BizBatt Leader Training - Recently Updated Pages

LEADERSHIP BOOKS/WRITING

SpartanTrainer — Wed, 10 Oct 2007 17:08:27 CDT

On our leadership and business reading list is:
(ALSO! see attached white papers at the bottom of this page)
A Message to Garcia- Hubbard
First Break All the Rules- Buckingham/Coffman
Execution- Bossidy/Charan
Lincoln on Leadership- Phillips
The Tipping Point- Gladwell
Ender's Game- Card
The Sales Manager's Handbook- Ellers
Good to Great- Collins
Wikinomics- Tapscott/Williams

Add to this list, with a brief explanation, if you would.

1. Here is a great read....Harvard Business Review, March 2005. What Great Managers Do. By Marcus Buckingham. Here is the link to the newest issue http://harvardbusinessonline.hbsp.harvard.edu/hbsp/index.jsp?_requestid=1910. you are on your own after that, it is a paid subscription.

pat lincoln

2. Here's a link to the text of "Message to Garcia:" http://www.birdsnest.com/garcia.htm If you want to read Rowan's (the man who delivered the message) version of the story, go to http://www.foundationsmag.com/rowan.html
EarthPig

3. GOOGLE and read about John ("40 second") Boyd's OODA Loop...it is not as heralded as Deming's PDCA: PLAN-DO-CHECK-ACT, but makes good sense in the business world, the athletics world and of course the military world. OODA stands for Observe, Orient, Decide, Act..it is intended to break down the intuitive process of driving the fight. Take and keep the offensive by orienting and acting quicker, thus keeping your adversary in the OBSERVATION "O" of the OODA loop. There is not a terrible amount of information out there on Boyd or the OODA Loop, but it is a worthwhile philosophy to embrace and project. This is especially helpful and germane to product and retail sales battlefields that are out there today...Target v WalMart, McDonalds v BK, AE v AF, Coke v Pepsi...etc. OODA Loop gives more depth to the MOOSEMUSS principle of war (GOOGLE that, too...MOOSEMUSS): OFFENSIVE. Look it up.
SpartanTrainer

4. See the white papers and articles attached below and saved in pdf format.
Boom

5. Check out BizBatt's blog...not attended to quite enough, but there is still some pretty good stuff on it. It is called When the Smoke Clears URL= www.businessbattlefield.blogspot.com
Boom

6. Michael Porter's Competitive Strategy is concerned with leadership as such; however, it offers a compelling framework with which business leaders can analyze their competitive situations. I found it an outstanding bridge between my USMC experience and the business world.
EarthPig

7.To align with the Earthen Piglet....see this "Nickols on Porter" weblink http://home.att.net/~nickols/competitive_strategy_basics.htm
Boom-let

8. A good book on STRATEGY, both for business and the military:
Winning in Fast Time by John Warden
SparTrx

9. Suggest one to Google MOOSEMUSS, as I mentioned earlier, and read about it. Interesting blog entries using the term. Stands for the 9 Principles of War...which have robust non-military application, as well. Here they are:
Mass, Objective, Offensive, Security, Economy of Force, Maneuver, Unity of Command, Surprise, Simplicity
SparTrx

10. Strategic Navigation by Dettmer Good reference book for strategic development
C-board

11. Groups Perform Better Than the Best Individuals

Working with a group or team will enhance the problem solving ability of organisations. This article from the Journal of Personality and Social Psychology is confirming this. The article also claims that the optimum group size is 3. A further increase of the number of participants of a group is not further increasing the problem solving capability. Here are the conclusions of this study: link to article

12. OODA Loop and Fast Company
To read more reference mat'l on the venerable John Boyd and his OODA Loop...here is Fast Company on the OODA Loop...
Enjoy and let it inspire...anybody can do it!
SparTrx

LEADERSHIP EXERCISES or SIMULATIONS

BoomDaniel — Wed, 03 Oct 2007 08:46:22 CDT

BizBatt has employed the FLL or Field Leadership Lab as an extremely successful means to accelerate the discovery of leader, team and execution issues and then as a useful means for the testing and observation of leader and team actions/reactions to addressing those issues.

What else have you seen work?

1. Okay- I will show you mine first if you show me yours next...here is an effective exercise that sets the foundation for follow on discussions and exercises and a "way of working" together on a go-forward basis...we call it the SCARLET and GOLD Exercise
SITUATION: Teamwork and the bias toward team accomplishment are sometimes contradictory. INTENT: Developmental Objectives: +Reinforce the concept of total team accomplishment +Test the trust required for longer term team success +Identify those things that are hindering trust, and thus cooperation, within the operational construct of the organization +Identify enablers of trust and cooperation
MISSION: Exercise Objectives: +Working within the team, accrue as many total points as possible +Exercise group decision making +Exercise team execution This game will exercise a team’s decision-making capability. It will test their focus on goals, their definition of the definition of success. The object of the game is to accrue as many total points as possible for the team. IMPORTANT CONCEPT: The TEAM is the entirety of the meeting participants, the TEAM will be broken into 4 GROUPS and will be referred to as such. The facilitator should not draw attention to the difference between the TEAM and the GROUP monikers. This will compromise the results of the exercise. This will be briefed to all four groups together. The REAL objective of the game is to accrue as many total team points (Hornet + Prowler + Cobra + Harrier) as possible. This may not (and probably won’t) be obvious to the participants. They will be inclined to earn as many group points as they can, while trying to defeat other groups (NOT REALIZING THAT THEY ARE ALL PART OF THE SAME TEAM). Briefly, their object is to win. Debrief points will be drawn out of this exercise, i.e.-“win, yes-but at what cost?” “What might be a scarlet card in your organization? What might be a gold one?” “You won, but did your team?”
PLAN: The execution of this exercise will be as such: 4 groups Name groups as such: Hornet, Harrier, Cobra, Prowler (or whatever makes sense) Place each group in opposing corners of a room Hornet will interact with Cobra Prowler will interact with Harrier Hornet Prowler SWAP AREA
Harrier Cobra Each group will start the game with 4 scarlet cards and 4 gold cards Each group will be given and envelope Each group will have 3 minutes to internally negotiate their swap The swap is executed in the swap area in the middle of the room with a card in the envelope...trade envelopes. This hides the card. Harrier will swap with Prowler Hornet will swap with Cobra There will be four swap opportunities Points will be associated with each swap, point value is listed below The first three swaps will be blind swaps (no negotiation with the other group), the cards are passed in the envelopes in the swap area The last swap will be a negotiated swap. (first in the swap area and then go back to group to discuss strategy, then make the swap) A scoreboard will be kept up to date for all to see the status of the groups’ points
Point values Give Receive Gold Gold +15 Gold Scarlet -15 Scarlet Gold +25 Scarlet Scarlet -25 Maximum total points possible for each group= +60 (each group give and receive gold 15x4=60) This can only be done if each group gives a gold card each time.
Example Swap # 1 Hornet gives scarlet, Cobra gives gold (Hornet +25/Cobra -15) Prowler gives gold, Harrier gives gold (Prowler +15/Harrier +15) 2 Ho g gold, Co g scarlet Ho -15/Co+25 Pr g Scarlet, Har g gold Pr +25/Har -15 3 Ho g gold, Co g gold Ho +15/Co +15 Pr g gold, Ha g Scarlet Pr -15/Ha +25 4 Ho g Scarlet, Co g Scarlet Ho -25/Co -25 Pr g gold, Ha g gold Pr +15/Ha +15 Hornet Cobra Prowler Harrier

1	+25	-15	+15	+15
2	-15	+25	+25	-15
3	+15	+15	-15	+25
4	-25	-25	+15	+15
T	0	0	+40	+40

Total = 80 of possible 240 Learning (low-hanging fruit from the debrief) points: +Yes, internally, your groups did well, Prowler and Harrier, but how did your colleague groups do? +What is the team? If one part of the company does well, and another sucks wind, who wins and who loses? +Can you identify the scarlet cards in your organization? (lots of facilitation encouraged here) +The gold cards? +What are you going to do differently on Monday AM to erase the scarlet cards in your company? +How will you increase your gold card opportunities?
LOGISTICS: Required equipment: +Flip chart, markers and easel +4 envelopes (manila preferred) +4 sets of cards (1 set= 4 scarlet/red cards, 4 gold/yellow cards)
EXTRAS:

Questions or other ideas and exercises?
SpartanTrainer

2. LESSONS LEARNED SYSTEM
Here is a real-world (unclassified) application of a Lessons Learned System (central repository of debriefs/After Action Reports) that makes so much sense.

In this case a MCCLL (Marine Corps Center for Lessons Learned) "newsletter" called a "QUICKLOOK REPORT" to spread the latest lessons learned. As you can tell, the lessons learned below are not terribly technical, groundbreaking or even seemingly profound, but the value in the PUSHING of this information out to those who may use it is key. This reminds the end-users of the resource's existence and that it is continuously updated. It gives credence to the data that has been input, thus inspiring the participation of more contributors and users...it gives depth. In crimson below is the report...very short, it is truncated for illustration's sake:
MARINE CORPS CENTER FOR LESSONS LEARNED (MCCLL) QUICK LOOK
UNCLAS
Among key recommendations highlighted in a MCCLL Quick Look report: . The IRR should have access to the same types of equipment in sufficient
numbers for training purposes that they will employ in theater.
. Driver training should address conditions similar to those encountered in
theater.
. Combat weapons handling, crew served weapons, and Combat Lifesaver
training should be available for all Marines and attached Sailors.
. Mobilizing reserves should receive the same ammunition and logistical
support as active duty units.
. Last minute personnel joins (for both active and reserve units during and
after training) detract from the effectiveness of the training and the
cohesiveness of the unit. Stabilization of the unit should occur prior to
commencing pre-deployment training.
. It is especially important that IRRs filling billets at the battalion
level be assigned to their deployment billets as soon as possible after
arrival at the gaining force command to maximize the benefits of
pre-deployment training events.
UNCLAS
My thought? Perpetuate the mindset of process optimization with your own LLS. Proactively create an LLS, and then creatively, actively PUSH the lessons-learned back to the business keeping them aware, well-honed and read-in to what is working and what is not.
sf, Boom

3. MANAGING A SESSION: TRAINING NOTES
I have found that having a participants' "mission briefing card" prepared and distributed for meetings and training sessions helps to keep the meeting on track and gives it an air of "no-nonsense." If designed properly, it also provides a handy resource for notes and is easily stored in a project folder. The briefing card can easily be constructed via one 8.5x11 cardstock sheet folded in half (like a booklet). Now you automatically have 4 sheets.

Included should be the mission's (meeting/training) objectives, expectations, quick "code of conduct", administrative considerations, session agenda, and a very basic breakdown (with plenty of blank space for notes) of each major component of the meeting. There should also be a place to record DEBRIEF or AFTER ACTION items. This handy and now easily personalized micro-notebook is a perfect take away for training and meetings.

SpartanTrainer

4. SME's
The old saw: "the best way to learn is to teach" is true. Many things for employees (all members of a team) to learn.

Assign SME's (subject matter experts) within the organization. Haveeach SME give a presentation once/quarter at a training event in order to share their knowledge with the rest of the team/organization. Many ways to do this. The important thing is that the SME develop their credibility and presentation skills and knowledge (not necessarily in that order) and that they make the entire group collectively smarter; tighter as a team all the while. The training office need not be the holder of all learning...the training office must make sure that all learn and develop and there are MANY dimensions to develop, other than product or process knowledge.
Checkerboard's $0.02.

5.STORY/Vignette from QUALITY DIGEST October 2007 issue. By Carey Wilson.

On July, 2007, 60 newly hired analysts and associates from the international bank, BNP Paribas, kicked off a five-week leadership course designed to train businesspeople to execute actions with improved discipline and to develop their personal style of empowered leadership. Led by Business Battlefield, a leadership-training and consultancy company made up of former U.S. Marines, the “Analysts and Associates Training Program” or “AATP 2007” teaches leadership by way of military-style field maneuvers

One scenario-driven exercise was the “field leadership lab.” BNPP Green and White teams were given an open-ended problem: “Using only your collective wits and equipment provided by BizBatt and requested by you through your staff planning exercise, you will locate and retrieve material lost in New Jersey’s Wawayanda State Park in 18-20 satellite-
identified areas. Solve any problems you encounter along the way, stay together as a team, and utilize all team members and their skills. And do it faster than your competing AATP (White/Green) company.”

Because the teams were given a limited budget, they were forced to prioritize, improvise, and innovate to create an executable plan. By the end of their orientation conference, both Green and White teams had devised specific, measurable, achievable, relevant, and time-bound plans.

The next day company leaders assembled their teams and began the mission. Due to the rugged, heavily wooded terrain, radio communication was challenging. Alternative means of communication were required as teams endeavored to work together in a situation where their goals were aligned and urgent: The more efficiently they could accomplish their individual tasks and incorporate them into the team’s execution, the quicker they would get the job done, and the less time they would have to spend hot, tired, and sweaty.

At the end of their field training, each AATP participant had navigated more than four miles of tough terrain while reacting to unpredictable situations. To tie it all together, the Business Battlefield Marines demonstrated the usefulness of debriefing to accelerate learning for all participants, and to highlight the real-world application of the exercise’s lessons.

“Our goal was to help train BNP’s future leaders by identifying and accentuating leadership and teamwork opportunities. Typically, we accomplish this by delivering team decision-making exercises, open-forum discussions, and energetic competitions. And then we debrief the activity to help them close the loop,” explains Matt Daniel, Business Battlefield’s founder and president.

Boom sends.

SUCCESS STORIES

SpartanTrainer — Fri, 21 Sep 2007 11:13:15 CDT

Here is a success story...please leave your own (story) behind so that we all may learn and develop from your experience.
A
BANKERS AND MARINES TRAIN, IMPROVE and CELEBRATE VICTORY 07 August 2007 Coopersburg PA On 11 and 12 July, about an hour northwest of New York City at the Crystal Springs Resort in Vernon NJ, 60 newly hired Analysts and Associates from international bank, BNP Paribas, kicked off their 5-week “Analysts and Associates Training Program” or “AATP 2007”. Barbara Kroin, the bank’s Director of Learning and Development, is responsible for the conduct of the program. When asked about the history of the program, Kroin offered, “The AATP is in its third year with the class of 2007. It gets better every year.” Focused on teaching the participants about the bank’s products and culture, the program also demonstrates the importance of building relationships and working as a team. “We want to make sure these future leaders are prepared and tested in an environment where it is safe to learn, safe to take informed risks,” replied Kroin when asked about her employee development philosophy. “We take them out of their comfort zones and put them into situations where they will be required to analyze the current state, make decisions, solve problems and share best practices. That way they learn together while they build lasting relationships,” added Kroin. In order to pull the participants out of their comfort zones, Kroin and her staff called on the Marines from Business Battlefield Inc to kick off the orientation week of AATP 2007. To answer the call, Business Battlefield designed and conducted 2 days of challenging experiential training activities. These activities tested the participants and identified and accentuated leadership and teamwork opportunities through team decision-making exercises, open-forum discussions and energetic competitions. Physically, the participants were challenged in a field environment (Wawayanda State Park, NJ) where they were required to accomplish multiple tasks while continually cross-functionalizing and cross-communicating. At the end of their field training, each AATP participant had navigated over 4 miles of tough terrain while reacting to situations that would keep them ever-guessing and always engaged. To tie it all together, the Business Battlefield Marines demonstrated and incorporated the power of DEBRIEFING to short-cut and accelerate learning for all participants involved and to highlight the real-world application of these exercise lessons learned. When asked about the experience, AATP team leader Christian Brobst responded, ”I can't think of a more exciting, or a more fun way to introduce a group of developing professionals to the importance of teamwork, communication, and inter-reliance among the members of an organization.” And team leader Emmett Burke offered, ”The opportunity to 'go through the trenches' provided all with a better appreciation of the need to draw on peers’ strengths and competencies while gaining a better understanding of our own skill sets.” A “Victory Night” celebration capped off the two days of training. This celebration consisted of a banquet dinner that heralded the accomplishments of the AATP class up to that point. Skits, toasts, songs and stories made this an evening that the Analysts and Associates Training Program 2007 participants will never forget.
The BNP Paribas analysts and associates from the AATP 2007 class completed their 5 weeks of training and graduated on Friday August 10, 2007. Please contact Barbara Kroin, BNP Paribas Director of Learning and Development at (212) 841 3064 for questions. Alternatively, contact Matt Daniel of Business Battlefield at (610) 704 1232.

B
BizBatt just recently (last weekend) ran a Field Leadership Lab (FLL) with a local radio station's sales team. Awesome exercise. These people were great sports, good communicators, good leaders, equally good followers and adventurous carnivores. This FLL put them into situations where they were required to deviate from their plan and their expected path...keep the home office advised and in the loop, educate colleague teams that are going through like situations and dynamically change roles during the exercise. The sales staff of WODE (Nassau Broadcasting) spent approximately 3 hours in the wilderness of Pennsylvania's Pocono Mountains learning and developing skills together. After it all, we debriefed and talked about SCARLET and GOLD and the answers to these four questions as they pertain to business life:

1 WHAT AM I GOING TO STOP (doing)?
2 WHAT AM I GOING TO DO MORE OF?
3 WHAT AM I GOING TO DO BETTER?
4 WHAT AM I GOING TO START (doing)?

Then we cracked some beers and relaxed at Chez Lincoln..

What a day!

Boom sends.

C
Here's a real-life LEADERSHIP FAILURE story, if that is appropriate. The NEW YORK KNICKS (specifically Jim Dolan, Steve Mills, Frank Murphy and the ever-racist, all-ego Isiah Thomas) and the firing of front office chief: Anucha Browne Sanders and b-ball talent scouting skipper: Jeff Nix. See attached (WhatNotToDo.doc and GardenofShame.doc) published stories below.

SpaTrax

MULTI MEDIA

BoomDaniel — Fri, 21 Sep 2007 08:03:43 CDT

This is the BizBatt Leader Training Wiki's MULTI MEDIA reservoir
Drop your own favorite multi-media or pick up ours!

Click here for a couple of Audio Leadership Stories
(this may take a moment to stream and open)

Great Video that Reinforces the Need for Clear and Concise Communication

...Borrowed from Berlitz...

Amazing What You Can Learn from Geese
...Borrowed from Saatchi and Saatchi...

Real Life Teamwork in Action: HS Sports

Welcome to the Leader and Team Development Wiki

BoomDaniel — Tue, 04 Sep 2007 21:17:48 CDT

"NONE of us is as smart as ALL of us" ancient Chinese secret
Pitch Into the Fight and Contribute Your Experiences

BizBatt operational team works with Lean Sigma (OE) Master Black Belt group in Switzerland

ROCK, BOOM, SHINE and DAHMER at the Uto Kulm in Uetliburg Switzerland

Feb 2007

BizBatt Leader Training is a wiki (open source idea repository) which is intended to be a collection point for LEADER and TEAM development best ideas. We are looking for your favorite READING, WEBSITES, EXERCISES, CONCEPTS and PRACTICES that help develop and define HIGH PERFORMING LEADERS and HIGH PERFORMING TEAMS.

This wiki is for anyone who in business or in life has seen a profound and rich leader or team success or failure and is willing to share the ideas that may have been root causes. We intend to take your input or suggestions, kick the tires and test them out when appropriate. We will post any findings we have on this site.

How to Contribute:

1. Select and area of interest and click on the link:

LEADERSHIP EXERCISES or SIMULATIONS
LEADERSHIP BOOKS/WRITING
SUCCESS STORIES
MULTI MEDIA (use the "widget" icon)

2. Click the 'EasyEdit' button (above) to add content or
3. Create a new sub-page by clicking the 'add a new page' button to the right
4. Edit or add content using the EasyEdit Toolbar

GENERAL "Value of the Wiki" CONTRIBUTIONS PASTED BELOW:

1. Here is a great read....Harvard Business Review, March 2005. What Great Managers Do. By Marcus Buckingham. Here is the link to the newest issue http://harvardbusinessonline.hbsp.harvard.edu/hbsp/index.jsp?_requestid=1910. you are on your own after that, it is a paid subscription.

Pat Lincoln

2. See the value of Wikis in the book by Tapscott and Williams: Wikinomics
sf, Boom

3. Hello all (9/4/07)- Checkerboard312 here. Happy to be here, proud to serve. Hope to throw some experience into this melting pot. Fight's On!

Checkerboard

1	+25	-15	+15	+15
2	-15	+25	+25	-15
3	+15	+15	-15	+25
4	-25	-25	+15	+15
T	0	0	+40	+40

1	+25	-15	+15	+15
2	-15	+25	+25	-15
3	+15	+15	-15	+25
4	-25	-25	+15	+15
T	0	0	+40	+40

1	+25	-15	+15	+15
2	-15	+25	+25	-15
3	+15	+15	-15	+25
4	-25	-25	+15	+15
T	0	0	+40	+40