Based on the best-selling book by Patrick Lencioni, this half-day workshop addresses why teams derail. As participants explore each of five critical areas, they deepen relationships with one another and recognize what gets in the way of their team’s effectiveness. The result is the formulation of a set of expectations and behaviors that team members can commit to individually and collectively. A team assessment and additional activities can be included to extend this workshop to a full day.

This half-day workshop introduces leaders to the Five Exemplary Practices of Leaders, a model developed by business gurus James Kouzes and Barry Posner in their bestselling book, The Leadership Challenge. The five areas of leadership practice include modeling the way, inspiring a shared vision, challenging the process, enabling others to act and encouraging the heart. During the workshop, participants identify their individual strengths and areas for improvement, link personal behaviors to organizational imperatives and create a personal development plan to raise their leadership capacity. A 360-degree feedback instrument can be administered prior to and/or following the workshop to measure improvement.

Emerging leaders often struggle making the transition from being the person who did the job, to the leader who engages others to perform the work. Delegation is an important but underutilized tool in growing and developing teams. This two-hour workshop introduces participants to an 8- step delegation model. Participants identify their personal barriers to delegation (for example, trust, quality, accountability) and develop a concrete plan to delegate and follow through. This workshop can accompany other workshops or be a stand-alone training.

Even when leaders know the outcomes they desire and understand what needs to be done to get there, they are often challenged by engaging others and getting them in agreement. Leaders can always rely on positional power to get people to perform, but the effects are short-term and time consuming. Persuasion is the ability to actively get others on board by helping them move to your position. In this workshop, leaders are introduced to the 4C model of persuasion: credibility, common ground, compelling evidence and commitment. Participants learn how to apply each of the 4C’s to raise their level of effectiveness. This two-hour workshop can be combined with presentation skills training to help participants improve their effectiveness at delivering a persuasive presentation.

Leaders who come up the ranks with strong technical abilities often struggle when it comes to managing and leading people. The workshop introduces the concept of emotional intelligence and its relationship to IQ. Daniel Goleman’s model of the four components of EI: Self Awareness, Self Management. Social Awareness, Relationship Management is the foundation of this 2-½ hour workshop. Participants work with a variety of case studies to understand how to apply EI at work and at home. An EI assessment can be incorporated to maximize the training.

Many leaders find it challenging to give frank feedback to employees about lapses in accountability, behavior and/or job performance. Without a clear conversation, employees end up confused, and leaders become frustrated and impatient. This workshop, using components of the bestselling book Crucial Conversation: Tools for Talking When Stakes Are High, can be conducted in several formats, either as a two-hour skill builder or as a daylong intensive on communication skills. In either format, participants identify a conversation that has been put off too long or one that didn’t go as expected. The participant learns the key components of a seven-step model and then practices the skills by reframing their own conversation. By the end of the workshop, participants are prepared to initiate an effective conversation on their own.

Trusting others and being trustworthy are essential for teams to perform at a high level. When trust isn’t present, it can take twice as long to get work done. When trust isn’t present, team members often fail to ask for help and second-guess each other. Using a self-administered instrument, participants identify behaviors that build and erode trust, evaluate their own behaviors and create a personal action plan for raising the trust level with targeted individuals in their organization. This 1 ½ hour workshop can stand-alone or be incorporated into other training sessions.

The root cause of conflict, poor delegation and lack of accountability can often be attributed toa lack of understanding of how others learn and act on that learning. When team members understand different learning styles, they can better utilize the analytical and creative talents of all team members. The outcome is more effectively problem solving and greater results, This two-hour workshop introduces participants to the Kolb Learning Style. Using the Kolb LSI instrument and dynamic activities, participants identify their individual style, its strengths and challenges and learn to apply a more effective approach. This workshop is an excellent addition to a broader leadership curriculum.

Direct, face-to-face, honest input from colleagues can be the most powerful, effective, meaningful way to drive real change. This workshop helps participants facilitate that process by providing a safe setting and framework for candid, confidential peer feedback. Participants get insights from others about their strengths and as well as input on behaviors that get in the way of their team performance. Participants then develop a personal action plan for improvement. This process is even more effective in conjunction with personalized coaching and/or a management follow up for accountability. This two-hour process can stand-alone or be incorporated into a leadership or team building curriculum.

This half to full-day workshop identifies major obstacles and issues that upend meetings and provides concrete strategies to engage and motivate attendees. Leaders will learn how to plan and prepare for strategic discussions, increase the level of participation, hold to the agenda, improve creative thinking, manage dissent, and handle difficult participants. Attendees also practice their new skills and receive immediate feedback.

In today’s tough economy, organizations and non-profits are merging, acquiring and collaborating to better utilize limited resources. Competitors now find themselves working side by side with former rivals. Removing barriers and building relationships helps organizations and individuals develop mutual goals, expectations and implementation plans. This two-day workshop is ideal for newly formed collaborative partners to strengthen their ties, develop mutual goals, and create a climate for agreement. Experiential activities and case studies help participants practice a variety of tools, learn concepts, and develop collaboration skills. Participants use the manual, Collaboration for Building and Sustaining Relationships, to map and model their collaborative agreements.

Leaders and their teams are most effective when relationships are strong. Agreements are arrived at more quickly, people are given the benefit of the doubt, and there is less second-guessing, mistrust and suspicion. Employees are more willing to talk frankly and openly. The four keys to building effective relationships are honest feedback, mutual accountability, clear communication and trust. These four concepts are the cornerstones of The FACT Model. This half-day, experiential workshop helps participants become more skilled in each of these four areas. Participants leave with individual action and commitment plans to strengthen team relationships.

Mentoring is a leadership imperative. Used effectively, it helps to recruit, retain and develop promising talent during uncertain times This day-long experiential workshop explores the role of the leader as mentor and guides participants through Dr. Zachary’s four-phased model of the mentoring cycle described in the best selling book, The Mentor's Guide. Participants learn and practice specific behaviors and actions that promote mentoring excellence.

Many organizations embrace mentoring to promote leadership development and leadership succession for high potential employees. Participants in this four-hour workshop identify the roles and responsibilities of mentoring partners in promoting leadership development and review the tools and strategies mentors use to ensure mentoring success.

For hospitals and Medical Staffs seeking to undertake meaningful change, we provide several types of consultations. We work with medical staff leaders to help focus the vision, values and goals of their organization. We help leaders articulate expectations of each other, clarify roles and responsibilities, and hold each other accountable to a high standard. We strengthen communication and individual physicians’ ability to lead effective department meetings, manage conflict, and provide more effective feedback for peer review. We introduce the value of mentoring as a vehicle for fast-tracking the learning of new leaders so that significant progress is realized. We conduct retreats, which build trust and collaboration between Administration and Medical Staff. The outcome is a more engaged Medical Staff, working in partnership with Administration.
Medical Executive Committee Challenge Description (PDF)

This three-day intensive workshop is designed for managers and supervisors who seek to raise their level of effectiveness in their leadership position. Beginning with a 360-degree feedback instrument prior to the workshop, participants learn key leadership skills and concepts critical to their success. The forum provides leaders with a safe space to share their challenges and practice effective strategies to deal with the critical issues they face. Participants are introduced to best practice leadership models and have an opportunity to integrate their learning. During the workshop, the participants receive the results of their 360-degree feedback and create a personal action plan for improvement. We promote accountability and trust and peer support among the group to maintain the momentum.

The high volume of a busy medical practice, coupled with reduced reimbursements of managed care, and the economic downturn, contributes to stress, low morale and high turnover. While practices work to build a loyal customer base, deliver excellent service, control costs, and manage growth, they also need to develop their employees’ competencies and attitudes to keep pace with change and competition. However, the skills required to become a good physician are not necessarily those needed to build a strong, effective team. The old model of top down management no longer resonates with today’s workforce. Often there is a gap between the vision of the leaders and the implementation by the staff, which results in frustration at all levels.
Tools for Medical Practice Leaders (PDF)

The ability to persuade and influence others is critical to leadership success. Whether working internally with employees, colleagues and management or externally with suppliers, customers and vendors, knowing what you need and negotiating effectively with others leads to long-lasting collaborative agreements. In this lively, interactive two or three-day workshop participants have multiple opportunities to negotiate: attendees confront challenging cases and learn to apply their skills and knowledge in a safe arena. Participants use the Negotiation Style Inventory to assess their own negotiating strengths and challenges. Feedback from team members encourages personal goal setting and work on new behaviors. This course emphasizes areas for preparation and planning, and the application of specific negotiating behaviors.

Effective presentation skills are crucial for anyone seeking advancement. This one to two-day course provides an opportunity for participants to learn and practice Five Keys to an Effective Presentation that enhance a presentation and gain credibility. Participants instantly raise their performance level by practicing newly learned skills in a safe format. Videotaping and feedback from both the group and the instructor target specific strengths and identify areas for continued improvement.

Whether leading a team, performance review, or interacting with customers, the ability to draw out responses from others and to probe for information improves overall communication. This two to three-day course uses role playing exercises to highlight strategies for engaging a group, improving participation, and managing negativity.

Organizations often fail to develop winning strategies or find creative solutions because they limit their options to safe familiar solutions, which can lead to poor decision making. This one-day course identifies barriers to individual and organizational creative thinking. Participants build strategies to breakthrough old habits and practice “out of the box” thinking. Participants practice applying a criteria-based decision making model that utilizes analytical skills to make tough, complex decisions.

This course identifies the obstacles to effective time management and provides important tips to overcome personal barriers through the introduction of six critical management principles. Participants develop a set of long-term goals to integrate into their daily priorities. This is a two-hour workshop, or coaching session and can be part of a larger leadership curriculum.

Consulting can be a lonely field of practice. This series of four small group, two-hour sessions, address the unique challenges facing the consultant. Designed for both the novice or experienced professional, the Art of Consulting Program provides an opportunity to analyze, assess and improve consulting competencies.