Leadership Traits for
Changing Times
Bernard J. Horak, Ph.D, FACHE
Georgetown University
Email: bjh28@georgetown.edu
Ph: 202-489-7256
Maryland Healthcare Human Resources
Association Spring Conference
April 16, 2012
Agenda/Objectives
1. Leadership traits & skills
2. Best practices in change
management
3. Communication skills
Leadership
Leadership Challenges
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
Constant change
Cost reduction
Patient experience
Patient safety & culture
Staff shortages & satisfaction
Workplace Issues
•
•
•
•
•
High workload & stress
Poor systems/processes
Lack of teamwork
Lack of accountability
Lack of communication
Needed Leadership Traits
& Skills
1.
Servant leadership
2.
Stress/time management
3.
Team building
4.
Change management
5.
Communication
Needed Leadership Traits
& Skills
6.
Focus & flexibility
7.
Principled decision-making
8.
Performance improvement
9.
Learning
10. Emotional intelligence
A Servant Leader …
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
Is visible
Sets goals with staff
Provides capability
Removes obstacles
Asks questions
Shows appreciation
Follows up
Stress/Time Management:
“Spinning the Plates”
Stress Management
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
6.
7.
Breathing
Meditation
Visualization
Muscle Relaxation
Office Yoga
Time Out
“Sharpen the saw”
Time Management
Key Habits:
1. Be proactive
2. Put first things first
3. Begin with end in mind
Begin with the End in Mind
• Mission
• Vision
• Goals
• Values, principles
Time Management
Tools & Approaches:
 A – B – C method
 80-20 rule
 To do list & focus
 Set milestones
 Swiss cheese approach
 Watch time wasters
Team Building
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
Goals
Roles
Relationships
Group process/dynamics
Procedures/groundrules
Team Building:
Goal Setting (SMART)
•
•
•
•
•
Specific
Measureable
Achievable
Results-based
Time-bound
Team Building:
Roles/Responsibility Chart
Task
Responsibility
P:
S:
C:
I:
D:
Primary Responsibility
Support
Coordination
Information
Decision
Team Building:
Relationships





Confrontation meetings
Feedback (e.g. “pet peeves”)
Perception exchange
Ideal team exercise
Effective/ineffective
communication & behaviors
Team Building:
Group Process/Dynamics






Hand-off analysis
Experiential exercises
Survey/interview feedback
Facilitation of meetings
Process observer
Group self-analysis
Group Process:
Key Questions
1. What was effective?
2. What should be done
differently next time?
3. What did we learn?
Team Building:
Conflict Management
Groundrules







Address conflict in timely manner
Have equal footing
Use “I” statements
Speak in calm, respectful terms
Leave perceptions & past at the door
Use 3rd party if necessary
Believe healthy conflict is part of
effective teams
Teambuilding:
Meeting Groundrules
1.
2.
3.
4.
6.
7.
8.
9.
Decisions by consensus
Begin & end on time, attendance required
Each values the Team as priority
One speaker at a time
Atmosphere of candor & openness
Confidentiality
Full participation
No electronic devices
TEAM
Together
Everyone
Achieves
More
Change
Management
Our only security is our
ability to change.
— John Lilly
The world hates change,
yet it is the only thing that
has brought progress.
— Charles Kettering
The rate of change is not going to
slow down anytime soon. If
anything, competition in most
industries will probably speed up
even more in the next decades.
— John Kotter
Change Exercises
 Thumbs Over
 Folded Arms
 Appearance Change
1. Pair-up
2. Look at person—head to toe
3. Go back-to-back
4. Change 3 things
26
Lewin’s Change Model
Moving
A
B
Unfreezing
A
Moving
Refreezing
B
27
Unfreezing
 Create the “burning platform”
 Provide a clear vision & focus
 Show the benefits of the change
 Assess the culture & group dynamics
 Link message to values & beliefs
 Allow concerns to be expressed, taking the
time to truly listen
28
Moving to Action
(Changing Behavior)
 Plan as a group
“Change is exciting when it is done by us,
threatening when it is done to us.”
Moss-Kanter
“People support what they help create”
 Set milestones & responsibilities
 Use advocates/champions
 “Walk-the-talk”
 Deal with resistance
29
Dealing with Resistance
1. Coercion
2. Manipulation
3. Negotiation
4. Education
5. Facilitation/Support
6. Involvement
30
Refreezing
 Reward (monetary & non-monetary)
 Reinforce by role modeling
 Celebrate success
 Publish new procedures, “bury the old”
 Set accountabilities & monitor
 Continuously improve
31
Communication
Communication Keys
1. Keeping the staff informed
2. Listening & responding to
concerns
3. Being aware of the entire
communication process
“I forget – are you not speaking to me or
just not listening to me?”
A Communications Model
Sender
F
I
L
T
E
R
S
Environment F
I
L
T
E
R
Medium
S
Receiver
Environmental Barriers
• Noise
• Interruptions
• Competing demands
• Group size
• Organizational
complexity
Medium
• Correspondence
• Phone
• E-mail
• Face-to-face
Filter: Frame of Reference
Assumptions:
Values
Attitudes
Beliefs
Feelings
Perceptions
Exercise
IX
SIX
Filter: Defensive
Communication
Defensive
Open
Evaluative
Descriptive
Controlling
Supporting
Making statements
Asking questions
Acting parent-child
Acting adult-adult
Open Communication
• Suspend judgment
• Recognize feelings
• Ask, listen &
paraphrase
• Deliver “I” messages
“I” Message
I feel/felt ________ (emotion)
when you do/did _________ (behavior)
because/as a result __________ (consequence).
Example: “I felt angry and embarrassed when you
forgot to bring copies of the handouts. As a result, the
participants had a difficult time in following my
presentation.”
Total Communication
Words:
__________ %
Voice:
__________ %
Non-verbal: _________ %
(body language)
Quickly Define …
 Burn
 Tall Man
 Large City
 Stew
 Home
 Love
______________________
______________________
______________________
______________________
______________________
______________________
“Unplain Language”
OPTIMUM
DISSEMINATE
STRATEGIZE
NOT
WITHSTANDING
ASCERTAIN
“Unplain” Example
7510-00-551-9818
TAPE PRESSURE
SENSITIVE ADHENSIVE
CELLOPHANE TRANSPARENT
LT 900 TYPE 1 CLASS A
1 ROLL 3.4 IN. X 36 YD.
Non-Verbal Communication
A
E
F
G
G
Non-Verbal Communication
H
P
S
S
Non-Verbal Communication
S
S
T
T
Constructive Feedback
•
Be specific & descriptive
•
Provide support &
suggestions
• Check feedback with
the person
• Focus only on those things
that can be changed
•
Use “I” messages
Communication Summary
 Eye Contact
 Body Language
 Consistency of
Message
 Paraphrasing
 Watch Filters &
Barriers
 Simple & Focused
 Enough Time
 Right Medium
Teamwork
Rainbow
OR
Jelly beans
Effectiveness Model
Communication

Teamwork

Leadership Effectiveness
Questions??
Comments