Supervision Certification Support

What: Provide high level project information.

• Company name
• Applicant’s name
• Project name
• Company business description – 100 word max.
• Team participants’ names and titles
• Company sign-offs: names of applicant’s manager and 1 peer

Why: To provide general understanding of the company, who will be involved, and that your company supports you doing this project

Example:

Date:
X/X/XXXX

Company Information:
Company Name: ABC Industries
Applicant: John Dunbar
Project Name: Communication and Cohesion Improvement

Company Description:
ABC Industries is a mid-sized manufacturing company that produces automotive parts.

Project Team:

Approvals:

What: A clear explanation of how this project supports a company goal and why it’s important.

Why: To provide a common understanding of the project’s objectives, manage scope, and ensure support of decision makers.

Example:

Company Goal Supported: Improved retention and team performance.

Why It’s Important: Increased communication and trust within the team lead to better morale and higher retention, ultimately driving production performance.

Objective: Enhance communication skills among team members and foster an environment of trust and collaboration.

Anticipated Challenges Related to the Goal: Resistance to open communication, team members not adapting quickly to new communication styles, varying levels of engagement.

What: Clearly define what the project will and will not cover.

Why: To ensure everyone involved understands the goals, deliverables, and limitations to prevent scope creep, and allocate resources effectively. 

Example:

In Scope: Training Production Line 1 Team Members in effective communication and feedback methods, creating shared team goals, and facilitating open discussions about team challenges.

Out of Scope: Departments outside of Production Line 1, Technical skill training, and equipment changes.

What: Identify who will be impacted by or has an interest in this project.

Why: To gain support, obtain different perspectives, avoid roadblocks, and understand expectations. 

Example:

Production Line 1 members (Mike Brown, Laura Green, Tom Davis, Xiong Yang, Mike Davis, JP Longwell, Emily White, Julie Adams, Dave Thomas)
HR Department (Sarah Smith)
Operations Manager (Jane Thompson)

What: Define the actions, their owners, due dates, and status.

Why: To provide a clear visual representation of the project’s schedule so you may ensure action items are on track, identify bottlenecks, and allocate resources effectively.

Example:

What: List the key actions during the project.

Why: To share the “story” of your project, from the planning stage through the implementation stage.   

Example:

Planning Stage:

The project began with baseline assessments of communication and trust within Production Line 1. A survey revealed a starting average communication rating of 2.7 on a scale of 1 -5 (1 being least satisfied, 5 being most satisfied) indicating room for improvement. Team members then completed a communication style inventory, identifying strengths and areas where communication could be improved.

Action/Implementation Stage:

Team-Building Workshop: Co-facilitated a workshop with Sarah (HR Manager) where team members learned about each other’s communication styles. Role-playing exercises were used to practice active listening and clear communication.

Rotated Leadership Roles: During weekly meetings, each team member took turns leading part of the discussion, encouraging ownership and allowing everyone to experience leading a team dialogue.

Structured Feedback Sessions: Regular feedback sessions were set up to encourage open discussion of both successes and challenges. These sessions used a structured feedback model, where team members provided specific, actionable input to one another.

Conflict Resolution Techniques: Conflict resolution techniques were introduced, including active listening, and reframing negative feedback. Team members were encouraged to reframe issues to focus on solutions rather than blame.

What: Document the challenges and how they were resolved.

Why: To verify that barriers were effectively addressed/removed, and provide valuable insights on your own growth as well as improving future projects. 

Example:

Barriers Faced: Initially, some team members were hesitant to participate openly in feedback sessions. Discomfort with discussing personal communication styles also limited engagement.

Solutions Found: HR led a follow-up workshop focused on overcoming communication barriers and establishing trust. Individual coaching sessions were held to address specific concerns, and anonymous feedback options were offered to encourage openness.

Validation/Measurement: The effectiveness of these efforts was measured by comparing pre- and post-project survey data. Communication satisfaction improved from 2.7 to 4.3 among team members, a 59% increase over the course of the project.

What: Identify the tools or skills that were applied from the workshops, and how they impacted the project outcome.

Why: To communicate how you successfully applied what you learned in the workshops to the real world. 

Example:

The Role of the Leader: Applied delegation skills by rotating meeting leadership, encouraging accountability and helping team members practice clear communication. Accountability was emphasized during feedback sessions by ensuring each team member followed up on their personal communication goals. I modeled this by reviewing my own progress first, to demonstrate transparency and set the tone for open communication.

Leadership Style and Versatility: Clear Communication practices were applied by tailoring messages to individual team members’ styles. For example, using concise instructions for analytical styles and supportive language for amiable styles. This ensured all members understood expectations and felt respected.

Conflict, Communication, and Collaboration: A structured feedback model was used during meetings to address recurring issues, such as missed deadlines. Team members were asked to share their perspectives on why the deadlines were missed, with a focus on identifying process related root causes rather than focusing on the people/assigning blame.

What: Clearly state if the project was successful and how it improved working relationships, team cohesiveness, or work output

Why: To provide evidence of the project’s success, validate the effectiveness of the solutions implemented, and allow stakeholders to assess the overall impact and return on investment. 

Example:

Quantitative Results (Metrics, If Applicable): Communication satisfaction ratings improved from 2.7 to 4.3 (scale of 1-5) Additionally, in the 12 months prior to the project Product Line 1 had a retention rate of 75%, with 3 team members leaving the company. We have not had any team members leave in 1 quarter since the completion of the project, we will continue to monitor this metric to ensure this trend continues.

Qualitative Insights (Non-Measurables): Team members expressed feeling more connected and supported, with multiple team members indicating that the feedback sessions helped align them with the team’s goals and priorities. “Improved communication” was noted as a contributing factor to smoother production operations and a reduction in minor conflicts.

What: Explain how the improvements will be sustained going forward.

Why: To ensure the improvements that were achieved are maintained over time, prevent regression to old processes, and provide a clear plan for ongoing accountability and success. 

Example:

Ownership of the process: I will continue to lead monthly feedback sessions and maintain the open communication culture established during the project.

Behavior/s (if applicable): Team members commit to using constructive language during feedback sessions, actively listening to others, and addressing concerns directly rather than using indirect communication. As part of this commitment, team members will set a personal goal related to these behaviors and share their progress at feedback sessions to reinforce accountability.

Monitoring Plan: Quarterly communication assessments will be conducted to track satisfaction and identify areas for continued improvement. HR will provide support by facilitating any necessary follow-up workshops.

Potential risks to sustainment and mitigation strategies: To avoid declining participation, the responsibility for leading sessions will rotate among team members, reinforcing the sense of ownership and engagement.

What: Reflect on key lessons learned throughout the project.

Why: To highlight what did and did not work well, identify areas of  growth achieved and opportunities for future growth and improvement. 

Example:

Lesson 1: Trust and open communication take time to build but are essential for creating a cohesive and high-performing team.

Lesson 2: Regular, structured feedback practices help maintain focus and reduce conflict within teams.

How These Lessons Will Change Future Approaches: These lessons highlight the need for consistent communication practices and support for trust-building activities to strengthen team cohesion.

What: Identify how this project ties into or inspires future improvements within the company.

Why: To use this momentum for continued improvement, innovation, growth, and long term success of the company. 

Example:

This project revealed opportunities to apply similar communication and feedback strategies to other teams within the company. Expanding these practices to include cross-functional teams may enhance collaboration across departments, further supporting operational efficiency and team satisfaction.

How These Lessons Will Change Future Approaches: These lessons highlight the need for consistent communication practices and support for trust-building activities to strengthen team cohesion.

What: Supporting photos, notes, graphics or data charts.

Why: To provide clear, tangible evidence of actions taken, enhance understanding, and make complex information more accessible and impactful. 

Examples:

Feedback Session Agenda

Objective: Facilitate open, constructive discussion of team successes and challenges.

• Opening and Welcome (5 minutes)
  • Review objectives of the feedback session
  • Set ground rules for respectful and open communication
• Roundtable: Successes (10 minutes)
  • Each team member shares 1 recent success or positive experience related to communication or teamwork
  • Discussion of what made these experiences successful
• Roundtable: Challenges (15 minutes)
  • Each team member shares a current communication or collaboration challenge
  • Team brainstorms potential solutions
• Goal setting (10 minutes)
  • Team members set one communication goal for the upcoming month
  • Goals are recorded and will be reviewed in the next session
• Closing Remarks (5 minutes)
  • Recap key takeaways from the session
  • Reminders of next steps and accountability