The Leadership Training Activity Book: 50 Exercises

ROOM SET-UP

Chairs arranged in a circle

Comments

“Encouraging the Heart” is one of five dimensions thought by James Kouzes and Barry

Posner to be characteristic of all effective leaders. There are many books and journal

articles available that address the subject of employee recognition. This activity can act

as an introduction to the subject of valuing and rewarding effort and performance.

RESOURCE

Encouraging the Heartby James Kouzes and Barry Posner (San Francisco: Jossey-Bass)

2003.

Trainer’s Notes for Activity 49

STEP-BY-STEP PROCEDURE

Step 1: Introduce the subject of employee recognition:

“Think of the last time you worked for someone or were part of a team

when you believe you were very motivated. How did you feel? What kind

of results did you achieve? How did the manager or team leader treat

you?”

Ask participants if they know what motivates people to work. Tell

them that this is the focus of the next exercise.

Divide the group into pairs and ask each pair to arrange their chairs

so they are facing one another. Distribute Handout 49.1, Role Play Cards.

Ask one person to play the role of leader and the second to play the role

of employee. They should act out role plays #1 and #2.

Role Play #1: Ask the “manager” to read the card and then start the

role play.

Manager: Tell your employee that you received the final report on his

team’s project. Say thanks, but go on to criticize how long he took. Point

out various spelling errors in the report, tell him how you really wanted

the formatting done, and so on.

Role Play #2: Ask the “manager” to read the card and then start the

role play.

(^298) THE LEADERSHIP TRAINING ACTIVITY BOOK