Communicating Up! Instructor: Gail Griffith An Infopeople Workshop Spring 2008

This Workshop Is Brought to You By the Infopeople Project Infopeople is a federally-funded grant project supported by the California State Library. It provides a wide variety of training to California libraries. Infopeople workshops are offered around the state and are open registration on a first-come, first-served basis. For a complete list of workshops, and for other information about the project, go to the Infopeople website at infopeople.org.

Introductions Name Library Position Who were you thinking of when you signed up for this workshop? (What positions, how many levels up? Not individuals’ names!)

Workshop Overview Leader-follower relationship power dynamics follower styles Building your personal credibility Building trust and relationships with leaders advocacy and inquiry skills respecting and changing the culture Having (and surviving!) difficult conversations with leaders

Ground Rules What’s said here stays here Communicate with sensitivity Other?

The Leader-Follower Relationship Leader Mission

Types of Power Position Personal or relationship Expert or knowledge Other?

Question for the Group What do you have the power to do, and where does that power come from?

Finite or Infinite? Power is Finite If I have more, you have less “Power over” Silos, turf battles Zero-sum, win-lose Power is Infinite Sustainable resource “Power with” Engine that makes the organization run Win-win

Follower Styles Ira Chaleff, The Courageous Follower Challenge Support Implementer low challenge, high support Resource low challenge, low support Individualist high challenge, low support Partner high challenge, high support

Question for the Group Thinking about the people who use power well in your organization, which follower style(s) do you most often see them use? What does that get them?

Building Your Personal Credibility Self-management personal growth, organization energy management and intensity level meet commitments act “as if” Taking initiative based on the common purpose “how can we” vs. “we can’t” ask for help, mentoring widen your network Respecting the culture while shaping it credit what’s good link your vision and values

Question for the Group Based on your experience and on what you believe your leaders respect, how would you advise someone to act in order to build credibility with your organization’s leadership?

Exercise #3: Practical Strategies for Building Personal Credibility Do more of this: Deliver what you promise Suggest solutions Communicate using the right medium Slow down Respect the leader’s time constraints—headlining Ask for feedback and act on it Check your own behaviors What else? Beware of this: Mannerisms and body language that get in the way of the message Inviting leaders to solve your problems for you What else?

Lunch

Building Trust and Relationships with Leaders: Learning Conversations Stone, Patton, Heen, Difficult Conversations Advocacy Inquiry Seeking to Understand Interrogating low advocacy, high inquiry Observing Withdrawing low advocacy, low inquiry Lecturing Dictating Arguing high advocacy, low inquiry Learning through Dialogue high inquiry, high advocacy

Does It Look Familiar? Advocacy Challenge Inquiry Support Implementer Seeking to Understand Interrogating low advocacy, high inquiry low challenge, high support Resource Observing Withdrawing low advocacy, low inquiry low challenge, low support Individualist Lecturing, Dictating Arguing high advocacy, low inquiry high challenge, low support Partner Learning through Dialogue high inquiry, high advocacy high challenge, high support

Learning Conversations Inquiry Open-ended questions The three “whys” Please tell me more Advocacy My perspective is.. I’m basing this view on… Here’s what I’ve observed…

Ladder of Inference We focus on certain information We interpret that information We draw a conclusion Your story They focus on certain information They interpret that information They draw a conclusion Their story Based on the work of Chris Argyris and Peter Senge

It’s Not Just About Conversation Improving processes Timing and readiness How and when to break the rules How and when to go around the leader Using your access to the leader

Having (and Surviving!) Difficult Conversations with Leaders Not for Amateurs Challenging the leader Giving direct feedback Risks of doing nothing or doing something poorly Try This Giving indirect feedback use to engage leaders, not alarm them open-ended questions

Cycle of Advocacy and Inquiry Inquire into their view Listen to learn Check your understanding. “Have I got it?” Advocate your view. Explain conclusion, data, and reasoning. They react (badly): “But…” Inquire—again Listen—again

Finally…. This isn’t a workshop about pathology, but what if…? making ethical choices finding resources to help

People have always struggled with how to be heard: “I think that the aim of the perfect courtier is so to win for himself the favor and mind of the prince whom he serves that he may be able to tell him, and always will tell him, the truth about everything he needs to know, without fear or risk of displeasing him; and that when he sees the mind of his prince inclined to a wrong action, he may dare to oppose him and in a gentle manner avail himself of the favor acquired by his good accomplishments, so as to dissuade him of every evil intent and bring him to the path of virtue.” -- Baldesar Castiglione Book of the Courtier, 1516