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Joe has not been doing too well in making the transition into his new role as a team leader after 10 years as a key individual contributor as an engineer. Rather than losing Joe, his manager decides to sponsor him in the Team Leader Cafe’.
The first Cafe’ experience Joe has is a bit unnerving. He attends a teleclass where he learns about a process called 360-feedback. He is told this will help him assess his current strengths and weaknesses as a team leader and prepare him to get the most out of the upcoming Cafe’ events he will attend.
Following the tele-class, Joe identifies people who are in a good position to give him feedback on his leadership skills - direct reports, peers, and his manager. These folks are then invited into the feedback process and contribute their observations on a web-based assessment. A few weeks later Joe joins other team leaders who are involved in this 360-feedback experience at a Cafe’ event. Here they learn how to analyze the data in the report, develop an action plan, and identify Cafe’ programs that support their plan.
Joe and his manager review and commit to the Cafe’ Table Manners. Joe’s manager received a copy of the Table Manners, as well as training on how to support Joe and other supervisors in his department, at a Cafe’ session entitled Developing and Coaching Others. Joe’s manager is prepared to be his “Champion” throughout the coming year.
Joe begins with a Cafe’ Foundation - Essential Skills of Leadership. He studies the basics of this program through the Cafe’ campus in an online course that takes about two hours of his time. Certificate in hand, Joe joins eight other guests at the Team Leader Cafe’ in his company’s training department. Here they discuss the concepts studied online, practice the skills, and identify job-specific situations where they can implement the skills immediately following the Cafe’ event.
Joe is eager to put his new skills to work. Back on the job the next day he follows through on the plan he created in the Cafe’ to interact with one of his team members. He then meets with his Champion to review the results using the debriefing guide in his workbook. Over the next twelve weeks he and his Champion receive regular email messages from the Cafe’ which help Joe practice his new skills and provide his Champion with guidance on how to support Joe’s efforts.
From time to time, Joe visits the Cyber Cafe’ to post questions to other team leaders and offer his advice to them when appropriate. He reviews the troubleshooting guide in the back of the workbook he received at the Cafe’ when issues come up on the job. He also enjoys reading the weekly edition of Food for Thought he receives from the Cafe’ and discusses it with his team, other team leaders, and his Champion. He keeps track of the virtual Book Club discussions hosted through the Café and participates as often as he can reading the books and gaining even more ideas that help him be an effective team leader.
A few months later, Joe feels he is mastering the Essential Skills of Leadership and it is time to take on the next skill he identified in his Professional Development Plan. He registers for another Cafe’ event, completes the online course, meets with other team leaders at the Cafe’ skill session, works with his champion, and begins to master a new component of leadership.
By the end of the year Joe has completed four Cafe’ programs and his confidence is building. Joe’s manager thinks it is time for a progress review and suggests that Joe complete a second 360-feedback assessment. A short teleclass prepares Joe for the process and a few weeks later he meets with his Champion to review the report comparing his first assessment to the second. The affirmation of Joe’s progress is in the numbers and in the comments. He is ready to enter a second year in the Cafe’ and continue the process of building team leader skills.
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