Navigating Tuckman’s Stages: Leading Groups from Forming to High Performing Post #4

Posted on September 20, 2013 by crosbyod

Continued from an earlier blog entry:

Stage Two – Constructive Storming/Managing Differences

As mentioned, storming, while a handy word because it rhymes, tends to evoke unfortunate images of dramatic conflict. We’ve witnessed faculty in a graduate program actually get upset with a highly functioning group because they didn’t appear to be “storming,” and mark them down based on the criticism “how could they be a healthy group?” We think that is serious and common misunderstanding of Tuckman. While intense confrontation may happen in any relationship, differences can also be managed effectively without dramatics. Stage two in Tuckman’s model is primarily about the shift in the group’s dynamics from a predictable and understandable focus on fitting in (managing initial anxiety by focusing on similarities and on the leader) to noticing and addressing differences. It is the end of the honeymoon phase. This happens when people begin to feel comfortable, a process our inclusive forming speeds up. Ironically, it is this very sense of becoming comfortable with the group that increases anxiety as one begins to note differences. “I’m just starting to feel good about this…why rock the boat by bringing that up?” An active leader, using the methods already outlined, can help the group past any such anxiety by maintaining norms of inclusion and dispersed participation, and by openly valuing the surfacing and exploration of differences.

A fundamental key to this stage lies in one’s beliefs about conflict. Many, especially in the early stages of beginning to be a member of a group, fear conflict will fracture the group, or at least their relationship to it. It is tempting to play it safe, and avoid “rocking the boat.” In contrast, we believe that differences between any two people, and certainly in a group, are inevitable, and if managed well are a source of higher performance. Toyota’s culture is a prime example. Their climb to high quality and performance was built upon immediately praising employees for bringing production problems to management’s attention (a vital cultural detail ironically overlooked by many adapting the Toyota system and/or lean manufacturing). Upon review, you and the group are not going to put time and effort into every problem raised, but it is far better to be aware of potential issues than to be ignorant of them. If the attempt to raise concerns is met with defensiveness and other forms of push-back, all but the most persistent group members will stop trying. Information and engagement will be lost. The likelihood of high performance will diminish.

This is the critical juncture for the group and nowhere is the shadow of the leader cast more strongly than in the management of conflict. As objectively as possible, a wise leader is clear about their own beliefs about conflict, and manages conflict in a manner that is best for group performance, even if it in some ways runs counter to their own beliefs. Conflict, according to noted expert Dr. Jay Hall, “is a natural part of human interaction…the way we, as individuals, think about and choose to handle conflict is more important in determining its outcome than the nature of the conflict itself.” Dr. Hall goes on to say that conflict itself is neither good nor bad: what matters is how we think about it and manage it. A simple way to think about it is that a conflict is any differences, whether large or small, whether high or low in emotional intensity, that matter to either party. Ignoring small “differences,” while tempting, often leads to even more complicated clashes down the road, or to avoidance of issues and/or individuals. Surfacing differences about work issues is far better for performance than driving them underground.

Of equal or greater importance as one’s beliefs, and related to them, is one’s behavior. We all have habits when managing conflict. An accurate understanding of your behavioral tendencies allows you to not be limited by them. For example, is it easy to give you feedback, or do your reactions make it difficult? Ideally, you are able to calmly listen and make sure you really understand even when the person raising an issue is doing so in a less than polished or stellar manner. A master of conflict can help the parties involved (including themselves) get to clarity, even if they initially feel defensive and upset by the topic or the manner in which it was raised.

In sum, to navigate stage two, a wise leader assesses their own beliefs and behaviors, and does the work necessary to overcome their own shortcomings, such as seeking feedback and skill building. With a patient and non-defensive approach, with norms of inclusion and dispersed participation, Tuckman’s phase two can unfold smoothly, without high drama. And if there are some fireworks, or difficult conflicts, the team will be much better positioned to move forward trusting that they can handle any difficulties that emerge.

Next segment: Stage Three – Active Norming

Posted in Leadership | Tagged , , , | Leave a comment

Navigating Tuckman’s Stages: Leading Groups from Forming to High Performing post #3

Posted on September 14, 2013 by crosbyod

Continued from an earlier blog entry:

Dispersed Participation

Dispersed participation means tapping into the minds of all who are in the meeting and encouraging that they become engaged. It is living the value of wanting everyone’s opinion and knowing that if left to chance, this will be unlikely to occur, and the group’s ability to pull off their business goals will be diminished. Dispersed participation immediately begins establishing healthy norms around managing differences (thus you are actively navigating Tuckman’s second and third stages from the very beginning!). Establishing this norm involves added structure such as occasional pairings to your meetings (see below) and will only happen if someone actively creates it! It is a blend of Inclusive Forming, Constructive Storming, and Active Norming. It is not so much a stage as it is a planned evolving strategy to involve all as co-creators of the product of each meeting which, in an aware group, begins in the Inclusive Forming stage. It is a strategy that acknowledges that humans have a wide range of interactional patterns and need structure to have dispersed participation.

By some of the above mentioned interventions you (the reader) have already moved participation from a one or two person dominated meeting towards a meeting where the voices of all are more likely to be heard and reinforced as important.

In addition to our earlier less formal suggestions, if you are the meeting leader, you will choose moments in the meeting to inject dispersed participation: “Here’s our agenda. Take that first item and talk to the person beside you to warm up for our discussion.” Or perhaps you will disperse participation by suggesting that they talk in pairs about whether there’s any topic that needs to be added to the agenda. In a sense you are inviting an organized “sidebar” conversation in order to engage everyone. The goal is to have everyone hear their own voice talking so as to reduce anxiety especially with newer or “lower in the hierarchy” employees, to allow more introverted members a chance to think out loud but with some privacy (talking to one peer is a lot less threatening to most than is trying to articulate their view to an entire group), and to set a norm that engages all and invites all to take ownership of the outcomes.

Now who would resist this? Well, those few who have learned how to function well in a meeting where participation is not dispersed!

Example: Imagine a meeting with 50 employees attending. The manager who has called the meeting talks for a while and then asks, “Any questions?” Who speaks when the manager asks this, or if the custom is to do so, who raises their hands?

In our experience, there are usually two or three in the audience who will speak up first and do most, or even all, of the talking. They know how to be heard in a non-dispersed situation. Also, in smaller groups, two or three often do most of the talking. Worse, since wider participation is not the norm, these few are likely to represent any hostility resident in the group and do so in an angry, blaming way!

These few resist participation being dispersed!

Of course, it’s easier to change this dynamic if you are the leader of the meeting. As a member, you would be wise to wait and make this and related suggestions privately to the leader before the next meeting, rather than try to control such dynamics on your own. Put yourself in the leader’s shoes…it’s easier to receive “corrective” feedback (even if it is simply intended as helpful) privately than publicly. And it will be less awkward for you if the leader rejects your suggestion. To the leader, here is what we suggest:

Begin with a brief statement about the agenda or a key issue. Then say, “Discuss this with someone beside you and in a few minutes I would like to hear what you think.” Do not ask if this is ok!! Immediately turn your back, avert your eyes, or do whatever you need to do to not get sucked into immediately engaging with the two or three who do not want their influence to be diffused (walk out of the room, take a sip of water, turn and talk to a colleague, etc.).

In many cases, just asking the participants to turn and say or do something like that suggested above will be enough for them to do it, but in extreme cases like illustrated above you will need to be firm. I’ve seen these few raise their hands vigorously and even shout their objections in an attempt to try and stop such pairings. Consciously or not, they may anxiously want to maintain their status as the spokespersons. They speak in “we” language as if they represent all! Rarely do they speak for themselves. Also, many silent employees are glad to empower the few who speak so they can stay safely on the sidelines. The purpose here is not to end dissent, but rather to empower all to join in the co-creation of the group or meeting and to do so in a problem solving, not a blaming, way.

Three or four minutes are long enough (although if people are obviously engaged in their paired conversations, you might wisely give them more time). Now you have a next critical intervention. “Ok, I want to hear what you’re thinking. Speak for yourself. Someone over there start (pointing in a direction away from the vocal few).” I once witnessed a large meeting of ninety go from seven participating to over fifty speaking in a meeting two weeks later. This is not easy, but the “tyranny of the few” (usually the more extroverted) must be broken if you are to move to the next stage in a productive way. Also ask, “Any comments?” not, “Any questions?” When you ask for questions people often, wanting to make a statement, twist their comments into a fake question. Not catching this, leaders try to answer and are almost always then immediately refuted. If someone makes a “disguised as a question” remark, say, “Do you have an opinion you want to state?” Almost always the response will be, “Yes!”

Next segment: Stage Two – Constructive Storming/Managing Differences

Posted in Leadership | Tagged , , , , , | Leave a comment

Navigating Tuckman’s Stages: Leading Groups from Forming to High Performing post #2

Posted on September 5, 2013 by crosbyod

Continued from an earlier blog entry:

Stage One – Inclusive Forming

Even if you all know each other you still must form as a group. There is no skipping stage one, though of course if you’ve worked together often and well, stage one could be relatively easy. By taking an active rather than a passive approach, forming is a developmental stage that can be managed in order to ensure effective group process and, ultimately, productive work.

Therefore we call the first stage “Inclusive Forming” because inclusion is the key component of the forming stage. Here’s what to look for while forming. Here also are possible interventions towards the goal of constantly increasing the productivity of the group and any meeting. As mentioned, even if you seem to be the only one aware of these dynamic stages, you can likely help the others.

When you observe the group you notice that: 1) Some are being silent…2) one comes late…3) one person is constantly interrupted…4) another has a pattern of talking at great length…5) and still another is new to the group. These are forming, or perhaps with the long talker, storming (control) issues in Tuckman’s sequence. Inclusive Forming holds a key to minimizing needless conflict and managing differences in a constructive manner during the storming phase.

In the order mentioned above, you might say: 1) “Tom, is that issue of concern to you or those on your work crew?” 2) After the late one has settled in, “Mary just before you came in we were discussing…” 3) Some group members are more prone to wait and/or give their time to others. You must be active to bring them in. “Mike, I think you wanted to say something.” 4) A riskier suggestion -Those who talk long often repeat the same point over and over. Therefore, interrupt after their first paragraph and say, “Just a minute…I want to make sure I understand you and also that others get to comment. Do you mean that, ‘…………..’? Did I get it?” “Yes? No? OK, but before you continue let’s hear from others.” 5) “Susan, welcome! In case anyone doesn’t know, would you tell us your job responsibilities?”

The formal leader, or whoever is aware of these dynamics, can initiate bringing order and clarity in this beginning stage. There are also formal topics of inclusion, such as the team and meeting’s purpose, current agenda, the team member’s roles, etc. Of course many are anxious when a meeting begins. Many are still thinking about unfinished tasks elsewhere. You can help them “arrive” and be present and engaged in the meeting!

Of course the suggested statements above are merely illustrative. Each situation is unique. You will invent what is best for you given your tendencies, your dominant conflict style, and the urgency of the moment. The fundamental issues in Stage One are: How will this go for me and the group? If I am not the leader, how will the leader handle the group, including inclusion, conflict, and managing the task? Why am I here? Why are others? What is the purpose of this (formal or informal) gathering? Will anyone listen to me? Can I focus on what is happening immediately in the meeting and on what the other participants are saying, especially the new or quieter attendees when they risk speaking up? As goals and roles are clarified, who should be here and who is missing? Who speaks first? Is anyone listening in an active way? How do we help each bring their own unique expertise to bear on achieving our goals?

If you are aware of the importance of these issues, you can then help bring both clarity about goals and of the important role of each participant. Aided by your interventions in the Inclusive Forming Stage, the group is now poised to minimize any negative aspects of the “Storming” Stage.

Next segment: Dispersed Participation (or how to engage as many as possible)

Posted in Leadership | Tagged , , , , | Leave a comment

The Leadership Questions (For those who have at least one person reporting to you at work)

Posted on August 29, 2013 by crosbyod

By Chris Crosby

Do you own all that happens in your work area?
• Do you even own problems caused in part by supporting resources working in your area but whom you have no legitimate authority over? (I.e. you are not their boss and do not do their performance review)
• If a supporting resource is not servicing your group as well as they should do you blame them instead of working with them until you get the results you need?
• If inputs that your group needs (materials, information, money, or people) are not being delivered on time or with quality do you blame the people responsible or work with them until you get what you need?
• Can you catch your blame and turn it into constructive problem solving aimed at getting results?

How is your ability to self-differentiate as a leader?
• How would you rate your ability to take a clear stand and stay connected?
• Is your focus mainly on connection?
• Is your focus mainly on taking stands?

Are you so used to the problems that you just live with them? Has your advocacy backbone died?
• Do you have a problem solving frame that begins with analysis to get to the facts of the issue or do you just throw solutions after things without real analysis?

How is your work place emotional intelligence?
• Are you aware of the connection between thoughts and feelings?
• Are you aware of the process of venting and how to tune into the people that are doing it versus reacting against or avoiding them? Or when people vent do you create a never ending cycle of venting about their vent and cause greater rifts and problems?
• Do you know the difference between a judgment of someone, such as any adjective used to describe people, and a behavioral description which is an attempt to get at the facts of what a person did, and the actual words used by that person? (Words are observable behavior. However, memory cannot be 100% trusted so when one shares the words they thought they heard they must understand that they most likely are a little off.)
• Are you aware of the dynamics of triangles in the workplace and do you know how to help people deal effectively with each other versus stay stuck in dysfunctional triangles?

Can you engage? Or are you disconnected as a leader?
• When you are in front of your group at a meeting is it clear you are the leader or do you look like another member perhaps even more passive than most in the group?
• Do you stop conversations as soon as obvious solutions are surfaced or that are about things already decided and redirect the group towards working through the next issues?
• Do you confront behavior that is counterproductive to effective workplaces like not paying attention or texting during meetings instead of listening and participating?
• When employees raise issues, can you engage with them by getting to the specifics or do you avoid the topic or complain as if you are an employee also rather than their leader?
• Do you confront people who are working outside of expectations and help them gain clarity of actually behaviors needed while occasionally using appropriate reprimands for those who truly are actually being deliberately insubordinate?
• Do you catch people doing things right and let them know by giving them positive reinforcement that is specific. Do you do this way more than sharing negative criticism (at least 3 to 1)?

Where is your tendency to focus as a leader, on the forest or in the trees? The forest represents overall functioning of the group as well as strategy. The trees represent tasks without taking a look at the group as a whole.
• Are you stuck in one way or the other or are you flexible? If you are in the trees can you focus sufficiently on the forest and create strategies that impact positively the overall functioning of the group? If you look only at the forest can you focus sufficiently on the trees and hold people accountable for individual task?
• No matter where your tendency is can you engage your employees when they bring issues? Or do you either try various means to get them to stop talking, not say anything yourself, or act as if you are one of them by joining in the complaining while not leading them beyond the issue to a solution?

When you start new initiatives do you stick to them and follow through until they are working well?
• Or are you in the never ending cycle of starting things without really following through good enough for success?

Do you listen to the people who are actually doing the work, such as floor personnel, and make sure they have all the necessary inputs and resources to do their job?
• Or do you try getting them to stop complaining and get to work?

Do you keep your focus on business results achieved and keep working on items in the way of success?
• Or do you focus mainly on keeping the peace and helping each other get along?

Do you see dissenters as trouble makers?
• Or do you attempt to understand each complaint to its actual facts then put in place solutions to solve the issues as deemed necessary?

How is your balance between backbone (the ability to show up be decisive, confront appropriately, make decisions, and hold people accountable), heart (the ability to tune in, express empathy, listen deeply in tense moments, and convey that you care), head (the ability to provide vision, to think through difficult problems, to help people understand role and expectations, and connect to the current situation), and guts (The ability to trust your instincts, and to show up in difficult moments)?
• Where are you stuck and deficient in these dimensions?

Posted in Leadership | Tagged , , , , | Leave a comment

Navigating Tuckman’s Stages: Leading Your Group from Forming to High Performing

Posted on August 22, 2013 by crosbyod

I just wrote this with the help of my father and brother (Chris). It’s rather long so I’m going to post it as a series of blog entries. Tell me what you think! – Gil Crosby

Tuckman’s model of group development has endured for decades as a simple way to understand group dynamics. His catchy and often quoted sequence is Form, Storm, Norm, and Perform. He later added Adjourn. One reason for the popularity of his model is that it is easy to remember, i.e., it rhymes. Unfortunately, the word he chose for that very reason to describe conflict, “storm,” is misunderstood by many to mean that an ugly fighting phase is necessary for a healthy group to develop. Another problem is that the model offers no guidelines on how to create a healthy (by which we mean high performing) group. Our approach, tested over decades of work with intact groups (i.e., boss and subordinates) and project teams, offers proven methods for actively guiding your group to high performance.

Like any good theory, Tuckman’s model clarifies what we already know: it is predictable that in the beginning of any new group there will be a period akin to a honeymoon stage, where members are focused on fitting in (forming), that eventually this need will be superseded by the surfacing of differences (the dramatic sounding storming), that how differences are managed will evolve into norms (do we admit and explore differences? Do we fight about differences? Do we pretend as best we can that we don’t have any differences?), and that these norms will impact group performance. In this light, Tuckman’s stages are a useful predictor of group dynamics. Unfortunately, they have been misunderstood by many as if they are to be simply endured. Most are unaware that research on Tuckman in 1975 by Johnson and Johnson noted, “Virtually all the studies that Tuckman reviewed, however, involved group leaders who were passive and nondirective and who made no attempt to intervene in group process.” We advocate a much more active approach. While Tuckman’s sequence raises awareness of the process that is unfolding, it’s important to go beyond passive awareness. An effective leader must guide the group towards constructive ends rather than leaving group development to chance. Whether or not they are the formal leader, if even one group member knows the following methods, that group has a much stronger chance of achieving high performance.

Based on our experience with 100s of groups over the past 60 years, we propose that the active leadership stages of an effective group are:

Stage One – Inclusive Forming/Dispersed Participation
Stage Two – Constructive Storming/Managing Differences
Stage Three – Active Norming/Organizing the Work
Stage Four – High Performing/Self Renewing Activities

It’s important to note that even with a passive approach to Tuckman, the stages don’t unfold in an entirely linear manner nor in any set amount of time (for example, one is establishing norms from the very beginning, and conflict can and will emerge at any time). Rather these are general guidelines and activities with an end goal of high performance.

To set the context of how this works, imagine yourself in a meeting. The meeting could be formal (a project team with members from every department) or informal (on the floor with 2 or 3 others). You may be a member or the person in charge. Regardless of your role or the circumstances of the meeting, Tuckman’s stages are unfolding!

To be continued…

Posted in Leadership | Tagged , , , , , | 1 Comment

Emotional Intelligence – Keeping Your Car on the Track

Posted on August 15, 2013 by crosbyod

Aristotle said “Anyone can become angry – that is easy, but to be angry with the right person at the right time, and for the right purpose and in the right way – that is not within everyone’s power and that is not easy.” When emotions surge, it is often tense, uncertain and fearful ground we tread. Irrational thoughts and behaviours can overtake us.

At the core of Emotional Intelligence (EQ) is the ability to be aware of your emotion as you experience it, and the capacity to remain aware and responsible in moments of intensity. “Responsible” is a compound word made of “response” + “able”, meaning the ability to choose our response as opposed to being reactive, or not in control. Other traits of EQ are: Self-motivation, persistence, optimism, delayed gratification, regulation of our moods, and recognizing and understanding emotions in others – empathy.

Daniel Goleman, author of Emotional Intelligence and pioneer in the field, says “emotions are an impulse to act.” They are the engines of human behaviour. Given this, it would seem most everyone would want a better understanding of the forces that drive us. But adults looking inward at their emotions is like kids taking medicine. Neither wants to do it, but neither will get better until they do.

The last decade saw an unparalleled study of emotion and the mind. Science tells us that Intelligence Quotient, or IQ, is relatively fixed while EQ can be increased. Our deepest feelings, passions, and longings are guides that help our species thrive but can get out of control. The typical view of minimizing emotions in our lives, especially at work, is short-sighted since they play such a huge role. Ignoring emotion, trying to push it out of your awareness, simply blinds you to it’s influence. Understanding the impact of emotion on decisions and communication is essential when navigating the complex system of authority and interdependence in any workplace.

Science asserts that the emotional part of our brain is much older in our species than the intellectual part of our brain. Automatic reactions have always been the difference between survival and death, and each emotion plays a unique part in those reactions. Unfortunately we often confront ordinary, modern dilemmas with reactions from this “primitive brain.” Irregardless of your beliefs about evolution, it’s critical to your EQ that you understand the physiological portion of the “primitive” brain, and the role it plays in your work relationships.

We have an emotional mind and a rational mind, one that thinks and one that feels. Both have their roles. Usually the two minds are balanced and coordinated, but in a rush of emotional intensity the scales can tip, and the emotional mind captures the upper hand. Goleman describes this phenomenon as a Neuro-Hijacking. The emotional brain (limbic) declares an emergency and recruits the rest of the brain to its urgent agenda. The hijack happens in an instant before the rational brain (neocortex) knows fully what’s going on, let alone if it is a good idea. Think about the last time you “lost it.” When looking back, it later seems unnecessary. There is good reason why this happens.

The amygdala, located between the brain stem and the limbic portion of the brain, plays a special role in emotional matters. It works like an alarm system that sends messages to every part of the brain. When you hear a noise in the dark, the sudden movement of an unknown shape causes you to jump before you know what it is. This is useful and helps to insure our survival. Unfortunately this same mechanism often kicks into gear when our survival is not threatened. In social situations when we feel criticized, or threatened in any way, being led by the emotional brain alone can be disastrous. Like an Indy car careening around the track with the throttle stuck and the steering wheel gone. This is not useful.

How do we fix it? One way to understand and “fix” this problem is to look at it as simple physiology. Why does the amygdala jump to conclusions before all the evidence is in? It happens because the emotional brain is far less complicated than the thinking brain. The emotional brain senses danger, decides immediately, and sounds the alarm. New research shows that there are many more neurons carrying messages from the amygdala to the neocortex than there are in the reverse direction. Once the alarm goes out the thinking brain, hijacked in the intensity of the moment, becomes a full partner in the primitive activities of fight or flight. It’s like there’s an eight lane freeway going one direction, and a Jamaican back road going the other. Regaining control isn’t easy.

Primitive brain reactions are prevalent in the workplace, but they are much more subtle than they sound. People fight by quietly debating, by talking behind each other’s backs, or through the varied forms of office politics. They freeze and flee by keeping their mouths shut, playing it safe, and not engaging. Indeed, many workplaces are mostly run by the primitive brain.

The old sayings of “count to ten” or “take a deep breath” take on new significance as scientifically-based antidotes to the human condition of “temporary insanity.” All actions are motivated by feelings. Emotions put us in motion. We can always choose how we respond to an emotion. Taking a deep breath calms the system and gives the rational brain a moment to catch up. Just to realize in the moment that you have been hijacked by your amygdala is a huge leap in self-awareness and a huge help in your relationships.

The mission, should you choose to accept it, is to develop your Emotional Intelligence. Awareness of your feelings is the key to self-knowledge. Self-knowledge is the key to self-management and improvement. Emotional Intelligence is not the much feared “touchy feely” openness wherein people are pushed to share their personal lives and inner emotional states in every interaction. Emotional Intelligence is an intentional increase in one’s capacity to recognize one’s emotions, and to use that information to make intentional, productive choices in our personal and work lives.

By Associate Mark Horswood – From Human Factors 8.2, Winter, 2008

Posted in Emotional Intelligence | Tagged , | Leave a comment

Leadership and Culture by Robert P. Crosby

Posted on August 8, 2013 by crosbyod

The use of too much authority or the absence of authority are equally disastrous. The culture created by authoritarianism is well known. The culture encouraged by a vacuum of leadership is one of confusion, delay, and unproductive anxiety leading to increases in safety incidents, lower morale, higher turnover, and absenteeism.

Historically, the idea of the business owner as an authoritarian figure, dominating the lives and minds of his employees, ushered in the 20th Century. Later, the other extreme, popularly conceived as an authority-free style where all participants make decisions, was manifest in a variety of ways under names like consensus or participative management, servant leadership, 9/9 leadership, autonomous or self-managed teams. Both extremes fail. A management strategy which integrates these extremes is needed. The story that begins in Chapter 1 of my latest book illustrates how any organization can find that elusive blend. The final chapter explains the role that authenticity—being who you are— and productivity—achieving the organization’s goals—play in that intertwining.
‘
The positive intent of authority, of course, is to get things done. The negative intent and frequent consequence is to run roughshod over people. The positive intent of consensus is to significantly involve people in decision-making. The negative intent and frequent consequence is to stifle action and give power to the most stubborn. The intertwining of the positives is a major theme of my book which you can ordeer from our website at http://www.crosbyod.com.

Excerpted from: Robert P. Crosby. “Cultural Change in Organizations” Vivo! Publishing Co., Inc., 2011

Posted in Leadership | Tagged , , , , , , | Leave a comment

Assessment Centers

Posted on August 1, 2013 by crosbyod

Assessment Centers have become a widely accepted method for assisting in employee development and career path decisions. In choosing a vendor, it is important to understand the strengths and weaknesses of the methodology. The jury is still out on the validity of the results delivered by standard assessment centers. Crosby & Associates brings a rigor to the assessment process that many providers lack. We also provide significant leadership development during the assessment. As a result, your personnel graduate from the process more capable of leading, regardless of whether they are at the top or bottom of the bell curve within your organization. For the time and cost invested, you move the organization forward and gain practical information to assist in your development, career path, and performance management decisions.

Crosby & Associates has provided leadership development and assessment, especially in the form of a master’s level corporate leadership program, since the early 1970’s. Our development methods are reliable, create a dramatic improvement in a critical mass of attendees, and have been tested time and again. A recent group of management participants rated the practical application of their learning to their work as an average score of 9.0 on a ten point scale. An average score ranging from eight to nine has been consistently reproduced through our history.

A review of the literature reveals that claims of traditional Assessment Center validity, on the other hand, are dubious. The study most frequently cited, by Gaugler, Rosenthal, Thornton, & Bentson (1985), documents a validity coefficient of .37 (0 = no relationship, 1.0 = strong relationship), comparing Assessment Center methods with other forms of assessment. Most of the literature, especially from Assessment Center vendors, claims that this proves the centers are effective.

This is a leap. For example, the most frequently cited studies claim that Assessment Center predictions, as measured by the subsequent career path advancement of the graduates, tightly match assessment by management personnel. If that’s the case, why not save time and expense and just evaluate your subordinates yourself! The Assessment Center industry’s own research indicates that management is just as good at it as they are! Furthermore, .37 is less than halfway up the cited validity scale. It is a statistically significant, but weak, correlation. Yet it is cited as proof of validity in much of the industry’s literature. The industry also cites studies indicating that people who received favorable assessments tend to advance in their careers. They claim that as proof that Assessment Centers make valid predictions. What they don’t address is that they are influencing the outcome. That is, people who get favorable assessments gain improved opportunity for advancement, whereas those who receive less favorable assessments may be handicapped when advancement decisions are made. This might be acceptable if there was no variation in the quality of assessments. If there is variability, than careers are being determined to some extent by the luck of the draw.

The industry’s own studies go on to provide evidence that the quality of the assessments does vary from assessor to assessor (Impact of Common Rater Variance on Construct Validity of Assessment Center Dimension Judgments, Kolk, Born & Flier, 2002). Furthermore, we have coached many individuals coping with and trying to interpret the meaning of negative assessments. These assessments, provided to a nuclear operating company, did not stand up to rigorous assessment of the assessments, and provided very little in the way of useful coaching. Sadly, that particular organization believed they were valid, and weighed them heavily into their career advancement decision-making.

In sum, while widely accepted in corporate circles, there is a lack of research critiquing Assessment Center validity, and numerous shortcomings in the data and methods used by the industry. A reasonable executive may be asking themselves at this point, why bother? We are surfacing these problems with the Assessment Center industry because A) nobody else seems to be, and this industry is thriving despite it’s flaws, B) because surfacing problems is part of our value system, and part of the behavior we work to instill in others, so that decisions can be made with eyes wide open, and C) because we offer a high quality, highly reliable alternative.

The Crosby & Associates Leadership Development and Assessment Center Approach:

First and foremost, we are going to develop your present and future leaders while we assess them, so that you are improving the performance of your organization while also receiving practical development information. Our experiential learning methods encourage leaders to give clear direction, take a stand for what they believe in, foster communication up and down the hierarchy, and connect with emotional intelligence to all levels of the organization. This type of leadership has fostered success in many of our clients, such as PECO Nuclear following the NRC’s shutdown of Peach Bottom Atomic Power Station, is critical to fostering productivity, quality, and safety culture, and can be reliably replicated in your organization, as it has in many others over the past 35 years.

Our assessments are behaviorally specific. No judgments are offered that can’t be tied back to a description of what we heard or saw the individual do. The person being assessed will know exactly how the assessment judgment was formed. They will have the data for forming their own interpretation of their behavior, so they are able to work on improvement in a practical manner, or challenge the interpretation. Our personnel are not afraid to be challenged, and to have follow-up conversations with the people they have assessed (unlike most of the industry, which refuses to engage once the assessment is delivered). Behavioral specificity is also a core skill in the giving and receiving of feedback, and each of the participants will carefully hone that skill during the process, so they can apply it within the organization.

Crosby & Associates assessors calibrate their ratings before finalizing them, to make sure they are being as consistent as humanly possible in their interpretations of the participants.

In addition, unlike many of our competitors, Crosby & Associates absolutely advises our customers to respect management judgment in career advancement and development decision making regarding your own personnel. Management has years of data that no Assessment Center can reproduce. We will accelerate the development of a critical mass of your leaders, and provide the organization with valuable feedback, but making career progression and development decisions about your subordinate’s remains in your hands, where it belongs. On the other hand, the standards, skills, and process in your organization for how to make those decisions will be enhanced through our leadership development activities.

Posted in Assessment Centers | Tagged , , , | Leave a comment

T-Groups – “…the most significant social invention of the (20th) century.”

Posted on December 6, 2012 by crosbyod

T-Groups are a unique learning methodology invented in 1946 by Kurt Lewin, who many consider the founder of organizational development. Carl Rogers, a renowned psychotherapist, reportedly described the T-Group as “…the most significant social invention of the century.” We strongly agree. If effectively led, T-Groups are one of the most powerful tools to increase one’s Emotional Intelligence (EQ), which is directly related to work effectiveness. Indeed, a 1975 article co-authored by Daniel Goleman, the man who has popularized EQ, concludes that “Students who had participated in a T-Group showed significantly more change toward their selected goal than those who had not.”

In 1953, Robert P. Crosby, our father and founder, attended his first T-Group at Boston University. Soon after, at NTL, he met one of Kurt Lewin’s protégés, Ron Lippitt, who mentored him for the next 30 years. Lippitt’s guidance and father’s own vision resulted in a clarity about T-Groups that has served him well ever since.

The essential purpose of our T-Group process is to help people interact as effectively as possible in order to get work done. A nice side-benefit is direct transfer of learning to personal life. The need for effective communication is universal, and by the end of the session makes sense to the vast majority of participants no matter what their role is in their organization. It’s the same goal we bring to working with intact work teams, to “whole systems” interventions with a cross-section of an organization, to individual coaching, etc. That is, how to do the best job of being understood, and of understanding others, especially in moments of emotional intensity. With that focus, it is not “touchy-feely.” It is immensely practical.

Participants agree. At the end of each workshop, dating back to the 1950’s, we have had the participants rate the learning. During the past few decades we have used the same 1 to 10 scale, rating “application to work” and “application to life (outside of work).” Literally thousands (mostly from industrial settings) have given a consistent average rating around 9.0. Testimonials amassed during father’s 60 plus years of experience confirm the numbers. Stories, such as the following quote from a nuclear power VP, are not unusual. “I went through this almost 20 years ago at PECO Nuclear and it is the only training that has ever stuck with me. I use the skills and concepts every day.”

We point out all of this because T-Groups are a foundation of our business culture change methodology, which leads to consistent performance improvement as measured by business metrics. With that in mind, let us go into more detail, including distinctive features of our T-Group methodology (not all T-Group methods are the same).

The vast majority of our workshops are done within an organization, hence our T-Group based “Tough Stuffs” are carefully designed to increase EQ as applied to work. The leader sponsoring the workshop kicks things off by articulating, as best they can, how the skills learned will help reach their business goals, including any specific needs they see, such as better management of conflicts.

Once under way we conduct our initial “theory session” (mini-lectures which are interwoven throughout the workshop). We begin with a simple example of one of the many things the participants could be more aware of, the reptilian brain reactions (fight, flight, freeze), so as not to be stuck in reactive behavior. We also explore the concept of experiential learning – learning by doing and then carefully reflecting on one’s experience – through a simple activity where they quickly have an experience and then reflect on it in specific ways. With this framework, we shift from theory to the first T-Group of the workshop.

Whereas some begin T-Groups with intentional ambiguity (where, for example, the facilitator doesn’t say anything), we offer as much clarity and transparency about the T-Group task as possible. The essential T-Group task is to verbalize what you want, think and feel (by “feel” we mean to name your immediate emotion…”mad, sad, glad, afraid, etc”) in the immediate moment in relation to the other participants. We are fairly active about intervening around this task, and living it ourselves. It’s a tight focus that we maintain around immediate reactions, experience and behavior. Although a task that most participants are not accustomed to (to say the least), it’s not ambiguous, even though it takes some getting used to. What is ambiguous is changes/reactions in self and in others from moment to moment. That is not unique to T-Groups though. That is life, which is why T-Group learning is so practical.

A critical distinction of our T-Group method is the type of “openness” we are encouraging. The participants are working on being effectively open about their immediate interactions. They are NOT working on being “open” about their personal lives. Some people think of openness only in terms of telling troubling stories about one’s past. This distinction is the difference between T-Groups and individual therapy. Such confessions are a big reason the “T-Group movement” virtually died out. T-Groups became so popular in the 60s and 70s that the demand outgrew the availability of skilled facilitators, and many T-Groups essentially became pseudo-therapy sessions. Our focus on immediate interactions and not on personal story telling is a big reason why we have been able to continue using T-Groups in business settings over the past 6 decades.

Another distinction of our approach is to have an inner circle and an outer circle. Participants in the outer circle are each assigned to a participant in the inner circle. Both spend equal time in the inside and outside positions. The inner circle is doing the T-Group task, as described above. The outer circle silently observes and takes detailed notes on their “partner,” which they then debrief privately with their partner prior to the next round of T-Group. These notes are very specific: observable behavior only…body language, tone of voice, quotes…plus the observer’s hunch about their partner’s emotions (“mad, sad, glad, afraid, etc.”). The discipline of documenting these behavioral observations is an important means for us to teach and reinforce the distinction between the judgments participants are forming, and the behavior that led them to their judgments.

Increased objectivity about one’s judgments of others is one of the many gems to be mined from John Wallen’s Interpersonal Gap theory, which we view as a cornerstone of EQ and present early in each workshop. Wallen’s model also highlights how our judgments trigger our own emotional responses, how misunderstanding is likely in tense moments, and how behavioral skills such as paraphrasing what you think the other meant (not parroting their words) can help decrease misunderstanding. The behavior description in the observer’s task is also from Wallen, and is directly transferable to coaching and mentoring employees. One cannot drive behavioral changes unless they can be specific about behavior.

Those are the kinds of skills we are working on in the T-Groups, skills best learned by trying them on in live unscripted interactions, reflecting on the experience, making adjustments and trying again. There’s more, but that should provide a feel for the method a la Crosby. It is safe to say we are very active in our facilitation, and indeed an important moment in most workshops is when a participant is honest with a facilitator about being irritated with the facilitator’s interventions. We think how people manage their differences with authority figures is a vital factor in organizational performance, so we welcome such moments while responding to them as genuinely as we can. We are far from perfect, don’t have to be (thank heavens), and don’t claim to be. We simply apply the same standards to ourselves that we are asking of the participants. That first confrontation with the facilitator tends to be a breakthrough for the group, in that they then begin to be more honest with each other about differences, whereas initially they tend to avoid their differences out of fear of what might happen.

And that is the beauty of T-Groups…what is real in work relationships (such as fear, blame, etc.) shows up in T-Groups, but with a chance to learn how to better manage oneself during difficult moments. Increased honesty about differences of opinion…skill at really listening to understand even during tension…these are the practical outcomes.

Anyone who is interdependent on anyone else in order to get their work done (and that is most people) must communicate about work issues. That is where increased effectiveness pays off. It’s not a choice. It’s either done well or done in such a way (including complete avoidance of necessary conversations) that it is harder to get the work done.

The same is true of emotions. They are already a constant in the workplace. We want people to be more aware of emotion so that they can make more thoughtful choices about their own behavior and not let emotion prevent them from understanding others.

In other words, the goal of this type of learning as we deliver it is that work information flows between layers, departments, and functions, and is not being needlessly bogged down by conflict, avoidance, blame, fear, etc. It’s not “soft skills” for the sake of soft skills…its behavior change for the sake of performance. Hence the name “Tough Stuff,” coined by a participant.

As mentioned, T-Groups are only part of the puzzle of culture change. All teams, for example, need to self-assess…are they getting what they need from each other in order to get the work done? Are they getting what they need from other groups? Cross-sections of the organization need to come together to overcome barriers to crossfunctional work…and so on. T-Group learning is just one possible intervention…an intervention that reinforces the behavioral maturity needed in any challenging work situation.

Finally, while the leader is looking for certain work culture outcomes (such as people handling difficult conversations in a manner that leads to the most productive results), each individual is reflecting on their own behavior and on their own work/national/ethnic culture regarding what is working and what is not working, and how they want it to be. They are truly in charge of their own learning. That is one reason our T-Group process has been effective wherever we have had the privilege of taking it thus far, including the United Kingdom, Italy, Russia, Egypt, Australia, the United States, Canada, Mexico, Jamaica, and Costa Rico.

In sum, T-Groups, when facilitated properly, are a great tool for building high performance culture!

Read more or sign up for our next T-Group based workshop at www.crosbyod.com.

Posted in T-Groups | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , | 3 Comments

Leadership – the first chapter from my new yet to be published book

Posted on July 18, 2012 by crosbyod

Excerpted from “Leadership can be Learned”

Chapter One: Leadership

Take clear stands and stay connected – the essence of leadership. The task of being an effective authority figure remains the same, whether your role impacts many (President, VP, CEO, etc.) or a few (parent, Front Line Supervisor, etc.). It is your personal hero’s or heroine’s quest…a true combination of art and science. This guide, based on the combined experience of my father Robert P. Crosby, beginning in the 1950s, and my own (an Organization Development Professional since 1984), along with many other sources both ancient and modern, conveys a practical and thoroughly tested model of leadership. Applied with humility and sincerity, you and the people you lead can move mountains.

The hero’s quest has been traveled since the dawn of time (a wonderful source for further exploration of that theme are the writings of Joseph Campbell). The path, while illuminated by this and other teachings, is always uniquely your own. It was forged in your earliest moments, before you understood language, in the cauldron of your earliest authority relationships. You learned then about trust and mistrust, about dependency and independence. You don’t need therapy to understand your current reactions to being an authority figure and to relating to authority figures (although therapy can be a path to learning). You need only to be a clear eyed observer of your own emotional and behavioral reactions. From there you can create your own clarity about how to be the most effective leader you can be.

To walk the path, one must balance taking clear concise stands (focusing on and trusting self) and staying connected to the people you depend on (focusing on and trusting others). Either extreme: only taking stands (leading autocratically) or only staying connected (leading by consensus) will pull you off the path. People respond to clarity, and people respond to mutual respect. A transformational leader knows how to foster both. This book is about that journey. Take clear stands and stay connected and you will create your Camelot moments of results and camaraderie.

So what’s so tough about taking clear stands and staying connected? That’s where the flaming swords of fear and desire rear their ugly heads and block your path. Many leaders desire so much to be “one of the gang” or “just a regular guy” that they undermine their ability to lead. Many also seem to underestimate the deep psychological importance of their role. All humans start their lives completely dependent on the adult authority figures in their lives. The emotions that are experienced in those early relationships stay with us throughout life. We project them onto authority figures and live them out in our own roles of authority. To lead and/or follow effectively we must come to peace with our own reactions to the role, and we must empathize with the reactions of others. This is true whether we are a front line supervisor, a CEO, or a parent. If we let our desire “not to be the boss” keep us from taking clear stands…if we let our fear of our own subordinates reactions keep us from connecting…we cannot lead. To truly lead one must provide direction or the organization will flounder, and one must sincerely relate or the organization will not follow.

Take clear stands and stay connected. This book explores both the art and the science of this simple yet powerful model of leadership, including how to understand yourself and develop your skills.

Posted in Leadership | Tagged , , , , , , , | Leave a comment