User:Brett Wuth/Working Notes/2014-05-06 leadership training plan

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3 min

Introduce topic title

Introduce Instructor

Present Objectives

00:03

instructional points in normal font

aids, exercises, activities in italic

To be effective in the field, a team needs to combine:

• knowledge of the situation and assignment
• technical skills
• equipment
• decision making
• coordinated execution

The last two generally require some form of leadership.

But they also require the cooperation of all team members.

Effective leadership is a quality of the team as a whole, not just the team leader.

The team leader needs to know leadership skills, but it's also important that team members understand what they mean.

Why do team members choose to cooperate?

Scenario 1:

It's the second day of a search for a lost hunter. One of the hunter's friends have been assigned to your team of two trained searchers. After half an hour in your assigned segment, the friend says he figures the lost hunter is in the the next segment and he's going there to search. What could pursuade him to stay with the team?

Group discussion and build list of tactics

Scenario 2:

Later the hunter is found. A different team of five trained searchers is sent to help evacuate him. One of the five members is very fit and is soon leaving the rest behind in his enthusiasm. What could pursuade this person to stay with the team?

Group discussion continues to build list of tactics

What are team members wanting when they are part of an incident?

• know they are safe
  • protection from getting hurt
  • protection from being blamed
• know they are helping to accomplish the mission
• comradeship
• develop skills
• glory/pride

Relate to tactics built previously. Are any tactics address other wants?

Discuss role of glory/pride in SAR.

Not enough that members are safe/acommplishing, they need to know they are safe/accomplishing.

Leadership is developing coorperation through addressing the team members' needs and wants.

When does this become manipulation?

• not in member's own best interest
• providing false assurance

Break up into groups of 3 to 5. Deliberately do not assign group leaders.

Challenge: Develop as many tactics as possible to encourage cooperation for these scenarios.

Scenario 3:

A team is asked to search along a river's edge. The river is swollen, brown and there are several trees floating down it. One of the members wonders if the bank is undercut. The TL feels it's safe as long as no one gets too close to the edge. The others look uncertain.

Scenario 4:

On the second day of a search for a young girl missing from a campground, you're asked to lead a group of 10 spontaneous volunteers in a type 3 search of the brush just outside the play area. Some team members question whether it's a waste of time because they would have heard the girl calling.

Bring groups back together. Review answers. Relate them to wants.

E.g.:

• know they are safe
  • protection from getting hurt
    • Scenario 3: review safety procedures; let team members know your experience level
    • Scenario 4: discuss hazards, proper clothing
  • protection from being blamed
    • Scenario 3: "Anyone can call a halt, and we'll pull back." -- no blame
• know they are helping to accomplish the mission
  • Scenario 3: Describe why searching this area
  • Scenario 4: why is this area being searched; what might be found; what it means if no clues are found
• comradeship
  • Scenario 4: tell a little about your self; get to know individuals' names
• develop skills
  • Scenario 3: Give synopsis of how to judge working at water's edge
  • Scenario 4: Describe what Type 3 means and how to do it
• glory/pride
  • Scenario 3/4: At the start, thank them for being willing to help out

Discuss groups' experiences just working on the last exercise.

Did the group have a leader? Who wrote things down? Who relayed what the group had decided?

Do you always need a leader? (not always, not necessarily in classroom setting)

Should there be a team leader during an incident response? (yes)

Why?

• efficient decision making and coordinated execution

(time critical)

When teams are formed at the CP, the overhead team should assign who is the TL. They can ask for your recommendation.

Sometimes they forget. Ask "who's in charge?" whenever it's unclear.

For the remaining exercises, when we break up into groups, please quickly choose a leader.

Leadership Styles

1. Autocratic

   TL makes decision, gives orders

2. Bureaucratic

   TL relies on polices, procedures and rules

   TL refers ambiguous or difficult decisions to supervisor

   TL gives direction to members

3. Consultative and Delegating

   TL seeks input of skilled, experienced members

   TL makes firm decision

   TL delegates authority to members

4. Democratic

   TL facilitates cooperative discussions

   TL has only a single vote

5. Consensus

   TL facilitates cooperative discussions

   Everyone has a veto to any plan

6. Laissez-Faire

   TL provides no direction

   Each member acts as they see best

Break up into groups of 3-5; assign team leaders

Split the leadership styles between groups.

Each group to list 2 advantages, 2 disadvantages for each of their styles.

Leave the review of answers until after the next activity.

Describe SAR scenarios where leadership is important.

Scenario 1: A team of 4 ground searchers on a real incident reach the start of their segment. The trail crosses what is currently a fast flowing full but narrow stream in heavy woods. Wading could result in a fall with uncertain consequences. There are some rocks in the middle of the stream that if jumped upon could avoid the water. How should they deal with the stream?

Scenario 2: During a mock search for what is supposed to be a responsive subject, a team of 3 reaches their segment. Part of it is wide-open sunny with high grass. It will take all of their alloted time to search that portion. The smaller part is a rolling hill with heavy trees. That part will take about half their time. In what order should they perform a type 2 search?

Scenario 3: 6 SAR members have shown up at the SAR group's entry in the local parade. Besides the Mobile Command Post, equipment trailer and truck, one member has brought a personal quad that could pull the rescue trailer. One of the members asks whether we need special permission to drive an Off Highway Vehicle on the parade route.

Join groups together. Do not assign overall leader, to bring out the next point.

In each scenario, what are the best leadership styles to be applied? Rate the styles from most to least appropriate.

Review student's answers of advantages and disadvantages of each style.

Autocratic

• + quick
• + provides structure
• - members don't think for themselves
• - members don't own decisions

Bureaucratic

• + clear cut well-understood process
• + highly accountable
• - hide-bound; doesn't adapt
• - reliant on outside supervision

Consultative and Delegating

• + distributes work load
• + fosters members' investment
• - slower
• - requires skilled members

Democratic

• + fosters members' investment
• + all ideas heard
• - no accountability -> finger pointing
• - slow

Consensus

• + fosters members' investment
• + all ideas heard
• - produces only lowest common denominator
• - can easily stalemate

Laissez-Faire

• + requires no leadership skills
• + everyone works to their own strengths
• - often working at cross-purposes
• - no accountability -> finger pointing

Review student's answers to which styles are most appropriate to each scenario.

Each situation can be different.

The team leader should adapt to the style called for by the situation.

For safety decisions, autocratic is often necessary/best.

For mission success decisions, consultative and delegating is often best.

Joining teams

What happens when teams are brought together?

What happened when the two groups came together to prioritize the styles?

This is a problem we hear often in the critique. Teams are brought together and no one is overall in charge.

Example: A medical team is brought in to where a search team has found the subject.

It often happens when we're assisting a team from another service (e.g. Emergency Service). They're using Laissez-Faire because everyone knows their roles so well. Our team doesn't know which of their's is the team leader.

Ask "who's in charge?" if unclear. Two TL's should meet and decide who is overall in charge. Can be resolved very quickly.