My coaching practice presents me with the opportunity to work with leaders in a variety of organizations and industries. These are leaders at all levels struggling to make a difference in their work and in their lives. A common thread is the desire to find more “balance.” (While balance is the popular term, I think it is really more about integration; but, that’s a discussion for another post.)
Developing potential? Focus on strengths and shortcomings
Author: Diane Hamilton, Date: 10/24/2013For over a decade, the focus of leadership and professional development has been to emphasize people’s strengths rather than concentrate on weaknesses. The concept was popularized by Gallup researchers and led to a series of StrengthsFinder books and tools. For those unfamiliar, the StrengthsFinder is an assessment that reveals dominant “themes” that help people focus on their strengths and abilities and center their work and lives on them. The premise is that it makes more sense to leverage strengths and talents versus trying to address shortcomings.
Teachable Moment
Author: Paul Dillenburg, Date: 6/27/2013One of the current buzzwords in leadership development seems to be the idea of “teachable moments.” That is, helping a direct report learn from a practical, job related experience as it occurs. An example of a teachable moment that I was able to highlight for an individual I was coaching may shed some light on how to capture these valuable moments. This excerpt is from a previous blog post.
Development Planning? Focus on Strengths…Close Development Gaps
Author: Diane Hamilton, Date: 3/14/2013“People can do great things. However, there are some things they just CAN’T do. I, for instance, have not been able to transform myself into a Popsicle, despite years of effort.” — Brandon Sanderson, American fantasy author
Much has been written over the past several years about focusing on one’s strengths. Thousands of individuals at all levels in organizations have taken the StrengthsFinder® survey. For those unfamiliar, the StrengthsFinder® is an assessment that reveals dominant “themes” that help people focus on their strengths and abilities and focus their work and lives around them. The premise is that it makes more sense to leverage our strengths and talents versus trying to overcome shortcomings.
How to Measure Results in Coaching
Author: Paul Dillenburg, Date: 2/14/2013Executive and leadership coaching has become increasingly popular for companies interested in developing and keeping key organizational talent. While the number of coaches in the market has increased, we have noticed that few provide potential clients with a model for measuring success. This isn’t surprising because much of what a coach works with a client on are some of the more intangible aspects of work (e.g., leading others, team effectiveness, communication style, etc.). Though intangibles may be difficult to quantify, our background and experience as evaluation and assessment practitioners, led us to develop a model for measuring success based on 5 key factors:
5 Tips for Selecting an Executive Coach
Author: Paul Dillenburg, Date: 1/9/2013Whereas coaching was once viewed as a remedy for an organization’s “problem employees,” today organizations are using coaching to hold onto and improve their very best leaders. But if you are looking for a coach, how do you go about finding the right one? Below are 5 tips to help you select the coach that is right for you:
1. Look for good fit. One of the key ingredients to a successful coaching relationship is the chemistry/fit between the coach and client – ask for a “complimentary session” to help determine the coaches style.
From Awareness to Competence
Author: Diane Hamilton, Date: 9/27/2012I dusted the cobwebs off of an old training maxim this week. I was coaching a leader who talked about the discomfort she was feeling while trying to implement some of the changes in her development plan. She shared that while she has increased her awareness, she doesn’t feel like she has been successful in changing her behavior. The following learning path came to mind. I remember using it years ago when I first started working in the area of OD and Learning and Development. It will be very familiar to many of you—hopefully, it is a good reminder. My guess is that for many individuals you work with it will create an ‘aha’ moment. It did for my client.
Rewarding Others: Personal Currencies
Author: Paul Dillenburg, Date: 8/1/2012One of the challenges many managers face is determining how to engage, motivate and reward their workforce. While financial incentives do have a part to play, they often are not enough to keep employees “happy” with their work.
Not long ago I was discussing this topic with colleagues and the phrase “personal currency” came up. The theory behind personal currency is that each of us place a high value on different things in our work lives. Those things we value most are our currency. For example, some individuals find the most value from monetary rewards or advancement opportunities. Others covet flexibility of schedule or autonomy in their work. Still others place a high value on skill development or involvement in a variety of projects. The list of personal currencies can go on and on.
Will Coaching Work: 4 Questions to Answer
Author: Paul Dillenburg, Date: 7/10/2012Faced with smaller developmental budgets, organizations need to be selective and invest a disproportionate amount of resources in key talent. One avenue for developing top talent is hiring a coach. But, truth be told, not everyone in your organization needs a coach. And, it is not appropriate to invest in coaching for all leaders. How do you know if a coach is the best resource for a given leader?
Here are 4 questions to help you determine if a leader should work with a coach:
1. Does your organization support coaching?
In order to achieve the results intended, individuals need support not only from their coach but also their boss and peers.
Teacher and Student
Author: Paul Dillenburg, Date: 6/13/2012On a fairly regular basis, I facilitate mastermind groups for high potential employees. For those of you not familiar with a mastermind group, it is a monthly gathering of 5 – 8 individuals from different organizations that seek professional development through peer learning and the presentation of leadership content.
One of the key “ground rules” I like to present to the group is the idea that we are all teachers and students. Meaning, you can teach everybody you interact with something and everyone you meet can teach you something. This is an extremely powerful message and one not everyone embraces – especially as leaders. But for those of us that must lead through collaboration, if you aren’t open to others input you may find yourself without followers.
