Design of this Discussion Guide program

These Discussion Guides have been designed to make it easy and time effective for you, as well as your staff. Each module is designed to be used as part of a regular (ideally monthly) staff meeting or a brown bag lunch session.

You need no prep time other than attending the monthly conference call training. Then you will need to set aside time in your staff meetings to allow for full discussion of each module. You won't want to rush and skip important discussion time.

Each month we will focus on a different discussion corresponding to the tabs in your binder. You can join in the series at any time, as they don't build sequentially.

Should the modules be discussed in order?

Although the monthly conference call discussed below will focus on the Discussion Guide for that month, the modules don't have to used in order if later modules would be more useful to your staff now. If you would like to have a private training on a module from a different month, that can be arranged for an additional charge.

What's covered in each Discussion Leaders Guide?

Recap from previous discussion

Each month you'll begin the discussion with a 3-4 minute recap of what your staff noticed and did differently as a result of the previous discussion. Questions to ask are found at the beginning of each leaders guide.

Discussion Leader's Overview

The Overview of each Discussion Guide gives you a quick review of that Guide's focus.

Timing

Each discussion can take 10-40 minutes, depending on if you ask all the questions included or skip some, and how long you allow for the discussion of each question. Most discussions will take around 20-30 minutes.

Materials needed

You'll need one copy of the handouts for each participant. By purchasing this set of Discussion Guides you have permission to make one copy of the handout for each of your direct team members only, no more than 20 copies.

Turning insights into actions

At the end of each session, you will ask each staff member to write his/her responses to the following questions on his/her "Insight into Actions" handout, which is included at the end of each module.

• In these next few weeks, what key ideas/insights/actions will you focus on from today's discussion?
• How will you be more conscious and aware of integrating these ideas into your interactions with customers and/or coworkers?
• What other ideas do you want to remember to use based on our discussion today?

You will instruct each person to bring this handout back to the next discussion and be prepared to report on what shifts s/he noticed.

Can I copy the materials?

Many people misunderstand the term "copyright." They think it means "I have bought this, so I have the right to copy it because I'm not reselling it. I can copy it for my friends and colleagues." This is wrong and is, in fact, against the law.

You need to be very clear what you have purchased the limited right to copy and what may not be copied.

You may make one copy of each of the participant's worksheets for up to 20 of your staff members on your team, for use in the discussions. You may not copy and distribute copies for other managers' teams or departments, whether they are within your company or part of another company. You have the right to reproduce the participant's pages for only your team of up to 20 people. Those pages are clearly marked on the bottom.

You may not duplicate any of the rest of the book. You have purchased the right to use the intellectual property, but not the right to reproduce it.

We have priced this program for single department use. If your company wants more departments to use it, they can buy subscriptions for those department managers. The price is set to make it affordable and I need your support to keep it that way.

The most effective use of this program requires participation in the conference call. Therefore copying this guide doesn't provide another department manager the information s/he needs to lead the discussion most effectively.

These Guides have been licensed to a single individual for use in a single corporate or other business entity to assist in staff development. There is no express or implied license, or authorization of any kind, to consultants, trainers, publishers, advisors or others to commercially exploit, adapt or use any of these modules, exercises or tools, in whole or in part. Such individuals are expressly authorized to use these discussion guides in developing their staff for their direct teams only; these discussion guides must be repurchased for each organization wishing to use them.

I want to develop my staff's leadership skills, so I'd like them to lead the discussions.

While it is great to want to develop your staff's leadership skills, this is not the best forum for doing so. We find it is best if you, the manager, lead the discussions, not a second-in-command or other staff member.

Could I have a different person lead the discussion each month?

This is not recommended, as it will dilute the affect the discussion has if anyone but the manager leads the discussion.

Couldn't we have a trainer go to each department and lead the discussions?

Many trainers have great facilitation skills. However, the focus of this program is to get you, the manager, to have a regular discussion with your staff, not to delegate that job to a trainer.

We liken this to teaching lessons to kids. You send kids to school to learn from a teacher (e.g., trainer). They are taught important things by that teacher. But the most important lessons are those taught around the dinner table by mom and/or dad (e.g. you, the manager). This is where children learn lessons of morals, ethics, and what's important to thrive in their environment (e.g. their workplace). So it's important for you to be the one leading these monthly discussions. Clearly, a trainer can augment your discussions, but we don't recommend anyone but you leading them.

Could I lead these discussions at an all-division or all-company meeting?

We license you to use the materials with up to 20 people, and most all-division or all-company meetings are larger than that. These discussions are optimal when held in small groups. You want everyone to feel they can respond and be heard. With more than 20 in the discussion, that isn't possible. Even breaking them into smaller groups for discussion reduces the value of the whole group hearing every response.

Why do I actually have to have a discussion with my team? They're smart people, so couldn't I just email or send them the materials and tell them to read them?

There is a different experience having a discussion than just reading an email. In the discussion you can hear your staff's responses and make corrections if they are abdicating something that is against your philosophy. You have the opportunity to coach your staff. And your staff hears the good ideas of their teammates, so they get more value out of a discussion.

What if my team wants to have more in-depth training on one of these topics?

Just email or call us to discuss it. We'll help you determine the appropriate resources available to you, whether they be in-house, with us, or with other consultants we can recommend.

I'd like to use some of your books and tapes for our department library and to lead some additional group training. Do I get a discount on your products?

Yes, as a subscriber to our program, you'll receive a discount on our products. You can check here for the details on this and how to order. Discounts are not to be combined with other special pricing (e.g., Power Packs).

Why is this program an automatically renewed subscription?

You may be thinking "Since there are 12 Guides, we should be complete in a year, and I won't need to renew my subscription." If this were a traditional training program, you would be correct in thinking this. However, these Guides are designed to be used year after year. Although each year you wouldn't send your staff through a training on, say listening, don't you think it would be valuable to have an annual brief discussion with your staff on the importance of listening to your customers?

The discussion will actually be different each year, even though you'll be asking the same questions. You'll likely have different individuals in the group, which means the discussion may go in new directions or participants may add new insights. Even if you have the same people, the level of the conversation will be different than the previous year because they will have new "ahas" as a result of their thoughts and work on this topic through the year.

So the modules get repeated each year, and your staff can see what they've learned and put into practice from the last year, then commit to take the learnings to a new level.

What does it mean that the subscription is automatically renewable?

Just like your cable company, America Online or ISP account, we automatically renew your subscription until you cancel.

What if I go to a new company and want to continue with the program?

It's great to take these learnings to a new environment. You can resubscribe at your new company.

What if a licensee leaves my company?

Someone else at your company may pick up the subscription by notifying us.

What if I've paid for the year and then cancel?

If you decide to cancel, we require that the manual be returned to us within 10 days of notice of intent to cancel. We will consider your subscription cancelled on the date when we receive the materials back. If you are to receive a credit for part of an annual or quarterly payment, that credit is calculated based on when we receive the manual. The credit card with which you paid will be credited within 30 days of our receipt of the manual.

Can I use a Purchase Order and have my company send you a check?

Your subscription begins with receipt of payment. You can encourage Accounts Payable to expedite payment so you can join in as soon as possible. You—or AP—can also go here to register and pay online with a credit card or online check.

I had originally paid by the quarter, but now want to pay for the balance of the year.

Just notify us and we'll tell you the balance due. The annual-payment discount applies only if the payment is received in one sum at the beginning of the subscription.

What happens with the manual when I cancel?

We require that the manual be returned to us within 10 days of notice of intent to cancel. We will consider your subscription cancelled when we receive the materials back. If you are to receive a credit for part of an annual or quarterly payment, that credit is calculated based on when we receive the binder. You'll want to return it via a traceable service, like UPS or FedEx.