BlueCollarServantLeadershipRetreatJan142010Retrospective

page owner: Team

This topic is a little different than a regular retrospective in that it is focused on getting feedback with the objective of how to get to building individual servant leadership as well as team environments which promote the model. We had all 25 participants use the same user ID to enable independent inputs (remove risk of herding based upon identity of person providing earlier input) and anonymity. The type of parties in attendance were employees, customers, suppliers/partners and community organizations we work with.

What Resonates with you

-- BlueJeanUser? - 14 Jan 2010 - 16:43

We are a servant-leader culture but this class makes us more self-aware so we can get better at it

-- BlueJeanUser? - 14 Jan 2010 - 16:44

Listening

-- BlueJeanUser? - 14 Jan 2010 - 16:44

Nothing technically, but I am more inspired to make a better effort.

-- BlueJeanUser? - 14 Jan 2010 - 16:44

It points out the common problems people often easily made but are not aware of.

-- BlueJeanUser? - 14 Jan 2010 - 16:44

he core value of servant leadership is people, people, people. We need to concern about people, co-workers, customers, etc.

-- BlueJeanUser? - 14 Jan 2010 - 16:45

I really felt good to see and feel that BlueCollarObjects? is already heading in a direction for success

-- BlueJeanUser? - 14 Jan 2010 - 16:45

I am willing to listen to people in the meeting

-- BlueJeanUser? - 14 Jan 2010 - 16:46

having employees have a written plan for self improvement and continuing educations, with checks on progress, and measurable goals, so they know when they have achieved their goals.

-- BlueJeanUser? - 14 Jan 2010 - 16:46

distinguishing customers from consumers, customers may have different needs than the actual consumers of the products or services

-- BlueJeanUser? - 14 Jan 2010 - 16:47

The idea of a leader being a servant is very powerful to me. It is usually the other way around.

-- BlueJeanUser? - 14 Jan 2010 - 16:47

"You are facilitating another person's process"

-- BlueJeanUser? - 14 Jan 2010 - 16:47

Listen without the motivation of responding or defending. Adhere to values, and vision, and do not compromise bigger values for business gain because the life and longevity of a company and grow exponentially if everyone is united in an effort to uphold these values.

-- BlueJeanUser? - 14 Jan 2010 - 16:47

Idea of distributed power to empower all

-- BlueJeanUser? - 14 Jan 2010 - 16:48

Servant Leader must have Foresight... it is an ethical assault if the leader does not not have this skill due to the potential negative impact on the organization... this is crispy.

-- BlueJeanUser? - 14 Jan 2010 - 16:48

The leadership style is not only a benefit to the way I handle myself, but it also helps make the others around your work, perform and live better.

-- BlueJeanUser? - 14 Jan 2010 - 16:48

It's easier to control than coach, so we're going to need to make an effort to make sure our leaders have sufficient education in how to coach, because it's not necessarily natural to all humans

-- BlueJeanUser? - 14 Jan 2010 - 16:48

The importance of self-awarenes as an organization and as individuals

-- BlueJeanUser? - 14 Jan 2010 - 16:48

This class reinforced the ability to get and the best in people by using this servant leader method

-- BlueJeanUser? - 14 Jan 2010 - 16:48

It feels good that this seminar relects that we operate in a very similar way.

-- BlueJeanUser? - 14 Jan 2010 - 16:49

Listening is an important skill that is often poorly practiced.

-- BlueJeanUser? - 14 Jan 2010 - 16:49

Listen more

-- BlueJeanUser? - 14 Jan 2010 - 16:49

The importance of paying attention to social science and its relevance in running a successful business.

-- BlueJeanUser? - 14 Jan 2010 - 16:49

the work exists for the person as much as the person exists for the work

the need to listen more

Servant leaders are servants first that makes a conscious choice to lead

this model of leadership creates a win for everyone

-- BlueJeanUser? - 14 Jan 2010 - 16:50

LIsten, Listen and Listen to what others say first before we give out our answer.

-- BlueJeanUser? - 14 Jan 2010 - 16:50

The importance of giving and receiving coaching.

-- BlueJeanUser? - 14 Jan 2010 - 16:50

Upside down pyramid; serving sideways and down; can employ innate power; trust; teamwork; shared rewards.

-- BlueJeanUser? - 14 Jan 2010 - 16:51

All the 7 keys because they make sense and what strike me the most is Blue Collar has been practicing them .

If I have to pick, they would be the coaching and being a resource.

-- BlueJeanUser? - 14 Jan 2010 - 16:52

Being a good mentor is a skill that needs to be learned and practiced.

-- BlueJeanUser? - 14 Jan 2010 - 16:52

Listening care-fully takes more effort than just listening

-- BlueJeanUser? - 14 Jan 2010 - 16:52

The idea that Blue Collar is willing to embrace servant leadership as a method of operating

-- BlueJeanUser? - 14 Jan 2010 - 16:52

Listening is a dying art. We need to focus on what the customer or teammate is saying and not what we think they are saying. Ask questions and make sure that we understand what the customer wants.

-- BlueJeanUser? - 14 Jan 2010 - 16:53

We can truly make a difference in the lives of others by listening and caring.

-- BlueJeanUser? - 14 Jan 2010 - 16:54

The power of culture, a determined visionary, and effective leaders

-- BlueJeanUser? - 14 Jan 2010 - 17:02

What area would you most like to improve to be a better servant leader

I need to listen better, I am historically mediocre at this.

-- BlueJeanUser? - 14 Jan 2010 - 16:43

Be a better listener.

-- BlueJeanUser? - 14 Jan 2010 - 16:43

I need to be more deliberate and less emotional when I deal with others. I need to love humanity more even with its flaws.

-- BlueJeanUser? - 14 Jan 2010 - 16:44

By serving, coaching and mentoring.

-- BlueJeanUser? - 14 Jan 2010 - 16:45

I should find more ways to involve myself, nothing is holding me back but myself.

-- BlueJeanUser? - 14 Jan 2010 - 16:45

I am willing to be a more team-work-oriented person

-- BlueJeanUser? - 14 Jan 2010 - 16:46

I would like to see the team have a more global view instead of just what is focused on the for that sprint. By this I mean to keep a global vision while at the same time focusing on steps to accomplish the tasks at hand

-- BlueJeanUser? - 14 Jan 2010 - 16:47

I want to keep on remembering that I am a servant.

-- BlueJeanUser? - 14 Jan 2010 - 16:47

coaching

-- BlueJeanUser? - 14 Jan 2010 - 16:47

being able to ask better questions to allow the team to get to root cause

-- BlueJeanUser? - 14 Jan 2010 - 16:48

coaching others to be servant leaders such that they can coach other servant leaders

-- BlueJeanUser? - 14 Jan 2010 - 16:48

I need to listen and not assume that I understand what the person is saying. Examine what practices I could implement to make sure I understand versus select for evidence that supports the opinions I already hold.

-- BlueJeanUser? - 14 Jan 2010 - 16:48

Comuncation, Willingness to lsten opposing opinions

-- BlueJeanUser? - 14 Jan 2010 - 16:49

I need to listen more and be more team oriented

-- BlueJeanUser? - 14 Jan 2010 - 16:49

Do not try to control others, always present myself, ask question

-- BlueJeanUser? - 14 Jan 2010 - 16:49

Undersatnd cause of problems not symptoms

-- BlueJeanUser? - 14 Jan 2010 - 16:50

I need to be a better listener. I am always quick to solve the problem, even before I have really identified a root cause to fix.

-- BlueJeanUser? - 14 Jan 2010 - 16:50

I would like more education on how to coach others. I have a desire to coach, but don't really feel I have very good strategies or methods or knowledge thereof, in order to actually be n effective coach.

-- BlueJeanUser? - 14 Jan 2010 - 16:50

Ability to unleash creativity and energy in others!!

-- BlueJeanUser? - 14 Jan 2010 - 16:51

Mentoring others is a skill that I have to improve. I look a bit too much to get the job done rather than helping others around me.

-- BlueJeanUser? - 14 Jan 2010 - 16:51

Communicating my ideas and stepping up to do more coaching when necessary

-- BlueJeanUser? - 14 Jan 2010 - 16:51

For team members to request more assistance at times

-- BlueJeanUser? - 14 Jan 2010 - 16:51

Developing colleagues

-- BlueJeanUser? - 14 Jan 2010 - 16:51

-- BlueJeanUser? - 14 Jan 2010 - 16:52

Be humble whenever we involve in a meeting, we always can learn from others if we like to listen instead of trying to provide answer.

-- BlueJeanUser? - 14 Jan 2010 - 16:53

listen more

learn good coaching techniques

remove ego

-- BlueJeanUser? - 14 Jan 2010 - 16:53

Listening more carefully.

Helping others.

To be able to make a win-win decision (for costumers and company)

-- BlueJeanUser? - 14 Jan 2010 - 16:54

Try to be more patient and accepting; give others more time to speak and listen when they do; work on my pleasantries

-- BlueJeanUser? - 14 Jan 2010 - 16:54

I would like to be a better listener and be more patient. I would also like to get better at giving appropriate and timely responses to problems.

-- BlueJeanUser? - 14 Jan 2010 - 16:54

Learn where the opportunities to serve in Blue Collar Objects are and be that person to make a difference.

-- BlueJeanUser? - 14 Jan 2010 - 16:56

Have a personal goal (short and long term)

-- BlueJeanUser? - 14 Jan 2010 - 16:58

What change in your team environment would you make to encourage servant leadership behavior in every member of the team

Participate. Fearlessly. Encourage. Help. Ask. Learn.

-- BlueJeanUser? - 14 Jan 2010 - 16:45

try to figure out how to enhance respectful behavior amongst team members

-- BlueJeanUser? - 14 Jan 2010 - 16:47

Always use positive, encourging attitude toward your folks

-- BlueJeanUser? - 14 Jan 2010 - 16:47

To take owership of items produced, think ahead of how it will be used, etc...rather than task completion being the end of the interest.

-- BlueJeanUser? - 14 Jan 2010 - 16:48

I would like to see everyone participate and no one specific person dominate a group

-- BlueJeanUser? - 14 Jan 2010 - 16:48

Every team member needs to step up and be more involved.

-- BlueJeanUser? - 14 Jan 2010 - 16:48

Respect folks with different culture background.

-- BlueJeanUser? - 14 Jan 2010 - 16:48

Be the change, always lead, be ready to do the job, be flexible, be well rounded. Most important of all, don't make excuses.

-- BlueJeanUser? - 14 Jan 2010 - 16:49

coach the concept of self-awareness

-- BlueJeanUser? - 14 Jan 2010 - 16:49

Having everyone in the company be receptive to accepting the servant leadership model as one worth emulating.

-- BlueJeanUser? - 14 Jan 2010 - 16:49

More face time.

-- BlueJeanUser? - 14 Jan 2010 - 16:49

Use the phrase "Now that's servant leadership." (wikitopics, verbally, email, blogs, anywhere anyhow) when someone's behavior fits the bill. Its like a kudos that might serve to further imprint the service leadership idea.

-- BlueJeanUser? - 14 Jan 2010 - 16:50

Be fair to everyone.

-- BlueJeanUser? - 14 Jan 2010 - 16:50

don't allow non-specific criticism, especially that does not specify a person's behavior that is having a positive/negative impact on the team immediately

-- BlueJeanUser? - 14 Jan 2010 - 16:50

Acknowledge effort that is being put out. Being right or first, or already knowing something might be accurate, but not important for achieving a goal.

-- BlueJeanUser? - 14 Jan 2010 - 16:51

In our daily standup, make the time more productive by having discussions and encouraging communication. Encourage more introverted team members to participate and state their opinions.

-- BlueJeanUser? - 14 Jan 2010 - 16:52

More team discussions and communication, not only during the daily stand-ups.

-- BlueJeanUser? - 14 Jan 2010 - 16:52

Don't know but would love to figure out how to have team members embrace conflict as a necessary and beautiful part of the creativity explosion process vs. viewing as a defect in the team chemistry to avoid like the plague.

-- BlueJeanUser? - 14 Jan 2010 - 16:53

We have the environment...we just need to keep each other aware of the Key Practices and mentor participation.

-- BlueJeanUser? - 14 Jan 2010 - 16:54

Have a strategy to confront / interrupt a team member who has stopped listening to other team members and is simply in attack mode on a teleconference. Something like the talking stick would be good but that's hard to do on a teleconference. Some way to make everyone feel like they can be heard and have equal time. This would help team members to listen to one another as well an "releasing their energy".

-- BlueJeanUser? - 14 Jan 2010 - 16:54

Need to emphasize that delegating does not equal to coaching.

-- BlueJeanUser? - 14 Jan 2010 - 16:54

The goal oriented focus and power model needs to be minimized. Using a servant model will bring out creativity and productivity.

-- BlueJeanUser? - 14 Jan 2010 - 16:55

Become better question-askers and listeners.

-- BlueJeanUser? - 14 Jan 2010 - 16:56

ask more questions instead of giving answers

Look for the positive in team members and celebrate them

-- BlueJeanUser? - 14 Jan 2010 - 16:57

Try helping bozos who ask for help

-- BlueJeanUser? - 14 Jan 2010 - 16:58

Remove the pessimism, cronyism and stress. Encourage empowerment, trust and recognition.

-- BlueJeanUser? - 14 Jan 2010 - 16:58

Convince the team that we are self-organized, not boss-organized; and get the entire team behaving accordingly

-- BlueJeanUser? - 14 Jan 2010 - 16:59

LESS FACE TIME!!

-- BlueJeanUser? - 14 Jan 2010 - 17:17

General Discussion

Not necessarily related to servant leadership, one idea that was mentioned, that might be worth pursuing is having employees do internal education classes. at one point a while back we had the notion of brown bag seminars. Might be something we want to consider doing in the future.	BlueJeanUser?	14 Jan 2010 - 17:24
A little surprised that much of the presentation was almost entirely Blue Collar Objects driven. This turned out to be a useful, but the extent to which our internal discussions were our own ideas was unexpected.	BlueJeanUser?	14 Jan 2010 - 17:02
	BlueJeanUser?	14 Jan 2010 - 17:01
Suggestion for Blue Collar: having a more concrete coaching/training class	BlueJeanUser?	14 Jan 2010 - 17:00
Eric is a bozo	BlueJeanUser?	14 Jan 2010 - 16:54
test	BlueJeanUser?	14 Jan 2010 - 16:44
bozo	SolomonThompson	14 Jan 2010 - 16:42