Leadership & Team

Building
George Chen
FRC 294, 812 | SCRRF, TSD
 Introductions
•Name
•Team
•Position on team
•Years in FIRST
 •Things to cover
• Personality types
• Discussion/Crisis Management
• Credibility
• Professional relations
• Team building and organization
• Team handbooks
• Publicity
• Q&A
 Leadership defined
Leadership can be thought of as a capacity
to define oneself to others in a way that
clarifies and expands a vision of the
future.
– Edwin H. Friedman
 Personality Types
• Passive (Fishes)
• Aggressive (Sharks)
• Assertive
• Leading by example
 Leading a discussion
• Becoming the “center”
• Being a moderator
 Crisis Resolution
• The best way to handle an uncontrollably
angry person is not to say "Calm down" or
"Breathe" -- unless your aim is to fan the
flames
• Let the person vent for a moment while you
compose yourself. Then calmly say, "I can see
you're upset. I'll listen to what you have to say,
if you're willing to listen to what I have to say.
Okay?"
 Crisis Resolution (cont)
• Follow that up with a question that leads
him out of the situation: "What do you
say we resolve it this way?" By asking a
question, you give him the illusion of
being in control. If this approach fails,
walk away.
 Crisis Management
• Keep cool under fire
• Take care of people
• Address the problem
• Be clear and confident
 Feedback
• Constantly look for ways to improve
• Accept constructive criticism, ignore
insults
• Admit your mistakes
 COACHing
• Conviction Driven
• Over-Learning
• Audible-Ready
• Consistency
• Honesty based
 Building Credibility
• Why is it important?
• Enabling people
• Follow through
 Professional Courtesy
• Making connections
– School administration
– Corporations
– Local businesses
 Styles
• Mimic the styles of those you wish to
impress
– Business suit: formal, business
– Tshirt and jeans: casual
• Always be enthusiastic
• Be prompt & responsive
 Principles of a
Handshake
• Not sweaty!
• Firm, not crushing
• Meet the other person's hand first
• Eye contact!
• Slight smile
• Don't pump up and down like a water
pump
 Exercise: Cold Torture?
• Concept: Get students to introduce
themselves better, develop self
confidence
• Means: It’s cold outside
• Exercise: Pick a cold day, lock the
students out until they properly
introduce themselves.
 Exercise: Elevator Talk
• Concept: Limited amount of time to
convey understandable information
• Means: How long it takes to go up an
elevator
• Exercise: Explain FIRST in 10 seconds,
speaking normally.
 Exercise: Icebreakers
• Concept: In 1-2 minutes, introduce
yourself, your team, and FIRST
• Goal: Develop public speaking skills
 Getting the most out of
your team
• Find your strengths
– Mechanical
– Structural
– Digital/graphical
– Administration
 Team Building
• Developing an effective hierarchy
• Recruitment
• Exercises
 Committee System
• Find motivated students to lead
subgroups
• Don't stretch your resources too thin!
 Hierarchy

Team Lead
Teacher

Student Lead Student Lead 2 Mentor Lead

President VP Mentor

Subteam 1 Subteam 2 Subteam 3 Other mentors

 Hierarchy 2

Teacher Lead Student Lead

Team Manager Team Pres

Parents Subsys lead Subsys lead Mentors

Support Support

Members Members
 Mentors
• Do not let mentors get power-happy!
• Mentors volunteer their time – don't try
controlling them (too much)
 Team Building
• Fundraising
– During off season
– Take advantage of those casually interested
• Group outings
– Laser tag
– Challenge course
– Bowling
 Team building (On
Season)
• Establish timelines
• Identify tasks and assign duties
• Regional activities
 Exercise: Mock FIRST
• Concept: Pick an old season to redo
• Goal: Rookies learn skills
• Use: Vex to build mock robots, practice
design, building, grant writing
• Duration: 3 weeks (or longer)
Exercise: 64 Squares
• Concept: Teams
must work
together to make
their way across a
board
• Goal: Develop
teamwork
• Duration: 20 min
 Team Oversight
• Governing board
– Finance
– Team rules
• Composition
– Teachers
– Lead mentor(s)
– Parent(s)
– Student leaders
 Team Handbooks
• Contents
– Team History
– Team Rules
– Contract/Field trip forms
– Safety guidelines
 Team Handbooks
• Be sure to revise yearly
• Feel free to borrow from other teams
– CD White Papers
– NEMO
 Best Uses
• Preparation for competition
• Authoritative guide to behaviour
• Positive reinforcement
 Publicity
• Team leader = team spokesperson
• Find your speaking style
• Learn to speak, not read
• NEMO: Publicity FIRST
 Exercise: Press Release
• Format:
– Date
– FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
– Title
– Location & Date
– 3rd Person Statement
– Contacts
– Background Information
 Example
24 August 2006
Despite Planetary Downgrade, Pluto Is Still Disney’s ‘Dog Star’

BURBANK, CALIF (Thursday, August 24, 2006) – In reaction to news today that Pluto was
demoted to the status of “dwarf planet,” the Seven Dwarfs issued their own short statement:
“Although we think it's DOPEY that Pluto has been downgraded to a dwarf planet, which has
made some people GRUMPY and others just SLEEPY, we are not BASHFUL in saying we
would be HAPPY if Disney's Pluto would join us as an 8th dwarf. We think this is just what
the DOC ordered and is nothing to SNEEZE at.”
As Mickey Mouse’s faithful companion, Pluto made his debut in 1930 – the same year that
scientists discovered what they believed was a ninth planet.
Said a white-gloved, yellow-shoed source close to Disney’s top dog, “I think the whole thing is
goofy. Pluto has never been interested in astronomy before, other than maybe an occasional
howl at the moon.”
 Exercise: Improvisation
• Press conference style
• Answer each question in 1-2 minutes
 Q&A
• Resources:
– SCRRF
– ChiefDelphi
– NEMO
• Good luck!