Leadership Lessons Learned

We surveyed 77 random managers who went through our Executive Excellence Workshops (customized Leadership Academy to clients) in the same year.  We asked many questions about what they learned and found most useful. We were looking to see if they could take the learning from the classroom to the workplace. The results of two questions are below and we hope you find this of value as you plan your own leadership training.

For the question “Have you noticed a difference in your workplace since the training?”  88% of respondents said YES!

Then for the question “What key changes have you implemented since your leadership training sessions?”   Below are their replies:

• Try to listen better = 73%
• Compliment people = 68%
• Manage employees based on DiSC Style = 44%
• Solicit other opinions when solving problems = 42%
• Contact HR for advice or assistance = 40%
• Make decisions more cautiously = 38%
• Give people candid feedback = 34%
• Try to look at changes positively = 36%
• Use behavior based interviewing = 23%
• Think about the laws when making hiring, de-hiring or promotions = 22%

I believe some of the percentages listed above were low because many of the managers were already doing that key, so it was not a change for them.  However, it was gratifying to see the leadership lessons were learned and implemented by so many in the year after their training.

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Hire Tough, Manage Easy with PXT Select Reports

What are the ways companies try to predict success in their hiring?  From an applicant’s resume they may learn: career history, job experience, technical knowledge, and potential references.  From the interview process, they hope to understand the applicant’s: thinking style, extent of technical skills, true job knowledge, problem solving skills, and typical behavior traits.  Following this, they hope for a good selection process to match the right candidate to the correct job.

What is the company had a better way of doing interviews that could insure a better selection process?  In a previous post, you learned that PXT Select assessment could be required by each candidate for the job position.  Once multiple candidate assessments are complete, management and human resources gain access to a range of reports that can used for the selection process, as well as other purposes after the hiring is complete.  Below is a list of the PXT Select reports and what is contained in each.

PXT Select Position and Single Candidate Reports

Report Name	Results Summary or Definition	Performance Model	Interview Questions or Ideal Candidate
Comprehensive Selection	Candidate’s Results from the assessment compared to the Performance Model	Range of scores typical for success in the position, with scale and job fit interpretations	Series of personalized Questions based on the candidate’s fit to the Performance Model
Sales Comprehensive Selection	Candidate’s Results from the assessment compared to the deeper-dive into sales related practices and the Performance Model	Range of scores typical for success in the position, with scale and job fit interpretations	Series of personalized Questions based on the candidate’s fit to the Performance Model
Performance Model (for position)	Definition of each of the styles and traits	Range of scores typical for success in the position	Statement describing the Ideal Candidate for this position will appear for each style and trait

 PXT Select Single Employee Reports

 

Report Name	Definitions	Feedback or Results
Individual’s Feedback	Each of the styles, traits, and interests that were measured by the assessment will be defined	Personalized Feedback based on results and how they should be interpreted
Individual’s Graph	Each of the styles, traits, and interests that were measured by the assessment will be defined after Results	Results will be summarized on scales for Thinking Style, continua for Behavioral Traits, and a ranked-order list for Interests

PXT Select – Multiple Placement Comparison Reports

Report Name	Performance Models	Candidate Fit	Comparison or %Fit
Multiple Positions (1 Candidate to Many)	Range of scores typical for success in each position	Candidate’s results from the assessment compared to the Performance Models	The candidate’s Overall Fit for each of the positions
Multiple Candidates (Many to 1 Position)	Range of scores on each scale typical for success in the position	Each candidate’s results from the assessment compared to the Performance Models	Candidates  results for each scale are placed together for easy Comparison

PXT Select – Misc. Management Reports

 

Report Name	Results	Feedback	Definitions, Reflection, or Action
Coaching (1 to 1)	Assessment results are compared to the Performance Model, which show the range of score typical for success in the position	Feedback personalized for the individual based on the results and how they should be interpreted	Thinking Style and Behavioral Traits will be Defined following the results summary
Manager-Employee (1 to 1)	Manager’s assessment results are compared to the employee’s on 9 different scales	Personalized feedback based on how manager‘s results compare to employee’s	Reflection includes quick review, questions to answer, and an action plan
Team	Each team member’s assessment results placed together on 9 behavioral scales	Feedback for each scale based on personal and team’s responses	Team averages and personalized tips for Action planning
Leadership	Six essential Leadership Capabilities are illustrated, along with scales, traits, and interests that drive each.	Results for each Leadership Skill based on personal  responses	How the individual leads will be summarized on scales for Thinking Style, continua for Behavioral Traits, and a ranked-order list for Interests for selection and/or coaching

 

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Cohesive Teams Understand Accountability

Now that we understand commitment, that brings us to the next behaviors of cohesive teams, accountability.  How do you help teams to become more accountable?

First, we want to define accountability as peer-to-peer accountability. We are not talking about personal accountability—I do what I say I’m going to do. That is taking personal responsibility for doing your job.  We are talking about holding one another accountable, and that can be difficult! It can be hard to tell a team member that you think they are not pulling their weight on a project or to question their approach/process for doing a task.   It is just easier to complain to co-workers or the team leader than to follow-up with other team member with team accountability as the goal.

Plus we realize most people do not like to give or get criticism!  Even criticism that is “positive” or made into a feedback sandwich can be hard to say or to hear.  So we suggest they offer constructive feedback (how and why for improvement) instead.  Feedback is a gift to help others grow and so is accountability.   If the team’s relationships are strong and team members are vulnerable then they feel able to provide open and honest feedback to each other and are able to hold each other accountable.

Part of the key to feedback is to understand where the other person is coming from, i.e. their personality of behavioral style.  This is part of the team’s communication that is built through assessments in The Five Behaviors of a Cohesive Team program.  An  interesting thing about providing feedback towards accountability is the more the team members demonstrates this action, the less likely they become in needing to do it as often.  With feedback, team members will develop a habit and a mindset towards being accountable.  This builds accountability for the team as a whole as well.

Next, we will look at why results are the final layer in The Five Behaviors of a Cohesive Team model.

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About Feedback

Client asked: “I have been tasked to come up with “How to encourage constructive feedback” from employees, management, etc.   You know of any groovy cool ways of doing this or do you know of something in all the training / teaching stuff you got over these?”

Response: One thing we discuss is that a great leader knows how to “deliver, ask and accept” feedback.  One way to obtain honest candid feedback is through the use of reciprocity in questioning.  This meaning, “If I give you credit for your intelligence, you will give me an honest answer”. How to invoke the law is through the use of key words that “invoke” this law (psychological phenomenon)… the words are, opinion, expectations, belief, advice, importance or prioritizes, value, and help.  You can use these words verbally or even incorporate them into a survey.  One might ask a “similar” question without the use of the above words and they will not get the same answer.  We also say, “Use the word feel versus think”…i.e.

“In your opinion, do you feel ….”… think makes someone psychologically believe you want some profound answer, so they “think about their answer” versus feel, will be honest and from the gut or heart.

Now, when we encourage open, honest feedback, it is not always what we want to hear. Therefore, we help our managers and sales professional manage their use of the word “but” when reacting or delivering feedback.  Example, “David, you do this, this and this very well… BUT!.. …………..  Or in defending feedback or and objection, it is a natural way one defends themselves (we even use clickers in our training)!  Replace the word “but” with “and” … and accidentally one will accidentally say the right thing most of the time.  Hope this helps.

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