The 21-Day SiTuaTional Self leaDerShip

acTion plan

Susan Fowler

Phil Reynolds

Laurence Hawkins

Ken Blanchard

experiencing the rewards of Managing up

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AuthorsSusan FowlerPhil Reynolds

Laurence HawkinsKen Blanchard

Brand Manager Victoria Cutler

The 21-DAy SiTuATiOnAl SelF leADerShiP AcTiOn PlAn

Experiencing the Rewards of Managing Up

editorMaril Adrian

Proofreaders Barbara Akers Carey Nash

Art Director Beverly Haney

Production Artists Bridgit Watt

Kara Meredith

© Copyright 2009 by The Ken Blanchard Companies. All rights reserved. Do not duplicate.

These materials have been designed to develop specific knowledge and skills and have been thoroughly tested to ensure their effectiveness. They represent the proprietary intellectual property of The Ken Blanchard Companies and are protected under international copyright law.

Ken Blanchard first developed Situational Leadership® with Paul Hersey in the late 1960s. In 1985, Blanchard and the Founding Associates of The Ken Blanchard Companies®—Marjorie Blanchard, Don Carew, Eunice Parisi-Carew, Fred Finch, Laurence Hawkins, Drea Zigarmi, and Patricia Zigarmi—created a new generation of the theory called Situational Leadership® II. The leadership model used in this product is based on the Founding Associates’ second generation thinking and research, and is used with their permission.

125 State Place, Escondido, CA 92029 USAGlobal Headquarters 760 489-5005 • 800 728-6000 • Fax 760 489-8407

UK +44 (0) 1483 456300 Canada 905 829-3510 • 800 665-5023 Singapore +65 6775 1030 www.kenblanchard.com

Item # 17437 V081509

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Experiencing the Rewards of Managing Up in 21 Days

Getting StartedThe 21-Day Situational Self Leadership (SSL) Action Plan is designed to help you experience the promise of self leadership by challenging your assumed constraints, celebrating your points of power, and collaborating for success—especially with your manager.

First, commit to the 21-day process. Then, follow through by devoting 15 minutes each day to reading the appropriate page and taking the recommended action. Each day’s assignment builds on previous ones. You can expect to

• Review basic concepts learned in your SSL workshop and create the “best of times” working environment

• Deepen your skills for conducting One on One meetings with your manager

• Find ways to obtain the direction and support you need from a variety of sources

• Be inspired by reflections of self leaders who have successfully put the ideas of self leadership into action

• Undertake assignments that apply the concepts, skills, and practices in your own work situation

The practical skills of a self leader are almost impossible to master if you have not accepted responsibility for your own growth and progress. However, the only way that anyone can lead you is to restore your ability to guide yourself. As the 21-day methodology progresses, you will begin to handle that responsibility more effectively. Taking the lead and managing up will become more familiar and comfortable.

The Situational Self Leadership Action Plan CDThe CD contains interactive worksheets that support your daily assignments.

Each assignmEnt FOcUsEs On OnE OF thE FOllOwing aREas:

mind-sEt

ssl gamE Plan

OnE On OnE mEEting

sElF lEadERshiP skills

day 1—cRaFt yOUR VisiOn statEmEnt

day 2—cREatE thE mOst imPORtant list yOU may EVER makE

day 3—challEngE assUmEd cOnstRaints in thE wORkPlacE

day 4—wORk yOUR ssl gamE Plan

day 5—dEFinE a kEy REsPOnsibility aREa

day 6—dEtERminE yOUR gOal

day 7—diagnOsE yOUR dEVElOPmEnt lEVEl

day 8—dEcidE On thE lEadERshiP stylE nEEdEd

day 9—Plan yOUR FiRst OnE On OnE mEEting

day 10—challEngE assUmEd cOnstRaints abOUt yOUR OnE On OnE mEEting

day 11—cElEbRatE POints OF POwER

day 12—cOndUct OnE On OnE mEEting

day 13—dEbRiEF OnE On OnE mEEting

day 14—dO takE actiOn

day 15—dEtEct changEs in cURREnt REality

day 16—cOllabORatE FOR sUccEss

day 17—ExPREss yOURsElF

day 18—sEll a sOlUtiOn

day 19—nEgOtiatE FOR aUtOnOmy

day 20—REmEmbER thE bEst and wORst OF timEs

day 21—cOmmit tO sElF lEadERshiP

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Craft Your Vision StatementGenerate energy and sustain your passion 1

© 2009 The Ken Blanchard Companies. All rights reserved. Do not duplicate • Item # 17437 • V081509 1

ACTIONUse the Vision Statement worksheet to craft or refine your work-related vision statement. (The template can also be used to craft a personal vision statement.)

MinD-SeT

* This story is older than you might think. It was first recorded by St. Benedict in 530 A.D.

reFlecTiOnS OF A SelF leADerMy vision statement guides everything I do—from the decisions I make to how I spend my time. I get great satisfaction doing my work and living my life on purpose.

—Karen von Boetticher, Training Specialist, PHR, Healthcare Services, USA

Find Your PurposeConsider how a clear purpose for your work will help you manage up. If you and your manager disagree on the purpose of your role, it is unlikely that you will agree on the priority of your goals, everyday tasks, and the skills, resources, or training necessary for you to accomplish it.

Benefits of a Well-Crafted Vision StatementA thoughtfully crafted vision statement gives you perspective for the work you do each day. It empowers you to overcome the inevitable obstacles, pain, strife, and exhaustion that could jeopardize your success at work. It is the ultimate answer to the seemingly simple question, “What am I doing here?”

Are you laying bricks or building a cathedral?You may be familiar with the old story* about a man who journeyed the world searching for knowledge and wisdom. As he wandered from village to village, he encountered three men laying bricks. Always seeking to learn, he asked a seemingly simple question: “What are you doing here?”

The first man answered, “What does it look like? I am laying bricks.”

The second man replied, “Can’t you tell? I’m putting up a wall.”

The third man looked up, smiled, and said, “What am I doing? I’m building a cathedral. It will be beautiful, and thousands of people will come here for inspiration.”

The longevity of this story is a testament of its strength to connect your work to a clear and powerful purpose. Who would you prefer to be? Which of the three men will find the strength, will, and desire to continue working when his back aches or the weather turns cold? Which one will feel a greater sense of accomplishment and satisfaction over time? All three men are doing the same work, but with a different vision. All three are laying bricks, but the third is working with a higher end in mind, a grander purpose—a vision for his work-related role.

A new Chapter to the StoryWhat if you are happily working away on your “cathedral wall,” with your higher purpose in mind, only to discover that your boss has a different purpose in mind—that the wall you are building is for a shopping center? You are laboring under a false impression—your vision is not aligned with your organization’s vision for your role. This misalignment will eventually diminish your long-term commitment and cause confusion and misunderstanding between you and your organization—particularly with your manager.

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Decide on the Leadership Style NeededGet the direction and support you need to succeed

DAY

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8What is wrong with waiting for your boss to figure out what you need?Nothing, as long as you are willing to live without getting what you need when you need it.

Your manager has plenty of priorities. It is unwise to think that your needs will always be at the top of the list. It is better to be proactive. After all, if you are not prepared to act on your own behalf, why should you expect it from someone else—even if that someone is your manager?

Know What to Ask ForSelf leaders are proactive about identifying what they need rather than waiting and hoping their managers will figure it out for them. Use the Needs Model to choose the leadership style that best matches the diagnosis of your development level on your goal. The Needs Model illustrates the link between each of the four development levels and the matching leadership style so you know what to ask for.

SSL GAMe PLAn

ACTION• Decide on the leadership style you need based on

the diagnosis of your development level for your goal.

• Refer to the appropriate Prescriptions section in your DnA Guide for specific examples of direction and/or support to ask from your manager or other sources.

• Transfer the leadership style you need along with the most appropriate Prescriptions to step 4 on the SSL Game Plan Worksheet (Day 5).

S4

S3 S2

S1

LeaderDecides

High DirectiveandLow SupportiveBehavior

Low DirectiveandHigh SupportiveBehavior

Let’s Talk,D3 Decides

D4Decides

Low Directiveand

Low SupportiveBehavior

High Directiveand

High SupportiveBehavior

Su

pp

ort

ive

Beh

avio

r

High

HighLow Directive Behavior

DELEGA

TIN

GS

UP

PO

RTI

NG COA

CH

ING

DIR

EC

T ING

Let’s Talk,Leader

Decides

The Needs Model

D4 D3 D2 D1

Goal/Task/Skill

HighCompetence—

HighCommitment

Moderate-to-HighCompetence—

Variable Commitment

Low-to-SomeCompetence—

Low Commitment

LowCompetence—

High Commitment

reFlecTiOnS OF A SelF leADerI now understand that managing up to get the leadership style that matches my development level is my responsibility. I have learned to seek the direction and support I need, not only from my boss, but anyone who can help me reach my goals. As a result, my relationship with my boss has improved and so has the way I feel about my job.

—Juny Martindale, Assistant Manager of Compliance, Barbados

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Plan Your First One on One Meeting Structure your discussion for getting what you need from your manager

DAY

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9

ACTION1. Schedule a 20- to 30-minute One on One Meeting

with your manager to be conducted on Day 12.

2. Plan your agenda by referring to your SSL Game Plan Worksheet and completing the One on One Meeting Form.

One On One MeeTinG

reFlecTiOnS OF A SelF leADerI learned just how important scripting my One on One agenda is to the success of the meeting. Knowing what I want to say and how to say it gives me the confidence to communicate my needs to my boss. My boss has been very responsive, and our relationship has definitely improved.

—Laura Davis-Thiry, Sales Assistant, USA

The Purpose of One on One Meetings• To open up communication between you and your

manager• To provide opportunities to set new goals and

reexamine agreed-upon goals• To get direction and support• To exchange information and give progress reports• To get in touch with your concerns and solve

problems• To connect your personal goals to the organization’s

goals

When you take the time to structure One on One meetings, you do more than get what you need to achieve your goals. You build mutual trust and respect between you and your manager, reinforce the most crucial relationship you have in the workplace, and as a result, improve the quality of your life at work.

What is your most important work relationship? Your boss is probably at the top of your list—or should be! The nature of your relationship with your manager is often directly tied to the quality of your work life. So it follows that managing up is not only an opportunity for you to get the direction and support you need but also to improve the quality of that relationship.

Partnering for Performance Meetings Focus on Your Manager’s AgendaManagers who have experienced Situational Leadership® II learn that one of their primary leadership skills is Partnering for Performance. Partnering for Performance means reaching agreements with people about their development level and the leadership style needed to help them achieve individual and organization goals. Your manager conveys the organization’s expectations for your role and how he or she plans to help you meet those expectations through Partnering for Performance meetings.

One on One Meetings Focus on Your AgendaThe parallel to the manager’s Partnering for Performance meeting is the self leader’s One on One meeting. It is an intentional, scheduled, and structured meeting initiated by you, the self leader, and focused on your SSL Game Plan. The responsibility for the agenda is yours.

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Remember the Best and Worst of TimesCreate the best of times by getting the leadership style that matches your development level on key goals and tasks

DAY

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ACTION1. Revisit the best of times and worst of times

by reviewing your classroom materials or completing the Best and Worst of Times worksheet.

2. Consider what you can do to today create the best of times.

MinD-SeT

To create the best of times, remember that a leader is anyone

who can give you the direction and support you need.

reFlecTiOnS OF A SelF leADer I can honestly say that Situational Self Leadership has changed my attitude to work and life in general. I have used the Managing Up Conversation Starters in the DNA Guide to speak with my boss about my goals, what I need to achieve them, and what I need from him. I am even more content feeling discontent when I am at D2 because I realize it is normal. I have made some life-changing decisions now that I realize it is in my hands to drive those changes.

—Tina Rayat, Regional Registrations Specialist, Consumer Products, UK

Rare exception When the Best of Times is a MismatchOne young man who reported that he did not get the leadership style that matched his development level in the best of times. He received Style 1 from his boss despite being at D4 on his major goals and projects. When asked why he considered it the best of times, he replied, “I just ignored him.” There is an important lesson in his story. Usually managing up means getting the leadership style that matches your development level, but in some cases, managing up may mean overlooking or adapting to the leadership style you are getting in order to succeed!

What can you learn from your best and worst working experiences?You can create more “best of times” by recognizing how and why they are different than the “worst of times.” Exploring and analyzing the best and worst of times with thousands of self leaders over the years has yielded consistent and fascinating results. For example, one poll revealed that all the development levels are represented in the worst of times, and that all the development levels except D2 are represented in the best of times.

The results are clear: development level is not what determines the best or worst of times. So, what does determine a best of times experience?

The Best of Times is a MatchYour own analysis may lead you to the same conclusion other self leaders have discovered: It is the match that counts. In their most positive work experiences, self leaders received a leadership style that matched their development level on key goals and projects; in the most negative work experiences, they did not.

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Commit to Self LeadershipBe the change

DAY

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ACTION1. Commit to continue working on the skill set and mind-set

of a self leader.

2. Be a role model for the change you hope to see in the world.

MinD-SeT

reFlecTiOnS OF A SelF leADerSituational Self Leadership helped me redefine my attitudes toward my job and my life. I gained more self-confidence, which helped me initiate ideas that increased the effectiveness of my team. I improved myself by defining my Key Responsibility Areas, managing my time better, and communicating with all departments of my organization. I learned how to set SMART goals. I shared my new skills and knowledge with my team, which resulted in improving the quality and efficiency of our work. Situational Self Leadership has had a spectacular impact on my job and my personal life!

—Stelios Korakakis, Bank Department Manager, Greece

In a world crying out for authentic leadership, you

need to begin with the most obvious source—

yourself.

Self Leaders Adopt empowering Beliefs 1. I can influence and affect the quality of my work environment.

2. My initiative is almost always rewarded, either through recognition from others, self-satisfaction of doing my best, or through the experience I gained.

3. It is in my own best interest to obtain the direction and/or support I need to get the job done.

4. Most people want to and are willing to help me learn a new skill or achieve a goal.

5. I stay ahead of the curve by taking the initiative to identify and challenge my own assumed constraints.

6. I create the conditions for my success when I take ownership for my Key Responsibility Areas.

7. I am accountable for my work, effort, and outcomes, thus helping to eliminate a victim mentality and culture of entitlement that serve no one, least of all me.

8. The personal and professional rewards of responding to challenges through the insights, skills, and actions of the self leader are worth the effort.

9. Self leadership empowers me to fulfill my life purpose, act on my values, and achieve my aspirations.

10. Change is inevitable; growth is optional—it is up to me to be the change I want to see in the world.

What’s in it for you to be a self leader?It takes a lot of work to challenge your assumed constraints, celebrate your points of power, and collaborate for success. This action planner has attempted to answer the question of what is in it for you to engage in the action steps for each day. Now, consider the big question that only you can answer: How committed are you to being a self leader?

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