Comprehensive Self-Awareness, Team Development, and Leadership Strategies

Core Self-Evaluation

Underlying personality attributes.

Emotional Intelligence

The ability to diagnose and manage your own emotions and your relationships with others.

Kohlberg's Stages of Moral Development

A framework describing the evolution of moral reasoning.

Preconventional Stage

Moral value is based on external factors and consequences like avoiding punishment or meeting personal interests.

Conventional Stage

Moral value resides in duty, social norms, and maintaining expectations/trust.

Postconventional Stage

Moral value is based on commitment to freely chosen universal ethical principles and social contracts.

Cognitive Style

How you perceive, interpret, and respond to information.

Knowing Style

Emphasizes facts and data; seeks objective solutions.

Planning Style

Emphasizes preparation, agendas, and routine.

Creating Style

Emphasizes risk-taking, novelty, and spontaneity.

Core Self-Evaluation Components

Locus of Control, Self-Esteem, Generalized Self-Efficacy, and Neuroticism.

Locus of Control

Belief about whether outcomes are controlled by oneself or external forces.

The Sensitive Line

The point where you become defensive when encountering information that contradicts your self-image.

Threat-Rigidity Response

A defensive reaction to threats that leads to worse decision-making.

Signature Strengths

The attributes and values you prioritize most; strong predictors of job performance and personal satisfaction.

Forming Stage

Members are oriented to each other; focus is on establishing trust and defining the team's purpose.

Norming Stage

Members develop shared expectations (norms), build cohesion, and clarify roles.

Storming Stage

Conflict arises as members push back against influence; focus shifts to managing disagreements.

Performing Stage

The team is highly functional, focuses on task accomplishment, and exhibits continuous improvement.

Task-Facilitating Roles

Roles that focus on getting the job done.

Relationship-Building Roles

Roles that focus on the social and emotional health of the team.

Attributes of High-Performing Teams

Shared Identity, Trust, Continuous Improvement, Clarity of Core Values.

Blocking Behaviors

Dominating, Overanalyzing, Stalling, Remaining Aloof.

Supportive Communication

Communication that seeks to preserve or enhance a relationship while delivering a message.

Coaching

Focuses on abilities and skills.

Counseling

Focuses on attitudes and personalities.

Defensiveness

A reaction where one feels threatened or punished by communication.

Disconfirmation

A feeling of incompetence, unworthiness, or insignificance.

Attributes of Supportive Communication

Congruent, Descriptive, Problem-Oriented, Validating, Specific, Conjunctive, Owned.

Types of Listening Responses

Advising, Deflecting, Probing, Reflecting.

Personal Management Interview (PMI)

A structured meeting between a manager and a subordinate to foster communication.

Types of Conflict

Relationship Conflict and Task Conflict.

Sources of Conflict

Personal Differences, Informational Deficiencies, Role Incompatibility, Environmental Stress.

Conflict Management Styles

A model based on Assertiveness and Cooperativeness.

Forcing

High assertiveness, low cooperation; used when a quick decision is vital or an unpopular action is necessary.

Accommodating

Low assertiveness, high cooperation; used when the issue is more important to the other person or to build 'credit'.

Avoiding

Low assertiveness, low cooperation; used when the issue is trivial or the damage of conflict outweighs the benefits of resolution.

Compromising

Moderate assertiveness and cooperation; used when goals are important but not worth total collaboration; a temporary fix.

Collaborating

High assertiveness, high cooperation; used when both sets of concerns are too important to be compromised; the 'win-win' approach.

Resolving Interpersonal Conflicts

A collaborative approach that includes establishing superordinate goals and separating people from the problem.

Distributive Bargaining

A 'fixed pie' approach where one person's gain is another's loss.

Integrative Bargaining

A collaborative approach aimed at expanding the pie so both parties benefit.

Stress

The physiological and psychological response to a stressor.

Distress

The negative reaction (anxiety, withdrawal) that reduces performance and health.

Enactive Strategies

Most effective strategies that aim to eliminate the stressors.

Proactive Strategies

Strategies that aim to develop resiliency through physical health, psychological balance, and social support.

Reactive Strategies

Least effective short-term coping mechanisms that help survive a stressful moment.

Time Stressors

Caused by work overload and lack of control; managed through effective time management and delegating.

Encounter Stressors

Caused by role conflict, issue conflict, and personality clashes; managed by building emotional intelligence and social support.

Situational Stressors

Caused by unfavorable working conditions and rapid change; managed through work redesign or changing the environment.

Anticipatory Stressors

Caused by fear and unpleasant expectations of the future; managed through small-wins strategy and goal setting.

Resiliency

The capacity to withstand or manage the negative effects of stress.

Physiological Resiliency

Involves cardiovascular health and proper diet.

Psychological Resiliency

Involves a balanced lifestyle and 'hardiness' (commitment, control, and challenge).

Social Resiliency

Having a supportive network of friends and colleagues.

Short-Term Stress Reduction

Reactive techniques used when you cannot eliminate a stressor.

Muscle Relaxation

Tensing and releasing muscle groups.

Deep Breathing

Calming the nervous system.

Imagery and Fantasy

Using 'mind breaks' to visualize a peaceful setting.

Rehearsal

Mentally walking through a stressful upcoming event.

Performance

The actual output or result.

Ability

The product of Aptitude (native talent) x Training x Resources.

Motivation

The product of Desire x Commitment.

Diagnosing Poor Performance

Determining if the root cause is a lack of ability or a lack of motivation.

Five Tools for Overcoming Ability Problems

Resupply, Retrain, Refit, Reassign, Release.

Motivation → Performance

Goal setting begins with clear goals that are specific, consistent, appropriately challenging, and feedback-rich.

Work Redesign

Focus on five core job dimensions: Skill Variety, Task Identity, Task Significance, Autonomy, Feedback.

Disciplining vs. Rewarding

Disciplining responds negatively to discourage behavior, while rewarding responds positively to encourage behavior.

E-A-M Approach for Correction

Collaborative steps: Examine, Analyze, Make corrections.

Analytical Problem Solving

A four-step model: Define the Problem, Generate Alternatives, Evaluate and Select an Alternative, Implement and Follow Up.

Creative Problem Solving

Approaches to creativity include Imagination, Improvement, Investment, and Incubation.

Conceptual Blocks

Types of blocks include Constancy and Commitment.

Power

The potential to influence behavior. It is the capacity to get others to do what you want.

Influence

The actual exercise of power. It is the process of changing someone's behavior or attitudes.

Authority

The right to influence others, usually associated with a formal position in an organization.

Expertise

Having task-relevant knowledge or special skills.

Personal Attraction

Possessing desirable traits (likability, agreeable behavior) and a professional physical appearance.

Effort

Demonstrating high dependability and hard work.

Legitimacy

Behaving in a way that is consistent with the organization's values and culture.

Centrality

Being in a 'hub' of a social or information network.

Flexibility

Having the freedom to exercise your own judgment (discretion).

Visibility

How much your work is seen by influential people in the organization.

Relevance

How important your specific task is to the core mission or 'bottom line' of the company.

Reason Strategy

Use facts, data, and logical arguments when there is mutual trust and the goal is logical.

Reciprocity Strategy

'I'll do this for you if you do this for me.' (Exchange/Bargaining).

Retribution Strategy

Using threats, coercion, or intimidation. Last resort. Use only in crises or when all other methods fail.

Neutralizing Retribution

Direct confrontation. Firmly refuse to comply with high-pressure tactics and defend your rights.

Neutralizing Reciprocity

Examine the intent of any 'gifts' or favors. Do not feel obligated to return a favor if the original act was manipulative.

Neutralizing Reason

Explain the adverse effects of compliance.

Power vs. Empowerment

Power is external (granted by position), while empowerment is internal (developed within).

Self-Efficacy

A sense of personal competence. The belief that 'I can do this task successfully.'

Self-Determination

A sense of personal choice. The feeling that 'I have the freedom to choose how I do my work.'

Personal Consequence

A sense of having an impact. The belief that 'My work actually makes a difference in the organization.'

Meaning

A sense of value in the activity. The feeling that 'This work matters to me personally.'

Trust

A sense of security. The confidence that 'My manager will treat me fairly and honestly.'

Leadership vs. Management

Managers focus on stability and status quo; leaders focus on change and direction.

The Continuum of Deviance

Explains the difference between fixing a problem (deficit approach) and striving for excellence (abundance approach).

Positive Deviance

Extraordinary performance, virtuousness, and 'Abundance' (the 'Abundance Approach').

Establish a Positive Climate

Create positive energy and foster compassion, forgiveness, and gratitude.

Create Readiness for Change

Benchmark best practices and institute symbolic events.