SAGICOR HPL PROGRAMME

MODULE 2 - BUILDING RELATIONSHIPS | MAY 29, 2024

Programme Designed and Facilitated by:

Ambassador Joan H Underwood | Managing Director & Principal
Consultant | Underwood Talent Development Services (UTDS) Inc.
 Module 2: Building Relationships............................................................................................................................................................................. 01
TABLE OF CONTENTS UTDS Relationship Building Blocks Model®........................................................................................................................................................ 02
UTDS Trust Model®.............................................................................................................................................................................................. 03
Giving and Receiving Feedback................................................................................................................................................................................. 05
Effective Feedback Quiz...................................................................................................................................................................................... 07
Johari Window......................................................................................................................................................................................................... 10
Application Exercise – Complete Your Johari Window............................................................................................................................ 12
Johari Window Worksheet................................................................................................................................................................................... 13
Managing Up.................................................................................................................................................................................................................... 15
Establish Mutual Expectations.......................................................................................................................................................................... 15
Know and Understand the Boss........................................................................................................................................................................ 15
Live Up to Your Commitments.......................................................................................................................................................................... 16
Application Exercise.............................................................................................................................................................................................. 16
Additional Resources............................................................................................................................................................................................ 17
Employee Engagement................................................................................................................................................................................................. 18
Application Exercise.............................................................................................................................................................................................. 19
Employee Engagement Quiz.............................................................................................................................................................................. 20
Additional Resources............................................................................................................................................................................................ 20
Stakeholder Analysis & Engagement...................................................................................................................................................................... 21
Informing/updating stakeholders.................................................................................................................................................................... 22
Consulting stakeholders...................................................................................................................................................................................... 22
Involving stakeholders......................................................................................................................................................................................... 22
Collaborating with stakeholders...................................................................................................................................................................... 22
Stakeholder Analysis & Strategy Formulation Worksheet...................................................................................................................... 24
Next Steps......................................................................................................................................................................................................................... 28
Individual Development Plans (IDP)............................................................................................................................................................... 28
Module 2 Learning Debrief................................................................................................................................................................................. 28
Module 3 Workshop.............................................................................................................................................................................................. 28
Module 3 Learning Debrief................................................................................................................................................................................. 28
 Sagicor HPL Module 2 | 01

MODULE 2: BUILDING RELATIONSHIPS

Welcome to the second module in your leadership development programme. Having spent the last month focusing on managing self, we now shift our
attention to building and maintaining mutually beneficial relationships. In doing so, we will build on what you have already learnt about the self-
awareness and self-regulation aspects of emotional intelligence. Leadership is all about getting things done with and through others. Therefore, the
best leaders are skilled at establishing relationships. As a result, they reap the benefits of having committed followers and not just compliance resulting
from their position of authority and control. This workshop will explore the UTDS Relationship Building Block Model® and its key components:

Trust Positive Mindset Empathy

Effective Communication Respect Platinum Rule

Trust is so fundamental to successful relationships that a separate model has been developed to highlight its essential components and what is
required to close the gaps associated with each of the said components.

While communication in general is important in building and maintaining successful relationships, Giving and Receiving Feedback has been
singled out for special attention. Sixty-five percent of employees desire more feedback. 1 The same study found that high engagement and the
associated gains in productivity are directly related to constructive and consistent feedback. Unfortunately, many managers have not developed
the competence to meet this need.

In addition to managing relationships with your direct reports, your success is contingent on your ability to effectively navigate the relationship
with your boss. Therefore, this module will also equip you with the tools required to Manage Up.

We conclude the module by examining managers’ role in driving employee engagement. In doing so, we cite the Gallup State of the Global
Workplace Report to analyze the trends in Employee Engagement over the last two decades and highlight how the top performers amass gains
in productivity, profitability and other KPIs as a result of their ability to leverage the discretionary effort that accrues to companies with high
levels of employee engagement.

We conclude this module with a session on Stakeholder Analysis & Engagement. You will be introduced to the power/interest grid, one of the
most popularly used tools to identify and analyze your stakeholders and develop a strategy to communicate with and engage them to help
secure their ongoing support for your initiative.

In addition to presenting the relevant theory and research findings, this workbook includes knowledge quizzes along with reflection and
application exercises designed to help concretize your learning as you work to enhance your leadership performance.
1
Source: 20 Essential Employee Feedback Statistics - https://www.zippia.com/advice/employee-feedback-statistics/
 Sagicor HPL Module 2 | 02

UTDS RELATIONSHIP BUILDING BLOCKS MODEL ®

“The most important single ingredient in the formula of success is knowing how to get
along with people.” Theodore Roosevelt

As a leader, your success is predicated on the quality of relationships that you establish and maintain with your direct reports, peers, bosses and
other key stakeholders. There are six essential building blocks for all such relationships. They are identified in the diagramme below.

Diagramme 1: UTDS Relationship Building Block Model

For a detailed explanation of the elements in the model, please see Chapters 9 in Managers’ First Aid Kit.
 Sagicor HPL Module 2 | 03

UTDS Trust Model ®

“As a boss, you can demand compliance, but you must earn commitment, and the coin
of that realm is trust.” Linda Hill & Kent Lineback

While all the building blocks are important in any relationship, trust is worthy of particular attention since its absence constitutes a fatal flaw.
According to research conducted by Paul J Zak, compared with people at low-trust companies, people at high-trust companies report:

74% less stress

106% more energy at work
50% higher productivity
13% fewer sick days
76% more engagement
29% more satisfaction with their lives
40% less burnout

Diagramme 2: UTDS Trust Model

For a detailed explanation of the elements in the model, please see Chapters 8 in Managers’ First Aid Kit.
 Sagicor HPL Module 2 | 04

Notes
 Sagicor HPL Module 2 | 05

Giving and Receiving Feedback

For you and the people you lead to derive maximum benefit from feedback, you must be clear on the following:

The purpose of the feedback – Feedback can provide positive reinforcement thereby helping to build employee confidence or it can be
developmental – i.e., designed to identify and help to close existing performance gaps.

When is the right time to provide feedback – Feedback should be close enough to the event so that the details of what transpired can be
easily recalled. The timeliness of the feedback also helps to ensure that it can influence future performance either by boosting confidence
or identifying areas for improvement.

Who is the right person to provide feedback – It is your responsibility as a manager to provide regular and effective feedback to your direct
reports. However, for persons outside of your chain of command, the specific circumstances – including the nature of the relationship and
whether the feedback is related to a performance gap – will dictate whether you are the appropriate person to provide the feedback.

Where is the right place to provide feedback – Developmental feedback should always be delivered in private, since the intention is not to
embarrass but rather to help the employee maximize their potential. Every effort should be made to minimize the power distance and to
send a clear message that you are partnering with the employee to help achieve a shared objective.

How the feedback should be structured – Whether the feedback is developmental or for positive reinforcement, it is important to be
specific. Therefore, offering a pat on the back and a simple “Good job!” does not constitute effective feedback. The lack of specificity
provides no guidance on what the employee needs to do to maintain or further enhance the existing level of performance. Additionally, if
the feedback is developmental, it is important to ensure that the information being provided is objectively verifiable. Otherwise, you could
get caught up in a dispute re the veracity of your comments.
 Sagicor HPL Module 2 | 06

Notes

For additional information on Giving and Receiving Feedback, please see Chapter 12 in Managers’ First Aid Kit.
 Sagicor HPL Module 2 | 07

Effective Feedback Quiz

https://www.surveymonkey.com/r/HPLFeedbackQuiz

1- What are the two types of feedback covered in this module?

A. Timely and accurate
B. Developmental and Reinforcement
C. Objective and Compassionate
D. Positive and Negative

2- Which of the following is NOT one of the identified benefits of effective feedback?
A. More initiative shown by employees
B. Higher employee engagement
C. Improved employee performance
D. More popular managers

3- Being responsible means that you’re to blame if anything goes wrong.

A. True
B. False

4- The behaviours found on the bottom rungs of the accountability ladder are associated with being…
A. Powerless
B. Responsible
C. A victim
D. All of the above
E. A and C only

5- A culture of accountability results in learning from mistakes.

A. True
B. False
 Sagicor HPL Module 2 | 08

6- A culture of blame focuses on what is wrong, while a culture of accountability focuses on who is wrong.
A. True
B. False

7- Feedback should never…

A. Focus on someone’s personality
B. Be given in public
C. Be taken seriously unless verified by someone else
D. Hurt someone’s feelings

8- Effective feedback is…

A. Specific
B. Linked to departmental goals
C. Based on objectively verifiable information
D. Timely
E. All of the above
F. A, B and D only

9- If you are not getting feedback on your performance, you should…

A. Be happy. It probably means you’re doing a great job.
B. Ask for it
C. Complain that your manager is delinquent.
D. Stop providing feedback to your direct reports

10- Delayed feedback loses impact.

A. True
B. False
 Sagicor HPL Module 2 | 09

Notes
 Sagicor HPL Module 2 | 10

Johari Window
The published research shows that most employees don’t think that they get enough feedback. This means that most managers have not fully
grasped the importance or value of timely and effective feedback. Therefore, as your own best advocate, it is important that you develop the
ability to solicit feedback.

The Johari Window is a useful tool both for increasing your level of self-awareness and building trust within your relationships. The 2 x 2 matrix
consists of the following four quadrants:

1. The Open Area/Arena (things you know about yourself, and others do too);
2. The Blind Area (things you don't know about yourself, but others do);
3. The Hidden/Masked Area (things you know about yourself, but keep hidden); and
4. The Unknown Area (things that are unknown to you and to others)

Diagramme 3: Tools for Expanding the Johari Window's Open Arena

 Sagicor HPL Module 2 | 11

You can leverage the benefits of the Johari Window in three main ways:

Self-disclosure: By building trust with others through sharing information about yourself. This practice expands the Open Area by reducing
the Hidden quadrant.

Feedback: Improving your own self-awareness by discovering what other people think about you, your strengths, and your weaknesses -
and comparing this feedback to the perception you have yourself. This reduces the size of your blind spots.

Coaching: In the context of a coaching relationship, you can embark on a journey of self-discovery thereby achieving higher levels of self-
awareness and reducing the size of your unknown quadrant. This then provides the opportunity for you to further improve transparency,
communication and team interpersonal relationships.

Notes
 Sagicor HPL Module 2 | 12

Application Exercise – Complete Your Johari Window

1- Self-Assessment: Using the following list choose 5 words/phrases that best describe yourself. Be objective and honest.

absent-minded engrossed in own area logical practical

analytical enterprising manipulative procrastinating
caring fearful of conflict methodical realistic
competitive free-thinking meticulous reliable
confident frightened of failure motivated reluctant to allocate work
confrontational helpful oblivious resistant to change
consultative imaginative outgoing restricted in outlook
creative impartial outspoken self-reliant
dedicated impatient over-delegating shrewd
diplomatic impulsive over-sensitive territorial
disciplined indecisive over-talkative tough
eccentric inflexible perceptive unadventurous
efficient inconsistent perfectionist uninvolved with specifics
encouraging inquisitive persuasive willing to adapt

2- Assessment by Stakeholders: Please make a list of stakeholders. In making your selections, as far as possible try to ensure that you have
representatives from the following categories:

I. Bosses
ii. Peers
iii. Direct reports
iv. Clients
v. Family
vi. Friends
 Sagicor HPL Module 2 | 13

3- Fill in the Johari Quadrants: Review your list along with those submitted by your stakeholders and utilize the following protocol to place the
responses in the appropriate quadrant.

i. Where an adjective appears on both lists – i.e. yours and the stakeholders’ – place it in the Open Area Quadrant.
ii. If an adjective appears on your list, but not on any of the stakeholders’ list, place it in the Facade Quadrant.
iii. When an adjective appears on your stakeholders’ list, but not on yours, put it in the Blind Spot Quadrant.
iv. The Unknown Quadrant should remain empty since its contents are not known to you or your stakeholders.

Johari Window Worksheet

KNOWN TO SELF UNKNOWN TO SELF
OPEN AREA BLIND SPOT
(Public: What you and others know) (What others know about you, but you don’t know)
KNOWN TO OTHERS

FAÇADE UNKNOWN
UNKNOWN TO OTHERS

(Private: What you don’t reveal to others) (Neither you nor others know)
 Sagicor HPL Module 2 | 14

4- Reflection: Please use the space provided to answer the following questions.

i. How easy or difficult was it to select the adjectives to describe yourself? Why?

ii. After comparing feedback, what were you surprised by?

iii. What can you do to reduce your Blind Spot and/or Facade, and move those traits into your Open Area instead?

iv. How do you intend to use the results of this activity?

 Sagicor HPL Module 2 | 15

MANAGING UP
You are among the key resources assigned to help your manager/boss achieve departmental objectives. Therefore, you both have a personal
stake in creating and maintaining a mutually beneficial relationship. While both parties have an integral role to play to achieve this outcome, by
focusing on what you can control and influence, you can significantly enhance the likelihood of success. Here are my top three
recommendations in this regard.

Establish Mutual Expectations

As we learnt in Module 1, it is important to begin with the end in mind. That holds true when it comes to managing your relationship with your
boss. However, in addition to determining what would constitute success for you, in this case you also need to ascertain what would constitute
success from your boss’ perspective. How do you find that out? Simple – just ask!

It might be really tempting to try to figure it out on your own. However, that could lead you down the path of false assumptions. So, why take
that risk rather than engaging the boss in a discussion that will get you the answers you need and probably save you a lot of anxiety in the
process? As a bonus, initiating such a conversation gives you the opportunity to show your boss how committed you are to their success.

Once you have established what the boss needs from your relationship, it’s time to articulate what you need to deliver on those expectations.
Here again, don’t assume that the boss already knows what you want/need. As you prepare for this conversation (or more likely, series of
conversations) please remember to include intangibles such as communication, access, delegated authority to go along with assigned
responsibilities – especially when those responsibilities require collaboration of persons outside of your chain of command.

Know and Understand the Boss

Earlier in this module, we introduced the Platinum Rule. So, you are now familiar with the fact that as individuals we have different preferences.
For you to be able to engage with your boss in a way that is optimally beneficial to them and to departmental progress, it is important for you
to know and understand them, their work preferences, strengths and weaknesses. Here are a few of the parameters that are important to know:

Does your boss prefer to focus on the big picture, or are they more keen on getting the details? Or do they expect a combination of both?

What is your boss’ preferred channel of communication?

 Sagicor HPL Module 2 | 16

How would your boss describe their leadership style?

When your boss delegates a task to you, what’s of greater importance to them – how you go about accomplishing the task or the outcome
of the actions you take?

Imagine that you had to prepare a profile of your boss. Do you currently have enough knowledge and information to prepare such a profile? If
you were to share your prepared profile with your boss, how complete and accurate do you think they would find it to be?

Live Up to Your Commitments

The greatest gift you can give to your boss is safety in knowing that you will live up to your commitments. Once you have established what is
expected of you and you have articulated what you require to deliver on those expectations, then the onus is on you to ensure that your boss
doesn’t get blindsided by any unpleasant surprises down the road. Of course, there may be unanticipated developments. In such instances,
timely communication becomes essential. However, ensure that you don’t appear to be dumping the problem on your boss’ back. So, when you
flag challenges or problems, be prepared to share your recommendations for resolving said challenges and problems. Otherwise, you might
develop a reputation for putting a monkey on your boss’ back. 2

Application Exercise
Earlier in this module, we introduced the Platinum Rule. So, you are now familiar with the fact that as individuals we have different preferences.
For you to be able to engage with your boss in a way that is optimally beneficial to them and to departmental progress, it is important for you
to know and understand them, their work preferences, strengths and weaknesses. Here are a few of the parameters that are important to know:

1- Make a list of what you require from your boss to maximize your performance.

2- Make a list of the top three things that you think your boss requires of you.

2
Source: For more on this concept, check out the HRB article Management Time: Who’s Got the Monkey?
 Sagicor HPL Module 2 | 17

3- Schedule a meeting with your boss to discuss how best you can support them in achieving departmental goals and objectives. Share the
three priorities that you identified in Question 2 and ask for feedback.

4- Share with your boss your needs as identified in Question 1. NB: If any of the needs are currently unmet, make a specific request for closing
the gap and ensure that you achieve shared understanding on what is possible and a timeline for implementation.

5- Schedule a date and time for a follow-up conversation to track progress.

6- Keep a record of progress made, challenges encountered and overall business impact pursuant to this initiative. What worked well? What
opportunities exist to further enhance the quality of your working relationship?

additional resources
Three Essential Nuggets to Help You Manage Your Boss
A Tactical Guide to Managing Up: 30 Tips from the Smartest People We Know
Types of Bosses: Which Are You? Which Do You Want to Be?

For additional information on Managing Up, please see Chapter 14 in Managers’ First Aid Kit.
 Sagicor HPL Module 2 | 18

EMPLOYEE ENGAGEMENT
Employee Engagement is defined as the propensity to exert discretionary effort. The concept is reflected in the diagramme below.

Diagramme 4: The Discretionary Effort Model

According to the published research, the primary factors that drive an employee’s willingness to expend discretionary effort include:

Their relationship with immediate supervisor Positive work environment

Belief in senior leadership Hands-on management
Pride in working for the company Trust in leadership
Meaningful work Growth opportunities
 Sagicor HPL Module 2 | 19

Application Exercise
1- Based on your understanding of the theory of change outlined in the sidebar, what
are your recommendations for driving employee engagement throughout Sagicor?
Employee Engagement
Theory of Change
Employee engagement predicts several key
business performance outcomes – e.g.,
2- Which internal stakeholders do you think have a personal stake in supporting the profitability, productivity, customer ratings,
recommendations that you have identified? safety, employee turnover and quality.

Managers are largely responsible for the

conditions that drive employee engagement.
According to Gallup, 70% of employee
3- What is one step that you can take to advance the recommendations that you engagement is attributable to the manager.
have developed?
Therefore, by understanding the drivers of
employee engagement and then ensuring
managers have the right talent and commitment
to deliver on said drivers, organisations can
4- What is your timeline for implementing that single step? How will you assess its build employee engagement thereby improving
effectiveness? business performance outcomes.

5- Who will be your accountability partner to help ensure that you act on this
recommendation?
 Sagicor HPL Module 2 | 20

Employee Engagement Quiz

https://www.surveymonkey.com/r/HPLEmployeeEngageQuiz

1- Which of the following is not a valid definition of Employee Engagement?

Employee engagement is the emotional commitment the employee has to the organization and its goals.
Employee engagement is the propensity to exert discretionary effort.
Employee engagement is a measure of how willing workers are to stay in their current roles.
Employee engagement is the extent to which employees feel passionate about their jobs, are committed to the organization, and are
willing to go the extra mile.

2. Which of the following statements is true?

Disengagement occurs when a caring employee becomes frustrated with his/her supervisor, company policies, workload or even the work
environment.
Disengagement is a mental and physical state in which an employee no longer cares for the job or the people with whom s/he works.

3. Which of the following combination of factors can be positively linked to business gains resulting from employee engagement?
Quality, Employee Turnover and Absenteeism
Customer Ratings, Productivity and Profitability
Profitability, Safety and Turnover
Quality, Theft and Absenteeism

4. Based on what you have learnt in this module, which stakeholder group is best positioned to drive employee engagement?
Employees
Frontline Managers
Senior Leaders
Trade Unions
Board of Directors

additional resources
6 Things You Need to Do to Drive Employee Engagement
Gallup State of the Global Workplace: 2023 Report
 Sagicor HPL Module 2 | 21

STAKEHOLDER ANALYSIS & ENGAGEMENT

Stakeholder analysis is the process of collecting information about any person that will be impacted by (or can impact) your project. Conducting
a stakeholder analysis will enable you to identify all your stakeholders as well as their needs and expectations. This information can then be
used to develop a communication strategy to proactively engage said stakeholders.

One of the most used approaches to stakeholder analysis is the power/interest grid. This matrix considers the levels of involvement and power
your stakeholders have on your project to classify them into four different quadrants.

Diagramme 5: Power/Interest Grid & Associated Engagement Strategies

To every quadrant a stakeholder falls into, there’s a specific type and frequency of engagement that works best. There are essentially four levels
of engagement with stakeholders – i.e., informing, consulting, involving, and collaborating.
 Sagicor HPL Module 2 | 22

Informing/updating stakeholders
At this level, your job is to provide basic information and updates to your stakeholders about the project or decision and keep them informed.
The onus is on them to read what you publish.

This is the stakeholder group that needs to be at the minimum level of engagement. Communication is mostly one-way, where stakeholder
input is not actively sought (however, transparency and awareness are important).

Stakeholders in the Informing Level show low to moderate interest and have a low level of influence, with limited or no direct influence on the
decision-making process.

Consulting stakeholders
Consulting involves actively seeking stakeholder feedback, opinions, and suggestions. It goes beyond simply informing stakeholders and
provides an opportunity for them to express their views.

Stakeholders are asked for their input, and their perspectives are considered in the decision-making process.

These stakeholders present a moderate to high interest in your project, however, a low to moderate influence.

Involving stakeholders
Involving stakeholders takes engagement a step further by actively involving them in the decision-making process.

Your stakeholders have a high level of interest and a moderate to high level of influence on your project. Therefore, they are seen as partners
rather than mere recipients of information and are given the opportunity to provide input and influence the outcome.

Collaborating with stakeholders

These are the bread and butter, the highest level of your stakeholder engagement. The collaboration process involves stakeholders with high
levels of interest, commitment and influence in your project.
 Sagicor HPL Module 2 | 23

At this stage, your stakeholders are active partners in decision-making, and their input is given equal weight alongside other factors. That
means they can participate in shaping the project or decision and share a sense of ownership - so you must treat them as part of your team.

It is advisable to conduct stakeholder analysis and engagement for all major initiatives. Failing to do so could jeopardize the project due to
resistance from key stakeholders.

NOTES
 Sagicor HPL Module 2 | 24

Stakeholder Analysis & Strategy Formulation Worksheet

PART 1
1- Working in your assigned groups, create a list of internal or external stakeholders who have a personal stake in the HPL Programme.
2- Determine the level of interest and influence for each of the identified categories of stakeholders and place them in the appropriate
quadrant of the stakeholder mapping grid using the diagramme below as your guide. NB: Please ensure that you have at least one stakeholder
in each quadrant.
3- Save your document. You will return to it in Part 2 of this Activity.

LATENTS PROMOTERS
(Low interest & High influence) (High interest and High influence)

APATHETICS DEFENDERS
(Low interest and Low influence) (High interest & Low influence)
 Sagicor HPL Module 2 | 25

PART 2
1- Select one stakeholder from two of the following categories:
PROMOTERS - High Interest & High Influence/Power
LATENTS - Low Interest & High Influence/Power
APATHETICS – Low interest & Low Influence/Power
DEFENDERS - High interest & Low Influence
2- Working with the other members of your team and using the strategy formulation guidelines in the diagramme below, develop a strategy to
engage each of the selected stakeholders
3- Designate someone to report back to plenary on behalf of your group. NB: Each group will have 5 minutes to present your strategies.
 Sagicor HPL Module 2 | 26

Name of Stakeholder: _____________________________________________________

Stakeholder Category:
☐ Promoter (High Interest/High Influence)
☐ Latent (Low Interest/High Influence)
☐ Apathetic (Low Interest/Low Influence)
☐ Defenders (High Interest/Low Influence)

Engagement Strategy
 Sagicor HPL Module 2 | 27

Name of Stakeholder: _____________________________________________________

Stakeholder Category:
☐ Promoter (High Interest/High Influence)
☐ Latent (Low Interest/High Influence)
☐ Apathetic (Low Interest/Low Influence)
☐ Defenders (High Interest/Low Influence)

Engagement Strategy
 Sagicor HPL Module 2 | 28

NEXT STEPS
Please continue to monitor your inbox for email blasts with important information and updates and to check the HPL WhatsApp chat. As always,
questions and comments related to the Programme can be referred to the facilitator or to the Talent Development Team.

Individual Development Plans (IDP)

Your coach continues to be available to support you in preparing your IDP. Please bear in mind that the deadline for submitting your plan to
your sponsor is May 31st.

Your sponsors have been given until June 14th to sign off on your IDP.

Module 2 Learning Debrief

The Learning Debrief for this module takes place on Wednesday 13th, June. That session will take place on Microsoft Teams and will run from
2:30 – 4:30 p.m. Eastern Caribbean Time (ECT).

Module 3 Workshop
The next Module will focus on Managing for Results. It will take place on Wednesday 26th June from 9:30 – 4:30 ECT via Microsoft Teams.

Module 3 Learning Debrief

This event will take place from 2:30 – 4:30 p.m. ECT on Thursday 18th July via Microsoft Teams.
 Sagicor HPL Module 2 | 29

Notes