Executive Coaching Practices in Action

Most of the coaching research found today is based on executive coaching. An executive is a leader at the top of the organization, including CEOs, vice presidents, and executive directors. Executive coaching relationships are usually formed:"between a client who has managerial authority and responsibility in an organization and a consultant [coach] who uses a wide variety of behavioral techniques and methods to assist the client to achieve a mutually identified set of goals to improve his or her professional performance and personal satisfaction and consequently to improve the effectiveness of the client’s organization within a formally defined coaching agreement."[i] This article summarizes five studies on executive coaching. Many include perspectives from both the coach and the client.

Training Intervention

Gerald Olivero, K. Denise Bane, and Richard Kopelman conducted a contracted training intervention on executive coaching as a transfer of training tool in a public sector municipal agency. Thirty-one participants volunteered for classroom training and one-to-one executive coaching. In phase 1 classroom training, the trainees completed a 3 day workshop on roles managers and supervisors need to increase productivity, quality, and effectiveness within the agency. A knowledge inventory was completed before and after the workshop, as well as an instructor satisfaction questionnaire. In phase 2 executive coaching, 8 managers were taught how to be one-on-one executive coaches. These 8 then coached the remaining 23 participants. Coachees were required to choose a work project that would enhance productivity, quality, and effectiveness. Each project shared a written format, time deadlines, and customers. All influenced the coachees’ subordinates in some way. Coachees worked individually with their coaches, covering goal setting, problem solving, practice, feedback, supervisory involvement, evaluation, and public presentation. The sessions lasted for a period of 2 months and consisted of weekly, 1 hour meetings.

Phase 1 training resulted in a 22.4% increase in productivity. Phase 2 coaching resulted in favorable reactions from all participants and an average increase in productivity of 88%. This demonstrates the dramatic effect of coaching as a transfer of training tool. “The training provided a period of abstract learning of principles, while the coaching facilitated concrete involvement in a project specific to each participant’s work unit.”[ii]

Executives Coached in a Private Practice

Karol Wasylyshyn, president of Leadership Development Forum, a management consulting firm specializing in applications of psychology and business, presents outcome research based solely on executives she coached between 1985 and 2001. A survey was sent out to 106 clients with an 82% response rate. The great majority of participants are white males in the 40 to 50 year age group with at least director level responsibility. Multiple responses were allowed for most of the questions presented.

Reactions to working with a coach were significantly positive, with 1/3 of the population remaining guarded on what to expect. The top 3 credentials organizations looked for in hiring external coaches were: graduate training in psychology, experience and an understanding of business, and an established reputation as a coach. The top personal characteristics of an executive coach included: the ability to form a strong relationship with the client, professionalism, and the use of sound coaching methodology. All respondents favored external coaching but were concerned about the person’s lack of company and industry knowledge. A majority of the respondents also indicated a preference towards internal coaching. The major concerns were confidentiality, conflicts of interest, and skill levels. Most executive coaching engagements focused on personal behavior change, followed by enhancing leadership effectiveness, and building stronger relationships. The highest rated coaching tools were face to face coaching sessions, 360 degree feedback, and the relationship with the coach. Executives and organizations measured success by sustained behavior change, increased self-awareness and understanding, and more effective leadership. The author concluded that coaching can benefit many people but the client must be motivated to change and engage in the process.[iii]

Practices, Attributes, & Skills

Deborah M. Luebbe conducted a study to investigate executive coaching practices, attributes, and skills. She looked at 3 groups: the coach, the coachee, and the human resource department to determine the most effective coaching outcomes. What leads to positive behavior change in coachees? What can be done for the best performance outcomes?

In the qualitative research phase, 13 participants from all groups were interviewed one-on-one in relation to their executive coaching experiences: 5 were female and 8 male, ranging in age from 34 to 59 years. These individuals were chosen based on their knowledge, experience, and candidness. The interviews focused on their perceptions of coaching attributes, behaviors, skills, processes, methodologies, outcomes, and measures as they relate to an effective coaching intervention.

The quantitative research phase was survey oriented and based on information obtained from the qualitative phase. Of the 61 participants, coaches came from internationally recognized firms, coachees came from a variety of industries, and human resource professionals practiced in healthcare, manufacturing, and financial services. The survey consisted of 25 items in a rating and ranking format. Questions covered executive coaching attributes, skills, behaviors, qualifications, and processes.

All rater groups indicated trusting relationships as the highest attribute in a coaching engagement. Other key themes that emerged include a coach’s ability to:

• Communicate valuable insight from assessments


• Be accountable to the hiring organization


• Provide candid feedback


• Foster self-awareness and independence


• Build partnerships with internal HR professionals


• Establish an agreed upon set of practices and competencies

Interventions are most successful when coaches are appropriately matched with coachees, and the organization communicates their intent and purpose to the coach. The study recommends adopting a person-centered approach. This means coaches should take the time to know and understand their clients before asking them to change. The age of the client, their level in the organization, the culture of the organization, and the industry in which one works, all influence learning preferences. By building relationships to discover these differences, coaches can ensure a more effective intervention.[iv]

Job-Related Attitudes

Myra E. Dingman presented research on the impact of executive coaching experiences in relation to self-efficacy, job satisfaction, organizational commitment, and work/family conflict. She asked, “How does the extent and quality of participation in an executive coaching experience affect levels of self-efficacy and job-related attitudes?” The study was based on the valid responses of 92 executives being coached by Transformational Leadership Coaching (TLC) graduates. Most participants were white males, with a median age of 42. The majority were married with children and held post-bachelor degrees. On average, respondents had worked 7 1/2 years with their organization and supervised about 16 employees in a field with religious affiliation.

A web-based survey, consisting of 88 questions, asked each coachee for information on their demographics, self, work/family balance, organization, job, the coaching process, and the quality of the coaching relationship. The study concluded that:

• Quality coaching relationships have a positive relation to self-efficacy but a negative relation to job satisfaction, meaning that an effective coach results in the coachee’s self image and self-efficacy increasing but a coachee’s job satisfaction actually decreasing.


• Successfully completing the coaching process led to an employee’s increased job satisfaction. This is great news for organizational coaching. The more time spent in a successful coaching relationship moving through the different steps in the coaching process will lead to increased job satisfaction for the employee.


• Organizational commitment and work/family balance are not significantly related to executive coaching experiences, meaning that neither was affected after a successful coaching relationship

Dingman suggests that organizations continue to study the impact of coaching on executives.[v]

What Works

Brett L. Seamons conducted research to determine the most effective component parts of executive coaching from the viewpoint of the coach, the client, and the client’s boss. Eight triad cases were surveyed by telephone using open ended discussions. The coach, the client (executive), and the client’s boss discussed their views on why the coaching experience was successful. The participants represented multiple coaching firms and organizations while crossing international borders. All participants were in the researcher’s personal network of colleagues and coaches. The average ages are as follows: coaches, 45; clients, 42; and bosses, 48. Work experience for all groups averaged between 19 and 23 years. Most coaching engagements lasted just under a year.

From the interviews, 5 components of coaching with a positive impact emerged. These include; support of boss, adherence, insight through feedback, relationship, and reflective space. Broken down:

• Coaches reported client adherence as the most important part of executive coaching


• Clients said the support of their superior, reflective space, and coaching challenges were the most important factors


• Bosses thought their support, insight through feedback, client adherence, and client investment were the most important factors


• Over 87% of the participants felt coaching was a value for the money
  

Each player can maximize coaching success by understanding the importance of their role and relationships.[vi]


[i]R. R. Kilburg, Executive Coaching: Developing Managerial Wisdom in a World of Chaos (Washington, District of Columbia: American Psychological Association, 2000), 66-67.
[ii]Gerald Olivero, K Denise Bane, and Richard E Kopelman, “Executive Coaching as a Transfer of Training Tool: Effects on Productivity in a Public Agency,” Public Personnel Management 26, no. 4 winter 1997 [journal on-line]; available from http://proquest.umi.com; Internet; accessed 20 September 2007.
[iii]Karol Wasylyshyn M, “Executive Coaching: An Outcome Study,” Consulting Psychology Journal: Practice and Research 55, no. 2 (spring 2003): 94-106.
[iv]Deborah Luebbe M, “The Three-Way Mirror of Executive Coaching,” (Doctor of Philosophy diss., Union Institute & University, October 2004).
[v]Myra E. Dingman, “The Effects of Executive Coaching on Job Related Attitudes,” (Doctor of Philosophy diss., Regent University, April 2004).
[vi]Brett L. Seamons, “The Most Effective Factors in Executive Coaching Engagements According to the Coach, the Client, and the Client's Boss,” (Doctor of Philosophy diss., Saybrook Graduate School and Research Center, March 2004).

LEARN FROM ORGANIZATIONAL COACHING STUDIES

What do businesses like Bank of America, Johnson & Johnson, Nike, and Coca-Cola have in common? They all have used coaching in learning initiatives.[i] Organizational coaching is an internal coaching program that provides a platform where employees achieve balance between their own needs and those of the business. Coaches are usually managers or hired externally through the HR department. Four studies on organizational coaching initiatives reveal how it is progressing and where work needs to be done.

At Home

In the fall of 2005, BlessingWhite, a global consulting firm, conducted a 16 question, multiple-choice, online survey on how managers and employees view coaching. The questionnaire was answered by 677 respondents from a wide variety of industries. They found that coaching is a priority in 78% of the organizations and 91% of the respondents enjoy coaching. Most managers attended some sort of coaching training but still feel they need additional instruction. Many face competing time challenges and are aware they should coach more but are having difficulty following through. They are missing coaching opportunities on a regular basis. Over half of the coaching managers coach according to need. Of the employees being coached, many say they have to request it and it is not enough. Because of this, coaching does not contribute much to employee performance or job satisfaction. Several organizations still do not have incentives or accountability for coaching and there is a lack of support from top management.

BlessingWhite concluded that coaching fails because of flawed organizational systems. They recommend support from the top and an effort to imbed coaching into the culture. Managers cannot effectively coach on a battlefield. They need the right tools and structures. Leaders have an obligation to communicate the organization’s priorities so individual coaching can be linked to the big picture. They must tell their managers how they define business success. Managers in turn need to focus their efforts on building relationships with employees.[ii]

Across the Ocean

The Chartered Institute of Personnel and Development (CIPD) presented a picture of how coaching is being applied in the United Kingdom. They conducted a training and development survey in 2004 showing that 4/5ths of the respondents use coaching within their organizations, mostly through HR. Coaching has risen in popularity because:

· Business environments are rapidly changing
· Employees demand different medias of training
· There is a need for lifelong learning
· Senior executives want improved decision making abilities
· Coaching is targeted and supports other learning activities
· Individuals are responsible for development and progress
· Poor performance hurts the bottom line

Most respondents agreed that coaching benefits both individuals and organizations. It is an effective way to promote learning and the transfer of knowledge, while positively impacting profits. Coaching is mostly used to improve individual performance and productivity, as well as to grow future leaders. Junior and middle managers received the most coaching, with senior managers closely following. Coaching is delivered by internal and external practitioners. Internally, line managers perform the majority of coaching efforts. External coaches are used minimally to keep costs down. In addition, coaching measures are usually assessed through feedback from participants and coaches, appraisal systems, and attitude surveys.

The study concluded that while coaching is embraced by many organizations, few HR professionals have enough expertise to handle coaching initiatives. Among the challenges are confusion about what coaching actually means and how to engage different stakeholders in coaching relationships. Many leaders have not been able to construct a framework linking coaching value to the organizations goals. Coaching has to be adapted to fit the culture and the strategies of the business.[iii]

Personal Change

Jean Hurd investigated the relationship between adult development and organizational development by exploring the effect of organizational coaching on individual lives. For participation in the study:

· Coaching had to be supported, sponsored, and funded by the coachees organization of employment
· The coaching process had to last at least 6 months with a minimum of 6, 1-hour sessions
· No more than 2 years should have lapsed since conclusion
· The coaches had to have a reputation in the organizational development community or within highly respected organizations

The question, “How has the coaching process affected your life?” was presented to 9 individuals: 7 women and 2 men between the ages of 39 and 56, who had been coached in their organization. The participants came from Fortune 50 corporations to small, not-for-profit service businesses. Additional areas were probed using open-ended questions and included work life, personal life, sense of self, view of the future, and coaching processes. Several themes emerged from the data:

· Coachees received concrete feedback to make specific changes
· Coachees are more comfortable processing feedback from others
· Coachees are more self-aware and self-accepting
· Coachees understand how their actions impact others
· Coachees have new ways to think about and approach situations
· Coachees are able to make positive differences in how their organization works
· Coachees experienced changes in their personal lives
· The coaching process was therapeutic

Coaching builds relationships that are key enablers for change. The value of having someone who listens deeply was evident. Good coaching cascades in all directions to create learning individuals. Hurd recommends that organizations instill coaching, performance management, and feedback skills at all levels.[iv]

Waste Reduction

In this study, Joseph Sergio looked at the effectiveness of behavioral coaching by managers of 24 machine operators from one of the largest manufacturers of mechanical fasteners in the United States. The organization was facing many challenges, including poor employee attitudes, an unpleasant physical environment, complex equipment and processes, and business decline. The purpose of coaching was to reduce waste by changing operator behavior in 6 areas. Coaching resulted in a projected savings of $155,844 per year in reduced scrap and supported the assertion that it could have a significant effect, beyond those attained by more conventional methods tried earlier. This is one of few studies that proves coaching has value at lower operational levels.[v]

The Bottom Line

Many companies are planting the seeds for coaching to be an integral part of strategy execution but more research is needed to develop best practices. From these four studies, it is evident that organizational coaching is most successful when it is part of the culture, HR has the expertise to handle coaching initiatives, and coaching is practiced at all levels in the hierarchy.



[i]Nancy M. Davis, “Global Business Leaders Call For 'Speed to Competence',” 2008 HR Trend Book, December 2007, 53.
[ii]BlessingWhite, Coaching Conundrum 2: The Heart of Coaching (Princeton, New Jersey, 2006), 1-26.
[iii]Jessica Jarvis, Coaching and Buying Coaching Services [book on-line] (London: CIPD, 2004, accessed 15 September 2007), 1-80; available from http://www.cipd.co.uk; Internet.
[iv]Jean L. Hurd, “Learning For Life: A Phenomenological Investigation into the Effect of Organizational Coaching on Individual Lives,” (Doctor of Philosophy diss., Union Institute & University Graduate College, October 2002).
[v]Joseph P. Sergio, “Behavioral Coaching as an Intervention to Reduce Production Costs through a Decrease in Output Defects,” (Doctoral diss., University of Notre Dame, 1986).

Use Coaching Research to get Clients

Do you want more clients in your coaching practice? Then present your target audience with evidence that coaching is a sound investment. Research can show clients how coaching was used in situations similar to their own and what results were obtained. The studies also help coaches determine which techniques and tools are most effective in specific settings.

Where Can I Find Coaching Research?

The best resources for coaching research are university library databases. In addition to finding information through coaching oriented publications, pay particular attention to journals in the fields of Psychology, Management, Human Resources, Organizational Development, and Training. Coaching research is also available on the internet. While some websites require a subscription, many offer free or trial access to coaching material. Here are a few coaching research sources accessible online:

• BlessingWhite workplace studies on employee engagement, coaching, leadership, and career. [i]
• Coaching: An International Journal of Theory, Research and Practice. Publishes original research, reviews, interviews, techniques and case reports. [ii]
• Dissertation Abstracts International from ProQuest. The database contains bibliographic citations and author abstracts from virtually all accredited institutions in North America that award doctoral degrees.[iii]
• International Coach Federation (ICF) Research Portal. Website provides a variety of resources about coaching research.[iv]
• International Coaching Psychology Review (ICPR). Publication focuses on theory, practice and research in the field of coaching psychology.[v]
• International Journal of Evidence-Based Coaching and Mentoring. The journal features coaching-related research in some issues.[vi]
• Questia. An online library that carries a wide selection of books, journal articles, magazines, and newspaper articles. Searchable by keywords or phrases.[vii]
• The Coaching Psychologist (TCP). Publishes articles on research, theory, practice and case studies in the arena of coaching psychology.[viii]
• The Foundation of Coaching (TFC) Research Division. Promotes sharing and access to coaching research. The foundation also sponsors coaching related research that is needed to advance the field. Grant criteria are located on the website.[ix]
• The International Journal of Coaching in Organizations (IJCO). Journal focuses on coaching for organizational performance and development. Coaching relationships are aligned with both the organization and the individuals involved in the coaching process. [x]
• The International Journal of Mentoring and Coaching (EMCC). Promotes the understanding of how theory relates to practice.[xi]

What Type of Research is Appropriate to Share?

The answer will depend on your target audience, their background, and what they are familiar with. In general, there are two approaches to any research project - quantitative or qualitative. Quantitative studies are highly structured, technical and scientific. They answer questions about relationships among measured variables. The purpose of quantitative research is to explain and predict, confirm and validate, and test theory. A relatively large body of literature is usually available on the subject matter. Quantitative research focuses on the breadth of discovery, using a representative sample and standardized instruments for data collection. Studies can be completed in a relatively short period of time and don’t require a lot of personal interaction. Quantitative findings are communicated through numbers, statistics, aggregated data, and a formal voice. Common quantitative research designs include:

• Observation studies – focus on a particular aspect of behavior


• Survey research – draws long-term conclusions from a collection of data at a particular point in time.


• Experimental research – examines cause and effect relationships

Qualitative studies are communicated in a narrative or literary style that is similar to how articles may be written in popular publications. They answer questions about the complex nature of phenomena, with the possibility of multiple points of view. The purpose of qualitative research is to describe, explain, evaluate, explore, interpret, verify and/or build theory. Literature on the subject matter is limited. Qualitative research involves in-depth study for relatively long periods of time in a loosely structured environment. Studies require personal interaction within a small sample of the population and include observations and interviews. Qualitative findings are communicated through words, individual quotes, and personal voice. Common qualitative research designs include:

• Case studies – to understand a particular person, program, or event


• Ethnographies – to understand how behaviors reflect the culture of a group


• Phenomenological studies – to understand an experience from the participants’ viewpoint


• Content analysis – to identify specific characteristics of a body of material

When choosing research for your client, it is best to share studies that match their concerns, personality, and environment. Use research to show how coaching was successful in situations similar to what they may be experiencing. For example, business leaders wanting to improve their performance at work would relate to research on executive coaching. The same applies to clients with personal goals. There is plenty of research out there but if you cannot find information in a particular coaching area, conduct your own research. First, purchase a good book on research planning and design to help structure your study and adhere to ethical guidelines.[xii] Then locate specialty coaches on the internet and ask them for case studies of their own experiences, interviews, or to fill out a survey. Analyze and interpret the data to draw conclusions. Finally, share your findings with the participants and your own target market. Don’t forget to review books written on coaching topics. Many contain case studies that may be useful in your own practice.

A Final Word about Research

The quality of research you find may vary considerably, so look at each study with a critical eye. Consider these questions when evaluating research:

• Who sponsored the study? Do they have a vested interest in the outcome?


• Was the research reviewed by experts before being published?


• How was data collected and analyzed?


• How many participants were in the sample population?


• How was the sample population drawn?


• Does the outcome coincide with other literary knowledge?


• Can the findings be generalized to other contexts?


• Do the conclusions correspond with the data collected?


• Is there hidden information between the lines? If 25% of coachees found their coaching sessions helpful, does that mean that 75% of coachees felt it was a waste of time? Numbers can be skewed to support a particular viewpoint.

Think of coaching research for your market as a ConsumerReports Buying Guide. When people make large purchases, they want to be sure the items they are buying have a strong history and are reliable. Research provides a historical background and evidence of reliable methods. By reading and sharing coaching studies, coaches create a win-win situation. They gain expertise, best practices, and proof that coaching will work for their target market, while their clients get confirmation that coaching is a viable option for goal achievement and confidence to invest in a coaching program. It’s time to take action. Find research, share it, and grow your practice.

Notes:
[i] Blessingwhite.com/research.asp.
[ii] tandf.co.uk/journals/rcoa
[iii] Proquest.com/en-US/catalogs/databases/detail/dai.shtml
[iv] coachfederation.org/research-education/icf-research-portal/research-articles/
[v] bps.org.uk/coachingpsy/publications/international-coaching-psychology-review/international-coaching-psychology-review_home.cfm
[vi] brookes.ac.uk/schools/education/ijebcm/home.html%21
[vii] questia.com
[viii] bps.org.uk/coachingpsy/publications/the-coaching-psychologist/the-coaching-psychologist_home.cfm
[ix] thefoundationofcoaching.org
[x] ijco.info/
[xi]emccouncil.org/eu/public/international_journal_of_mentoring_and_coaching/volume_vii_issue_1_extract/index.html
[xii] For more information on the research process, review the book Practical Research: Planning and Design, by Paul D. Leedy and Jeanne Ellis Ormrod.

Ten Strategies to Profit

Sales are the backbone of organizations. Without customers, there is usually no business. Sales personnel must be managed and held accountable for results. This means they must make an effort to call on their accounts regularly for add on business and to seek out new business. Not many commissioned sales personnel are allowed to wait around for calls to come in. It would be much easier and less costly to hire an internal employee to take orders, market, and call on the companys' existing customer base for add-ons and relationship building. For a base plus small commission, one would have a person consistently producing in the office. Use these ten strategies to get your sales staff moving towards profit.

1. Repeat/recurring business strategy: Are there ways to build a consistent revenue flow? Consider service contracts, memberships, or monthly pledges.
2. Referral strategy: What system do you have in place to consistently get referrals? For example, sending out thank you letters after a sale with a few business cards enclosed or offering a discount or free item if someone they refer makes a purchase.
3. Sales strategy: What do you require your sales people to do weekly? Meet goals? Cold call? Call their client list? Market to potential clients? Attend networking events? Ask for referrals from previous customers?
4. Marketing strategy: Think of 3 ways to market consistently. For example, attend a networking event once a week, direct mail potential customers monthly or call existing accounts for add-ons weekly.
5. Message strategy: How do you want to be perceived by your customers? Low price leader? Best customer service? Free delivery?
6. Viral strategy: How do you spread your business message? Word of mouth? Article writing? Speaking engagements?
7. Online strategy: What are your online goals? Are you making money or wasting money? Is the company website kept up to date?
8. Joint Venture strategy: Who can you partner with that has complementary products to what you sell? Can you provide referrals for someone else’s products and get paid for it? Could you pay another company for referring buying customers to you?
9. Time strategy: Who is going to do what? When? How often? Where?
10. Resources strategy: What do you need to get the job done? Who gets what?

Whatever you do, do it consistently and keep this in mind…..Would you want to do business with yourself? What makes the experience pleasant? What could improve? Many businesses are hurting economically. What can you do to take care of the customers you have so they continue to do business with you? Cutting corners is usually not a good answer. I will give you a personal example. I took my son to lunch at a well established restaurant in town. My son ordered a coke to drink. When I got the bill I found I had been charged 25cents for the straw the waitress put in his coke. When I complained to management I was told it was their new policy. I had just bought 3000 straws from Sams Club for about $10. The restaurants policy saved them very little money and irritated all their customers. I will never go back and I will tell everyone I know. Do you want that kind of publicity for your organization?

GROW YOUR BUSINESS

Many profit based organizations focus on their sales numbers when they should be more concerned with their gross margins on sales. The gross margin on sales is the difference between sales revenue and cost of goods sold (the price paid for inventory). The term gross indicates that the expenses necessary to operate the business must still be deducted to arrive at your bottom line. If the gross margin of sales is less than the operating expenses, the difference is a net loss for the period.

Let’s look at a simplified example: The XYZ Company purchases widgets for resell at $5.00 each. The sales staff sells these widgets to their clients for $8.00 a piece. This month, sales were $80,000 (10,000 widgets sold x $8.00 each widget). The cost of the widgets to XYZ Company is $50,000 (10,000 widgets purchased x $5.00 for each widget). XYZ Company’s gross margin on sales is $30,000 ($80,000 sales less $50,000 cost of sales). This means that their expenses cannot exceed $30,000 for the month if they want to stay profitable.

To stay profitable:

• Calculate your expenses for each month so you know how much gross margin on sales you need to cover them.
• Focus on how much you need to make on each sale and how many sales you need to stay in business.
• Selling fewer products for more money will give you more free time and less hassle.
• Make sure you only sell to clients who can afford to pay you.
  

Coaching: Why Are Soft Skills Important?

In many positions and occupations, job performance is soft skill dependent. Companies use assessment tests, such as the Myers-Briggs Type Indicator and the Mayer, Salovey, Caruso Emotional Intelligence Test, so they can get an idea of what soft skills employees possess. These skills are often intangible and, therefore, not easily taught. They tend to be more a function of personality characteristics. Some examples of soft skills include:

Responsibility
Self-esteem
Sociability
Self-management
Integrity/honesty

Examples of interpersonal soft skills include:

Participates as a member of the team
Teaches others
Serves customers
Exercises leadership
Negotiates
Works with cultural diversity

Hard and soft knowledge are both important in the working world but employees who lack the ability to manage their lives, take responsibility for their own success, and follow through on commitments need to learn soft skills along with the hard skills required for a job so they understand how all aspects of their lives connect. Soft skills provide a way to get the highest return on investment when considering human capital. They can build great people. Few individuals are fired because they lack technical knowledge. Most are fired because of a deficit in soft skill knowledge. Ultimately, what we know is not nearly as important as what we do with what we know, and how well we do it.

Some organizations will attempt to train soft skills but training is a use it or lose it proposition. While a participant may be motivated and excited after returning from a program, preexisting thought patterns can work against implementation. Many trainers will admit that follow up is necessary for retention. The transfer of training includes both generalizations of training on-the-job and maintenance of learned material. For this to occur, abilities must be learned and retained through practical experience and repetition. The work environment, including cultural climate, management and peer support, and performance opportunity, is vital to this achievement. Coaching is a tool that can help arrive at transfer of knowledge by recalling the lessons learned, reinforcing their importance, and motivating the client to move forward, despite obstacles or roadblocks. It is suggested that peer coaching, group coaching, or manager to employee coaching take place as follow-up. These techniques will make soft skill retention possible.

Teams, Socio-Technical Systems, & Organizational Values

High performance and self-organizing teams have become an important part of organizational design to maintain a competitive edge. One of the most progressive team designs was developed in the 1950’s by social scientists Trist and Emery. The theory of socio-technical systems (STS) is a process-based, team oriented approach to work that evolved as a way to extend democratic and humane values into the workplace. The organization is viewed as an open system structured to integrate two independent but linked systems; the technical subsystem and the social subsystem. The technical subsystem, following the rules of physics, chemistry, and engineering, includes equipment and transformation processes which are technologically and economically driven so the most desirable method is the most productive at the least cost. The social subsystem, following the rules of psychology, sociology, and politics, incorporates interpersonal relationships that develop among people and build a mutual trust. The system recognizes that commitment to work is conditional on the work experience and assumes technology can be adapted to fit people. The best match of solutions is explored through joint optimization and discovery (see All Teams Are Not Created Equal by Lyman D. Ketchum and Eric Trist, 1992).

STS requires those who work to get a great deal more authority, control, skills, and information than what was customary with scientific management. Socio-technical designers seek to broaden each individual’s knowledge of social and economic consequences, and encourage each worker to develop a range of skills to get results. The work group becomes the focus of change. Organizations using STS should structure the task, authority, and reporting relationships around the work group by delegating decisions regarding job assignments, training, inspection, rewards, and punishment to the group. The aim is to optimize both technical and social subsystems for the benefit of the larger system. Management is responsible for coordinating the groups according to the demands of the work and task environment. Their role is to monitor the environmental factors that effect internal operations and coordinate the two subsystems.

One STS design goal is to produce a system that is capable of adapting to change and making the best use of an individual’s creative abilities. Turning to socio-technical values, objectives, and principles can simplify overly complex production systems and may provide answers for current problems, such as the challenge of reinforcing corporate values. Values are something of worth and importance where learning and experience are the two greatest forces shaping them. Organizational values involve individuals working together to achieve a common goal and help us create our standards of conduct that drive business decisions. As Steve Jobs, the co-founder of Apple Computer put it, “The only thing that works is management by values. Find people who are competent and really bright, but more importantly, find people who care exactly about the same things you care about.”

Organizations need to establish a shared set of values and beliefs that align with the social and technical aspects of project management to achieve the organizations business objectives. These values provide the linkages between the organization’s members, structure, systems, and processes used in the adoption of management project methods. There are several principles leaders can follow to design a socio-technical system based on organizational values:

1. Express the needs and hopes of workers in design criteria and values to insure greater worker investment in organizational purposes. Participants share expectations while working to achieve agreement on the goals and objectives of a design team. The outcome is a set of shared values and assumptions that reflect the process.
2. Express values in the language of the organization and refer to the experiences of its members.
3. Clarify Values. Value clarification is a process of making explicit the premises that inform design choices.
4. Guide and test design decisions against explicit values.
5. Fit the workgroup to the technology. Technology should not determine work organization or design.

A supportive climate must exist between employees and leaders to strengthen organizational values. Management has a social responsibility to employees to ensure technology-based changes are introduced properly. Here are a few recommendations:

1. Let everyone know about the new technology changes through “selling and telling”.
2. Introduce the system to management first (to gain support), then to employees.
3. Make sure the technology works as promised.
4. Get rid of the old system once the new system is working.
5. Provide hands-on training.