Leading Union Staff
American Federation of Teachers
Leading Union Staff
Workbook
AFT National Representatives
September - December 2014
American Federation of Teachers
Welcome
As leaders of staff you work“with and through others to achieve the goals of the organization and its people.”
Thismeans shifting from a reliance on your own achievement to a focus on maximizing the potential in others. It can be baffling and rewarding, frustrating and empowering. Just when you think you are great at it, someone comes along who humbles you.
While training might seem like the logical solution, it doesn’t work on its own. There are proven approaches and tools that help get better results, but actually retaining, using and adapting that information is the real work.
Learning is a process of reflecting on experience, taking in new information, practicing new behaviors and forming new habits. This takes time and focus.
The AFT Organizing Department and the Alvarez Porter Grouphave co-designed a program on leading union staff that makes this possible.
It is up to you to make it a reality.
Purpose
The purpose of the program is to support AFT Organizing Department National Representatives and managers to make substantial improvements in their ability to lead and develop union staff.
In this program, you have the opportunity to:
- Gain new insights into your strengths and potential;
- Learn useful frameworks and tools for leading staff;
- Make significant advancement toward achieving a meaningful development goal.
- Developing healthy habits that support learning and sustainable lifestyles
Agenda:
September 15th
3:00pmIntroductions and overview
Barriers to/principles for learning
Break
The role of leading union staff
6:00pmDinner
Connecting to core purpose
8:15pmAdjourn
September 16th
9:00amCheck in
Stress and wellness
Self-assessment
Break
Giving and receiving feedback
12:00pmLunch
Getting ready for learning
Setting a development goal
Development planning
Break
Coaching: a learning conversation
Wrap up and adjourn
5pmAdjourn
Principles
Leading [& learning] with the brain in mind
- Focus
- Build on strengths
- Align with purpose;
- Anticipate resistance
- Make reflection a priority
- Take responsibility for your own results
- Practice new habits
Operating principle of the brain
Away from threat and toward reward
What is something in your work life now that feels like threat?
What is something in your work life now that feels like reward?
Barriers to Learning
What folks say when they get in the way of their own learning…
- “I already knew that.” The resistance to listening for what may be new.
- “Why should I listen to her/him?” Not seeing the value in another person who has something to teach me.
- “I need to make a phone call.” Letting the stress of current work be a barrier to learning how to do better work in the future.
- “You can’t teach old dogs new tricks.” Believing the myth that I can’t learn after a certain age or level of experience.
- “This isn’t my reality/sounds too corporate.” Being unwilling to transpose the learning from one situation to another.
- “I’m sticking with the way we’ve always done it.” Resisting trying new things.
- “Snicker, snicker.” Using humor and sarcasm to deflect learning.
- “Why are we doing this?” Resisting experiential and non-linear learning – believing that all learning is information.
- “No one will let me do this.” Assuming that they will not be able to apply the learning and therefore don’t need to learn it or advocate for it.
- “Yeah, right.” Putting up a barrier based on mistrust of the context: the situation, the subject, past experience, or the process.
What’s my biggest [self-imposed] barrier to learning?
What will I do to make sure I don’t sabotage my own learning
Program Overview
To use an analogy, think of your development plan as a map and the results you would like to get as your destination. You can’t start your journey until you know where you are now, and are committed to learning how to get there. You also need to know what obstacles you might encounter along the way. This program may be your GPS, but you are the driver.
- Launch Training
- Introduction to principles
- Reflecting on your role as a staff leader
- Self-assess and setlearning goal
- Skills training in feedback and coaching
- Coaching
Each participant chooses an Alvarez Porter Group coach for four one-hour coaching sessions by phone or Skype [one per month]
1)Use first session to finalize goal and project plan
2)Second and third session to reflect and accelerate learning
3)Final session to assess progress and create next steps
- Webinars/conference calls
- Four 45-minute participatory conference calls
- Pre-work [such as a self-assessment, reading or web viewing]
- Online resources are available at your community page:
- Topics:
- Strengths-based leadership
- Leading teams
- Motivation and drive
- Systems thinking
- Wrap up Training
- Come back together to share and deepen the learning
- Systems thinking and Situational Leadership
- Session on turning new learning into habits
- Setting new goals and plans for ongoing learning
Coaching
Coaching happens on scheduled, confidential phone calls between you and an APG coach. They are there to listen to what is going on with you, to help you learn to think and act more effectively as you apply the learning from the webinars and work toward your learning goal.
The coaching conversation is driven by you. You come with dilemmas, reflections and questions. It is an opportunity to reflect, decide and commit to action around those things that matter most to you. It works as well as you will let it.
The coach is NOT there to tell you what to do. He or she will NOT listen to your story and decide who is right or wrong or what the next course of action should be. He or she WILL have suggestions for how to think differently about challenges and where to go for additional resources. Mostly, the coach is there to evoke your best thinking and commitment to action.
Setting up the coaching for success:
Be honest with your coach – it’s confidential, it’s for you, there’s no reason not to be
Set aside the time to be focused and present during the call [not driving]
Do the work – reflection, action, outreach, reading – what you decide to do to learn, that’s what you need to do
From insight to action
Coaching respects how our brains work. It gives us time to reflect, explore alternatives, make choices and commit to action. A coach will challenge you to think in new ways, without telling you what to think; clarify what you want, and stay along with you until you succeed.
Role of Leading Staff
To work with and through others to achieve the goals of the organization and its people.
What competencies are most important in your role?NESS INDE
THE WELLNESS INDEX
stproject.org | © 2013 Robert Gass
A self-assessment of the current state of one’s self-care and wellness: mind, body & spirit.
Part 1: Body
Section 1 – Sleep:
Awaken to these facts:
- Less sleep has a significant impact on strength, cardiovascular capacity, mood, and energy.
- Over 50 studies conclusively show that mental performance – reaction time, concentration, memory, analytic reasoning, and executive judgment – all decline with insufficient sleep.
- Mortality rates climb rapidly for those sleeping less than 7-8 hours per night.
- While sleep needs vary among individuals, almost all people need 7 to 8 hours per night.
- Naps of less than 30 minutes at a time can compensate to some degree for less sleep.
ALVAREZ PORTER GROUP |
American Federation of Teachers
Step 1 Answer the following questions honestly:
- What is the optimal number of hours per night of sleep for you to maintain good energy and well-being? ______
- How many nights per week, on average, do you sleep this long?_____
Step 2 Rate your responses using a scale of 1-7, from “almost never” to “almost always” as indicated:
3) I have difficulty falling asleep.
NEVER ALWAYS
1 2 3 4 5 6 7
4) I have difficulty getting myself back to sleep if I awaken during the night.
NEVER ALWAYS
1 2 3 4 5 6 7
5) I need an alarm clock to wake up at the needed time.
NEVER ALWAYS
1 2 3 4 5 6 7
6) I wake up feeling groggy and like I didn't sleep enough.
NEVER ALWAYS
1 2 3 4 5 6 7
7) I have bloodshot eyes or discoloration and/or bags under my eyes in the morning.
NEVER ALWAYS
1 2 3 4 5 6 7
8) I have difficulty staying awake or find myself nodding off during the work day.
NEVER ALWAYS
1 2 3 4 5 6 7
9) When I get tired during the day, I override my fatigue rather than taking a nap.
NEVER ALWAYS
1 2 3 4 5 6 7
ALVAREZ PORTER GROUP |
American Federation of Teachers
High scores on more than one or two of these questions indicate that you are having sleeping problems that may be impacting your overall wellness and work.
Part 1: Body
Section 2 – Diet: Digest these facts:
• Much of your daily energy levels, emotional moods, and mental focus are determined by what and when you eat.
• Many major health problems such as heart disease and diabetes are directly related to diet and/or obesity.
• Diet is also the only major determinant of health that is completely within your control.
• Primary factors include what you eat, how much you eat, and when you eat.
• Water intake is a frequently overlooked significant component of energy and health.
• Inadequate hydration causes significant loss of muscle strength, coordination and concentration.
• By the time you experience thirst, you are already dehydrated.
ALVAREZ PORTER GROUP |
American Federation of Teachers
Step 1 Answer the following question honestly:
1) My weight and body fat are within the recommended range for aperson of my height and age. YES_____ NO _____
Step 2 Rate your responses using a scale of 1-7, from “almost never” to “almost always” as indicated:
2) I jump-start my day with high energy, low-glycemic foods such as whole grains, proteins, and fruits such as strawberries, pears, grapefruit and apples.
3) I sustain my energy by eating energy-rich foods before either acute hunger or energy lags occur.
NEVER ALWAYS
1 2 3 4 5 6 7
4) I eat at least 5 servings of fruits or vegetables per day.
NEVER ALWAYS
1 2 3 4 5 6 7
5) I eat lots of high fiber foods such as whole grains, beans and raw fruits & vegetables.
NEVER ALWAYS
1 2 3 4 5 6 7
6) I limit the amounts of high saturated fat foods that I consume.
NEVER ALWAYS
1 2 3 4 5 6 7
7) I limit the amounts of foods that I consume containing refined sugar and refined carbohydrates (white bread, chips, crackers, etc.).
NEVER ALWAYS
1 2 3 4 5 6 7
8) I consciously choose foods according to their positive impact on my body and energy.
NEVER ALWAYS
1 2 3 4 5 6 7
9) I eat on a schedule that best supports my health and energy.
NEVER ALWAYS
1 2 3 4 5 6 7
ALVAREZ PORTER GROUP |
American Federation of Teachers
Low scores on more than two of these questions are cause for you to seriously examineyour diet and eating habits.
Part 1: Body
Section 3 – Addictive substances:Be especially careful of denial in this section!
ALVAREZ PORTER GROUP |
American Federation of Teachers
Cigarettes
• Nicotine is one the most addictive drugs existing – as much or more so more thanheroin and cocaine.
• Smoking is the single most preventable cause of illness and death.If you smoke, you are killing yourself (and possibly those you love throughsecond-hand smoke).
Answer the following questions honestly:
1) Do you smoke? YES_____ NO _____
2) How many cigarettes per day? _____
3) What are your plans for stopping?
ALVAREZ PORTER GROUP |
American Federation of Teachers
Caffeine
• While a cup of coffee or tea can be a delightful ritual and gustatory delight, in ourstressful lives many of us begin using caffeine as a drug to help manage ourenergy.
• Caffeine abuse takes a toll on our nervous systems and gastrointestinal system,causing headaches, irritability and agitation, insomnia, circulatory irregularities,and gastrointestinal and urinary tract problems.
• You are considered physically dependent on caffeine if you consume more than300 mg per day.
Coffee 100-150 mgMountain Dew 55 mgCoca-Cola 45 mgBlack tea 30-70 mg
• Caffeine is metabolized very slowly. Insomnia is a common side-effect of caffeineover-use. One-half the caffeine in a late afternoon cup of coffee is still circulatingin your bloodstream 6 hours later when you are trying to wind down from the day,and one-fourth is still present 12 hours later.
• Caffeine withdrawal symptoms include fatigue, headache, nausea and variouspsychological symptoms. Withdrawal symptoms usually peak 20 to 48 hours afterabstinence, and continue for about a week.
ALVAREZ PORTER GROUP |
American Federation of Teachers
Rate your responses
1) I depend on caffeine to manage my daily energy cycle.
NEVER ALWAYS
1 2 3 4 5 6 7
2) I consume more than 3 cups of coffee per day.
NEVER ALWAYS
1 2 3 4 5 6 7
3) I notice caffeine increasing my irritability or agitation.
NEVER ALWAYS
1 2 3 4 5 6 7
4) I believe the amount of caffeine I consume has a negative effect on mymind and body.
NEVER ALWAYS
1 2 3 4 5 6 7
ALVAREZ PORTER GROUP |
American Federation of Teachers
Alcohol/recreational drugs
Many of us abuse alcohol or drugs in ways that, over time, damage our energy,health, productivity and relationships. Most abusers are also in varying statesof denial. Here are classic warning signs that you are abusing alcohol orrecreational drugs: Answer the following questions honestly with a NO or YES
1. Do you use alcohol/drugs to manage your emotionsor energy?
2. When you have trouble or feel under pressure, do youdrink/use more heavily?
3. Do you drink/use when others will not know it (i.e. do youconceal your drinking/drug use in any way fromfriends/family)
4. Are there activities that you are concerned you will not enjoywithout drinks/drugs?
5. Do you ever have memory lapses about what happenedwhile you were drinking or high?
6. Have you failed to keep promises you have made aboutcutting down on your drinking or usage?
7. Do you sometimes feel guilty about drinking or using?
8. Are family or friends concerned about the amount you drinkor use?
9. When you are sober, do you regret things you have done orsaid while drinking or high?
10. Are there times when you feel uncomfortable if alcohol ordrugs are not available?
11. Do you use recreational drugs that are known to be highlydestructive to your body (cocaine, heroin, PCP, meth, etc.)•
- If you answered "yes" to more than a few questions, you may be an addict.
- What do you think about your use of these substances and their impact on your life?
- Substance abuse and addiction are unfortunately not infrequent among activists.
- If you have concerns after answering the questions in this section, reach out for help
Part 1: Body
Section 4 – Exercise:
- Some statistics regarding exercise & performance:
- There is a 47.5 % in reduction in absenteeism for participants in corporate fitnessprograms, including 14% fewer disability days.
- Physically fit workers commit 27% fewer errors on tasks involving concentrationand short-term memory as compared to unfit workers.
- Executives who worked out regularly over a 9-month period showed a 70%improvement in their ability to make complex decisions as compared withnon-exercisers.
- 47% of participants in fitness programs were shown to be more alert, enjoyedwork more, and had better rapport with co-workers.
- Recent studies show that those who exercise regularly have a biological age of upto 9 years younger than those who don’t, as well as lower rates of heart disease,diabetes and cancer.
- Exercise will make you feel better and very possibly live longer!
ALVAREZ PORTER GROUP |
American Federation of Teachers
Step 1 Answer the following questions honestly:
1) I do a minimum of 20-30 minutes of continuous exercise, 3-5 days aweek, at 60-85% of my maximum heart rate. (Check one)
YES_____ NO _____
2) I do some of kind of strengthening exercise 2-3 days per week (weights,yoga, Pilates). (Check one)
YES_____ NO _____
Step 2 Rate your responses
3) My body feels flexible and free of stiffness or achiness.
NEVER ALWAYS
1 2 3 4 5 6 7
4) I give my body the optimal exercise it needs for me to feel good, energetic,and strong.
NEVER ALWAYS
1 2 3 4 5 6 7
5) My body feels flexible and free of stiffness or achiness.
NEVER ALWAYS
1 2 3 4 5 6 7
ALVAREZ PORTER GROUP |
American Federation of Teachers
Your body is the only place you have to live.Low scores are a sign that your body is not receiving proper care.If we don't change the oil and take care of the basic needs of our car, breakdownswill inevitably happen. We can't afford to look at exercise as a luxury that we do ifwe have time.
Part 1: Body
Section 5 – General health:
ALVAREZ PORTER GROUP |
American Federation of Teachers
1) I appropriately attend to (rather than ignore or override) symptoms or signsthat my body may be unwell, including seeking help from health careproviders.
NEVER ALWAYS
1 2 3 4 5 6 7
2) I care attentively to any unique conditions or health needs of my body.
NEVER ALWAYS
1 2 3 4 5 6 7
3) I have a general attitude of honoring and caring for my body.
NEVER ALWAYS