ENSURE CLOSURE

Learn how to effectively work with team members, acknowledge and address all team inputs and arrive at best resultant solutions…

Make all inputs count!

“Determining how to deal with diversity is one of the key challenges and opportunities in today’s business environment.”

Copyright © 2006, by National Management Association, Dayton, OH

NMA…

THE Leadership Development Organization

2210 Arbor Blvd.

Dayton, OH 45349

937-294-0421

Web Site: http://www.nma1.org

LeaderLab CEU Code 05009LL .1 CEU

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NMA LeaderLab Scenario

Amy is a recent graduate who is working in an office which is primarily composed of men. While in a meeting, she suggests a new way to record risk items, her area of expertise. The rest of the team acknowledges her input by saying thank you, but then goes on talking about other topics. After this happens repeatedly, Amy has decided this job is not for her, and begins looking for another assignment.

You are the leader of the team and realize what has happened. You are responsible for bringing the team together and making sure each person is permitted to contribute. You feel Amy can contribute a lot to the organization, and realize that she was not included in the team meeting.

Select a LEADER and OBSERVER, and allocate 15 minutes to determine what five specific actions should be taken by the team to get Amy back onboard and ensure consideration of her inputs. Make sure you have the team’s consensus. Take 5 minutes and devote this time to generation of team LEADER and OBSERVER reports.

Each team is allocated five minutes to present its reports. The LEADER first covers the team conclusions (3 minutes), and the OBSERVER then comments on the team process (2 minutes). There is a hard cutoff at five minutes.

The final five minutes of the LeaderLab session are devoted to facilitator feedback on the team inputs, and associated LeaderLab lessons.

ThemeLL #9 DEVELOPING DIVERSITY “Invite all Ideas”

Scenario:

Challenge:

Operations:

Reports:

Evaluation:

NMA…THE Leadership Development Organization, Dayton, Ohio

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NMA LeaderLabPrizes

NMA…THE Leadership Development Organization, Dayton, Ohio

Highlighter,Erasable,Pen Style,Yellow,Pink,Green,Blue                                                                                                                           

+ view larger image

Manufacturer: DrimarkManufacturer #: DRI95ER4BIf you highlight the wrong area, simply glide the eraser tip of pen style erasable highlighter over the unwanted highlights and watch them disappear instantly and completely. Four-pack of bright fluorescent inks are odorless and nontoxic. Colors include yellow, pink, green and blue. Made in the USA.

Highlighter,Erasable,Pen Style,Yellow,Pink,Green,Blue                                                                                                                           

+ view larger image

Manufacturer: DrimarkManufacturer #: DRI95ER4BIf you highlight the wrong area, simply glide the eraser tip of pen style erasable highlighter over the unwanted highlights and watch them disappear instantly and completely. Four-pack of bright fluorescent inks are odorless and nontoxic. Colors include yellow, pink, green and blue. Made in the USA.

Highlighter, Erasable, Pen Style,Yellow, Pink, Green,& Blue

If you highlight the wrong area, simply glide the eraser tip of pen style erasable highlighter over the unwanted highlights and watch them disappear instantly and completely.

Diversity Poster

"Different people, different beliefs, different hopes, different

dreams...we have become not just a melting pot but a beautiful

mosaic."

Brain Candy

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NMA LeaderLabLessons

• EXPRESS INTEREST AND APPRECIATION for Amy’s ideas by recognizing her contributions

• ENSURE CONSIDERATION OF ALL IDEAS at team meetings

• ASSIGN FOLLOW-ON ACTIONS if there is not enough time to address suggestions

• REPORT RESULTANT DISPOSITIONS AND DECISIONS at next meeting

• “Respect and address inputs….”

• “Reach a resolution ….”

• “Or support a follow-up….”

• “Document/report results….”

“Things to consider in your work environment!”NMA…THE Leadership Development Organization, Dayton, Ohio

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NMA LeaderLab Facilitator Hints

Assign each team a number (Team 1-5), then go through the LL instructions and make sure all teams adhere to the designated time allocation for each LL section. After taking reports from each of the teams, use the following script to provide feedback.

Thank each group for their participation and inputs; hopefully this exercise helped them formulate specific and useful improvement actions. While the actual improvement steps clearly are subjective, here are some questions you can use to characterize each report:

1. Are the group rationale and associated actions reasonable?

2. Do the actions adequately address the problem, and did the team define all five actions?

3. Are the actions likely to be effective in retaining Amy and ensuring consideration of her ideas?

4. Was the group process effective?

Group reports with at least three YES ratings and no major adverse comments pass the exercise, and qualify as DIVERSITY CHAMPIONS. Conclude with LeaderLab lessons, and prizes to the winning groups.

TEAM # Q1 Q2 Q3 Q4

1

2

3

4

5

NMA…THE Leadership Development Organization, Dayton, Ohio

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LeaderLab Evaluation Form

PLEASE CHECK THE APPROPRIATE BOX Excellent Good Fair Poor

1. The overall LeaderLab program

2. Appropriate use of the materials that made learning easy and enjoyable

3. Opportunity to exchange experiences and ideas with others

4. Length of LeaderLab relative to its objectives and meeting your needs

5. Applicability to your responsibilities, needs, and roles at home, work, and elsewhere

6. What is the most important thing you learned during the LeaderLab?

7. Which part of the LeaderLab was of MOST VALUE to you? Why?

8. Which part of the LeaderLab was of LEAST VALUE to you? Why?

9. What suggestions for improvement do you have for future LeaderLabs?

Check one ─

Your comments and suggestions are very important to us. Please take a few moments to reflect on your experiences at the LeaderLab. Your input will help us to continue to provide professional quality services

and maximize learning during the future LeaderLabs.

Yes No Did the facilitator(s)…

Keep the sessions “moving and interesting”?

Speak at a level that could be easily heard and understood by everyone?

Keep the discussions constructive, crisp, and well controlled?

Practice “good facilitation skills”?

NMA…THE Leadership Development Organization, Dayton, Ohio