LEADERSHIP

ACADEMY PROGRAM DESCRIPTION AND APPLICATION PROCESS

The Leadership Academy is a program designed to provide opportunities for Excelsior employees who wish to explore career options by engaging in a leadership project, accompanied by a mentoring experience. Participants will complete a project that relates to the career path they have chosen to introduce a new body of knowledge or skill. In addition, participants will participate in regular meetings with a mentor who will provide guidance as well as practical experience related to the project. Participants also are expected to attend regular meetings with the cohort of Leadership Academy participants.

Application and Selection Process

Excelsior College employees who wish to prepare themselves for upward mobility and/or change the direction of their careers may apply for this program. Employees who apply must have been at the College for at least 2 years and have achieved at least meets expectations on their last performance review. Employees with less than two years at the College, but with one performance review of exceeds expectations may also be considered eligible. To apply, candidates must complete an application and submit to the Director of the Leadership Academy by January 30, 2011, who will then convene a meeting of the Executive Staff for the purpose of reviewing the applications and selecting the participants. The application must address the following items: A brief statement of the desired position/career opportunity. A clearly articulated statement of the reasons for the desired position/career opportunity. A preliminary list of available training (courses, conferences, workshops) that could provide the required knowledge for the position. The name of an Excelsior College employee (if known) who might serve as a mentor. Request for release time. The applicant should inform and obtain approval of the supervisor in advance of any anticipated need for release time. A description of the project to be accomplished. This includes: o Goals of the project o Deadlines to complete the project (project milestones) o How mentor will contribute toward the successful completion of the project

Employees should work with their supervisors when negotiating time off related to this program. Requests may not exceed 2 hours of time-off weekly for the current position and may not present an undue burden to the unit/school in which the employee works. Each participant will be expected to contribute personal time and other personal resources, such as financial contributions, towards this opportunity as well.

2011

LEADERSHIP ACADEMY PROGRAM DESCRIPTION AND APPLICATION PROCESS

Expectations of the Mentor

The expectations of the Mentors who have been selected to participate in the Excelsior College Leadership Academy may choose both the formal and informal types of mentoring. Regardless of the typology, the minimum expectations of the Mentors are as follows: Develop a positive relationship with the Mentee Share your personal career path with the Mentee, including academic and work experiences that led to your present position in the organization. Provide opportunities for the Mentee to learn and develop the necessary skills and experiences that will lead to achievement of his or her goals. Meet with the Mentee at least 2 hours per month to discuss progress, challenges, and further needs. Be available to the Mentee when needed. Track and record the Mentees achievements and progress towards their stated goals, on a quarterly basis by submitting reports to the Director of the Leadership Academy. Attend quarterly meetings with other Leadership Academy participants, mentors, and the Director of the Leadership Academy. Submit an end-of-year report on the overall experience in the Academy.

Expectations of the Mentee

Mentees who choose to participate in the Excelsior College Leadership Academy will establish both a formal and informal style of mentoring. Regardless of the typology however, the minimum expectations of the mentee are as follows: Develop a positive relationship with the Mentor. Establish with the Mentor, the career goal you hope to achieve through participation in the Leadership Academy. Learn from the Mentors how they created their career paths, including academic and work experiences that led to their present position in the organization. Develop with the Mentor, a capstone project that will demonstrate achievement of your goal at the end of the Leadership experience. Seek opportunities with the help of the Mentor to learn and develop the necessary skills and experiences that will lead to the achievement of your goals. Meet with the Mentor at least 2 hours per month to discuss progress, challenges, and further needs. Seek out the Mentor as needed. Track and record your achievements and progress towards the stated goals, on a quarterly basis by submitting reports to the Director of the Leadership Academy. Attend monthly meetings with other Leadership Academy participants and the Director of the Leadership Academy. Submit an end-of-year report on the overall experience in the Leadership Academy. Complete stated project with the help of mentor, Director of the Leadership Academy and other Leadership Academy participants. 2011

LEADERSHIP ACADEMY MENTORING

Mentoring
Mentoring refers to a developmental relationship in which a more experienced person helps a less experienced person (referred to as a protg, apprentice, or mentee) develop in a specified capacity. There are two types of mentoring relationships: formal and informal. Informal relationships develop on their own between partners. Formal mentoring, on the other hand, refers to assigned relationships, often associated with organizational mentoring programs designed to promote employee development. There are formal mentoring programs that are values-oriented, while social mentoring and other types focus specifically on career development. Some mentorship programs provide both social and vocational support. In well-designed formal mentoring programs, there are program goals, schedules, training (for both mentors and mentees), and evaluations. In some cases, mentoring is used to groom up-and-coming employees deemed to have the potential to move into leadership roles. Here the employee (mentee) is paired with a senior level leader(s) for a series of career-coaching interactions. A similar method of high-potential mentoring is to place the employee in a series of jobs in disparate areas of an organization, for small periods of time, in anticipation of learning the organizations structure, culture, and methods. A mentor does not have to be a manager or supervisor to facilitate the process. Mentoring as a Tool Mentoring is a tool that organizations can use to nurture and grow their people. It can be an informal or formal program. Mentees observe, question, and explore. Mentors demonstrate, explain, and model. The following assumptions form a foundation for a solid mentoring program. Deliberate learning is the cornerstone. The mentors job is to promote intentional learning, which includes capacity building through methods such as instructing, coaching, providing experiences, modeling, and advising. Both failure and success are powerful teachers. Mentors, as leaders of a learning experience, certainly need to share their how to do it so it comes out right stories. They also need to share their experiences of failure, i.e., what went wrong and what I learned from it. Both types of stories are powerful lessons that provide valuable opportunities for analyzing individual and organizational realities. Leaders need to share their stories. Personal scenarios, anecdotes, and case examples offer valuable and often unforgettable insight. Mentors who can talk about themselves and their experiences establish a rapport that makes them learning leaders. Development matures over time. Mentoring, when it works, taps into continuous learning that is not an event or even a string of discrete events. Rather, it is the synthesis of ongoing events, experiences, observations, studies, and thoughtful analyses. Mentoring is a joint venture. Successful mentoring means sharing responsibility for learning, regardless of the facilities, subject matter, timing, and all other variables. Successful mentoring begins with setting a contract for learning around which the mentor, mentee, and their respective line managers are aligned.

2011

LEADERSHIP ACADEMY MENTORING

Role of the Mentees Supervisor The supervisors role in employee development is ongoing and not modified by an employees participation in a mentoring program. Mentoring is a development tool at the disposal of the organization. Supervisors have the essential role of supporting the learning process by encouraging on-the-job exploration while also monitoring continued responsibility for performance. Supervisors fulfill a stewardship role in terms of day-to-day direct authority and capacity building, while mentors provide a broader and longer view that creates a path to the future for the mentee. Key Thoughts on the Mentoring Process Think of mentoring as a three party effort, rather than one-on-one arranged marriage Think of a mentor as a learning leader who facilitates a learning process, rather than a guru who passes down the word to a favored individual Think of growth as the acquisition of attitudes and capabilities as well as the acquisition of skills and behaviors View development as being enhanced by open dialogue and free form thinking, rather than limited by discussion guided by a set agenda Think of development assignments, rather than future promotions, as a way of synthesizing thoughts about next steps in the organization Cultivate career self-reliance in employees who use the mentoring process as one of a set of tools in achieving high performance

Characteristics of a Good Mentor All successful business people do not necessarily make effective mentors; certain individuals are more effective in the role of developing others. Whether or not an individual is suited to the role of mentor may depend on his or her own stage of development and experience. For example, a fairly successful individual may have had a specific, or limited, background and may not have enough general experience to offer. Prior to entering into a mentoring relationship, the mentee should assume the responsibility of assessing the mentors potential effectiveness. The qualities which are essential in an effective mentor include: Desire to Help: Individuals who are interested in and willing to help others Positive Experiences: Individuals who have had positive formal or informal experiences with a mentor tend to be good mentors themselves Good Reputation for Developing Others: Experienced people who have a good reputation for helping others develop their skills Time and Energy: People who have the time and mental energy to devote to the relationship Up-to-date Knowledge: Individuals who have maintained current, up-to-date technological knowledge and skills Learning Attitude: Individuals who are still willing and able to learn and who see the potential benefits of a mentoring relationship Demonstrated Effective Managerial (Mentoring) Skills: Individuals who have demonstrated effective coaching, counseling, facilitating and networking skills

2011

LEADERSHIP ACADEMY MENTORING

Expectations of the Mentor

The expectations of the Mentors who have been selected to participate in the Excelsior College Leadership Academy may choose both the formal and informal types of mentoring. Regardless of the typology, the minimum expectations of the Mentors are as follows: Develop a positive relationship with the Mentee Share your personal career path with the Mentee, including academic and work experiences that led to your present position in the organization. Provide opportunities for the Mentee to learn and develop the necessary skills and experiences that will lead to achievement of his or her goals. Meet with the Mentee at least 2 hours per month to discuss progress, challenges, and further needs. Be available to the Mentee when needed. Track and record the Mentees achievements and progress towards their stated goals, on a quarterly basis by submitting reports to the Director of the Leadership Academy. Attend quarterly meetings with other Leadership Academy participants, mentors, and the Director of the Leadership Academy. Submit an end-of-year report on the overall experience in the Academy.

Expectations of the Mentee

Mentees who choose to participate in the Excelsior College Leadership Academy will establish both a formal and informal style of mentoring. Regardless of the typology however, the minimum expectations of the mentee are as follows: Develop a positive relationship with the Mentor. Establish with the Mentor, the career goal you hope to achieve through participation in the Leadership Academy. Learn from the Mentors how they created their career paths, including academic and work experiences that led to their present position in the organization. Develop with the Mentor, a capstone project that will demonstrate achievement of your goal at the end of the Leadership experience. Seek opportunities with the help of the Mentor to learn and develop the necessary skills and experiences that will lead to the achievement of your goals. Meet with the Mentor at least 2 hours per month to discuss progress, challenges, and further needs. Seek out the Mentor as needed. Track and record your achievements and progress towards the stated goals, on a quarterly basis by submitting reports to the Director of the Leadership Academy. Attend monthly meetings with other Leadership Academy participants and the Director of the Leadership Academy. Submit an end-of-year report on the overall experience in the Leadership Academy. Complete stated project with the help of mentor, Director of the Leadership Academy and other Leadership Academy participants.

2011

LEADERSHIP ACADEMY APPLICATION FORM

Name of Applicant: ____________________________Date: _______________________________________ Name of Supervisor: ___________________________Unit/Office: __________________________________ Length of Time at the College: ____________________ Name and Description of Desired position/career: Reasons for desiring to pursue this career choice: Please list courses, conferences, and/or workshops (both internal and external) that will provide academic knowledge of the desired position/career, and indicate the institution/agency offering the training. Courses Institution Out-of-Unit time supported by Supervisor: _________ Name of Excelsior College Employee who has agreed to serve as mentor: ______________________________ Employee Signature: Supervisor Approval: Mentors Signature: Draft: 5/28/2013 2011

LEADERSHIP ACADEMY APPLICATION FORM

Description of Leadership Academy project: Goals of the project: The deadlines you will set to complete the project (project milestones): How your mentor will interact with you to complete the project:

Draft: 5/28/2013

2011

Overview of the Leadership Academy - 2011

The Leadership Academy is a program designed to provide opportunities for Excelsior employees who wish to explore career options by engaging in a leadership project, accompanied by a mentoring experience. Participants will complete a project that relates to the career path they have chosen to introduce a new body of knowledge or skill. In addition, participants will participate in regular meetings with a mentor who will provide guidance as well as practical experience related to the project. Participants also are expected to attend regular meetings with the cohort of Leadership Academy participants. The Leadership Academy class of 2011 will participate in activities to help them grow as leaders and learn skills needed for new leaders. Applications are due March 31, 2011. Once the applications have been received they will reviewed and the applications will be presented to the Executive Staff for selection into the 2011 class of the Leadership Academy. Once selected, the applicants will commence their activities with the Leadership Academy starting with a kick-off meeting of the entire class and their mentors in June 2011. The group will meet once a month for project updates and skills development. They will also meet once a month for a Business of the College Brown Bag lunch with the leadership of the various schools, academic support areas, and administrative support functional areas. In addition the group will participate in book reviews and will be expected to read at least 5 books on leadership throughout the program and discussions will take place in meetings dedicated to book discussions. In all Leadership Academy participants are expected to take part in 2-3 hours of development each month in addition to their monthly meetings with their mentors. Participants will also complete a leadership project that links to their professional goals. This project will also require employee time each month to complete. Employees should work with their supervisors when negotiating time off related to this program. Requests may not exceed 2 hours of time-off weekly for the current position and may not present an undue burden to the unit/school in which the employee works. Each participant will be expected to contribute personal time and other personal resources, such as financial contributions, towards this opportunity as well.

Overview of the Leadership Academy - 2011

LEADERSHIP SKILLS THAT WILL BE DISCUSSED AT MONTHLY MEETINGS

Presentation Skills Running effective meetings Emotional Intelligence Managing up Strategic planning at the College Communication Skills What does it take to be a good leader?

BROWN BAG LUNCH TOPICS/GUESTS

President Ebersole Academic Programs and Schools (Provost and School Deans) Academic Services (Provost and OELS, Assessment, Records, Advising, Military) - two sessions Human Resources Budget and Finance Information Technology and the Center for Technology Leadership Outcomes Assessment and Institutional Research Institutional Advancement Center for Professional Development Enrollment Management (Admissions, Marketing, Financial Aid) Legal and Governmental Affairs

OTHER LEARNING OPPORTUNITIES AVAILABLE FOR 2011 LEADERSHIP ACADEMY

Toastmasters (club within the Columbus Circle Park and several EC staff are members) Business Leadership (3 credit EC course) Business Leadership Skills for new managers (non-credit CPD course)

REQUIRED BOOK READING

Lencioni, P. (2007) The Five Dysfunctions of a Team: A leadership fable Collins, J. (2001) Good to Great: Why Some Companies Make the Leap... and Others Don't Kouzes, J. and Posner, B. (2007) The Leadership Challenge Scott, S. (2004) Fierce Conversations: Achieving Success at Work and in Life One Conversation at a Time Bradberry, T. and Greaves, J. (2009) Emotional Intelligence 2.0 Blanchard, K. (2005) Self-Leadership and the One-Minute Manager Hickman, C. , Smith, T., and Connors, R. (1994) The Oz Principle: Getting Results Through Individual and Organizational Accountability Ciampa, D. and Watkins, M. (1991) Right From The Start: Taking Charge In A New Leadership Role Lencioni, P. (2007) The Three Signs of a Miserable Job: A Fable for Managers (And Their Employees)

OPTIONAL READING

Overview of the Leadership Academy - 2011

JOURNAL ARTICLES
Barnettt, B. (1992, February). A New Slant on Leadership Preparation. Educational Leadership Bennis, W. (1989, April). Why Leaders Can't Lead. Training and Development Journal . Crowely, K. (2007, April). The Five Pivotal Practices of Managing Up. Officepro . Derven, M. (2009, November). Navigating the Transition to Supervisor. T&D . Eckel, N. (2010, September). Strategic Planning Simplified. T&D . Fetzer, J. (2009, February). Quick, efficient, effective? Meetings! Analytical & Bioanalytical Chemistry . Forster, E. (2010, May 10). Eight Thoughts on Elegant Leadership. Retrieved from MBA Reality Check: http://www.theMBArealitycheck.com Hoffman, T. (2005, December). Managine Up. Comptuerworld . Kennedy, B. (1987). Quick Reference. Retrieved November 12, 2010, from Robert's Rules of Order: http://www.robertsrules.org Miller, M. (2010, March). The Secret of Gread Leaders. T&D . Plachy, R. (2009, December). When to Lead? When to Manage? T&D . Reiffenstein, K. (2010, May). Speaking up: 10 Tips for making C-Level presentations. T&D . Talley, H. (2008, October). Mentoring: the courage to cultivate new leaders. AANA . Talley, L. (2009, November). Louder than Words. T&D .

Schedule for Leadership Academy 2011 - 2012

Month and Date June Meeting Type Monthly Topic(s) - Introductions - Project overviews - Program expectations Guest(s) Mentors

July August

Brown Bag Lunch - President Ebersole ? Monthly - Project Updates

Brown Bag Lunch - President Ebersole ? Monthly Book Discussion - Project Updates - Presentation skills - Leadership Challenge (Chapters 1-6)

Brown Bag Lunch - Academic Programs and Schools - Provost - Deans from each of the Schools

Quarterly Reports Due September Monthly Book Discussion - Project Updates - Running effective meetings - Leadership Challenge (Chapters 6-9) Mentors

Brown Bag Lunch - Academic Services - Online Education and Learning Services - Assessment - Advising Monthly Book Discussion - Project Updates - Emotional Intelligence - Good to Great (Chapters 1-5)

October

Brown Bag Lunch - Academic Services - Records - Military Monthly Book Discussion - Project Updates - Managing up - Good to Great (Chapters 6-9)

November

Brown Bag Lunch - Human Resources - Budget and Finance

Quarterly Reports Due

Schedule for Leadership Academy 2011 - 2012

Month and Date December Meeting Type Monthly Topic(s) - Project Updates - Strategic thinking and planning at the College Guest(s) Mentors

Brown Bag Lunch Monthly Book Discussion

Information Technology Center for Technology Leadership Center for Professional Development Educators Servicing Educators

January

- Project Updates - Communications Skills - Fierce Conversations

Brown Bag Lunch - Outcomes Assessment and Institutional - Research, Legal and Governmental Affairs Monthly - Project Updates - Legacy statements

February

Brown Bag Lunch - Institutional Advancement (Communications, Grants, Publications Team)

Quarterly Reports Due March Monthly - Project Updates - What does it take to be a good leader? - 5 Dysfunctions of a Team Mentors

April

Book Discussion

Brown Bag Lunch - Enrollment Management (Admissions, Financial Aid, Marketing) Monthly - Project Updates - Preparation for Capstone Presentations - Final Presentation of project to College community

Capstone Presentations

Mentors

Final Reports Due by Capstone Presentation

LEADERSHIP ACADEMY
MENTOR QUARTERLY PROJECT REPORT
Mentees Name: 0T Mentors Name: 0T Date: 0T What skills or knowledge has the Mentee demonstrated as a result of working on this project? 0T What academic preparation did the Mentee pursue towards the accomplishment of the goal? 0T What projects or experiences did the Mentee pursue to accomplish the goal? 0T Has the Mentee attended all scheduled meetings? 0T Please rate the quality of work performed by the Mentee. Please choose an option below. Overall comments about the program, project, or experience: 0T

2011

LEADERSHIP ACADEMY
MENTEE QUARTERLY PROJECT REPORT
Mentees Name: 0T Mentors Name: 0T Date: 0T What skills or knowledge are you acquiring as a result of working on this project? 0T Have you been able to work on any additional tasks within your unit as a result of this training? 0T If so, please explain: 0T What academic preparation are you pursuing towards the accomplishment of your goal? 0T What challenges have you encountered through this process? Has your Mentor been able to assist you? 0T Have you been able to attend all scheduled meetings? 0T Are you having any problems managing the time between your job responsibilities and your project? What support might you need to better manage your time/schedule? 0T Overall comments about the program, project, or experience: 0T

2011

Mentees Name: 0T Mentors Name: 0T

LEADERSHIP ACADEMY
MENTOR ANNUAL REPORT

Did your Mentee accomplish their stated goal/project? 0T What academic preparation did the Mentee pursue towards the accomplishment of the goal? 0T What projects/experiences did the Mentee pursue to accomplish the goal? 0T Please rate the quality of the work performed by the Mentee. Please choose one. Overall Comments: 0T

2011

FUNDAMENTALS //
If youve ever been part of a team building a learning initiative, you know that sooner or later, strategic planning is crucial. Keep reading to view the strategic planning process from two perspectivesthe consultants and the stakeholdersplus four elements that can help you successfully implement your plan.
The consultants view
Expected outcomes. Strategic planning is a critical activity for an organization, whether not-for-profit or for-profit. A good plan can make the difference between success and failure, and between excellence and mediocrity. Far too often, organizations invest considerable time and money in strategic planning without reaching the desired results. The benefits of a successful planning process are too important to leave unfulfilled: Goals and objectivesThis includes a plan for what to do. A train cannot move forward without the proper tracks laid in front of it. Decision aidThis is a guide for making really tough decisions in difficult situations, such as which programs to cut, where to invest energy, where to invest capital, or how to adjust to a rapidly changing environment. Change managementThis represents a framework for managing organizational change and building creativity. Board managementThis is a springboard for recharging and reforming the board. InspirationThis acts as a tool for generating organization motivation and excitement. Prerequisites. There are three organizational qualities required
Photo by Corbis

STRATEGIC PLANNING SIMPLIFIED

By Nathan Eckel and Philip N. Witmer

You might have all the data and background in your hands, but what you put into planning a large-scale project at the very beginning can make or break its outcomes.
32 | T+D | SEPTEMBER 2010

for excellent strategic planning: the objectivity to accurately assess the organizations strengths and weaknesses, the ability and creativity to envision the future, and the discipline to work through the plan with enough detail to provide a road map for staff and board members. Identify key staff and board members with these strengths. There are two distinct dynamics in the planning process, including the content of the plan itself and the emotional climate. Both must be managed to obtain ongoing success. Pre-planning. Many organizations do not invest enough thought into the preplanning process. These details can often spell the difference between success and failure: DataGood data should drive the planning process, and it may take a bit of time to gather it, so start early. Creativity and intuition are also needed, but you need a solid base of information. WhoWho participates in the planning process is critical. Involve key staff, keep the number small, and include diversity in skills. Where and whenDecide early. An off-site meeting space is excellent for changing the mindset of participants. Timing is everything, so avoid times of crisis or times during which key staff members are too busy. Process. When the proper groundwork has been laid, the planning process can be straightforward. Remember to balance the need for efficient use of time and the need for adequate discussion and resolution. Dont rush the process. It takes time, in addition to Mission and visionA review of the mission and vision statements is necessary as a starting point. Maintaining a valid mission and vision for the organization are the reason for planning in the first place. Let a professional marketer wordsmith the statements, but agree on the principles. Avoid compromise for the sake of compromise; it often leads to mediocrity, not excellence. SWOT analysesThe discussion of strengths, weaknesses,

opportunities, and threats should cover internal as well as external factors. Be brutally honest if you want to move forward. Goals and objectivesEvery strategic plan has these. The good plans have measurable and specific objectives. If you cant measure it, how will you know when youve accomplished it? Equally as important, how will your organization learn from not accomplishing it? TimeframesThe plan must be tied to timeframes. Otherwise, the more difficult items will be put off until its time to do another strategic plan. Evaluation. Make your plan a living document. A strategic plan is like a budget in that it constantly needs tweaking as your organizational environment changes. Frequent reviews will mark progress, identify areas of concern, and highlight necessary changes to the plan. Key board and staff members should be thinking strategically all the time; the plan is a framework for their thinking. Now that youre aware of the basics of setting up an effective strategic planning process for your organization, we will switch perspectives. Lets take a look at the process youve just seen from the lens of a senior stakeholder in one group engaged in strategic planning.

A strategic plan is like a budget in that it constantly needs tweaking as your organizational environment changes. Frequent reviews will mark progress, identify areas of concern, and highlight necessary changes to the plan. Key board and staff members should be thinking strategically all the time; the plan is a framework for their thinking.

The stakeholders view

Lets observe four elements of a successful implementation of a strategic plan from the stakeholders perspective: 1| getting started on the right foot 2| anticipating and addressing stakeholder concerns 3| the short-term benefits of a strategic plan 4| following up for maximum longterm benefits. Getting started. There are many potential dynamics involving the stakeholder. A wise facilitator will proceed delicately at the start to lower any mental walls. Its important to follow the proper protocol as you approach a group so that you can gain a proper welcome. Because there is usually a diversity of opinions in any group, its often best to
SEPTEMBER 2010 | T+D | 33

FUNDAMENTALS //
Identify key staff and board members with these strengths. There are two distinct dynamics in the planning process, including the content of the plan itself and the emotional climate. Both must be managed to obtain ongoing success.
gain entry with the head or senior group members first. This puts you through the proper channels with the proper supporta great first step! Concerns. The next step is to tactfully uncover any concerns among the group members. While some are easy to find, other concerns may not be. Some may have nothing to do with you, so dont worry too much about them. Instead, be aware of issues related to the time, energy, and work that may be required of the members. Since schedules are tight, be prepared to wait a few months, rather than overselling the group or undercommunicating what the process requires from them. Immediate benefits. Many benefits of applying the process that you read earlier in this article may be evident soon after you begin meeting. From a senior stakeholders perspective, three key benefits of a well-directed strategic planning series are trust, initiative, and proactivity: TrustOften, others propose better solutions than the leader could imagine. This builds trust. InitiativePeople are more comfortable stepping up, taking responsibility for the work. ProactivityRather than putting out fires, the group identifies and mitigates future problems before they happen.

Follow-up. Although the short-term goals are substantial, the stakeholder needs to follow-up on the initial sessions, especially if the facilitator is no longer available. Failing to do so may slow communication. If these goals fall off the groups agenda, this short-term morale boost may turn into disillusionment. Three steps to follow at this point are: Dont panicLulls between sessions or at the end of a phase should be expected. Although some momentum may be lost, everyone needs to recharge and regroup. Simply stay calm, and steer people back into communication and shared goals. Stay flexibleFlexibility demonstrates that youre human, too. This raises morale and increases peoples responsiveness when they need to act. Onboard and offboardStop the brain drain. Onboarding and offboarding starts now. Identify and train your successors as you share the long-term plans. Documenting job aids, organizational charts, and other key ideas helps manage the knowledge in your organization and keep everyone close to the same page. By keeping in mind the mechanics of a solid, strategic planning process, as well as the stakeholders perspective, you will be able to initiate, facilitate, and implement more of your training goals within your organization.
Nathan Eckel teaches courses in adult learning and online collaboration at LaSalle University and is president of ASTDs Greater Philadelphia Chapter. He is the author of Open Source Instructional Design; nathaneckel@gmail.com. Philip N. Witmer is president of nonprofit management consultancy The Mission Works LLC; Philip@ TheMissionWorksLLC.com.

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SEPTEMBER 2010 | T+D | 35

Copyright of T+D is the property of American Society for Training & Development and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use.

Eight Thoughts On Elegant Leadership Keith Ferrazzi

Posted on May 12th, 2010 by Keith Ferrazzi

Today's guest post is from two young authors whose insights on leadership are equally applicable for everyone from students to CEOs. Eight Thoughts on Elegant Leadership By Evan Forster and David Thomas The fallacy that leaders must be perfect is one of the biggest misconceptions we encounter as educational consultants who have helped hundreds build outstanding candidacies to top colleges and graduate schools. Leadership development is a major component of our new book, The MBA Reality Check. We came up with these eight insights about how to harness the leader in you.

1. Leaders think big -- and small. They have grand, visionary, ridiculous ideas. But they also return phone calls and show up on time. 2. Small acts of leadership create the potential for more leadership. Simply having an idea is an act of leadership, and its okay if you dont know where to go from there. For example, you want to create a green break room at the office. Go ahead and organize a meeting about the idea, even if you dont know the first step for researching the options or winning budget approval. That simple move is an act of leadership because the meeting creates an opportunity for others in the office to participate, come up with next steps, and even volunteer to share the work with you. 3. Management and leadership are not the same. Management is about a process, while leadership is about people. You manage deadlines, milestones, spreadsheets, work flows. You lead people, groups, attitudes, and relationships. Some excellent traits for good management such as hyper-precision, detail-orientation, and staying the coursecan be harmful to good leadership. It is important to distinguish between the two.

4. Know your leadership style. Think of a typical group of friends who, when they go out as a group, tend to fill different roles: the organizer, the partier, the know-it-all, the charmer, the mediator. Which one are you? Knowing which role you tend to take in a group will help you understand and maximize the strengths and weaknesses that accompany that role. 5. Leaders arent afraid to make fools of themselves. For example, if you absolutely cant remember someones name, just be honest and ask that person again. And if you lack a certain skill set or dont have all of the information, its okay to say the following words: I dont know. Saying I dont know is powerful, because its confident, its honest, and it puts people at ease. 6. Real leaders dont cry. They dont have time for it. They dont blame other people. They take responsibility. If you havent ever really screwed up or failed, you arent really a great candidatefor anything. Insightful, confident people often learn more concrete lessons from failure than from success, so dont deny yourself teachable moments by being afraid to act or pretending that your failures never happened. 7. Leaders do not make excuses; they keep appointments and make deadlines. Leaders understand that everyones time matters. Leaders are not more important than teammates. This means if you make an agreement to be somewhere, you dont cancel at the last minute. 8. Leaders think in terms of legacynot their own, but their projects. This means creating new leaders from the very beginning. Great ideas shouldnt die when their founder leaves (or gets hit by a bus). I once heard that there are two kinds of mentors: those who are afraid their student will surpass them, and those who hope they do. Leadership is not about you, its about the impact you are out to achieve. If you keep that in mind, the idea of getting surpassed will bring you relief, not fear. For more information on MBA admissions and The MBA Reality Check: Make the School You Want, Want You, visit www.theMBARealityCheck.com.

Anal Bioanal Chem (2009) 393:18251827 DOI 10.1007/s00216-009-2645-8

BUILDING A PROFESSIONAL CAREER

Quick, efficient, effective? Meetings!

John Fetzer

Published online: 19 February 2009 # Springer-Verlag 2009

Throughout the many scientific areas, each organization has numerous meetings. These are frequently looked upon as boring or a waste of time. This is because they sometimes are! Meetings sometimes have no focus, have too many discussions that meander into topics of interest to only one or two participants, and stretch on and on. They do not have to be this way. In many companies, at the executive levels, training to have meetings that are brief and to-the-point is common practice. The thinking behind this is that executives have full schedules and cannot afford hours of inefficient meetings. In a small number of the more enlightened companies, there has been a realization that meetings do not have to be inefficient at any level. These are the companies which offer all employeesnot only executivestraining on how to have effective and efficient meetings. This saves time throughout the company, giving employees more time to carry out their other job functions. This article will cover some of the ideas common in these approaches. In order to have a meeting that works well, there must be work done before, during, and after the meeting. The participants assume several roles that help make this happen. There also are several things that must be in place at each meetingan agenda, ground rules to operate under, and meeting helpers that make the meeting flow better.

Roles and attendees The convener is the person who calls for the meeting or organizes its planning. The convener is also responsible for
J. Fetzer (*) Fetzpahs Consulting, P.O. Box 942, Pinole, CA 94564, USA e-mail: Fetzpahs@hotmail.com

checking on follow-up items (reminders, not trying to ensure that they are done!). The first role of a convener is to decide if a meeting is needed in the first place. She or he asks: Can the issues be dealt with in several smaller, informal meetings or electronically? If the answer is No, then a formal meeting must be planned. The convener then decides who ought to meet, and each attendees expected role. There are two important types of attendees that you must be aware of: those who are needed to reach decisions, and those who need to know of decisions and information. Other attendees are optional their attendance might be useful, but they are not needed to make a meeting successful. One necessary premise must be that if a person cannot attend the meeting, he or she should designate an alternate. This can be another attendee or someone else who knows the topics to be discussed. This alternate is empowered and responsible to vote and decide as if he or she were the absent person. In order to have this, the invited person and the alternate must get together and discuss the options for decisions so that the alternate can vote during the meeting. If an alternate is not present, the meeting flow will stop at any decision in order to defer due to the absent person. Not every attendee needs to vote on decisions. There can be voting and non-voting attendees. This limits decisions to those responsible for the outcomesdemocratic voting often leads to decisions being made by a majority of people who are not really involved in what will happen subsequently. For example, a person may be attending to present information, not to be part of the decision-making, and so has no voting authority on that issue (but may have it on other issues that she or he is responsible for). Abstaining in a vote can be accepted, but only as an agreement that the person abides by and supports any decision the group makes.

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Two other roles come into play when the meeting actually starts. One is that the meeting has a facilitator, a person who has the duty of making the meeting work properly. This can be the organizer or a person not involved actively in the meeting. The facilitator essentially acts to keep the discussions on topic and in focus. The note-taker is another key person. The note-taker writes down the minutes of the meeting as they occur. This is best done by someone other than the facilitator or one of the meetings more active participants. This ensures that the meeting minutes are accurate. An active participant cannot do this because she or he will get distracted by discussions or be involved in speaking (trying to write ones own words down afterwards is difficult, and the next speaker s words are lost while doing so). The meeting notes are best written on a large pad (flip chart) or a whiteboard. This allows the participants to see what has been discussed and planned. It also allows the note-taker to make copies for inclusion in the meeting report. In a separate list, the note-taker also writes down each agreed-to task assigned to an Action Items listing. One role that is sometimes needed to make a meeting happen, to ensure that all key people attend and participate, is that of a sponsor. The sponsor is someone who is senior and holds some ownership of the topics being discussed and decided. It may be a senior manager, or in academia the sponsor may be a department chair, dean, or provost who is nominally responsible for the goals of the meeting. This sponsor does not have to attend but is an invitee and is copied in on all reports and other documents resulting from the meeting. If a key role-player/decision-maker does not attend the meeting, the sponsor knows that the meeting could not proceed further because of that. This role is not necessary unless meetings have proven ineffective because key people avoid them or do not abide by decisions.

An initial item is the agenda review. This involves reviewing the planned agenda, changing items or timing if needed, and agreeing to the planned agenda. The agenda must be flexible enough to allow for changes if the group decides during the meeting that these are needed. For example, if 30 minutes is the planned discussion time for a topic, but new issues or options to decide on arise, then the group can agree to extend the discussion time.

Meeting ground rules Many meetings are haphazard and contentious, not due to the lack of an agenda, but due to a lack of ground rules. These are pre-agreed rules on how the meeting is held. For example, decisions are by consensus (or majority vote or whatever the group decides on). Another is that only one person can speak at a time (and no side discussions are allowed while someone speaks). Another might be that agenda changes must be agreed tono insertion of new topics without the groups agreement. One common ground rule is that there must be no personal attacks. This keeps the meeting focused on the business issues. A comment such as That is a stupid opinion has no place in a meeting. Respect for and acceptance of diverse ideas and views must be part of any meeting. If not, group thinking and tunnel vision result in bad decisionsespecially if a leader expresses such negative views. Since the meeting has a schedule, starting on time is a key issue. One ground rule for all meetings is that meetings start at the scheduled time. Participants must be punctual or assume the responsibility for being late. Restarting the meeting or reviewing information for latecomers is not an allowed course of action unless the participants agree to it. If this is an on-going rule for all meetings, people will learn to plan to be on time. Action items are tasks that result from the discussions and planning. These items have a responsible person (or people) who agree to do each task and a target time to get the task completed. These may be things like gathering more information if the group thinks it necessary for a decision, or putting together cost estimates for options when the group chooses some to look into.
Presenter Sam Heieh Heinrich Pamela Sam Objective (optional)

An agenda The number one requirement for any meeting is for it to have an agenda. It must have scheduled times and items to be presented or discussed. Optional items include specifying who will present an item or lead a discussion or the purpose of each item. An sample agenda is shown below.
Time 9:00 9:05 9:25 9:45 9:55 Item Introduction/ review agenda Capital option 1 Capital option 2 Choose 1 or 2 Review, plan, and adjourn

Information Information Decision, assign next tasks

Quick, efficient, effective? Meetings!

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Keeping on track and on time The facilitator acts as the referee of the meeting, making sure that the ground rules are followed and that the agenda is kept. If the discussion moves onto tangential topics, the facilitator interrupts the discussion and points this out. This may be done by reminding those present that the topic is ABC, or by asking if the new topic is important enough to add to the agenda. The latter requires agreement that it either replaces another item on the agenda or that it should be added to it and so the meeting will become longer. The facilitator should suggest that some tangential topics should be discussed between specific participants after and outside of the meeting, or that those topics should be made the focus of a separate meeting. The facilitator must keep the meeting on topic, reminding everyone of the agenda item immediately at hand. The facilitator must be part diplomat and part headmaster. She or he is empowered to stop any discussions that meander, to remind people of the ground rules, and to keep the meeting moving forward. If discussion tapers down before the time is done, she or he can ask if it is time to close that topic and move on (there is no rule against shortening a planned meeting!).

do so unless it is an agreed-upon part of the role) contact people who agreed to do action items as a reminder of their responsibilities.

References and resources There are numerous websites devoted to this topic; most apply to a business setting. However, these techniques work well in any venue. A Google search of effective meeting techniques yields many helpful websites. A few of the many books on this topic include: Henkel SL, Lujanac M (eds)(2007) Successful meetings: how to plan, prepare, and execute top-notch business meetings. Atlantic, Ocala (ISBN-10: 0910627916; ISBN-13: 978-0910627917) Parker GM, Hoffman R (2006) Meeting excellence: 33 tools to lead meetings that get results. Jossey-Bass, San Francisco (ISBN-10: 0787982814; ISBN-13: 9780787982812) Kelsey D, Plumb P (2004) Great meetings! Great results. Hanson Park, Portland (ISBN-10: 0965835413; ISBN-13: 978-0965835411)
John Fetzer is the author or coauthor of over 130 research articles, reviews, and book chapters. He is a member of the International Advisory Board of Analytical and Bioanalytical Chemistry. He has worked for over 20 years as an analytical chemist for the Chevron Corporation and now runs his own consulting company, Fetzpahs Consulting, in Hercules, CA, USA. His book Career management for chemists a guide to success in a chemistry career was published by Springer.

Follow-ups and planning After the meeting, the note-taker makes copies of the notes and the action-items list. These are given to the convener to include in any meeting summary or report. If the meetings are on-going or another has been planned, the convener schedules and organizes the next meeting. The convener writes a meeting summary with the attached copies of action items and minutes. These are sent to the participants and to the sponsor, as well as any other interested people. The convener can (but is not required to

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For Fair and Orderly Meetings & Conventions Provides common rules and procedures for deliberation and debate in order to place the whole membership on the same footing and speaking the same language. The conduct of ALL business is controlled by the general will of the whole membership - the right of the deliberate majority to decide. Complementary is the right of at least a strong minority to require the majority to be deliberate - to act according to its considered judgment AFTER a full and fair "working through" of the issues involved. Robert's Rules provides for constructive and democratic meetings, to help, not hinder, the business of the assembly. Under no circumstances should "undue strictness" be allowed to intimidate members or limit full participation. The fundamental right of deliberative assemblies require all questions to be thoroughly discussed before taking action! The assembly rules - they have the final say on everything! Silence means consent!
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Obtain the floor (the right to speak) by being the first to stand when the person speaking has finished; state Mr./Madam Chairman. Raising your hand means nothing, and standing while Robert's Rules of Order another has the floor is out of order! Must be recognized by the Henry M. Robert II... Best Price $4.47 Chair before speaking! or Buy New $9.07 Debate can not begin until the Chair has stated the motion or resolution and asked "are you ready for the question?" If no one rises, the chair calls for the vote! Before the motion is stated by the Chair (the question) members Privacy Information may suggest modification of the motion; the mover can modify as he pleases, or even withdraw the motion without consent of the seconder; if mover modifies, the seconder can withdraw the second. The "immediately pending question" is the last question stated by the Chair! Motion/Resolution Amendment - Motion to Postpone The member moving the "immediately pending question" is entitled to preference to the floor! No member can speak twice to the same issue until everyone else wishing to speak has spoken to it once! All remarks must be directed to the Chair. Remarks must be courteous in language and deportment - avoid all personalities, never allude to others by name or to motives! The agenda and all committee reports are merely recommendations! When presented to the assembly and the question is stated, debate begins and changes occur!

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Point of Privilege: Pertains to noise, personal comfort, etc. - may interrupt only if necessary! Parliamentary Inquiry: Inquire as to the correct motion - to accomplish a desired result, or raise a point of order Point of Information: Generally applies to information desired from the speaker: "I should like to ask the (speaker) a question." Orders of the Day (Agenda): A call to adhere to the agenda (a deviation from the agenda requires Suspending the Rules) Point of Order: Infraction of the rules, or improper decorum in speaking. Must be raised immediately after the error is made Main Motion: Brings new business (the next item on the agenda) before the assembly Divide the Question: Divides a motion into two or more separate motions (must be able to stand on their own)

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Consider by Paragraph: Adoption of paper is held until all paragraphs are debated and amended and entire paper is satisfactory; after all paragraphs are considered, the entire paper is then open to amendment, and paragraphs may be further amended. Any Preamble can not be considered until debate on the body of the paper has ceased. Amend: Inserting or striking out words or paragraphs, or substituting whole paragraphs or resolutions Withdraw/Modify Motion: Applies only after question is stated; mover can accept an amendment without obtaining the floor Commit /Refer/Recommit to Committee: State the committee to receive the question or resolution; if no committee exists include size of committee desired and method of selecting the members (election or appointment). Extend Debate: Applies only to the immediately pending question; extends until a certain time or for a certain period of time Limit Debate: Closing debate at a certain time, or limiting to a certain period of time Postpone to a Certain Time: State the time the motion or agenda item will be resumed Object to Consideration: Objection must be stated before discussion or another motion is stated Lay on the Table: Temporarily suspends further consideration/action on pending question; may be made after motion to close debate has carried or is pending Take from the Table: Resumes consideration of item previously "laid on the table" - state the motion to take from the table Reconsider: Can be made only by one on the prevailing side who has changed position or view Postpone Indefinitely: Kills the question/resolution for this session - exception: the motion to reconsider can be made this session Previous Question: Closes debate if successful - may be moved to "Close Debate" if preferred Informal Consideration: Move that the assembly go into "Committee of the Whole" - informal debate as if in committee; this committee may limit number or length of speeches or close debate by other means by a 2/3 vote. All votes, however, are formal. Appeal Decision of the Chair: Appeal for the assembly to decide - must be made before other business is resumed; NOT debatable if relates to decorum, violation of rules or order of business Suspend the Rules: Allows a violation of the assembly's own rules (except Constitution); the object of the suspension must be specified

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Fundamentals //
Presentations to C-level executives are renowned for their high visibility, reputation to make or break a career, and ability to create nerve-wracking anticipation. Executivesuite audiences have a short attention span, a show-me attitude, and no problem interrupting your carefully crafted words. Learning professionals must be prepared to deliver presentations uniquely tailored to this audiences characteristics and needs.
In my presentation skills training work, C-level executives tell me that, too often, presentations do not persuade them for three key reasons. Presenters provide too much detail dont link to corporate objectives cant answer challenging questions. As a result of inadequate presentations, trainers can damage their professional credibility, their departments reputation, and ultimately, the business goals at stake. So how do you deliver a seniorlevel presentation and keep your composure, confidence, and career intact? Here are 10 tips for making your C-level presentations outstanding.

1| Analyze your audience

Speaking Up:

10 Tips for Making a C-Level Presentation

What do bungee jumping and presenting to C-level executives have in common? Both typically strike fear into the hearts of the people daring to attempt them.
By Kathy Reiffenstein
Photo by Veer

Know how the people in your audience like to receive information. Does the CFO, for example, need time to analyze the financial implications of what youve presented before being asked to make a decision? Does the CEO prefer to see an agenda before the presentation? Uncover this information by analyzing previous presentations youve made to this audience or by asking for insight from colleagues who have presented to them. Understanding C-level needs helps you to structure your presentation to address them and minimizes unpleasant surprises.

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Fundamentals //
2| Link to C-level challenges and overarching business issues
Every audience, no matter how senior, asks the Whats in it for me? questions: Why should I listen? What benefit will I get from this presentation versus all of the other things I need to do right now? Clearly show how your message is relevant to issues the audience is focused on, be it corporate strategy, profitability, revenue, or ROI. Dont leave it up to them to figure this out. Demonstrate the business links through specific statements, examples, and metaphors. knowledge about how your audience prefers to receive information, you will have to experiment with this balance between concepts and details. I want to now cover the final two benefits of this proposal so that you will have all of the information you need to make a decision, or, Weve generated some great ideas here. Id like to use that last point as a springboard to tell you about the next phase of the implementation. Use transitional statements such as these as bridges between whats been discussed and the next point in your presentation.

3| Start with conclusions

C-level audiences are results focused. Start with the conclusions of your presentation, and then support those conclusions with the necessary details and facts. For example, begin your presentation with the following information: Approximately 50 percent of our business currently comes through referrals from existing customers. The referral training and tracking program I am recommending will increase that number to 70 percent and increase our revenue by $500,000 annually. The benefits will include a greater number of prospects for the salesforce and higher customer satisfaction scores. Let me show you how this will work. Youve told your audience the bottom line, clarified their expectations, and outlined briefly the benefits they can expect. Now you can proceed to support your recommendations with more detail, linking back to the conclusion as you move through the presentation.

It is far better to allow the audience to interrupt you and discuss something in your presentation that interests them than to stick rigidly to your script. If you have sparked a lively discussion, your audience is engaged.
5| Beware of too many slides
Keep slides to a minimum, keep them clean and simple, and use them only where they can add value or further explain what you are saying. Favor charts and graphics more than bullet points. You want the audience focused on youyour expertise and your passion not the screen.

7| Anticipate tough questions

Difficult questions can be a huge landmine in senior-level presentations because most presenters dont spend adequate time preparing for them. When you are preparing your presentation, write down every question you can think of that might be asked. Look at your material through the executives eyes: What might not be clear? What might she disagree with? What are his hot buttons? Play devils advocate. What might be the arguments on the other side of the issue? Then, prepare your responses. When faced with challenging questions or opposing points of view during the presentation, youll be ready. The following techniques are useful in handling questions: Redirect. It may be perfectly appropriate to ask if someone in the audience would like to comment on whats been asked. Rephrase or confirm. Ensure that you have understood the question correctly and are therefore providing the correct answer. For example, clarify by saying, So what I hear you asking is Resist the fear of saying I dont know. You will get far more respect by admitting that you dont know an answer than by trying to bluff. But always follow up with the answer or clarifying details after the presentation.

6| Expect and welcome interruptions

When you are interrupted, either youve sparked an idea that the audience wants to talk about, or youve confused them and they are seeking clarification. Strive for the former. Be attentive to your audience to determine what they want to pursue further, and when. It is far better to allow the audience to interrupt you and discuss something in your presentation that interests them than to stick rigidly to your script. If you have sparked a lively discussion, your audience is engaged. The key to comfortably managing interruptions is to know your material forward and backward so that you can determine when a spontaneous discussion is productive, when it isnt, and how to get back on track. You can corral a chatty audience by saying, This has been a great discussion.

4| Beware of too much detail

Senior-level executives think more strategically than operationally. When considering a topic, they want to understand pretty quickly what the impact is on the big picture without wading through a pile of details. Structure your presentation around high-level concepts, but be sure to have lots of facts and supporting data ready so that you can fill in the gaps with examples, figures, and analysis when your audience wants them. If you have little

8| Use stories and examples

Stories, examples, anecdotes, and metaphors humanize flat facts and figures, making them more engaging and your message more memorable.

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They can also be helpful in dealing with a sensitive subject. Stories must be relevant to the point you are making. Do not rely on your improvisational skills in the moment; as with the rest of your presentation, prepare the stories ahead of time and practice them until they are perfect and your delivery is crisp.

run out of time because of energetic dialogue. And what executive was ever upset when a presentation ended a few minutes early?

nowhere is it more critical than in the executive suite or boardroom. The stakes for learning professionals are at their highest when presenting to the C-level. Every element of the presentation must be planned and practiced to ensure audience understanding, buy-in, and application of the information shared. Embrace these 10 tips, and your C-level presentation will be a thrilling bungee jump, not a terrifying drop off a cliff.
Kathy Reiffenstein is the founder and president of AndNow Presenting!, a business communications firm focused on creating confident, persuasive speakers; kathy@andnowpresenting.us.
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10| Practice, practice, practice

This is the single reason why most seniorlevel presentations implode or simply dont go as well as expected. Your credibility, reputation, and perhaps career are at stake when you make a presentation to executives. Arent they important enough to find the time to rehearse? Audiotape or, even better, videotape yourself delivering the presentation at least six times. You want to know your material and the flow so well that during the actual presentation you can concentrate on reacting to your audience, not worrying about forgetting your next point. Communicating powerfully and persuasively in any presentation can be a career-making skill, and

9| Plan to use less than your allotted time

A good rule of thumb is that your presentation should take only 70 percent of the allotted time. This adequately allows for interruptions, discussion, question and answer time, and unexpected delays. For example, if you have a 60-minute time slot, make your presentation 40 minutes. That extra 20 minutes might seem like a lot, but think about the number of presentations youve attended that

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