LDEP Manager's Guide

LDEP Manager’s Guide

INTRO TO MANAGERS’ GUIDE....................................4 – 5 LDEP MANAGERS’ GUIDE ..........................................6 – 9 Basic Framework Meet With your Participant Prior to Program Beginning During Program Feedback Canceled Meetings 360 Feedback and Development Plans Projects Post Program Temptations SUPPORTING MANAGERS’ ROLES .................................10 Goals Responsibilities WORKSHEET..................................................................11

The Leadership Development

Essentials Program (LDEP) Program

curriculum is targeted for those employees who manage

people in some capacity.

Roles & Responsibilities for the Support of LDEP Participants’ Learning and Development

To enhance the learning of the LDEP participant, the participant’s Direct Manager and that manager’s manager (Supporting Manager) both need to be engaged during the program and after the program. Managers will have a different a role in the program based on the participant’s reporting relationship to them. The two roles are: ▪ Direct Manager – Primarily responsible for actively coaching the participant. ▪ Supporting Manager – Primarily responsible for checking in with both the manager of the participant and, occasionally, with the participant in a supporting role. Note: In the case where a participant’s manager is also in the program, the next level of management will be performing the Direct Manager role for both their direct report and also that participant’s direct report. This means some of you will be in both roles, but with different LDEP participants.

The Table on page 5 is intended to clarify who is in what role or roles for LDEP6. Following that is a Guide for Direct Managers and a Guide for Supporting Managers.

4

Direct Manager Role

Supporting Manager Role

LDEP 6 Participant(s)

Department

Architecture

Bob Celata

Chris Albino Robert Clemens Katie Dewar Christen Robbins

Justin Kababik

Bob Celata

Shawn Poulin

Engineering

Michelle Carlson Derek Kohl

Jessica Bates Matt Bruton Dennis Goderre Kim Masiuk Bill McAnally

Dan Salameda Derek Kohl

Kestra Kelly

Michelle Carlson Bob Blickley

Nick Giardina

Derek Kohl

Adam Dawidowicz

Mike Fisher

Derek Kohl Nick Giardina

Mike Dion Ken Radziwon

Tom Pechillo

Derek Kohl Nick Giardina

Charlie Packer

Paul Curcio

Derek Kohl Tom Hamilton

Ian McPhillips

Environmental

Brad Wolf

Mike McGowan

Survey

Jen Marks

Pat Corless

Corporate

Julia O’Brien

Bret Boudreaux

Kathy DeVito

Karen Benoit Julia O’Brien

Barbara Bamberg

5

Managers’ Guide to Supporting LDEP Participants’ Learning

This portion of the Manager’s Guide is intended as support and guidance for the Direct Managers of LDEP participants.

applying the skills, use their journals to reflect (develop a habit), do assignments to be prepared for next session. 3. Help them clear their calendars on program days so they can be fully present – help them think about who else can step in for them on critical projects? (discuss ahead of time). Try not to schedule meetings or discussions during their breaks. DURING PROGRAM (BE A COACHING LEADER) 1. Schedule check in meetings. ▪ Look at program meeting schedule – set up a half hour to talk with them between sessions. Create a regular cadence for meetings and make them a priority. Possible topics include but are not limited to the following: ▪ Comments on their overall experience in the program so far. ▪ What they learned that seemed meaningful to them and how do they think they can use what they learned. ▪ Ask participant to recount a situation with you where they applied a skill from the recent session: use after action review questions. ▪ How can you further support them in integrating skills and concepts into how they lead? ▪ What were the homework assignments? What was their experience when they tried to apply the skills or concepts? What did they learn as a result?

BASIC FRAMEWORK 1. You are in this with your participant; make time to be supportive. 2. Their learning and how they integrate that learning into their leadership practices depends on your active support – don’t waste BL time and money. 3. Be a role model for the behaviors your participant is learning. ▪ Refresh yourself on your LDEP skills. ▪ Be a “fan.” Be sure your participant knows you are invested in them and their success at BL. 4. Demonstrate your interest and support by showing up at the virtual kick off, meeting between sessions, at the graduation/closing luncheon, and after the program. MEET WITH YOUR PARTICIPANT PRIOR TO PROGRAM BEGINNING 1. Ensure each of your participants knows they were selected to be part of the LDEP program because BL wants to invest in their development as a leader by escalating their leadership skills. 2. Encourage them to attend, be open to learning, actively participate, practice

6

FEEDBACK 1. Support your feedback with data you gather from your own direct observation and/or by talking to the LDEP participant’s project peers and/or direct reports. You may delegate a task or create an opportunity specifically for the purpose of observation and feedback. CANCELED MEETINGS 1. If you cancel a scheduled meeting, be sure to set up a meeting at a different time/date.

▪ How useful is their Application Group – why? What could they do to make it even more useful? ▪ What are the assignments to prep for the next session? ▪ Notice where you see growth on their part – give effective feedback (your intent, specific, descriptive, impact – on you or others, discussion). ▪ Ask about progress on SMART goals from time to time; how can you further support them?

Types of check-in meetings (mix it up):

Type

Purpose

Key Questions

Frequency

Orientation

Setting (or re-setting) expectations

What are your leadership goals, roles, and responsibilities?

New to job or resetting responsibilities

Quick connect

“I see you” “I’m available”

What do I need to know?

Not scheduled, reach out for greater approachability

Task focus

Progress review, workload, goals, needs

How did it go? Any headlines? Most important take-aways? Anything you need from me? How are you stretching? What are you learning? How can I support you?

Regularly scheduled

Development focus Long-term

Not as frequent, regularly scheduled. Don’t wait for annual reviews

development

7

360 FEEDBACK AND DEVELOPMENT PLANS 1. Fill yours out on time. 2. Make sure to write narrative comments. 3. Remember they will know which comments are from you. 4. Discuss results – let them lead. ▪ After debriefing with a member from Praxis Group and developing some overall areas to work on, they will set up a meeting with you. ▪ It is up to your participant to decide what headlines from the 360 to share. ▪ Ask them about both strengths and gaps. ▪ If you have particular areas,

2. Talk through the project with them ▪ Why is it strategically important? ▪ What steps will they take to research it? ▪ Who else in BL can they call on for help (e.g., marketing dept, BD, Executive Directors, people in other disciplines, etc.). 3. Check in to be sure they are finding time to work on their project. 4. Review and make suggestions on a first presentation draft. 5. Have them rehearse by presenting to you – give them constructive feedback to improve it. 6. If you observed their presentation to the Board, meet with them to: ▪ Ask how they felt about the presentation – What went well? What did they learn? ▪ Give them any feedback that you have: positive or constructive; follow the rules for effective feedback (above). Look for other opportunities (outside of LDEP) where they can develop consistently with their development goals POST PROGRAM 1. After meeting with the CEO and the facilitators after the program ends, make a plan for how you work with your participant to support their ongoing development. 2. You might ask to have them talk you through their Job Crafting plan and/or share their ongoing Development Plan.

yourself, where you think they have strengths or gaps, you can ask about feedback they got on those areas. goals around a couple of key areas – check in on how their doing with those, every month or so, and how you can further support them. Be sure to notice and comment on any specific progress you’ve seen.

▪ They will formulate SMART

PROJECTS 1. Each participant will be asked to define, research and deliver a presentation to BL’s Board of Directors on some topic, area, issue that has strategic importance to BL. Help your participant choose or define a project that is important to BL and one in which they have an interest. Final topics will be approved by the CEO and your Executive Director.

8

WATCH OUT FOR THESE TEMPTATIONS

Talking more than your participant

1. By giving advice you will miss the opportunity to have a developmental conversation.

Advice-giving (be a coach, not an expert)

2. Instead, ask effective (often open-ended) questions. 3. Exercise empathy so you understand their experience. 4. Help your participant solve problems, develop strategies and plans. 5. Empower them to fix things they aren’t happy about.

1. You may find yourself tempted to “join” by sharing your experiences in the program. Be cautious and thoughtful about doing so. Don’t shift the focus from them to you or from their experience to yours.

Joining

Avoiding giving difficult, constructive feedback

1. Remember, people rarely grow without the benefit of feedback so they can understand how others experience and are impacted by them .

1. Participants will have a norm of confidentiality that you would not want to invite them to break by talking about others. 2. It is fine for them to share anything they want about their own experience.

Asking about other participants

Multi- tasking while meeting with participant

1. Remember active listening skills: be fully present and attentive.

9

Supporting Managers’ Roles and Responsibilities

GOALS 1. By checking in with a participant’s manager you are reinforcing their role in supporting the participant’s learning. 2. Occasionally checking in with a participant demonstrates your interest in them and their development and caring that the program is valuable to them.

RESPONSIBILITIES 1. Check in with the participant’s manager once every month or two to see if they need any additional support 2. Check in informally with the LDEP participant approximately every other month: ▪ How’s the program going? ▪ What are you getting out of it? ▪ Do you think it will help you to be successful in your role? If so, how?

10

Aligning Leadership, Strategy, and Culture

Please read through the Managers’ Guide for Supporting LDEP Participants and then answer each of the following questions. Have your completed workshop available for the Managers’ Program meeting. You will be asked to share your answers with a small group of those attending the session. Worksheet: Responsibilities of Managers of LDEP Participants

1. Overall: A. What is your overall reaction to your responsibilities as a Manager of one or more LDEP participants?

B. What about the Guide – its content, organization, and how you access it – seems most helpful to you?

C. What other resources would help you remember and apply your coaching skills when you most need them?

2. In terms of the expectations articulated in the Guide: A. Which of the responsibilities do you think will be easiest for you?

B. Which will be the most challenging? Why?

C. What steps can you take to address the responsibilities that will be most challenging?

Praxis Consulting Group 9 W. Highland Avenue, Philadelphia PA 19118 | praxisCG.com | 215.753.0303

LDEP Manager’s Guide