SSM-PL0 – Overcoming on the job challenges (30 minutes)

Description: Peer learning gives participants a chance to discuss and practice handling
difficult situations they may encounter after Generation. Participants will work together and
problem solve the issues, creating a positive sense of community and team among the group.

Participant Learning Objectives

By the end of the session, I will be able to:
● Analyze the impact of two different responses to a common challenge that F&B
Stewards face on the job
● Determine an ideal response to challenging situations

Key points:
● It is natural to sometimes feel frustration, sadness, and even anger when faced with
challenging situations. We may have the tendency to demonstrate those emotions in
an initial reaction.
● However, there is a time and a place for those emotions. It is our personal
responsibility to pause and reflect on the longer term consequences of reacting with
those emotions front and center, especially with customers and employers.
● Pausing, reflecting, and even proactively planning for challenging situations allows us
to respond in a more respectful and thoughtful way. Keeping in mind the future
orientation mindset, responding calmly, positively, and productively will yield more
positive results for the future.
● Keeping in mind the growth mindset, we can practice, prepare, and ultimately respond
to challenging situation in more ideal ways.

Behavioral ● All Mindsets ● All

skills

Keywords ● Peer Materials ● Participant Handout: Case

learning Studies

Performance ● N/A
Goals

Session ● During Content & Practice: Debrief, assess participants’

Assessment responses to determine if they have internalized how to effectively
respond to the challenging situation.

Icons ☞ Activity ⟲ Debrief ✔ Assessment

Time Activity
5 minutes Opening
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 Content & Practice: Peer Discussion
20 minutes ● Small Group Discussion
● Debrief
5 minutes Closing

PREPARATION
● Have a participant write the learning objectives on the board.
● Read the handout thoroughly and prepare a mental summary of the day’s challenge.
● Draw the following on the board:

Response 1 Response 2
Pros Cons Pros Cons

● Write the following questions on the board or chart paper:

○ What are the pros and cons of each response?
○ Which is the better of the two responses? Why?
○ What are other productive ways in which you could respond to this situation?

OPENING (5 minutes)
Instructor note: This session begins with a brief introduction to the challenge being discussed
in the session and review of the learning objectives.

● Tell participants in brief about the challenge you will be discussing today and give any
additional context, if required.

● Ask participants to list why it is important to proactively prepare for this kind of on-the-
job challenge. Turn and TalkFT then Share Out.FT

● Tell them that they will be discussing two responses of real Generation graduates to this
situation and analyzing them to find an ideal response.

● Objectives: Review objectives and provide rationale for the value of the session.
○ Explain that peer learning sessions are intended to surface challenges
participants will likely encounter on the job. They give participants an opportunity
to discuss different responses to these situations and to determine a productive
way to respond. This will help them be and feel more successful on the job.

CONTENT & PRACTICE– Peer Discussion (20 minutes)

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Instructor note: The purpose of this section is for participants to grapple with the topic of this
peer learning session and to have a collaborative, solutions-oriented discussion with peers.

 Ask a volunteer to read aloud the scenario on their handout.

 Ask the following questions. Share Out.FT
o Who can summarize this scenario?
o What might be challenging about this situation?
o How do you think this F&B Steward is feeling? How might you feel if this were
happening to you?

☞ Small Group Discussion

● Explain that participants will now work in their mini-families to discuss the two
responses to this potential challenge and to think through:
○ Pros and cons of each response and record their answers in their notebooks in
the tabular format on the board
○ Of the two responses, which would be a more ideal response and why
○ Other ways to productively address this challenge should they face this challenge
on the job.

● Give directions:
❏ Ask participants to stand in their mini-families.
❏ Nominate a group leader who will ensure that all participants in the group
contribute to the discussion.
❏ Once participants are in their groups, ask them to silently read the posted
questions on the board/chart paper.
❏ Tell participants that they need to read the two responses listed in their
handouts before beginning to reflect on the questions.
❏ Tell participants to discuss all three questions and to be ready to share their
responses with the whole group.
❏ Tell participants to note their points down in tables 1 and 2 in their handouts

● Monitor time and Walk Around FT to make sure that participants are discussing each
point one at a time and coming up with relevant responses and ideas for how to
productively address this challenge.

⟲ Debrief
● For each of the two responses, ask each group to share one pro and one con.
● Record the responses on the board on the table drawn.
● Ask them to share which of the two responses would they be likely to adapt and why.
● Have each group share another ideal way to respond to this challenge from their peer
learning. Allow groups to comment on each other’s ideas and ask questions.

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 ● Ask follow up questions that challenge the ideal response to get more thoughtful and
concrete answers from the participants.

Instructor Note: Ensure that the ideal response has tangible steps that participants can adapt
as opposed to a vague answer.

 Ask which behavioral skill or mindset is extremely important to keep in mind while
dealing with this challenge and how will you exhibit those in this scenario? Share Out.FT

● Highlight any important point about an ideal response to this type of situation if you feel
has been missed during the discussion. Ensure the key points have been covered in the
discussion.

Instructor Note: Highlight any key information mentioned in the Instructor Resources for
specific topics.

● Remind participants that it is okay to not have all the answers for all the challenges and
which is why they should make use of their peer network, Generation staff and mentors
while on the job. Encourage them to use these resources to overcome challenges post
the training.
● Tell participants to keep these three things in mind as they face these challenges:
○ Take a step back from the situation. If required take a short break, remove
yourself from the situation physically.
○ Consider others’ perspectives (e.g. how do you think the customer, the employer,
the family is feeling?)
○ Seek support, either from peers, mentor or Generation helpline
● Tell participants to quickly jot down their key learnings in Table 3 of their handouts and
any next steps they have for themselves.

CLOSING (5 minutes)
Instructor note: In this section, participants will receive whole-group feedback and summarize
their learning.

 Share the trajectories of students from both responses to highlight the following:
o It is natural to sometimes feel frustrated, sad, and even angry when faced with
challenging situations.
o However, there is a time and a place for those emotions. It is our personal
responsibility to pause and reflect on the longer-term consequences of reacting
with those emotions, especially with customers and employers
o Our actions have a direct impact on our future and hence, on people around us.
We should be thoughtful in how we respond in such challenging situations.

● Refer participants back to the session’s objectives.

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● Ask participants to summarize their key take-aways from this session. Turn and TalkFT
then Share Out.FT

-- End of Session --

© 2018 Generation: You Employed, Inc.