Field Manager Development Program

Overview

Manager effectiveness is important to GitLab’s continued ability to attract, develop, and retain key talent and deliver scalable, efficient growth. In response, the Corporate L&D, People, and Field Enablement teams are collaborating to launch this FY22 program to equip managers with a foundational set of skills & practices for effectively managing remote teams across GitLab’s field organization.

Target Audience

All people managers in the GitLab field organization

Approach

Managers will participate in a series of quarterly training & reinforcement exercises throughout FY22. While there will be formal training elements, a large focus will be on social learning (learning from others) and practical, real-world application to convert knowledge to action.

• Q1FY22 (2021-03-22): Program Launch & Recruiting Top Talent (virtual)
• Q2FY22 (2021-05-24, 2021-05-26, and 2021-06-02): Field Manager Challenge (virtual)
• Q3FY22 (2021-10-04): Recognition, Coaching & Manager Operating Rhythm (virtual)

Topics

This program will leverage content from the GitLab Manager Challenge and address multiple learning objectives supporting the following categories:

1. Winning Top Talent
2. What is a High Performing Team?
3. Organizational / Team Health
4. Performance Management & Giving Feedback
5. Recognition, Coaching & Manager Operating Rhythm

Content

Program Overview

• Field Manager Development Program Overview (11.5 minutes) (slides) (GitLab internal only)

Winning Top Talent

• The Importance of Winning Top Talent (13 minutes, GitLab internal only)
• Defining Team Needs (6 minutes, GitLab internal only)
• Kicking Off the Process With Recruiting (8.5 minutes, GitLab internal only)
• Importance of the Candidate Experience (15 minutes, GitLab internal only)
• Inclusive Interview Practices (32 minutes, GitLab internal only)
• Assessing Candidates (10 minutes, GitLab internal only)

What is a High Performing Team

• Pre-work: Module 1 of the Field Manager Development Program journey
• Building High Performing Teams (slides) (GitLab internal only)
• Welcome featuring Ryan O’Nell (6 minutes)
• Field Manager Spotlight: High Performing vs. Low Performing Teams featuring Helen Mason (4 minutes, GitLab internal only)
• Breakout Exercise: High Performing vs. Low Performing Teams (3 minutes)
• Drexler-Sibbet Team Performance Model Overview (3 minutes)
• Breakout Exercises: Drexler-Sibbet Team Performance Model
  • Stages 1-4 (18.5 minutes)
  • Stages 5-7 (4 minutes)
• Key Take-Aways
  • 8am PT session (4.5 minutes)
  • 2pm PT session (5.5 minutes)

Organizational and Team Health

• Pre-work: Module 2 of the Field Manager Development Program journey
• Organizational & Team Health (slides) (GitLab internal only)
• Building Trust with Remote Teams with Dr. Jeb Hurley from TrustMetryx (76 minutes)
  • Connecting the Human Dots (slides)
  • GitLab Field Managers’ Cross Team TrustMetryx Experience Report
  • GitLab Field Managers’ Your Manager TrustMetryx Experience Report
• Five Dysfunctions of a Team with Denise Parsonage (People Business Partner) (17 minutes)
• Q2 Module 2 Wrap-Up with Michael Leutz (6.5 minutes)

Performance Management and Giving Feedback

• Pre-work: Module 3 of the Field Manager Development Program journey
• Performance Management (slides) (GitLab internal only)
• Performance Management Module Introduction
  • David Sakamoto (VP, Customer Success 8am PT intro (3 minutes)
• Q3 Field Manager Summit Look Ahead (1 minute)
• Performance Management Module Learning Objectives (1 minute)
• Field Manager Spotlight: Giving Feedback
  • Jennifer Kenney-Smith (12 minutes)
  • Reshmi Krishna (13 minutes)
• Performance Management Best Practices featuring Amy Tisdale (Team Member Relations Specialist) (26 minutes)
• Group Discussion: Performance Management Lessons Learned (16 minutes)
• Group Discussion: Tailoring Your Approach to Giving Feedback (12 minutes)
• Group Discussion: An Awkward Performance Review (5 minutes)
• Breakout Exercise: Performance Management (13 minutes)

Recognition, Coaching & Manager Operating Rhythm

• Pre-work: Module 4 of the Field Manager Development Program journey
• Recognition, Coaching, and Manager Operating Rhythm (slides) (GitLab internal only)
• Session Intro (2 minutes)
• Welcome from Michael McBride (GitLab Chief Revenue Officer) (15 minutes, GitLab internal only)
• CRO Leader Perspectives on Coaching featuring Michelle Hodges (GitLab VP WW Channel Sales) and Nima Badiey (GitLab VP, Alliances) (11 minutes, GitLab internal only)
• Fostering Field Recognition featuring Denise Parsonage (Director, People Business Partner) and Monica Jacob (Manager, Field Communications) (15 minutes, GitLab internal only)
• Recent Photo Ice Breaker Activity (3.5 minutes)
• When to Coach Breakout Discussions led by Carolyn Bednarz (Director, People Business Partner) (23.5 minutes, GitLab internal only)
• Field Manager Spotlight: GROW Model featuring Ed Cepulis (Sr. Director, Channel Programs and Enablement) (11 minutes)
• Role Play Breakout Activity: GROW Coaching Model (35 minutes, GitLab internal only))
• Manager Operating Rhythm & Closing (5 minutes)
  • Manager Operating Rhythm (MOR) Handbook page

Core Team

• Carolyn Bednarz (People Business Partner, Sales)
• Josh Zimmerman (Learning & Development Manager)
• David Somers (Sr. Director, Field Enablement)
• Field Manager Advisors
  • Dave Astor (Manager, Solutions Architects, US East)
  • Robbie Byrne (Area Sales Manager, EMEA)
  • Ed Cepulis (Sr. Director, Channel Programs and Enablement)
  • Michael Leutz (Manager, Customer Success Managers, EMEA)
  • Helen Mason (Area Sales Manager (Mid-Market), EMEA)
  • Jacob Potter (Area Sales Manager, Mid Market First Order)

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