Project Proposal

A “Lunch and Learn” series with a focus on upper management that encourages team member participation.  A program that spans 6 months, includes research based information sessions, open table discussions, and careful attention to the quality of this change agent. Expectations set and measured as simply as possible so a full range of professionals can rate its benefit.  

The Audience

80 person team at headquarters, 40 on the road are absent and not part of the target audience.  Management consists of 36 of the 80, 4 executives, 12 upper management, 12 managers, 8 assistant managers.  Team members make up the remaining 44 employees.  The target is to have 60% management and 40% team member participation.

The sessions will focus on the management level employees to begin the program.  They will become the agents of change, and the key to program success.  Prioritizing their practice of the program will determine whether change is possible.

The Material

Session #1: Employee Engagement

• Employee Engagement can be facilitated differently depending on the goal.  Knowing your team members’ goals is essential to encouraging them to produce at maximum capacity

• When employees are engaged there is lower turnover and higher percentage of retention

• This matters because it costs hundreds of thousands of dollars when you lose an employee, more if they’ve been with the company longer, as it costs more to onboard someone to that same level

• Offering training and development increases effectiveness of employees, allows those who are looking to advance to do so with company guidance while not spending extra time on employees who are content at their current level

• What is max capacity, is it ok to have someone who isn’t interested in training and development, ideas on ways to engage employees that cost nothing

Session #2: Leadership v. Management

• Servant Leadership: What is it and why do we care?  How does this tie into the mission of the organization?

• Definition of a leader

• Definition of a manager

• How do we identify ourselves? Those among the management team?

• Tending topic is that people leave bad managers, not bad jobs; tools for being a better manager AND a better leader

Session #3: Productivity at work

• 6 hour work day is optimal, knowing organization, that’s not feasible or probable so what else can we do

• Walk for meetings or to think out complex issues

• Deal with toughest tasks first thing in the morning

• Set an email alarm to avoid constantly checking and the consistent distraction of email

• Minimize meetings, people only really giving 6 hours of solid work, time that needs to be spent on job duties not reporting; re-evaluate your meeting schedule, are their some you can do every other week, perhaps once a month; if meetings are a must make them efficient as possible with an agenda and a meeting minute taker who will keep group on agenda

Session #4 & #5: Communication / Diversity in the workplace & Inclusion in the workplace

• PART ONE: Communication & Inclusion

  • Communication isn’t just talking

  • Listening is a big part of being a good communicator

  • A good leader is a good communicator

  • Being inclusive and encouraging communication will improve cohesiveness among teams

  • Be sure to encourage positive, constructive communication

• PART TWO: Diversity & Inclusion

  • Diversity brings a huge advantage to an organization if it’s fostered properly and individuals at all levels are given the opportunity to add insight

  • Respect in the workplace is a top priority

  • Being inclusive with a diverse group will benefit all involved

The Schedule

Day 1: Survey

Week 2 & 5: First two sessions

Week 7: Survey

Week 9: Team mate/Management feedback

Week 12, 14 & 16: Next 3 sessions

Week 20: Survey

Week 22: OPEN DISCUSSION - next topics

Week 24: Kickoff next program

There will be individual interviews between sessions and an attempt to speak one on one with each participant at some point during the program.  Surveys will be reviewed diligently for participants who don’t provide feedback and they will be targeted for one on one discussions. 

Each session will have a short Power Point presentation that is straightforward where the goal is to create conversation from the topics.  To encourage maximum participation sessions will be relatively short and informal.  Cell phones are required to be put in basket on the table to minimize distraction.  The structure should stay consistent throughout the program with a 10-15 presentation and 15-20 minutes for discussion.  

Time between sessions varies based on time required for proper feedback assessment.

The Next Step & Ultimate Goal

This project proposal is a test in organizational adaptability and desire to become better.  If this first program is successful then the schedule will continue in six month increments designed to foster a next generation of leaders within the organization.  Leaders who have a deeper understanding of the organization’s mission and business philosophies.  Additionally, with the encouragement of total employee participation, leaders will begin to be not just managers but, team members too.  The ultimate goal being to create an environment where Servant Leadership thrives as well as employee engagement, respect, and profit for all.