Line managers and their demons: taking the fear out of communication Kate Jones, Engagement & Channels Manager E.ON UK 12 May 2011

GenerationCentral Networks E.ON Energy Solutions Support UK Centre, Business Services and E.ON IT UK About us

Generation E.ON Energy Solutions Support UK Centre, Business Services and E.ON IT UK About us

The Wile. E Coyote approach to people managers

What problems did this cause us? High awareness of our business strategy… but low levels of local discussion Managers did not make it clear how local work contributed to business goals ‘Poor managers’ cited as top reason by our Detractors (15%) Strong correlation between low levels of Pride, Satisfaction and Advocacy and poor management behaviour.

How did we know that? Quarterly ‘Pride’ engagement survey results ‘Pride’ is a temperature check examining: o colleague understanding of and support for business strategy o levels of pride in working for E.ON o levels of satisfaction with job role as E.ON as an employer o advocacy for E.ON as an employer o advocacy for E.ON’s products and services. Cross-UK, 25% of colleagues invited to take part each wave.

Our solution To create a bespoke development programme for line managers To show them the link between great engagement and bottom line results To provide practical tools and techniques to improve their engagement and communication skills.  Leaders as Communicators

Leaders As Communicators – key outcomes Make the connection between engagement and the bottom line Apply engagement skills to overcome communication blockers to drive business success Help line managers choose and use different communication styles to suit team members’ differing personality types, drives and motivations Provide practical sessions to help line managers role model great leadership; deliver great team briefings; handle difficult conversations.

E.ON’s blended learning approach 70% on the job integrated with real work 10% classroom 20% networking/ relationship s Blending learning with real life work issues Focus is about on the job application and development of skills and behaviours Design of classroom based learning reflects real life scenarios

Our leadership offer Executive Development General Management Line Manager Future, Engage, Deliver Leadership learning offer aligned to Talent Agenda. F.E.D aligned to business strategy and needs of colleagues and line managers

Leaders As Communicators Two-day workshop with a third day after an eight-week gap to practice Highly practical, interactive, and built around everyday management scenarios Uses 15 tools to build a range of communication skills Uses actors, directed by the delegates, to showcase good and bad behaviour Part of E.ON UK’s learning offer, available to all people managers.

The 15 tools The Gallup 12 questions Maslow’s hierarchy of needs Iceberg communications Strength Deployment Inventory (SDI) Planning communication Building rapport Linear probing – QuA QuA Appreciative disagreement Managing emotions (transactional analysis) Active listening Hill topping Goal setting Change curve GROW model

Top three tools in detail Strength Deployment Inventory (SDI) QuA QuA Appreciative Disagreement

Strength Deployment Inventory Blue: Altruistic – Nurturing Blue- Green: Cautious – Supporting Green: Analytic – Autonomy Red: Assertive – Directing Red-Green: Judicious – Competing Red-Blue: Assertive – Nurturing Hub: Flexible - Cohering

Strength Deployment Inventory in action

Linear probing – QuA QuA Tell me about the problems you’re having with this piece of work. Well. I’m just finding it really difficult. In what way difficult? I can’t get enough information from people. What information specifically do you need? And from what people?

Appreciative Disagreement Men are better drivers than women. Smoking should be banned in all public places. Everyone should pay for university education.

Appreciative Disagreement Acknowledging language Barrier languageBridging language I understand I see what you mean I hear what you’re saying That’s a fair point But… Yes, but… No… However… Actually… With respect… That’s irrelevant… You don’t get it… That’s not what I said… And… Also… Equally… At the same time… Something I’d add is…

Putting it all together

What results have we seen? F.E.D leadership survey: o 93% of colleagues said that their manager had a personal development plan which had been shared with them. o Over 65% of colleagues have said that the quality of relationship and engagement with their line manager had improved. Pride quarterly survey: o ‘Poor managers’ is now ‘only’ the second reason cited by Detractors (10%).

Don’t take our word for it… “This is by far the best programme I have been on.” - Central Networks manager “I can now spot people’s communications preferences and adapt to influence them.” - Retail manager “The programme had a buzz all the way through, which made it easy to take in a variety of techniques.” - Retail manager “The practical sessions and feedback from peers on how I ‘show up’ were really useful” - Retail manager

The springboard approach to people managers Delegates follow up individual gaps with other courses from our Learning Offer Next steps: review current induction for all people managers and include Leaders As Communicators / Future, Engage, Deliver as appropriate to role. Mandate induction for new people managers and managers taking on a larger team.

Summary Stop Collaborate and Listen