Step 4: Build An In-House PD Team

No one I have ever known has talked about how the keynote speaker changed their on-the-job practice. Did the keynote provide food for thought? Yes. Lasting change? No. 

A good keynote is fun. But it doesn’t lead to system-wide changes. A one-day workshop on assessment is cool, but it won’t provide the framework on how to make the necessary changes. Both of these don’t allow for real change to take place. 

So, then it needs to be asked, who pushes you to grow? Who is your tribe? Do those people talk about becoming more skilled? Do they speak of the desire to grow? Are they open to change? Do they hold you accountable? Do you hold them accountable? 

Lasting change is aided by those around you on a day-to-day basis. They are your anchor as well as your motivator. Foster this community. Water it like you water a plant. It’s where your desire for growth will be propelled.
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In seventeen years of teaching, and from countless observations from peers and leadership, I never received a critical comment related to my work. Not one. I had a problem with that. I wanted constructive criticism. I wanted to talk about what I could do better; to understand what my areas of improvement were because I knew I had some.
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Stop bringing in outside presenters that won’t be around long enough to help make meaningful change….unless you plan on keeping them around to make meaningful change. ​

So many people are interested in continual development. They desire growth and challenges. It is part of the inherent desire to feel like we have a purpose. Building a culture that supports this matters so much.

So who will provide the feedback people desire? Who will be part of the tribe or community? One solution is to build the type of community in your place of work. To do this, people need to learn to facilitate reflective conversations for each other. 

Here are a few skills to develop in anyone who leads adults.

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• Listen to the learner: Too often, the leader directs the learning. For adults, this no longer needs to be the case. If you want to develop a team of people to support each other, you need to allow them to pick their own learning journey. Listen to what they want. Let them reflect and identify where they want to go with their learning.  ​
• Facilitate; don’t direct: Not many adults want advice more than they want someone to fully listen to them. It is a refined skill to facilitate these types of conversations. It’s not a counselor moment. It’s a moment to get the backstory, to understand the concerns, and chart a path forward with them. If you need a place to start, try reading The Coaching Habit, by Michael Bungay Stanier. It’s epic. Try it out. 
• Actionable Steps: Whatever approach you choose, people need to feel they have actionable steps to take. As your skills of listening to and facilitating those conversations grow, it’s important for teams to work toward something achievable. Develop an action plan. Assign roles and tasks. A great method to do this is through the Action Planning Process produced by Technology of Participation from The Institute of Cultural Affairs. It’s a great starting point.

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Building a team that can be an accountability buddy or a tribe of continual learners is hard. People come and go and this is going to be a constant. However, if the cultural foundations are laid, half of the work is already done. 

The purpose of these articles is to offer support. Our goal is to serve those who are in the shoes we once were. Reach out to us with any and all questions at info@agileideasleadership.com. No gimmicks. It’s free. ​


Cheers!
Ross Herdina, Co-Founder, Agile Ideas Leadership.
www.agileideasleadership.com