RMS Core Competencies

Responsive Management: Line-Level Leadership^®
Core Competencies for Developing Quality Operations

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Consumer Comments
"This is the best seminar I have had on this topic. Excellent/useful tools." -Washington Finance Officer Association, Yakima, WA "We know how to plumb a wall but until now didn't know how to plumb a person - now we do. Thanks." -Lease Crutcher Lewis, Seattle, WA "Very much so. I appreciate it that you are aware of how human services are run." -Integrated Living Services, Kent, WA "The Interpersonal Performance Worksheet is very helpful (and useful!). I enjoyed the discussion." -SeaTac Seminar "Very open to group input - able to work with different people." -Medtronic (Physio Control), Redmond, WA "You answered each question thoroughly -- sometimes with examples -- so that the entire group understood the answer. Fun! Great activities! -OCS - IHBS - State of Louisiana, Baton Rouge, LA "The information was great. It will take practice to become as fluent as you are. Police has some issues with union regulations that have to be dealt with but the concepts are all critical." -City of Port Orchard, WA "It puts concrete steps to the skills good managers intuitively have. It also connects managerial skills to clinical skills." -Gillis Center for Children & Families, KC, MO "Dick: excellent and well organized presentation again. Mahalo!" -YWCA, Hilo, HI "Very good in directing and gaining understanding of problems." -R.W. Beck, Seattle, WA "Information was very appropriate. I particularly liked the presenter -_ I thought the subject matter would be very boring, but it was fun! Also, the role play and group exercises were nonthreatening and encouraged participation from everyone." -DFS, State of Missouri, Jefferson City, MO "Very relevant. I am anxious to use information given to increase both my performance and the employees I supervise." -City of Puyallup, WA "I will apply these skills immediately and feel very confident in using what I've learned." -IFS, State of Kentucky, Louisville, KY "Sign of the times -- extremely necessary to an efficient and productive work environment." -Public Works & Utilities, Pierce County, WA "It was validating for things I do now, but helped me also focus on elements that I have not been formally aware of or behaviors that I do but shouldn't." -Project leadership, Washington Association of School Administrators, Olympia, WA "Very complete: Insightful training and questions that were answered." -Prosecuting Attorney, County of Hawai'i, Hilo, HI "Open to questions and participation -- allowed me to see areas needing improvement." -City of Bellevue, Bellevue, WA The Catalyst exercise was great. I will recommend that our organization consider purchasing it for our internal trainings." -Endeavor Consulting, Bellevue, WA "Excellent regarding differences/describe behavior don't label/think about others' differences." -Parks & Recreation, City of Seattle, WA "Very beneficial. * Great. I returned very enthused to fix something I had been ignoring. Really engaged...wished was 2-3 hours. * ...such a great speaker...talented. * Excellent presentation. * Struck a chord...very real." -Lake Washington Human Resource Association, Bellevue, WA. "I would highly recommend this course to others -- very open format, encourages participation." -University of Washington, Seattle, WA "The presenter also brings in ethnic and cultural differences which is very unusual in other workshops that I've attended." -American Water Works Association-Hawai'i Chapter, Wailuku, Maui HI "Thanks, A culture of feedback is important for success." -Pease & Sons Construction, Tacoma, WA "At first I didn't see how it would fit, but you brought it together to make it concrete and relevant. -Robins' Nest, Glassboro, NJ "Provided actual tools to use. This class was more specific courses of action versus the 'theory' approach I have run across in others." -DOT, State of Washington "I was able to see first hand how the process works when there are differences." -Hawai'i County Office on Aging, Hilo, Hawai'i "Very satisfied. All organizations have conflicts. This will help resolve it." -TIB, State of Washington. "The particular problem I was concerned about was addressed immediately." -Facility Services, University of Washington. "This has opened my eyes and will assist me in providing effective feedback to my staff." -Seattle Parks & Recreation, Seattle, WA "Very informative, practical, and thought-provoking. Excellent material and valuable to develop my staff." -DCS, IFPS, State of Indiana "Provided a solid and comprehensive package of ideas to better my skills as a manager." -Maui County, Wailuku, Maui HI "I like how you give us the opportunity to use real situations as examples -- this helps in (application to) day-to-day life." -Everett School District, Everett, WA "The information applies to many life areas, not just work." -Ryther Child Center, Seattle, WA "This was an excellent class. Dick is an excellent speaker. The course design and time frame was perfect." -AGC of Washington, Seattle, WA "Good applicability...relevant examples...your role play demonstrations very helpful." -Seattle Support Center, General Electric, Kent, WA "Good sensitivity to our specific questions and needs. Many opportunities to get feedback." -City of Everett, Everett, WA "Great -- Concise presentation." -Hammond Collier Wade & Livingstone, Seattle, WA. "Great... Good hands-on and helpful! Very knowledgeable and intelligent on subject." -AREVA (NP), Lynchburg, VA & Richland, WA. "Excellent use of my time -- this made me think/realize how important supervisors are." -Public Works, City of Lynnwood, WA "(Will) Help me not only be better with my co-workers, but anyone outside of my work." -Kaunoa Senior Services, Paia, Maui, HI "Important information and skills to creating a positive `critical mass' in our unit." -Engineering Design & Construction, Transit Division, Metro KC, WA. "Excellent compilation of work related events and response strategies." -Bellevue School District, Bellevue, WA "Yes! Dick is energetic, engaging, a straight shooter. Easy to discuss sensitive issues well." -Facilities Maintenance, City of Seattle, WA "Very Satisfied." -Washington State Hospital Association, Seattle, WA "Very relevant -_ discussion of providing negative feedback is a subject that was discussed with appropriate positive approach." -Department of Environmental Health, State of Washington, Lacey, WA "The information is very valuable. It will be applied to help alleviate some long term situations." -Community Action of Southern Kentucky, Bowling Green, KY "(Very satisfied.) I work in a performance based organization that ties our annual work plan to budget and pay." -Washington Municipal Clerks Association, Wenatchee, WA "Dick is very skill[ed] in group presentations and interactions; respectful and inclusive." -School of Social Work, University of Washington, Seattle, WA "I think this was a great use of our time. All of us getting together to talk about working problems was incredibly valuable." -Tom Douglas Restaurants, Seattle, WA "I felt that the situations represented true problems in management/ supervising." -DHR, State of Alabama "Very Satisfied! Every work place has similar employee relationship/ management problems." -Washington Association of School Business Officials, Seattle, WA "Tools are very helpful to deal with situations that arise with employees." -Bremerton Housing Authority, Bremerton, WA "I always appreciate the clarity and usefulness of your seminars." -Compass Health, Everett. WA "Made it comfortable to everyone so they were open to sharing despite differences." -Head Start-Early Childhood Development, Hawai'i County, Hilo, HI "I see what we are doing wrong -- and what we need." -Edmonds School District, Edmonds WA "Very satisfied; common sense management tools." -North Carolina State University, Environmental Health & Safety, Raleigh, NC "You gave me concrete strategies, where before I've been "ad libbing" with common themes and tactics but lacking clarity and structure." -Neighborhood House, Seattle, WA "The manner in which he presented the material was excellent. Trainer was clear and concise about specific problems in dealing with staff in our agency." -Office of Mental Health, State of New York, NY "Was able to break a communication barrier with a colleague that probably wouldn't have ever come about in any other situation." -Moses Lake School District, Moses Lake, WA "Right on target -_ good integration of personal ethics and values and also tools for getting the job done." -School of Social Work, University of Washington, Seattle, WA "Great outline -_ great organization of information; practical." -Washington Community Health Council, Seattle, WA "Very satisfied. This is one area that I definitely need to work on for both giving and accepting feedback." -Urban Corridors - WSDOT, State of Washington, Kent, WA "Obviously this was a reduced version. Unfortunately, it would have been nice to get it all! Great job!" -Washington State Gambling Commission, Lacey, WA "Valuable, concrete information. (You) Put a name on what we all do and the steps." -WORD, Missoula, MT "I feel confident to actually communicate my observations about performance." -Washington Restaurant Association, Tacoma, WA "Absolutely -_ as you were speaking I was thinking of employees who matched your descriptions." -Washington State Cable Companies Association, Semi-Ah-Moo, Blaine, WA "I really wanted to do _- practice, practice, practice -_ on how to give negative performance feedback. Provided examples of broad based thinking about other people, culture, etc." -Western Montana Addiction Services, Missoula, MT "The lights came on! I'm understanding the information in a whole different, more intense and internal way." -Therapeutic Health Services, Seattle, WA "Helped me to better understand "how" to facilitate a sense of camaraderie amongst staff and how to achieve performance outcome." -Fulton County DFACS, Atlanta, GA "I felt there was always opportunity to participate at any time in/during the presentation. Information is geared towards looking for specifics that take out our preconceived notions and judgments." -Institute for Family Development, Federal Way, WA "Everything is useful! Thank you for the use of real life examples from our group." - PACS, Inc., Hopkinsville, KY "It will help make it easier to tackle the difficult issues I usually avoid." -Community Counseling Center, Cape Girardeau, MO

Responsive Management is a research and science based, skill and competency focused performance management model. Participants learn people-management and conversation skills important Steps To Quality in consumer/customer services and products, in organizational operations, and in employees' work-lives. Presentations are 30% lecture/didactic and 70% are live skill modeling and participant practice. Examples of manager/supervisor skills presented in this series are:

(9 Hours): RESPONSIVE MANAGEMENT: LINE-LEVEL LEADERSHIP® Through Individual Conversations that Effectively Prevent and Solve Employee and Work Problems:

The skill of Requesting and Receiving Information/Feedback and taking the lead in creating an open and collaborative environment;

Skills such as Acknowledging Error to develop positive relationships and model self-accountability for performance;

Skills of Sharing Positive Performance Feedback/Information, Impact Analysis and Rationales Development to help build an informed organizational culture and strengthen mission;

Skill of Sharing Negative Performance Feedback/Information with Receptive Personnel to create a work culture encouraging effective feedback skills so negative feedback is not a "Big Deal";

Skill of Sharing Negative Performance Feedback/Information with Unreceptive Personnel to effectively control irrational employee conversation and foster effective performance change;

Skill of communicating accurately. Using Catalyst®, participants experience practical steps to improved information exchange;

(9 Hours) RESPONSIVE MANAGEMENT: LINE-LEVEL LEADERSHIP Through Work-Group Conversations that Effectively Prevent and Solve Teamwork Problems:

Think Improvement®: IDEAS - Idea Development, Exchange, And Selection -- Participants are introduced to a nine-step group process model to assist with IDEA generation, consensus development, and priority setting. Following a demonstration using current organizational issues as the example, participants practice the skill process in small group exercises. IDEAS^® is particularly helpful for vision redefinition, goal setting, and refocusing disorganized, high conflict or unsuccessful workgroups.

Think Improvement®: Problem Analysis and Participative Decision Making - Participants are introduced to a quality analysis and critical thinking methodology that will help expedite effective, short-term and strategic problem resolution within the organization. Lecture and discussion, along with behavior modeling and practice are used to develop the core skills. Current organizational concerns developed in the preceding IDEAS^® process are used to practice the skills.

Effective Meetings Management - Participants learn process steps and skills important to conducting effective participatory and time-efficient business meetings that strengthen and maintain the work team and maximize collaboration. Through lecture, discussion, behavior modeling and practice, participants learn agenda construction, presenting and monitoring skills, and four Levels of Participation.

Responsive Management^®: S³^®: Leadership Development Survey - three levels of feedback are identified regarding issues of Team Satisfaction, Team Purpose and Team Performance.

Responsive Management^®: Supervisor's Guidelines for Positive and Negative Corrective Action

The purpose of these Guidelines are.. . .

To provide the supervisor, her/his managers and Personnel/Human Resources with guidelines to improve and maintain employee/management awareness, understanding, and organizational effectiveness and fairness in correcting an employee’s performance.

To provide information which is consistent with current Human Resource/Personnel policy and procedure as well as governmental statutes, regulations, laws and general collective bargaining agreement provisions.

The Benefits of the Guidelines are. . .

The employee will achieve individual and unit performance objectives more often and with a higher level of quality;

The employee will tend to be more satisfied with the supervisor and job assignments;

The supervisor will be more effective improving the total unit’s performance;

The supervisor will spend more time involved in positive interactions with the employee and both will enjoy coming to work;

The supervisor will help reduce the retention of low or non-performing employees;

The supervisor will retain more influence over the desired outcome;

The supervisor will improve effectiveness and success with Positive and Negative Corrective Action procedures;

The supervisor will reduce expenditures for challenges and loss to Negative Corrective Actions;

The supervisor will positively impact labor-management relations and decrease negative "we-they" feelings;

The supervisor will decrease the frequency of employee grievances and appeals;

The supervisor and other management will be better prepared if litigation occurs;

The organization can decrease the total time utilized at all levels of management in Negative Corrective Actions, time that can be directed toward other work, projects, or R & D;

The organization will guard against becoming perceived by employees as arbitrary and be recognized as sensitive, fair and caring;

The organization’s performance-problem focus can shift to prevention and away from crisis or despair. ("Once they’re hired, they’ll be here until they retire.")

Course Overview and Outline

INTRODUCTION
PURPOSE OF GUIDELINES
BENEFITS OF GUIDELINES
MANAGEMENT FUNCTION
MANAGEMENT WORKPLACE RESPONSIBILITIES

FIRST STEPS TO QUALITY
ACHIEVING PRODUCT AND SERVICE QUALITY
PROSPECTIVE EMPLOYEE ASSESSMENT
EMPLOYEE WORKPLACE RESPONSIBILITIES
ORGANIZATIONAL WORK RULES
NEW EMPLOYEE ORIENTATION
TECHNICAL TRAINING AND DEVELOPMENT
POSITIVE CORRECTION ACTIONS
MANAGING INDIVIDUAL PERFORMANCE QUALITY
INVOLVED PROBATIONARY PERIOD
ANNUAL PERFORMANCE REVIEW*
EMPLOYEE ASSISTANCE PROGRAM

PROVIDING POSITIVE CORRECTIVE ACTION
PERFORMANCE MONITORING & REVIEW
DEFINE PERFORMANCE ERROR
RATIONALES FOR PERFORMANCE*
TIMELY POSITIVE PERFORMANCE FEEDBACK*
TIMELY NEGATIVE PERFORMANCE FEEDBACK*
PERFORMANCE PROBLEM SOLVING*

PREPARING FOR NEGATIVE CORRECTIVE ACTION
PROMPTNESS
DOCUMENTATION
PREPARATION AND PRESENTATION
INVESTIGATORY MEETING (WEINGARTEN)
PERSONNEL/MANAGER CONSULTATION
EMPLOYEE RIGHT TO RESPOND (LOUDERMILL)

PROVIDING NEGATIVE CORRECTIVE ACTION
DOCUMENTED VERBAL WARNING
WRITTEN REPRIMAND
SUSPENSION
DEMOTION
DISCHARGE

RESOLUTION
ACHIEVES PERFORMANCE STANDARDS
TRANSFER/RETRAIN
POSITIVE/NEGATIVE TERMINATION

(3 Hours) Supervisor's Guidelines for Positive and Negative Corrective Action -- Step by step non-disciplinary and disciplinary guidelines are reviewed with participants. The workshop focuses on Prevention, Positive Corrective Actions, Validation and Preparation of Documentation and Negative Corrective Actions (e.g. Documented Verbal Warning, Written Reprimand, Suspension, Demotion and Discharge). Lecture, discussion and case studies are used to assist supervisors/ managers improve and maintain organization effectiveness and consistency in correcting employee performance. Detailed, step by step handouts are provided each participant.

*Supplementary instruction modules and materials may be helpful.

(6 Hours) The Line-Level Leader as a Change Agent (Operating Effectively in a Bureaucracy) - Most organizational units are part of a larger organizational context or bureaucracy. Developing organizational influence in the absence of any formal authority is often critical to program survival and effectiveness. Five skill areas are covered: (1) Positive and Negative Information Passing; (2) Problem Investigation; (3) Negotiating a Possible Solution; (4) Positive Persistence; and (5) Responding to Negative Gossip.

(6 Hours) Periodic Performance Review - Periodic Performance Review is an improved performance review process. Using a company's or organization's existing annual performance review documents, a supervisor or manager is "coached" through a procedure that will: (a) review with the Employee work performed well; (b) review with the Employee the work that needs improvement; (c) organize relevant information and "views" of the Employee’s work; (d) provide a Participative process; (e) clarify any differences of opinion; (f) understand Employee likes and dislikes; (g) focus on the Employee’s development; and (h) identify Employee and Supervisor strategies for improvement.

(6-12 Hours) Responsive Colleague: Core Competencies for Developing Quality Teams - Colleagues, co-workers, associates and peers are all variations on team membership. Team participants learn person-to-person interaction skills and team Brainstorming and Problem Analysis skills to strengthen and maintain an effective work team and maximize collaboration.

Rev: 11/22/11


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Responsive Management Systems^® email Richard.Baron@responsivemgt.com 5704 N.E. 71st Street, Seattle, WA 98115 Voice/FAX: (206) 523-4603 Copyright © 1985-2012, Responsive Management Systems^®. All rights reserved.