National Academies Press: OpenBook

Labor–Management Partnerships for Public Transportation, Volume 1: Toolkit (2015)

Chapter: Chapter 4 - Labor Management Partnership Workshop Framework

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Suggested Citation:"Chapter 4 - Labor Management Partnership Workshop Framework." National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine. 2015. Labor–Management Partnerships for Public Transportation, Volume 1: Toolkit. Washington, DC: The National Academies Press. doi: 10.17226/21902.
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Suggested Citation:"Chapter 4 - Labor Management Partnership Workshop Framework." National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine. 2015. Labor–Management Partnerships for Public Transportation, Volume 1: Toolkit. Washington, DC: The National Academies Press. doi: 10.17226/21902.
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Suggested Citation:"Chapter 4 - Labor Management Partnership Workshop Framework." National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine. 2015. Labor–Management Partnerships for Public Transportation, Volume 1: Toolkit. Washington, DC: The National Academies Press. doi: 10.17226/21902.
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Suggested Citation:"Chapter 4 - Labor Management Partnership Workshop Framework." National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine. 2015. Labor–Management Partnerships for Public Transportation, Volume 1: Toolkit. Washington, DC: The National Academies Press. doi: 10.17226/21902.
×
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Suggested Citation:"Chapter 4 - Labor Management Partnership Workshop Framework." National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine. 2015. Labor–Management Partnerships for Public Transportation, Volume 1: Toolkit. Washington, DC: The National Academies Press. doi: 10.17226/21902.
×
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Suggested Citation:"Chapter 4 - Labor Management Partnership Workshop Framework." National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine. 2015. Labor–Management Partnerships for Public Transportation, Volume 1: Toolkit. Washington, DC: The National Academies Press. doi: 10.17226/21902.
×
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Suggested Citation:"Chapter 4 - Labor Management Partnership Workshop Framework." National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine. 2015. Labor–Management Partnerships for Public Transportation, Volume 1: Toolkit. Washington, DC: The National Academies Press. doi: 10.17226/21902.
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14 C H A P T E R 4 The professional experience of the project team, supported by the case studies, clearly indicates that the success and sustainability of LMPs in the transit industry depend heavily on the use of rel- evant teaming, problem-solving, and decision-making skills by the leadership and key members on both sides of the partnership. The workshop guide that follows is designed to actively involve participants in a process that will encourage retention of the skills they have learned and help transfer these skills to the real work environment. Workshop Framework Objective The objective of the workshop framework is to provide an effective behavioral blueprint that can be applied successfully in every type of group meeting associated with partnership projects. These might include meetings that seek initial agreement on the need for a partnership between an aspect of transit operations and the local union leadership, or meetings that address ongoing issues and goals of existing transit partnerships, or unilateral meetings held by either side that contribute to a partnership effort. The workshop framework, to be used as a developer’s guide, will • Present a practical approach for building a results-oriented working group consisting of man- agement and labor representatives, • Enable management and labor leaders to effectively manage interpersonal disagreements, and • Identify simple but powerful problem-solving tools in joint labor–management workshops. Adult Learning Principles and Tools The workshop framework is firmly based on adult learning principles which make certain key assumptions. • Adults are motivated to learn because they have needs and interests that learning will satisfy. Adults must see a benefit for themselves and their organization in order to want to become a part of a work group. Therefore, a starting point for organizing a group is to identify people with genuine interest and motivation to work on a problem or issue where their experience and knowledge will be engaged. • Adult orientation to learning is “life-centered” and not “subject-centered.” Therefore, group members must have ample opportunity to discuss their actual work experiences. In work groups, theoretical lectures, and pep talks, excessive administrative minutia will frustrate adult learners. • Experience is the richest resource for adult learning. Therefore, the focus of group meet- ings should be on analyzing experience. Labor–Management Partnership Workshop Framework

Labor–Management Partnership Workshop Framework 15 • Adults have a need to be “self-directing.” Therefore, the role of the leader and coordinator is to engage in a process of mutual inquiry with group members rather than for them to transmit their knowledge to the group and then evaluate their conformity to it. To achieve adult learning, the workshop framework recommends the use of some widely recog- nized skill-development and training tools that have been broadly applied in the transit industry such as the following: • The ADDIE model. A systematic instructional design model consisting of five phases: (1) assess, (2) design, (3) develop, (4) implement, and (5) evaluate. • Cause-and-effect diagram. A tool to assist identifying potential factors causing an over all effect. • Flowcharting (process mapping). An activity that defines how an entity functions, to what standards its processes should be implemented, and how to evaluate the effectiveness of the entity. • Brainstorming. An activity where workshop participants generate ideas spontaneously to address a predetermined problem. • Nominal group technique. A process for collective problem identification, solution generation, and decision-making that encourages and more equally considers input from all participants. The workshop framework that follows focuses on building and maintaining the key skills nec- essary for working groups to mutually start and sustain LMPs. The exact form or shape of meet- ings will differ at every transit agency, based on local custom and on the nature of the cooperative effort being undertaken. But the principles and problem-solving skills of the working group are widely applicable. Initially, it is recommended that, if cost allows, both sides agree to engage a neutral profes- sional workshop developer to develop a workshop based on this framework in ways that are appropriate to the specific transit property. But both management and labor members of LMPs will be able to apply the workshop framework effectively throughout the life of the part- nership projects. Working Together The most effective entry point to creating a results-oriented group is use of the Task-Oriented Team Development Model. A high-performing group determines its goals first and foremost, then clearly identifies the roles of all group members, and next determines group operating procedures in order to cement group norms. Accomplishing these three activities, and in this order, maximizes the potential for highly effective interpersonal interactions and group success. • Goals. Consensus on group goals must be reached and stated before any substantive work can proceed. One way to move forward the group’s discussion on goals is for labor and manage- ment members to find common interests they both share on the identified task. In addition, group members may identify their personal energy level and time commitment to the group activity, and even their own passion for working on an identified task. The clarity of the goals must be substantive and measurable. What the work “is” and “is not” requires inclusive group participation to ensure that no one has a different interpretation of the task. Failure to fully invest in this activity is the best way to ensure team failure. A group member who can’t or won’t subscribe completely to team goals once the group has come to an agreement must exit the group. Rock-hard goals that the group lives by at every juncture of its existence cement focus and commitment to the desired end result. A high-performing team will rally around its goals whenever threatened by outsiders. Ownership of team goals becomes the shared responsibility of all group members.

16 Labor–Management Partnerships for Public Transportation • Roles. For the group to become cohesive, group members must discuss and agree upon the role of each member. This activity is not to be taken lightly. A clear understanding about who takes the lead in key group activities is pivotal to group success. – Is there to be an identified leader? What specifically is his/her role to be? Who and what will he/she share with non-group members, and with whom will he/she share group activities? Is there an alternate leader when the leader can’t attend a meeting? – Will the group accept substitute attendees when a group member can’t attend a meeting? – Who will facilitate the meetings? What special skills does the facilitator need? Will this responsibility be shared, rotated? – Does the group need a secretary or scribe to take notes about group meetings? Does this role include developing an agenda for each meeting, notifying members of pertinent group information (via e-mail, telephone, etc.)? – Will the team issue reports (status, interim, final) about its activities, and to whom? Who will be responsible, the secretary? – Will the group want to invite special participants, who have special knowledge/information that the team needs, to the meetings? • Procedures. Often referred to as ground rules, procedures may be divided into two groups: – Operating procedures include when and where the team will meet, how long each meeting will last, and the start and end times agreed upon by the team. – Member conduct procedures focus on appropriate codes of conduct that members agree are essential for interpersonal effectiveness such as respecting each member’s ideas, not interrupting someone when they are speaking, one person speaking at a time, and confi- dentiality of information shared in meetings. Two additional procedural activities can support effective team work: – Onboarding/off boarding includes setting aside time before and at the end of each meeting to attend to team business that is procedural, leftover information from a previous meeting, or information about future meetings. – Evaluating group processes enables a high-performing team to evaluate the “process” side of its work. Any ground rule that the team agrees to becomes a procedure. Agreed upon goals, roles, and procedures support an open and inclusive environment where members feel free to share their honest thoughts about the task. As a means to an end, focus is placed squarely on the task at hand (goals) and not on the niceties of group bonding. Team members who have bought into the team’s goals are self-policing. Serious violation of any of these team agreements compromises the trust that is being built within the team over time. Managing Disagreements Conflict within work groups is inevitable. In its early stages, conflict is a healthy compo- nent of the teaming experience. Isn’t this counterintuitive? No. Conflict is a clear indication that members of the group are actively engaged in the activity, that they are willing to vocalize their opinions openly without much regard for what others may think. A group that has been charged with “moving” the organization from one place to a better place should not want “yes men” and status quo seekers to populate their meetings. People with legitimate and divergent views must be able—in an open and supportive environment—to have their opinions heard, respected, and integrated into the fabric of the discourse. Conflict becomes dangerous in a group when members take intransigent posi- tions and engage in personal attacks about other members. Keep in mind that if everyone

Labor–Management Partnership Workshop Framework 17 already had the same point of view, there would be no need to bring a group together in the first place. Managing conflict must be the responsibility of each team member. Agreed upon team rules that are violated must be addressed immediately and within the confines of these rules. For example, a team rule is “focus on the problem, not the person.” Any team member may cite the rule, why it was violated, and simply state, “I thought we agreed that no global observa- tions about a member were to be allowed. Your comment that George’s idea was stupid was inappropriate. I believe you should have focused on the idea and why you disagreed with it.” Disagreements can be minimized when all team members focus on these actions: • Separate the person from the comment or problem. For the team to move forward and suc- ceed, in sometimes contentious circumstances, team members are being healthy contributors in the meetings when they can say, “I will be soft on the person, but I’m not going to be afraid to be hard on the problem.” Adopting such an attitude will allow the team to address signifi- cant issues that require serious discussion and resolution. • Respect each team member and be willing to hear them out. Conscientious team members must continually work to maintain the self-respect of each member. Confidence in the task grows when all members feel their contributions support and help the team succeed. The best way to destroy a team is to belittle, in any manner, another team member’s presence. It is hard work, especially in group settings, to be willing to hear another person’s opinions. Active listening is a skill most of us are not good at. Becoming better at this skill requires first paying close attention to what another person is saying and second having the skills to know when and how to step in with observations that summarize or paraphrase what you’ve heard. Adroit use of these skills shows that you have been listening, which is a form of recognition, and that you wish to comment on what you’ve heard. • Assign responsibility to people for their actions. The responsibility to correct or improve one’s behavior must rest squarely with the person who engaged in the behavior. In addition to citing the specific behavior in question, underscore the impact that the behavior has had on the team. In instances of the same or similar behavior, the person should have explained, in private, the consequences for continued similar behavior which may include removal from the team. The group must recognize that attaining its stated goals is more important than the participation of any one individual. • Seek a joint problem-solving approach. A group that is able to use recognized problem- solving tools successfully during meetings typically attains a higher level of performance. Problem-solving tools help to move the group away from a focus on the individual to a focus on the group. In addition, structured tools that incorporate graphical techniques and rel- evant project data produce better solutions than unstructured discourse. When individual ideas and hard data are presented graphically to the group, perceptions and erroneous beliefs tend to dissolve. • Set a good example. During group meetings, demonstrate all agreed on rules established by the team. Encourage the team to look for options and discourage groupthink paralysis. Continually seek to reinforce the common interests that enabled the group to coalesce around team goals agreed upon at the beginning of the activity. Problem-Solving Tools A group’s decision to employ a problem-solving tool is a clear indication that the team has been able to move beyond the sometimes difficult forming stage to a normative period where the real work of the group may be accomplished. The range of tools available to aid a team is immense and runs the gamut from easy to complex and time consuming. It is beyond the scope

18 Labor–Management Partnerships for Public Transportation of this guide to discuss them all. Three of the most commonly used tools are discussed in this guide. For more tools, refer to the references at the end of the Toolkit. • Brainstorming. The round-robin method is used to help a group create as many ideas in as short a time as possible. Each group member must give an idea as their turn arises in the rota- tion or pass until the next round. Piggybacking on someone else’s idea is encouraged. The group scribe needs to capture all ideas on a chart that all members can view. After the round- robin session has run its course, the group discusses the various ideas, which may be combined, eliminated, or added. The best ideas may then be prioritized and the group decides the actions to be taken. Generally accepted ground rules for brainstorming include: – Everyone agrees on the issue to be brainstormed. – Never criticize ideas during the round-robin period. – Encourage spontaneity and outside-the-box ideas. It is recognized that differences of opinion exist over the use of this tool. A review of recent literature on the topic of brainstorming reveals widely varying opinions regarding both its effec- tiveness and desirability as a tool. The literature does not generally condemn its use but points out weaknesses based on empirical evidence. For example, an individual idea can at times be more creative than brainstorming; fear of open expression sometimes inhibits creativity; the first few brainstormed suggestions of some group members tend to shape the thinking of later contributors—thus reducing creativity; the debate or lack of it over expressed ideas enhances or detracts from the resulting creativity. Some findings were influenced by the physical and/or psychological circumstances of the experiment being conducted. For the purpose of this work- shop guide, brainstorming should remain in consideration for use, but with sensitivity to local circumstances. It may, for example, be conducted silently in written form with results posted on a board anonymously. • Cause and effect. Use this method, which has many variations, when a group needs to identify and explore the possible causes of a specific problem or condition (the effect). This method was developed to represent the relationship between some “effect” and the possible “causes” influencing it. The effect or problem statement is first agreed upon by the group and visu- ally displayed for the group to view. The group then identifies all the major causes for the effect underneath the problem statement. The causes might be summarized under four categories: people, machines, methods, and materials. These categories are only sugges- tions, but they help the group place the causes in convenient pockets and facilitate analysis later in the process. When major causes have been determined, further analysis may prompt the group to ask why something happens and list responses underneath the major causes. Further analysis may include a focus on the causes that appear repeatedly. The group may want to gather data to determine the relative frequencies of the different causes. When analysis of the effect is complete (and this might require several meetings), the team should reach consensus on the most likely cause or causes leading to the effect and determine an appropriate course of action to eliminate the effect. The team should also agree on a method to evaluate all implemented solutions, to include how and when to make adjustments if they are needed. • Nominal group technique. This technique tries to provide a way to give everyone in a group an equal voice in problem selection. The steps in this process are as follows: – Group members identify a problem they believe is important for the group to address. The problem statement is placed on a chart for all to view (if members are reluctant to make their problem areas known, have group members submit their problem in advance on paper and the team scribe transfer the problem statement to a team chart). – When all problem statements can be seen by the group, make sure that the same problem is not listed twice (may be in slightly different words). If the problem is repeated combine them into one item.

Labor–Management Partnership Workshop Framework 19 – Assign a letter to each problem statement. Group members write on a piece of paper the let- ters corresponding to the number of problem statements the team produced. For exam- ple, the problem list may look like this: A. accidents, B. operators, C. garage, D. overtime, E. routes, etc. The problem list should not exceed eight problems. Either secretly or as a group, members vote on each problem statement, assigning five points to what they believe is the most important problem the team needs to work on. Then, four for the next problem statement, and so forth. When points are tallied, the problem statement with the most points is addressed first, then the problem statement with the second most points is worked on next, and then the group moves through the list. A variation of this technique may be used when the team needs to select a solution to a prob- lem where divergent opinions have not resulted in a team solution; where a democratic and/or expedient solution is desirable. Obtaining Broad Buy-In For LMPs to generate systemwide impacts, management and union leaders must obtain the broadest possible buy-in from their respective constituents. The case studies found that doubts about LMPs exist in both management and represented labor. The concept of partnership between management and union members is still new to many in the transit industry. Without seeing a functioning partnership, it is not surprising that one cannot envision the benefits of a cooperative labor–management relationship that promotes joint problem solving without com- promising the management’s prerogatives in decision-making and the union’s independence in collective bargaining. Management and union leaders both face the challenge of persuading their constituents. The joint labor–management workshop will prepare its management and union participants in explaining LMPs to obtain broad buy-in from their respective constituents. The benefits of an LMP workshop are discussed below. • Transit industry experience. Past experiences of LMPs in the transit industry will be valuable resources for management and union leaders who have the intention to establish a partnership in their transit systems. The workshop will present proven benefits of LMPs that participants could directly harness and communicate to their constituents. The six case studies conducted for this research are good sources of transit industry experience. Workshop developers could rely on the summaries of the case studies to tailor the curriculum for the respective transit systems. • Types of partnerships and possible structures. The workshop will also introduce the range of scopes, formality, and administrative structures that existing LMPs in the transit industry adopt. This provides tangible images of how LMPs function and what they can achieve. Such examples help workshop participants form their own visions of partnerships unique to their transit systems and, in turn, allow them to help their constituents imagine a partnership they desire. • Persuasive communication tactics. When management and union leaders advance the idea of an LMP to their constituents, it is inevitable that they will face concerns, questions, doubts, and criticism. Such responses to LMPs can sometimes be distrustful and hostile; some may even question the good intention and integrity of an individual. It requires persuasive and tactful communication to convince stakeholders, such as managers at any level, board mem- bers, union members, and other stakeholders, that LMPs are for the better of the transit agency and do not compromise the interests of either the management or the union. • Different approaches to obtain buy-in. Because of the different natures of their respective constituencies, management and union leaders need different kinds of guidance in obtaining

20 Labor–Management Partnerships for Public Transportation buy-in. Challenges from the board or the public to management leaders have very different political sensitivity than challenges from union members to union leaders. This requires the workshop to address management-specific and union-specific challenges separately. Group Facilitation Group dynamics is an area of social science that focuses on advancing knowledge about the nature of group life. Labor–management workshops will often require someone to coordinate the group’s meetings. Often this person is not the identified group leader. A good working knowledge of group dynamics and effective facilitation skills in coordinating group meetings are essential to the group’s success. Key responsibilities of the coordinator include: • Introducing the discussion session, • Being a task-oriented timekeeper who keeps the group moving so that it does not get side tracked, • Restating and drawing attention to the main ideas of the discussion so that learning is focused, • Promoting a climate of acceptance, openness, and support to facilitate learning, and • Knowing when to provide a sense of closure. In addition, a group coordinator must (1) constantly model the behaviors established by the group, (2) be unbiased in interactions with the group, (3) focus on enhancing the “process side” of the discussion, (4) have excellent knowledge of potential problem-solving tools (proposing the use of tools and being able to manage a group’s use of tools in meetings), and (5) be able to capture and manage the visual display of key discussion areas. Group or Team? It is relevant that in labor–management workshops there is an understanding about the question: Are we a group or a team? Although we use group and team interchangeably, not all groups are teams. Teams are just one type of a small group. The leader and coordinator of the labor–management workshop should obtain agreement on one term and use it throughout the workshop. Doing this will mitigate any misunderstanding, confusion, and possible conflict. Committees, task forces, departments, and councils are groups, but they are not necessarily teams. Groups don’t become teams simply because that is what someone calls them. No matter how often it is referred to as one, the entire membership of a large organization is never a team. A team exists based on a set of interpersonal interactions structured to achieve established goals. A team strives to attain mutual goals and is aware of who is and is not a member of the team. Teams have specific functions and roles to perform, and have a limited life-span of membership.

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TRB's Transit Cooperative Research Program (TCRP) Report 181: Labor–Management Partnerships for Public Transportation, Volume 1: Toolkit, provides resources for public transportation management and labor union leaders to establish, manage, and improve labor–management partnerships. The first volume describes:

  • The development of a labor–management partnership charter to start or improve a partnership
  • Labor–management partnership guidance that provides specific recommended actions for both management and labor union leaders
  • A labor–management partnership workshop framework that can be used to develop a cooperative workshop that prepares management and union representatives with essential skills for establishing and managing labor–management partnerships

Volume 2, Final Report, provides background material that was used to develop Volume 1.

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