CHP 16: The Leader as Coach

"communities of practice."

A form of education that is increasingly used in business and industry is _____ These are groups of people who work together and learn from one another over an extended period of time. Professions and trades from law to construction, businesses from Shell to IBM, and government at all levels use "affinity" groups to study issues, transfer knowledge, and build skills

stretch assignments

A quality shared by most great leaders is a love of learning. They love to stretch their knowledge and skills and expand their capacity to make a difference. Leadership _____ involve taking risks and reaching beyond one's comfort zone. They are determined efforts to improve leadership performance. Stretch assignments combat complacency and stimulate growth by "changing things up." The French philosopher Jean-Paul Sartre thought everyone needed a "project" to fulfill his or her potential

1. decide what is important to you 2. Picture the completed thing 3. taking action

Achieving peak performance requires three basic steps: setting goals, visualizing success, and taking action.

Level IV.

At the highest level, one is unconsciously competent. The performance that results seems effortless, yet it is remarkable. One is a master.

Level I.

At the lowest level, one is unconsciously incompetent; one doesn't know what one doesn't know. One is a novice.

Level II.

At the second level, one is conscious of one's incompetence; one knows what one doesn't know. This is the first step toward growth.

Level III.

At the third level, one is conscious of one's competence; one knows what is required to be competent and is competent, in fact.

Ensuring job readiness

Basic skills training

clarity of work assignment, good work tools and supplies, challenge in one's area of expertise, recognition for one's accomplishments, opportunity to grow, respect for one's opinions, a mission that motivates, feedback on performance, positive social interactions, and pride in one's group.

Employers should meet employee needs in the following areas:

improving personal skills in public speaking, computer literacy, or community service; improving company performance by reconfiguring work flow for better quality; eliminating waste to reduce cost; and improving products and services to satisfy customers

Examples of stretch projects include

Ensuring organizational performance

Executive development Management training and development Supervisory training and development Staff/employee training

Protecting employees and communities

Health and safety training Regulatory compliance (e.g., meeting environmental standards)

strategic skills, operating skills, courage, energy and drive, organizational positioning skills, and personal-interpersonal skills.

Leadership competencies are organized into six areas:

(1) They search constantly for new knowledge and ways to apply it; (2) they carefully review both successes and failures; (3) they benchmark and implement best practices; (4) they share lessons learned; (5) they reward innovation; and (6) experienced and new employees learn together

Learning organizations use six ingredients to discover, create, and transfer knowledge and skills:

novice - level 1 all the way to level 4 master

Levels of performance effectiveness

Basic respect for the worth and dignity of all people is a cardinal value. Individual differences are recognized, and a variety of learning experiences are provided. Each person is addressed at his or her level of development and is helped to grow to fuller potential. Good communications prevail—people express themselves honestly and listen with respect to the views of others. Growth is rewarded through recognition and tangible signs of approval—commendation, promotion, income, and the like.

Organizational conditions conducive to growth

People grow when there is a felt need. People grow when they are encouraged by someone they respect. People grow when their plans move from general goals to specific actions. People grow as they move from a condition of lower to higher self-esteem. People grow as they move from external to internal commitment.

Personal conditions conducive to growth

have a respectful attitude build self esteem use the correct medium or combination of techniques use coaching versus judging in developing people; consider purpose, timing, focus and process practice

Principles to follow in developing others include the following:

(1) The organization is rewarded with the successful development of the next generation of leaders; (2) emerging leaders are rewarded with tremendous learning and growth opportunities; and (3) experienced leaders are rewarded with a profound satisfaction that comes from guiding and coaching others to achieve their potential.

Psychologist David Dunning explains how the rewards of coaching far outweigh the costs:

honesty initiative/self starter good problem solving skills communication skills

Qualities employers want in employees

(1) The person being coached or mentored must want to improve; (2) formal assessment of strengths and weaknesses is valuable; (3) some behaviors cannot be changed; (4) practice is critical for success; and (5) accountability for effort must be maintained

Research on "best practices" in coaching and mentoring shows five conclusions:

Engaging customers

Sales and marketing training Customer service training

Meeting strategic goals

Strategic planning Team building Employee orientation Quality improvement

Implementing new technology

Technical training Scientific and engineering training Technician training Craft and apprentice training Employee skill training Data processing and computer training Information systems training

2.5 to 5 percent of payroll. A truly great company, Ritz Carlton, commits 10 percent of payroll cost to employee training.

The American Society of Training and Development (ASTD) states that the overall U.S. commitment to training is approximately 2.34 percent of payroll ($1,208 per learner), with better employers providing substantially more—from

Do I know what is expected of me at work? Do I have the materials and equipment I need to do my best work right? At work, do I have the opportunity to do what I do best every day? In the last seven days, have I received recognition or praise for doing good work? Does my supervisor, or someone at work, seem to care about me as a person? Is there someone at work who encourages my development? At work, do my opinions seem to count? Does the mission of my company make me feel like my work is important? Are my co-workers committed to doing quality work? Do I have a best friend at work? In the last six months, have I talked with someone about my progress? At work, have I had opportunities to learn and grow?

The Gallup organization has surveyed thousands of companies and has identified 12 questions that assess employee engagement and predict retention:

First, select managers with leadership ability at all levels of the organization. For every person in a management position, the answer must be yes to three questions: Can I perform the job at the deliverable required? Do I want to do the job to the best of my ability? Is there a good psycho-social fit? When companies pick the right managers, they can achieve 27 percent higher revenue for employees than average. Second, select the right employees. Hire employees who possess integrity, initiative, and intelligence for the job they are doing. The additive effect of selecting good employees is 6 percent higher revenue per employee. Third, engage employees. This begins with being sure employees can answer yes to Gallup's 12 questions that predict employee engagement. The additive effect of engaging employees can be up to 18 percent higher revenue per employee. Fourth, focus on strengths. Building on employee strengths is a performance multiplier. It avoids employee apathy, anxiety, and boredom when they are challenged to do what they are good at doing. This produces an additive effect of up to 8 percent higher revenue per employee.

The Gallup organization identifies four capital strategies that combine to achieve up to 59 percent more growth in revenue per employee:

honesty

The U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics estimates that the average American will have 11 jobs between the ages of 18 and 42.56 Regardless of the industry, profession, or trade, and regardless of the level of responsibility, the number one quality employers want in an employee is _____. The need for trust is paramount because the employer relies on the employee to serve its customers, protect its property, and uphold its reputation. Employee honesty is essential.

At Level 1, data are usually gathered by questionnaires administered at the conclusion of a training program. They are a measure of participant satisfaction and typically evaluate content, delivery, and the like. At Level 2, learning is measured in terms of increased knowledge, skill, or attitude. Methods range from paper-and-pencil tests to complex job demonstrations. At Level 3, the question "Are learners using new knowledge, skills, and attitudes back at work?" is answered. This can be determined through observation, surveys, and interviews. At Level 4, the focus is on business results. Assuming people have learned and are applying what they have learned, what difference does it make? Level 4 evaluation measures return on investment. Are the gains recorded greater than the expenditures for training?

The individual learner tends to be concerned about the first two levels, while managers focus on applications and sponsors concentrate on impact

Satisfaction—generally measured by participant approval ratings. Learning—defined as measurable improvement in knowledge, skills, and attitudes. Application—understood as on-the-job use of new concepts, principles, tools, and techniques. Impact—as measured by improvement in bottom-line results such as sales, quality, customer satisfaction, safety, employee morale, turnover, costs, and profitS

The measurement of learning effectiveness is an important issue in today's workplace. The clearest path through this maze continues to be The Four Levels Approach, outlined by Donald Kirkpatrick at the University of Wisconsin. Paraphrased, the levels are as follows:

Missionaries

are goal directed. Usually, missions involve a utopian view of the future and a program for achieving reforms. Missionaries teach out of personal conviction, believing in certain ideals and seeing it as a duty to pass on these ideals to others.

Priests

claim power through office. They are agents of omnipotent authority, and the people who follow them are taught to see themselves as set apart from others. Priests establish structure, order, and continuity—a past program and a plan for the immediate and distant future. Priests operate in a hierarchy with roles and duties in a hierarchical ladder.

Shamans

heal through the use of personal power. They focus the attention of their followers on themselves. When this approach is combined with unusual gifts and skills, shamans are charismatic. They have power, energy, and commitment, which they use to energize others.

Mystic healers

seek the source of illness and health in the follower's personality. Mystic healers try to discover the statue in the marble and seek, like Michelangelo, to find what can be created from the raw material. To be successful, these coaches/leaders require unselfish motivation and considerable sensitivity, as well as flexibility to vary treatment according to the nature and needs of each individual.

Elected leaders

undergo trials, self-transformation, training, or some other rite to achieve their positions. Elected leaders derive power not only from their own experience but also from the mandate of their followers. Consent of followers constitutes much of the power of these coaches/leaders.