Leadership Excellence for SNAP E&T / WIOA Youth

1. “Why Should Anyone Be Led By You” Tools for Intentional Excellence for the SNAP E&T / WIOA Youth Servant Leader by Dr.Rubin Cockrell

2. Dynamics of In-School Youth Served • To be eligible youth must be: • Aged 14 to 21 • Low-income* • And one or more additional conditions • * Youth receiving or eligible to receive a free or reduced price school lunch are considered • “low income” under WIOA

3. Dynamics of In-School Youth Served • Basic skills deficient • (recent school assessment or TABE) • English language learner • An offender • Homeless, a runaway, in foster care or has aged out of the foster care system • Pregnant or parenting • Disabled • Requires additional assistance to enter or complete an educational program or to secure or hold employment

4. Dynamics of Out-of-School Youth Served Out-of-School Youth • To be eligible youth must be: • Aged 16 to 24 • Meet one or more additional conditions

5. Dynamics of Out-of-School Youth Served Additional Conditions • School dropout • Within the age of compulsory school attendance, but has not attended school for at least the most recent complete school year calendar quarter • Recipient of a secondary school diploma or its recognized equivalent who is low-income and basic skills deficient or an English language learner • Subject to the juvenile or adult justice system • A homeless individual defined in sec. 41403(6), Violence Against Women Act (42 U.S.C. 14043e–2(6))), a homeless child or youth, a runaway, in foster care or has aged out of the foster care system, a child eligible for assistance under section 477, Social Security Act (42 U.S.C. 677), or in an out-of-home placement • Pregnant or parenting • An individual with a disability • Low-income individual who requires additional assistance to enter or complete an educational program or to secure or hold employment

6. What we are going to focus on today • Diversity & Cultural Competency • Teamwork & Teambuilding • Key Attributes of an Effective Leader • Communication & Listening Skills

7. Diversity Defined Diversity is the mosaic of people who bring a variety of backgrounds, styles, perspectives, values and beliefs as assets to the groups and organizations with which they interact.

8. Primary and Secondary Dimensions of Diversity Geographic Location MilitaryExperience Education WorkExperience Gender Age Work/thinking Style Sexual Orientation Disability Socioeconomic status FamilyStatus Ethnic Heritage Race Religion FirstLanguage Communication Style OrganizationalRole and Level

9. Diversity is only FAIR Feedback/communication promotes understanding, reduces conflict; and enhances productivity. Assist others to become culturally competent; support one another – we are all in this together! Inclusion should be practiced; empower employees to fully perform and participate in pursuit of the organization’s mission. Respect is non-negotiable; honor the social contract.

10. Cultural Competence Cultural Competence is the ability to respond effectively and appropriately to different cultural/generational contexts in the workplace. • Acknowledge and accept differences in cognitive, behavioral, philosophical, social, and communicative styles that arise from different cultural generational contexts. • Seek to understand; ask for clarification or reasons for the behavior • Communicate policies, procedures clearly to employees if you are a manager

11. Organizational Culture The expression of an organization’s collective values, beliefs, and behaviors. • Key Questions • Do staff, volunteers, or program participants "check their individual identities at the door?” • What’s wrong with just being “color-blind” or “gender-blind” or whatever-kind of blind? • Does the “way we’ve always done it” close out thinking as well as staff, volunteers, program participants and community partners? • Is there some way you “ought to be” in order to fit in the association and its programs?

12. Age National origin Race Sexual orientation Religion Disability Gender Education Work role/experience Personality Customs Geographic location Functional discipline Languages used Values Communication style Work Style Learning style Economic status Family situation Military experience Philosophical perspective All Communication is Filtered Through Your Cultural Perspective

13. Organizational Inclusion Extent to which the organization provides fair and equitable treatment to all employees and groups Equity of Practices Extent to which culture avoids assimilationist strategies and is open to learning from different and non-traditional sources Organizational Culture Extent to which the organization draws upon diverse sources of knowledge and experience for planning and operations Voice & Participation

14. Respect others’ opinions. Acknowledge cultural/ generational differences and historical injustices without becoming defensive. Be open to learning about other cultures and ideas. Give others the benefit of the doubt in a dispute. Seek first to understand others’ point of views; then to be understood. Cultural Competence • Don’t stereotype. • Don’t judge others by your own cultural standards. • Don’t assume your culture’s way is the only way. • Don’t talk down to anyone; communicate effectively.

15. Benefits of Workforce Diversity & Inclusion • Improved understanding of those you work for, with, and around. • Creates a work environment that allows everyone to reach their full potential. • Provides multiple perspectives on problem solving. • Better performance outcomes. • Increases employee productivity. • Increased retention rates. • Boosts employee morale. • Improved customer relations. • Reduces complaints and grievances. • It’s the right thing to do!

16. ARE YOU PART OF THE TEAM OR THE PROBLEM?

17. Characteristics OF AN EFFECTIVE TEAM • Everyone knows their role • Common Goals • Clear roles and responsibilities • Participation/Creativity • Interdependency • Sharing and Listening • Room for Openness and Trust • Respect and Loyalty • Support and Trust

18. Understanding, Trust and Mutual Respect Feeling free to share opinions and problems Protection and affection

19. Team Building • It means hiring people who can work well together • It means developing a shared vision and commitment • It means physically bringing people together in formal group meetings for open discussion of broad-based issues • It means developing rules of engagement that determine objectives, milestone and goals

20. Team Building • As a team member, your role is not to be just an attendee, spectator, or complainer but an active participating member in achieving the team’s goals. This is not an easy job but it is the responsibility as a team member to ensure that your job is completed to the best of your ability.

21. No one is perfect, know the limitations When we have problem, don’t ALWAYS BE QUICK TO BLAME others. ADJUSTMENTS MAY BE NEEDED.

22. Team Building Organization Destroyers There are 3 factors that can destroy a team • Jealousy – This emotion seems to raise its ugly head whenever a new team member is hired into the group that may seem to be more qualified. Go out of your way as team leader to let the other team members know how much their work is appreciated

23. Team Building DESTROYERS • Lack of confidence – Some team members may lack confidence in themselves and view attacks on their opinions as personal attacks therefore when statements such as “are you saying my years of experience does not count” occur, Stop any discussion like this immediately and, in a private one-on-one meeting, patiently point out the defensive behavior

24. Team Building DESTROYERS • Cynicism – Some people are just negative by nature. Others might feel that the institution cannot possibly prosper. Efforts must be made to emphasize the institution’s positive achievements to the group. Do not hesitate to confront any openly cynical behavior.

25. A boat does not go forward if each one is rowing their own way. So the target must be in same direction Group purpose must be the same

26. Communications Five Universal Truths of Human Interaction People feel the need to be respected People would rather be asked than be told People have a desire to know why People prefer to have options over threats People want to have a second chance

27. Conveying Effective Messages • Communication skills of the sender • Clarity of purpose • Effectiveness of the message itself • Appropriateness of the channel used • Receptivity and communication skills of the receiver • Feedback • Life experience and preexisting biases in either the sender or receiver

28. Communication • Non-Verbal Communication Skills • Project the right body language • Make eye contact • Use open-handed gestures • Modulate your tone of voice

29. Barriers to Communication • Noise • Time • Volume of information • Tendency to say what we think others want to hear • Certainty • Failure to select the best word • Prejudices (sender and/or receiver) • Strained sender-receiver relationships

30. Feedback • The process by which the sender knows whether the receiver has understood the message. • Without feedback, communication is one way.

31. The Gender Barrier • Men • Want to project credibility and authority • Downplay doubts • Women • Often use qualifiers • More likely to downplay certainty

32. The Language Barrier • America will become more racially and ethnically diverse during the next half century. • Gestures can also be misinterpreted. • Bridging the barrier: • Hiring more bilingual officers • Employing interpreters or translators

33. Communication at Meetings • A carefully prepared agenda is one key to a successful meeting. • Types of meetings • Informational • Opinion seeking • Problem solving • New-idea seeking

34. Technology and Communication to Internal & External Stakeholders • Data is a mission-critical necessity. • Mobile technology empowers agencies to • Increase productivity • Increase officer morale • Increase community safety

35. Attributes of a Leader • Guiding vision: Effective leaders know what they want to do, and have the strength of character to pursue their objectives in the face of opposition and in spite of failures. The effective leader establishes achievable goals.

36. BOSS VS LEADER

37. Attributes of a Leader Passion: Effective leaders believe passionately in their goals. They have a positive outlook on who they are, and they love what they do. Their passion for life is a guiding star for others to follow, because they radiate promise! Listening: Leaders Listen! This is the most important attribute of all, listen to your followers.

38. Attributes of a Leader • Integrity: Because they know who they are, effective leaders are also aware of their weaknesses. They only make promises they can follow through on. • Honesty: Leaders convey an aura of honesty in both their professional and their personal lives. • Trust: Effective leaders earn the trust of their followers and act on behalf of their followers.

39. LEADERSHIP vs MANAGEMENT

40. Last Words To Ponder “When we feel a sense of belonging it is not because we are the same as everyone else, but because we have been accepted as we are.”

41. Dr.Rubin Cockrell • www.drrcockrell.com • info@drrcockrell.com • (615)752-9414