Next week I’m in a management meeting for a couple days to review ways to work more effectively and to grow the organization. I’m guessing at that as I’ve yet to see an agenda. Regardless, I’ll do my necessary prep work and come prepared.

Survey Time

We had to fill out a couple consultant surveys that had the basic questions:

• Given the mix of knowledge, skills, and abilities of your team, what are the strengths of the team?
• Given the mix of knowledge, skills, and abilities of your team, what gaps exist?
• How would you describe your team’s attitudes towards cooperation and teamwork?
• How do you perceive your team’s communication?
• How well does your team share knowledge and information with each other?
• To what extent do your team leaders promote teamwork?
• How invested are you and your team in professional development? How does leadership support professional development?

And then a “User’s Manual” in working with me.

And with the “User’s Manual” I was sent a leadership assessment that I took back in 2021 before I had a team so I don’t see that as valid in any way. Aside from that, I know my management style and I know what works and doesn’t work. I’ve had enough managers over the years. Do you know that at one company I had 11 bosses in 7 years? How’s that for getting traction on anything?

There was also another brief survey in there but honestly I can’t remember what it was. Anyway, there is a consultant coming in to facilitate.

Now, I’m always leary about consultants coming in who only have basic information on us and the organization. I see this as an HR role, but I’m sure there are times when an outside perspective is important.

How Will I Prep?

I’ve been thinking about this for a while and have had my OneNote page up for some time waiting for some thoughts to come. But as of now it’s still a blank page.

I think of my team first. There’s a couple small adjustments that I’d like to make but nothing major at all as we’re working cohesively and effectively. I then shift to the management team and how we work together. I think for the most part we work pretty well together but feel we get siloized from time to time, like any organization. And then the company on a whole. I see lots of ways to improve processes and communication that will make us stronger. For my prep I could start listing some of these out even though they are ingrained in my mind. And then in working with our headquarters in Germany. That has it’s pros and cons but it’s something that just is so I continually make the best of it and fight battles only when necessary about the big things.

Mental Prep

This is going to be a good place to have some open and honest communication with each other. I’m sure there will be some difficult discussions but growth always occurs outside of the comfort zone.

I’m also anticipating some disagreements and opposing opinions, but that’s just part of the process. We have to be willing to listen and learn from one another in order to move forward as a team. As a manager, it’s important for me to stay open-minded and not get defensive when faced with criticism or differing viewpoints. It’s all about finding solutions and working towards our common goal of improving the organization.

The Importance of Self-Reflection

It’s also important for us as managers to take some time for self-reflection and evaluate our own strengths and weaknesses. This includes being aware of how our leadership style may affect those around us and making adjustments if needed. I’m very aware of my style and my Integrative Marketing Fusion platform which I incorporate elements of evolve, connect, inspire and empowerment. It’s not always easy to acknowledge areas where we can improve, but it’s necessary for personal and professional growth.

Collaborative Efforts

This meeting is not just about individual improvement, but also about how we can work together as a team to enhance our overall effectiveness. Team building exercises and workshops can be beneficial in fostering better communication, cooperation, and trust among team members. It’s important to remember that we all play an integral role in the success of the organization and by working together, we can achieve even greater results.

Final Thoughts

I’m looking forward to this management meeting. And though cautiously optimistic, I believe it will be a productive and insightful experience. It’s important for us as managers to regularly assess our team dynamics and processes in order to continuously improve and grow. By openly communicating and collaborating with one another, we can foster a positive and efficient work environment that will benefit the entire organization.

Back to prepping!