EXPLORING ROLES TO DEVELOP STAFF

Goals

^? To reinforce the importance of viewing staff development as a priority activity for managers.

^? To identify four roles that a manager can play in staff development activities.

^? To present participants with questions to use in career discussions with staff members.

^? To provide the opportunity for the participants to put themselves in their staff members’ position in light of career goals.

Group Size

Up to thirty participants, preferably those who supervise others.

Time Required

One hour and fifteen minutes to one hour and thirty minutes.

Materials

^? One copy of the Master and Apprentice Questionnaire for each participant.

^? One copy of the Master and Apprentice Interpretation Sheet for each participant.

^? One copy of the Master and Apprentice Interview Questions for each participant.

^? A pencil and a portable writing surface for each participant.

^? One copy of the Master and Apprentice Theory Sheet for the facilitator.

^? A newsprint flip chart and a felt-tipped marker.

Physical Setting

Any room large enough for subgroups to work without disturbing one another. Movable chairs should be provided.

Process

 1. The facilitator introduces the goals of the activity. He or she gives each participant one copy of the Master and Apprentice Questionnaire, a pencil, and a portable writing surface. The participants are asked to read the instructions; after clarifying any questions, the facilitator instructs them to begin. (Five minutes.)

 2. After all participants have completed the Master and Apprentice Questionnaire, the facilitator distributes copies of the Master and Apprentice Interpretation Sheet. (Five to ten minutes.)

 3. When the participants have finished reading the Interpretation Sheet, the facilitator delivers a lecturette based on the Master and Apprentice Theory Sheet. (Ten to fifteen minutes.)

 4. The participants are asked to choose partners. (Note: With an uneven number of participants, the facilitator will also have a partner and participate in Steps 4 and 5.) The facilitator distributes copies of the Master and Apprentice Interview Questions and gives the following instructions:

“Choose one of the four roles (coach, appraiser, adviser, or referral agent). You might choose the role for which you scored the fewest points or the role that is most interesting to you—or the one that is least interesting. Using the handout as a guide, interview your partner by asking the questions that a manager in your chosen role would ask. After ten minutes, it will be your partner’s turn to ask questions. I will notify you after ten minutes and again after twenty minutes. Any questions?”

(Twenty-five minutes.)

 5. Partners are asked to debrief Step 4 by discussing the following questions:

ⁿ How did it feel to be interviewed by your “manager” in the role he or she chose?

ⁿ What would you have done differently in that role?

(Ten minutes.)

ⁿ What about your scores on the questionnaire surprised you? What about them confirmed your own assessment of yourself?

^? How did this experience help you to better understand your staff members’ career aspirations?

^? How many of these roles do you see the managers you know playing? How might you encourage someone to take on additional roles?

^? What recommendations do you have for managers acting as coaches? As appraisers? As advisers? As referral agents?

^? What specifically do you want to do to develop the staff members you manage?

(Twenty to twenty-five minutes.)

^? After Step 4, the participants may form subgroups based on the role that they chose to play. Each subgroup may prepare a brief presentation about why they chose that role, how it felt to play that role, and so on.

^? Participants could be assigned to play specific roles so that each role is represented.

 2. I help my staff members list their marketable competencies and skills.

 3. I help my staff members identify the type of work that most interests them.

 4. I tell my staff members what competencies are most important for their performance evaluations.

 5. I discuss with my staff members how their current performance affects their career goals.

 6. I encourage my staff members to elicit feedback from others so that we can discuss the reputation they have developed with these key people.

 7. I help my staff members identify a range of realistic career options.

 8. I help my staff members think of ways to make their current jobs more interesting or rewarding.

 9. I inform my staff members of potential organizational changes that may affect their career plans.

10. I help my staff members develop detailed action plans based on their career goals.

11. I provide on-the-job work experience to help my staff members achieve their career goals.

12. I discuss my staff members’ career goals and capabilities with other managers in my support network.

 1.

 2.

 3.

Subtotal for Statements 1-3 (CO)

 4.

 5.

 6.

Subtotal for Statements 4-6 (AP)

 7.

 8.

 9.

Subtotal for Statements 7-9 (AD)

10.

11.

12.

Subtotal for Statements 10-12 (RA)

The first set of scores (CO) refers to the role of COACH. In this role, a manager works to understand the talents of staff members and to listen, in order to learn more about the skills, interests, and values of each individual.
The second set of scores (AP) refers to the role of the APPRAISER. When appraising, a manager provides straight and candid feedback to individuals so that they understand their development needs and strengths, as well as their reputations.
The third set of scores (AD) refers to the role of the ADVISER. When advising, a manager imparts knowledge about the organization and comments on the selection of appropriate career goals.
The fourth set of scores (RA) refers to the role of the REFERRAL AGENT. Here, a manager must consider all the possible avenues for learning and development open to individuals as they pursue an action plan to help them attain their goals.

 1. What are the three most important strengths or skills you are presently using on your job?

 2. What part of your education, background, or work experience has been most valuable to you?

 3. Which activities in your job do you enjoy the most?

 4. Of which of your accomplishments on this job do you feel most proud?

 5. How much of what you really value is incorporated into your current work?

 6. What parts of your job do you find really stimulating and interesting?

Appraisers ask:

 1. If you asked three people in the organization to give you feedback on your greatest strengths, what would they say?

 2. What do you think are the most critical aspects of your job? How do you know?

 3. What feedback do you think you might get on the last major project in which you were involved?

 4. Where do you need to develop? What skills and behaviors do you think you should improve?

 5. How do you think you are perceived by people in upper management?

 6. How do you think you are perceived by your peers?

Advisers ask:

 1. Given the changes that are taking place in this organization, where are the most feasible career opportunities for you?

 2. How do you think you can improve your visibility and exposure in the organization?

 3. What key issues and concerns are driving this organization? How can you play a role in being part of the solution to these ongoing problems?

 4. What are some of the career goals that you are considering at this time? Do you think these are realistic and in line with the future direction of this organization? Of your profession?

 5. How can you go about enriching your current job? How can we work together on this?

 6. What do you wish that you could be doing more, right now, in your job? What would you like to be doing less? How does that fit with your career goals?

Referral Agents ask:

 1. What new competencies, skills, knowledge, or behaviors do you think you might need to achieve your goals?

 2. What short-term goals (i.e., three to six months from now) make sense for you?

 3. How else do you see yourself gaining new skills while still performing your current job?

 4. What training programs or educational opportunities do you want to investigate to help you achieve your goals?

 5. What projects, programs, or task forces could you work on to broaden your skill base?

 6. With whom do you want to expand your network, inside and outside of this organization?

Coach

In the role of coach, managers need to listen as never before! In a time of lean organizations, each talent is essential. One of the most common reasons for loss of high-performing employees is the underuse of their talents. Career fit demands a match of interests, skills, and values with the position. To assist employees in self-identification of strengths, weaknesses, interests and values, managers need to practice open communication, active listening, and ongoing encouragement. By drawing out information about career fit, manager-coaches may uncover a composite of capabilities not previously recognized.
Some tips for Coaches:

^? DO draw the employee out.

^? DO give encouragement and support.

^? DO ask open-ended, probing questions, using words like “what,” “where,” and “when.”

^? DON’T draw conclusions about your employee’s talents—yet!!

The role of appraiser is probably most familiar to managers. Candid, constructive feedback keeps employees on track. However, developmental feedback is significantly different from performance feedback. Performance feedback is often related to past performance and often connected to compensation; development feedback is future-oriented and based on the belief that everyone has areas of growth. Appraisers must be skilled in giving specific feedback and providing specific examples of when, how, and where employees have displayed appropriate behavior. Managers can also recommend that employees “check out” their reputations with others. This frequent “reality check” process enables employees to see all work experiences as opportunities for learning and professional enrichment. Most managers realize the benefit of feedback from peers, vis-а-vis their own careers. Encouraging employees to get feedback frequently will provide the realistic self-portraits so crucial in the development process.
Some tips for Appraisers:

^? DO ask the employees to assess themselves.

^? DO give specific, concrete, constructive feedback with examples.

^? DO define strengths and developmental areas.

^? DON’T say things that are not true just to avoid a confrontation.

As advisers, managers must see beyond their own departmental activities to provide information and resources to employees about organizational culture and career goals. This requires an understanding not only of the organization’s growth areas and limitations, but also of the larger industry, its future, the professions represented, and the changes anticipated. Advisers also help employees to set goals based on the opportunities that exist within the organization. Such goal setting necessarily includes multiple goals, because employees today need to consider lateral and enrichment possibilities in addition to traditional vertical pathways. The job of the manager-adviser is not to suggest these goals, but to comment on the feasibility of those selected by the employees.
Some tips for Advisers:

^? DO provide information about the organization.

^? DO assist the employee with ways to study the organization.

^? DO discuss multiple career goals.

^? DON’T make promises you cannot keep.

As referral agents, managers keep employees aware of contacts that may be helpful and resources that will lead them to fill any development gaps that could prevent them from reaching a goal. In these situations, managers must remember that they need not have the answers; rather, they provide a map of potential routes for learning and encourage employees to do the exploring. It is at this stage that the action planning begins.
Some tips for Referral Agents:

^? DO recommend finding a competency coach.

^? DO suggest on-the-job activities.

^? DO be direct.

^? DON’T expect to have all the answers yourself; instead, build and use a support network.

Career discussions need not take a long time, but they should be regular and frequent. In this era of downsizing and streamlining organizations, no one is exempt from concerns about the future. Individuals will interpret inconsistent attention to their career development as indifference on the part of the manager. When individuals feel that the organization does not care, they withdraw their commitment and energy. It is important, therefore, that managers demonstrate their interest in the long-term success of their direct reports.
No longer is it possible to demonstrate this interest by making decisions for others, nor is it possible to have all of the answers. However, employees are not asking for decisions or answers. They are asking for two-way conversations in which they can air their concerns. Although none of the roles described demands finite answers, they all demand that managers listen, that they truly understand their staff members’ talents, and that they challenge that talent appropriately. Any organization that allows itself to be a bystander to the development of talent will not be able to remain competitive in this rapidly changing world

EXPLORING ROLES TO DEVELOP STAFF