Leveraging Behavioural Diversity

© Arthur Shelley 2010 under Creative Commons License. Available for public use provided source is

acknowledged. Permission of the author required for commercial use.

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Behavioural Innovations to leverage knowledge and enhance productivity

Arthur ShelleySeptember 17, 2010



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Desired Outcomes Increase awareness of behavioural interactions and their impact

Develop understanding of how behaviour affects performance

Align behaviours and relationships based to new directions

Enhance collaboration through constructive conversations

Understand which behaviours motivate office professionals

Enjoy having some fun together



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Behaviour drives Performance

Shelley (2009) Being a Successful Knowledge Leader



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Reflective Impact Diary



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Do you know the outcomes you seek?



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Metaphor enables behaviour enhancement



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Table Talk: Zoo Character CardsWhat behaviours are in your team?

Intuitive & collaborative,

NOT analytical and competitive

Reflections:

Which are dominant and passive?

How does this form our culture?

What impact on trust, relationships and performance?



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Table Talk: Zoo Character CardsKnowledge Manager’s Profile



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All behaviours have a niche

Not right and wrong behaviours but there are misplaced behaviours

Target right animal in the right context to get the optimal outcome

Change animals consciously & proactively rather than subconsciously in reaction



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Choose your ANIMALS appropriatelyBehaviour is YOUR choice

The more versatile you can be and the better you understand and relate to others, the more successful you will be.



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Reflections?

How can I use this to

motivate?

Could this help Jill understand?

Cool, we’re gonna have fun

with this!

Tell me what to do

next.

What a load of

rubbish!

Now I see how to control Fred.



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Understand your Stakeholder Behaviours

Shelley (2009)



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Stakeholder Behavioural Assessment



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Behavioural Diversity and Matching



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Zoo Metaphor for Team BuildingTeam dynamics assessmentWhat does your team look like?Do you have the right balance of behaviours to deliver?



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Zoo Role Play: Cards exercise

1. Set out a role play sequence

2. Think about the behavioural characteristics

3. Write the most probable interaction

4. Write at least two alternative outcomes

5. Write a title which reflects each outcome

6. Act out the role play with your partner

Think about body language and tone

What most impacted the (un)desired outcome

What can be learnt from your mini-play?

!

?

?

?



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Strength in Diversity Roles and Individual Behaviours

Belbin Role Typical Traits Potential Weakness Zoo Character

Chairman Calm, self confident, controlled.Welcomes all contributors on merit without prejudice. Strong sense of objectives.

Not necessarily highly creative or intellectual.

Eagle or Owl

Shaper Highly strung, outgoing, dynamic.Drive and ready to challenge inertia, ineffectiveness, complacency or self-deception.

Prone to provocation, irritation and impatience.

Lion or Hyena

Company Worker

Conservative, dutiful, predictable.Organising ability, practical common sense, hard working, self discipline

Lack of flexibility, unresponsive to unproven ideas.

Dog or Triceratops

Plant Individualistic, serious-minded, unorthodox. Genius, imagination, intellect, knowledgeable.

In the clouds, inclined to disregard practical details.

Whale or Yak

Note: Combination of Characters from The Organizational Zoo with Team Roles defined by Belbin, R.M. in Management Teams, 2nd Ed 2004. Elsevier.



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Strength in Diversity Roles and Individual Behaviours

Belbin Role Typical Traits Potential Weakness Zoo Character

Resource Investigator

Extroverted, enthusiastic, curious, communicative. Connecting people and exploring anything new. Respond to challenge.

Over Optimistic. Liable to lose interest once initial fascination passed.

Gibbon or Bee

Monitor Evaluator

Sober, unemotional, prudent.Judgement, discretion, hard-headedness

Lacks inspiration or the ability to motivate others.

Feline? Triceratops

Team Worker Socially orientated, rather mild, sensitive.Ability to respond to people and situations and to promote team spirit.

Indecisive in moments of crisis

Gibbon, Bee, Dog or Kid (depending)

Completer Finisher

Painstaking, orderly, conscientious, anxious. Capacity to follow-through. Perfectionism.

Tendency to worry about small things. Reluctance to let go.

Mouse, Jackal or Ant

Note: Combination of Characters from The Organizational Zoo with Team Roles defined by Belbin, R.M. in Management Teams, 2nd Ed 2004. Elsevier.



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What impacts is behaviour having on your team?

Importance of open questions to solicit trusting conversations

Importance of reflection to link behaviour to performance

Power of shared stories to engage and share



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Leverage Behavioural Diversity

It is not the strongest of the species that survives, not the most intelligent, but the one most responsive to change.

Charles Darwin It is impossible for individuals to be expert in all fields

Successful leaders leverage the total capabilities and behaviours of their whole team (or entire networks) to influence them to align actions with their goals

Effective collaboration has been proven to work when the relationships and the environment are right and people are open to each others ideas



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Behavioural Truths

Why do we move mountains for those we trust …and put them in the paths of those we don’t?

Relationships require willing, trust, challenge and conscious decisions …they do not (effectively) happen by osmosis.



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1. Understand your Zoo Dynamics

Understand your Organizational Zoo and how your team benefits the creatures within - from their perspective (alignment)



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2. Understand your team dynamics

Understand your team subculture and how they benefit the organisation - from their perspective



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3. Create the right environment

Understand how to match business stakeholders to team members based on behavioural compatibility



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Which animal am I?

Wrong question!

How many can you be?

Need to be the right character in context to get the desired outcomes!Free on-line profilewww.organizationalzoo.com

http://www.organizationalzoo.com/



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Do What?

With Whom

By When WHYWhat benefit

Share concepts of this presentation

Mary Thurs Help Mary achieve

Facilitate potential improvements dialogue

Fred DD/MM/YY Productivity

Create a risk register for the business change initiatives

Margaret (for the CHRO)

June Team meeting

Improve alignment with business goals

Focus on Small SMART Objectives and early wins for credibility

Save the planet By myself Yesterday ‘cause I’m good!

Commit to Improve PerformanceWrite down Three Actions you will perform as a result of this workshop



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Contact and Services

Arthur [email protected]

FREE behavioural profilewww.organizationalzoo.com

Consulting and mentoringwww.intelligentanswers.com.au

Ph +61 413 047 408 Tweeting as Metaphorage

mailto:[email protected]

http://www.organizationalzoo.com/

http://www.intelligentanswers.com.au/

Leveraging Behavioural Diversity

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