FR OM THE DE SK OF

M IC HA E L, M ON IC A , A ND PA TR IC K

February 21, 19

Human Resources Dept.

Strategy Devils Strategic Planning Llc.
Tempe, Az

Dear Human Resources Team,

First of all, thank you for all of your hard work as we close out FY18 and move into the first
quarter of what is sure to be a historic year for our company. After reflecting on our previous suc-
cess and researching ways to lead through ambiguity, I have decided that we need to evaluate
each of our departments in a way that is unique to some of the best leaders in the industry. As you
close out this years performance evaluations of our senior leaders, we ask that you seek feedback
from their individual team members using open ended questions that truly gauge the effectiveness
of said leader. Below are examples of questions we should be asking and how they relate to the
highly respected “Five Practices of Leadership”. Please reach out if you have any questions prior
to delivering your evaluations.

How does this leader communicate most effectively with other team members? This question is
great as it allows the follower to view the leader-follower dynamic from an unbiased point of
view. Additionally, it will generate insight to the perception of the leader on a “global” scale.
This fits with the practice of “Enable others to act”.

What sets this leader apart from other leaders in our organization? By asking this question, you
will not only gain knowledge regarding what the leader does well but also learn what leaders in
other departments could tweak or change to be more effective. Be sure to use this input as a posi-
tive remark on the evaluation. This falls in line with “Model the Way”.

What would you choose to add to this leader’s job description? This question allows for multiple
outcomes. It gives you a chance to hear what a team member thinks their leader should be help-
ing with or provides insight to how they might go above and beyond for their team by helping
them with their work. The best practice for this question relates to “Challenge the Process”.

How does s/he encourage the team to work in innovative ways? When seeking feedback from this
question, make sure innovation falls within company guidelines and the changes are fairly bal-
anced. Ideally, you should uncover timesaving methods that a team has come up with together.
The most fitting practice for this is “Inspire a Shared Vision.”

How clearly and effectively does he/she communicate with team members in times of crisis? This
question allows us to evaluate how the person performs and communicates/leads their team dur-
ing crucial times. It will help us identify areas for improvement and/or find strong mentors that
can be paired in coaching scenarios with those who need additional coaching. This fits with the
practice of “Encourage the Heart”.

45 DEVIL DR IVE TEMPE, AR IZON A

To what extent has this leader worked to create a spirit of community when the team was suc-
cessful with a project? Assessing the effectiveness of leaders who motivate their teams is an im-
portant component in productivity.This question will also help gage the team satisfaction with
their leader. Finally it will confirm the loyalty of the team members based on their perception of
the working environment. As with the previous question, this is also a tremendous example to
“Encourage the Heart”.

During last month’s ____ project, how effectively did he/she problem-solve when differences of
opinion arose among team members? Please explain / give examples. Evaluation of team dynam-
ics is an important aspect of every project. Does the leader encourage healthy discussions when
faced with differing opinions or do they ignore the issues and allow them to escalate creating a
hostile environment? Differing opinions can and should be a healthy conversation and meaning-
ful resource to reach consensus and should never become personal. How does this leader help fa-
cilitate through difficult times. For this question, we look to the practice of “Challenge the Pro-
cess”.

How effectively does this leader communicate long-term vision, or make visionary goals known?
Knowing where you stand as a company and team is important. However, knowing where the
company is going is crucial to long term success and retention. This falls in line with the practice
of “Inspire a Shared Vision” as well as “Model the Way”.

How effective do you believe this leader to be in stressful situations? Please explain. The most
effective leaders are the foundation of a team. They are the unwavering rock that provides calm
to the chaos. This question will help you understand the leaders ability to handle stress. It falls in
line with the practice of “Model the Way”.

How open is this leader to other perspectives and counter-arguments during meetings? Please
provide an example or two. It takes a village to be successful. This question will let you know
how accepting the leader is of his teams ideas as well as how included they feel. This relates to
the practice of “Challenge the Process”.

For those of you unfamiliar with Kouzes and Posner’s Five Practices of Leadership, I encourage
you to research them prior to the delivery of these evaluations. It will provide you a framework
for the direction of the growth and development of our senior leaders. Thank you for your prompt
attention to this change and your ability to pivot and adapt to the process.

Sincerely,

Michael, Monica, and Patrick