Leading High Performance Teams

This subject has the following teaching availabilities in 2015:

80 hours total

Undergraduate degree with five years’ workplace experience or 10+ years of professional experience

For the purposes of considering requests for Reasonable Adjustments under the Disability Standards for Education (Cwth 2005), and Students Experiencing Academic Disadvantage Policy, academic requirements for this subject are articulated in the Subject Overview, Objectives, Assessment and Generic Skills sections of this entry.

It is University policy to take all reasonable steps to minimise the impact of disability upon academic study, and reasonable adjustments will be made to enhance a student's participation in the University's programs. Students who feel their disability may impact on meeting the requirements of this subject are encouraged to discuss this matter with a Faculty Student Adviser and the Disability Liaison Unit:
http://www.services.unimelb.edu.au/disability/

Leading High Performance Teams is a practical, two-day course that develops the skills required to drive team performance. The subject has an intervention design with a full-day facilitated workshop, a four-week intervention period and a second full-day workshop. This spacing allows participants to reflect on what they have learned and put the learning into practice. There are also pre-course readings and leadership assessments to prepare participants, provide meaningful insights and build a base of relevant knowledge. Although the course involves only two days face-to-face, the individual experience is a genuine leadership journey.

The subject covers the skills and tools that facilitate team performance. What is your interpersonal style? What issues could this cause? How do you manage teams as they progress through the stages of team life? How do you have conversations with team members, actively listen, provide support and coach them? How can you better understand your team members so you can motivate them to work with you? The course focuses on learning through doing and following activities with reflection. Every lesson leads to an actionable learning that makes a difference.

The subject is structured as follows:

a) Two weeks’ preparation: pre-readings, interview with supervisor, FIRO-B online diagnostic, ‘challenging scenario at work’ personal case study

b) All-day facilitated workshop covering:
- Understanding self and others
- Workplace communication
- Understanding how teams work (part 1)

c) Four-week intervention period: additional readings, application of new knowledge / skills approaches to personal case study, application of team learning styles questionnaire, reflective journal, connect with ‘accountability partner’

d) All-day facilitated workshop covering:
- Leadership perspectives
- Workplace challenges
- Understanding how teams work (part 2)
- Putting it all together

e) Post-program reflective assessment

On successful completion of this subject, students should be able to:

• Understand personal leadership and communication styles (FIRO-B)
• Demonstrate effective communication skills
• Understand how high-performance teams are structured, led, and ‘work’
• Understand the development needs of others
• Demonstrate effective coaching (GROW model)
• Understand how to measure effectiveness of self and team

• Pre-workshop interview with supervisor, due before the first workshop (10%);
• Personal case study and corresponding write-up (500 words), due before the first workshop (10%);
• Effective participation and engagement in 45 minute group coaching through ‘difficult conversations’ role play, due in the workshops (20%);
• Reflective paper on intervention and general classroom material (1500 words), due at the end of the assessment period (60%).

Hurdle requirement: completion of online FIRO-B 45-minute self-assessment, prior to the first workshop

Goleman, D. (2000). ‘Leadership That Gets Results.’ Harvard Business Review, Vol. 78 Issue 2, p78-90.

Gentry, WAB. (2014). ‘It’s not about me. It’s me & you.’ Centre for Creative Leadership Transitioning into Leadership Series, Vol. 1 Issue 1.

Gorgenyi, I. (1998). ‘Hunting Territory.’ Sports Coach, Summer, pp 18-21.

This subject is not available as a breadth subject.

On successful completion of this subject students should have enhanced their skills in:

• Problem-solving
• The ability to work as an effective team member and team leader
• Confidently meeting complex (relational) problems multiple ways
• Communication, both verbal and non-verbal
• The ability to plan own work, as well as that of their team(s)