Global Competency Development Dictionary - Final

Global Competency
Development Dictionary

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Table of Contents
COMPETENCY MODEL ........................................................................................................................... 6
EASE OF DEVELOPMENT ...................................................................................................................... 8
Leadership Level: Individual Contributor .............................................................................................. 10
CUSTOMER FOCUS ............................................................................................................................... 11
DRIVING EXECUTION ........................................................................................................................... 15
PASSION FOR RESULTS ...................................................................................................................... 19
Leadership Level: Supervisor ................................................................................................................ 23
ALIGNING PERFORMANCE FOR SUCCESS ................................................................................... 24
BUILDING A SUCCESSFUL TEAM ...................................................................................................... 28
BUILDING TRUST ................................................................................................................................... 32
COACHING ............................................................................................................................................... 36
CUSTOMER FOCUS ............................................................................................................................... 40
DEVELOPING OTHERS ......................................................................................................................... 44
PLANNING AND ORGANIZING ............................................................................................................ 55
Leadership Level: Manager ................................................................................................................... 59
ALIGNING PERFORMANCE FOR SUCCESS ................................................................................... 60
BUILDING A SUCCESSFUL TEAM ...................................................................................................... 64
COACHING ............................................................................................................................................... 68
COMMUNICATION .................................................................................................................................. 72
CUSTOMER FOCUS ............................................................................................................................... 76
DELEGATING RESPONSIBILITY ......................................................................................................... 80
DEVELOPING OTHERS ......................................................................................................................... 84
Leadership Level: Director ...................................................................................................................... 95
BUILDING ORGANIZATIONAL TALENT ............................................................................................. 96
BUSINESS SAVVY ................................................................................................................................ 100
COACHING AND DEVELOPING OTHERS ....................................................................................... 104
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CUSTOMER FOCUS ............................................................................................................................. 108
DRIVING EXECUTION ......................................................................................................................... 112
EMPOWERMENT/DELEGATION ....................................................................................................... 116
FINANCIAL ACUMEN ........................................................................................................................... 120
LEADING CHANGE ............................................................................................................................... 124
LEADING TEAMS .................................................................................................................................. 128
OPERATIONAL DECISION MAKING ................................................................................................. 132
PASSION FOR RESULTS .................................................................................................................... 136
Leadership Level: ELT/VP .................................................................................................................... 143
BUILDING ORGANIZATIONAL TALENT ........................................................................................... 144
BUSINESS SAVVY ................................................................................................................................ 148
COACHING AND DEVELOPING OTHERS ....................................................................................... 152
CUSTOMER FOCUS ............................................................................................................................. 156
DRIVING EXECUTION ......................................................................................................................... 160
EMPOWERMENT/DELEGATION ....................................................................................................... 164
FINANCIAL ACUMEN ........................................................................................................................... 168
LEADING CHANGE ............................................................................................................................... 172
LEADING TEAMS .................................................................................................................................. 176
OPERATIONAL DECISION MAKING ................................................................................................. 180
PASSION FOR RESULTS .................................................................................................................... 184
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COMPETENCY MODEL
Leadership Individual
Supervisor Manager Director ELT/VP
Levels Contributor
Customer Focus Customer Focus Customer Focus Customer Focus Customer Focus
Driving Driving Driving Driving
Core Driving Execution
Execution Execution Execution Execution
Competencies
Passion for Passion for Passion for Passion for Passion for
Results Results Results Results Results
Building Building
Aligning Aligning
Organizational Organizational
Performance for Performance for
Talent Talent
Success Success
Building a Building a Business Savvy Business Savvy
Successful Team Successful Team
Coaching and Coaching and
Coaching Coaching Developing Developing
Others Others
Level Specific Empowerment / Empowerment /
Building Trust Communication
Competencies Delegation Delegation
Financial Financial
Planning & Delegating
Acumen Acumen
Organizing Responsibility
Developing Developing
Leading Change Leading Change
Others Others
Leading Teams Leading Teams
Operational Operational
Decision Making Decision Making
Selling the Vision Selling the Vision
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EASE OF DEVELOPMENT
Some competencies are easier to develop than others. The more a competency represents
characteristics that are primarily inherited or learned early in life, the more difficult it is to
develop that competency later in life. The most developable competencies are skills or
knowledge that people can learn with moderate instruction without relying strongly on
fundamental cognitive abilities, personality characteristics, or extensive experience
1 = Least able 5 = Most able to

2 3 4
to be developed be developed
Aligning
Business Savvy Building Trust Coaching Performance for
Success
Coaching &
Passion for Operational Building a
Developing
Results Decision Making Successful Team
Others
Building
Selling the Vision Customer Focus Organizational
Talent
Driving
Communication
Execution
Financial Delegating
Acumen Responsibility
Developing
Leading Change
Others
Planning & Empowerment/
Organizing Delegation
Leading Teams

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Leadership Level: Individual Contributor
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CUSTOMER FOCUS
Ensuring that the customer perspective is a driving force behind business decisions and activities;
crafting and implementing service practices that meet customers’ and own organization’s needs.
KEY ACTIONS
¾ Seeks to understand customer—Actively seeks information to understand customer
circumstances, problems, expectations, and needs.
¾ Identifies customer service issues—Identifies breakdowns in internal processes and systems

that directly impact customer service and retention; expresses concerns to others.
¾ Creates customer-focused practices—Uses understanding of customer needs to institute

systems, processes, and procedures to ensure customer satisfaction and to prevent service
issues from occurring; promotes customer service as a value.
¾ Assures customer satisfaction—Makes sure that customer solutions, practices, and

procedures are carried out and achieve their objectives.
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DEVELOPMENT ACTIVITIES
FORMAL LEARNING
¾ Read major customers' internal publications and industry trade journals to become familiar with
their business and their needs.
¾ Stay in touch with your customers' businesses by establishing a file of newspaper clippings, trade
and business journals, annual reports, and marketing research on each customer. Keep abreast
of current trends that might affect your customers.
¾ Attend industry association events and customer functions that will enhance your understanding
of your customers’ business needs.
¾ Look for books or workshops that address the following:
o Providing better customer service.
o Identifying customer needs, establishing rapport with customers, and confirming
customer satisfaction.
o Keeping customer service standards and techniques a priority throughout the company.
o Conducting customer focus groups.
BOOKS
Barnes, J.G. (2001). Secrets of customer relationship management: It's all about how you make them
feel. New York: McGraw-Hill.
Brinkman, R., & Kirschner, R. (2005). Love thy customer: Creating delight, preventing dissatisfaction, and
pleasing your hardest-to-please customer. New York: McGraw-Hill.
Buckingham, R.A. (2001). Customer once, client forever: 12 tools for building lifetime business
relationships. Washington, DC: Kiplinger Books.
Cook, S. (2000). Customer care: How to create an effective customer focus (3rd ed.). London: Kogan
Page Limited.
Cram, T. (2001). Customers that count: How to build living relationships with your most valuable
customers. Upper Saddle River, NJ: Prentice Hall.
Goodman, G.S. (2000). Monitoring, measuring and managing customer service. San Francisco: Jossey-
Bass.
Mooney, K. (2002). The ten demandments: Rules to live by in the age of the demanding consumer. New
York: McGraw-Hill Trade.
Quinn, F. (2001). Crowning the customer. St Johnsbury, VT: Raphel Marketing. Zemke, R., & Bell, C.
(2000). Knock your socks off service recovery. New York: AMACOM.
ARTICLES
Allen, D. (2001, September). Dedicate yourself to your customers, sales will follow. Sell!ng, 12.
Billington, J. (1998, July). Customer-driven innovation. Harvard Management Update, 3(7), 7-8.
Brown, M.G. (2000, March). And the survey says. . .customer behavior can't always be predicted. Journal
for Quality & Participation, 23(2), 30-32.
Brownell, E.O. (2001, July). Customer care [Customize service to different age groups]. Executive
Excellence, 18(7), 14.
Chase, R.B., & Dasu, S. (2001, June). Want to perfect your company's service? Use behavioral science.
Harvard Business Review, 79(6), 78-84.
Gates, B. (2001, July). Customer-driven companies. Executive Excellence, 18(7), 6.
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Greco, S. (April, 2001). Fanatics [Outstanding customer service providers]. Inc, 23(5), 36-48.
Guaspari, J. (2000, March). How to unleash the real power of customer connections. Journal for Quality &
Participation, 23(2), 6-15.
Guaspari, J. (2004, January/February). A preposition proposition. Across the Board, 41(1), 63-65.
Johnston, R., & Mehra, S. (2002, November). Best practices complaint management. Academy of
Management Executive, 16(4), 145–155.
Lawson, R. (2000, March). Using measure to connect strategy with customers. Journal for Quality &
Reichheld, F.F. (1996, March/April). Learning from customer defections. Harvard Business Review, 74(2),
56-69.
Seybold, P.B. (2001, May). Get inside the lives of your customers. Harvard Business Review, 79(5), 80-
89.
Stewart, T.A. (1999, May 10). Customer learning is a two-way street. Fortune, 139(9), 158-160.
Tax, S., & Brown, S.W. (1998, Fall). Recovering and learning from service failure. Sloan Management
Review, 40(1), 75-88.
LEARNING FROM OTHERS

¾ Seek feedback from peers and others on your effectiveness in promoting customer focus.
¾ Seek feedback from your customers on your effectiveness at meeting their needs and helping
resolve their problems.
¾ Think about how you are treated in service situations and note actions that impress you. Use
these as examples for improving your own customer focus.
¾ Ask customers to recommend ways for you to learn more about their business. Discuss these
activities with the customer and your peers.
¾ Create and maintain a customer feedback file. Look for trends in the concerns customers have
and their level of satisfaction with your service. What can you do to improve your customer focus?
LEARNING FROM EXPERIENCE

¾ Develop product and service standards that will meet or surpass customer requirements.
¾ Conduct focus groups with customers to determine what they see as your strengths and
weaknesses.
¾ Involve key customers in new product development. Ask for their ideas and reactions.
¾ Interview customers who have stopped using your products or services. Uncover their reasons for
stopping and use the information to help improve other customer relationships and, perhaps, win
back these former customers.
¾ Regularly meet with frontline employees to gather customer feedback and answer questions.
Frontline employees, in particular, can be a great source of information on customer preferences
and areas of dissatisfaction.
¾ Think about how you can share information about your company and its products and services
with existing and potential customers. Talk about these ideas with your peers and your leader.
Discuss the pros and cons associated with implementing these suggestions.
¾ List your customers' needs as you see them. Then ask your customers what their needs are.
Note the differences, if any.
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¾ Examine everything you do against the criterion, "Does this contribute to meeting the customer's
needs?"
¾ Think about how you can establish and explain links between the solution you're offering and the
customer's needs.
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DRIVING EXECUTION
Translating strategic priorities into operational reality; aligning communication, accountabilities,
resource capabilities, internal processes, and ongoing measurement systems to ensure that strategic
priorities yield measurable and sustainable results.
KEY ACTIONS
¾ Translates initiatives into actions—Determines action steps and milestones required to
implement a specific business initiative; adjusts activities or timelines as circumstances warrant.
¾ Implements communication strategy—Establishes two-way communication channels to

convey business strategies and plans in a manner that engages people.
¾ Creates accountability—Ensures that those responsible for implementing a strategic initiative

have role clarity and accountability for required actions and outputs as well as the authority to act
in a way consistent with organizational values.
¾ Ensures skills and readiness—Identifies and develops human resource capabilities to drive
specific strategies (may include training or acquisition of needed skills and knowledge).
¾ Aligns systems and process—Identifies and aligns systems and processes (e.g.,
compensation, decision making, resource allocation, performance management) to support
implementation of specific strategies.
¾ Creates measurement discipline—Establishes criteria and systems (including lead and lag
measures) to track implementation steps and results.
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FORMAL LEARNING
¾ Look for books and workshops that address the following:
o Accountability
o Aligning objectives with organizational strategy
o Business strategy
BOOKS
Benko, C., & McFarlan, F.W. (2003). Connecting the dots: Aligning projects with objectives in
unpredictable times. Boston: Harvard Business School Press.
Bernthal, P.R., Rogers, R.W., & Smith, A.B. (2003). Managing performance: Building accountability for
organizational success (HR Benchmark Group Report, Vol. 4, No. 2). Pittsburgh, PA: Development
Dimensions International.
Bossidy, L., Charan, R., & Burck, C. (2002). Execution: The discipline of getting things done (1st ed.).
New York: Crown Publishers.
Fogg, C.D. (1998). Implementing your strategic plan: How to turn “intent” into effective action for
sustainable change. New York: AMACOM.
Gubman, E.L. (1998). The talent solution: Aligning strategy and people to achieve extraordinary results.
New York: McGraw-Hill Trade.
Hartman, A. (2004). Ruthless execution: What business leaders need to do when their companies hit the
wall. Upper Saddle River, NJ: Prentice Hall.
Kaplan, R.S., & Norton, D.P. (2001). The strategy-focused organization: How balanced scorecard
companies thrive in the new business environment. Boston: Harvard Business School Press.
Kraines, G. (2001). Accountability leadership: How to strengthen productivity through sound managerial
leadership. Franklin Lakes, NJ: Career Press.
Lynch, R.L., Diezemann, J., & Dowling, J. (2003). The capable company: Building the capabilities that
make strategy work. Malden, MA: Blackwell Publishers.
Nils-Göran, O., Petri, C., Roy, J., & Roy, S. (2003). Making scorecards actionable: Balancing strategy and
control. New York: Wiley.
Wade, D., & Recardo, R. (2001). Corporate performance management: How to build a better organization
through measurement-driven, strategic alignment.
ARTICLES
Beer, M., & Eisenstat, R.A. (2000, Summer). The silent killers of strategy implementation and learning.
Sloan Management Review, 41(4), 29–41.
Bower, J.L., & Gilbert, C.G. (2007, February). How managers’ everyday decisions create or destroy your
company’s strategy. Harvard Business Review, 85(2), 72-79.
Bradford, R. (2002, January). Strategic alignment. Executive Excellence, 19(1), 8–9.
Cascella, V. (2001, Winter). Three keys for translating strategy into action. Journal of Organizational
Excellence, 21(1), 65–72.
Charan, R., & Colvin, G. (1999, June). Why CEOs fail. Fortune, 139(12), 68–78.
Frigo, M.L. (2002, September). Strategy-focused performance measures. Strategic Finance, 84(3), 10–
13.
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Hirschheim, R., & Sabherwal, R. (2001, Fall). Detours in the path toward strategic information systems
alignment. California Management Review, 44(1), 87–109.
Lin, J., Hitchens, S., & Davenport, T. (2001, Autumn). Fast learning: Aligning learning and development
with business strategies. Employment Relations Today, 28(3), 43–58.
Zagotta, R., & Robinson, D. (2002, January/February). Keys to successful strategy execution. Journal of
Business Strategy, 23(1), 30–34.
Zagotta, R., & Robinson, D. (2003, March). Working your plan. Executive Excellence, 20(3), 8–9.

¾ Seek coaching from an expert.
¾ Explain your strategy and execution plan to a peer who is successful at driving initiatives through
to their execution.
¾ Ask for specific feedback in terms of the key actions for this competency.

¾ Set up measurement methods to keep score of whether your business unit is achieving your
strategic priorities. Identify both lead and lag measures to help you assess progress.
¾ Prepare an action plan for each of your objectives that is linked to a strategic priority. Identify the
intermediate steps that need to be achieved to reach the ultimate objective.
¾ Identify those organizational systems and processes that will have the most significant impact on
achieving your strategic priorities. Then, consider how well each system currently helps or
hinders achieving each strategy:
¾ Identify a strategic priority that you were unsuccessful in achieving. With this in mind, review the
performance plans of people from your business unit. Do the accountabilities in their plans align
with that priority? If not, make sure their individual performance plans and those of their direct
reports reflect your priorities.
¾ If you have a goal that is not being realized, diagnose where the root cause might lie by
considering each of the key actions for this competency, then create an action plan to improve
how you’re executing this business strategy.
¾ Identify measurable targets that will command people’s attention and focus their energy on
concrete action.
¾ Make sure that the strategies are clear, that the leadership team agrees to them, and that their
groups can understand and communicate them.
¾ Establish criteria and systems to track progress and results.
¾ Explain performance expectations that are driven by strategic priorities. Provide practical
examples of how strategy and culture should guide decision making and actions.
¾ Encourage two-way communication. Set up procedures to solicit employee input and address
ongoing concerns.
¾ Identify your direct reports’ capabilities and how they can contribute to strategic priorities.
¾ Clarify expectations and accountabilities to harness staff energy to achieve focused results.
¾ Determine what each member of the leadership team will contribute to the strategic priorities by
creating objectives for each person for each priority. The objectives should be measurable, within
the person’s influence, realistic, and time bound.
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¾ Identify clear owners for individual contributions to each business strategy. Once you have
established these objectives, make people’s compensation and rewards dependent on achieving
the objectives.
¾ Communicate both the business and the cultural strategy to all levels of the organization. When
formulating your communication, consider three components:
o Objective—the change in behavior or the performance improvement you want to achieve.
o Strategy—a plan that includes what you will say about the strategic direction, how you
will inspire people to get behind the initiative, and how you will reinforce the
communication.
o Tactics—the vehicles you will use to deliver your communication.
¾ Identify the skills and behavioral competencies that employees must display to achieve a
successful implementation. Assess potential players against these criteria.
¾ Volunteer to lead the execution of a new strategic direction for a community organization.
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PASSION FOR RESULTS
Driving high standards for individual, team, and organizational accomplishment; tenaciously working
to meet or exceed challenging goals; deriving satisfaction from goal achievement and continuous
improvement.
KEY ACTIONS
¾ Creates performance tension—Identifies gaps between current reality and expected business
results; sets challenging goals and high performance standards for self and others; initiates action
and moves others toward envisioned outcomes.
¾ Persists to completion—Corrals energy day-to-day to maintain momentum and a sense of

urgency toward desired results; continually focuses others on performance gaps; works
relentlessly to overcome obstacles; is dissatisfied until results have been achieved.
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FORMAL LEARNING
¾ Time management.
¾ Enhancing effectiveness and productivity.
¾ Delegation.
¾ Setting and achieving challenging goals
¾ Increasing accountability.
BOOKS
Collins, J. (2001). Good to great: Why some companies make the leap—and others don’t. New York:
HarperBusiness.
Machowicz, R.J. (2003). Unleash the warrior within: Develop the focus, discipline, confidence and
courage you need to achieve unlimited goals. New York: Avalon.
Norton, G.M. (2003). Valuation: Maximizing corporate value. New York: John Wiley & Sons.
Sheppard, B. et al. (2006). Staying focused on goals and priorities. Chicago, IL: Dearborn Trade.
Smith, D.K. (1999). Make success measurable! A mindbook—workbook for setting goals and taking
action. New York: John Wiley & Sons.
Ulrich, D., Zenger, J., & Smallwood, N. (1999). Results-based leadership. Boston: Harvard Business
School Press.
ARTICLES
Bruch, H., & Ghoshal, S. (2002, February). Beware the busy manager. Harvard Business Review, 80(2),
62–69.
Case, J. (1998, October). Using measurement to boost your unit’s performance. Harvard Management
Update, 3(10), 1–4.
Collins, J. (1999, July/August). Turning goals into results: The power of catalytic mechanisms. Harvard
Business Review, 77(4), 70–82.
Hayes, M. (2003, March 10). Goal oriented. InformationWeek, 930, 34–39.
Herbold, R.J. (2002, January). Inside Microsoft: Balancing creativity and discipline. Harvard Business
Review, 80(1), 72–79.
Hotler, D. (2002, October). 21st century management and the quest for excellence: Is there anything new
under the sun? Supervision, 63(10), 3–7.
Levinson, H. (2003, January). Management by whose objectives? Harvard Business Review, 81(1), 107–
116.
Mankins, M. C., & Steele, R. (2005, July). Turning great strategy into great performance. Harvard
Business Review,
Oxman, J.A. (2002, Summer). The hidden leverage of human capital. MIT Sloan Management Review,
43(4), 79–83.
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¾ Observe leaders who are outstanding achievers. What strategies do they use to get good results?
Ask yourself which of these strategies you can adopt.
¾ Involve others in setting business goals and keep them informed of the results.
¾ Be a resource and a role model on how to achieve success, either independently or as part of a
team.
¾ Engage a senior leader as a coach who can provide guidance and feedback on techniques that
will improve your drive for results. Look for someone who is hard driving, who won’t hold back
from asking you tough questions about the results you’ve achieved.
¾ Take charge of your success, and encourage others to do the same, by lending support without
creating dependency.
¾ Be a resource and a role model on how to achieve success either independently or as part of a
team.

¾ Volunteer for difficult or undesirable projects that no one else wants to take on.
¾ As a project or task is completed, anticipate the next project and start working on it.
¾ Document achieving business goals on a team success calendar.
¾ Make a list of the various tasks and projects that you are worried about finishing on time.
¾ Run an impact/effort analysis on each to determine which items you should focus on to achieve
the maximum bottom-line results.
¾ Encourage others to take ownership of a process improvement initiative or project and assume
full responsibility for its success.
¾ List your daily activities. Consider which ones have a positive impact on business results and
which do not. Create a “stop doing” list for any activities that do not contribute to business results.
¾ Set goals or objectives for performance and success which are beyond your position’s
description or scope of responsibility; gauge success in terms of business results. Encourage
your staff members to do the same.
¾ Anticipate potential project obstacles and problems and develop contingency plans during a
project’s start-up phase.
¾ Recognize staff members who volunteer for difficult or undesirable projects.
¾ Encourage your staff members to act on objectives and goals without delegation or direction from
you.
¾ Determine how you contribute to business success and how you can increase your contribution
independently.
¾ Let your staff know how they contribute to business success. Create an environment that
encourages them to increase their contributions.
¾ Confront and document obstacles immediately throughout a project to ensure success. If a
project seems to be failing, be willing to look at alternatives for success, make necessary
changes, or start over.
¾ Respond to inefficient processes, mistakes, or quality problems in products and services. Hold
staff members accountable for taking the initiative to fix problems.
¾ Be a flexible team player by welcoming change, adapting quickly, and reacting effectively.
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¾ Demonstrate enthusiasm and commitment to projects and adversities as a way of motivating
yourself and others. Present a can-do attitude; approach challenges with optimism and vigor.
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Leadership Level: Supervisor
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ALIGNING PERFORMANCE FOR SUCCESS
Focusing and guiding others in accomplishing work objectives.
KEY ACTIONS
¾ Sets performance goals—Collaboratively works with direct reports to set meaningful
performance objectives; sets specific performance goals and identifies measures for evaluating
goal achievement.
¾ Establishes approach—Collaboratively works with direct reports to identify the behaviors,

knowledge, and skills required to achieve goals; identifies specific behaviors, knowledge, and skill
areas for focus and evaluation.
¾ Creates a learning environment—As necessary, helps secure resources required to support

development efforts; ensures that opportunities for development are available; offers to help
individuals overcome obstacles to learning.
¾ Collaboratively establishes development plans—Collaboratively identifies observation or

coaching opportunities, training, workshops, seminars, etc., that will help the individual achieve
important goals.
¾ Tracks performance—Implements a system or uses techniques to track performance against

goals and to track the acquisition and use of appropriate behaviors, knowledge, and skills.
¾ Evaluates performance—Holds regular formal discussions with each direct report to discuss
progress toward goals and review performance; evaluates each goal, behavior, knowledge, and
skill area.
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FORMAL LEARNING
¾ Enroll in courses on performance management, coaching, reinforcing, and/or performance
appraisal.
¾ Read books about performance management, goal setting, coaching, reinforcing, dimensions,
etc. Include books by authors such as Peter Drucker, Robert Mager, William Byham, and Ken
Blanchard.
¾ Read articles about performance management in personnel, management, training, and
organizational development journals.
¾ Read biographies of sports coaches, as well as business, and military leaders (e.g.,Pat Riley,
Akio Morita, and General Omar Bradley).
BOOKS
Brantley, J.T. (2001). Performance coaching: Skills based strategies for developing self-propelled people.
Danielsville, GA: Benson & Latimer Press.
Coens, T., Jenkins, M., & Block, P. (2000). Abolishing performance appraisals: Why they backfire and
what to do instead. San Francisco: Berrett-Koehler.
Gillen, T. (2001). The performance management activity pack: Tools for building appraisal and
performance development skills. New York: AMACOM.
Gilley, J.W., Boughton, N.W., & Maycunich, A. (2000). The performance challenge: Developing
management systems to make employees your organization's greatest asset. Cambridge, MA: Perseus
Books.
Harvard Business Review. (2005). Harvard Business Review on appraising employee performance.
Boston: Author.
McKirchy, K. (1998). Powerful performance appraisals: How to set expectations and work together to
improve performance. Franklin, NJ: Career Press.
Peak performers: How to get the best from yourself, your co-workers, your staff. (2001). Franklin Lakes,
NJ: Career Press.
Saunders, R.M. (1998). The agile manager's guide to effective performance appraisals. Bristol, VT:
Velocity.
ARTICLES
Fandray, D. (2001, May). The new thinking in performance appraisals. Workforce, 80(5), 36-40.
Fletcher, W. (2000, August). Sitting in judgment on others. Management Today, 30.
Grote, D. (1998, October). Painless performance appraisals focus on results, behaviors. HR Magazine,
43(11), 52-58.
Grote, D. (2000, May). The secrets of performance appraisal. Across the Board, 37(5), 14-20.
Hill, J. B. (2005, February). Strategies of successful managers. Supervision, 66(2), 10-12.
Kozeil, M.J. (2000, December). Giving and receiving performance evaluations. CPA Journal, 70(12), 22-
28.
Painter, C.N. (1999, June 1). Ten steps for improved appraisals. Supervision, 60(6), 11+.
Seijts, G.H. (2001, January). Setting goals: When performance doesn't matter. Ivey Business Journal,
65(3), 40-44.
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¾ Obtain coaching on the particulars of your organization's performance management and
appraisal process.
¾ Ask an expert to observe your performance management behaviors and to provide specific
feedback, including alternate positive behaviors.
¾ Ask a peer or manager who is known for performance management effectiveness to discuss his
or her approaches and personal tips.
¾ After conducting a performance appraisal discussion, ask the person appraised for suggestions
on how you can improve your skills.
¾ Seek ideas and suggestions from the person with whom you are meeting before determining a
final performance plan. After the discussion, make sure that the person who "owns" the plan is in
full agreement.
¾ Ask a peer or manager to coach, rehearse, practice, and/or role-play with you before a
performance discussion or appraisal.
¾ Observe an expert conducting performance discussions. Afterward, interview both parties and
request suggestions and feedback for improving your skills.
¾ Pay attention to nonverbal communication during performance discussions. Is the other person
uncomfortable, nervous, etc.?
¾ Have your team members complete an anonymous survey on your performance management
skills in order to receive honest feedback.

¾ Offer to help someone who is having trouble learning a new task.
¾ Don't dictate objectives to people; ask for their ideas and suggestions.
¾ Make sure performance goals are measurable so they can be evaluated
¾ Keep separate files to record each person's performance goals, behaviors, acquired skills, date of
their last review, etc.
¾ Evaluate people objectively by focusing on their actions and behaviors—not their personalities.
¾ Have a group meeting to establish and clarify departmental objectives and key result areas for
specific jobs.
¾ Brainstorm methods for monitoring and measuring progress and results.
¾ Look for success, not failure. Catch people doing things right.
¾ Look for opportunities to praise and compliment.
¾ Look for patterns in your records. Is feedback provided equitably to different individuals? Is the
ratio of praise to criticism appropriate?
¾ Observe behaviors. Avoid attributing motives, attitudes, or thoughts.
¾ Provide positive or corrective feedback as quickly as possible.
¾ Think about concrete ways that you can help to develop your team members:
o Assign them to a project where they could work with someone who excels in the same
skill that they need to develop.
o Forward relevant articles or newsletters that you've read.
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o Be flexible when they need to rearrange schedules to fit in a training program or
academic class.
¾ Make certain that every employee knows you are committed to supporting his or her
development.
¾ Think before you correct. Ask yourself, "Is it really important? Does it make any difference in
terms of getting the job done?"
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BUILDING A SUCCESSFUL TEAM
Using appropriate methods and a flexible interpersonal style to help build a cohesive team; facilitating
the completion of team goals.
KEY ACTIONS
¾ Develops direction—Ensures that the purpose and importance of the team are clarified (e.g.,
team has a clear charter or mission statement); guides the setting of specific and measurable
team goals and objectives.
¾ Develops structure—Helps to clarify roles and responsibilities of team members; helps ensure
that necessary steering, review, or support functions are in place.
¾ Facilitates goal accomplishment—Makes procedural or process suggestions for achieving

team goals or performing team functions; provides necessary resources or helps to remove
obstacles to team accomplishments.
¾ Involves others—Listens to and fully involves others in team decisions and actions; values and
uses individual differences and talents.
¾ Informs others on team—Shares important or relevant information with the team.
¾ Models commitment—Adheres to the team’s expectations and guidelines; fulfills team

responsibilities; demonstrates personal commitment to the team.
| 28 |

FORMAL LEARNING
¾ Read business periodicals (for example, Business Week, Wall Street Journal, Fortune, Forbes,
Inc., Harvard Business Review) and appropriate professional journals for articles about the latest
ideas for building effective teams.
¾ Look for workshops that address the following:
o Supporting and developing team performance.
o Developing the skills that contribute to team success.
o Communicating your goals, priorities, or expectations.
o Motivating others to internalize organizational goals, vision, and values.
o Creating and maintaining a win-win atmosphere.
o Conveying ideas with power and confidence without being intimidating.
o Gaining acceptance of and commitment to your objectives, decisions, or ideas.
o Building a lasting agreement and gaining people's respect and support.
o Developing collaborative relationships and resolving conflict.
BOOKS
Byham, W.C. (with Cox, J.). (1998). Zapp! The lightning of empowerment (Rev. ed.). New York: Ballantine
Books.
Chang, R.Y. (1999). Success through teamwork: A practical guide to interpersonal team dynamics. San
Francisco: Jossey-Bass.
Duarte, D., & Snyder, N.T. (1999). Mastering virtual teams: Strategies, tools, and techniques that
succeed. San Francisco: Jossey-Bass.
Ebert, G.A. (2001). Climbing from the fifth station: A guide to building teams that work. Lincoln, NB:
iUniverse.
Heller, R., & Hindle, T. (1999). Essential managers: Managing teams. New York: DK.
Herbelin, S., & Guiney, P. (1999). The dos and don'ts of work team coaching: A comprehensive study of
the worker/coach interpersonal relationship. Riverbank, CA: Herbelin.
Lipman-Blumen, J., & Leavitt, H.J. (2001). Hot groups: Seeding them, feeding them, and using them to
ignite your organization. New York: Oxford University Press.
Rees, F. (2001). How to lead work teams: Facilitation skills (2nd ed.). San Francisco: John Wiley & Sons.
Sundstrom, E., & Crocker, C. (Eds.). (1998). Supporting work team effectiveness: Best management
practices for fostering high performance. San Francisco: Jossey-Bass.
Wellins, R.S., Byham, W.C., & Dixon, G.R. (1994). Inside teams: How 20 worldclass organizations are
winning through teamwork. San Francisco: Jossey-Bass.
Wellins, R.S., Schaaf, D., & Shomo, K.H. (1994). Succeeding with teams: 101 tips that really work.
Minneapolis, MN: Lakewood Books.
ARTICLES
Carroll, B. (1997, Spring). The role of management intervention in the development of empowered work
teams. National Productivity Review, 16(2), 25-30.
| 29 |

Carroll, B. (1997, Autumn). Speaking the language of empowerment: A tale of two teams. National
Productivity Review, 16(4), 63-66.
Coleman, A. (2001, February). Dream team. Director, 54(7), 16.
Heermann, B. (1998, August). A personal mandala for team spirit. Training & Development, 52(8), 46-48.
Krzyzewski, M. (2005, January). Build a winning team. Leadership Excellence, 22(1), 10-11.
MacMillan, P. (2001, October). Connect teams to tasks. Executive Excellence, 18(10), 16.
Maruca, R.F. (1998, July/August). How do you manage an off-site team? Harvard Business Review,
76(4), 22-35.
McDermott, L., Waite, B., & Brawley, N. (1999, January). Putting together a world-class team. Training &
Development, 53(1), 47-51.
Pascarella, P. (1998, April). Stacked deck: Building a team with the hand you're dealt. Across the Board,
35(4), 44-48.
Taraschi, R. (1998, November). Cutting the ties that bind. Training & Development, 52(11) 12-14.

¾ Observe how other leaders develop successful teams. Think about the skills you can learn from
them.
¾ Identify people you admire for their team leadership skills. Seek opportunities to work with them.
¾ Talk to other people who have recently moved or are in the process of moving to a team
environment. Discuss approaches that worked well and those that might be improved.
¾ Ask team members for ideas on ways to get them involved in team decisions. Talk about forming
task forces to target specific situations.
¾ Ask team members for feedback on your team leadership skills.
¾ Talk with your team about progress relative to its and the organization's goals and objectives.
¾ Ask team members how well they feel you exemplify the team's values. What do you do to
support the goals? What actions are inconsistent? After receiving your associates' input, work
with your manager to develop a plan for displaying more supportive behaviors.

¾ Seek assignments that involve increasing levels of team leadership.
¾ Take on a project that will require you to establish team goals and objectives that are consistent
with organizational values.
¾ Join cross-functional, interdisciplinary, interdepartmental, or customer task forces or teams.
¾ Volunteer to coach a sports team.
¾ Volunteer to lead a community, charitable, cultural, business, or political organization.
¾ Don't be a barrier to the team's success. Provide support and resources when they are needed.
¾ Identify existing systems (selection, training, compensation/rewards, communication,
performance management, etc.) that support or hinder your team's vision. Prepare action
strategies to leverage support or remove barriers.
| 30 |

¾ Incorporate organizational, departmental, and team goals into individual work expectations. For
example, if an organizational goal is "100 percent customer satisfaction," ask associates to be
accountable for the same goal.
¾ Think about the type of information you share with your team members. Do you share too much?
Not enough? How do you decide what to share?
¾ Create a description of what is expected from each position on the team and provide team
members with a copy. If descriptions already exist, review them to make sure they are still
accurate.
¾ Ask yourself what the "ideal" leader would do to encourage others to work together toward a
common goal. After writing your ideas, identify the things you need to work on most to meet the
ideal. Commit yourself to practicing those behaviors when the next opportunity arises.
¾ Write down ideas of where you would like your team to be one year from now, then think about
how to get there.
¾ Use visuals, symbols, and slogans to reinforce shared objectives.
¾ Keep a "line-up card" of people who are involved or interested in your projects. Use the card as a
check sheet for making sure people are informed and involved as work progresses.
¾ Be open to new ideas, approaches, and suggestions from team members.
¾ Share information with the team that could affect them or the work environment.
¾ Pull the team together to solve problems.
¾ Recognize and celebrate team accomplishments.
¾ Consider alternative or nontraditional structures (such as partnerships, star points, or self-directed
teams) that might improve attaining organizational goals.
¾ Confront conflict, problems, and others' reservations or misgivings directly but tactfully. Get "all
the cards on the table."
¾ Hold regular meetings with your team to stay in touch with its projects. Offer to provide resources
or talk to other team leaders to help your team reach its objectives.
| 31 |

BUILDING TRUST
Interacting with others in a way that gives them confidence in one’s intentions and those of the
organization.
KEY ACTIONS
¾ Operates with integrity—Demonstrates honesty; keeps commitments; behaves in a consistent
manner.
¾ Discloses own positions—Shares thoughts, feelings, and rationale so that others understand
personal positions.
¾ Remains open to ideas—Listens to others and objectively considers others’ ideas and opinions,
even when they conflict with one’s own.
¾ Supports others—Treats people with dignity, respect, and fairness; gives proper credit to others;
stands up for deserving others and their ideas even in the face of resistance or challenge.
| 32 |

FORMAL LEARNING
¾ Participate in a workshop that addresses business ethics, norms, and standards and examines
ways of applying them in typical organizational situations.
¾ Read biographies of public figures who have experienced a great deal of public support, trust,
and admiration (for example, Ronald Reagan, Lee Iacocca, Eleanor Roosevelt, John Kennedy,
Gloria Steinem). Try to determine why people put their faith in these individuals.
o Discussing and applying business ethics, norms, and standards.
o Enhancing empathy and understanding when dealing with others.
o Establishing clear agreements and action plans.
BOOKS
Bazerman, M.H., & Tenbrunsel, A.E. (2011). Blind spots: Why we fail to do what’s right and what to do
about it. Princeton, NJ: Princeton University Press.
Bennis, W., Goleman, D., & O’Toole, J. (2011). Transparency: How leaders create a culture of candor.
Hoboken, NJ: John Wiley & Sons.
Csorba, L.T. (2010). Trust: The one thing that makes or breaks a leader. Nashville, TN: Thomas Nelson.
Goleman, D. (2011). Leadership: The power of emotional intelligence. Northampton, MA: More Than
Sound.
Holtz, S. & Havens, J.C. (2009). Tactical transparency: How leaders can leverage social media to
maximize value and build their brand. San Francisco, CA: Jossey-Bass.
Killinger, B. (2010). Integrity: Doing the right thing for the right reason. Toronto: McGill-Queen's University
Press.
Lendrum, T. (2011). The strategic partnering handbook: The practitioners’ guide to partnerships and
alliances (4th Edition). New York: McGraw-Hill.
Reina, D. S., & Reina, M. L. (2010). Rebuilding trust in the workplace: Seven steps to renew confidence,
commitment, and energy. San Francisco, CA: Berrett-Koehler.
Rogers, R.W., & Riddle, S. (2003). Trust in the workplace. (Monograph No. MKTCPMIS150). Pittsburgh,
PA: DDI Press.
Showkeir, J., & Showkeir, M. (2008). Moving from manipulation to truth and commitment. San Francisco,
CA: Berrett-Koehler.
Zofi, Y. (2011). A manager’s guide to virtual teams. New York: AMACOM.
ARTICLES
Champy, J. (2009, Fall). Authentic leadership. Leader to Leader, (54), 39-44.
Chase, L. (2010, November). What is your integrity worth? American Salesman, 55(11), 9-11.
DDI’s Center for Applied Behavioral Research. (2012). Interaction EssentialsSM: What they are and why
they matter. Pittsburgh, PA: Development Dimensions International.
Gentile, Mary C. (2010, May). Keeping your colleagues honest. Harvard Business Review, 88(3), 114-
117.
George, B. et al. (2007, February). Discovering your authentic leadership. Harvard Business Review,
85(2), 129-138.
| 33 |

Ignatius, A. (2010, Jul/Aug). We had to own the mistakes. Harvard Business Review, 88(7/8), 108-115.
Mitchell, S. (2013, Jan 16) ―Soft skillsǁ crucial to being an effective leader. Europe business review.
O’Toole, J., & Bennis, W. (2009, June). What’s needed next: A culture of candor. Harvard Business
Review, 87(6), 54-61.
Ramsey, R.D., & MacDonald, G. (2009, October). A crash course in trust-building. Supervision, 70(10),
3–5.
Savitt, M. (2011, December). Strengthening managerial relationships. Chief Learning Officer, 10(12), 26-
29.

¾ Ask your leader about setting up a meeting with your team or department to establish a team
charter that spells out the rules for interactions. For example, your team might decide on these
rules: keep sensitive information confidential; avoid gossip and
¾ Think of someone in your life whom you trust deeply. Ask yourself why you trust that person, write
down the reasons, and try to think of examples that illustrate those reasons. Then, when dealing
with others, ask yourself how this trusted person would react and try to model those behaviors.
¾ unfair criticism; accept and give constructive feedback; confront disagreements openly.
¾ Seek feedback from your leaders and/or peers regarding the ethical standards you should be
following, setting, or modeling.
¾ Seek regular feedback from others so that you can use it as evidence of developmental progress.

¾ Volunteer for a community project that will benefit others, such as Big Sisters/Brothers or other
nonprofit programs.
¾ Get to know the people you work with.
¾ Be candid about what you can and cannot do.
¾ If you make a commitment, work hard to keep it.
¾ Be receptive to bad news and work effectively toward solutions.
¾ Don’t withhold information that others need, even if it is bad news.
¾ Avoid telling people what you think they want to hear rather than the truth.
¾ Be aware of your body language and facial expressions when talking to others to make sure you
are not sending mixed messages.
¾ If you make a mistake, admit it.
¾ Brainstorm to create a high-trust vision—what you'd like to see, hear, or feel during interactions
with your team. Determine which areas in your vision currently have the greatest gap with reality.
Make a list of things you need to change to eliminate those gaps.
¾ Try to react objectively to others' ideas. Make every effort to fully explore their suggestions, even
when you don't agree.
¾ Make a point of being on time for meetings and returning phone calls as soon as possible.
¾ Every week, make a point of championing at least one person you work with. Look for ways you
can publicly demonstrate your support of others to help them feel good about their
accomplishments.
| 34 |

¾ Keep a simple record of your feedback to others. Write the names of the people you work with
and put two boxes by each name—one for positive feedback and one for corrective feedback.
Every time you provide positive or corrective feedback, check the appropriate box. Look for
inconsistencies and adjust your behavior accordingly.
¾ Be ready to support the decisions of deserving others. Let them know you are willing to take risks
for them. Be sure to tell them they have your unwavering support.
¾ Whenever you make a promise, make sure that you record what you and the other party expect.
Follow up on your promises and make sure you are meeting others' expectations consistently.
¾ When dealing with bad news, avoid sugarcoating it. The next time someone makes a mistake, be
specific in describing what happened, all the while being sure to maintain the person's self-
esteem by keeping your focus on the issue or problem, not the person. Then work with the
person to plan a way to avoid the same problem in the future.
¾ Monitor your body language and tone of voice when interacting with others. Work at improving
eye contact, gestures, and enthusiasm. Make sure your body language and tone of voice agree
with your message and actions.
¾ Determine a way in which the team can handle individuals who break these rules.
| 35 |

COACHING
Providing timely guidance and feedback to help others strengthen specific knowledge/skill areas
needed to accomplish a task or solve a problem.
KEY ACTIONS
¾ Clarifies the current situation—Clarifies expected behaviors, knowledge, and level of
proficiency by seeking and giving information and checking for understanding.
¾ Explains and demonstrates—Provides instruction, positive models, and opportunities for

observation in order to help others develop skills; encourages questions to ensure understanding.
¾ Provides feedback and reinforcement—Gives timely, appropriate feedback on performance;

reinforces efforts and progress.
¾ Uses Key Principles—Establishes good interpersonal relationships by helping people feel

valued, appreciated, and included in discussions (enhances self-esteem, empathizes, involves,
discloses, supports).
| 36 |

FORMAL LEARNING
¾ Recognizing people's abilities and developing their skills.
¾ Providing accurate, timely feedback.
¾ Coaching for performance improvement
¾ Preparing others to perform new tasks
BOOKS
Bell, C.R. (2002). Managers as mentors: Building partnerships for learning (2nd ed.). San Francisco:
Berrett-Koehler.
Doyle, J.S. (1999). The business coach: A game plan for the new work environment. New York: John
Wiley & Sons.
Flaherty, J. (1998). Coaching: Evoking excellence in others. Boston: Butterworth-Heinemann.
Hargrove, R. (2001). Masterful coaching fieldbook: Grow your business, multiply your profits, win the
talent war! San Francisco: Jossey-Bass/Pfeiffer.
Herbelin, S., & Guiney, P. (2000). Work team coaching: An interpersonal approach to high performance
(Rev. ed.). Riverbank, CA: Riverbank Books.
Hudson, F.M. (1999). The handbook of coaching: A comprehensive resource guide for managers,
executives, consultants and HR professionals. San Francisco: Jossey-Bass.
Kinlaw, D.C. (1999). Coaching for commitment: Interpersonal strategies for obtaining superior
performance from individuals and teams. San Francisco: Jossey-Bass.
Logan, D.C., & King, J.P. (2001). The coaching revolution: How visionary managers are using coaching to
empower people and unlock their full potential. Holbrook, MA: Adams Media Corporation.
Logan D., & King, J. P. (2004). The coaching revolution: How visionary managers are using coaching to
empower people and unlock their full potential. Holbrook, MA: Adams Media
Smart, B.T. (1999). Topgrading: How leading companies win by hiring, coaching and keeping the best
people. Paramus, NJ: Prentice Hall.
Whitworth, L., House, H., & Sandahl, P. (1998). Co-active coaching: New skills for coaching people
toward success in work and life. Palo Alto, CA: Davies-Black.
Zeus, P., & Skiffington, S. (2001). The complete guide to coaching at work. New York: McGraw-Hill.
ARTICLES
Bielous, G.A. (1998). Effective coaching: Improving marginal performers. Supervision, 59(7), 5-17.
Chase, N. (1999, September). Coaching on the run. Quality, 38(10), 80.
Fletcher, W. (2001, January). Good listener, better manager. Management Today, 30.
Mentoring & coaching help employees grow. (2001, September). HR Focus, 78(9), 1, 11, 13-15.
Mobley, S.A. (1999, July). Judge not: How coaches create healthy organizations. Journal for Quality &
| 37 |

Sussman, L., & Finnegan, R. (1998, March/April). Coaching the star: Rationale and strategies. Business
Horizons, 41(2), 47.
Waldroop, J., & Baker, T. (2000, September/October). Managing away bad habits. Harvard Business
Review, 78(5), 89-98.
Watt, L. (2004, Fall). Mentoring and coaching in the workplace. Canadian Manager, 29(3), 14+.

¾ Ask an expert to observe your coaching behaviors and provide specific feedback, including
alternate positive behaviors.
¾ Identify other people who provide coaching and ask about their techniques for coaching others.
Listen for new approaches, as well as for consistent, reliable approaches.
¾ During individual coaching sessions, make sure to actively involve the person.
¾ Ask associates for specific feedback regarding your effectiveness in assisting others.
¾ Pay attention to nonverbal communication during discussions or one-to-one interactions. Is the
other person uncomfortable or nervous? Try to pinpoint what, if anything, you might be doing to
cause this reaction.

¾ Look for opportunities to train others in a new process or on a new piece of equipment. Then
seek ways to support and facilitate their progress.
¾ Volunteer as a coach or leader for a community group or sports team.
¾ Pay attention to others' behavior and anticipate when they will need help.
¾ Set performance expectations that are clear, observable, and measurable.
¾ When people come to you for advice, ask open-ended questions that encourage them to think
through situations themselves.
¾ Think before you correct someone. Ask yourself, "Is it really important? Does it make any
difference in terms of getting the job done?"
¾ Model on a daily basis the values and behaviors you are trying to teach.
¾ Look for success, not failure. Let people know you're aware of their accomplishments.
¾ Pay attention to others' moods and try to notice when they appear frustrated. Offer to help clarify
the problem, discuss alternatives, or provide additional support.
¾ Practice different ways of teaching others new tasks. Are you comfortable with more than one
method? Do you favor one style over the rest? Is that style most appropriate for the task at hand
and the audience?
¾ If you need to correct a person you're training, try to empathize with the awkwardness or
complexity of the task.
¾ Praise appropriate behaviors during the learning process.
¾ Record your observations of job performance (positive or negative) after discussing them with the
person you observed.
¾ Look for patterns in your records. Do you provide feedback equitably to different individuals? Is
the ratio of positive to constructive feedback appropriate?
| 38 |

¾ Observe behaviors; avoid speculating on the person's motives, attitudes, or thoughts.
¾ Coach people to demonstrate behaviors that will help them meet objectives.
¾ Give the people you coach the opportunity to observe others and practice new skills to ensure
quality in their new behavior.
| 39 |

CUSTOMER FOCUS
KEY ACTIONS



| 40 |

FORMAL LEARNING
BOOKS
Page Limited.
Bass.
ARTICLES
| 41 |

56-69.
89.
Review, 40(1), 75-88.


weaknesses.
| 42 |

needs?"
customer's needs.
| 43 |

DEVELOPING OTHERS
Planning and supporting the development of individuals’ skills and abilities so that they can fulfill
current or future job/role responsibilities more effectively.
KEY ACTIONS
¾ Collaboratively establishes development goals—Works with individuals to identify areas for
development, understand need for improvement, and set specific development goals.
¾ Collaboratively establishes development plans—Works with individuals to identify options for

meeting development goals; explores environmental supports and barriers to development; jointly
determines appropriate developmental activities.
¾ Creates a learning environment—Secures resources required to support development efforts;

ensures that opportunities for development are available; offers assistance to help individuals
overcome obstacles to learning.
¾ Monitors progress—Gives individuals specific feedback on their performance related to

established goals; highlights key positive and negative performance issues; adjusts plans to
ensure development.
| 44 |

FORMAL LEARNING
¾ Read books and articles about performance management, goal setting, removing barriers for
development, training, and organizational development.
¾ Providing support and removing obstacles when developing others.
¾ Giving feedback.
¾ Diagnosing others' strengths and developmental needs and working out strategies to
¾ meet goals.
¾ Delegating assignments for developing others.
¾ Creating and documenting a development plan.
¾ Managing the development of others.
BOOKS
Alexander, L. (2001). 675 ways to develop yourself and your people: Strategies, ideas, and activities for
self-development and learning in the workplace. Burlington, VT: Gower.
Bell, C.R. (1998). Managers as mentors: Building partnerships for learning. San Francisco: Berrett-
Koehler.
Dauten, D. (1999). The gifted boss: How to find, create, and keep great employees. New York: William
Morrow.
Kalamas, D. (2004). Developing employee capital. Amherst, MA: HRD Press.
McCall, M.W. (1997). High flyers: Developing the next generation of leaders. Boston: Harvard Business
School Press.
Shea, G.F. (1997). Mentoring. Menlo Park, CA: Crisp.
ARTICLES
Developing people through performance appraisals. (2000, December). Paperboard Packaging, 85(12),
39-41.
Ellinger, A.D., Watins, K.E., & Bostrom, R.P. (1999, Summer). Managers as facilitators of learning in
learning organizations. Human Resource Development Quarterly, 10(2), 105-125.
Hill, L. (1998, Spring). Developing the star performer. Leader to Leader, (8), 30-37.
Joinson, C. (1998, January). Developing a strong bench. HR Magazine, 43(1), 93-96.
Joinson, C. (2001, May). Employee, sculpt thyself . . . with a little help. HR Magazine, 46(5), 60-65.
Kaye, B. (2004, October). Talent talks. Executive Excellence, 21(10), 10-11.
Minter, R.L., & Thomas, E.G. (2000, Spring/Summer). Employee development through coaching,
mentoring and counseling: A multidimensional approach. Review of Business, 21(1/2), 43+.
Simonsen, P. (1999, August). Do your managers have the right stuff? Workforce, 78(8), 47-52.

¾ When your attempts to develop others have not been successful, ask your manager for help in
overcoming obstacles that might be interfering with their development efforts.
| 45 |

¾ Invite individuals to participate in the development planning process. Encourage them to identify
areas for improvement and areas of interest that are not part of their current jobs. Work with each
person to plan how his or her interests can be developed.
¾ Talk to leaders in other teams, departments, and locations to establish specific activities that will
help a person develop in an area of interest.
¾ Collect articles and development tips that could help your staff. Share them with appropriate
individuals.
¾ Talk to someone you feel is strong in developing his or her staff. What does this person do to
provide developmental opportunities and to remove barriers that prohibit development?
¾ Include staff in creating a development handbook of activities, readings, etc., related to your work
unit's function. Ask your staff to review the completed handbook and select actions they would
like to work on.

¾ Put employee development at the top of your daily to-do list. Investing the time now will lead to
long-term gains in the future.
¾ Identify special assignments that go beyond what an associate can already do.
¾ Assign a task to someone who will learn from the experience, not to someone who already knows
the task well.
¾ Set development goals that are specific, challenging yet realistic, and measurable.
¾ Give associates the freedom to learn from their successes and failures.
¾ Support associates in leveraging their strengths.
¾ Structure your development plan, highlighting future goals, areas of strength, and developmental
needs. Determine a plan to reach your goals and develop your skills.
¾ Note the difficulties and the rewards you encounter during this process. Use this information to
assist your staff with their development.
¾ Learn the particulars of your organization's developmental planning process.
¾ Research the formal training and development opportunities offered in your organization.
¾ Meet regularly with individuals to discuss their progress, issues, obstacles, and adjustments with
development plans.
¾ Maintain a development file for each individual. Keep track of review sessions and specific
behavior issues (exceptional and rejectable); use this information during scheduled feedback
discussions.
¾ Review upcoming projects and assignments. Think about how to incorporate opportunities for
individual development goals when making resource assignments.
¾ Look for patterns in your records. Are you providing feedback equitably to all individuals? Is the
ratio of positive and negative feedback appropriate?
¾ Begin the development planning process with an individual who is a solid performer. Work
together to identify developmental needs and establish a plan to strengthen these areas. Once
you feel comfortable with this process, use it with someone who has a performance problem.
¾ Explain the reasons for recommending specific developmental activities. Include information
about support and barriers.
¾
| 46 |

DRIVING EXECUTION
KEY ACTIONS


| 47 |

FORMAL LEARNING
o Accountability
o Business strategy
BOOKS
ARTICLES
13.
| 48 |


to their execution.

concrete action.
ongoing concerns.
| 49 |

the objectives.
communication.
| 50 |

PASSION FOR RESULTS
improvement.
KEY ACTIONS

| 51 |

FORMAL LEARNING
¾ Time management.
¾ Delegation.
BOOKS
HarperBusiness.
School Press.
ARTICLES
62–69.
Update, 3(10), 1–4.
Review, 80(1), 72–79.
116.
Business Review,
43(4), 79–83.
| 52 |

team.
team.

you.
independently.
| 53 |

| 54 |

PLANNING AND ORGANIZING
Establishing courses of action for self and others to ensure that work is completed efficiently.
KEY ACTIONS
¾ Prioritizes—Identifies more critical and less critical activities and assignments; adjusts priorities
when appropriate.
¾ Determines tasks and resources—Determines project/assignment requirements by breaking

them down into tasks and identifying types of equipment, materials, and people needed.
¾ Schedules—Allocates appropriate amounts of time for completing own and others’ work; avoids
scheduling conflicts; develops timelines and milestones.
¾ Leverages resources—Takes advantage of available resources (individuals, processes,

departments, and tools) to complete work efficiently; coordinates with internal and external
partners.
¾ Stays focused—Uses time effectively and prevents irrelevant issues or distractions from
interfering with work completion.
| 55 |

FORMAL LEARNING
¾ Learn how to use personal planning software for managing your time, planning projects, and
tracking progress toward milestones and goals.
o Look for a workshop that addresses the following:
o Determining how you allocate your time.
o Targeting top priorities.
o Dividing large projects into manageable tasks and activities.
o Coordinating people, equipment, and materials.
o Identifying barriers to effective job management.
o Developing the right strategies for meeting your objectives.
o Identifying a planning need, developing an information base, allocating resources,
establishing a schedule for action, and establishing contingencies.
o Creating and implementing effective project plans.
o Methods of tracking and monitoring progress.
BOOKS
Andersen, E.S., Grude, K.V., & Haug, T. (2009). Goal directed project management: Effective techniques
and strategies (4th ed.). Philadelphia, PA: Kogan Page.
Biafore, B. & Stover, T. (2012). Your project management coach: Best practices for managing projects in
the real world. New York: John Wiley & Sons.
Forsyth, P. (2012). Successful time management. Philadelphia, PA: Kogan Page.
Gido, J., & Clements, J. (2011). Successful project management (with Microsoft Project 2010). Mason,
OH: South-Western Cengage Learning.
Lewis, J.P. (2012). Fundamentals of project management (4th ed.). New York: AMACOM.
Mackenzie, A., & Nickerson, P. (2009). The time trap: The classic book on time management (4th ed.).
New York: AMACOM.
Verzuh, E. (2011). The fast forward MBA in project management (Portable MBA Series) (3rd ed.).
Wysocki, R. (2012). Effective project management: Traditional, agile, extreme. New York: Wiley.
Zeigler, K. (2010). Organizing for success (2nd ed.). New York: McGraw-Hill.
ARTICLES
Ciampa, D. (2012, Winter). Priorities vs. time. Conference Board Review. 48(5), 28-35.
Heerkens, G.R. (2009, December 1). Transformation time: A changing project management landscape
demands new skills. Do you have what it takes? PM Network, 23(12), 23.
Krentz, S. & Clark, C. (2008, Sep). Strategic resource allocation. Trustee, 61(8), 28-30.
Merrifield, R., Calhoun, J. & Stevens, D. (2008, June). The next revolution in productivity. Harvard
Business Review, 86(6), 72-80.
Pollock, E.J. (with E. Gibson). (2009, April 6). How I got a grip on my workweek. BusinessWeek, (4125),
84–96.
| 56 |

Pozen, R. C. (2011, May). Extreme productivity. Harvard Business Review, 89(5), 127–131.
Schwartz, T. (2007, October). Manage your energy, not your time. Harvard Business Review, 85(10), 63–
73.

¾ With the help of a manager, analyze an assignment that you handled very effectively or
ineffectively. Request coaching to pinpoint behaviors that should be used or modified in the
future; set appropriate controls/follow-up systems that will eliminate ineffective procedures.
¾ As a basis for setting priorities, review vision, values, and missions statements and
organizational, departmental, and individual objectives. Discuss them with your manager.
¾ Meet with someone who has successfully created and implemented significant project plans to
understand what was done.
¾ Volunteer to work on a project with another person who is a good planner and organizer. Ask the
person for feedback on your methods.
¾ Ask a coworker who is an effective project manager to observe and analyze your project
management skills.
¾ Observe coworkers who are skilled planners and organizers. Ask them for pointers.
¾ After a project is complete ask others for feedback on your planning and organizing skills.
¾ Develop a project plan then test your plan with individuals who have been successful in
implementing similar projects.

¾ Volunteer for small projects where you can practice preparing realistic time frames.
¾ Ask your manager for a project management role in an upcoming strategic planning process.
¾ Volunteer to participate in planning a community event or fund-raiser.
¾ Break down assignments into component tasks. Estimate completion time for each task.
¾ Develop timelines and milestones to ensure progress toward project goals.
¾ Identify and allocate resources needed to complete tasks.
¾ Develop a resource usage chart to track tasks assigned to a resource (person or equipment).
¾ Identify the potential risks to your project plan and develop contingency plans to overcome them
should they arise.
¾ Schedule regular updates during the course of a project to review progress on assigned tasks
and to ensure that objectives are being met.
¾ Schedule follow-up meetings at the completion of projects to determine whether acceptable
quality standards and time commitments were met.
¾ Analyze how you spend your time. Use a log to track what you do and how long it takes. Identify
areas of waste and inefficiency, then work to eliminate them.
¾ Look for patterns in your workday (e.g., when specific tasks are done, breaks, lunch, etc.) and
compare the timing with your "energy curve" for the day.
¾ Organize your work environment so you can stay focused on important assignments.
¾ Don't break off in the middle of one task to handle another.
¾ Keep a to-do list.
| 57 |

¾ Prioritize your assignments and commitments.
¾ Use calendars, planners, tickler files, and other organizing tools.
¾ Use computerized planning, scheduling, and project management systems.
¾ Use voice mail, e-mail, and fax to send information and avoid lengthy discussions.
¾ Make phone calls in batches.
¾ Establish and communicate time limits for meetings and discussions.
¾ Do your homework before meeting with or presenting to others.
¾ Schedule regular "interruption times" so others will know good times to meet with you.
| 58 |

Leadership Level: Manager
| 59 |

ALIGNING PERFORMANCE FOR SUCCESS
Focusing and guiding others in accomplishing work objectives.
KEY ACTIONS
¾ Sets performance goals—Collaboratively works with direct reports to set meaningful
performance objectives; sets specific performance goals and identifies measures for evaluating
goal achievement.
¾ Establishes approach—Collaboratively works with direct reports to identify the behaviors,

knowledge, and skills required to achieve goals; identifies specific behaviors, knowledge, and skill
areas for focus and evaluation.
¾ Creates a learning environment—As necessary, helps secure resources required to support

development efforts; ensures that opportunities for development are available; offers to help
individuals overcome obstacles to learning.
¾ Collaboratively establishes development plans—Collaboratively identifies observation or

coaching opportunities, training, workshops, seminars, etc., that will help the individual achieve
important goals.
¾ Tracks performance—Implements a system or uses techniques to track performance against

goals and to track the acquisition and use of appropriate behaviors, knowledge, and skills.
¾ Evaluates performance—Holds regular formal discussions with each direct report to discuss
progress toward goals and review performance; evaluates each goal, behavior, knowledge, and
skill area.
| 60 |

FORMAL LEARNING
¾ Enroll in courses on performance management, coaching, reinforcing, and/or performance
appraisal.
etc. Include books by authors such as Peter Drucker, Robert Mager, William Byham, and Ken
Blanchard.
¾ Read articles about performance management in personnel, management, training, and
organizational development journals.
¾ Read biographies of sports coaches, as well as business, and military leaders (e.g.,Pat Riley,
Akio Morita, and General Omar Bradley).
BOOKS
Brantley, J.T. (2001). Performance coaching: Skills based strategies for developing self-propelled people.
Danielsville, GA: Benson & Latimer Press.
Coens, T., Jenkins, M., & Block, P. (2000). Abolishing performance appraisals: Why they backfire and
what to do instead. San Francisco: Berrett-Koehler.
Gillen, T. (2001). The performance management activity pack: Tools for building appraisal and
performance development skills. New York: AMACOM.
Gilley, J.W., Boughton, N.W., & Maycunich, A. (2000). The performance challenge: Developing
management systems to make employees your organization's greatest asset. Cambridge, MA: Perseus
Books.
Harvard Business Review. (2005). Harvard Business Review on appraising employee performance.
Boston: Author.
McKirchy, K. (1998). Powerful performance appraisals: How to set expectations and work together to
improve performance. Franklin, NJ: Career Press.
Peak performers: How to get the best from yourself, your co-workers, your staff. (2001). Franklin Lakes,
NJ: Career Press.
Saunders, R.M. (1998). The agile manager's guide to effective performance appraisals. Bristol, VT:
Velocity.
ARTICLES
Fandray, D. (2001, May). The new thinking in performance appraisals. Workforce, 80(5), 36-40.
Fletcher, W. (2000, August). Sitting in judgment on others. Management Today, 30.
Grote, D. (1998, October). Painless performance appraisals focus on results, behaviors. HR Magazine,
43(11), 52-58.
Grote, D. (2000, May). The secrets of performance appraisal. Across the Board, 37(5), 14-20.
Hill, J. B. (2005, February). Strategies of successful managers. Supervision, 66(2), 10-12.
Kozeil, M.J. (2000, December). Giving and receiving performance evaluations. CPA Journal, 70(12), 22-
28.
Painter, C.N. (1999, June 1). Ten steps for improved appraisals. Supervision, 60(6), 11+.
Seijts, G.H. (2001, January). Setting goals: When performance doesn't matter. Ivey Business Journal,
65(3), 40-44.
| 61 |

¾ Obtain coaching on the particulars of your organization's performance management and
appraisal process.
¾ Ask an expert to observe your performance management behaviors and to provide specific
feedback, including alternate positive behaviors.
¾ Ask a peer or manager who is known for performance management effectiveness to discuss his
or her approaches and personal tips.
¾ After conducting a performance appraisal discussion, ask the person appraised for suggestions
on how you can improve your skills.
¾ Seek ideas and suggestions from the person with whom you are meeting before determining a
final performance plan. After the discussion, make sure that the person who "owns" the plan is in
full agreement.
¾ Ask a peer or manager to coach, rehearse, practice, and/or role-play with you before a
performance discussion or appraisal.
¾ Observe an expert conducting performance discussions. Afterward, interview both parties and
request suggestions and feedback for improving your skills.
¾ Pay attention to nonverbal communication during performance discussions. Is the other person
uncomfortable, nervous, etc.?
¾ Have your team members complete an anonymous survey on your performance management
skills in order to receive honest feedback.

¾ Offer to help someone who is having trouble learning a new task.
¾ Don't dictate objectives to people; ask for their ideas and suggestions.
¾ Make sure performance goals are measurable so they can be evaluated
¾ Keep separate files to record each person's performance goals, behaviors, acquired skills, date of
their last review, etc.
¾ Evaluate people objectively by focusing on their actions and behaviors—not their personalities.
¾ Have a group meeting to establish and clarify departmental objectives and key result areas for
specific jobs.
¾ Brainstorm methods for monitoring and measuring progress and results.
¾ Look for success, not failure. Catch people doing things right.
¾ Look for opportunities to praise and compliment.
¾ Look for patterns in your records. Is feedback provided equitably to different individuals? Is the
ratio of praise to criticism appropriate?
¾ Observe behaviors. Avoid attributing motives, attitudes, or thoughts.
¾ Think about concrete ways that you can help to develop your team members:
o Assign them to a project where they could work with someone who excels in the same
skill that they need to develop.
o Forward relevant articles or newsletters that you've read.
| 62 |

o Be flexible when they need to rearrange schedules to fit in a training program or
academic class.
¾ Make certain that every employee knows you are committed to supporting his or her
development.
¾ Think before you correct. Ask yourself, "Is it really important? Does it make any difference in
terms of getting the job done?"
| 63 |

BUILDING A SUCCESSFUL TEAM
Using appropriate methods and a flexible interpersonal style to help build a cohesive team; facilitating
the completion of team goals.
KEY ACTIONS
¾ Develops direction—Ensures that the purpose and importance of the team are clarified (e.g.,
team has a clear charter or mission statement); guides the setting of specific and measurable
team goals and objectives.
¾ Develops structure—Helps to clarify roles and responsibilities of team members; helps ensure
that necessary steering, review, or support functions are in place.
¾ Facilitates goal accomplishment—Makes procedural or process suggestions for achieving

team goals or performing team functions; provides necessary resources or helps to remove
obstacles to team accomplishments.
¾ Involves others—Listens to and fully involves others in team decisions and actions; values and
uses individual differences and talents.
¾ Informs others on team—Shares important or relevant information with the team.
¾ Models commitment—Adheres to the team’s expectations and guidelines; fulfills team

responsibilities; demonstrates personal commitment to the team.
| 64 |

FORMAL LEARNING
¾ Read business periodicals (for example, Business Week, Wall Street Journal, Fortune, Forbes,
Inc., Harvard Business Review) and appropriate professional journals for articles about the latest
ideas for building effective teams.
o Supporting and developing team performance.
o Developing the skills that contribute to team success.
o Communicating your goals, priorities, or expectations.
o Motivating others to internalize organizational goals, vision, and values.
o Creating and maintaining a win-win atmosphere.
o Conveying ideas with power and confidence without being intimidating.
o Gaining acceptance of and commitment to your objectives, decisions, or ideas.
o Building a lasting agreement and gaining people's respect and support.
o Developing collaborative relationships and resolving conflict.
BOOKS
Books.
Chang, R.Y. (1999). Success through teamwork: A practical guide to interpersonal team dynamics. San
Duarte, D., & Snyder, N.T. (1999). Mastering virtual teams: Strategies, tools, and techniques that
succeed. San Francisco: Jossey-Bass.
Ebert, G.A. (2001). Climbing from the fifth station: A guide to building teams that work. Lincoln, NB:
iUniverse.
Heller, R., & Hindle, T. (1999). Essential managers: Managing teams. New York: DK.
Lipman-Blumen, J., & Leavitt, H.J. (2001). Hot groups: Seeding them, feeding them, and using them to
ignite your organization. New York: Oxford University Press.
Rees, F. (2001). How to lead work teams: Facilitation skills (2nd ed.). San Francisco: John Wiley & Sons.
Sundstrom, E., & Crocker, C. (Eds.). (1998). Supporting work team effectiveness: Best management
practices for fostering high performance. San Francisco: Jossey-Bass.
Wellins, R.S., Byham, W.C., & Dixon, G.R. (1994). Inside teams: How 20 worldclass organizations are
winning through teamwork. San Francisco: Jossey-Bass.
Wellins, R.S., Schaaf, D., & Shomo, K.H. (1994). Succeeding with teams: 101 tips that really work.
Minneapolis, MN: Lakewood Books.
ARTICLES
Carroll, B. (1997, Spring). The role of management intervention in the development of empowered work
teams. National Productivity Review, 16(2), 25-30.
| 65 |

Carroll, B. (1997, Autumn). Speaking the language of empowerment: A tale of two teams. National
Productivity Review, 16(4), 63-66.
Coleman, A. (2001, February). Dream team. Director, 54(7), 16.
Heermann, B. (1998, August). A personal mandala for team spirit. Training & Development, 52(8), 46-48.
Krzyzewski, M. (2005, January). Build a winning team. Leadership Excellence, 22(1), 10-11.
MacMillan, P. (2001, October). Connect teams to tasks. Executive Excellence, 18(10), 16.
Maruca, R.F. (1998, July/August). How do you manage an off-site team? Harvard Business Review,
76(4), 22-35.
McDermott, L., Waite, B., & Brawley, N. (1999, January). Putting together a world-class team. Training &
Development, 53(1), 47-51.
Pascarella, P. (1998, April). Stacked deck: Building a team with the hand you're dealt. Across the Board,
35(4), 44-48.
Taraschi, R. (1998, November). Cutting the ties that bind. Training & Development, 52(11) 12-14.

¾ Observe how other leaders develop successful teams. Think about the skills you can learn from
them.
¾ Identify people you admire for their team leadership skills. Seek opportunities to work with them.
¾ Talk to other people who have recently moved or are in the process of moving to a team
environment. Discuss approaches that worked well and those that might be improved.
¾ Ask team members for ideas on ways to get them involved in team decisions. Talk about forming
task forces to target specific situations.
¾ Ask team members for feedback on your team leadership skills.
¾ Talk with your team about progress relative to its and the organization's goals and objectives.
¾ Ask team members how well they feel you exemplify the team's values. What do you do to
support the goals? What actions are inconsistent? After receiving your associates' input, work
with your manager to develop a plan for displaying more supportive behaviors.

¾ Seek assignments that involve increasing levels of team leadership.
¾ Take on a project that will require you to establish team goals and objectives that are consistent
with organizational values.
¾ Join cross-functional, interdisciplinary, interdepartmental, or customer task forces or teams.
¾ Volunteer to coach a sports team.
¾ Volunteer to lead a community, charitable, cultural, business, or political organization.
¾ Don't be a barrier to the team's success. Provide support and resources when they are needed.
¾ Identify existing systems (selection, training, compensation/rewards, communication,
performance management, etc.) that support or hinder your team's vision. Prepare action
strategies to leverage support or remove barriers.
| 66 |

¾ Incorporate organizational, departmental, and team goals into individual work expectations. For
example, if an organizational goal is "100 percent customer satisfaction," ask associates to be
accountable for the same goal.
¾ Think about the type of information you share with your team members. Do you share too much?
Not enough? How do you decide what to share?
¾ Create a description of what is expected from each position on the team and provide team
members with a copy. If descriptions already exist, review them to make sure they are still
accurate.
¾ Ask yourself what the "ideal" leader would do to encourage others to work together toward a
common goal. After writing your ideas, identify the things you need to work on most to meet the
ideal. Commit yourself to practicing those behaviors when the next opportunity arises.
¾ Write down ideas of where you would like your team to be one year from now, then think about
how to get there.
¾ Use visuals, symbols, and slogans to reinforce shared objectives.
¾ Keep a "line-up card" of people who are involved or interested in your projects. Use the card as a
check sheet for making sure people are informed and involved as work progresses.
¾ Be open to new ideas, approaches, and suggestions from team members.
¾ Share information with the team that could affect them or the work environment.
¾ Pull the team together to solve problems.
¾ Recognize and celebrate team accomplishments.
¾ Consider alternative or nontraditional structures (such as partnerships, star points, or self-directed
teams) that might improve attaining organizational goals.
¾ Confront conflict, problems, and others' reservations or misgivings directly but tactfully. Get "all
the cards on the table."
¾ Hold regular meetings with your team to stay in touch with its projects. Offer to provide resources
or talk to other team leaders to help your team reach its objectives.
| 67 |

COACHING
Providing timely guidance and feedback to help others strengthen specific knowledge/skill areas
needed to accomplish a task or solve a problem.
KEY ACTIONS
¾ Clarifies the current situation—Clarifies expected behaviors, knowledge, and level of
proficiency by seeking and giving information and checking for understanding.
¾ Explains and demonstrates—Provides instruction, positive models, and opportunities for

observation in order to help others develop skills; encourages questions to ensure understanding.
¾ Provides feedback and reinforcement—Gives timely, appropriate feedback on performance;

reinforces efforts and progress.
¾ Uses Key Principles—Establishes good interpersonal relationships by helping people feel

valued, appreciated, and included in discussions (enhances self-esteem, empathizes, involves,
discloses, supports).
| 68 |

FORMAL LEARNING
¾ Recognizing people's abilities and developing their skills.
¾ Providing accurate, timely feedback.
¾ Coaching for performance improvement
¾ Preparing others to perform new tasks
BOOKS
Bell, C.R. (2002). Managers as mentors: Building partnerships for learning (2nd ed.). San Francisco:
Berrett-Koehler.
Doyle, J.S. (1999). The business coach: A game plan for the new work environment. New York: John
Wiley & Sons.
Flaherty, J. (1998). Coaching: Evoking excellence in others. Boston: Butterworth-Heinemann.
Hargrove, R. (2001). Masterful coaching fieldbook: Grow your business, multiply your profits, win the
talent war! San Francisco: Jossey-Bass/Pfeiffer.
Herbelin, S., & Guiney, P. (2000). Work team coaching: An interpersonal approach to high performance
(Rev. ed.). Riverbank, CA: Riverbank Books.
Hudson, F.M. (1999). The handbook of coaching: A comprehensive resource guide for managers,
executives, consultants and HR professionals. San Francisco: Jossey-Bass.
Kinlaw, D.C. (1999). Coaching for commitment: Interpersonal strategies for obtaining superior
performance from individuals and teams. San Francisco: Jossey-Bass.
Logan, D.C., & King, J.P. (2001). The coaching revolution: How visionary managers are using coaching to
empower people and unlock their full potential. Holbrook, MA: Adams Media Corporation.
Logan D., & King, J. P. (2004). The coaching revolution: How visionary managers are using coaching to
empower people and unlock their full potential. Holbrook, MA: Adams Media
Smart, B.T. (1999). Topgrading: How leading companies win by hiring, coaching and keeping the best
people. Paramus, NJ: Prentice Hall.
Whitworth, L., House, H., & Sandahl, P. (1998). Co-active coaching: New skills for coaching people
toward success in work and life. Palo Alto, CA: Davies-Black.
Zeus, P., & Skiffington, S. (2001). The complete guide to coaching at work. New York: McGraw-Hill.
ARTICLES
Bielous, G.A. (1998). Effective coaching: Improving marginal performers. Supervision, 59(7), 5-17.
Chase, N. (1999, September). Coaching on the run. Quality, 38(10), 80.
Fletcher, W. (2001, January). Good listener, better manager. Management Today, 30.
Mentoring & coaching help employees grow. (2001, September). HR Focus, 78(9), 1, 11, 13-15.
Mobley, S.A. (1999, July). Judge not: How coaches create healthy organizations. Journal for Quality &
| 69 |

Sussman, L., & Finnegan, R. (1998, March/April). Coaching the star: Rationale and strategies. Business
Horizons, 41(2), 47.
Waldroop, J., & Baker, T. (2000, September/October). Managing away bad habits. Harvard Business
Review, 78(5), 89-98.
Watt, L. (2004, Fall). Mentoring and coaching in the workplace. Canadian Manager, 29(3), 14+.

¾ Ask an expert to observe your coaching behaviors and provide specific feedback, including
alternate positive behaviors.
¾ Identify other people who provide coaching and ask about their techniques for coaching others.
Listen for new approaches, as well as for consistent, reliable approaches.
¾ During individual coaching sessions, make sure to actively involve the person.
¾ Ask associates for specific feedback regarding your effectiveness in assisting others.
¾ Pay attention to nonverbal communication during discussions or one-to-one interactions. Is the
other person uncomfortable or nervous? Try to pinpoint what, if anything, you might be doing to
cause this reaction.

¾ Look for opportunities to train others in a new process or on a new piece of equipment. Then
seek ways to support and facilitate their progress.
¾ Volunteer as a coach or leader for a community group or sports team.
¾ Pay attention to others' behavior and anticipate when they will need help.
¾ Set performance expectations that are clear, observable, and measurable.
¾ When people come to you for advice, ask open-ended questions that encourage them to think
through situations themselves.
¾ Think before you correct someone. Ask yourself, "Is it really important? Does it make any
difference in terms of getting the job done?"
¾ Model on a daily basis the values and behaviors you are trying to teach.
¾ Look for success, not failure. Let people know you're aware of their accomplishments.
¾ Pay attention to others' moods and try to notice when they appear frustrated. Offer to help clarify
the problem, discuss alternatives, or provide additional support.
¾ Practice different ways of teaching others new tasks. Are you comfortable with more than one
method? Do you favor one style over the rest? Is that style most appropriate for the task at hand
and the audience?
¾ If you need to correct a person you're training, try to empathize with the awkwardness or
complexity of the task.
¾ Praise appropriate behaviors during the learning process.
¾ Record your observations of job performance (positive or negative) after discussing them with the
person you observed.
¾ Look for patterns in your records. Do you provide feedback equitably to different individuals? Is
the ratio of positive to constructive feedback appropriate?
| 70 |

¾ Observe behaviors; avoid speculating on the person's motives, attitudes, or thoughts.
¾ Coach people to demonstrate behaviors that will help them meet objectives.
¾ Give the people you coach the opportunity to observe others and practice new skills to ensure
quality in their new behavior.
| 71 |

COMMUNICATION
Clearly conveying information and ideas through a variety of media to individuals or groups in a
manner that engages the audience and helps them understand and retain the message.
KEY ACTIONS
¾ Organizes the communication—Clarifies purpose and importance; stresses major points;
follows a logical sequence.
¾ Maintains audience attention—Keeps the audience engaged through use of techniques such
as analogies, illustrations, humor, an appealing style, body language, and voice inflection.
¾ Adjusts to the audience—Frames message in line with audience experience, background, and
expectations; uses terms, examples, and analogies that are meaningful to the audience.
¾ Ensures understanding—Seeks input from audience; checks understanding; presents message

in different ways to enhance understanding.
¾ Adheres to accepted conventions—Uses syntax, pace, volume, diction, and mechanics

appropriate to the media being used.
¾ Comprehends communication from others—Attends to messages from others; correctly

interprets messages and responds appropriately.
| 72 |

FORMAL LEARNING
¾ Increase your exposure to new, business-related words by reading publications such as Business
Week and The Wall Street Journal. Try to incorporate new language and terminology into your
communication.
¾ Read newspaper columns (e.g., "Words and Wisdom" by William Morris, "Grammar Hot Line" by
Mary Newton Border) that deal with language usage and vocabulary.
¾ Join organizations that help you develop speaking skills (Dale Carnegie, Toastmasters
International).
¾ Enroll in a business writing program or language course at your local community college.
o Understanding the process and problems of communication.
o Analyzing the situation and audience, then tailoring your communication appropriately.
o Using words and body language to convince and persuade.
o Being an active listener.
o Organizing information in preparation for communicating.
o Developing the type of communication you most frequently use (for meetings, one-on-
one interactions, reports, proposals, memos, etc.).
o Communicating with clarity and brevity.
o Identifying common barriers to effective communication.
BOOKS
Bailey, E.P. (1999). Writing and speaking at work: A practical guide for business communication. Upper
Saddle River, NJ: Prentice Hall.
Barrett, D. (2005). Leadership communication. New York: McGraw-Hill/Irwin.
Bell, A.H., & Smith, D.M. (1999). Management communication. New York: John Wiley & Sons.
Glanz, B.A., & Feigenbaum, A.V. (1998). The creative communicator: 399 ways to make your business
communications meaningful and inspiring. New York: McGraw-Hill.
Griffin, J. (1998). How to say it at work: Putting yourself across with power words, phrases, body
language, and communication secrets. Paramus, NJ: Prentice Hall.
Harkins, P.J. (1999). Powerful conversations: How high impact leaders communicate. New York:
McGraw-Hill.
Harvard Business School Press. (1999). Harvard Business Review on effective communication. Boston:
Author.
Heller, R., & Hindle, T. (1998). Essential managers: Communicate clearly. New York: DK.
Jacobi, J. (2000). How to say it with your voice. Paramus, NJ: Prentice Hall.
Joseph, A.M. (1998). Put it in writing: Learn how to write clearly, quickly, and persuasively. New York:
McGraw-Hill.
Krizan, A.C., Merrier, P., & Jones, C.L. (2001). Business communication. Cincinnati, OH: South-Western.
Maisel, E. (2000). 20 communication tips @ work: A quick and easy guide to successful business
relationships. Novato, CA: New World Library.
| 73 |

McKenna, C. (1998). Powerful communication skills: How to communicate with confidence. Franklin
Lakes, NJ: Career Press.
Qubein, N. (1997). How to be a great communicator: In person, on paper, and on the podium. New York:
John Wiley & Sons.
Strunk, W., & White, E.B. (1999). Elements of style. Boston: Allyn & Bacon.
ARTICLES
Cottringer, W., & Haberer, L. (2001, April). Power communication. Executive Excellence, 18(4), 15.
Gundling, E. (1999, June). Communication skills—global teams. Training & Development, 53(6), 28-31.
Joelle, J. (2005, January). On communicating well. HR Magazine, 50(1), 87-90.
Lamb, S.E. (1999, October). How to write it. Business and Economic Review, 46(1), 14+.
Plotkin, H. (1999, September). A nine-step guide to fast, effective business writing. Harvard Management
Communication Letter.
Pollock, T. (2000, August). Sharpening your dialogue skills. Supervision, 61(8), 13- 16.
Roberts, P. (1999, October). The art of dialogue. Fast Company, 28, 166-167.
Roberts, P. (1999, October). Live from your office! It's...the company talk show! Fast Company, 28, 150-
170.
Stauffer, D. (1998, July). Yo, listen up: A brief hearing on the most neglected communication skill.
Harvard Management Update, 3(7), 10-11.
Von Hoffman, C. (1999, November). Drucker on communication. Harvard Management Communication
Letter.
Walsh, R. (2000, February). Brain-friendly communication. Training & Development, 54(2), 17-20.

¾ Ask a skilled communicator or expert to provide individual tutoring in building your
communications skills.
¾ Ask a coworker to provide you with immediate feedback on a specific communication behavior
you are trying to improve.
¾ Observe an effective communicator. Make notes of the skills you want to focus on before the
event. Ask the expert for "tips."
¾ Notice the clear, concise communications you've received, as well as those that were difficult to
understand. Seek help in analyzing the differences in what made one communication more
effective than the other.
¾ Ask your manager or a qualified work associate to review your written drafts and
¾ provide specific feedback, including suggestions for improvement on content, logic, and flow.
¾ Check for understanding by asking your audience to summarize your message as they perceived
it. If it was perceived inaccurately, ask questions to determine what words or phrases led to the
misperception.
¾ Have someone edit your written work. Request feedback on your most common errors and
suggestions on ways to improve.
¾ Watch and listen to newscasters, politicians, and narrators; analyze their speed, volume, tone,
pitch, and enunciation.
¾ Observe a poor communicator and ask yourself, "What communication faults do we share?"
| 74 |

¾ Observe someone writing a meeting, workshop, or seminar agenda on a flip chart; note how this
person organizes and clarifies information so the audience knows what to expect.

¾ Offer to write/edit an article for a community or charitable organization.
¾ Seek opportunities for interactions in which communication skills are important. Ask your
manager, a communications expert, or member of the audience to provide feedback.
¾ Volunteer to work on committees, task forces, and interdepartmental projects. These provide
opportunities to build communication skills.
¾ Use analogies and graphics to make your message more interesting.
¾ Use accurate grammar, punctuation, and spelling, as appropriate.
¾ Ask people if what you're saying or writing is clear and succinct.
¾ Be as ready to listen as you are to say or write something.
¾ Ask questions if you're unclear about a statement or message.
¾ Audiotape or videotape yourself having a discussion with others (e.g., coworkers, family, friends).
Listen to how you express yourself verbally, and watch how you express yourself using body
language.
¾ When you don’t know the answer to a question or understand what the speaker is saying, say so
or redirect the question to the audience ("What do you think?").
¾ Practice using different types of questions (open-ended, close-ended, clarifying, rhetorical, etc.).
¾ Practice using gestures to emphasize a point and make your communication more interesting.
¾ Use analogies to make the message more interesting to the listener.
¾ When you feel your emotions rising in a discussion, concentrate on getting under control before
proceeding to the facts. Pause, count to 10, and empathize.
¾ Try writing the same informational piece to three different audiences: your leader, your
coworkers, and outside vendors. Adjust language and style accordingly.
¾ Practice outlining what you want to write before making a first draft. Look for ways to better
organize the information.
¾ When finishing a document, look for jargon, difficult technical language, etc., and try to rephrase it
for simplicity and reader appeal.
¾ Look for repeated words; use a thesaurus or dictionary to add variety.
¾ Use a business grammar/style book or computer program to analyze and improve your
communication style.
¾ Take thorough notes during your next meeting, then organize them later to provide a logical
summary.
| 75 |

CUSTOMER FOCUS
KEY ACTIONS



| 76 |

FORMAL LEARNING
BOOKS
Page Limited.
Bass.
ARTICLES
| 77 |

56-69.
89.
Review, 40(1), 75-88.


weaknesses.
| 78 |

needs?"
customer's needs.
| 79 |

DELEGATING RESPONSIBILITY
Allocating decision-making authority and/or task responsibility to appropriate others to maximize the
organization’s and individuals’ effectiveness.
KEY ACTIONS
¾ Shares appropriate responsibilities—Allocates decision-making authority and/or task
responsibility in appropriate areas to appropriate individuals (considering positive and negative
impact, organizational values and structures, and the enhancement of the individual’s
knowledge/skills).
¾ Defines parameters—Clearly communicates the parameters of the delegated responsibility,

including decision-making authority and any required actions, constraints, or deadlines.
¾ Provides support without removing responsibility—Suggests resources and provides

assistance or coaching as needed; expresses confidence in the individual.
¾ Stays informed—Establishes appropriate procedures to keep informed of issues and results in

areas of shared responsibility.
| 80 |

FORMAL LEARNING
o Identifying the benefits of delegating.
o Analyzing and evaluating the effectiveness of current delegation methods and follow-up
systems.
o Understanding why managers don't delegate.
o Analyzing your present workload and identifying tasks you could delegate.
o Recognizing delegation opportunities for employees who are qualified to receive
additional responsibilities.
o Understanding the power of trust in the business community.
o Monitoring performance.
BOOKS
Blanchard, K.H., Carlos, J., & Randolph, A. (1999). The 3 keys to empowerment: Release the power
within people for astonishing results. San Francisco: Berrett-Koehler.
Blanchard, K.H., Carlos, J.P., & Randolph, A. (2001). Empowerment takes more than a minute (2nd ed.).
San Francisco: Berrett-Koehler.
Books.
Byham, W.C., & Cox, J. (1994). HeroZ—Empower yourself, your coworkers, your company. New York:
Harmony Books.
Heller, R., & Hindle, T. (1998). Essential managers: How to delegate. New York: DK.
Maddux, R.B. (1998). Delegating for results [Fifty-minute series]. Menlo Park, CA: Crisp.
Maxwell, J.C. (2001). The seventeen indisputable laws of teamwork: Embrace them and empower your
team. Nashville, TN: Thomas Nelson.
Murrell, K.L., & Meredith, M. (2000). Empowering employees. New York: McGraw-Hill.
Roebuck, C. (1999). Effective delegation: The essential guide to thinking and working smarter. New York:
AMACOM.
Straub, J.T. (1998). The agile manager's guide to delegating work. Bristol, VT: Velocity.
ARTICLES
Beaubien, E. (1997, September). Legendary leadership. Executive Excellence, 14(9), 20.
Bernard, B. (1998). Delegating duties the right way. Nation's Business, 86(4), 10.
Bethel, S.M. (2000, January). Productive delegating. Executive Excellence, 17(1), 16.
Johnson, L. K. (2004, July). Are you delegating so it sticks? Harvard Management Update, 8(7), 1-2.
Pollock, T. (1998). How do you rate as a delegator? Automotive Manufacturing & Production, 110(6), 12.
Urbaniak, A. J. (2005, April). Giving others authority. Supervision, 66(4), 3-5.
Vessenes, P.M. (2001, August). Delegation of authority. Journal of Financial Planning, 14(8), 42+.
Weiss, W.H. (2000, September). The art and skill of delegating. Supervision, 61(9), 3+.
| 81 |

¾ With the help of a manager, analyze an assignment that you delegated. Determine what was
effective and what could have been done differently. Request coaching to identify what behaviors
you might change and how.
¾ Request feedback from peers and direct reports regarding the skill and clarity of your delegation
and the effectiveness of your follow-up procedures. Seek input to identify possible improvements
or additions. Make appropriate behavior changes.
¾ Involve direct reports and team members in development planning. Explore opportunities to
expand their knowledge and skills.
¾ Ask the people working on a project to identify any barriers; then ask their advice as to how
barriers might be eliminated.

¾ Volunteer to organize activities for community, charitable, cultural, or political organizations. Look
for activities that encompass numerous tasks and provide delegation opportunities.
¾ Seek project assignments that will require you to appropriately delegate a number of tasks for
timely and successful project completion.
¾ Create an environment that encourages your team members to take on challenging assignments
and to take risks. Communicate your confidence that they will meet your expectations.
¾ Prepare an agenda or tickler file each week, recognizing and identifying appropriate tasks for
delegation.
¾ Maintain a workload-distribution tracking chart to identify staff members who can spend time on
the task or project to be delegated.
¾ Review previous projects to assess where more appropriate delegation might have led to a better
outcome.
¾ Identify an assignment that you are unlikely to complete on your own and share all or a portion of
the tasks.
¾ Identify tasks you are currently performing that, if delegated, could enhance the skills of one or
more individuals. Then, after considering the characteristics of the tasks and individuals' skills,
knowledge, experience, and motivation, delegate the right tasks to the right people.
¾ Choose a task that you would like to delegate. Create a delegation plan before meeting with this
person. In your plan include: the importance of the assignment, who should be involved, a clear
definition of the output expected, time frame for completion, and support that you will provide.
¾ Maintain a log of previous delegations to identify those that have been productive and successful.
¾ Define parameters by establishing several milestone deadlines over the course of a project.
¾ Hold regular update meetings during the course of a project to review progress on assigned tasks
and to ensure that objectives are being met.
¾ Outline the purpose, boundaries, significant dates, and importance of the task, re
¾ Use electronic calendars or project planning software to set specific dates to complete tasks and
responsibilities.
¾ Periodically follow up with people to whom you delegate and offer help as needed.
¾ Assign tasks or responsibilities that will provide people with a chance to learn or practice
important skills.
| 82 |

¾ Practice delegating assignments or responsibilities outside the workplace.
¾ Praise people when they complete delegated tasks or make positive contributions.
¾ Meet with the appropriate individuals at the beginning of a project to define objectives and clarify
specific roles and responsibilities.
¾ Request status reports that describe progress on the delegated task.
| 83 |

DEVELOPING OTHERS
Planning and supporting the development of individuals’ skills and abilities so that they can fulfill
current or future job/role responsibilities more effectively.
KEY ACTIONS
¾ Collaboratively establishes development goals—Works with individuals to identify areas for
development, understand need for improvement, and set specific development goals.
¾ Collaboratively establishes development plans—Works with individuals to identify options for

meeting development goals; explores environmental supports and barriers to development; jointly
determines appropriate developmental activities.
¾ Creates a learning environment—Secures resources required to support development efforts;

ensures that opportunities for development are available; offers assistance to help individuals
overcome obstacles to learning.
¾ Monitors progress—Gives individuals specific feedback on their performance related to

established goals; highlights key positive and negative performance issues; adjusts plans to
ensure development.
| 84 |

FORMAL LEARNING
¾ Read books and articles about performance management, goal setting, removing barriers for
development, training, and organizational development.
o Providing support and removing obstacles when developing others.
o Giving feedback.
o Diagnosing others' strengths and developmental needs and working out strategies to
meet goals.
o Delegating assignments for developing others.
o Creating and documenting a development plan.
o Managing the development of others.
BOOKS
Alexander, L. (2001). 675 ways to develop yourself and your people: Strategies, ideas, and activities for
self-development and learning in the workplace. Burlington, VT: Gower.
Bell, C.R. (1998). Managers as mentors: Building partnerships for learning. San Francisco: Berrett-
Koehler.
Dauten, D. (1999). The gifted boss: How to find, create, and keep great employees. New York: William
Morrow.
Kalamas, D. (2004). Developing employee capital. Amherst, MA: HRD Press.
McCall, M.W. (1997). High flyers: Developing the next generation of leaders. Boston: Harvard Business
School Press.
Shea, G.F. (1997). Mentoring. Menlo Park, CA: Crisp.
ARTICLES
Developing people through performance appraisals. (2000, December). Paperboard Packaging, 85(12),
39-41.
Ellinger, A.D., Watins, K.E., & Bostrom, R.P. (1999, Summer). Managers as facilitators of learning in
learning organizations. Human Resource Development Quarterly, 10(2), 105-125.
Hill, L. (1998, Spring). Developing the star performer. Leader to Leader, (8), 30-37.
Joinson, C. (1998, January). Developing a strong bench. HR Magazine, 43(1), 93-96.
Joinson, C. (2001, May). Employee, sculpt thyself . . . with a little help. HR Magazine, 46(5), 60-65.
Kaye, B. (2004, October). Talent talks. Executive Excellence, 21(10), 10-11.
Minter, R.L., & Thomas, E.G. (2000, Spring/Summer). Employee development through coaching,
mentoring and counseling: A multidimensional approach. Review of Business, 21(1/2), 43+.
Simonsen, P. (1999, August). Do your managers have the right stuff? Workforce, 78(8), 47-52.

| 85 |

individuals.
like to work on.

¾ Put employee development at the top of your daily to-do list. Investing the time now will lead to
long-term gains in the future.
¾ Identify special assignments that go beyond what an associate can already do.
¾ Assign a task to someone who will learn from the experience, not to someone who already knows
the task well.
¾ Set development goals that are specific, challenging yet realistic, and measurable.
¾ Give associates the freedom to learn from their successes and failures.
¾ Support associates in leveraging their strengths.
¾ Structure your development plan, highlighting future goals, areas of strength, and developmental
needs. Determine a plan to reach your goals and develop your skills.
¾ Note the difficulties and the rewards you encounter during this process. Use this information to
assist your staff with their development.
¾ Learn the particulars of your organization's developmental planning process.
¾ Research the formal training and development opportunities offered in your organization.
¾ Meet regularly with individuals to discuss their progress, issues, obstacles, and adjustments with
development plans.
¾ Maintain a development file for each individual. Keep track of review sessions and specific
behavior issues (exceptional and rejectable); use this information during scheduled feedback
discussions.
¾ Begin the development planning process with an individual who is a solid performer. Work
together to identify developmental needs and establish a plan to strengthen these areas. Once
you feel comfortable with this process, use it with someone who has a performance problem.
¾ Explain the reasons for recommending specific developmental activities. Include information
about support and barriers.
| 86 |

DRIVING EXECUTION
KEY ACTIONS


| 87 |

FORMAL LEARNING
o Accountability
o Business strategy
BOOKS
ARTICLES
13.
| 88 |


to their execution.

concrete action.
ongoing concerns.
| 89 |

the objectives.
communication.
| 90 |

PASSION FOR RESULTS
improvement.
KEY ACTIONS

| 91 |

FORMAL LEARNING
¾ Time management.
¾ Delegation.
BOOKS
HarperBusiness.
School Press.
ARTICLES
62–69.
Update, 3(10), 1–4.
Review, 80(1), 72–79.
116.
Business Review,
43(4), 79–83.
| 92 |

team.
team.

you.
independently.
| 93 |

| 94 |

Leadership Level: Director
| 95 |

BUILDING ORGANIZATIONAL TALENT
Establishing systems and processes to attract, develop, engage, and retain talented individuals;
creating a work environment where people can realize their full potential, thus allowing the
organization to meet current and future business challenges.
KEY ACTIONS
¾ Determines talent gaps—Determines the mix and level of talent required by the organization to
support current and future objectives; assesses the key strengths and skill gaps of the current
talent pipeline.
¾ Recruits strategically—Attracts and recruits internal and external talent to ensure that the
organization will be appropriately staffed to meet current and future business challenges.
¾ Champions talent development—Initiates strategies to develop internal talent while balancing

that effort with external hiring; targets challenging developmental assignments that build
individual confidence and organizational capability.
¾ Promotes differential rewards—Sets up recognition and reward systems appropriate to

individual levels of performance.
¾ Emphasizes retention—Establishes systems to retain talented individuals; addresses

employees’ needs for career satisfaction (e.g., compensation, benefits, development
opportunities, and work environment).
| 96 |

FORMAL LEARNING
¾ Read books and articles on creating a learning environment.
¾ Read newspapers, magazines, business periodicals, or trade journals or browse the Internet for
articles on the latest talent management philosophies and techniques.
o Managing talent.
o Developing mentoring skills.
o Developing others.
o Recruiting and selecting talent.
o Creating a learning environment.
BOOKS
Axelrod, W. & Coyle, J. (2011). How exceptional managers develop people while getting results. San
Francisco: Berrett-Koehler Publishers.
Byham, W.C., Smith, A.B., & Paese, M.J. (2002). Grow your own leaders: How to identify, develop, and
retain leadership talent. Upper Saddle River, NJ: Prentice Hall.
Capelli, P., & Ibarra, H. (2011). Harvard Business Review on finding and keeping the best people.
Boston: Harvard Business School Press.
Charan, R., Drotter, S.J., & Noel, J.L. (2011). The leadership pipeline: How to build the leadership-
powered company. San Francisco: Jossey-Bass.
Finnegan, R. (2010). Rethinking retention in good times and bad: Breakthrough ideas for keeping your
best workers. Boston: Davies-Black.
Goffee, R., & Jones, G. (2009). Clever: Leading your smartest, most creative people. Boston: Harvard
Business School Publishing.
Gostock, A., & Elton, C. (2009). The carrot principle (2nd edition). New York, NY: Free Press.
Little, B. (2010, Nov). Best practice talent management. Training Journal, 45-49.
Lombardo, M. (2009). FYI: For your improvement - For learners, managers, mentors, and feedback givers
(5th edition). Minneapolis, MN: Lominger International: A Korn/Ferry Co.
Ready, D. (2009, Summer). Forging the new talent compact. Business Strategy Review, 20(2), 4-7.
Schumann, M. & Sartain, L. (2009). Brand for talent: Eight essentials to make your talent as famous as
your brand. San Francisco: Jossey-Bass.
Sheridan, K. (2012). Building a magnetic culture: How to attract and retain top talent to create an
engaged, productive workforce. New York: McGraw-Hill.
Silzer, R., & Dowell, B. (2009). Strategy driven talent management: A leadership imperative. San
Weiss, A., & MacKay, N. (2009). The talent advantage: How to attract and retain the best and brightest.
ARTICLES
Berke, D., Kossler, M., & Wakefield, M. (2009, March/April). Building talent: Developing effective leaders
is as crucial as ever. Leadership in Action, 29(1), 3-7.
| 97 |

Bird, A., Flees, L., & DiPaola, P. (2010, Spring). Start filling your talent gap now. Business Strategy
Review, 21 (1), 56-63.
Bolt, J. & Hagemann, B. (2009, July). Harvesting tomorrow's leaders, T+D, 63(7), 52-57.
Cappeli, P. (2008, March). Talent management for the twenty-first century. Harvard Business Review,
86(3), 74-81.
Groysberg, B., Kelly, L.K., & MacDonald, B. (2011, March). The new path to the C-suite. Harvard
Hewlett, S., Marshall, M., & Sherbin, L. (2011, Oct). The relationship you need to get right. Harvard
Lawler, E., Pringle, A., Leigh Branham, F., Cornelius, J., and Martin, J. (2008, June). Why are we losing
all our good people? Harvard Business Review, 86(6), 41-51.
Lasse, Cheryl. (2012, Dec). Close skills gaps through personalized learning. T+D, 66(12), 76-77.
Phoel, C. Morrison. (2008, June). How to close the talent gap. Harvard Management Update, 13 (6), 3-5.

¾ Observe leaders who are strong talent advocates and developers. What strategies do they use to
develop talent? Ask yourself which of these strategies you can adopt.
individuals.
like to work on.

¾ Create a cross-training or rotation program among positions within your department to broaden
people’s experience and create a learning environment.
¾ Volunteer for a project or task force that addresses talent development issues within your
organization.
¾ Encourage your direct reports to participate in meetings, projects, and tasks that might serve as
learning vehicles in their development.
¾ Maintain a log of individual and group performance; keep track of successes, failures, and
development opportunities.
¾ Develop and document individualized training paths for each direct report, building from small to
greater responsibilities.
| 98 |

¾ Become a daily mentor to your direct reports to enhance potential skills or address development
opportunities.
¾ Meet individually with your direct reports to discuss strengths, development needs, and career
goals.
¾ Consider the type of leadership your organization will need to be successful over the next 3, 5,
and 10 years. Identify potential leaders who might fulfill those leadership needs. Consider what
development activities and work experiences can assist them in reaching their full leadership
potential.
¾ Encourage more experienced staff on your team to coach newer staff members.
¾ Assign potential leaders to cross-functional roles outside of their anticipated career paths to
broaden their skills and enhance their knowledge of the organization.
| 99 |

BUSINESS SAVVY
Demonstrates a keen understanding of basic business operations and the organizational levers
(systems, processes, departments, functions) that drive profitable growth; draws from personal
experience to quickly evaluate business plans and processes to identify data or recommendations
that need further investigation.
KEY ACTIONS
¾ Isolates key levers—Quickly recognizes the merits and flaws of business propositions and
processes; identifies information gaps and/or needs for deeper analysis.
¾ Focuses decision making processes—Specifies efficient steps for determining the viability of
business propositions and processes; ensures that the highest priority issues are investigated
fully to minimize risk and maximize opportunity.
| 100 |

FORMAL LEARNING
¾ Read business publications to track relevant industry trends and identify marketplace
opportunities (e.g., Wall Street Journal, Portable MBA, etc.).
¾ Attend professional conferences and network with professionals in your industry.
¾ Take a business course that stretches your knowledge.
¾ Look for a workshop that addresses the following:
o Data reduction and organization to enhance decision making.
o Generating, considering, and evaluating alternatives.
o Matching business strategies to market analysis information.
o Evaluating business plans.
o Evaluating market analysis data to better understand the conditions and characteristics of
your local market.
o Conducting competitive analyses.
o Taking calculated risks.
BOOKS
Anderson, E.T. & Simester, D. (2011, March). A step-by-step guide to smart business experiments.
Harvard Business Review, 89(3), 98–105.
Bryan, L. (2010). Dynamic management: Better decisions in uncertain times. McKinsey Quarterly, 1, 32-
40.
Buchen I.H. (2011). Executive intelligence: The leader's edge. Lanham, MD: Roman & Littlefield
Education.
Carkanord, B. (2008). Seven steps to mastering business analysis. Fort Lauderdale, FL: Ross Publishing.
Collins, J.C., & Hansen, M.T. (2011). Great by choice: Uncertainty, chaos, and luck—Why some thrive
despite them all. New York: HarperCollins.
Griswell, J.B., & Jennings, B. (2009). The adversity paradox: An unconventional guide to achieving
uncommon business success. St. Martin's Press.
Krippendorff, K. (2012). Outthink the competition: How a new generation of strategists sees options
others ignore. Hoboken, NJ: John Wiley & Sons.
Merrifield, R. (2009). Rethink: A business manifesto for cutting costs and boosting innovation. Upper
Saddle River, New Jersey: FT Press.
Putten, A.B. van, & MacMillan, I.C. (2009). Unlocking opportunities for growth: How to profit from
uncertainty while limiting your risk. Upper Saddle River, NJ: Pearson Education.
Slywotzky, A.J., & Webber, K. (2007). The upside: Seven strategies for turning big threats into growth
breakthroughs. Crown Business.
Stulz, R.M. (2009, March). Six ways companies mismanage risk. Harvard Business Review, 87(3), 86–
Zook, C., & Allen, J. (2012). Repeatability: Build enduring businesses for a world of constant change.
Boston: Harvard Business Review Press.
ARTICLES
| 101 |

Brousseau, K.R., Driver, M.J., Hourihan, G., & Larsson, R. (2006, February). The seasoned executive’s
decision-making style. Harvard Business Review, 84(2), 110-121.
Casadesus-Masanell, R. & Tarzijan, J. (2012, January/February). When one business model isn’t
enough. Harvard Business Review, 90(1/2), 132–137.
Girotra, K. & Netessine, S. (2011, May). How to build risk into your business model. Harvard Business
Review, 89(5), 100–105.
Nonaka, I. & Takeuchi, H. (2011, May). The wise leader. Harvard Business Review, 89(5), 58-67.
Ofek, E., & Wathieu, L. (2010, Jul/Aug). Are you ignoring trends that could shake up your business?
Harvard Business Review, 88(7/8), 124-131.
¾ Observe colleagues who make successful business and financial decisions. Note the strategies
they use to analyze, interpret, and utilize data.
¾ At the completion of assignments and projects, ask peers and leaders for feedback on your
analysis and decision-making skills.
¾ Identify reliable information resources within your organization that you can count on during the
early stages of gathering information.
¾ Cultivate a strong network of knowledgeable advisors from both within and outside the
organization who will allow you to gather information to make better decisions.
¾ Look for an area, team, department, or organization with which your department should be
working closely, but is not. Initiate a discussion with key players from both areas. Try to
understand each others’ key systems, processes, functions, etc.
¾ Ask your leader or others for specific examples of situations in which you could have made
decisions sooner.

¾ Volunteer for a community project involving significant business activity (e.g., acquiring a new
building, negotiating a lease, etc.).
¾ Volunteer for cross-functional assignments or task forces to learn more about the organization
and business.
¾ Build a business plan for a new venture, product, or service.
¾ Participate in an aggressive start-up or new product development opportunities in which your
partners will be involved in making important, quick decisions.
¾ Identify a market need your organization does not address. Work with knowledgeable people to
develop a response that will meet the need.
¾ Help plan and carry out a nonprofit’s fund-raising efforts.
¾ Take on a leadership role in an industry group or trade organization.
¾ Review quantitative data (e.g., department or company financial statements, balance sheets,
cash flow statements) and look for trends and cause-effect relationships that were associated
with both successful and unsuccessful business decisions.
¾ Become proficient in conducting a SWOT (Strengths, Weaknesses, Opportunities, Threats)
analysis.
¾ Develop best- and worst-case scenarios when you have opportunities to establish strategic
direction; consider them before implementation.
| 102 |

¾ Review decisions you have made with the benefit of hindsight. What were the results? If you
could make the decisions again, would you do anything differently? Was any of your current
knowledge available at the time you were making the decision?
¾ Make a list of the pros and cons of an opportunity while in the decision-making process. Instead
of comparing the number of pros and cons, consider the impact of each pro and con. Imagine the
scenario if all the pros were realized. Then imagine the scenario if all the cons were realized.
Could you live with both scenarios?
¾ Try not to restrict yourself to the ways things have been done in the past. Ask yourself and others
what-if questions.
¾ Anticipate customer needs. Identify products or services used by your customers that you do not
now provide. Brainstorm ways you could expand your services to meet even more of your
customers’ needs.
¾ Compare your strategies to those used by your competitors.
¾ Read a competitor’s annual report and strategize about what you would do differently to improve
that organization’s performance.
¾ When creating your own business plan, collaborate with someone who has built strong business
plans in the past.
¾ Conduct an ROI analysis for an idea you would like to propose. Present your analysis to senior
leaders.

| 103 |

COACHING AND DEVELOPING OTHERS
Providing feedback, instruction, and development guidance to help others excel in their current or
future job responsibilities; planning and supporting the development of individual skills and abilities.
KEY ACTIONS
¾ Clarifies performance—Seeks information and opinions about an individual’s current
performance as well as long-term development needs.
¾ Provides timely feedback—Gives timely, specific, and appropriate feedback about performance,
development needs, and development progress; reinforces efforts and progress.
¾ Conveys performance expectations and implications—Communicates high expectations;

links performance improvement and skill development to relevant personal and business goals;
checks for understanding of and commitment to performance and development goals as well as
follow up activities.
¾ Evaluates skill gaps—Diagnoses gaps in knowledge, experience, skills, and behavior that
underlie current and future performance; continually modifies evaluation based on new
information.
¾ Guides development—Provides guidance and positive models to help others develop; seeks
suggestions for improving performance; collaboratively creates development plans that include
activities targeted to specific goals; leverages environmental supports and removes development
barriers; advocates for individual to higher levels of management to create development
opportunities.
¾ Fosters developmental relationships—Helps people feel valued and included in coaching and
development discussions by expressing confidence in their ability to excel, maintaining their self-
esteem, empathizing, involving them, and disclosing own position.
| 104 |

FORMAL LEARNING
etc. Include books by such authors as Peter Drucker, Robert Mager, William Byham, and Ken
Blanchard.
¾ Build your own library of resources (that is, books, articles, web sites, tips, tools, best practices)
that you can share with your direct reports and colleagues to help them build their skills.
o Recognizing people’s abilities and developing their skills.
o Providing accurate, timely feedback.
o Coaching for performance improvement.
o Preparing others to perform new tasks.
o Active listening.
o Adult learning.
o Managing performance.
o Rewarding and recognizing accomplishments.
BOOKS
Axelrod, W., & Coyle, J. (2011). How exceptional managers develop people while getting results. San
Francisco: Berrett-Koehler.
Chapman, G.D., & White, P.E. (2011). The 5 languages of appreciation in the workplace: Empowering
organizations by encouraging people. Chicago: Northfield Publishing.
Crane, T.G. (2012). The heart of coaching: Using transformational coaching to create a high-performance
coaching culture (3rd edition). San Diego, CA: FTA Press.
Flaherty, J. (2010). Coaching: Evoking excellence in others (3rd edition). Burlington, MA: Butterworth-
Heinemann.
Goldsmith, M., Lyons, L., McArthur, S. (2012). Coaching for leadership: Writings on leadership from the
world’s greatest coaches. San Francisco: Pfeiffer.
Hargrove, R. (2008). Masterful coaching San Francisco: Pfeiffer.
Hunt, J.M., & Weintraub, J.R. (2010). The coaching manager: Developing top talent in business.
Thousand Oaks, CA: Sage Publications.
ARTICLES
Adams, J. (2010, Jan). Coaching v. mentoring. Training Journal, 68-70.
Ahrend, G., Diamond, F., & Gill Webber, P. (2010, July). Virtual coaching: Using technology to boost
performance. Chief Learning Officer, 9(7), 44–47.
| 105 |

Galagan, P. (2010, Feb). Bridging the skills gap: New factors compound the growing skills shortage. T+D,
64(2), 44-49.
Haneberg, L. (2011, Jan). Coaching for catalysts: Creating great coaching moments. T+D, 65(1), 29-31.
Martin, J. & Schmidt, C. (2010, May). How to keep your top talent. Harvard Business Review, 88(5), 54-
61.
Meister, J. C., & Willyerd, K. (2010, May). Mentoring millennials. Harvard Business Review. (88)5, 68-72.
Nesbit, D. (2012, May). Coaching in hard times. Training Journal. 65-69.
Noble, M. (2012, March). Transform managers into coaches: Five steps for coaching success. T+D,
66(3), 32–33.
Oberstein, S. (2010, February). Capitalizing on coaching challenges. T+D, 64(2), 54–57.
Pace, A. (2012, February). Cultivate a coaching culture. T+D, 66(2), 16
Silsbee, D. K. (2010). The mindful coach: Seven roles for facilitating leader development. San Francisco:
Jossey-Bass.

¾ Invite each of your staff members to suggest one way that you could improve your coaching style.
Allow their feedback to be anonymous. After you receive their input, respond with your
observations and share your plans for improvement.
¾ Identify a peer or leader recognized as a leader in providing developmental opportunities. Ask for
advice about how to bring the same focus to your work.
¾ Before a project starts, discuss with all involved how to meet the organization’s standards and
how their development plans can be incorporated into the project plans.
unit’s function. Ask your staff to review the completed handbook and select actions they would
like to work on.
¾ In team meetings after difficult situations, ask people to share what went right and what went
wrong. The entire team can learn from one another’s successes and challenges. These stories
provide powerful teachable moments for you to debrief lessons learned.
¾ Ask a direct report for permission to audiotape the person’s coaching discussion with you,
explaining that it’s for your personal development only. Review the tape and evaluate your
coaching performance. Commit to two or three things that you’ll do differently in the next meeting.

¾ Attend professional conferences, seminars, etc., in your area of expertise to increase or improve
your knowledge of performance management, coaching, and reinforcing positive behaviors.
¾ Participate in a process improvement or developmental planning team in your department or
organization.
¾ Serve as a coach in a leadership training event.
¾ Volunteer to coach a community group, school, or sports team. Observe the parallels between
the community situation and your work situation. Incorporate ideas into your personal
development plan.
| 106 |

¾ Search for job-related activities that will stretch the skills of your staff members. Encourage direct
reports to take on challenging assignments, and then offer to provide support to help them
succeed.
¾ To identify development needs, regularly evaluate team members’ performance against
established performance standards. Maintain accurate files for each member of your staff,
including performance goals, successes, failures, recommended development, career
aspirations, etc. Have a development plan in mind for each team member; note how the plan will
be accomplished and when and how the plan will be reviewed.
¾ Coach your direct reports on developing their staff members.
¾ Actively involve an employee in creating a coaching plan. Together, set coaching expectations.
What does the person expect from you as the coach? What does he or she want to work on?
What does the person hope to gain? Set clear learning expectations and timelines for
evaluations. Hold the person accountable for skill improvements.
¾ Set an objective of making a ―success storyǁ out of one of your employees. Create a plan (using
the Key Actions from this competency) that helps the individual understand and overcome a
critical development need. Schedule successive follow-up sessions to ensure progress and
success. After the first meeting, evaluate yourself
| 107 |

CUSTOMER FOCUS
KEY ACTIONS



| 108 |

FORMAL LEARNING
BOOKS
Page Limited.
Bass.
ARTICLES
| 109 |

56-69.
89.
Review, 40(1), 75-88.


weaknesses.
| 110 |

needs?"
customer's needs.
| 111 |

DRIVING EXECUTION
KEY ACTIONS


| 112 |

FORMAL LEARNING
o Accountability
o Business strategy
BOOKS
ARTICLES
13.
| 113 |


to their execution.

concrete action.
ongoing concerns.
| 114 |

the objectives.
communication.
| 115 |

EMPOWERMENT/DELEGATION
Sharing authority and responsibilities with others to move decision making and accountability
downward through the organization, enable individuals to stretch their capabilities, and accomplish
the business unit’s strategic priorities.
KEY ACTIONS
¾ Delegates—Moves decision making and accountability downward through the organization by
appropriately sharing responsibilities with others.
¾ Shares responsibility—Delegates important areas of authority and responsibility in a manner

that clarifies expectations while expanding the individual’s feelings of ownership and
accountability; promotes risk taking.
¾ Provides guidance—Provides appropriate amount of information, resources, and

encouragement to support the individual’s and business unit’s success without undermining the
individual’s full ownership of issues.
¾ Follows up—Builds follow-up into delegations in order to monitor associate progress and issues.
| 116 |

FORMAL LEARNING
o Empowerment
o Delegation, control, and follow-up.
o Motivating employees.
o Understanding the dynamics of power and control in an organization.
o Finding ways to reward accomplishment.
o Delegating responsibility (i.e., relinquishing control) with complete confidence and trust.
o Giving visibility to others.
BOOKS
Browning, H. (2012). Accountability: Taking ownership of your responsibility. Boonsboro, NC: Center for
Creative Leadership.
Cohen, G.B. (2009). Just ask leadership: Why great managers always ask the right questions. New York:
McGraw-Hill.
Dive, B. (2008). The accountable leader: Developing effective leadership through managerial
accountability. London: Kogan Page.
Harvard Business School Press. (2008). Delegating work (Pocket Mentor). Boston: Harvard Business
School Press.
Luecke, R.A., & McIntosh, P. (2010). The busy manager’s guide to delegation. New York: AMACOM.
Oncken, W., & Wass, D.L. (2008). Management time: Who’s got the monkey? Boston: Harvard Business
School Press.
Pratt, B.V. (2008). Own the forest, delegate the trees. Ponte Vedra: Hamilton & Cole.
Thomas, K.W. (2009). Intrinsic motivation at work: What really drives employee engagement. San
Tracy, B. (2011). Full engagement!: Inspire, motivate, and bring out the best in your people. New York:
AMACOM.
ARTICLES
Johnson, L.K. (2007, September). Are you delegating so it sticks? Harvard Management Update, 12(9),
5-7.
Marshall, R., Talbott, J., & Bukovinsky, D. (2006, September). Employee empowerment works at small
companies, too. Strategic Finance, 88(3), 34-39.
61.
Semler, R. (2007, July/August). Out of this world: Doing things the Semco way. Global Business and
Organizational Excellence, 26(5), 13-21.
| 117 |

¾ Schedule staff meetings to discuss how staff contributions support the organization’s goals. Ask
for feedback on how well you have provided the resources and support they need to accomplish
their objectives.
¾ Request feedback from peers and direct reports about the clarity of the delegation and the
effectiveness of your follow-up system. Seek ideas for improvements or additions. Make
appropriate behavior changes.
¾ Once a delegated assignment has been completed, hold a debriefing or postmortem to review the
results. Get feedback on your effectiveness in delegating as well as on the delegatee’s
effectiveness in completing the work assigned.
¾ Seek out staff members’ opinions on issues, projects, and decisions through memos, meetings,
informal and formal talks, etc.
¾ Hold regular staff meetings and provide opportunities for exchanging information among group
members.

¾ Develop and implement a cross-training, job-rotation, or intergroup project management program
within your department or area. This will give staff members a chance to broaden their skills and
explore other department/area opportunities.
¾ Volunteer for community, charitable, cultural, or political organizations and organize activities that
encompass numerous tasks and provide opportunities to delegate.
¾ Support a project team as a coach; other members will have most of the responsibility for
accomplishing the task.
¾ Establish and maintain a process to track how work is distributed to identify staff members who
have time for taking on new projects.
¾ Face your delegation fears. Think of something that you wouldn’t want anyone other than yourself
doing—and then delegate it. Begin by delegating low-risk decisions and gradually work your way
up to delegating higher-risk issues.
¾ Examine past assignments in your area. Note the nature and importance of the assignments, who
handled them, and how visible the outcomes were. Examine staff members’ project history and
create a staff development needs analysis. Use the analysis to provide staff members with
challenging, visible, critical, and skill-enhancing assignments.
¾ Meet individually with staff members to show them how their responsibilities relate to
department/area and organization operations; recognize their contributions.
¾ Identify tasks that could be entrusted to direct reports and plan the delegation as soon as
possible.
¾ At the outset of a project, meet with everyone involved to define objectives, roles, and
responsibilities. Establish several interim deadlines over the course of the project to pinpoint
when specific tasks must be completed. Set regular update meetings to review progress and to
ensure that objectives are being met.
¾ Develop a training/development matrix for your department or area outlining staff training needs.
Use corporate programs and challenging assignments to provide staff members with
opportunities to meet these needs. Track their progress.
¾ Set a time to discuss a delegation. During the meeting encourage and elicit staff members’ ideas,
consolidating the groundwork for the task.
¾ Delegate for development purposes, empowering staff to determine what to do and how to do it.
| 118 |

¾ Put staff members on important committees or work groups that will increase their visibility and
networking opportunities. Occasionally, let staff members participate in such activities in your
place.
¾ Work with direct reports to identify assignments, particularly those for development, they can
delegate to their staffs. Coach direct reports on empowering their staffs to determine how to
accomplish delegated tasks. Hold direct reports accountable for delegating challenging
assignments to their staffs.
¾ Tell your leader about staff accomplishments at a meeting or in memos.
| 119 |

FINANCIAL ACUMEN
Utilizing financial data to diagnose business strengths and weaknesses and identify the implications
for potential strategies; keeping a financial perspective in the forefront when making strategic
decisions.
KEY ACTIONS
¾ Analyzes—Recognizes and assesses key indicators of financial health (e.g., liquidity, profitability,
and productivity ratios); identifies trends from financial data; identifies and investigates gaps in
financial information.
¾ Integrates—Organizes financial data from multiple sources to identify critical business issues
underlying financial trends; articulates the implications of financial trends for own business unit
and the broader organization; uses financial data to guide strategic and operational decision
making.
| 120 |

FORMAL LEARNING
¾ Take a finance course designed for nonfinancial managers that can stretch your knowledge.
¾ Read business and industry-specific publications to track relevant industry trends and identify
marketplace opportunities (e.g., Wall Street Journal, Portable MBA, etc.).
¾ Develop a working knowledge of basic financial terms. See
http://www.doityourself.com/stry/readingfinances for guidance on reading and understanding
financial statements.
o Understanding basic business finance.
o Understanding your organization’s financial systems
BOOKS
Berman, K., Knight, J., & Case, J. (2006). Financial intelligence: A manager’s guide to knowing what the
numbers really mean. Boston: Harvard Business School Press.
Berman, K., Knight, J., & Case, J. (2008). Financial intelligence for entrepreneurs: What you really need
to know about the numbers. Boston: Harvard Business School Publishing.
Harvard Business School Press. (2007). Understanding finance: Expert solutions to everyday challenges.
Boston: Author.
Collier, P. (2009). Accounting for managers: Interpreting accounting information for decision-making (2nd
edition). Hoboken, NJ: John Wiley & Sons.
Collins, J., & Hansen, M. (2011). Great by choice, uncertainty, chaos, and luck: Why some thrive despite
them all. New York: HarperCollins.
Davenport, T.H., & Harris, J.G. (2007). Competing on analytics: The new science of winning. Boston:
Harvard Business School Press.
Palepu, K.G., & Healy, P.M. (2008). Business analysis and valuation: Using financial statements. Mason,
OH: Thomson Learning.
Zook, C. (2007). Unstoppable: Finding hidden assets to renew the core and fuel profitable growth.
ARTICLES
Christensen, C.M., Kaufman, S.P., & Shih, W.C. (2008, January). Innovation killers: How financial tools
destroy your capacity to do new things. Harvard Business Review, 86(1), 98-105.
Desai, M.A. (2008, July/August). The finance function in a global corporation. Harvard Business Review,
86(7/8), 108-112.
Review, 89(5), 100-105.
Gottfredson, M., Schaubert, S., & Saenz, H. (2008, February). The new leader’s guide to diagnosing the
business. Harvard Business Review, 86(2), 63-73.
Greenwood, R. & Scharfstein, D. (2012, March). How to make finance work. Harvard Business Review,
90(3), 104-110.
Kaiser, K. & Young, D. (2009, May). Need cash? Look inside your company. Harvard Business Review,
87(5), 64/71.
| 121 |

Ofek, E. & Wathieu, L. (2010, July/Aug). Are you ignoring trends that could shake up your business?

¾ Set up an informal mentorship with a peer or leader of another business unit. Ask for real-time
feedback when they view you in a meeting focused on financial topics.
¾ Partner with a financial manager or someone in the CFO position in your unit or department and
have them coach you on what the most important metrics are for your unit or department.
¾ Work closely with financial analysts and other members of the finance staff in your organization.
When analyzing data, ask for their input and for help interpreting the data.
¾ Ask others for financial advice and their insights into the business when trying to solve a problem
or make a decision.
¾ When planning and implementing a financially complex project, ask a colleague with strong skills
in the financial area to act as a coach and provide feedback on your budget and plan.
¾ Ask a financial manager to provide a financial update to your group. Discuss how your group can
contribute to improving organization finances.
¾ Help a peer understand “financial jargon”; teaching vocabulary is the best way to learn it at a
deep level.
¾ Ask peers what financial risks they foresee and the implications those risks hold for the
organization and your business unit.

¾ Volunteer to manage the accounts for a community organization.
¾ Volunteer for cross-functional assignments or task forces to learn more about the financial
aspects of other business units in your organization.
¾ Create a business plan for a new venture, product, or service. Collaborate with someone who has
built strong business plans in the past.
¾ Compare your organization’s financial performance to that of a benchmark organization or a
competitor.
¾ Review past business and financial data and identify trends and relationships which drove both
successful and unsuccessful business decisions.
¾ Practice using financial jargon in conversations with peers; increasing your financial vocabulary
and knowledge protects you from being misled when other people use financial lingo.
¾ Read a competitor’s annual report and strategize how you would improve that organization’s
financial performance.
¾ Be able to quote stock price and high-level financials related to your business.
¾ Learn your customers’ businesses by reviewing annual reports, industry-specific information, etc.
¾ Regularly monitor budget performance. Plan how to address problems and ask internal experts
for feedback on your ideas.
| 122 |

¾ During your organization’s budgeting process, partner with a colleague who is financially savvy.
Invite him or her to share tips and tactics.
¾ Identify barriers to discussing financial performance between your unit and your closest internal
partner (barriers imposed by you, the department, or the organization) and seek ways to remove
them.
¾ Analyze the financial health of a community organization, and then provide recommendations for
improvement.
¾ Conduct an ROI analysis for an idea you would like to propose. Present your idea to your peers,
then to senior leaders.

| 123 |

LEADING CHANGE
Identifying and driving organizational and cultural changes needed to adapt strategically to changing
market demands, technology, and internal initiatives; catalyzing new approaches to improve results
by transforming organizational culture, systems, or products/services.
KEY ACTIONS
¾ Identifies change opportunities—Proactively recognizes the need for innovation or
improvement and initiates efforts to explore alternative solutions.
¾ Stretches boundaries—Encourages others to question established processes and traditional

assumptions; seeks and uses input from diverse sources to generate alternative approaches;
promotes experimentation by rewarding early adopters and their progress.
¾ Catalyzes change—Takes action to improve organizational culture, processes, or

products/services; establishes and encourages others to achieve a best practice approach;
translates new ideas into concrete action plans.
¾ Removes barriers and resistance—Strives to understand and break down cultural barriers to
change; explains the benefits of change; demonstrates sensitivity to fears about change; helps
individuals overcome resistance to change.
| 124 |

FORMAL LEARNING
¾ Look for workshops that addresses the following:
o Rewarding people for their ideas.
o Dealing with resistance to change.
o Communicating complex messages in a clear, simplified manner.
o Evaluating all ideas before making a decision.
o Involving others in developing solutions.
o Rewarding and retaining talent during change.
BOOKS
Anderson, D., & Ackerman-Anderson (2010). Beyond change management. San Francisco: Pfeiffer.
Anderson, L.A., and Anderson, D. (2010). The change leader’s roadmap: How to navigate your
organization’s transformation. San Francisco, CA: Pfeiffer.
Axelrod, R.H. (2010). Terms of engagement: Changing the way we change organizations. San Francisco:
Berrett-Koehler.
Cameron, E., & Green, M. (2012). Making sense of change management: A complete guide to the
models, tools, and techniques of organizational change. London: Kogan Page.
Heath, C. & Heath, D. (2010) Switch: How to change things when change is hard. New York: Crown
Klein, T.D. (2010). Built for change: essential traits of transformative companies. Westport, CT: Praeger.
Laszlo, C., & Laugel, J. (2012). Large-scale organizational change: An executive’s guide. Boston:
Butterworth-Heinemann.
McKeown, M. (2012). Adaptability: The art of winning in an age of uncertainty. Philadelphia, PA: Kogan.
Musselwhite, C., & Jones, R. (2010). Dangerous opportunity: Making change work. Philadelphia, PA:
Xlibris Corporation.
Puccio, M.L., Murdock, M.C., & Mance, M. (2010) Creative leadership: Skills that drive change. San
Francisco, CA: Sage Publications, Inc.
ARTICLES
Buhler, P. (2010). The agile manager. Supervision, 71(12), 18-20.
Ford, J. D. & Ford, L.W. (2009, April). Decoding resistance to change. Harvard Business Review, 87(4),
99-103.
Hawkins, P. (2011, May/June). United front. Coaching at Work. 3(6), 35-37.
Hugos, M.H. (2009). Business agility: Sustainable prosperity in a relentlessly competitive world. Hoboken,
NJ: Wiley.
Margolis, J.D., & Stoltz, P.G. (2010, January/February). How to bounce back from adversity. Harvard
Business Review, 88(1/2), 86–92.
Parachin, V.M. (2012). Taking charge of change. Supervision, 73(2), 24-26.
Trignano, L. (2010, Nov). The change challenge. Financial Executive, 26 (9), 56-59, 4.
| 125 |

Verma, N. & Gandossy, R. (2009, Winter). Building leadership capability to drive change. Leader to
Leader, 51, 40-46.
Vermeulen, F., Puranam, P., & Gulati, R. (2010, June). Change for change’s sake. Harvard Business
Review, 88(6), 70-76.

¾ Introduce into the team or organization external people who have had experience with significant
change in the workplace.
¾ Talk with peers from different business units who have recently dealt with change.
¾ Brainstorm with others and identify 15 to 20 things that could be done differently in your unit. Try
not to judge the ideas until the end of the brainstorming session.
¾ Interview or survey others to learn how people view an upcoming change. Ask for their ideas on
how to make the change a positive experience.
¾ Find out what other leaders from changing organizations are doing to succeed. Consider how
their methods could be applied to your organization.
¾ Observe leaders who identify opportunities for change and manage the change process
effectively; consider which strategies you can use.
¾ Ask for input from peers, direct reports, leaders, or others who have direct knowledge of your
effort to manage change.
¾ Ask a colleague to evaluate your plans for a change initiative. Invite him or her to challenge every
aspect of the plan.
¾ Engage an experienced executive as your coach during change.

¾ Offer to be part of task forces defining policies and procedures to ensure that organizational
messages support change.
¾ Organize a multifunctional group to identify opportunities for change.
¾ Seek projects that require that you initiate and plan change within your organization or
community.
¾ Use books and workshops to learn about a change model that can help you understand how
people change and how to better manage change.
¾ Set up a reward system to recognize individuals who are improving their effectiveness and
behavior on the job.
¾ Create and lead a continuous improvement effort to increase efficiency of a work process.
¾ Plan ways of listening and responding with empathy to people who might lose status or respect
due to a change.
¾ Assess your own reactions to past changes. Evaluate what you did successfully to manage the
change.
¾ Formulate a clear, simple way to communicate the purpose of a change and its process.
¾ Think of ways to explain the benefits of change to head off resistance.
¾ List those who will be affected by change and note how they will be affected. Think of ways to
make them feel comfortable with change.
| 126 |

¾ Address concerns that grow out of anxiety created by change.
¾ Think about whether your actions are consistent with your message about change. For example,
do you ask others to question established work practices but continue to reward those who don’t
criticize?
¾ Set up formal and informal ways to reward people for embracing change.
¾ Imagine people affected by change and ask yourself: What will their reactions be? What can I do
to minimize their fears?
¾ Challenge people when they say something can’t be done. Get them thinking about how to think
imaginatively.
¾ Coach associates on your most effective strategies to manage change.
| 127 |

LEADING TEAMS
Using appropriate methods and interpersonal styles to develop, motivate, and guide the team to
attain successful outcomes and business objectives.
KEY ACTIONS
¾ Creates shared purpose—Inspires and sustains team cohesion and engagement by focusing
the team on its mission and its importance to the organization.
¾ Promotes team processes—Sets up consistent procedures and communication processes to

establish goals, clarify responsibilities, engage team members, leverage their strengths, share
feedback, and adjust plans.
¾ Celebrates success—Looks for and capitalizes on opportunities to encourage and reward

successful team performance.
¾ Stays close––Monitors team performance and takes action to keep the team on track; offers the
team own personal time; helps in overcoming barriers and resolving conflict; provides ongoing
feedback and appropriate guidance.
| 128 |

FORMAL LEARNING
¾ Read business periodicals (e.g., Business Week, Wall Street Journal, Fortune, Forbes, Inc,
Harvard Business Review) and appropriate professional journals for articles about the newest
teams ideas.
o Team development, feedback, or performance management.
o Leadership and team building skills
o Communication
o Influencing others
o Motivating others
o Maximizing performance.
o Leading virtual, global, or cross-functional teams.
BOOKS
Byham, W.C. (with Cox, J.). (1998). Zapp!® The lightning of empowerment: How to improve productivity,
quality, and employee satisfaction (Rev. ed.). New York: Ballantine Books.
Casse, P. & Banahan, E. (2011, Sept). 21st Century Team Skills. Training Journal, 11-16.
Frisch, B. (2011). Harvard business review on building better teams. Boston, MA: Harvard Business
School.
Frisch, B. (2012). Who's in the room: How great leaders structure and manage the teams around them.
San Francisco: Jossey-Bass.
DeRosa, D. & Lepsinger, R. (2010). Virtual team success: A practical guide for working and leading from
a distance. San Francisco: Jossey Bass.
Harvard Business Press. (2010). Leading virtual teams. Boston, MA: Author.
Hayes, P. (2011). Leading and coaching teams to success: The secret life of teams. New York: McGraw
Hill Education.
Huszczo, G.E. (2010). Tools for team leadership: Delivering the x-factor in team excellence. Boston, MA:
Nicholas Brealey Publishing.
Nicholl, C.G. (2010). #Teamwork tweet: Lessons for leading organizational teams to success. Silicon
Valley, CA: THINKaha.
Parker, G.M. (2008). Team players and teamwork: New strategies for the competitive enterprise. San
Vogt, J. (2008). Recharge your team: The grounded visioning approach. Westport, CT: Praeger.
Wagerman, R., Nunes, D.A., Burruss, J.A., & Hackman, J.R. (2008). Senior leadership teams: What it
takes to make them great. Boston: Harvard Business School.
Wellington, P. (2012). Managing successful teams. Philadelphia, PA: Kogan Page.
Woodcock, M. & Francis, D. (2008). Team metrics: Resources for measuring and improving team
performance. Amherst, MA: HRD Press.
ARTICLES
| 129 |

Adler, P., Hecksher, C., & Prusak, L. (2011, July/August). Building a collaborative enterprise. Harvard
Business Review, 89(7/8), 94-101.
Butcher, L. (2012, May). Making care teams work. Trustee, 65(5), 13-16.
Field, A. (2009, March). Diagnosing and fixing dysfunctional teams. Harvard Management Update, 14(3),
1-5.
Gardner, H.K. (2012, April). Coming through when it matters most. Harvard Business Review, 90(4), 82–
91.
Gratton, L., & Erickson, T.J. (2007, November). Eight ways to build collaborative teams. Harvard
Katz, D.L. (2010, Sep). Dismantling silos of uncooperative teams. CIO Insight, 113, 12-14.
Prokesch, S. (2009, January). How GE teaches teams to lead change. Harvard Business Review, 87(1),
99-106.
Thomas, R., Bellin, J., Jules, C., & Lyntonn, N. (2012). Global leadership teams: Diagnosing three
essential qualities. Strategy & Leadership, 40(3), 25-29.

¾ Observe how other leaders develop successful teams. Think about the skills that you can learn
from them.
¾ Identify people whose team leadership skills you admire. Seek opportunities to work with them.
¾ Ask subject matter experts to observe or comment on team interactions, objectives, and goals.
¾ Talk to people who have recently moved or are in the process of moving to a team environment.
Discuss approaches that worked well and those that could be improved.
¾ Ask team members how well they feel you exemplify the values of the team. What things do you
do that support the goals? What actions are inconsistent? After receiving input, work with your
manager to create a plan for developing more supportive behaviors.

¾ Read books that include a discussion on cooperative team examples.
¾ Arrange one off-site team meeting a month to promote team spirit.
¾ Seek assignments that involve increasing levels of leadership; request feedback from others.
¾ Look for ways to involve individuals in areas outside their expertise.
¾ Nominate a deserving person for recognition/reward.
¾ Diagnose team members’ needs, set development goals, and identify development activities to
enhance their competence and confidence.
¾ Examine your own biases, prejudices, and preconceived notions to see if they are coloring how
you assess others.
¾ Identify the supporters and barriers of the organizational vision in existing systems (selection,
training, communication, compensation/ rewards, performance management, etc.) and prepare
strategies that promote the former and address the latter.
¾ Reinforce organizational, departmental, and team goals with your team members by incorporating
them into individual work expectations. For example, if an organizational goal is ―100 percent
customer satisfaction,ǁ ask associates to be accountable for the same goal.
| 130 |

¾ Think about the information you share with team members. Do you share too much? Not
enough? How do you decide what to share?
¾ Write some ideas of where you would like your team or department to be one year from now in
terms of quality, outputs, costs, and customer satisfaction. Ask the team for suggestions on how
to achieve this goal.
¾ List three to five of your team’s primary goals. Then, list the one or two primary skills that each
team member brings to the team. Analyze the skills gap and consider whether the team is
missing any kind of knowledge or expertise that might be useful or necessary to meet the team’s
goals.
¾ Discuss team objectives with the team and agree on each objective’s final outcome; assign
responsibility for each outcome to one individual.
¾ Document three specific roles for each team member, and go over those roles with that
individual.
¾ When selecting team members, work with a subject matter expert to identify individuals with
exceptional job skills.
¾ Consider alternative or nontraditional structures (partnerships, star points, or self-directed teams)
that might make it easier to achieve organizational goals.
¾ Ask team members for ideas on ways to get them involved in team decisions. Form task forces to
target specific situations.
¾ Confront conflict, problems, and others’ reservations or misgivings directly, but tactfully.
¾ Meet regularly with the team to stay in touch with their projects. Offer to provide resources or talk
to other team leaders to help your team reach its objectives.
¾ Talk with your team about how they are doing in relation to the team’s, and the organization’s,
goals and objectives.
¾ Conduct an annual or semiannual team review to reassess goals, celebrate significant
accomplishments, and identify, address, and resolve any performance or skills gaps.
¾ Take on a project that will require you to establish goals and objectives that are consistent with
the organization’s values.
¾ Join cross-functional, interdisciplinary, interdepartmental, or customer task forces and teams.
¾ Volunteer to serve as the coach for a sports team.
¾ Volunteer to lead a community, charitable, cultural, or political organization.
¾ Ask yourself what the ideal leader does to encourage people to work together toward a common
goal. After writing your ideas, identify the things you need to work on most to meet the ideal.
Commit yourself to practicing those behaviors when the next opportunity arises.
| 131 |

OPERATIONAL DECISION MAKING
Securing and comparing information from multiple sources to identify business issues; committing to
an action after weighing alternative solutions against important decision criteria.
KEY ACTIONS
¾ Gathers information—Recognizes the need for additional information and asks questions to
obtain it.
¾ Organizes information—Examines qualitative and quantitative data to identify operational

problems, trends, and underlying issues and to understand possible cause-effect relationships.
¾ Selects the best of alternatives—Generates options for action to address an issue or

opportunity; develops decision criteria that prioritize potential business outcomes, customer
needs, available resources, technological advances, and organizational values; selects the best
course of action.
¾ Demonstrates decisiveness/action—Makes timely decisions; takes action to pursue an

opportunity, address an issue, or prevent a problem.
¾ Involves others—Involves others in the decision-making process as needed to obtain

information, generate alternatives, make the best decision, and ensure buy-in; builds consensus
when appropriate.
| 132 |

FORMAL LEARNING
¾ Look for a workshop that addresses the following::
o Using effective questioning techniques to gather relevant information.
o Organizing information quickly and systematically.
o Simplifying complex information.
o Identifying gaps in an information base.
o Developing a grasp of significant parts of information, especially the broader issues.
o Drawing conclusions that are difficult to challenge because of well-developed rationale.
o Checking conclusions and developing contingency plans.
BOOKS
Caruth, D.L., Caruth, G.D., & Csaszar, L.K. (2010). Mistakes to avoid in decision making. Supervision,
71(10), 3-6.
Goodman, P. & Wright, G. (2010). Decision analysis for management judgment. New York, NY: John
Wiley & Sons.
Harvard Business Review on making smarter decisions. (2011). Boston: Harvard Business School
Publishing.
Kourdi, J. (2011). Effective decision making: 10 steps to better decision making and problem solving.
Boston: Marshall Cavendish Business.
Mooz, H., & Henley, J. (2012). Make up your mind: A decision making guide to thinking clearly and
choosing wisely. Hoboken, NJ: John Wiley & Sons.
Nutt, P. (2009). Why decisions fail: Avoiding the blunders and traps that lead to debacles. San Francisco:
Berrett-Koehler.
Yoe, C. (2011). Principles of risk analysis: Decision making under uncertainty. Boca Raton, Florida: CRC
Press.
ARTICLES
Birkinshaw, J. & Jenkins, H. (2010, Winter). Making better risk management decisions. Business Strategy
Review, 21(4), 41-45.
Blenko, M. W., Mankins, M. C., & Rogers, P. (2010, June). The decision-driven organization. Harvard
Campbell, A., Whitehead, J. & Finkelstein, S. (2009, February). Why good leaders make bad decisions.
Davenport, T. (2009, November). Make better decisions. Harvard Business Review, 87(11), 117-123.
Frisch, B. (2011). Who really makes the big decisions in your company? Harvard Business Review,
89(12), 104-111.
Davenport, T.H. & Hagemann Snabe, J. (2011). How fast and flexible do you want your information,
really? MIT Sloan Management Review, 52(3), 57-62.
Greengard, S. (2010). Business intelligence and analytics: Optimizing your enterprise. Baseline, (102),
18-23.
Kahneman, D., Lovallo, D., & Sibony, O. (2011). Before you make that big decision.... Harvard Business
Review, 89(6), 50-60.
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Shah, S., Horne, A., & Capellá, J. (2012 April). Good data won't guarantee good decisions. Harvard
Stuller, J. (2009, Fall). The need for speed: Can executive decision-making keep up with today’s
accelerating pace? The Conference Board Review, 46(5), 34–41.
Vilar, M. & Kushner, T. (2010). A framework to map and grow data strategy. Information Management,
20(6), 24-27.
Wang, P. (2010). The art of deciding. Training Journal, 45-48.
Zell, D.M., Glassman, A.M., & Duron, S.A. (2007). Strategic management in turbulent times: The short
and glorious history of accelerated decision making at Hewlett-Packard. Organizational Dynamics, 36(1),
93-104.

¾ Ask others to provide feedback on the accuracy and adequacy of information on which you base
your decisions.
¾ Observe how others involve stakeholders in planning and decision making.
¾ Invite a trusted colleague, someone who you think is a good decision maker, to help you make an
important decision.
¾ In a group or team problem-solving or analysis situation, observe how others obtain and examine
information.
¾ Ask others to review and provide feedback on the scope and depth of an information base you
have developed.
¾ Ask a veteran executive to review classic decisions in your organization. Review successes and
failures and discuss how analysis contributed to successful results. Discuss how better analysis
could have led to better decisions in unsuccessful situations.

¾ Volunteer to serve on a community, church, or charitable project that is analyzing a problem or
opportunity.
¾ Volunteer for a project or task force charged to address an organizational problem that involves
gathering and analyzing data, involving key stakeholders in the problem-solving process, and
building commitment.
¾ Review your to-do list and identify projects that require a significant amount of data gathering and
analysis. Identify specific ways to improve the quality of data gathered as well as how the data is
used.
¾ Offer to help gather information for others who are developing an information base. Ask for
feedback on the scope and depth of the information you provide.
¾ Before tackling a problem, consider the kinds of information that relate to it. Look for relationships
between seemingly unrelated data. Uncover possible causes by asking “why” repeatedly. List
issues you need to address and identify critical individuals to involve in the problem-solving
process.
¾ Compare one of your best decisions to one of your worst. What was different? What was the
same?
| 134 |

¾ Identify computer software programs and databases that might be useful in data gathering,
management, and analysis. Once appropriate software is identified, give your direct reports
access for consistent analyses.
¾ Find and list potentially useful internal information and databases. Share this information with
direct reports.
¾ Ask yourself what you would do in a situation for which you have not yet gathered information.
Write your decisions and compare them with the decisions you make after the analysis.
¾ Investigate various problem-solving, analysis, and information display methods and use as
appropriate in your next analysis.
¾ Set the expectation that your staff members use appropriate data gathering and analysis
techniques.
¾ In team meetings create an environment that probes underlying issues, questions causes,
scrutinizes data, and facilitates decision making based on relevant and sound information.
¾ Examine the accuracy and adequacy of information on which your direct reports base decisions.
Are you providing them with accurate and adequate information? Provide feedback in order to
drive excellence.
¾ When starting tasks requiring analysis, clarify the information needed, sources of information, and
ways to relate pieces of information. Review your plan with someone (e.g., a peer) whose
strength is analysis and get his or her suggestions. Write out your completed analysis and ask the
same individual to review it before implementation.
¾ Work with your staff to review the scope and depth of information bases they may have
developed. Communicate consistent expectations regarding the quality and use of the data.
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PASSION FOR RESULTS
improvement.
KEY ACTIONS

| 136 |

FORMAL LEARNING
¾ Time management.
¾ Delegation.
BOOKS
HarperBusiness.
School Press.
ARTICLES
62–69.
Update, 3(10), 1–4.
Review, 80(1), 72–79.
116.
Business Review,
43(4), 79–83.
| 137 |

team.
team.

you.
independently.
| 138 |

SELLING THE VISION
Vividly communicating a compelling view of the future state in a way that helps others understand and
feel how business outcomes will be different when the vision and values become a reality.
KEY ACTIONS:
¾ Paints the picture—Vividly describes the organizational vision and values in a way that helps
others see and feel their potential impact
¾ Demonstrates benefits—Convinces others to commit to the vision and values by using facts and
sound rationale to convey benefits with personal relevance to the audience.
¾ Inspires passion—Communicates in a way that captures attention, arouses emotion, and
compels others to take action; inspires others to personally contribute to the vision for the long
term.
¾ Leads through vision and values—Uses the vision and values as guideposts for conducting own
day‐to‐day activities; translates the vision and values for employees and organizational partners
by linking them to their daily responsibilities; connects the vision for the business unit to that of
the broader organization.
| 139 |

FORMAL LEARNING
¾ Look books or workshops that address the following:
o Motivating others to internalize organizational goals.
o Putting systems into place to support the organizational vision.
o Setting goals and establishing procedures for attaining them.
o Organizational planning and change.
BOOKS
Bobinski, D. (2009). Creating passion-driven teams. How to stop micromanaging and motivate people to top
performance. Franklin Lakes, NJ: Career Press.
Baldoni, J. (2012). Lead with purpose: Giving your organization a reason to believe in itself. New York:
AMACOM.
Blanchard, K., & Stoner, J. (2011). Full steam ahead! Unleash the power of vision in your company and your life.
Cartwright, T., & Baldwin, D. (2007). Communicating your vision. Greensborough, NC: Center for Creative
Leadership.
Colan, L.J. (2008). Engaging the hearts and minds of all your employees: How to ignite passionate performance for
better business results. New York: McGraw Hill.
Denning, S. (2007). The secret language of leadership: How leaders inspire action through narrative. San
Gallo, C. (2007). Fire them up!: 7 simple secrets to inspire your colleagues, customers, and clients; sell yourself,
your vision, and your values; communicate with charisma and confidence. Hoboken, NJ: Wiley.
Haney, B., McCann, D., & Sirbasku, J. (2010). Leadership charisma. Gaithersburg, MD: Signature Books.
Jennings, Ken., Hyde, H., & Blanchard, K. (2012). The greater goal connecting purpose and performance. San
Kouzes, J.M., & Posner, B.Z. (2012). The leadership challenge: How to make extraordinary things happen in
organizations (5th Edition). San Francisco: Jossey-Bass
Kouzes, J. M. & Posner, B. Z. (2009, January). To lead, create a shared vision. Harvard Business Review, 87(1), 20–
21.
Murray, K. M., (2012). The language of leaders how top CEOs communicate to inspire, influence and achieve
results. London: Kogan Page.
Rhoades, A., & Shepherdson, N. (2011). Built on values: Creating an enviable culture that outperforms the
competition. San Francisco: Jossey-Bass.
ARTICLES
Freund, L. M. (2010, Jan/Feb). Creating a culture of accountability. Healthcare Executive, 25(1), 30-36.
Marzec, M. (2007). Telling the corporate story: Vision into action. Journal of Business Strategy, 28(1), 26-36.
Raelin, J. (2006, Spring). Finding meaning in the organization. MIT Sloan Management Review, 47(3), 64-68.
| 140 |

¾ Talk with people who have faced the challenge of meeting a long-term vision in their department
or team. Ask them how they went about encouraging and motivating others and how they
reinforced the importance of meeting the goal. See if you can incorporate the systems or
processes they found helpful into how your team operates.
¾ Ask people how they perceive your department’s top priorities and short- and long-term goals.
What are the differences in perception between their statements and your (or your organization’s)
actual goals?

¾ Identify an activity or process that does not align well with organizational vision and values. Set
up and implement a plan for realigning the process so that it no longer conflicts.
¾ Analyze the operational and communications problems your work group encounters. Could those
problems be solved by an interdepartmental task force looking at broader issues and long-range
solutions? If so, get people involved by taking the initiative to form that group.
¾ Ask to observe or participate in a project team or task force that targets broad organizational
issues (especially those that involve the participation of senior management). Use the experience
to gain insight into establishing vision and values.
¾ Look for opportunities outside your organization to participate in creating and communicating
vision statements for community, cultural, civic, charitable, political, or business organizations.
¾ Reinforce the importance of organizational, departmental, and team goals and business plans by
incorporating them into the team’s work expectations. Make sure everyone’s key result areas
contribute to organizational goals. Share your vision-related goals.
¾ Encourage discussions about any discrepancies between the vision and values and current
organizational realities.
¾ Ask your leader to review your department’s goals and objectives; discuss how your goals can be
tied to organizational vision and values.
¾ With your team decide on one thing to accomplish by the end of the month (e.g., high customer
satisfaction ratings) and test it. Make sure the team has the necessary resources. Discuss the
test with your team and agree on ways to improve the goal-setting process and make it
continuous.
¾ Read documents or attend meetings on strategic plans, business plans, and annual reports for
your organization. Point out how organizational vision and values apply every day.
¾ Review the most recent business plan you wrote for your team or department. Did you include a
section on how your plan ties into long-term goals? Ask yourself how the plan could be improved
and what you have to do as a leader to create a sense of direction in the long term.
¾ Develop a list of stakeholders and write how each is likely to view the future. Position your
message to address the motivations, concerns, and needs of each one.
¾ Look through your planner or calendar. Do you include long-term plans that clearly link to vision
and values, or do you list only those activities that deal with short-term issues? Make sure you do
one thing every day that advances your vision, even though it might not appear to meet any
immediate demands.
¾ Compile some ideas on where you want your team or department to be in one year in terms of
quality, outputs, costs, customer satisfaction, etc. Try to determine what you can do every day
that will help generate enthusiasm and commitment to these goals.
| 141 |

¾ Consider alternative or nontraditional structures (partnerships, self-directed teams, etc.) that
might help your team identify and remedy inconsistencies between systems or practices and the
organization’s vision and values.
¾ List steps that will help you reach your vision. Produce a timeline and conduct regular updates
with your team or department to encourage their participation.
¾ Learn what customers are planning. Based on their plans, describe how you would position your
organization or department to anticipate customer needs. Incorporate these observations into
your vision.
¾ Whenever the organization announces a business decision or places special emphasis on an
organizational goal, analyze how it fits into the overall business vision and how it will affect your
area. Make sure that decisions in your area mirror the decisions of your organization.
¾ Identify elements in existing systems (selection, training, compensation/ rewards, communication,
performance management, etc.) that support or undercut the organization’s vision, and prepare
strategies to address them appropriately. When addressing problems, make sure you are working
with the problems’ sources, not the symptoms.
| 142 |

Leadership Level: ELT/VP
| 143 |

BUILDING ORGANIZATIONAL TALENT
Establishing systems and processes to attract, develop, engage, and retain talented individuals;
creating a work environment where people can realize their full potential, thus allowing the
organization to meet current and future business challenges.
KEY ACTIONS
¾ Determines talent gaps—Determines the mix and level of talent required by the organization to
support current and future objectives; assesses the key strengths and skill gaps of the current
talent pipeline.
¾ Recruits strategically—Attracts and recruits internal and external talent to ensure that the
organization will be appropriately staffed to meet current and future business challenges.
¾ Champions talent development—Initiates strategies to develop internal talent while balancing

that effort with external hiring; targets challenging developmental assignments that build
individual confidence and organizational capability.
¾ Promotes differential rewards—Sets up recognition and reward systems appropriate to

individual levels of performance.
¾ Emphasizes retention—Establishes systems to retain talented individuals; addresses

employees’ needs for career satisfaction (e.g., compensation, benefits, development
opportunities, and work environment).
| 144 |

FORMAL LEARNING
¾ Read books and articles on creating a learning environment.
¾ Read newspapers, magazines, business periodicals, or trade journals or browse the Internet for
articles on the latest talent management philosophies and techniques.
o Managing talent.
o Developing mentoring skills.
o Developing others.
o Recruiting and selecting talent.
o Creating a learning environment.
BOOKS
Axelrod, W. & Coyle, J. (2011). How exceptional managers develop people while getting results. San
Francisco: Berrett-Koehler Publishers.
Capelli, P., & Ibarra, H. (2011). Harvard Business Review on finding and keeping the best people.
Finnegan, R. (2010). Rethinking retention in good times and bad: Breakthrough ideas for keeping your
best workers. Boston: Davies-Black.
Goffee, R., & Jones, G. (2009). Clever: Leading your smartest, most creative people. Boston: Harvard
Business School Publishing.
Gostock, A., & Elton, C. (2009). The carrot principle (2nd edition). New York, NY: Free Press.
Little, B. (2010, Nov). Best practice talent management. Training Journal, 45-49.
Ready, D. (2009, Summer). Forging the new talent compact. Business Strategy Review, 20(2), 4-7.
Schumann, M. & Sartain, L. (2009). Brand for talent: Eight essentials to make your talent as famous as
your brand. San Francisco: Jossey-Bass.
Silzer, R., & Dowell, B. (2009). Strategy driven talent management: A leadership imperative. San
Weiss, A., & MacKay, N. (2009). The talent advantage: How to attract and retain the best and brightest.
ARTICLES
Berke, D., Kossler, M., & Wakefield, M. (2009, March/April). Building talent: Developing effective leaders
is as crucial as ever. Leadership in Action, 29(1), 3-7.
| 145 |

Bird, A., Flees, L., & DiPaola, P. (2010, Spring). Start filling your talent gap now. Business Strategy
Review, 21 (1), 56-63.
Bolt, J. & Hagemann, B. (2009, July). Harvesting tomorrow's leaders, T+D, 63(7), 52-57.
Cappeli, P. (2008, March). Talent management for the twenty-first century. Harvard Business Review,
86(3), 74-81.
Groysberg, B., Kelly, L.K., & MacDonald, B. (2011, March). The new path to the C-suite. Harvard
Lawler, E., Pringle, A., Leigh Branham, F., Cornelius, J., and Martin, J. (2008, June). Why are we losing
all our good people? Harvard Business Review, 86(6), 41-51.
Lasse, Cheryl. (2012, Dec). Close skills gaps through personalized learning. T+D, 66(12), 76-77.
Phoel, C. Morrison. (2008, June). How to close the talent gap. Harvard Management Update, 13 (6), 3-5.

¾ Observe leaders who are strong talent advocates and developers. What strategies do they use to
develop talent? Ask yourself which of these strategies you can adopt.
individuals.
like to work on.

¾ Create a cross-training or rotation program among positions within your department to broaden
people’s experience and create a learning environment.
¾ Volunteer for a project or task force that addresses talent development issues within your
organization.
¾ Encourage your direct reports to participate in meetings, projects, and tasks that might serve as
learning vehicles in their development.
¾ Maintain a log of individual and group performance; keep track of successes, failures, and
development opportunities.
¾ Develop and document individualized training paths for each direct report, building from small to
greater responsibilities.
| 146 |

¾ Become a daily mentor to your direct reports to enhance potential skills or address development
opportunities.
¾ Meet individually with your direct reports to discuss strengths, development needs, and career
goals.
¾ Consider the type of leadership your organization will need to be successful over the next 3, 5,
and 10 years. Identify potential leaders who might fulfill those leadership needs. Consider what
development activities and work experiences can assist them in reaching their full leadership
potential.
¾ Encourage more experienced staff on your team to coach newer staff members.
¾ Assign potential leaders to cross-functional roles outside of their anticipated career paths to
broaden their skills and enhance their knowledge of the organization.
| 147 |

BUSINESS SAVVY
Demonstrates a keen understanding of basic business operations and the organizational levers
(systems, processes, departments, functions) that drive profitable growth; draws from personal
experience to quickly evaluate business plans and processes to identify data or recommendations
that need further investigation.
KEY ACTIONS
¾ Isolates key levers—Quickly recognizes the merits and flaws of business propositions and
processes; identifies information gaps and/or needs for deeper analysis.
¾ Focuses decision making processes—Specifies efficient steps for determining the viability of
business propositions and processes; ensures that the highest priority issues are investigated
fully to minimize risk and maximize opportunity.
| 148 |

FORMAL LEARNING
¾ Read business publications to track relevant industry trends and identify marketplace
opportunities (e.g., Wall Street Journal, Portable MBA, etc.).
¾ Take a business course that stretches your knowledge.
o Data reduction and organization to enhance decision making.
o Generating, considering, and evaluating alternatives.
o Matching business strategies to market analysis information.
o Evaluating business plans.
o Evaluating market analysis data to better understand the conditions and characteristics of
your local market.
o Conducting competitive analyses.
o Taking calculated risks.
BOOKS
Anderson, E.T. & Simester, D. (2011, March). A step-by-step guide to smart business experiments.
Harvard Business Review, 89(3), 98–105.
Bryan, L. (2010). Dynamic management: Better decisions in uncertain times. McKinsey Quarterly, 1, 32-
40.
Buchen I.H. (2011). Executive intelligence: The leader's edge. Lanham, MD: Roman & Littlefield
Education.
Carkanord, B. (2008). Seven steps to mastering business analysis. Fort Lauderdale, FL: Ross Publishing.
Collins, J.C., & Hansen, M.T. (2011). Great by choice: Uncertainty, chaos, and luck—Why some thrive
despite them all. New York: HarperCollins.
Griswell, J.B., & Jennings, B. (2009). The adversity paradox: An unconventional guide to achieving
uncommon business success. St. Martin's Press.
Krippendorff, K. (2012). Outthink the competition: How a new generation of strategists sees options
others ignore. Hoboken, NJ: John Wiley & Sons.
Merrifield, R. (2009). Rethink: A business manifesto for cutting costs and boosting innovation. Upper
Saddle River, New Jersey: FT Press.
Putten, A.B. van, & MacMillan, I.C. (2009). Unlocking opportunities for growth: How to profit from
uncertainty while limiting your risk. Upper Saddle River, NJ: Pearson Education.
Slywotzky, A.J., & Webber, K. (2007). The upside: Seven strategies for turning big threats into growth
breakthroughs. Crown Business.
Stulz, R.M. (2009, March). Six ways companies mismanage risk. Harvard Business Review, 87(3), 86–
Zook, C., & Allen, J. (2012). Repeatability: Build enduring businesses for a world of constant change.
Boston: Harvard Business Review Press.
ARTICLES
| 149 |

Brousseau, K.R., Driver, M.J., Hourihan, G., & Larsson, R. (2006, February). The seasoned executive’s
decision-making style. Harvard Business Review, 84(2), 110-121.
Casadesus-Masanell, R. & Tarzijan, J. (2012, January/February). When one business model isn’t
enough. Harvard Business Review, 90(1/2), 132–137.
Review, 89(5), 100–105.
Nonaka, I. & Takeuchi, H. (2011, May). The wise leader. Harvard Business Review, 89(5), 58-67.
Ofek, E., & Wathieu, L. (2010, Jul/Aug). Are you ignoring trends that could shake up your business?
¾ Identify reliable information resources within your organization that you can count on during the
early stages of gathering information.
¾ Cultivate a strong network of knowledgeable advisors from both within and outside the
organization who will allow you to gather information to make better decisions.
¾ Look for an area, team, department, or organization with which your department should be
working closely, but is not. Initiate a discussion with key players from both areas. Try to
understand each others’ key systems, processes, functions, etc.
¾ Ask your leader or others for specific examples of situations in which you could have made
decisions sooner.

¾ Volunteer for cross-functional assignments or task forces to learn more about the organization
and business.
¾ Build a business plan for a new venture, product, or service.
¾ Participate in an aggressive start-up or new product development opportunities in which your
partners will be involved in making important, quick decisions.
¾ Identify a market need your organization does not address. Work with knowledgeable people to
develop a response that will meet the need.
¾ Help plan and carry out a nonprofit’s fund-raising efforts.
¾ Take on a leadership role in an industry group or trade organization.
¾ Review quantitative data (e.g., department or company financial statements, balance sheets,
cash flow statements) and look for trends and cause-effect relationships that were associated
with both successful and unsuccessful business decisions.
¾ Become proficient in conducting a SWOT (Strengths, Weaknesses, Opportunities, Threats)
analysis.
¾ Develop best- and worst-case scenarios when you have opportunities to establish strategic
direction; consider them before implementation.
| 150 |

¾ Review decisions you have made with the benefit of hindsight. What were the results? If you
could make the decisions again, would you do anything differently? Was any of your current
knowledge available at the time you were making the decision?
¾ Make a list of the pros and cons of an opportunity while in the decision-making process. Instead
of comparing the number of pros and cons, consider the impact of each pro and con. Imagine the
scenario if all the pros were realized. Then imagine the scenario if all the cons were realized.
Could you live with both scenarios?
¾ Try not to restrict yourself to the ways things have been done in the past. Ask yourself and others
what-if questions.
¾ Anticipate customer needs. Identify products or services used by your customers that you do not
now provide. Brainstorm ways you could expand your services to meet even more of your
customers’ needs.
¾ Compare your strategies to those used by your competitors.
¾ Read a competitor’s annual report and strategize about what you would do differently to improve
that organization’s performance.
¾ When creating your own business plan, collaborate with someone who has built strong business
plans in the past.
¾ Conduct an ROI analysis for an idea you would like to propose. Present your analysis to senior
leaders.

| 151 |

COACHING AND DEVELOPING OTHERS
Providing feedback, instruction, and development guidance to help others excel in their current or
future job responsibilities; planning and supporting the development of individual skills and abilities.
KEY ACTIONS
¾ Clarifies performance—Seeks information and opinions about an individual’s current
performance as well as long-term development needs.
¾ Provides timely feedback—Gives timely, specific, and appropriate feedback about performance,
development needs, and development progress; reinforces efforts and progress.
¾ Conveys performance expectations and implications—Communicates high expectations;

links performance improvement and skill development to relevant personal and business goals;
checks for understanding of and commitment to performance and development goals as well as
follow up activities.
¾ Evaluates skill gaps—Diagnoses gaps in knowledge, experience, skills, and behavior that
underlie current and future performance; continually modifies evaluation based on new
information.
¾ Guides development—Provides guidance and positive models to help others develop; seeks
suggestions for improving performance; collaboratively creates development plans that include
activities targeted to specific goals; leverages environmental supports and removes development
barriers; advocates for individual to higher levels of management to create development
opportunities.
¾ Fosters developmental relationships—Helps people feel valued and included in coaching and
development discussions by expressing confidence in their ability to excel, maintaining their self-
esteem, empathizing, involving them, and disclosing own position.
| 152 |

FORMAL LEARNING
etc. Include books by such authors as Peter Drucker, Robert Mager, William Byham, and Ken
Blanchard.
¾ Build your own library of resources (that is, books, articles, web sites, tips, tools, best practices)
that you can share with your direct reports and colleagues to help them build their skills.
o Recognizing people’s abilities and developing their skills.
o Providing accurate, timely feedback.
o Coaching for performance improvement.
o Preparing others to perform new tasks.
o Active listening.
o Adult learning.
o Managing performance.
o Rewarding and recognizing accomplishments.
BOOKS
Axelrod, W., & Coyle, J. (2011). How exceptional managers develop people while getting results. San
Chapman, G.D., & White, P.E. (2011). The 5 languages of appreciation in the workplace: Empowering
organizations by encouraging people. Chicago: Northfield Publishing.
Crane, T.G. (2012). The heart of coaching: Using transformational coaching to create a high-performance
coaching culture (3rd edition). San Diego, CA: FTA Press.
Flaherty, J. (2010). Coaching: Evoking excellence in others (3rd edition). Burlington, MA: Butterworth-
Heinemann.
Goldsmith, M., Lyons, L., McArthur, S. (2012). Coaching for leadership: Writings on leadership from the
world’s greatest coaches. San Francisco: Pfeiffer.
Hargrove, R. (2008). Masterful coaching San Francisco: Pfeiffer.
Hunt, J.M., & Weintraub, J.R. (2010). The coaching manager: Developing top talent in business.
Thousand Oaks, CA: Sage Publications.
ARTICLES
Adams, J. (2010, Jan). Coaching v. mentoring. Training Journal, 68-70.
Ahrend, G., Diamond, F., & Gill Webber, P. (2010, July). Virtual coaching: Using technology to boost
performance. Chief Learning Officer, 9(7), 44–47.
| 153 |

Galagan, P. (2010, Feb). Bridging the skills gap: New factors compound the growing skills shortage. T+D,
64(2), 44-49.
Haneberg, L. (2011, Jan). Coaching for catalysts: Creating great coaching moments. T+D, 65(1), 29-31.
61.
Meister, J. C., & Willyerd, K. (2010, May). Mentoring millennials. Harvard Business Review. (88)5, 68-72.
Nesbit, D. (2012, May). Coaching in hard times. Training Journal. 65-69.
Noble, M. (2012, March). Transform managers into coaches: Five steps for coaching success. T+D,
66(3), 32–33.
Oberstein, S. (2010, February). Capitalizing on coaching challenges. T+D, 64(2), 54–57.
Pace, A. (2012, February). Cultivate a coaching culture. T+D, 66(2), 16
Silsbee, D. K. (2010). The mindful coach: Seven roles for facilitating leader development. San Francisco:
Jossey-Bass.

¾ Invite each of your staff members to suggest one way that you could improve your coaching style.
Allow their feedback to be anonymous. After you receive their input, respond with your
observations and share your plans for improvement.
¾ Identify a peer or leader recognized as a leader in providing developmental opportunities. Ask for
advice about how to bring the same focus to your work.
¾ Before a project starts, discuss with all involved how to meet the organization’s standards and
how their development plans can be incorporated into the project plans.
unit’s function. Ask your staff to review the completed handbook and select actions they would
like to work on.
¾ In team meetings after difficult situations, ask people to share what went right and what went
wrong. The entire team can learn from one another’s successes and challenges. These stories
provide powerful teachable moments for you to debrief lessons learned.
¾ Ask a direct report for permission to audiotape the person’s coaching discussion with you,
explaining that it’s for your personal development only. Review the tape and evaluate your
coaching performance. Commit to two or three things that you’ll do differently in the next meeting.

¾ Attend professional conferences, seminars, etc., in your area of expertise to increase or improve
your knowledge of performance management, coaching, and reinforcing positive behaviors.
¾ Participate in a process improvement or developmental planning team in your department or
organization.
¾ Serve as a coach in a leadership training event.
¾ Volunteer to coach a community group, school, or sports team. Observe the parallels between
the community situation and your work situation. Incorporate ideas into your personal
development plan.
| 154 |

¾ Search for job-related activities that will stretch the skills of your staff members. Encourage direct
reports to take on challenging assignments, and then offer to provide support to help them
succeed.
¾ To identify development needs, regularly evaluate team members’ performance against
established performance standards. Maintain accurate files for each member of your staff,
including performance goals, successes, failures, recommended development, career
aspirations, etc. Have a development plan in mind for each team member; note how the plan will
be accomplished and when and how the plan will be reviewed.
¾ Coach your direct reports on developing their staff members.
¾ Actively involve an employee in creating a coaching plan. Together, set coaching expectations.
What does the person expect from you as the coach? What does he or she want to work on?
What does the person hope to gain? Set clear learning expectations and timelines for
evaluations. Hold the person accountable for skill improvements.
¾ Set an objective of making a ―success storyǁ out of one of your employees. Create a plan (using
the Key Actions from this competency) that helps the individual understand and overcome a
critical development need. Schedule successive follow-up sessions to ensure progress and
success. After the first meeting, evaluate yourself
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CUSTOMER FOCUS
KEY ACTIONS



| 156 |

FORMAL LEARNING
BOOKS
Page Limited.
Bass.
ARTICLES
| 157 |

56-69.
89.
Review, 40(1), 75-88.


weaknesses.
| 158 |

needs?"
customer's needs.
| 159 |

DRIVING EXECUTION
KEY ACTIONS


| 160 |

FORMAL LEARNING
o Accountability
o Business strategy
BOOKS
ARTICLES
13.
| 161 |


to their execution.

concrete action.
ongoing concerns.
| 162 |

the objectives.
communication.
| 163 |

EMPOWERMENT/DELEGATION
Sharing authority and responsibilities with others to move decision making and accountability
downward through the organization, enable individuals to stretch their capabilities, and accomplish
the business unit’s strategic priorities.
KEY ACTIONS
¾ Delegates—Moves decision making and accountability downward through the organization by
appropriately sharing responsibilities with others.
¾ Shares responsibility—Delegates important areas of authority and responsibility in a manner

that clarifies expectations while expanding the individual’s feelings of ownership and
accountability; promotes risk taking.
¾ Provides guidance—Provides appropriate amount of information, resources, and

encouragement to support the individual’s and business unit’s success without undermining the
individual’s full ownership of issues.
¾ Follows up—Builds follow-up into delegations in order to monitor associate progress and issues.
| 164 |

FORMAL LEARNING
o Empowerment
o Delegation, control, and follow-up.
o Motivating employees.
o Understanding the dynamics of power and control in an organization.
o Finding ways to reward accomplishment.
o Delegating responsibility (i.e., relinquishing control) with complete confidence and trust.
o Giving visibility to others.
BOOKS
Browning, H. (2012). Accountability: Taking ownership of your responsibility. Boonsboro, NC: Center for
Creative Leadership.
Cohen, G.B. (2009). Just ask leadership: Why great managers always ask the right questions. New York:
McGraw-Hill.
Dive, B. (2008). The accountable leader: Developing effective leadership through managerial
accountability. London: Kogan Page.
Harvard Business School Press. (2008). Delegating work (Pocket Mentor). Boston: Harvard Business
School Press.
Luecke, R.A., & McIntosh, P. (2010). The busy manager’s guide to delegation. New York: AMACOM.
Oncken, W., & Wass, D.L. (2008). Management time: Who’s got the monkey? Boston: Harvard Business
School Press.
Pratt, B.V. (2008). Own the forest, delegate the trees. Ponte Vedra: Hamilton & Cole.
Thomas, K.W. (2009). Intrinsic motivation at work: What really drives employee engagement. San
Tracy, B. (2011). Full engagement!: Inspire, motivate, and bring out the best in your people. New York:
AMACOM.
ARTICLES
Johnson, L.K. (2007, September). Are you delegating so it sticks? Harvard Management Update, 12(9),
5-7.
Marshall, R., Talbott, J., & Bukovinsky, D. (2006, September). Employee empowerment works at small
companies, too. Strategic Finance, 88(3), 34-39.
61.
Semler, R. (2007, July/August). Out of this world: Doing things the Semco way. Global Business and
Organizational Excellence, 26(5), 13-21.
| 165 |

¾ Schedule staff meetings to discuss how staff contributions support the organization’s goals. Ask
for feedback on how well you have provided the resources and support they need to accomplish
their objectives.
¾ Request feedback from peers and direct reports about the clarity of the delegation and the
effectiveness of your follow-up system. Seek ideas for improvements or additions. Make
appropriate behavior changes.
¾ Once a delegated assignment has been completed, hold a debriefing or postmortem to review the
results. Get feedback on your effectiveness in delegating as well as on the delegatee’s
effectiveness in completing the work assigned.
¾ Seek out staff members’ opinions on issues, projects, and decisions through memos, meetings,
informal and formal talks, etc.
¾ Hold regular staff meetings and provide opportunities for exchanging information among group
members.

¾ Develop and implement a cross-training, job-rotation, or intergroup project management program
within your department or area. This will give staff members a chance to broaden their skills and
explore other department/area opportunities.
¾ Volunteer for community, charitable, cultural, or political organizations and organize activities that
encompass numerous tasks and provide opportunities to delegate.
¾ Support a project team as a coach; other members will have most of the responsibility for
accomplishing the task.
¾ Establish and maintain a process to track how work is distributed to identify staff members who
have time for taking on new projects.
¾ Face your delegation fears. Think of something that you wouldn’t want anyone other than yourself
doing—and then delegate it. Begin by delegating low-risk decisions and gradually work your way
up to delegating higher-risk issues.
¾ Examine past assignments in your area. Note the nature and importance of the assignments, who
handled them, and how visible the outcomes were. Examine staff members’ project history and
create a staff development needs analysis. Use the analysis to provide staff members with
challenging, visible, critical, and skill-enhancing assignments.
¾ Meet individually with staff members to show them how their responsibilities relate to
department/area and organization operations; recognize their contributions.
¾ Identify tasks that could be entrusted to direct reports and plan the delegation as soon as
possible.
¾ At the outset of a project, meet with everyone involved to define objectives, roles, and
responsibilities. Establish several interim deadlines over the course of the project to pinpoint
when specific tasks must be completed. Set regular update meetings to review progress and to
ensure that objectives are being met.
¾ Develop a training/development matrix for your department or area outlining staff training needs.
Use corporate programs and challenging assignments to provide staff members with
opportunities to meet these needs. Track their progress.
¾ Set a time to discuss a delegation. During the meeting encourage and elicit staff members’ ideas,
consolidating the groundwork for the task.
¾ Delegate for development purposes, empowering staff to determine what to do and how to do it.
| 166 |

¾ Put staff members on important committees or work groups that will increase their visibility and
networking opportunities. Occasionally, let staff members participate in such activities in your
place.
¾ Work with direct reports to identify assignments, particularly those for development, they can
delegate to their staffs. Coach direct reports on empowering their staffs to determine how to
accomplish delegated tasks. Hold direct reports accountable for delegating challenging
assignments to their staffs.
¾ Tell your leader about staff accomplishments at a meeting or in memos.
| 167 |

FINANCIAL ACUMEN
Utilizing financial data to diagnose business strengths and weaknesses and identify the implications
for potential strategies; keeping a financial perspective in the forefront when making strategic
decisions.
KEY ACTIONS
¾ Analyzes—Recognizes and assesses key indicators of financial health (e.g., liquidity, profitability,
and productivity ratios); identifies trends from financial data; identifies and investigates gaps in
financial information.
¾ Integrates—Organizes financial data from multiple sources to identify critical business issues
underlying financial trends; articulates the implications of financial trends for own business unit
and the broader organization; uses financial data to guide strategic and operational decision
making.
| 168 |

FORMAL LEARNING
¾ Take a finance course designed for nonfinancial managers that can stretch your knowledge.
¾ Read business and industry-specific publications to track relevant industry trends and identify
marketplace opportunities (e.g., Wall Street Journal, Portable MBA, etc.).
¾ Develop a working knowledge of basic financial terms. See
http://www.doityourself.com/stry/readingfinances for guidance on reading and understanding
financial statements.
o Understanding basic business finance.
o Understanding your organization’s financial systems
BOOKS
Berman, K., Knight, J., & Case, J. (2006). Financial intelligence: A manager’s guide to knowing what the
numbers really mean. Boston: Harvard Business School Press.
Berman, K., Knight, J., & Case, J. (2008). Financial intelligence for entrepreneurs: What you really need
to know about the numbers. Boston: Harvard Business School Publishing.
Harvard Business School Press. (2007). Understanding finance: Expert solutions to everyday challenges.
Boston: Author.
Collier, P. (2009). Accounting for managers: Interpreting accounting information for decision-making (2nd
edition). Hoboken, NJ: John Wiley & Sons.
Collins, J., & Hansen, M. (2011). Great by choice, uncertainty, chaos, and luck: Why some thrive despite
them all. New York: HarperCollins.
Davenport, T.H., & Harris, J.G. (2007). Competing on analytics: The new science of winning. Boston:
Harvard Business School Press.
Palepu, K.G., & Healy, P.M. (2008). Business analysis and valuation: Using financial statements. Mason,
OH: Thomson Learning.
Zook, C. (2007). Unstoppable: Finding hidden assets to renew the core and fuel profitable growth.
ARTICLES
Christensen, C.M., Kaufman, S.P., & Shih, W.C. (2008, January). Innovation killers: How financial tools
destroy your capacity to do new things. Harvard Business Review, 86(1), 98-105.
Desai, M.A. (2008, July/August). The finance function in a global corporation. Harvard Business Review,
86(7/8), 108-112.
Review, 89(5), 100-105.
Gottfredson, M., Schaubert, S., & Saenz, H. (2008, February). The new leader’s guide to diagnosing the
business. Harvard Business Review, 86(2), 63-73.
Greenwood, R. & Scharfstein, D. (2012, March). How to make finance work. Harvard Business Review,
90(3), 104-110.
Kaiser, K. & Young, D. (2009, May). Need cash? Look inside your company. Harvard Business Review,
87(5), 64/71.
| 169 |

Ofek, E. & Wathieu, L. (2010, July/Aug). Are you ignoring trends that could shake up your business?

¾ Set up an informal mentorship with a peer or leader of another business unit. Ask for real-time
feedback when they view you in a meeting focused on financial topics.
¾ Partner with a financial manager or someone in the CFO position in your unit or department and
have them coach you on what the most important metrics are for your unit or department.
¾ Work closely with financial analysts and other members of the finance staff in your organization.
When analyzing data, ask for their input and for help interpreting the data.
¾ Ask others for financial advice and their insights into the business when trying to solve a problem
or make a decision.
¾ When planning and implementing a financially complex project, ask a colleague with strong skills
in the financial area to act as a coach and provide feedback on your budget and plan.
¾ Ask a financial manager to provide a financial update to your group. Discuss how your group can
contribute to improving organization finances.
¾ Help a peer understand “financial jargon”; teaching vocabulary is the best way to learn it at a
deep level.
¾ Ask peers what financial risks they foresee and the implications those risks hold for the
organization and your business unit.

¾ Volunteer to manage the accounts for a community organization.
¾ Volunteer for cross-functional assignments or task forces to learn more about the financial
aspects of other business units in your organization.
¾ Create a business plan for a new venture, product, or service. Collaborate with someone who has
built strong business plans in the past.
¾ Compare your organization’s financial performance to that of a benchmark organization or a
competitor.
¾ Review past business and financial data and identify trends and relationships which drove both
successful and unsuccessful business decisions.
¾ Practice using financial jargon in conversations with peers; increasing your financial vocabulary
and knowledge protects you from being misled when other people use financial lingo.
¾ Read a competitor’s annual report and strategize how you would improve that organization’s
financial performance.
¾ Be able to quote stock price and high-level financials related to your business.
¾ Learn your customers’ businesses by reviewing annual reports, industry-specific information, etc.
¾ Regularly monitor budget performance. Plan how to address problems and ask internal experts
for feedback on your ideas.
| 170 |

¾ During your organization’s budgeting process, partner with a colleague who is financially savvy.
Invite him or her to share tips and tactics.
¾ Identify barriers to discussing financial performance between your unit and your closest internal
partner (barriers imposed by you, the department, or the organization) and seek ways to remove
them.
¾ Analyze the financial health of a community organization, and then provide recommendations for
improvement.
¾ Conduct an ROI analysis for an idea you would like to propose. Present your idea to your peers,
then to senior leaders.

| 171 |

LEADING CHANGE
Identifying and driving organizational and cultural changes needed to adapt strategically to changing
market demands, technology, and internal initiatives; catalyzing new approaches to improve results
by transforming organizational culture, systems, or products/services.
KEY ACTIONS
¾ Identifies change opportunities—Proactively recognizes the need for innovation or
improvement and initiates efforts to explore alternative solutions.
¾ Stretches boundaries—Encourages others to question established processes and traditional

assumptions; seeks and uses input from diverse sources to generate alternative approaches;
promotes experimentation by rewarding early adopters and their progress.
¾ Catalyzes change—Takes action to improve organizational culture, processes, or

products/services; establishes and encourages others to achieve a best practice approach;
translates new ideas into concrete action plans.
¾ Removes barriers and resistance—Strives to understand and break down cultural barriers to
change; explains the benefits of change; demonstrates sensitivity to fears about change; helps
individuals overcome resistance to change.
| 172 |

FORMAL LEARNING
¾ Look for workshops that addresses the following:
o Rewarding people for their ideas.
o Dealing with resistance to change.
o Communicating complex messages in a clear, simplified manner.
o Evaluating all ideas before making a decision.
o Involving others in developing solutions.
o Rewarding and retaining talent during change.
BOOKS
Anderson, D., & Ackerman-Anderson (2010). Beyond change management. San Francisco: Pfeiffer.
Anderson, L.A., and Anderson, D. (2010). The change leader’s roadmap: How to navigate your
organization’s transformation. San Francisco, CA: Pfeiffer.
Axelrod, R.H. (2010). Terms of engagement: Changing the way we change organizations. San Francisco:
Berrett-Koehler.
Cameron, E., & Green, M. (2012). Making sense of change management: A complete guide to the
models, tools, and techniques of organizational change. London: Kogan Page.
Heath, C. & Heath, D. (2010) Switch: How to change things when change is hard. New York: Crown
Klein, T.D. (2010). Built for change: essential traits of transformative companies. Westport, CT: Praeger.
Laszlo, C., & Laugel, J. (2012). Large-scale organizational change: An executive’s guide. Boston:
Butterworth-Heinemann.
McKeown, M. (2012). Adaptability: The art of winning in an age of uncertainty. Philadelphia, PA: Kogan.
Musselwhite, C., & Jones, R. (2010). Dangerous opportunity: Making change work. Philadelphia, PA:
Xlibris Corporation.
Puccio, M.L., Murdock, M.C., & Mance, M. (2010) Creative leadership: Skills that drive change. San
Francisco, CA: Sage Publications, Inc.
ARTICLES
Buhler, P. (2010). The agile manager. Supervision, 71(12), 18-20.
Ford, J. D. & Ford, L.W. (2009, April). Decoding resistance to change. Harvard Business Review, 87(4),
99-103.
Hawkins, P. (2011, May/June). United front. Coaching at Work. 3(6), 35-37.
Hugos, M.H. (2009). Business agility: Sustainable prosperity in a relentlessly competitive world. Hoboken,
NJ: Wiley.
Margolis, J.D., & Stoltz, P.G. (2010, January/February). How to bounce back from adversity. Harvard
Business Review, 88(1/2), 86–92.
Parachin, V.M. (2012). Taking charge of change. Supervision, 73(2), 24-26.
Trignano, L. (2010, Nov). The change challenge. Financial Executive, 26 (9), 56-59, 4.
| 173 |

Verma, N. & Gandossy, R. (2009, Winter). Building leadership capability to drive change. Leader to
Leader, 51, 40-46.
Vermeulen, F., Puranam, P., & Gulati, R. (2010, June). Change for change’s sake. Harvard Business
Review, 88(6), 70-76.

¾ Introduce into the team or organization external people who have had experience with significant
change in the workplace.
¾ Talk with peers from different business units who have recently dealt with change.
¾ Brainstorm with others and identify 15 to 20 things that could be done differently in your unit. Try
not to judge the ideas until the end of the brainstorming session.
¾ Interview or survey others to learn how people view an upcoming change. Ask for their ideas on
how to make the change a positive experience.
¾ Find out what other leaders from changing organizations are doing to succeed. Consider how
their methods could be applied to your organization.
¾ Observe leaders who identify opportunities for change and manage the change process
effectively; consider which strategies you can use.
¾ Ask for input from peers, direct reports, leaders, or others who have direct knowledge of your
effort to manage change.
¾ Ask a colleague to evaluate your plans for a change initiative. Invite him or her to challenge every
aspect of the plan.
¾ Engage an experienced executive as your coach during change.

¾ Offer to be part of task forces defining policies and procedures to ensure that organizational
messages support change.
¾ Organize a multifunctional group to identify opportunities for change.
¾ Seek projects that require that you initiate and plan change within your organization or
community.
¾ Use books and workshops to learn about a change model that can help you understand how
people change and how to better manage change.
¾ Set up a reward system to recognize individuals who are improving their effectiveness and
behavior on the job.
¾ Create and lead a continuous improvement effort to increase efficiency of a work process.
¾ Plan ways of listening and responding with empathy to people who might lose status or respect
due to a change.
¾ Assess your own reactions to past changes. Evaluate what you did successfully to manage the
change.
¾ Formulate a clear, simple way to communicate the purpose of a change and its process.
¾ Think of ways to explain the benefits of change to head off resistance.
¾ List those who will be affected by change and note how they will be affected. Think of ways to
make them feel comfortable with change.
| 174 |

¾ Address concerns that grow out of anxiety created by change.
¾ Think about whether your actions are consistent with your message about change. For example,
do you ask others to question established work practices but continue to reward those who don’t
criticize?
¾ Set up formal and informal ways to reward people for embracing change.
¾ Imagine people affected by change and ask yourself: What will their reactions be? What can I do
to minimize their fears?
¾ Challenge people when they say something can’t be done. Get them thinking about how to think
imaginatively.
¾ Coach associates on your most effective strategies to manage change.
| 175 |

LEADING TEAMS
Using appropriate methods and interpersonal styles to develop, motivate, and guide the team to
attain successful outcomes and business objectives.
KEY ACTIONS
¾ Creates shared purpose—Inspires and sustains team cohesion and engagement by focusing
the team on its mission and its importance to the organization.
¾ Promotes team processes—Sets up consistent procedures and communication processes to

establish goals, clarify responsibilities, engage team members, leverage their strengths, share
feedback, and adjust plans.
¾ Celebrates success—Looks for and capitalizes on opportunities to encourage and reward

successful team performance.
¾ Stays close––Monitors team performance and takes action to keep the team on track; offers the
team own personal time; helps in overcoming barriers and resolving conflict; provides ongoing
feedback and appropriate guidance.
| 176 |

FORMAL LEARNING
¾ Read business periodicals (e.g., Business Week, Wall Street Journal, Fortune, Forbes, Inc,
Harvard Business Review) and appropriate professional journals for articles about the newest
teams ideas.
o Team development, feedback, or performance management.
o Leadership and team building skills
o Communication
o Influencing others
o Motivating others
o Maximizing performance.
o Leading virtual, global, or cross-functional teams.
BOOKS
Byham, W.C. (with Cox, J.). (1998). Zapp!® The lightning of empowerment: How to improve productivity,
quality, and employee satisfaction (Rev. ed.). New York: Ballantine Books.
Casse, P. & Banahan, E. (2011, Sept). 21st Century Team Skills. Training Journal, 11-16.
Frisch, B. (2011). Harvard business review on building better teams. Boston, MA: Harvard Business
School.
Frisch, B. (2012). Who's in the room: How great leaders structure and manage the teams around them.
San Francisco: Jossey-Bass.
DeRosa, D. & Lepsinger, R. (2010). Virtual team success: A practical guide for working and leading from
a distance. San Francisco: Jossey Bass.
Harvard Business Press. (2010). Leading virtual teams. Boston, MA: Author.
Hayes, P. (2011). Leading and coaching teams to success: The secret life of teams. New York: McGraw
Hill Education.
Huszczo, G.E. (2010). Tools for team leadership: Delivering the x-factor in team excellence. Boston, MA:
Nicholas Brealey Publishing.
Nicholl, C.G. (2010). #Teamwork tweet: Lessons for leading organizational teams to success. Silicon
Valley, CA: THINKaha.
Parker, G.M. (2008). Team players and teamwork: New strategies for the competitive enterprise. San
Vogt, J. (2008). Recharge your team: The grounded visioning approach. Westport, CT: Praeger.
Wagerman, R., Nunes, D.A., Burruss, J.A., & Hackman, J.R. (2008). Senior leadership teams: What it
takes to make them great. Boston: Harvard Business School.
Wellington, P. (2012). Managing successful teams. Philadelphia, PA: Kogan Page.
Woodcock, M. & Francis, D. (2008). Team metrics: Resources for measuring and improving team
performance. Amherst, MA: HRD Press.
ARTICLES
| 177 |

Adler, P., Hecksher, C., & Prusak, L. (2011, July/August). Building a collaborative enterprise. Harvard
Business Review, 89(7/8), 94-101.
Butcher, L. (2012, May). Making care teams work. Trustee, 65(5), 13-16.
Field, A. (2009, March). Diagnosing and fixing dysfunctional teams. Harvard Management Update, 14(3),
1-5.
Gardner, H.K. (2012, April). Coming through when it matters most. Harvard Business Review, 90(4), 82–
91.
Gratton, L., & Erickson, T.J. (2007, November). Eight ways to build collaborative teams. Harvard
Katz, D.L. (2010, Sep). Dismantling silos of uncooperative teams. CIO Insight, 113, 12-14.
Prokesch, S. (2009, January). How GE teaches teams to lead change. Harvard Business Review, 87(1),
99-106.
Thomas, R., Bellin, J., Jules, C., & Lyntonn, N. (2012). Global leadership teams: Diagnosing three
essential qualities. Strategy & Leadership, 40(3), 25-29.

¾ Observe how other leaders develop successful teams. Think about the skills that you can learn
from them.
¾ Identify people whose team leadership skills you admire. Seek opportunities to work with them.
¾ Ask subject matter experts to observe or comment on team interactions, objectives, and goals.
¾ Talk to people who have recently moved or are in the process of moving to a team environment.
Discuss approaches that worked well and those that could be improved.
¾ Ask team members how well they feel you exemplify the values of the team. What things do you
do that support the goals? What actions are inconsistent? After receiving input, work with your
manager to create a plan for developing more supportive behaviors.

¾ Read books that include a discussion on cooperative team examples.
¾ Arrange one off-site team meeting a month to promote team spirit.
¾ Seek assignments that involve increasing levels of leadership; request feedback from others.
¾ Look for ways to involve individuals in areas outside their expertise.
¾ Nominate a deserving person for recognition/reward.
¾ Diagnose team members’ needs, set development goals, and identify development activities to
enhance their competence and confidence.
¾ Examine your own biases, prejudices, and preconceived notions to see if they are coloring how
you assess others.
¾ Identify the supporters and barriers of the organizational vision in existing systems (selection,
training, communication, compensation/ rewards, performance management, etc.) and prepare
strategies that promote the former and address the latter.
¾ Reinforce organizational, departmental, and team goals with your team members by incorporating
them into individual work expectations. For example, if an organizational goal is ―100 percent
customer satisfaction,ǁ ask associates to be accountable for the same goal.
| 178 |

¾ Think about the information you share with team members. Do you share too much? Not
enough? How do you decide what to share?
¾ Write some ideas of where you would like your team or department to be one year from now in
terms of quality, outputs, costs, and customer satisfaction. Ask the team for suggestions on how
to achieve this goal.
¾ List three to five of your team’s primary goals. Then, list the one or two primary skills that each
team member brings to the team. Analyze the skills gap and consider whether the team is
missing any kind of knowledge or expertise that might be useful or necessary to meet the team’s
goals.
¾ Discuss team objectives with the team and agree on each objective’s final outcome; assign
responsibility for each outcome to one individual.
¾ Document three specific roles for each team member, and go over those roles with that
individual.
¾ When selecting team members, work with a subject matter expert to identify individuals with
exceptional job skills.
¾ Consider alternative or nontraditional structures (partnerships, star points, or self-directed teams)
that might make it easier to achieve organizational goals.
¾ Ask team members for ideas on ways to get them involved in team decisions. Form task forces to
target specific situations.
¾ Confront conflict, problems, and others’ reservations or misgivings directly, but tactfully.
¾ Meet regularly with the team to stay in touch with their projects. Offer to provide resources or talk
to other team leaders to help your team reach its objectives.
¾ Talk with your team about how they are doing in relation to the team’s, and the organization’s,
goals and objectives.
¾ Conduct an annual or semiannual team review to reassess goals, celebrate significant
accomplishments, and identify, address, and resolve any performance or skills gaps.
¾ Take on a project that will require you to establish goals and objectives that are consistent with
the organization’s values.
¾ Join cross-functional, interdisciplinary, interdepartmental, or customer task forces and teams.
¾ Volunteer to serve as the coach for a sports team.
¾ Volunteer to lead a community, charitable, cultural, or political organization.
¾ Ask yourself what the ideal leader does to encourage people to work together toward a common
goal. After writing your ideas, identify the things you need to work on most to meet the ideal.
Commit yourself to practicing those behaviors when the next opportunity arises.
| 179 |

OPERATIONAL DECISION MAKING
Securing and comparing information from multiple sources to identify business issues; committing to
an action after weighing alternative solutions against important decision criteria.
KEY ACTIONS
¾ Gathers information—Recognizes the need for additional information and asks questions to
obtain it.
¾ Organizes information—Examines qualitative and quantitative data to identify operational

problems, trends, and underlying issues and to understand possible cause-effect relationships.
¾ Selects the best of alternatives—Generates options for action to address an issue or

opportunity; develops decision criteria that prioritize potential business outcomes, customer
needs, available resources, technological advances, and organizational values; selects the best
course of action.
¾ Demonstrates decisiveness/action—Makes timely decisions; takes action to pursue an

opportunity, address an issue, or prevent a problem.
¾ Involves others—Involves others in the decision-making process as needed to obtain

information, generate alternatives, make the best decision, and ensure buy-in; builds consensus
when appropriate.
| 180 |

FORMAL LEARNING
¾ Look for a workshop that addresses the following::
o Using effective questioning techniques to gather relevant information.
o Organizing information quickly and systematically.
o Simplifying complex information.
o Identifying gaps in an information base.
o Developing a grasp of significant parts of information, especially the broader issues.
o Drawing conclusions that are difficult to challenge because of well-developed rationale.
o Checking conclusions and developing contingency plans.
BOOKS
Caruth, D.L., Caruth, G.D., & Csaszar, L.K. (2010). Mistakes to avoid in decision making. Supervision,
71(10), 3-6.
Goodman, P. & Wright, G. (2010). Decision analysis for management judgment. New York, NY: John
Wiley & Sons.
Harvard Business Review on making smarter decisions. (2011). Boston: Harvard Business School
Publishing.
Kourdi, J. (2011). Effective decision making: 10 steps to better decision making and problem solving.
Boston: Marshall Cavendish Business.
Mooz, H., & Henley, J. (2012). Make up your mind: A decision making guide to thinking clearly and
choosing wisely. Hoboken, NJ: John Wiley & Sons.
Nutt, P. (2009). Why decisions fail: Avoiding the blunders and traps that lead to debacles. San Francisco:
Berrett-Koehler.
Yoe, C. (2011). Principles of risk analysis: Decision making under uncertainty. Boca Raton, Florida: CRC
Press.
ARTICLES
Birkinshaw, J. & Jenkins, H. (2010, Winter). Making better risk management decisions. Business Strategy
Review, 21(4), 41-45.
Blenko, M. W., Mankins, M. C., & Rogers, P. (2010, June). The decision-driven organization. Harvard
Campbell, A., Whitehead, J. & Finkelstein, S. (2009, February). Why good leaders make bad decisions.
Davenport, T. (2009, November). Make better decisions. Harvard Business Review, 87(11), 117-123.
Frisch, B. (2011). Who really makes the big decisions in your company? Harvard Business Review,
89(12), 104-111.
Davenport, T.H. & Hagemann Snabe, J. (2011). How fast and flexible do you want your information,
really? MIT Sloan Management Review, 52(3), 57-62.
Greengard, S. (2010). Business intelligence and analytics: Optimizing your enterprise. Baseline, (102),
18-23.
Kahneman, D., Lovallo, D., & Sibony, O. (2011). Before you make that big decision.... Harvard Business
Review, 89(6), 50-60.
| 181 |

Shah, S., Horne, A., & Capellá, J. (2012 April). Good data won't guarantee good decisions. Harvard
Stuller, J. (2009, Fall). The need for speed: Can executive decision-making keep up with today’s
accelerating pace? The Conference Board Review, 46(5), 34–41.
Vilar, M. & Kushner, T. (2010). A framework to map and grow data strategy. Information Management,
20(6), 24-27.
Wang, P. (2010). The art of deciding. Training Journal, 45-48.
Zell, D.M., Glassman, A.M., & Duron, S.A. (2007). Strategic management in turbulent times: The short
and glorious history of accelerated decision making at Hewlett-Packard. Organizational Dynamics, 36(1),
93-104.

¾ Ask others to provide feedback on the accuracy and adequacy of information on which you base
your decisions.
¾ Observe how others involve stakeholders in planning and decision making.
¾ Invite a trusted colleague, someone who you think is a good decision maker, to help you make an
important decision.
¾ In a group or team problem-solving or analysis situation, observe how others obtain and examine
information.
¾ Ask others to review and provide feedback on the scope and depth of an information base you
have developed.
¾ Ask a veteran executive to review classic decisions in your organization. Review successes and
failures and discuss how analysis contributed to successful results. Discuss how better analysis
could have led to better decisions in unsuccessful situations.

¾ Volunteer to serve on a community, church, or charitable project that is analyzing a problem or
opportunity.
¾ Volunteer for a project or task force charged to address an organizational problem that involves
gathering and analyzing data, involving key stakeholders in the problem-solving process, and
building commitment.
¾ Review your to-do list and identify projects that require a significant amount of data gathering and
analysis. Identify specific ways to improve the quality of data gathered as well as how the data is
used.
¾ Offer to help gather information for others who are developing an information base. Ask for
feedback on the scope and depth of the information you provide.
¾ Before tackling a problem, consider the kinds of information that relate to it. Look for relationships
between seemingly unrelated data. Uncover possible causes by asking “why” repeatedly. List
issues you need to address and identify critical individuals to involve in the problem-solving
process.
¾ Compare one of your best decisions to one of your worst. What was different? What was the
same?
| 182 |

¾ Identify computer software programs and databases that might be useful in data gathering,
management, and analysis. Once appropriate software is identified, give your direct reports
access for consistent analyses.
¾ Find and list potentially useful internal information and databases. Share this information with
direct reports.
¾ Ask yourself what you would do in a situation for which you have not yet gathered information.
Write your decisions and compare them with the decisions you make after the analysis.
¾ Investigate various problem-solving, analysis, and information display methods and use as
appropriate in your next analysis.
¾ Set the expectation that your staff members use appropriate data gathering and analysis
techniques.
¾ In team meetings create an environment that probes underlying issues, questions causes,
scrutinizes data, and facilitates decision making based on relevant and sound information.
¾ Examine the accuracy and adequacy of information on which your direct reports base decisions.
Are you providing them with accurate and adequate information? Provide feedback in order to
drive excellence.
¾ When starting tasks requiring analysis, clarify the information needed, sources of information, and
ways to relate pieces of information. Review your plan with someone (e.g., a peer) whose
strength is analysis and get his or her suggestions. Write out your completed analysis and ask the
same individual to review it before implementation.
¾ Work with your staff to review the scope and depth of information bases they may have
developed. Communicate consistent expectations regarding the quality and use of the data.
| 183 |

PASSION FOR RESULTS
improvement.
KEY ACTIONS

| 184 |

FORMAL LEARNING
¾ Time management.
¾ Delegation.
BOOKS
HarperBusiness.
School Press.
ARTICLES
62–69.
Update, 3(10), 1–4.
Review, 80(1), 72–79.
116.
Business Review,
43(4), 79–83.
| 185 |

team.
team.

you.
independently.
| 186 |

SELLING THE VISION
Vividly communicating a compelling view of the future state in a way that helps others understand and
feel how business outcomes will be different when the vision and values become a reality.
KEY ACTIONS:
¾ Paints the picture—Vividly describes the organizational vision and values in a way that helps
others see and feel their potential impact
¾ Demonstrates benefits—Convinces others to commit to the vision and values by using facts and
sound rationale to convey benefits with personal relevance to the audience.
¾ Inspires passion—Communicates in a way that captures attention, arouses emotion, and
compels others to take action; inspires others to personally contribute to the vision for the long
term.
¾ Leads through vision and values—Uses the vision and values as guideposts for conducting own
day‐to‐day activities; translates the vision and values for employees and organizational partners
by linking them to their daily responsibilities; connects the vision for the business unit to that of
the broader organization.
| 187 |

FORMAL LEARNING
¾ Look books or workshops that address the following:
o Motivating others to internalize organizational goals.
o Putting systems into place to support the organizational vision.
o Setting goals and establishing procedures for attaining them.
o Organizational planning and change.
BOOKS
Bobinski, D. (2009). Creating passion-driven teams. How to stop micromanaging and motivate people to top
performance. Franklin Lakes, NJ: Career Press.
Baldoni, J. (2012). Lead with purpose: Giving your organization a reason to believe in itself. New York:
AMACOM.
Blanchard, K., & Stoner, J. (2011). Full steam ahead! Unleash the power of vision in your company and your life.
Cartwright, T., & Baldwin, D. (2007). Communicating your vision. Greensborough, NC: Center for Creative
Leadership.
Colan, L.J. (2008). Engaging the hearts and minds of all your employees: How to ignite passionate performance for
better business results. New York: McGraw Hill.
Denning, S. (2007). The secret language of leadership: How leaders inspire action through narrative. San
Gallo, C. (2007). Fire them up!: 7 simple secrets to inspire your colleagues, customers, and clients; sell yourself,
your vision, and your values; communicate with charisma and confidence. Hoboken, NJ: Wiley.
Haney, B., McCann, D., & Sirbasku, J. (2010). Leadership charisma. Gaithersburg, MD: Signature Books.
Jennings, Ken., Hyde, H., & Blanchard, K. (2012). The greater goal connecting purpose and performance. San
Kouzes, J.M., & Posner, B.Z. (2012). The leadership challenge: How to make extraordinary things happen in
organizations (5th Edition). San Francisco: Jossey-Bass
Kouzes, J. M. & Posner, B. Z. (2009, January). To lead, create a shared vision. Harvard Business Review, 87(1), 20–
21.
Murray, K. M., (2012). The language of leaders how top CEOs communicate to inspire, influence and achieve
results. London: Kogan Page.
Rhoades, A., & Shepherdson, N. (2011). Built on values: Creating an enviable culture that outperforms the
competition. San Francisco: Jossey-Bass.
ARTICLES
Freund, L. M. (2010, Jan/Feb). Creating a culture of accountability. Healthcare Executive, 25(1), 30-36.
Marzec, M. (2007). Telling the corporate story: Vision into action. Journal of Business Strategy, 28(1), 26-36.
Raelin, J. (2006, Spring). Finding meaning in the organization. MIT Sloan Management Review, 47(3), 64-68.
| 188 |

¾ Talk with people who have faced the challenge of meeting a long-term vision in their department
or team. Ask them how they went about encouraging and motivating others and how they
reinforced the importance of meeting the goal. See if you can incorporate the systems or
processes they found helpful into how your team operates.
¾ Ask people how they perceive your department’s top priorities and short- and long-term goals.
What are the differences in perception between their statements and your (or your organization’s)
actual goals?

¾ Identify an activity or process that does not align well with organizational vision and values. Set
up and implement a plan for realigning the process so that it no longer conflicts.
¾ Analyze the operational and communications problems your work group encounters. Could those
problems be solved by an interdepartmental task force looking at broader issues and long-range
solutions? If so, get people involved by taking the initiative to form that group.
¾ Ask to observe or participate in a project team or task force that targets broad organizational
issues (especially those that involve the participation of senior management). Use the experience
to gain insight into establishing vision and values.
¾ Look for opportunities outside your organization to participate in creating and communicating
vision statements for community, cultural, civic, charitable, political, or business organizations.
¾ Reinforce the importance of organizational, departmental, and team goals and business plans by
incorporating them into the team’s work expectations. Make sure everyone’s key result areas
contribute to organizational goals. Share your vision-related goals.
¾ Encourage discussions about any discrepancies between the vision and values and current
organizational realities.
¾ Ask your leader to review your department’s goals and objectives; discuss how your goals can be
tied to organizational vision and values.
¾ With your team decide on one thing to accomplish by the end of the month (e.g., high customer
satisfaction ratings) and test it. Make sure the team has the necessary resources. Discuss the
test with your team and agree on ways to improve the goal-setting process and make it
continuous.
¾ Read documents or attend meetings on strategic plans, business plans, and annual reports for
your organization. Point out how organizational vision and values apply every day.
¾ Review the most recent business plan you wrote for your team or department. Did you include a
section on how your plan ties into long-term goals? Ask yourself how the plan could be improved
and what you have to do as a leader to create a sense of direction in the long term.
¾ Develop a list of stakeholders and write how each is likely to view the future. Position your
message to address the motivations, concerns, and needs of each one.
¾ Look through your planner or calendar. Do you include long-term plans that clearly link to vision
and values, or do you list only those activities that deal with short-term issues? Make sure you do
one thing every day that advances your vision, even though it might not appear to meet any
immediate demands.
¾ Compile some ideas on where you want your team or department to be in one year in terms of
quality, outputs, costs, customer satisfaction, etc. Try to determine what you can do every day
that will help generate enthusiasm and commitment to these goals.
| 189 |

¾ Consider alternative or nontraditional structures (partnerships, self-directed teams, etc.) that
might help your team identify and remedy inconsistencies between systems or practices and the
organization’s vision and values.
¾ List steps that will help you reach your vision. Produce a timeline and conduct regular updates
with your team or department to encourage their participation.
¾ Learn what customers are planning. Based on their plans, describe how you would position your
organization or department to anticipate customer needs. Incorporate these observations into
your vision.
¾ Whenever the organization announces a business decision or places special emphasis on an
organizational goal, analyze how it fits into the overall business vision and how it will affect your
area. Make sure that decisions in your area mirror the decisions of your organization.
¾ Identify elements in existing systems (selection, training, compensation/ rewards, communication,
performance management, etc.) that support or undercut the organization’s vision, and prepare
strategies to address them appropriately. When addressing problems, make sure you are working
with the problems’ sources, not the symptoms.
| 190 |

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1 = Least able 5 = Most able to

¾ Identifies customer service issues—Identifies breakdowns in internal processes and systems

¾ Creates customer-focused practices—Uses understanding of customer needs to institute

¾ Assures customer satisfaction—Makes sure that customer solutions, practices, and

LEARNING FROM OTHERS

LEARNING FROM EXPERIENCE

¾ Implements communication strategy—Establishes two-way communication channels to

¾ Creates accountability—Ensures that those responsible for implementing a strategic initiative

LEARNING FROM OTHERS

LEARNING FROM EXPERIENCE

¾ Persists to completion—Corrals energy day-to-day to maintain momentum and a sense of

LEARNING FROM EXPERIENCE

¾ Establishes approach—Collaboratively works with direct reports to identify the behaviors,

¾ Creates a learning environment—As necessary, helps secure resources required to support

¾ Collaboratively establishes development plans—Collaboratively identifies observation or

¾ Tracks performance—Implements a system or uses techniques to track performance against

LEARNING FROM EXPERIENCE

¾ Facilitates goal accomplishment—Makes procedural or process suggestions for achieving

¾ Informs others on team—Shares important or relevant information with the team.

¾ Models commitment—Adheres to the team’s expectations and guidelines; fulfills team

LEARNING FROM OTHERS

LEARNING FROM EXPERIENCE

LEARNING FROM OTHERS

LEARNING FROM EXPERIENCE

¾ Explains and demonstrates—Provides instruction, positive models, and opportunities for

¾ Provides feedback and reinforcement—Gives timely, appropriate feedback on performance;

¾ Uses Key Principles—Establishes good interpersonal relationships by helping people feel

LEARNING FROM OTHERS

LEARNING FROM EXPERIENCE

¾ Identifies customer service issues—Identifies breakdowns in internal processes and systems

¾ Creates customer-focused practices—Uses understanding of customer needs to institute

¾ Assures customer satisfaction—Makes sure that customer solutions, practices, and

LEARNING FROM OTHERS

LEARNING FROM EXPERIENCE

¾ Collaboratively establishes development plans—Works with individuals to identify options for

¾ Creates a learning environment—Secures resources required to support development efforts;

¾ Monitors progress—Gives individuals specific feedback on their performance related to

LEARNING FROM OTHERS

LEARNING FROM EXPERIENCE

¾ Implements communication strategy—Establishes two-way communication channels to

¾ Creates accountability—Ensures that those responsible for implementing a strategic initiative

LEARNING FROM OTHERS

LEARNING FROM EXPERIENCE

¾ Persists to completion—Corrals energy day-to-day to maintain momentum and a sense of

LEARNING FROM EXPERIENCE

¾ Determines tasks and resources—Determines project/assignment requirements by breaking

¾ Leverages resources—Takes advantage of available resources (individuals, processes,

LEARNING FROM OTHERS

LEARNING FROM EXPERIENCE

¾ Establishes approach—Collaboratively works with direct reports to identify the behaviors,

¾ Creates a learning environment—As necessary, helps secure resources required to support

¾ Collaboratively establishes development plans—Collaboratively identifies observation or

¾ Tracks performance—Implements a system or uses techniques to track performance against

LEARNING FROM EXPERIENCE

¾ Facilitates goal accomplishment—Makes procedural or process suggestions for achieving

¾ Informs others on team—Shares important or relevant information with the team.

¾ Models commitment—Adheres to the team’s expectations and guidelines; fulfills team

LEARNING FROM OTHERS

LEARNING FROM EXPERIENCE

¾ Explains and demonstrates—Provides instruction, positive models, and opportunities for

¾ Provides feedback and reinforcement—Gives timely, appropriate feedback on performance;

¾ Uses Key Principles—Establishes good interpersonal relationships by helping people feel

LEARNING FROM OTHERS