PLP Process and Structure:

The effectiveness of the PLP lies in its use of experiential learning processes to engage and test individuals’ leadership skills in small team situations. The Belbin Team Roles model underpins this work – helping participants to identify their most effective leadership styles.

Each participant spends over seventy five percent of the four day programme working in a small team of four to five people – sharing the leadership. On the final day each team member receives peer feedback on her/his leadership style and peer assistance in setting up an effective on-going development plan.

Full group sessions focus on sharing the small team learning experiences and brief facilitator presentations on key programme concepts – setting Team Goals, key leadership behaviours, circulating/shared leadership, skills of consensus, being a participant observer.

Preparation:

• Pre-course reading – ‘Who is setting our agenda?’ covering key leadership and learning process concepts
• Programme concepts questionnaire
• Assembly and feedback on (or revision of) Belbin Team Roles profile
• Setting up ‘On the Job’ Link Sheet

Day 1 - 10.30am Start

• Concepts questionnaire analysis
• Setting up the learning teams
• Team Goal development
• What is leadership? – definitions
• First learning team performance review

Day 2 -

• At the Movies – experiential learning input
• Working the learning cycle – learning team analysis
• Testing the learning – inter-team exercise
• Second learning team review

Day 3 -

• Chris Chatwick’s Dilemma – experiential learning input
• Working the learning cycle – learning team analysis
• Testing the learning – inter-team exercise
• Outdoors excursion
• Third learning team review
• Individual feedback preparation

Day 4 - 4.00pm Finish

• Feedback orientation
• Leadership style feedback to individual team members
• Applying the learning – planning action

Post Programme:

• Two coaching sessions for each participant to facilitate the implementation of on-going leadership development and implementation plans

The programme is residential – providing each person with private accommodation. Also, there are no team or group sessions after dinner on any evening – aiming to give all participants the time and space to reflect on the experiences and learning of each day’s sessions.

The PLP has run thirty times as a public programme in New Zealand since 1998. Participant feedback has always been positive with over 96% indicating that they would recommend the programme to colleagues and friends – a credible measure of effectiveness and value.

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