Dancing With The Jelly FishMay 5, 2005

James D. McComasStaff Leadership Seminar

Before 1946 - Traditionalist

1946-1964 - Baby Boomers

1965-1980 - Generation X

1981-2003 - Millenniums

Jellyfish Are Everywhere, Learn To Live With Them

They are almost transparent, a convenient camouflage in their open habitats

They move with pumping or pulsating motion, but they are carried with the current

Their entire surface is used to absorb oxygen and release carbon dioxide.

A dead jellyfish can still sting as long as its tentacles are moist.

They manage to thrive without hearts, brains, bones or eyes

They have tentacles that sting and immobilize prey; and oral arms (sometimes called flaps) that are used to eat their prey.

Jellyfish are very common in all water bodies

Jelly Fish participate in sidelining

Individuals who are not directly involved and invested in the functions of the team can innocently provide meaningless and/or unproductive direction. Although it can be very helpful and cathartic to obtain consultation from individuals who are not directly linked to the team’s issues, such direction must be accepted with some skepticism.

Jelly Fish Don’t Always Get The Big Picture

We all have a desire to make a positive difference and to see the results of our efforts. It is undoubtedly time consuming to educate each stakeholder on the purpose and direction of all endeavors. However, the dividends are worth the effort.

The biggest reason teams become less effective, is they don't think they can change anything. Impotency is the biggest danger to any team. Once you feel impotent, you are just going through the motions and wasting everyone's time

Jelly Fish Often Give Put Downs And Not Pull Ups

Some teams believe that if there are no complaints or suggested improvements, everything must be going well. This is the farthest thing from the truth. Unfortunately, most team members will not speak up if they are made to feel inadequate. Those individuals who win through intimidation are only managing to maintain a stagnant work environment with no hope of true success.

Jelly Fish usually have to watch their backside

The number one problem in any work environment is gossip. Most administrations attempt to use the gossip mill to its advantage by spreading the appropriate information to the gossip source. However, idle and sensational groundless talk about others never results in a healthy environment.

Jelly Fish Don’t Know Who They Are

Unfortunately, we often are perceived much differently by others than how we see ourselves. Nonetheless, the perception of others is much more important than what we view as reality. Therefore, it is imperative to align the two through an ongoing self induced evaluation process.

Secure

Have ControlAction OrientedResourcefulKeep On (determined)

The Shark Motto: Let’s Do It

Dolphin Motto: Trust Me It Will Work Out

Do A Variety Of ThingsOptimisticLove Fun

PromoterHumorousInitiators

Not Afraid Of Risks

Octopus Motto: It’s Worth Doing Right

OrderlyConscientious

Try To Be Very PreciseOn Time

Predictable

Unenthusiastic

Sensitive

Whale Motto: Don’t Fix It, It’s Not Broken

Warm and relational

Happy with the way it is

Agreeable

Loyal

Empathetic

Jelly Fish Lack Belief in themselves and their Team

When you believe in yourself, then building confidence in others and displaying loyalty comes naturally. Yet, we live in a culture where commitment is not highly valued. Possessions are made to last only a short time with no potential for upgrades and as a result our relationships frequently emulate this phenomenon.

Jelly Fish Misunderstand Good Service

Most people think of Service as a positive experience. That is until they experience an unhappy, unwilling and overall dissatisfied service provider. Service, like many words, has numerous meanings. Unfortunately, some see service as a way to satisfy personal goals rather than as a means in itself. Numerous industries have experienced significant reductions in business and even extinction due to an improper and warped perception of service.

Jelly Fish Often Don’t Do The Right Thing For The Right Reason

Although we are all bound by laws, regulations and protocols, the message which should always be sent to every stakeholder is we do this because it is the right thing. Every time we openly concede an issue because of some external oversight source, we give the impression that we are powerless and will easily cave in to threats and manipulative antics.

1. You're on an airplane that suddenly hits extremely bad turbulence and begins rocking from side to side. What do you do?

A. Continue to read your book or magazine, or watch the movie, paying little attention to the turbulence.

B. Become vigilant for an emergency, carefully monitoring the stewardesses and reading the emergency instructions card.

C. A little of both a and b.

D. Not sure -- never noticed.

Answer : A, B, or C - 10 points

2. Imagine you're an insurance salesman calling prospective clients. Fifteen people in a row have hung up on you, and you're getting discouraged. What do you do?

A. Call it a day and hope you have better luck tomorrow.

B. Assess qualities in yourself that may be undermining your ability to make a sale.

C. Try something new in the next call, and keep plugging away.

D. Consider another line of work.

Answer : C - 20 points

3. You overhear a peer telling a racist joke. What do you do?

A. Ignore it -- it's only a joke.

B. Ask the person if you can speak with them privately and communicate your disapproval.

C. Speak up immediately and in a volume that can clearly be heard by everyone, say that such jokes are inappropriate and harmful and will be reported.

D. Find a close friend of the person telling the joke and tell them they best not do such a thing again.

Answer : C - 20 points

4. You're trying to calm down a friend who has worked himself up into a fury at a driver in another car who has cut dangerously close in front of him. What do you do?

A. Tell him to forget it -- he's okay now and it's no big deal.

B. Put on one of his favorite tapes and try to distract him.

C. Join him in putting down the other driver, as a show of rapport.

D. Tell him about a time something like this happened to you and how you felt as mad as he does now, but then you saw the other driver was on the way to a hospital emergency room.

Answer : D - 20 points

5. You and your life partner have gotten into an argument that has escalated into a shouting match; you're both upset and, in the heat of anger, making personal attacks you don't really mean. What's the best thing to do?

A. Take a 20-minute break and then continue the discussion.

B. Just stop the argument -- go silent, no matter what your partner says.

C. Say you're sorry and ask your partner to apologize, too.

D. Stop for a moment, collect your thoughts, then state your side of the case as precisely as you can.

Answer : A - 20 points, D - 10 points

6. Your 3-year-old son is timid, and a bit fearful of -- new places and people. What do you do?

A. Accept that he has a shy temperament and think of ways to shelter him from situations that would upset him.

B. Take him to a child psychiatrist for help.

C. Purposely expose him to lots of new people and places so he can get over his fear.

D. Engineer an ongoing series of challenging but manageable experiences that will teach him he can handle new people and places..

Answer : B - 10 points, D - 20 points

7. For years you've been wanting to get back to learning to play a musical instrument you tried in childhood, and now, just for fun, you've finally gotten around to starting. You want to make the most effective use of your time. What do you do?

A. Hold yourself to a strict practice time each day.

B. Choose pieces that stretch your abilities a bit.

C. Practice only when you're really in the mood.

D. Pick pieces that are far beyond your ability, but that you can master with diligent effort.

Answer : A - 10 points, B - 20

8. A new colleague comes to you with a concern that there seems to be a clique in the office that excludes her and she is pretty sure they are laughing behind her back What do you do?

A. Stay out of it -- let her figure out the solution.

B. Talk to her and help her figure out ways to best relate to the group

C. Tell her in a kind voice, “they treated me the same way at first, give them time”.

D. Show her ways to avoid the group.

Answer : B - 20 points

Jelly Fish Don’t Value Their Cohorts

The number one thing we all want and need is to feel valued. This is one of the most simple and most frequently overlooked building blocks to a great team. It simply takes time and energy to carry out this action and is similar to changing the oil in your car, there are no dramatic results. However, the cumulative effects of avoiding this step is extremely damaging.

Jelly Fish Avoid Asking For Help

When working in an environment where input and communication is valued, it is still possible for individuals to not ask for help simply because of the predisposition of acting independently rather than interdependently.

Jelly Fish Are Unproductive And Unhappy

We often have the tendency to procrastinate. It is a learned defense mechanism through years of experience of working on items only to find that the plan has changed. We tell ourselves, if we wait long enough it will probably not have to be done. The problem with this approach is we often work harder at procrastinating than we would if we just did the job.

ALWAYS - LOOK GOOD

Visualization

Psychology

Physiology

How I Act In Conflicts

---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------Erin Evader Austin Audacious Lou Lovable Sammy Cease-Fire Carrie Concord---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------____1. ____2. ____3. ____4. ____5.____6. ____7. ____8. ____9. ____10.____11. ____12. ____13. ____14. ____15____16. ____17. ____18. ____19. ____20.____21. ____22. ____23. ____24. ____25.____26. ____27. ____28. ____29. ____30____31. ____32. ____33. ____34. ____35_____Total _____Total _____Total _____Total _____Total----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

ERIN EVADER

Acts as the ostrich with head in sand around any kind of conflict. Conflict is always dangerous and to be avoided. Will not take a stand on any issue. Favorite tactic is withdrawal, both physically and emotionally. Feels a sense of helplessness and hopelessness whenever conflict is present.

Motto is “I lose, you lose, whenever conflict exists”

AUSTIN AUDACIOUS

Believes the best way to deal with conflict is head on and overpower any obstacle, person or issue. Has a no holds barred approach that rarely takes other people into consideration. Likes to win at all costs.

Motto is “I win, you lose, whenever conflict exists”

LOU LOVEABLE

Wants to be liked by everyone and is willing to sacrifice issues to obtain this goal. Lou is a people person and would rather have positive relationships than commitments to goals. Lou believes in being accepted and accepting others.

Motto is “I lose, you win, whenever conflict exists”

SAMMY CEASE-FIRE

Has been taught that the best way to handle conflict is by compromise. I’ll give a little, you give a little, and we can both win a little. Both personal goals are relationships are moderately important to Sammy. The commitment is to the group and its best good rather than self or one particular person.

Motto is “I win, you win, whenever conflict exists”

CARRIE CONCORD

Highly values both own personal goals and relationships. Does not fear or avoid conflicts. Conflicts are merely problems to be solved and a natural part of life between individuals in group relationships. Seeks solutions that can best satisfy all concerned and reach consensus. Will not be satisfied until tension and negative feelings have been fully resolved. Goals are agreement and accord in all solutions.

Motto is “Let’s get the big picture, whenever conflict exists”

RE

LA

TIO

NS

HIP

S

LOU LOVEABLE

ERIN EVADER

SAMMY CEASE-FIRE

CARRIE CONCORD

AUSTIN AUDACIOUS

GO

AL

S