The Learning E.D.G.E.: Las Colinas Newsletter

Special Edition
October 2003

Greater Irving-Las Colinas Chamber Of Commerce
Selects A Training Company & Location for Team Building!

The Learning E.D.G.E.
To Build a Stronger Greater Irving-Las Colinas Chamber Of Commerce

A real world, practical applications approach to the new world of business management, The E.D.G.E. specializes in customized sales, marketing and customer service programs that enhance or change current performance to meet newly defined skill requirements.

The Learning E.D.G.E. Incorporated is a Texas based developmental resource team available for those companies who have looked at the skill and knowledge base of their current sales, retail merchandising, project or marketing teams and don't find the needed level of competency to meet the challenges of today's changing business environment.

The E.D.G.E. and their consulting resources have worked in several industries that include: consumer package goods, telecommunications, computer hard and soft ware, building, funeral, financial, chemical, pharmaceutical and travel, to name a few, and have helped build more solid and productive business teams in each.

The EDGE has worked for companies like: Aetna, Bayer Corporation, Nokia, Sabre, Bristol-Myers Squibb, American Airlines, U.S. Brick, Dell Computer, Gadzooks, Lennox, Genuity, QualComm, Citigroup, Dobson Electric, Service Corp International, Dial Corp, Gillette, Johnson Wax, Mead Johnson, Kraft General Foods, M & M Mars, PaperMate, Rayovac, Capital One, Pfizer, Zales Reynolds Metals and The Greater Irving-Las Colinas Chamber of Commerce.

Texas Lils Dude Ranch was chosen as the location. Texas Lils is the premier ranch and team building location in the DFW area. Texas Lils Ranch has over 38,000 air-conditioned square feet indoor and over 360 acres of grounds. The Ranch has horseback riding, a mini golf course and the largest metal slide in Tarrant County. The ranch can host parties of between 25 to 5,000 people.

GREATER IRVING-LAS COLINAS CHAMBER OF COMMERCE
“Leadership Training That Makes A Difference”

The Greater-Irving Las Colinas Chamber Of Commerce set out to make a difference with each of their new members for the class of 2003 in the area of Leadership. The Greater Irving-Las Colinas Chamber Of Commerce celebrated with their kick off “Leadership Program” with a specially designed Leadership Training Program geared to accomplish several objectives. The program’s focus was to help the new chamber members to:

Become more effective leaders in the chamber and the community.
Learn to recognize and effectively use all the resources that the chamber will provide.

Develop stronger leadership and team member skills that can apply with GREATER IRVING-LAS COLINAS CHAMBER OF COMMERCE project teams and back in the community.

Understand the Power of the GREATER IRVING-LAS COLINAS CHAMBER OF COMMERCE Team.

Get more connected to one another to build a
more flexible, cohesive & productive chamber.

Learn to be Encouragers to each other.

With these goals in mind Pam Brown, of the chamber, used Joe Hudson and the Learning E.D.G.E. Inc. to deliver a comprehensive leadership development program that would tie into an already planned leadership agenda. In addition to his role at The Learning E.D.G.E. he is also on the faculty at The University of Texas at Dallas in the school of Management-Executive Development. The workshop was held at Texas Lils Dude Ranch in Justin and focused on the power of the GREATER IRVING-LAS COLINAS CHAMBER OF COMMERCE Team. Information and activities worked to get the team members to know one another better, understand the power of each individual on the team and build a team spirit of cooperation and consistency throughout the GREATER IRVING-LAS COLINAS CHAMBER OF COMMERCE. Some of the key points that were addressed for the class of 2003 included:

Arriving at Leadership Characteristics of: Commitment, Organized, Trustworthy, Motivational and Visionary. Team members’ attributes were: Diverse, Trustworthy, Communicator, Responsible and Collaborative.

A good team is consistent. For The GREATER IRVING-LAS COLINAS CHAMBER OF COMMERCE that means consistency is important throughout the chamber.

A team is ordinary people doing extraordinary things together to achieve a common goal.

A team leader acts in ways which serve to elevate those around him or her. The true leader develops a servant’s heart.

A team leader knows what the resources are on the team and uses them to maximum effectiveness to achieve the team and personal and professional goals of the team members.

A team leader instills trust in his/her teammates. We worked on trust builders like: Open and Honest Communication, Offering Constructive Advice & Feedback without Harming The Working Relationship, Acceptance of Each Team Member and Embracing Their Differences, Respecting the Opinions of All Team Members and Practicing ethical standards consistently.

A good team leader aligns his/her resources and expects the most that they can give to the team and the project. “If I accept you as you are, I will make you worse, if I treat you as what you are capable of becoming, I help you become that”.

A good leader is constantly pushing the envelope and wants each member of the team to be successful.

Each team member is a resource no matter what the package. We are all given different skills, abilities and talents and have had different experiences. We come in a package that must be unwrapped and the contents used to reach our goals.

Leadership Process - The Dynamics of Leading a Team

The activities that were accomplished at the workshop included tearing down the barriers of inhibition with; the Killer Bees, Stand Up and be Recognized, the Phrase Game and a Trust Walk. The adventure learning challenges included: Texas Skating, Sam’s Swing and The Bridge To The Community. The teams not only had great fun and learned about each other, but they set an Olympic Record. Sam’s Swing: (Leader Anthony Gill-Ottinger leading the charge) in 2:22, a new olympic record, Texas Skating: (Leader Garrick Amos and Dar Hackbarth on the point) set a time of 9:00, Although the time was not met many valuable lessons were learned by the team they can take back and apply at the chamber and in their respective communities. The Bridge to the Community: (Leader Lynda Opitz and Lawrence Robbins helped the team built a bridge to the future) in more than the allotted 20-minute time frame. Although the time was not met the team met the challenges and had all team members mounted ready for dismount before the time elapsed. Medals were for the Top Leaders of the Day and were given to: Anthony Gill-Ottinger, Garrick Amos, Dar Hackbarth, Lynda Opitz and Lawrence Robbins. Special award T-Shirts were also presented to top team players and were presented to Harold Jenkins, Greg Haralson and Leigh Richardson Congratulations to all the winners and to all the other winners who participated!

The leadership principles are reinforced using adventure learning techniques. The program helps the new leadership class define the key characteristics of effective leaders, recognize and utilize the resources of other chamber team members, and learn the dynamics of the chamber team and how to utilize a proven team process. Each chamber member will have a chance to look critically at their leadership skills and define growth areas, learn more about their fellow team members and begin to use their diverse talents, skills and abilities. They will also learn to trust their team members, experience using a proven leadership process and begin the process of securing a more balanced life and leave with a developed Personal & Professional Growth Planner. The adventure learning activities that support the learning experiences include: The bridge, Sam’s Swing, Texas Skating, and The Trust Walk. The balance of classroom learning and outdoor adventure gets the team personally involved in the process and lets them make the application from the classroom to the real world. Each team member is challenged to take the experiences in which they participated and apply these to challenges they will face in the chamber, professionally, personally or in the community. Some of the applications included:

Trust Walk

Listen to each other – verbally and non-verbally.

It’s harder to lead than follow.

Non-verbal communication is important

Encouragement is important, such as a pat on the back.

Following is scary at first, but after following once and having success, it was better the second time.

Ask questions – don’t be afraid.

As leaders, look at other leaders for direction – you don’t have to do it all.

Texas Skating

The leader took control but accepted ideas from the team.

The leader communicated effectively.

The leader was dedicated, organized, a role model, a motivator, and a visionary.

Team members should not shut down looking at options too quickly.

Team members should be trustworthy, free to give ideas, be encouraging, and collaborate with each other.

Planning is important. Need to discuss options.

Keep everyone involved so they don’t drift out of the group.

Everybody’s input counts.

Break the project into small tasks.

Plan more – ask for more time.

Bridge The Community

Divide and conquer will not happen if you remain team focused

Execution floundered because no clear-cut plan had been decided upon.

Be humble and use all your resources effectively.

A diversity of ideas is important.

Other Applications For A Better Team Effort At Chamber

You don’t have to know everything to be the leader; you just have to use the resources around you to accomplish the goal.

We have no defeats only setbacks and learning experiences.

There are times for leadership and times for following, and your time for both will come; be ready for both and willing to relinquish leadership when someone else is stronger in an area.

You can accomplish a lot with a few resources. Enthusiasm breeds enthusiasm.

Be open to team members’ ideas. Don’t shut out any idea or team member. Listen, Listen.

Make sure you are listening more than you are talking. Watch your talk, listen ratio.

Each team member is unique and we need to take the blinders off and adapt to situations.

Take the blindfolds off and you can pick up the vision as you go, you don’t need all at once.

Break large tasks into manageable parts. Be patient. Believe in your leader and yourself.

Encourage, Encourage, Encourage & don’t give up when the project is difficult.

We began as individuals and ended the day as a team. WE ARE THE GREATER IRVING-LAS COLINAS CHAMBER OF COMMERCE TEAM!!!!!!

WHAT TODAY MEANT TO YOU IN ONE WORD OR PHRASE

Always room for improvement

Listen

Thought provoking

It’s not how you start, but how you finish

Communication

Camaraderie

Expanded my thoughts

The blinders are off

Risk taking

Redefine priorities