Staying Connected with Team Members

“The SL II Model is powerful”, as often cited by workshop participants, “but do I really need to use S1 conversation to match someone at Development Level One (D1)?”. Here are some other comments:

-?S1 is unfriendly and condescending. “You leave no room for people to respond. They are going to keep quiet. How can you get their buy-in?”

-?Team members have transferable skills, why don’t we let them try things out on their own?

- I am not used to giving detailed instruction. I find it disrespectful to others.

-?What if they disagree with my action plans? I do not know how to deal with rejection. How should I react?

Apparently, Coaching Style (S2) and Supporting Style (S3) conversations seem to be popular. Strangely enough, nobody raises the practicality of Delegating Style (S4) even though they seldom use it.

We know that there are four leaderships styles and four development levels; and that there is no best leadership style among the four of them. An effective leader will use the leadership style which matches the development level of a team member based on the goals or tasks assigned. Each leadership style comprises of two leadership behaviors, namely directing and supporting. S1 conversation has “High Directive” and Low Supportive” behaviors and is meant to match D1 of a team member based on a given goal or task.

A team member at D1 has low competence and is new (with reference to a given goal or task), is inexperienced and doesn’t know what her/she doesn’t know. However, that team member has high commitment, which means he/she is eager to learn, enthusiastic, confident about transferable skills and that learning would be difficult.

As an enthusiastic beginner at D1, it is pertinent for the team member to know what a good job looks like. Here are some key questions that the Enthusiastic Beginner must address:

·??????What am I expected to do?

·??????What decision can I made?

·??????What is the learning plan so that I can be developed further?

·??????How to take the next step?

·??????How to deal with problems when they arise? And most importantly,

·??????How am I performing so far?

Someone at D1 might have a strong belief in himself/herself. It is necessary to understand if this is because the team member has been successful in completing the goal/task before (in which case not a D1 anymore) or simply believing in his/her past similar experience (actually a transferable skills) or with the confidence (not competence) that learning is not difficult.

An S1 Conversation is effective for the leader to partner progress of a team member at D1. When a leader is using S1, there are 4 steps that a leader can follow, as illustrated below.

Connect: "Hi John, thank you for coming. How are you doing?" "I see that you have put in a lot of effort over the last two Weeks. I appreciate that."

Align: "Let’s see how you have been doing (update of results)" "According to the data last week, you have made progress in the following areas…. any feedback." " You have made progress in AA area. I would like you to start working on BB area. Let’s look at this report, it shows that we have an issue on … therefore BB area is a priority moving forward." "You are new in dealing with BB area and that is why I am here to help you."

Teach: "I am happy that you get it. I would like to suggest the following ways to deal with the issue……" "This is how I tackled similar issue in the past. Let's go through the template that I have used." " If you need further guidance, please ask Jessie. I will let her know so that she will give you what you need."

Reconnect: "How does that sound?" "Please summarize what we have discussed just now to make sure that we are in sync." "Great. Let’s meet again next Tuesday same time to see what else I can do to set you up for success."

S1 conversation is not like a one-way traffic, as misunderstood by many. It can be casual and free flowing while clear direction is provided. S1 exhibits low supportive where leader can acknowledge progress, ask for input and listen for ideas.

What to know more, please contact us for the next available SLII Session.?