Resiliency in Leaders :Resiliency in Leaders :Kelley School of BusinessKelley School of Business

X420 Discussion Session #63X420 Discussion Session #63

The Resilient Team leaderThe Resilient Team leader

Teamwork is essential, but any group effort can degenerate into argument and anger….

Every career requires dealing with people

… you cannot escape dealing with people problems….

How to Cope With it AllHow to Cope With it All

Three areas of concern:1. Yourself2. Your Team3. Difficult Personalities

Sometimes personalities clash or a co-worker is just having a bad day

Occasionally, a co-worker’s personality can make most days bad days

As a manager, or a key team member, your attitude and skills can build, preserve or destroy a team.

First things first – you have to be ready to cope.

Attitude IS everything when it comes to dealing with any task, as well as difficult people or situations….

Your attitudeYour attitude is the key to dealing successfully with difficult is the key to dealing successfully with difficult people and situations on the job, or off….people and situations on the job, or off….

The “can do” attitude is fundamental

You communicate attitude ……in three ways.

….the percentages….

Three general attitude types --

NEUTRAL

NEGATIVE

POSITIVE

How to do a personal “attitude adjustment”….

“Listen” to yourself words tone of voice body language

Think good thoughts

Pursue happiness

Don’t “second guess” yourself

“Attitude maintenance”….

Start fresh every day

Clarify your purpose

Visualize your future

Express your feelings

Seek out positive influences

SELF-AWARENESSSELF-AWARENESS MentalMental PhysicalPhysical

Leaders who are consistently successful Leaders who are consistently successful practice…practice…

OPENNESSOPENNESS AttitudeAttitude PosturePosture EnvironmentEnvironment

TRUTH and HONESTYTRUTH and HONESTY WordsWords DeedsDeeds

A flexible approach to internal team dynamics orA flexible approach to internal team dynamics orthe hurdles a team faces is essential.the hurdles a team faces is essential.

The effective leader is self-aware, practicingThe effective leader is self-aware, practicingopenness and honesty as a leadership style….openness and honesty as a leadership style….

BUILDING TRUSTBUILDING TRUST

Trust builds a team….Trust builds a team….

BEWARE!BEWARE!As the “official” team leader, or as a key team member, there As the “official” team leader, or as a key team member, there

are many ways of committing “teamicide”. A short list of are many ways of committing “teamicide”. A short list of the most common teamicide techniques include:the most common teamicide techniques include:

Defensive managementBureaucracyPhysical separationFragmentation of people’s timeQuality reduction of the product

Defensive managementDefensive management “ “People who feel untrusted People who feel untrusted

have little inclination to have little inclination to bond together into a bond together into a cooperative team.”cooperative team.”

NOTE: All quotes taken from Peopleware: Productive Projects and Teams, by Tom DeMarco and Timothy Lister

BureaucracyBureaucracy “ “Mindless paper pushing is a waste.” It cripples Mindless paper pushing is a waste.” It cripples

productivity and team spirit.productivity and team spirit.

Physical separationPhysical separation When what could be a tightly coherent team is scattered over When what could be a tightly coherent team is scattered over

floors or in different buildings, casual interactions are floors or in different buildings, casual interactions are sacrificed. Casual interaction is essential to team formationsacrificed. Casual interaction is essential to team formation

Fragmentation of people’s timeFragmentation of people’s time “ “Fragmentation is bad for team formation” Fragmentation is bad for team formation”

and bad for efficiency.and bad for efficiency.

Quality reduction of the team’s productQuality reduction of the team’s product Almost always referred to as a “cost-reduced” Almost always referred to as a “cost-reduced”

product, but even when the result is deemed product, but even when the result is deemed acceptable (less quality for cheaper and earlier acceptable (less quality for cheaper and earlier delivery), it can kill a team.delivery), it can kill a team.

Teams made up of dynamic, creative individuals Teams made up of dynamic, creative individuals will almost always will almost always

suffer from periods of conflict.suffer from periods of conflict.

The Resilient Team leader: The Resilient Team leader: EVALUATION QUESTIONSEVALUATION QUESTIONS

USE: USE:

– a. Strongly agreea. Strongly agree

– b. Agreeb. Agree

– c. Disagreec. Disagree

– d. Strongly d. Strongly disagreedisagree

– e. Don’t knowe. Don’t know

1. I found the presentation material easy to understand.

2. This Advantage session increasedMy knowledge of the subject presented.

3. I will be able to use some of the Information from this session in the future.

4. The presenter was well prepared for this Advantage session.

5. This presentation should be repeated in future semesters.