# Presentation: 847244

## Our Positive Role

**Jeffrey Schmitt**
**Cooperative Resolution Program**

##     Understand our positive influence and impact on the efficiency of our teams

**  ****PURPOSE**

## CHARACTERISITICS OF A GOOD TEAM

- Shared goals
- Defined roles
- Relaxed climate for communication
- Mutual trust
- Capacity to create

## APPRECIATION OF DIFFERENCES

-            Backgrounds
-            Education
-            Understandings/Perceptions
-            Styles

## QUALITIES OF DIFFERENT STYLES

- No positive or negative values attached
- Neither wrong nor right, good or bad
- Can be a source of strength when understood
- Can be a source of frustration when underappreciated or misperceived

## CREATE A RELAXED ENVIRONMENT

- Effective listening and responding skills allows for:
- Sharing of information
- Checking for understanding
- Building trustworthy relationships
- Validating their feelings

## BEHAVIORS THAT ENHANCE ACTIVE LISTENING

- Attending/Maintaining eye contact
- Getting in touch with feelings
-   “You sound frustrated”
-   “It sounds as if you had a tough time.”
- Paraphrasing (use your own words to summarize)
- Refrain from passing judgment/giving advice

## BEHAVIORS THAT ENHANCE ACTIVE LISTENING

- Asking open-ended questions to gain understanding
- “How do you feel about that?”
- “Can you tell me more?”
- Using an inviting tone of voice
- Prompting further input with non-verbal nods and neutral remarks such as “Oh” and “Uh-huh.”

## RESPONDING TO INPUT

- Concur or agree
- Non-concur or disagree
- Concur or agree with concerns or reservations
- Piggybacking on ideas

## BELIEVE IN YOURSELF

- Positive attitude
- You can make a difference
- Possibilities are endless if you don’t provide yourself excuses
- Don’t be critical of others for we all make mistakes

## TEAM PROCESS

- Forming
- Storming
- Norming
- Performing

## TEAM PROCESS

- Forming
- 	Roles, rules, expectations, boundaries are  clearly defined
- 	Commitment and clarity is gained regarding the team purpose and the performing goals

## TEAM PROCESS

- Storming
- 	Giving everyone and opportunity to provide his/her input.  Be open-minded, not judgmental.  Practice active listening skills.  Understand differences and mange them in a productive fashion.  See those moments as opportunities to learn.

## TEAM PROCESS

- Norming
- 	Team examines existing operating procedures/rules and modifies them where appropriate.

## TEAM PROCESS

- Performing
- 	Members are interdependent, holding each other accountable.
- 	Issues will arise.  In a trusting environment, it is okay to disagree and to know that they will be listened to and their views respected.  There can’t be any hidden agendas.

## Make it Safe

- Apologize for your role in causing/not preventing pain or difficulty when appropriate
- Contrast to fix misunderstandings
- Create mutual purpose

**Notes:**
1.  Apologize if you feel that you violated respect.

## STATE My Path

- Sharing risky meaning
- Express your views in ways that maintain or build safety.

**Notes:**
Others don’t make you mad, YOU make you mad.

Engaging in a difficult conversation without talking about feelings is like staging an opera without music.

## Sharing Risky Meaning

**	****	****	****S**hare your facts
**	****	****	****T**ell your story
**	****	****	****A**sk for others’ paths
**	****	****	****T**alk tentatively
**	****	****	****E**ncourage testing

## CONTRASTING

- Imagine what others might erroneously conclude
- Immediately explain that this is what you _don’t_ mean
- Explain what you _do_ mean

**Notes:**
*Exercise to formulate contrasting statements, p. 81 V
If you suspect that the other person is going to feel offended or defensive prepare the ground by explaining what you don’t and do mean

How might they feel disrespected?  If you bring up a quality problem, the other person may believe that you think that he or she may be unskilled in general.  You’ve noticed a problem and the other person prepares for the worst before you can finish your thought.  When we are put on the defense, don’t we begin to formulate a response before we hear all of what is being said?

  It addresses misunderstandings that could put safety at risk

Once safety is protected or reestablished, the do statement clarifies your real meaning or intent. 

Contrasting is not apologizing; ensuring what we said didn’t hurt more than it should.

________________________________________________________________________________________
Me:  “I am sorry, I don’t want it to seem like I am accusing you of not being fair, I just want you to understand my concerns about what I feel I have been contributing.” 

## WHEN CONFLICT ARISES IN A GROUP SETTING

_**Don't**_ violate privacy by masking a public performance review with inappropriate humor. "Well, look who just arrived. Forget how to find the meeting room?"
_**Don't**_ deal with individual problems by chastising the entire group. The guilty may miss the fact that they're the targets of your comments, and the innocent may resent the fact that they're being thrown in with the guilty.
_**Do**_ hold the conversation or confrontation in private.

## Slide 23

## COMPONENTS OF EFFECTIVE COMMUNICATION

**Active Listening**
**Asking Questions**
**Paraphrasing**
**Providing Feedback**
**Empathy**

## 10 Qualities That Make a Winner

- Positive
-      attitude
- 2. Enthusiasm
- 3. Determined
- 4. Motivated
- 5. Confident

-  6. Optimistic
-  7.  Dedicated
-  8.  Happy
-  9.  Good Listener
- 10. Patient

## FOR INFORMATION ON THE PROGRAM

-   Please visit our web site
- www.afm.ars.usda.gov/programs/coopres
- or contact us
- Patricia Frick 301-504-1450
- Jeff Schmitt   301-504-1352

## Patricia Frick   301-504-1450
Jeff Schmitt      301-504-1352

**Jeff Schmitt      301-504-1352**