Leadership Intelligence Blog

How Do You Know if Someone is Coachable?

It's worthless to coach someone if they aren't going to change and improve. But how do you know if the person will change? How do you know if someone is coachable?

We've found that a person must progress through each of the following steps in order to make behavior changes. If the person being coached gets stuck on one of the steps, they must stay there until it is accomplished.

1. Reaction: The person responds positively to feedback. They express a willingness to be coached through both words and actions.

2. Self-Awareness: They demonstrate an awareness of the situation and recognize the gaps between the desired state and the current state. One of the best ways to create self-awareness is through a 360-degree feedback survey.

Baby Steps to Change

In the classic movie comedy, "What About Bob?"—Bob's psychiatrist suggests that he take "baby steps" to get over his multiple phobias and attachments. "Baby steps" are a joke in the movie, but when working toward change, "baby steps" really work.

Massive tasks, like change, are made manageable by shrinking the big task into mini tasks. The completion of each small piece creates hope—hope and motivation. The small success fosters initiative to complete future tasks, leading to further successes, increased drive and motivation, and a circular process that inevitably tackles the massive task of change.

We often refer to the Heath brothers’ book, Switch. In the book, the Heath brothers explain the cyclical process that they refer to as shrinking the change: "Small targets lead to small victories, and small victories can often trigger a positive spiral of behavior."

The key is setting achievable goals. Conquering little goals will not only create confidence in the possibility of mastering the long-term goal, but also generate the motivation needed to get there.

As we provide leadership coaching to managers, we see that small behavior changes make a big impact on employee's perceptions and reinforce the change. The manager who learns to provide one compliment a day to her employees discovers that employee engagement increases and there is more cooperation.  Over time, "big changes come from a succession of small changes" (Heath).

Move from point A to point B with baby steps in the right direction.

The 3 Toughest Challenges for Internal Leadership Coaches

As we train HR professionals to coach leaders in their organizations, they frequently cite these three items as their toughest challenges as an internal coach:

1. Building Trust and Credibility: Leaders need to believe that you are a good coach and that they can discuss sensitive issues and feelings with you in confidence. You can build this type of reputation as you coach others who then become your champions and can vouch for your professionalism. Start with a friend or offer coaching as part of an internal leadership development program to gain your first supporters.

2. Addressing Tough Issues: How do you coach a leader who is volatile, a micromanager, or isn’t open to receiving feedback? Many times managers of these employees generally avoid these problems and ask HR to deal with it. The ability (and confidence) to coach others on these issues comes from training, experience, and support from the person’s manager. In some cases it is best to look to an outside coach who does not have to worry about navigating the political landscape of the organization.

3. Holding People Accountable: As an internal coach, it is hard to hold people accountable for results unless you have the support of their manager. The coach needs to set milestones with deadlines and provide regular follow-up over an extended period of time. Share the action plan and progress with the person’s manager but be careful not to share too much and break the trust you have established with the leader you are coaching.

Most effective coaches have good people skills and are confident in their abilities to help others. Formal coaching training is not a requirement, but it helps you to learn practical skills, gain experience from others, and grow your confidence to confront people on tough issues.  We also recommend using a 360 degree feedback survey as a starting point to identify leadership strengths, derailers, and gaps in perception.

For more information on internal leadership coaching, join our complimentary webinar on July 22nd at 2pm ET. Internal Leadership Coaching Best Practices.

The Trick to Getting Better Performance from your Employees

A new manufacturing plant manager, Steve (name changed), stepped into a money-losing operation. Workers were demoralized and hostile to management. Rumors of closing the plant fueled distrust and low performance.

In order to facilitate change, Steve dismissed ineffective assistant managers and made many other unpopular changes. He responded to resistance from employees with firm and assertive opposition. Most days, nothing seemed to go right at the plant. Steve wanted to build morale, but felt he had to be the bad guy in order to turn the firm around.

A 360-degree feedback assessment was the catalyst for change in Steve.  After the assessment, we suggested that he continue to be firm and strict about changes that needed to be made, while at the same time being positive, and respectful. The challenge: "You can be both firm and nice." He realized that assertiveness and kindness did not have to be mutually exclusive. Then he asked: "What if I can't find anything to be positive about?"

We decided to try an experiment for one month: a daily dose of positive reinforcement. Every day at 11:00 am Steve would stop what he was doing and walk around the floor with the sole purpose of congratulating others for anything that was going right-- anything at all, even if it was minimal.

On the first day of the experiment, Steve praised an operator for wearing his safety gear while operating a dangerous machine. He also smiled at individuals. That was it.

By the third day he was able to point out many things deserving recognition. He was also surprised to notice workers making eye contact with him and even smiling back. By the end of the month, the daily dose of recognition was having a noticeable impact. Steve acknowledged important cost saving actions and record-breaking production quotas. 

Here's the trick, there is no trick. Sincerely focusing on what is right is powerful. Honest recognition creates a buzz for success and tends to produce more of the behaviors that are worth recognition. Despite errors and mistakes, there are always things going right and you'll never have to fake praise. With real positive reinforcement, trust and cooperation increase and new levels of achievement are made possible.

Using the SARA Model to Learn from 360 Degree Feedback

Many people are surprised by the results from their 360 degree feedback report.  Some are completely un-aware of other's perceptions and have a difficult time dealing with this new information. They experience the same range of emotions that are felt by those who grieve for the loss of a loved one. We may experience these emotions with any type of dramatic change in our lives. 

This emotional process is often referred to as the SARA model.  SARA stands for Shock, Anger, Resistance and Acceptance.  As we coach leaders on their 360 degree feedback results, we find that people need to go through this process before they are able to use the feedback effectively to make improvements in their lives.

Shock: Our initial response to feedback may be shock, or denial of the feedback, especially if what we hear is unexpected or contradicts our own views. When people are experiencing shock, they may say things like, "This report must not be right," or "What? I don't understand this report."

Anger: As we realize what the feedback means, shock can turn into anger or anxiety, particularly as we see the implications of it. During the anger stage, people may say things like, "Who said this anyway?!" or "This report just doesn't fit my current situation." 

Resistance: If feedback indicates the need for change, we may experience a period of resistance. Change can be difficult, or at least uncomfortable. When experiencing resistance, people may say, "That's just the way I am, take it or leave it," or "I get it, but I don't like it."

Acceptance: Finally, as we process the feedback, we come to a point of acceptance, which leaves us at a higher place than where we started. When an individual is finally accepting their feedback, you may hear them say, "What can I do to improve?" or "How can I best use this feedback?"

Critical or unexpected feedback can leave us in shock, anxious, and possibly even angry for days, weeks- or longer. Feedback from someone significant to us (i.e., spouse, friend, boss) may be especially difficult to deal with.

The good news is that those who initially respond with greater shock or anger to feedback often end up with a higher commitment to what they learned through the process.  

4 Keys of Leadership Coaching

We all know a problem child in the organization. Often, the employee's supervisor requests that someone in HR help this problem employee by providing some type of leadership coaching. Many times, the HR manager becomes a leadership coach. Naturally, there is apprehension about approaching sticky situations and giving people feedback. How do you overcome this fear and apprehension? What makes a good coach? What is effective coaching?

Here are four keys to leadership coaching:

Trust: Without trust you will have no credibility. Trust is based on forming a relationship, personality, confidentiality, and your reputation as a skilled coach.

Sponsorship: If you are not the employee's manager, you need to have the authority and support to provide coaching. The employee needs to understand that they are accountable to you for improvement and that you will report progress back to their manager.

Assessment Tools: Using performance evaluations, 360-degree feedback, and employee survey results will provide a more objective view of performance in order to facilitate quality coaching and development. Coaching is great, but you need some data to coach on.

Training: Some type of leadership coaching training will help you learn effective skills and techniques that will add to your credibility as a coach.  Most importantly, leadership coaching training gives you confidence, and much of your success is dependant on your confidence as a leadership coach. 

Do you Suffer from the Lake Wobegon Effect?

Garrison Keillor, well-known host of the long-running radio program A Prairie Home Companion, often referred to a fictional Minnesotan small town, Lake Wobegon, "where all the women are strong, all the men are good-looking, and all the children are above average." The human tendency to overestimate our own abilities, achievements, and performance consequently became known as the Lake Wobegon Effect.

Try a little experiment. Ask a room full of people on the same work team to close their eyes and raise their hands if they consider themselves to be below-average performers, in relation to their co-workers. Chances are very few hands will go up; an interesting observation, as statistically half of the room is at or below average.  For further insight into this effect, take a look at how people rate themselves on their own performance evaluations.  Chances are you will see few below-average performers.

We see this play out time and time again in coaching and 360-degree feedback.  We call these people "legends in their own minds."  In social psychology, this is known as illusory superiority or positive illusion-- the tendency to overestimate one's positive qualities and capabilities, and to underestimate one's negative qualities, relative to others.

According to Heath brothers, Chip and Dan in their latest book release Switch, our brains are "positive illusion factories."  According to the Heaths:

• Only 2% of high school seniors believe that their leadership skills are below average.
• 25% of people believe that they are in the top 1% in their ability to get along with others.
• 94% of college professors report doing above-average work.
• People believe that they are at lower risk than peers for heart attacks, cancer, and even food-related illnesses, like salmonella.

Even more interesting-- people claim that they are more likely than their peers to provide accurate self-assessments!

Our DecisionWise research and experience clearly show that this same Lake Wobegon Effect plays out in organizations throughout the world.  In fact, some of our recent research indicates that 78% of the time people are likely to score themselves higher in 360-degree feedback ratings than others score them.  Again, we're all "above average."

A coach (supervisor, parent, manager, etc.) must be continually aware of these inherent biases.  With the biases comes the need to clearly articulate levels of performance.  What is acceptable performance?  Stellar performance? Putting measurements into place, such as performance evaluations, 360-degree feedback, and performance metrics will provide a more objective view of performance.  Helping others understand these biases, and how self-perceived performance may differ from actual performance, is the first step in moving forward.

Congratulations.  By providing objective feedback and performance measurement for your people, you've now solved their positive illusion issues.  Well done!  You're an above-average leader, just like you thought. 

Welcome to Lake Wobegon.

5 Reasons to Use a Leadership Coach

In its April, 2006 issue, Fast Company released results of a study indicating that 71% of senior leaders had worked with a leadership coach, and that 91% of those who had worked with an executive coach planned to use a coach again.  The magazine also stated that 63% of organizations planned to increase their use of leadership coaching during the next five years. 

Here we are, four years and a difficult economy later.  Was the coaching prophecy fulfilled?  The answer is a clear "yes."  Even in a challenging economy, effective leadership coaches are in demand.  Much of this is due to the need to ensure that employees are performing to the best of their abilities.  Many are managers finding themselves doing more with less, requiring them to be at the top of their game.  This is where coaching comes in.

However, leadership coaching is not the panacea for all leadership struggles.  As with any process or intervention, coaching has its clear place in organizational and individual performance.  Before considering whether a coach is right for you or your organization, first take into consideration when coaching is right.  The following is a list of those circumstances when leadership coaching is most likely to generate a significant return on that investment dollar:

1. During a time of individual transition.  Take the manager who is given additional responsibilities, or the person new to a management role.  This is a time when leadership coaching provides much-needed insight for developing into the new role.  It can serve as a fast-start in a time when it's critical to get up to speed ASAP.
2. During times of organizational transition.  Perhaps the organization has just gone through a major acquisition, or has moved into a new strategic direction. Coaching helps individuals and organizations gain strategic clarity and drive plans for moving forward.
3. To address specific performance issues.  While leadership coaching should not be used as a form of remediation or punishment, it can help identify and focus on specific areas for individual improvement within the organization.  Similarly, issues with performance that are due to personal concerns (stress management, interpersonal skills, self-esteem, lack of focus, etc.) can often be addressed through effective coaching.  Assessments, such as 360-degree feedback, are particularly useful in identifying behaviors or competencies that require focus.
4. Specific skill development.  When an individual is lacking in specific skills, coaching can focus on developing these skills.  For example, if an individual struggles with public speaking, a coach can often provide feedback and assist in setting goals for improvement.
5. Succession planning.  Quite often an indivdual may be competent in his or her current role.  However, in order to climb to the next rung on the ladder, there may be areas which require some attention.  Leadership coaching helps provide this awareness, and helps to further prepare the individual for the future.

While a powerful tool for improving organizations and individuals, leadership coaching is not always the answer. However, when used correctly, coaching has the ability to help transform both individuals and organizations.

Dealing with the Competent Jerk

We see it over and over again- the "competent" performer that leaves a wake of dead in his path. Or the manager that gets results, but burns bridges wherever she goes. While everyone in the organization knows the damage these employees cause, the organization puts up with their behavior because they feel they get results. But are the results really the results you want?

Who is a Competent Jerk?
We often see employees hold organizations hostage. This type of manager gets operational results. Yet, in getting results, he or she may be taking down the organization in the process. These managers are cancerous. They visibly gain ground, while simultaneously generating a path of destruction. They destroy morale, derail the efforts of others, and may ultimately destroy an organization. We call these employees "competent jerks." Unfortunately, this type of behavior rarely remains contained- it spreads throughout the organization.

"We're getting results, so what's the problem? I know people can't stand him, but he delivers!" So, what IS the problem? For starters, these individuals often maximize their own results at the expense of others. This manager is focused on operational metrics, but forgets that results cannot always be immediately quantified in terms of sales dollars, defective parts per million, or customer satisfaction scores. Are operational measures important? Absolutely! Are they complete? No way!

Competent jerks meet two qualifiers: 1) They hit or exceed their numbers; but 2) they are hard to work with. Many competent jerks know they are jerks, but feel it is the only way to achieve success. It is hard to argue with the excellent results that they achieve.

The long-term impact of this employee can be devastating to an organization. Unfortunately, many have risen through the ranks because of their ability to hit the numbers; their behavior is reinforced with each promotion or additional assignment. We see this regularly in using 360-degree feedback assessments, as well as through our talent assessment processes. While this employee's performance evaluation shows stellar results, the behaviors displayed in order to get there are clearly identified by others as inappropriate. Although his or her immediate results are maximized, they are achieved at the expense of such factors as lowered morale and team engagement, high turnover, and overall drop in long-term effectiveness (yes... even operational effectiveness).

What to do about it

1. The organization must understand that performance is more than immediate operational results, and hold their employees accountable for how an employee gets results. How a manager goes about achieving results is as important as what results are achieved. Achieving short-term results is a must. However, those that achieve short-term results at the long-term expense of the organization can be devastating.
2. Competent jerks must be made aware of the effect of their behavior on others. A thorough assessment of the manager's behavioral performance using an instrument such as a 360-degree feedback survey provides the wake-up call needed to promote change. Evaluation of overall performance should include a behavioral component, in addition to the operational metrics piece. The manager should also clearly understand the level of employee engagement on his or her team. Coaching provided by this person's manager or an outside coach is used to develop an action plan and provide follow-up support and accountability during the process.

We have found that these types of managers can and do change with the proper support. However, the manager must want to change, understand exactly what needs to change, develop an action plan to make it happen, and receive on-going support and follow-through.

Focus on Strengths from your 360-Degree Feedback

After receiving results from a 360-degree feedback report, people have a tendency to focus only on their lowest scores. They look at their weaknesses and instantly make plans to tackle them. This is not entirely wrong; weaknesses should be addressed, but they should not be the main focus for development.

Instead, the focus should be on strengths identified through the 360-degree feedback process while addressing only those weaknesses that inhibit progression.

An example:  A marketing director is very creative, but struggles to keep within the budgets associated with her marketing plans. This weakness is impacting her ability to succeed, as well as others' perception of her overall abilities.

A common response to her problem might be to focus only on correcting this weakness- to attend a budgeting course, look into additional education, etc. However, that approach does not leverage her real strength- the ability to create great marketing campaigns.

Ignoring this strength would be tragic. The solution to her problem may be as simple as asking a member of her team to monitor and control expenses allowing her to focus on furthering her creativity.

Remember, it is our strengths that lead to our success, not our lack of weaknesses.