Fundamentals Leadership Workshop Annotated Agenda

Typical Agenda for Fundamentals Coaching

08:00-08:05WelcomeBe sure to start with the Fundamental of the Week, goals for the day.

08:05-08:20What’s working and what’s not

  • Why are we doing this? Ask each person to ID one thing that’s working well and one that’s not working so well. Be sure to address these issues throughout the day with good suggestions.

08:20-08:25Three Foundational Principles

  • You work for your staff, not the other way aroundAsk what they believe this means.
  • Servant leadership Ask them to describe what this is.
  • Your role as teachers – using the Fundamentals in your teaching Emphasize the importance of using every moment to teach; also emphasize the importance of using the language of the Fundamentals in the teaching.

08:25-08:30Using your Coaching Guide effectively Point out the different elements in the coaching guide

08:30-09:00How to effectively start a meeting with the Fundamental of the Week

  • 10 mins teaching, including brainstorming good questions to ask Emphasize asking specific questions of specific people, rotating who leads the meeting. Come up with list of questions that can be used for any Fundamental. Demonstrate how to relate Fundamentals to each other.
  • 20 mins practice exercise Exercise will likely take 15 mins, do 5 min debrief. What did they learn? How will they use this?

09:00-09:30Asking vs Telling

  • 10 mins teachingdemonstration Ask for current situations and demonstrate how to ask questions. Note the difference between “clarification” questions vs ones that generate ownership.
  • 20 mins practice exercise Exercise will likely take 15 mins, do 5 min debrief. What did they learn? How will they use this?

09:30-10:15Fundamental # : Listen generously

  • 15 mins teaching
  • Listening to understand vs listening to respond
  • Being curious
  • Dealing with interruptions – setting aside time to listen
  • Learning to replicate
  • Being open to changing your point of view
  • Helping others feel heard
  • Organizational impact of poor listening or not listening
  • 30 mins practice exercise After the first “round” of practice, ask people what they noticed. See how many had trouble keeping from giving advice, and just listening. Time allotment here includes plenty of time for debrief.

10:15-10:30Break

10:30-11:15Fundamental # : Speak straight

  • 15 mins teaching
  • What it is and what it’s NOT
  • Why we avoid difficult conversations
  • Focus on future vs the past Give examples to help them see the difference this makes.
  • Acknowledging your discomfort Great way to start a difficult conversation.
  • Going directly to each other vs “chain of command” or coworker Important to explain this and demonstrate an example
  • 30 mins practice exercise

11:15-11:50Fundamental # : Practice blameless problem-solving

  • 10 mins teaching
  • 4 organizational impacts of blame Defensiveness, stifling of innovation, covering up mistakes, CYA
  • 3 steps to blameless problem-solving Fix it, autopsy, process improvement
  • Maintaining accountability in a blameless environment (“Who?” vs “How?”)
  • 3 reasons people struggle Don’t know how, don’t have ability, aren’t motivated
  • Importance of “assuming positive intent”
  • 25mins practice exercise

11:50-12:00Debrief on everything learned so far

12:00-12:45Lunch

12:45-01:25Fundamental # : Get clear on expectations

  • 10 mins teaching
  • We judge not by what happens, but by how it compared to what we expected to happen Give example
  • Impact of sloppy language
  • Importance of both asking and setting expectations
  • Checking to make sure expectations are understood
  • Why we often don’t get clear on expectations
  • 30 mins practice exercise

01:25-2:10Fundamental # : Celebrate success

  • 10 mins teaching
  • The 2 dangers of “meaningless” acknowledgment Creates standard of mediocrity, diminishes impact of “real” acknowledgment
  • The 3 elements of “meaningful” acknowledgment Honest, specific, impact. Demonstrate by picking a person and showing specific and then again with impact.
  • Knowing your people – public vs private acknowledgment
  • Up, down, and across the organization
  • Learning to accept acknowledgment
  • 35mins practice exercise

02:10-02:25Break

02:25-02:35How people change

  • 10 mins teaching
  • Setting appropriate expectations for how change happens
  • Learning to build in support and reinforcement

02:35-03:15Wrap-up

  • Biggest “Aha”
  • One thing you’re going to do differently
  • eCoach explanation