What’s in the deck?
My Lead, Learn Grow conversation cards help leaders and organizations embed learning into everyday conversations.
The cards are based on my book, Into the Hands of Leaders: Employee Growth through Learning, which highlights the importance of leaders taking an active role in coaching and guiding their employees’ learning and development. We learn the most on the job, not in a classroom. When leaders nurture a learning mindset and foster a team culture of learning, employees increase their capacity for today and create capability for tomorrow.
If employees aren’t growing they’re going.
Learning Mindset question cards
There are 20 Learning Mindset cards with questions to spark conversation in these three areas.
- Curiosity – to encourage exploring new ideas
- Courage – to experiment, take risks and learn from mistakes
- Consistency – to develop a habit of lifelong learning
Team Culture question cards
The 20 Team Culture cards have questions to generate discussion about the team. They focus on these three areas.
- Commitment – how can the leader and team members commit to embedding learning into every day work – what might need to change for that to happen?
- Caring – to learn and grow, leaders and team members need to get to know each other beyond being colleagues and on a more human level.
- Coaching– leaders need see themselves as people who coach and develop others. Employees need to present challenges and work to identify solutions so they can develop skills and own outcomes.
How to use the digital cards
Here are some ideas for using the digital cards to begin a virtual meeting. Set aside up to 10 minutes.
Choose a card
Choose one card and invite everyone to discuss it.
- Inite everyone to respond in the main room. They can respond in chat or come off mute.
- Invite everyone to respond in a breakout room. Plan for three people in a room.
- Only two people risks a stale conversation if one person is disengaged.
- Four people can be too many for the time available.
Let others choose a card
Share the digital card URL with everyone and invite them to discuss a card of their choice.
- Use breakout rooms to facilitate a more meaningful discussion.
- As above, plan on three people in a room.
- You may want to allow more time for this so people can review the cards and make their selection.
TIP As a facilitator, I’m often asked how to have people ‘report back’ after a breakout discussion. I believe it often isn’t necessary. If the intention is to develop a culture of trust, open communication and learning, then allow that to develop in the breakouts. Don’t feel compelled to hear what everyone talked about. If you must, make an open invitation for people to share a summary of their discussion if they’re comfortable. If no one offers, don’t push it.
Interested in more?
Physical card deck
The physical deck also includes 20 Action cards.
Action cards
When I developed the cards and tested the prototype with clients, I received feedback that some leaders might need more support.
“Great, that we have questions to lead conversations, but how do we actually get started with our teams?”
- The Action Cards have prompts that you and your team members can take to shift your team culture to focus on learning and growth.
- The actions are small steps you can take instead of grand, one-time gestures. I believe change comes from smaller shifts that become habits instead of a big change that is forgotten over time.
The Action cards are perfect for teams that want to start shifting their culture and are looking for small, realistic ways to get started.
Make Meetings Matter masterclass
This practical masterclass provides leaders with concrete ways to incorporate learning into team meetings. Each leader receives a deck of my Lead, Learn, Grow conversation cards, and then completes a 90-minute session to learn how to the cards with their teams.
Outcomes
Leaders will:
- Experience Lead, Learn, Grow! Conversation cards to spark ideas for applying to their teams.
- Receive two use cases for applying Lead, Learn, Grow! Conversation cards to team meetings and identify how to apply them.
- Make public commitments to incorporate learning and development into their regular team engagements, creating a culture of growth in their teams.
Click here for more information or, feel free to contact me.