Professional Development
The Five Dysfunctions of a Team
At the 2008 Senior Management retreat, the team read Five Dysfunctions of a Team by Patrick Lencioni. This book focuses on the following dysfunctions that any team can be prone to:
- Absences of Trust
- Fear of Conflict
- Lack of Commitment
- Inattention to Results
- Avoidance of Accountability
- A trained facilitator led the managers through a discussion of the dysfunctions, and where the team could concentrate on any needed improvement.
After reading this book, the Senior Management Team took the time to identify where the opportunities for improvement were within the group. Team members worked in pairs to facilitate discussion of ways to overcome any “dysfunctions” that it has. Each of the five dysfunctions was explored in depth, as members attempted to determine if the group was subject to the specific dysfunction and worked to provide a way for the team to become stronger.
The Fred Factor
Senior managers read the book, The Fred Factor, by Mark Sanborn. It is the true story of Fred, a mail carrier, who always went the extra mile in providing customer service. A trainer reinforced the lessons learned in the book.
360-Degree Feedback Appraisal
Leadership evaluation involving a full perspective of feedback from peers, subordinates, bosses, and other constituents (i.e., customers and vendors) who are able to observe a leader's behaviors and skills (Wilson, 1997). Approximately 40 employees, supervisors and senior managers have participated in this appraisal process.
How to Think Like Leonardo da Vinci: Seven Steps to Genius Every Day
During the 2010 year the Senior Management Team read and discussed “How to Think Like Leonardo da Vinci.”
Acclaimed author Michael J. Gelb, who has helped thousands of people expand their minds to accomplish more than they ever thought possible, shows you how. Drawing on Da Vinci's notebooks, inventions, and legendary works of art, Gelb introduces Seven Da Vincian Principles—the essential elements of genius—from curiosità, the insatiably curious approach to life to connessione, the appreciation for the interconnectedness of all things. With Da Vinci as your inspiration, you will discover an exhilarating new way of thinking. And step-by-step, through exercises and provocative lessons, you will harness the power—and awesome wonder—of your own genius, mastering such life-changing abilities as:
- Problem solving
- Creative thinking
- Self-expression
- Enjoying the world around you
- Goal setting and life balance
- Harmonizing body and mind
Step-by-step, through exercises and provocative lessons, anyone can harness the power and awesome wonder of their own genius, mastering such life-changing skills as problem solving, creative thinking, self-expression, goal setting and life balance, and harmonizing body and mind.
Diversity Training
In April of 2012, Mr. Abraham Williams of the Housing Authority of Bowling Green attended a Senior Management Meeting to discuss the importance of diversity in the City of Bowling Green as well as within our workforce.
Language Access Training
To ensure that limited English proficient (LEP) constituents have equal access, the city of Bowling Green has taken a pro-active step by providing a number of services throughout all city Departments. Services include telephone interpretation, in-person interpretation, vital documents translation, and training of City employees.
Language Access training was presented to the Senior Management Team from Leyda Becker.
Good to Great – Why Some Companies Make the Leap…. And Others Don’t
Over the course of the 2012 year, the Senior Management Team read the “Good to Great” book which focuses on:
The Study: For years, this question preyed on the mind of Jim Collins. Are there companies that defy gravity and convert long-term mediocrity or worse into long-term superiority? And if so, what are the universal distinguishing characteristics that cause a company to go from good to great?
The Findings: The findings of the Good to Great study will surprise many readers and shed light on virtually every area of management strategy and practice. The findings include:
- Level 5 Leaders: The research team was shocked to discover the type of leadership required to achieve greatness.
- The Hedgehog Concept: (Simplicity within the Three Circles): To go from good to great requires transcending the curse of competence.
- A Culture of Discipline: When you combine a culture of discipline with an ethic of entrepreneurship, you get the magical alchemy of great results. Technology Accelerators: Good-to-great companies think differently about the role of technology.
- The Flywheel and the Doom Loop: Those who launch radical change programs and wrenching restructurings will almost certainly fail to make the leap.
Over the course of the year, Senior Management members took turns presenting and lecturing the material of the book and discussing ways to apply the information to government.
Ethics Training with Leslie Witty
This 4 hour course provides methods for sorting out ethical issues and resolving dilemmas by clarifying values, ethics, power, and leadership concepts, exploring perspectives on methods of solving ethics/values dilemmas and understanding ethical dilemmas/solutions in typical organizations.
Leadership Training with Jason Marshall
This four hour course presented by Leadership Strategies group works to assist employees with understanding the difference between leadership and management, how to manage conflict, to recognize the signs of leadership success, to learn the five bases of power and more.
Closing the Gap: Cultural Competence Training with Leyda Becker
Cultural competency training works to build cultural awareness, knowledge, and skills through a variety of teaching methods including direct instruction, role playing, case studies, facilitated group discussions, and technology/media.
DISC Training with Amy Tylicki
*DiSC is a personal assessment tool used to improve work productivity, teamwork and communication. DiSC is non-judgmental and helps people discuss their behavioral differences. If you participate in a DiSC program, you'll be asked to complete a series of questions that produce a detailed report about your personality and behavior. The DiSC model provides a common language that people can use to better understand themselves and to adapt their behaviors with others. This can be within a work team, a sales relationship, a leadership position, or other relationships. *Personality Profile Solutions, LLC
Curing Negativity in the Workplace; The Attitude Virus with Amy Tylicki
This training course works to assist employees in understanding the different types and consequences of a negative attitude, to learn to recognize the need to take responsibility for a negative attitudes and consequences and to explore how to replace old, ineffective reactions with adaptable, productive responses.