Positive Leadership Practices©

What is it?
PLP is a leadership skills process directed at two levels - the supervisor who must develop effective employee relations habits and the manager who must encourage supervisors to improve and use effective leadership skills. Stated another way, it is an interpersonal skills process which develops uniform, consistent leadership behaviour necessary to achieve bottom-line objectives.

What does it emphasise?
The emphasis is on the use of simple, easy to follow steps rather than generalised information and theory. The participants actually work through real-life on-the-job situations and problems. Feedback is immediate and includes suggested alternative behaviours. This is done in a learning environment which is non-threatening so that the learning experience is positive.

WHAT is the difference between "information" training and "behaviour" training (PLP)?
Information training has as its objective to impart useful information and to "motivate" participants to accomplish certain tasks and objectives. These programs generally make participants feel good, however, they fall short when participants actually try to use the information (transference) because:

1. Individuals have not learned the skills (behaviour) necessary to convert the information into action;

2. Inconsistencies develop because attempts to implement the information are executed differently based upon personality and leadership styles;

3. There is a lack of follow-up. Senior management "expects" rather than "inspects;"

4. There is a lack of positive reinforcement by managers.

Behaviour training (PLP) utilises some information (these are called information modules) but has the distinct advantage of also including a process for implementing /transference (these are called skill modules) in a way which develops uniform, consistent leadership behaviour and enables the organisation to meet its profit objectives. 

Information training is generally for a short time duration, whereas behaviour training takes much longer. Finally, behaviour training can be measured and evaluated and, where necessary, modified to improve its effectiveness. Information training is difficult to evaluate and even more difficult to modify.

How does "management reinforcement" work?
The managers of supervisors start their training first so they are always ahead of the supervisors in learning what the supervisors will learn. At the conclusion of each formal skill practice session, each supervisor is required to complete a "Planning for the Discussion" worksheet and review this worksheet with his/her manager before actually talking to an employee. Upon completion of the discussion with the employee, the supervisor must meet with the manager to discuss what happened, how it went, and to show the manager the notes taken during the discussion. The manager, using mentoring skills, can then praise the supervisor or provide suggested alternative behaviours which would have made the discussion more effective.

This method enables more effective communication and greater consistency throughout the organisation. The other advantage of this process is the fact that the skill practice sessions are developed around real-life situations rather than theoretical or make believe situations and case studies. In other words, while participants are actually learning new leadership skills, they can see first-hand how these skills are applied effectively to real-life problems and situations they face day-in and day-out on the job.
How is each participant's progress measured and evaluated?
Each supervisor is required to meet privately with the accredited PLP facilitator for a minimum of 1/2 hour each month between the formal PLP skill practice sessions. During these meetings, the supervisor is given individual coaching and reinforcement on the behavioural skills as well as input with respect to how he/she is progressing. A brief summary of these meetings is recorded and later discussed with the supervisor's manager so that the manager can follow-up with the supervisor with additional coaching and reinforcement.

What is the first step to begin the PLP process?
Conducting a management audit/needs analysis. This consists of a confidential one-to-one interview with those in management positions to ascertain their perceptions about a number of things effecting their work life. Also, it establishes a "base line" for measuring the change in leadership behaviour skills as well as provides information for the "prepared skill practices" and "real-life" skill practices.

How many participants are there in a session and how long does each session last?
There are a minimum of four and a maximum of eight (optimum is six) participants in each session. The sessions last four hours each.

How long does it take to learn the PLP process?
It takes eight months to complete the basic PLP learning process. However there are two optional information modules— one on Performance Appraisals and the other on Administering Discipline. If these two additional modules are utilised, the PLP course takes ten months.

What happens after learning PLP?
PLP "revisited" can begin. The sessions start again, only this time they last two hours every month. The one hour one-to-one coaching continues as before. (Remember, PLP is a process, not a program!)