rls122 final study (chp 6-13 combined)

ethics

the study of moral values and conduct.

• what we believe to be morally right/correct and fair. SUBJECTIVE

• how do my ethical values come out in judgements of others?

epistemology

The branch of philosophy that studies the nature, sources, and validity of knowledge. Roughly translated, epistemology means “ways of knowing”

• how we developed our values, ethics, shapes what we know and what we expect of others, school, hobbies, travelling, everything we have experienced! how do i know what i know, and where did that come from?

• direct and inditectly!! changes over time, important to keep track of when looking at your leadership and how your ethics can change your judgement

views of ethics in leadership

• ethic of justice

• ethic of care

• ethic of critque

ethics of justice

• based on societal rules, which are reinforced by bureaucratic organizational systems, as the basis for decision making.

  • what is LEGALLY wrong? rules, policies, procedures. leads to punishment by govt.

  • very black and white. “if you break this room there is consequences”

• Operates on the principles of fairness and reciprocity.

• Emphasis on objectivity and logic and moves beyond the sphere of actual human activity.

• this does NOT take context into consideration.

ethics of care

• based on relationships and context.

• Emphasis on how our connections with one another and the situation or context influences ethical decisions.

  • Ethical decisions are context dependent.

  • more wiggle room because you are looking at context

• Considers not only relationships and context, but the impact of decisions over time.

  • if we give someone leiniency what will that mean for the decisions after that? e.g, its okay that someone is late for 5 minutes, but what will that mean for everyone else who is late for the same reasons ? how can accommodating for their lateness impact others who are working?

• giving leniency this time but not really changing the rule

ethics of critque

• based on confronting entrenched assumptions about the status quo.

  • looking at rules and consequences for something you would say, “well why is that a rule? that doesn’t seem fair? why is that the way it is?”

• Must consider how owns beliefs, values, and perspectives influence how a situation is approached.

• Actively questioning aspects of programs, policy, and service.

  • looking at situation, context, and questioning why the rules/law/policies are the way they are. PUSHES FOR CHANGE AND ADJUSTMENTS FOR THE FUTURE. we NEED to recognize that not everyone will have issues with the way things are as well!

  • question punishment + push for change

judgements lead to…

better decision making

judgement

An informed opinion based on past experience.

decision making

The process of choosing the best option from a collection of possible options.

considerations for decision making

• dual processes

• situational factors

• analytic approaches

considerations in decision making: dual processes

• Considers two features of cognitive processes:

  • Conscious and deliberate

  • Unconscious and automated

• Decision making involves rules of thumb based on past successes.

• Past experiences and intuition help to inform decisions.

  • what has or hasn’t worked in the past? how will that impact the decision i am making right now?

• as leaders, we need to recognize there are some things that we are not aware of (unconscious and automated) that impact decisions and that our conscious and deliberate thought processes also impact the wa we make decisions

conscious and deliberate

recognize we have reasoned, hollistic thoughts. we are more aware of these

unconsciousness and automated

recognize we have automatic thoughts when seeing things. these are kinda just one time light thoughts.

• "automatic thoughts" act as immediate, knee-jerk reactions to stimuli, influencing emotions, behaviours, and decisions without deliberate intent. They are essential for efficiency, pattern recognition, and habitual actions

considerations in decision making: situational factors

• Involves a variety of practices based on the situation.

  • The leader may decide without consulting group members

    • e.g., on a hiking trip the leader tells the followers to not go there. they lead, no consultation from followers. when something is dangerous or immediate action is needed.

  • A pros and cons list may be developed

    • helps visually see what direction we should take. used if there is time or things to do

  • A consensus decision may be required of the leader determines that full agreement is desired

    • used where EVERYONE has to be on the same page in order to make a decision, not just the leader.

  • Voting may help if pure consensus is not required

    • used when majority needs to agree on something, but not everyone. e.g, what do most of you guys want to do today!

  • Flippism involves leaving the decision to simple chance

    • used if everyone is split on a decision. flipping a coin / generator is used to decide for everyone

  • Compromise may be used if there is a lack of consensus

    • if the group is split on a decision, accomodating for both is used. e.g, instead of just choosing one activitiy, we will do this activity first and this after!

  • An external expert may make the decision

    • an outisde opionion is needed. used when opinions are split, or if someone who is not participating is a good opinion (maybe someone who will think more logically. “ because of the weather, i choose inside sport”

• when in leadership, we might have to take different approaches than what you want to do but rather what is the best approach

considerations in decision making: analytic approaches

• A more linear, step-wise approach to decision making.

  • May follow questions like:

  • What is the problem?

  • Why is it a problem?

  • When is it a problem?

  • Where is it a problem?

  • How is it a problem?

• Basically: How can we approach this?

• Can propose a solution based on response to these questions.

  • need to know that we are asking questions as to why this is a problem, what are some barriers we have, how can we approach this and what decisions could possibly be made ?

  • usually dealing with one question at a time

group

two or more people who are socially connected to one another.

• People typically belong to many different groups.

• It is crucial to understand group dynamics so as to most effectively lead groups.

  • some groups can be socially tight-knit, or distant/new. as leaders we need to be able to recognize this to see things like comfort zone, understanding with each other, what groups can do best together, etc.

  • dynamics shift over time; groups may get closer, more distant, etc.

group development

the growth and change within a group over time.

• There are three main models:

  • Sequential stage models

  • Recurring phase models

  • Equilibrium models

sequential stage model of group development

• Groups develop as a progression through multiple stages.

  • Stages have different characteristics.

  • Groups are thought to go through each stage of group development in chronological order

recurring stage model of group development

• Groups may experience a variety of stages multiple times throughout their existence.

  • The order of stages is not predetermined.

  • Groups may not necessarily experience all stages

  • a group can repeat stages, and they do not have to do each stage available. sometimes they can skip stages without doing all the steps and still have the same outcome as another group who did all the stages.

    • groups take steps backwards and forwards. not linear. more realistic than sequential

    • if groups are closer, they can skip steps more easily!

equilibrium stage model of group development

• Task and social elements of the group must maintain balance in order to be successful.

  • Equilibrium models do not support the premise that groups progress through stages.

  • Once a group is established, changes are minimal to maintain balance.

  • this doesn’t look at group development as a process, but rather a balance between social elements and tasks. are we making sure that we as a group have a good focus on what we need to do, while also maintaining our relationship? there are not many changes needed as long as equilibrium is maintained

norms

rules or parameters that guide behaviours in a group.

• can be very explicit like “don’t be late” “only take one lunch break” or it can be more implicit (unspoken norms) like “do not make joke with others during meetings” “even though its not said you should try to be early”

• Behaviours that fall outside of the parameters or rules are not desired by the group.

  • are evaluated negatively.ppl don’t like when you don’t act properly. can lead to direct consequences “you didn’t study? low gpa” or social consequences too “they don’t try in school? oh i wouldn’t wanna be friends with them because they do not try”

• Those who do not abide by norms are evaluated negatively

  • people judge! and often times that judgement stays even if the behaviour is changed

Leaders can facilitate the development of norms by using three main techniques

1. stating

2. modeling

3. importing

norm development: stating

Directly telling the group which behaviours are suitable and which are not.

• “it is expected you do/don’t do this”

norm development: modeling

Consistently demonstrating the prescribed behaviours.

• stating and not modeling well will most likely not lead to good norm development (can even be confusing for the follower if the leader isn’t doing what they say!)

• e.g., my mom models the behaviours she wants me to do in her daily lifestyle

• “practice what you preach”

norm development: importing

Employing norms that are used in other situations and contexts.

• using something that worked in the past in the present

• e.g., importing the norm of using a buddy system from camp to new situation too

• or using a communication method i used before in a new group too

norm adherance

centered on how group members adhere to the established norms. are they following norms?

• Conforming to norms can be a positive or negative thing; it is not always one or the other.

  • too much conforming can lead to consequences like not being able to decide things on your own or can even lead to health detriments. e.g., if your friend group loves drinking, you may drink to much leading to health complications

  • too little conforming can lead to group judgement or even getting removed from the group/fired because you are not listening to norms and following expectations

roles

a set of behaviours that are expected from the occupants of specific positions within the group.

• social roles

• task roles

• formal roles

• informal roles

social roles

role that is more focused on supporting positive interactions and relationships (e.g., facilitator, mediator)

• prof made us do ice breakers in rls130 to build relationships

task roles

role is more focused on the direct pursuit of group goals and objectives (e.g., information seeking, evaluation).

• i was a researcher in my group project

formal roles

Formal roles are deliberately established by the group and are promoted as positions of importance. They often have titles (e.g., lead, captain).

• swan is a manager

informal roles

role grows out of experiences within the group and are created by the group (e.g., comic relief, group nurturer).

• maybe someone is the group listener who listens to people. not a real role but an implied one.

challenges with group roles

• role ambiguity

• role conflict

role ambiguity

a lack of clarity regarding one’s role within the group. Role ambiguity can be caused by an absence of information.

• sometimes identifying roles OR what to do in that role is not clear / was not told to you and we don’t know what role to take. most often caused by an absence of information. as leaders, ensure we are clear and explicit when giving roles to individuals. say “your role is this AND i expect you to do this”

role conflict

an incongruity (battle) between the requirements of two roles.

• two roles conflict each other and you may not know which role to take. i.e., might not be able to be both roles at the same time, or a conflict of interest with those you are supervising

• e.g, parent-coach. coaching your kid you don’t know whether to be tough on them like all your other players or to adjust it so that they learn the way they like to learn when you are parenting them, or not knowing when you should be a parent and when you should be a coach.

the process of joining a group

• Leaders must consider fostering positive individual experiences in addition to fostering positive group experiences.

• A person’s group entry, membership, and exit are dependent on a number of factors.

• Similar to models of group forming (i.e., sequential models) discussed earlier in the chapter.

• important if we are joining groups or looking at how your participants create groups

• STAGES:

  • investigation

  • socialization

  • maintenance

  • resocialization

  • remembrance

process of joining a group: investigation

• Identifying and evaluating potential groups to join.

  • + HOW i am looking at groups! am i looking online, thru WoM, and how do i evaluate them?

  • Weighing both costs and benefits.

    • financial, social, personal, etc. can be any pros / cons!

• Leaders can help in the investigation stage by giving potential members a realistic picture of both the costs and benefits of group membership.

  • give a REALISTIC picture; not just the pros but also the cons!

• Many groups only share the benefits and/or do not provide sufficient detail surrounding the costs.

  • financial, time, physical, social, transportation costs, etc.

• Having all of the information helps leaders, group members, and potential group members to avoid challenges in the future.

  • being transparent allows members to know what they are getting into, declare expectations, and see a trusting and open leader which also makes them wanna join! group members are aware, and therefore challenges with joining are limited

process of joining a group: socialization

• Understanding how the new member will fit into the group.

  • are we learning effectively, in a way that allows us to understand and stay in the group?

• The new member learns the group’s norms, standards, and approaches to communication.

  • learning how the group works and how each members thinks and does things / contributes to the group, and also how you can integrate and what you can do in the group. standards and norms are usually quickly learned

• This stage can be compromised if there are negative perceptions by the new member and/or of existing members.

  • not always sunshine and rainbows. sometimes when ppl join groups they might not stay, or fight with members or something. something about the new person may not align with the group, or maybe the person joining the group has some neg opinions on the members of the group as well. especially bad if the new member is stuck with the group for a while and cannot really leave (e.g., with a job). SOCIALIZATION DOESN”T MEAN YOU’LL ALWAYS BE ACCEPTED INTO THE GROUP.

  • “the manager here looks down on me i don’t like her” or “the newbie isn’t working well with the group i don’t like them”

• Leaders can use a variety of approaches to ensure that new members become accepted within the group (e.g., full value contract, team building, mentors, group discussions).

  • leaders can help ensure new members are accepted and work to make it work integrating them. full val contract maybe enforces behaviours with new ppl, icebreakers are good (if done well), etc.

process of joining a group: maintenance

• Characterized by continued accommodation and assimilation on the part of all group members.

  • the group is rollin, and people continue to join and being more involved in work, yet things are still running smoothly. similar to norming stage of group development!

  • keeping the momentum of ppl joining + work being done well

• The group is operating effectively when considering both tasks and relationships.

• Checking in at the individual and group level can help promote continued group membership.

  • as leaders, make sure the group is okay! allows us to see why the group is doing so well/not well, how to enhance/make improvements + maintain it. leaders need to take an active role in order for this stage to work.

process of joining a group: resocialization

• The individual and group evaluate where they are now and where they are heading.

  • when we are in a group (and the group as a broader community): where are we now as a group, and where are we headed? are we staying together or not? what are we going to do next?

  • task is done and we are considering what happens next.

• There may be convergence or divergence at this stage depending on this assessment:

  • Convergence

  • Divergence

• Regardless of outcome, this stage can be a time to celebrate contributions.

  • ppl who retire or leave to get their final job are celebrated for what they contributed and impacted the group! like going away parties.

• Thia stage may be a good time to make adjustments to the group.

  • making adjustments based on what was done, what went wrong and needed to be changed, etc. if people are leaving, adjustments are probably going to be needed anyways to accommodate for those leaving. this could be role changes / adding, removing / adding services, rule changes, etc.

process of joining a group: remembrance

• Remembrance is characterized by debriefing their experiences individually and collectively.

• Group members viewed positively “live on” through group history and tradition.

  • like celebs, or famous team players

• Based on positive or negative experiences with a group, members may behave differently:

  • Potentially recommending the group to others (aka pos WoM!)

  • Approach or avoid group activities

  • Varying valence of memories

• remembering the experiences and it may change the way they behave. BOTH pos and neg experiences have impacts. how do these experiences impact me and the way i talk about it to others?

cohesion

the tendency for groups to stick together when working toward reaching goals.

• It is a dynamic process in that as groups change and evolve (e.g., share experiences over time, change perspectives), the group’s goals may shift as well.

  • not stable process, sometimes we can feel we are doing rlly good and are connected, or not!

• Groups remain together (i.e., demonstrate cohesion) for a variety of reasons.

common issues with groups

• groupthink

• social loafing

  • free riding

groupthink

• tendency for group members to seek agreement with one another.

  • come at the expense of critical thinking / debate. ppl will not voice opinions at the expense of consensus. BAD!

• The desire for agreement is so strong that any potential concerns about a decision from

  • individuals in the group are pushed aside in favour of absolute consensus.

  • There may be support or confidence for ideas that may be problematic.

• There are a variety of conditions that may contribute to the potential for groupthink

• There are warning signs that a group may be experiencing groupthink

There are a variety of conditions that may contribute to the potential for groupthink

• Separation/no consideration from outside sources of information

• Leadership styles that repress people who disagree

  • leaders who consider everyone’s opinions make it clear that u can go against their opinion, but leaders who do not make it clear / safe to say something different, it leads to groupthink

• Lack of different ranges of experiences and backgrounds of group members

  • i.e., people think the same / come from the same place. we do NOT want groupthink/echochamber so we want ppl with diff experiences!

There are warning signs that a group may be experiencing groupthink

• Pressure on those who disagree with the majority of favoured opinion (peer pressure to conform)

• Stereotyping of those who are outside of the group that disagree and/or provide alternative solutions

  • looking down on outside opinion; “they think this way so they’re an idiot”

• Self-censorship in order to silence individual concerns (e.g., being particularly cautious of what you say)

  • walking on eggshells because they see that there is consensus and will just conform

social loafing

refers to group members who contribute very little to the group and assume that others will do more to complete the task.

• there IS contribution but VERY LITTLE / no where near as much as other members

• Typically, those who are “social loafers” tend to hide or remain invisible in a group and do not fully and equally contribute.

• Can occur as a result of:

  • Low group cohesion

  • Individual inputs that are not recognized or acknowledged

  • Group size that is too large

  • Perception that other members are not contributing

    • “if they’re not trying why should i? if they’re still getting credit why should i try?”

  • in places of low accountability, communication, expectations, etc,

free riding

an extreme form of social loafing, and occurs when an individual claims membership in a group but does not contribute in any meaningful way to the group process. literally doing NOTHING

true or false: high cohesion, accountability, and ethics lessen the chances of social loafing

true

direct leadership

an immediate or face-to-face relationship between leader and subordinate which affects approaches to motivation and problem solving.

• Group members are in contact with the leader all the time.

  • you interact with your leader on a regular basis; not just an invisible person who leads the group; i.e., coaches, teachers, some bosses. NOTHING to do with communication style

benefits of direct leadership

• Immediate assessment of the productivity or problems of the group

  • feedback is a big benefit and cannot be done without direct leadership

• More opportunity for leaders to influence and develop those in their charge

  • if u give feedback and input always + are there very often, you influence the group more!

motivation

• Understanding individuals’ motivations for participating in recreation and leisure activities and for joining groups is important for leaders.

  • where are people coming from? why do they want to be here? —> leads to a better tailored approach. and if levels of motivation are low, we need to adjust in order to make sure that needs are met + participation increases

• Based on motivations, leaders can more effectively anticipate needs and make adaptations accordingly.

• Leaders should try to foster intrinsic motivation to increase participant satisfaction.

• Providing opportunities for input, choice, and engagement.

• Intrinsic Motivation — Motivation that is generated internally. doing something just cause you want to!

• Extrinsic Motivation — Motivation from an outside source. money, award, reputation increase, skill, requirement, outside pressures, etc. you don’t wanna do it just for enjoyment

goals

intended aims of an individual or group to meet certain targets.

objectives

specific measurable actions that are the building blocks for achieving the goal.

• breaking down the goal and the steps that result in order to achieve goal

goal setting

setting goals for your group in order to make progress in some aspect.

• Involving group members in the process of goal setting can have a positive impact on motivation and adherence.

• Goals should be appropriate for the group.

  • If goals are too easy, the group may be less motivated and underperform.

  • If goals are too difficult, the group may become frustrated due to lack of success.

SMART goals

• specific

• measurable

• attainable

• realistic

• time bound

SMART: specific

Objectives must be concise, explicit, and deal directly with the main issue in order to ensure success.

• clear + allows for us to hit milestones on the way to completing goal

SMART: measurable

objectives must contain some way to measure their level of progress or completion. can i tell if i am making progress?

SMART: achievable

Objectives must be established at an appropriate level, finding a balance between challenge and quick success. can i actually complete this goal yet not too easy?

SMART: realistic

Objectives must reflect the unique circumstances of each group as not all objectives may be attainable by all groups

• is this realistic? can my skill / progress actually be completed in the time i want it to be? are there other circumstances that will impact my goal / make it unrealistic?

SMART: time bound

Objectives must be able to be completed in a certain time frame and the time frame should be stated clearly.

• if the time frame is too long, it can become demotivating

multidimensional model of leadership

• antecedents

• leader behaviour

• consequences

multidimensional model of leadership: antecedents

What leads to specific leadership behaviour.

• situational characteristcs

  • Characteristics (phys+soc) associated with the environment or context (e.g., goals, tasks, norms, group size, how the group formed).

• leader characteristics

  • Characteristics of the leader themselves (e.g., personality, ability to plan, relationship or task focus, approaches to communication).

  • approach to comms, focus, personality, etc. traits and ways of the leader. based on experiences

• member characteristics

  • Characteristics that may be unique to group members individually or as a collective (e.g., age, experience, ability, needs, preferences).

  • e.g., you change your leadership if participants are kids or are leaders

  • are you teaching something completely new? or enhancing skill?

multidimensional model of leadership: leader behaviour

• required

  • Behaviour that is necessary for dealing with the demands and constraints of the situation.

• actual

  • Behaviour that the leader actually chooses to attempt to manage the situation.

  • what the leader actually does may not align with what is required or vise versa. leads to issues

• preferred

  • Behaviours that participants or group members want from their leaders.

  • NOT how the leader behaves, just how members wish they would behave

multidimensional model of leadership: consquences

The outcomes of the way that the leader behaves.

• Everything related to the performance and satisfaction of members.

• The leader’s performance and participant’s satisfaction are influenced by the degree to which the three states of leader behaviour align with one another (i.e., the actual behaviour is consistent with both the preferred and required behaviours).

• The leader’s performance and participant’s satisfaction impact the leader’s actual behaviour (i.e., they serve as feedback).

• Group leaders must be flexible and adaptable in order to effectively manage demands faced by groups.

supervision

a means of directing, supporting, and monitoring those for whom a supervisor is responsible.

importance of supervisors

• Helps supervisees to feel supported and valued, enhancing organization effectiveness.

• Can clearly explain expectations (e.g., requirements, norms, responsibilities, techniques)

  • verbal, visual, anything that is clearly communicated

• Supervisees will know that they have support available if needed.

  • if they have questions, need support, need feedback, or they made a mistake, they do not feel afraid to ask for help

• Problems can be recognized and addressed through good supervision.

expectations of supervisors

• Supervisors are often caught in the middle between administrative or senior management (e.g., directors, superintendents, CEOs) and front-line employees (e.g., coaches, program leaders, camp directors).

  • strict policies of what higher ups think should be happening/treated vs. the employees expectations.

  • may not always align, esp because the higher ups do not actually know what is going on down with the employees

  • e.g., ceo expects this to be done in two days but employees feel they cannot navigate that within two days. puts supervisors in a tough position. should they abide by higher ups, or advocate for employees? or not

• Being in the middle, supervisors must find a balance to ensure that a balance to ensure that the goals of the organization (i.e., developed by senior management) are delivered to the organization’s clientele (i.e., through the actions of front-line staff)

  • in a perfect world there is a balance for the both

managers expect supervisors to…

• Demonstrate loyalty to the organization

• Follow and enforce all policies

• Monitor and evaluate employees

  • how well are they doing their job? are they progressing as intended? are they on time?

• Keep management regularly informed and updated

  • in reality its difficult to constantly give updates on everything. esp hard with bigger organizations

employees expect supervisors to…

• Provide goals, feedback, and direction

• Support and motivate them

  • can i call in late with a valid reason and be understood ? are they giving good motivation to keep going?

• Demonstrate respect and fairness

• Provide training

  • are we providing good training on every aspect?

• Represent their interests

• Defend them when needed

  • advocate for your employees! understand their limits and make sure they are not being overworked

• Recognize efforts and successes

  • even little “good job!” is recognizing efforts!

difference between manager expectations and employee expectations

managers are more strict and want their org to be a certain way, and employees want guidance, a fair workload, and appreciation

key responsibilities of supervisors

• There are a range of responsibilities that supervisors may have. (do not have to have all)

• Such responsibilities require a variety of skills.

• Being aware of the unique needs, contexts, and characteristics surrounding supervisees is crucial.

• Supervisors must be able to tailor their behaviours to most appropriately address the demands of the situation.

• LIST

  • problem solving and decision making

  • orientation and training

  • evaluation

  • discipline

  • communication and meetings

  • supporting personnel and organizational policies

  • observing, monitoring and providing feedback

  • encouraging professional development

  • delegation

  • motivation

key responsibilities: problem solving and desicion making

• refers to determining solutions to correct the discrepancy between a desired state and a current reality.

  • usually for supervisors + above, not much employees

• There are two types of decisions:

  • Programmed decisions

  • Nonprogrammed decisions

• Most issues requiring supervisor’s attention are complex and don’t fit neatly into a prescribed set of rules, and as such, require nonprogrammed decision making.

programmed decisions

• Routine decisions typically based on policies (i.e., largely prescribed)

• “by the book” predetermined responses. black and white response to problem

• Less time consuming

• Easier to make

• e.g., “you’re twenty minutes late and therefore we cannot allow entry for you”

nonprogammed decisions

• Require new, unique, and often unexpected circumstances

• “outside the box” newly determined responses. problem may not have a solution predetermined because its new, unexperienced, has circumstances, or no clear policy.

• More time consuming

• More difficult to make

• e.g., “you are late but you are also a student, so we have to discuss before making a decision”

  • thinking about if a homeless person stole food because they were about to die. theres punishment for stealing, but not in order to survive. obv stealing is bad but they’re almost dead so we need to come up with a new solution. maybe work there to recover money, or look for a shelter nearby

key responsibilities: orientation and training

• Orientation and training helps to ensure all incoming supervises are up to date with a variety of organizational factors (e.g., expectations, methods, policies, norms, rules, physical space).

  • ensure that the new worker knows what to do, how to do it, and what is expected of them.

• A mentor (i.e., a go-to person for the new employee) can supplement orientation.

• Many organizations offer introductory workshops to all newcomers (e.g., conflict resolution, time management, diversity).

key responsibilities: evaluation

• Evaluations (e.g., performance appraisal, review) help to assess employee performance to develop improvement plans as needed.

  • are they making a good amount of sales? are they on time? are they doing what they need to do? are they slacking off?

  • can be relational too. are they developing? are they working well with the team? how can they be better?

• Evaluations can help employees understand how to improve and to understand how they are doing.

• Evaluations can cause discomfort.

  • make sure it is OBJECTIVE, not subjective and also CLEAR. do NOT let your emotions on employees get the best of you. also make sure you know the context around why they’re doing what they are doing before conforonting, or at least keep an open mind

key responsibilities: discipline

• the process of correcting employee performance or behavioural issues through consistent, fair, and documented actions, such as warnings or training, aimed at aligning employee conduct with company standards

• needs to be:

  • measured

  • not emotional (take a day to recover from immediate emotions)

  • open minded with circumstance but still stern

  • private (don’t yell at them in front of everyone, that is just bad)

  • clear with desired behaviours (don’t just say “u should do better” without explaining what to actually do)

• four step format for discipline:

  • verbal warning

  • written warning

  • intervention

  • termination

• When encountering disciplinary problems, the supervisor should monitor their response to the problem to avoid speaking in the heat of the moment.

• Specificity is required when engaging in disciplinary action.

true or false: disciplinary action should be carried out in private.

true

four steps for discipline: verbal warning

Addressing the employee directly, identifying the problem, explaining acceptable behaviour, and outlining potential consequences.

• “don’t to that, there will be these consequences if u keep going”

four steps for discipline: written warning

If the problem occurs again, the incident should be formally documented. The employee should have the opportunity to respond in writing if they choose.

• if they keep doing it, formally write a complaint about what they r doing wrong and what should be done. keep a copy for yourself in case!

four steps for discipline: intervention

Develop an employee improvement plan, ideally, with input from the employee. The plan identifies the problem, the impacts of the problem, reviews expected performance standards, and indicates possible solutions.

• develop plan WITH input from employee who is doing bad*** and work to fix what is being done. identify problem, outcomes/impacts, review standards, solutions

four steps for discipline: termination

Requires a great deal of documentation and must adhere to policies and procedures

• they’re fired. have proof that you have tried to do previous steps + employee still didn’t correct behaviour

key responsibilities: communication and meetings

• Supervisors can promote strong, ongoing internal communication so that all employees are up-to-date on the latest activities and concerns of the organization.

• Some recommendations for such communication include:

• Have all employees provide weekly status reports to supervisors

  • whats going on, challenges, suggestions to work

• Hold regular meetings with all supervisees (i.e., as a group)

• Hold regular meetings with supervisees individually

  • without communicating irl, there is a loss of contact and therefore connection, leading to a weaker bond between supervisors and employees.

meeting management can be strengthened by…

• Selecting participants based on what the meeting is expected to accomplish

  • what’s the meeting for? everyone invited should have to do something with the meeting

• Outline expectations and purposes of the meeting in advance

  • prepares employees on what to say + stuff

• Maintain meeting minutes

  • Keep track of what was said and done during meeting. what ACTUALLY happened

• Develop a thorough agenda that will be available before, during, and after meetings

  • write key points of each meeting for you and your employees if they need. what you PLAN to do in the meeting

• Clearly indicate needed action, desired result, and time expectation for agenda items

  • what are the action items? ensure that the items apply to them and are communicated in advance

• Clarify ground rules of the meeting

  • state what is expected and what is needed

• Monitor time

  • ensure meeting doesn’t go on for too long. might even have to cut someone’s statement short

key responsibilities: supporting personnel and organizational policies

• Supervisors are responsible for ensuring that employees follow organizations’ policies and procedures.

• Supervisors should be knowledgeable about organizational policies so as to respond appropriately when needed.

key responsibilities: observing, monitoring and providing feedback

• Supervisors must keep track of all employees, their assignments, and their progress.

• Below are some recommendations for helping supervisees with this in mind:

  • Ensure supervisees fully understand and accept responsibility for assignments. be CLEAR

  • Help supervisees understand how their assignment contributes to the overall organization.

    • make sure employees feel like they are helpful!**** be transparent about progress and encouragement so they feel their contributions are positive

  • Ensure supervisees have everything that they need to accomplish their assignments (supplies, proper training, access, etc.)

  • Provide feedback focused on supervisee work, both positive and negative.

    • strengths with rewards and weaknesses (shutdown on behaviour, or change in behaviour to be better)

  • Avoid micromanaging, which is excessive control over people and projects, a preoccupation with the work to be done, and anxiety over the work to be done.

    • let people have some freedom to do the work. micromanaging just leads to it not wanting to be done or no enjoyment working

key responsibilities: encouraging professional development

• Supervisors should encourage supervisees to attend professional development opportunities to develop more skills and gain valuable knowledge and experience.

  • are there any additional training you can get?

• Supervisors should encourage supervisees to remain current with issues and developments within their field (e.g., via journals, networking).

  • they need to be up-to-date with the best practices, funding, learning new findings etc. but so do YOU! you are partially resposnsible for sharing stuff!

• Earning relevant certifications should be encouraged

  • like my BLS!

key responsibilities: delegation

• Delegation involves assigning supervisees tasks for which the supervisor has the ultimate responsibility.

  • just because it is assigned to an employee, YOU still have the ultimate responsibility for it + ensuring it gets done

• Delegation can help employees develop new skills and a sense of ownership of tasks.

• Supervisors must be willing to let go of power and trust employees.

  • this can lead to micromanaging so be careful!!!

• make sure who ur delegating to has all the resources and ability to complete it. if u delegate to someone who is not prepared, that’s on you!

key responsibilities: motivation

• Motivation is the drive to work toward certain goals and to expend considerable energy in reaching them.

• you want ur employees to strive to do better for work!

• Motivation is commonly encouraged through raises, promotions, and contests.

Supervisors can foster motivation through…

• Helping supervisees feel responsible

• Praising good performance and productivity

  • employees like your babies and you’ll feel super proud haha. you can’t just give neg feedback!

• Listening to suggestions and complaints

  • take in feedback too, not just give it out. if employees feel they have a voice, it’ll increase motivation

• Provides opportunities for involvement in decision making

  • feeling more valued = more motivation

• Bringing in fun

  • have parties or fun events! joke around with employees! foster a community, not just a workplace!

volunteers

people who perform services without remuneration (getting paid)

• They often play a large role in recreation and leisure organizations.

roles of volunteers

• Direct service (e.g. interacting with clients)

• Clerical or administrative work (e.g., registration, communications)

• Public relations (e.g., speaking, news releases)

• Fundraising (e.g., phone calls, campaigns)

• Policy making and advising (e.g., advisory councils, boards)

motivations of volunteers

• Self-satisfaction

• Altruism (giving back to others)

• Companionship and meeting others (ex. volunteering with friends/family)

• Learning about a field

• Obtaining training in a field

• Helping maintain an organization

• Developing professional contacts (networking)

• Getting ahead in a particular field or occupation (experience! getting ur foot in the door!)

• Providing entry into an organization

• Social prestige

benefits of volunteering

• Satisfaction of helping others

• Opportunity to offer skills, expertise, or talents that the organization can’t provide

• A new emotional ingredient

• Serving as a link between community and agency

• Enjoying activity

negligence

a failure to exercise a standard of care that results in injury, damage, or loss.

• not to be confused with risk! this is something that actually happened that led to consequences

four components that are necessary to determine negligence

• duty

• breach of duty

• proximate cause

• injury, damage, loss

components to determine negligence: duty

 the obligation to the participant

• depends on role and how it contributes to how participants engage in activity

components to determine negligence: breach of duty

when one does not fulfill their duty

• Omission (i.e., not doing something one was supposed to do).

  • you OMITTED it. e.g., did not relay safety rules to participants.

• Commission (i.e., doing something one wa s supposed to do, but incorrectly, or doing something one should not have done).

  • e.g., relayed safety rules, but did it wrong (i.e., made it seem not serious) or adding rules that should not have been added

components to determine negligence: proximate cause

connects breach of duty and the harm that occurs

• explains how breach of duty led to the injury

• e.g., rules were not explained and someone fell because of it

components to determine negligence: injury, damage, loss

the harmful outcome

• physical, mental, etc. any negative outcomes from the experience.

• e.g., proximate: someone fell and this: they died