Category: Leadership Skills

from guest writer Carter McNamara of Authenticity Consulting, LLC

Many Coaching Models Have Certain Approaches in Common

About 15 years ago, I had the privilege of studying a variety of coaching models. When people asked me which model was best, I always answered that it was the last model I had studied.

Each model seemed tremendously powerful — because each had certain practices in common. I came to realize that those common practices in coaching seemed to make the biggest difference for those being coached. I came to call them “core” coaching skills. Since then I’ve incorporated them into a process I call “peer coaching groups.”

“Core” Coaching Skills — The 20% That Gets 80% of Results

I had realized that the experience of having someone —

1. Ask me what’s important to me now, what do I want to accomplish.
2. Ask me questions about how I came to identify that priority.
3. Ask me what success would look like if I addressed my priority.
4. Ask me about my nature, how I like to work on priorities in my life.
5. Ask me what relevant and realistic actions I might take to address my current priority.
6. Ask me what I’m learning as I’m working to address the priority.

— was extremely powerful. All of the models seemed to include this or a very similar sequence of questioning.

Core Coaching Skills Are Accessible to All

The process is so clear and straightforward to apply that almost anyone can be of tremendous help to another person, to members in a group — or to him/herself by posing those, or similar, questions.

That’s one of the features that makes the coaching process so very powerful. I’ve watched 100s — if not 1,000s — of people around the world use core coaching skills to help others transform themselves and their work.

Many people might strongly criticize me for suggesting that coaching is a simple process. I’m not suggesting that. I’m suggesting there’s a central set of techniques is very powerful. Certainly, these can be embellished in many ways — and an explosion of coaching schools have done that.

I’ve watched as the field has become a profession for many, including codes of ethics and credentialing. I look back very fondly on those early years where so many people watched this wondrous new field become so popular to so many — and for good reason.

What do you think?

For more resources, see the Library topic Personal and Professional Coaching.

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Carter McNamara, MBA, PhD – Authenticity Consulting, LLC – 800-971-2250
Read my weekly blogs: Boards, Consulting and OD, Nonprofits and Strategic Planning.

Since moving to Cleveland ten years ago, I have watched many disappointing seasons for Cleveland sports teams. A common statement heard by Clevelanders all over the city every year is “this is our year.” Every year could be the year for multiple Cleveland teams including the Indians, Browns and Cavs and every year seems to bring disappointment and frustration for the fans, players, and owners alike. The most disappointing and frustrating event for me thus far was the Cavaliers loss in Eastern Conference Semi-Finals to the Boston Celtics. Cleveland fans all over watched the final three games of the series in disbelief and shock. How could a team with that much talent suffer such a devastating loss in game four? The loss was so disappointing that the fans actually booed their home team.

For those who watched the Cavs during the regular season and during the previous series, there was an obvious difference in performance of the team. While some fans even questioned the pre-game antics and the unspoken language the team had seemed to develop in the regular season, they couldn’t question the results of the winning team. There was an obvious chemistry that existed among the talented members that seemed to vanish in their final series of the season. While there has been much speculation and a host of rumors that has circulated around the reason, those outside of the organization are still clueless as the catalyst of this change.

You may ask why I am writing about the Cavs in a human resources blog. The answer is simple; the Cavs didn’t lose because they lacked the talent to win. Building the most talented team in your industry doesn’t guarantee a win in crucial moments. The team has to work together toward the same goal. There are a host of reasons that teams lose their chemistry. The challenge is to identify when it’s happening and find a solution before the big game.

What thoughts do you have? What have you done in your role to build team chemistry?

Your thoughts are always encouraged!

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For more resources, See the Human Resources library.

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Sheri Mazurek is a training and human resource professional with over 16 years of management experience, and is skilled in all areas of employee management and human resource functions, with a specialty in learning and development. She is currently employed as the Human Resource Manager at EmployeeScreenIQ, a global leader in pre-employment background screening.

Guest submission from Carter McNamara of Authenticity Consulting, LLC.

An Earlier Time When We Fantasized Heroic Leaders

In the 1960s and ‘70s, many of us took part in “rap” sessions. Back then, rapping was a free-floating discussion, usually centered around utopian dreams of what society should be, but wasn’t. We lamented how corrupt “the establishment” was, how adults didn’t understand us and how business was ruining the world.

We fantasized a world where business leaders worked only for the good of humankind, where leaders stopped war or famine, where leaders ensured everyone was happy everywhere all the time. We desperately needed heroic leaders.

Too Often We Blamed Leaders – We Should’ve Blamed Ourselves

But even back then, many of us were haunted that, rather than working to improve the world, we were actually trying to escape from it. Rather than trying to understand the world of those who had bills to pay or children to feed, we believed instead that we were the only ones who really knew “the truth.”

Soon we grew tired of the rap sessions – each one sounded like the last. Soon we quit tuning in. Instead, many turned on — and too many just dropped out.

Are We Again Searching for Heroic Leaders to Save Us?

Just read any article about leadership today (especially those written by consultants) and those articles very likely assert an almost inhuman range of features that leaders simply must have. They must be visionary, inspirational, motivational, virtuous, principled, centered, humble, servants, passionate, productive, mentor, counselor, coach, facilitator, wise, nurturant, diplomatic, learning, adaptable, fun, assertive, not aggressive, systems thinker, conscientious and on and on. Consultants assert that leaders should be “true leaders” and “they should not be managers”.

Deep Yearning for Meaning Today – No One Else Can Give That To Us

A famous movement in philosophy is “existentialism.” There are many different major players in this movement, some of them deeply religious and some atheists. But all of them believed that each individual was responsible for the quality – the essence – of his/her own life.

Many believed that if someone tries to avoid the responsibilities and tensions of day-to-day reality, then that person will fall into chronic anxiety, boredom and despair. Means to avoid reality might include addictions or the belief that one is somehow outside the rest of the routine world. Chronic fantasies are also very popular means to avoid reality.

How much are we just fantasizing when we assert the many wondrous traits of the “true leader”?

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Carter McNamara, MBA, PhD – Authenticity Consulting, LLC – 800-971-2250
Read my weekly blogs: Boards, Consulting and OD, Nonprofits and Strategic Planning.

Many of my coaching clients come to me because they are overwhelmed. They have too much to do and not enough time to accomplish it all. They tell me they are busy all day and fail to complete important tasks.

One tip that successful people use is the concept of block time – scheduling chunks of time to work on a specific task or project. This approach is simple and effective.

Here are 3 tips to block time:

1. Schedule the time – if it is not on your calendar it won’t happen. Calculate how much time is needed to complete the task and schedule it. If you can’t do it all in one time period, use several shorter time blocks. When scheduling, be specific what you will do during each time block.

2. No interruptions – it has been said that the typical manager gets interrupted every 9 minutes. As a result, it takes them 3.5 times longer to complete the task. If possible work offsite or close your door as well as turn off the phone and email.

3. Maximize your ”sharp time”– identify your periods of highest mental and physical energy and structure your block time during those periods.

“Time is the scarcest resource, and unless it is managed, nothing else can be managed.” Peter Drucker

What additional block time tips do you have?

For more resources, see the Library topic Personal and Professional Coaching.

Introduction to Leadership Approaches

In a recent blog entry an overview was provided of some of the more common leadership theories. It resulted in a lively discussion about the role that these concepts should play for people that are in positions of leadership, or for individuals that work with leaders as consultants, coaches, human resource partners, and so on. My plan is to revisit these theories in more depth at some point in the future. For now I would like to spend some time examining a number of approaches to leadership (aka leadership models). These approaches, while no doubt grounded in one or more theories of leadership, can be distinguished from theories in that they attempt to place the concepts into more applied frameworks. That is, they attempt to describe leadership theories in a way that is meant to facilitate the application of the ideas.

The Seven Approaches to Leadership

I am planning to spend some time reviewing and critiquing the following seven leadership approaches/models:

• Transformational
• Charismatic
• Authentic
• Servant
• Dynamical
• Adaptive
• Strategic

This list is not exhaustive of the different frameworks that could be considered legitimate leadership approaches or models. Some of these approaches (e.g. transformational leadership) are typically considered full-fledged leadership theories in their own right. And some of the frameworks (e.g. strategic leadership) might be viewed more as a specific leadership competency or leadership role rather than a framework. I happen to think that these seven are some of the legitimate contenders for categorization as distinct approaches to leadership.

Other Approaches?

Do you agree with this list? I want to encourage readers, as we examine each one, to chime in whether you think the different approaches have real value. Also, please feel free to advocate for other models that you think warrant consideration as a proven and valuable approach to leadership.

People who are successful stretch themselves. They take risks and are bold. They expand their Comfort Zones and Think Big. They know how to manage their inner critic and self imposed limits to get what they want in life.

Here are 4 Coaching Tips to Expand Your Comfort Zone.

1. Don’t settle for mediocrity. Say goodbye to “same old- same old” and try new things daily.

2. Feel the fear and do it anyway. Ditch those self imposed limits. Most often, the only one holding you back is you.

3. Think of failure as a learning experience. What didn’t work this time? How can you make lemonade out of this lemon?

4. Future Pull – what about your vision/goals? Think Big. What would it be like if you didn’t at least try?

Thomas Edison said: “If we all did the things we were capable of doing, we would literally astound ourselves”.

What other tips do you have to expand your Comfort Zone?

For more resources, see the Library topic Personal and Professional Coaching.

Reason’s whole pleasure, all the joys of sense,
Lie in three words — health, peace, and competence.
~ Alexander Pope

Alexander Pope penned those lines of iambic pentameter in the first half of the 1700s. But I wouldn’t be surprised if I heard them from a stressed-out 21st century nonprofit executive director. Imagine the conversation.

An Executive Director, on the verge of burn-out, talks to her leadership coach:

Nonprofit ED: (stress evident in her voice) I still care about the mission. I want to move this organization forward. But I can’t see the big picture. Everyone wants something from me. The budget’s a mess. We’ve set some tough goals and I’m feeling overwhelmed. Like I’m just not up to it.

Coach: What do you need?

Client: I want to enjoy my work again. I want be able to make choices with all my senses intact. It’s pretty simple, really. I need health, peace, and competence.

Leadership Competence in Civic Life

In Tuesday’s blog post, Steve Wolinski wrote, “The primary benefit of competencies is that they provide an easily shared and understood view of leadership that can be used in a wide variety of ways to build human capital and drive business outcomes.”

This morning, I’ll share a set of four competencies, developed by the Kansas Leadership Center, to help individuals exercise leadership in civic life. For two years, I’ve been using these competencies in coaching conversations with clients in Kansas and across the country. We find them useful in guiding the answers to two common questions about leadership:

1. What can I do to focus my efforts?
2. What should I pay attention to in order to make progress on the issues I care about?

Civic Leadership Competencies (courtesy of Kansas Leadership Center)

DIAGNOSE SITUATION

• Explore adaptive and systemic interpretations
• Distinguish the technical and adaptive elements
• Distinguish the process challenges from the content challenges
• Test multiple interpretations
• Read the temperature in system
• Identify the locus of the work

ENERGIZE OTHERS

• Engage unusual voices
• Work across factions
• Start where they are
• Speak to loss
• Infuse the work with purpose
• Build a trustworthy process
• Discover connecting interests

MANAGE SELF

• Identify you capabilities, vulnerabilities and triggers
• Figure out how others perceive your role in the system
• Distinguish self from role
• Choose among competing values
• Increase tolerance for uncertainty, ambiguity and conflict
• Experiment beyond your comfort zone

INTERVENE SKILLFULLY

• Make conscious choices
• Raise the heat
• Give the work back
• Hold relentlessly to purpose
• Speak from the heart
• Act experimentally

What do you think? What interests you? Any thing you want to experiment with? What competencies or sub-points do you want to hear more about?

Introduction to Leadership Competencies

It is clear that competencies have become a dominant method for the selecting, developing, and directing the efforts of leaders in organizations. My current definition of competencies is that they are the qualities most strongly associated with advanced levels of leadership and desired outcomes in an organization. The following is an example of a competency I created for manager level leaders:

Maximize Relationships: The manager develops solid relationships and models the importance of working together in a collaborative manner. He/she works to remove unhelpful boundaries and promote collaboration between teams and business units. Strives to include and incorporate the ideas of others into decisions, tasks, and projects. He/she is willing and able to address and resolve conflict between and with others. Is sensitive to individual differences and respects the work styles of others. He/she stays aware of technological trends, his/her role in communicating with team members, and seeks ways to harness these activities to improve cooperation.

It is not uncommon for organizations to have different competencies for different levels of leadership (e.g. manager, functional leader, senior leader). It is more common for competencies to remain the same at different leadership levels, but the descriptions – also known as behavioral anchors — will vary based on the level of leadership. It is also not unusual to see individual competencies divided into segments designed to indicate the level of proficiency a person demonstrates within a specific area. For example, does an individual demonstrate underdeveloped, average, or advanced capacity in a particular competency.

Leadership Competency Models

The use of competencies is typically accomplished by the design of a competency model that is considered unique to the culture of an organization and aligned with the organization’s business goals and strategy. These models normally typically segment the individual competencies into type-alike groups and consist of a list of competencies with the corresponding descriptions or behavior anchors. Research suggests that the optimum number of competencies in a model, from a validity and reliability standpoint, is between six and ten. The following are a couple of models that have been used by some well-known organizations. I have not included the behavioral anchors in these models as it would make for a really long blog. IBM’s COMPETENCY MODEL

CATEGORY ONE: FOCUS TO WIN

• Customer Insight
• Breakthrough Thinking
• Drive to Achieve

CATEGORY TWO: MOBILIZE TO EXECUTE

• Team Leadership
• Straight Talk
• Teamwork
• Decisiveness

CATEGORY THREE: SUSTAIN MOMENTUM

• Building Organizational Capability
• Coaching
• Personal Dedication

CATEGORY FOUR: THE CORE

• Passion for the Business

3M’S COMPETENCY MODEL

FUNDAMENTAL LEADERSHIP COMPETENCIES Fundamental competencies are those which an individual may possess at the time of hire, but which will develop further as the individual progresses through successive management positions.

• Ethics and Integrity
• Intellectual Capacity
• Maturity and Judgment

ESSENTIAL LEADERSHIP COMPETENCIES: Essential competencies are those that the individual will develop as he becomes responsible for a functional unit or department.

• Customer Orientation
• Developing People
• Inspiring Others
• Business Health/Results

VISIONARY LEADERSHIP COMPETENCIES: Visionary competencies are those which leaders must possess to assume increased levels of responsibility.

• Global Perspective
• Vision and Strategy
• Nurturing Innovation
• Building Alliances
• Organizational Agility

Origins of Leadership Competencies

It can be argued that the concept of competencies traces back to the 1970s. Concern developed at that time about the widespread use of intelligence and related aptitude tests in the workplace. The concern was that these instruments were too far removed from actual leadership practices and business outcomes. The idea took shape that knowledge, skills, abilities, and traits were a more useful and accurate method for measuring leadership abilities. The popularity of competencies gained considerable momentum in the United States in the early 1990s, in large part due to the accelerated pace and complexity of change taking place in many industries and organizations. The notion that leadership roles were a static set of behaviors and responsibilities was challenged by the idea that these roles should in fact be defined in more general terms, thus allowing leaders greater flexibility in roles.

Benefits of Leadership Competencies

The primary benefit of competencies is that they provide an easily shared and understood view of leadership that can be used in a wide variety of ways to build human capital and drive business outcomes. For instance, competencies can provide a unifying framework in such areas as recruitment and selection, leadership development, and performance reviews. In order for competencies to have maximum positive impact it is important that they are designed, introduced, and implemented in a manner that assures widespread support in the organization. It can be a powerful tool for growth and development when a set of competencies is embraced and incorporated into the dominant narratives of the organization.

Critiques of Leadership Competencies

One of the concerns is that the identification of competencies and competency models can be costly in terms of time and money. Some people believe that, when it is all said and done, selection and promotional decisions are rarely made based on competencies, and that it is a waste of time and money to develop and maintain. There is also concern with the efforts of some “experts” to try and arrive at a universal list of competencies – which would then be applied generically without an eye to culture and desired outcomes. Finally, there is some concern that competencies contribute to a culture that overly focuses on the deficits in its leaders rather than identifying and leveraging strengths. It is my opinion that these criticisms and concerns are far outweighed if competencies are designed, deployed, and utilized appropriately.

Do you agree? Do you think too much attention is given to competencies versus such areas as strengths or employee engagement? What are your thoughts, comments, questions about leadership competencies?

My leadership development journey began in 1961, when I popped into the world as the first CEO of the Donna and Jim Fabris Family. (I’ll use the organization’s acronym, DAJFF.)

Jim and Donna founded DAJFF less than a year earlier. They were 23 years old. Jim says he’d been planning DAJFF since he was about 12. Donna had needed some convincing. At any rate, they named themselves President and Vice President of the Board, and have held those positions ever since.

Family as organization/Oldest daughter as CEO

I took the job of CEO because I liked DAJFF’s vision statement (which was something like: “Loving each other always, though we don’t talk about it much”). I could see that the Board knew how to work hard. I’ll also admit that, early in my career, I needed the security they offered. Little did I know.

Managing the chaos

I learned management skills on the fly (alongside walking and talking). I labored in vain to teach Donna and Jim the basics of organizational development and collaboration: I urged them to slow down. Do some strategic planning. Balance reflection and action. They wouldn’t listen.

The Board refused to think about anything but Growth.

By 1970 we’d mushroomed to a staff of 6. Yes, we were making an impact. But (from my perspective) the budget was out of control. Why hadn’t I chosen to work in a for-profit family!!

Donna and Jim had all but insisted on hiring: John, Director of Communications (1963), Jim, Director of Outrageous Ideas (1964), Jerry, Integration Manager (1967), and, in our final and most ambitious hire, twin Operations and Technology Managers, Andy and Fred (1970).

We’d had a great first decade, true. But in subsequent years, vision usually out-paced capacity. As CEO, I struggled to hold all the pieces together.

Sixteen years into the job, I was burned-out. Between the Board’s inadequacies, staff issues, and the size of my own job description, I knew it was time to move on to bigger and better things.

Debriefing the metaphor

I landed on this “big family as organization/oldest daughter as CEO” metaphor in the first nonprofit management course I ever took, in the mid-1990s. Back then, my role in the metaphor was (brilliant) executive mediating between an ineffectual board and a staff of 5 cantankerous employees.

I’ll be honest with you. In management class, I was looking at my childhood through the lens of what my parents didn’t do.

It’s Leadership Development, Stupid!

Today, I’m thinking about who I am, who my brothers have become over the last 40+ years, and what my parents did every single day when we were growing up. They Asked For Our Best.

“We never understand a thing so well,and make it our own,
as when we have discovered it for ourselves.”
~ Rene Descartes

• Coaching works because the coach guides the client to come up with their own solutions versus telling them what to do.
• The coach helps the client learn more about themselves.
• Through the coaching interaction, the coach guides the client to focus and take action.
• As the “success partner” the coach provides accountability.

Why does coaching work for you?

For more resources, see the Library topic Personal and Professional Coaching.