FAQs
As your session approaches, PMG wants to share the answers to the most frequently asked questions about the VEI.
Policies
What is the attendance requirement?
Participants are expected to attend the entire institute. Small-group work and group dynamics are adversely affected by sporadic attendance. Those who miss more than a total of one day will not graduate from the VEI.
May guests or spouses attend special events?
Receptions and dinners are an integral part of the VEI experience. Spouses and guests are discouraged from accompanying participants to the VEI.
What is the dress code?
Business casual is the most prominent attire during the day — something you would wear to the office on a “dress-down Friday.” The temperature in the conference rooms is sometimes difficult to control; therefore dressing in layers is advised.
What is the protocol for cell phones, pagers, etc.?
Speakers and participants appreciate your attending to business during scheduled breaks. Phones, pagers and Blackberrys are very disruptive and we ask that they be turned off during class. Consider your absence from the office a good opportunity to give your staff decision-making and operational authority as appropriate. You will have ample time to check-in each day during breaks, which are generally taken at 10:30 a.m. and 2:45 p.m. each day.
Phone numbers where message can be left for you in an emergency:
- VCU Performance Management Group – (804) 828-8845.
Is there any reading prior to meeting the first week?
Yes. “The Leadership Challenge, Fourth Edition” by Kouzes and Posner.
Session schedule
Do I need to arrive on Sunday?
Only if you don’t want to, or can’t, make the drive on Monday morning. We will begin the program promptly at 8:30 a.m.
What is the daily schedule?
Each day we’ll have a continental breakfast at 7:30 a.m. The morning session starts at 8:30 a.m. and lunch is usually from noon until 1:30 p.m. The day generally ends around 5 p.m.
When will be finished on Friday?
The program ends by 2 p.m. on Fridays and all participants are expected to stay until the completion of the program.
Do I make my own hotel reservations?
Yes.
Feedback surveys
What is the process for completing the 360° Feedback instrument?
You will receive directions for the online 360° Feedback via e-mail. You must complete the survey yourself and then e-mail your raters — supervisors, direct reports and/or colleagues — the directions within the next few days. We will provide you with guidance regarding the online 360° Feedback. The responses from your raters will be submitted directly to our database for processing and report generation. You will receive helpful data and an interpretive report with suggestions for an action plan during the first week of the VEI.
As part of the 360° Feedback process, you will also complete the Myers-Briggs Type Indicator (MBTI Step II) online. Many of you might be very familiar with the MBTI, but the Step II MBTI provides you with much deeper insight into the type and how different preference styles are likely to lead, address conflict, etc. Even those who have taken the MBTI multiple times tell us that they get much more out of the MBTI Step II.
Login and password information will be e-mailed to you two days after the orientation. Most people report that it takes them about 20-25 minutes to complete the Step II MBTI.
May I receive feedback from family and friends?
No. The 360° Feedback process is specifically for evaluating your work style and, although feedback from family or friends outside of work may be of interest, we prefer you focus on work relationships.
If I have not been at my current job long enough for my supervisor and direct reports to give me an effective evaluation, or if my supervisor is new to the job, can I receive feedback from my previous supervisor?
Yes. If you feel that your current supervisor has not yet had enough time to fully recognize your work style, you may use the supervisor from your last job.
Can I receive feedback from coworkers or direct reports from my old job?
Yes. However, we ask that you use them in addition to coworkers and direct reports from your current job. They should be categorized as “others.”
Who do I contact if I lose my survey codes?
Contact Susan Edwards at saedward@vcu.edu or (804) 827-1287 to receive your codes.
What do I do if I send the wrong codes to the wrong people?
Contact Susan immediately. New survey codes will need to be issued and all surveys completed thus far will be discarded.
When I try to complete a survey I receive an error message.
Be sure that you have entered the survey code exactly as it appears in the instructional e-mail. The code is case sensitive and will be read incorrectly if any extra spaces are included. You may also receive an error message if your computer has a high level of security protection. Try a computer with a lower security level. If you are still unable to complete a survey, contact Susan.
Can I find out who has completed a survey and who hasn’t?
There is no way to identify surveys by a person once they are completed. All surveys are identified only by a number to ensure confidentiality.
Can I review my answers after completing the survey?
No. The only way to review your answers is to click the “Previous” button after completing each page in the quantitative section. After the last-open-ended question, there is no way to review your answers.
Does anyone else receive a copy of the Feedback Report?
No. The copy you receive at the feedback session during the first week of the VEI is the only copy made. If you misplace your copy, you may request that a PDF version be mailed to you.
Other questions?
Please don’t hesitate to call us at (804) 828-8845. We look forward to seeing you at the VEI!
Reminder: All attendees must submit a one-page biography to be included in the Participant’s Notebook. If you have not done so, e-mail your biography to pmg@vcu.edu or submit your biography online as soon as possible. Additionally, please e-mail a photo of yourself if you choose not to have your photo taken at orientation.
