Coaching Corner
Developing Strategy05-Apr-2010
Q – I’ve gotten feedback from my boss that I need to be more “strategic.” When I ask him for specifics, he says I need to “bring more to the table” in terms of big ideas. I’m not even sure what this means… my team is doing great work, and I’m well liked by my peers and my direct reports. What am I missing?
A – Your boss wants you to to demonstrate “thought leadership”– that is, he wants you to develop a specific point of view about three things, each of which needs to be grounded in the context of the company’s position in the marketplace. Do some research about your industry, your competitors, and your own company’s capabilities, and then answer these three questions: 1) how can your team’s current products or services be enhanced to produce even greater results for the company? 2) where can you develop new products or services that will help the company move forward? 3) how can you partner more effectively with the rest of the organization (or with external partners) to help the company be successful? Leaders who get a reputation for being “strategic” do so by looking into the future and positioning their teams for success – they paint a picture of where the team needs to go,and chart a course for getting there. Leaders need to do more than just execute what’s right in front of them… they also need to create a vision for what’s next and a strategy for getting there.
Q - My team has developed a pretty good strategy for the new year - but I don't feel like it's connected to anything truly inspiring... any advice?
A - You need a vision and a mission to go with your strategy. A vision explains the "why" for your team - why are we here? What's this all for? The vision should be aspirational, something that you're striving for - a reason to come to work every day. Then, you need to declare the specific mission you're on - the mission is the "what". It's what you are trying to achieve to realize the vision. Imagine the vision to be something that gets people really excited, and the mission as something that focuses them on a specific goal. The strategy, then, becomes the "how" - it's a blueprint or a roadmap for accomplishing the mission. Spell all of this out for the team on a 1-page document (see the 1-Page Templates section) and you'll be ready to lead a motivated, focused team.
Coaching & Developing Talent22-Mar-2010
Q - I love managing people, but I don’t feel like I’m really “coaching” them – rather, it seems like I’m mostly directing and solving their problems. What would you suggest?
A - Coaching is the art of facilitating self-reflection and the finding of answers, and is quite different from telling people what to do or “giving them the answers.” The easiest way to morph into coaching mode is to ask a lot of questions – the next time one of your direct reports steps into your office and asks you a question, don’t solve if for them; rather, ask: “what do you think?” Train your directs to bring solutions to the table when they bring you a hot issue. The best way to build capability is to constantly be asking questions – to see how they think, to probe for deeper understanding, and to produce insights and ideas they can use to solve their own problems.
Q - How often should I have conversations with my people about their own professional development?
A - With your direct reports, at least twice a year. Certaintly during the year-end performance management/appraisal conversation, and again at the mid-year check-in (even if your company doesn't have a formal PM process, you can initiate these conversations on your own). If you do a thorough job of discussing career interests, development oppportunities, learning and movement options, etc., that should be about the right frequency - especially if they are in-depth, sincere conversations. As a leader, you should also try to have "skip-level" development conversations with your extended team at least once a year.
Communications22-Mar-2010
Q – I just received some 360o feedback, and it seems my biggest opportunity is communications. In particular, I tend to ramble and have trouble finding a way to finish my thoughts. Can you help?
A - This is a common issue; many leaders speak too long or use more words than are necessary to get their points across. Try this technique – organize your thoughts before you speak, and group them into two or three main points. Literally, plan how you’re going to address the issue, then preface your comments with a statement such as: “there are three consequences of this decision…”. The more you can “chunk” your thoughts and declare to your audience what they are (and how many points you’re going to make) before you speak, the easier it will be for you to “get in and out of” your comments.
Influencing Others22-Mar-2010
Q - I’m a VP in a large company, and have good relationships with all of my colleagues… except for one of my peers. I’ll admit it – I don’t trust her, don’t like the way she treats my team, and certainly don’t like how she undermines me with our boss. I want to be professional and be seen as easy to work with, but she’s driving me crazy. What can I do?
A - Sounds like you already know this isn’t sustainable, so you’re half-way to the solution (you have to see the value in strengthening the relationship before you’ll act). Start by analyzing the relationship (based on facts) and determine specific situations or examples that you can bring to a conversation with your peer (don’t forget to objectively assess your own behavior, and be willing to admit a few faults of your own). Focus on facts, but also be prepared to share how your peer’s behavior or attitude makes you feel; often times, we need to break the ice and connect on a emotional level in order to take the relationship to a better place. Stay composed during the conversation; make it all about repairing the working relationship and moving forward. Concentrate on what you’re trying to achieve together as teammates. Extend an offer to put trust back into the relationship, and then behave that way. In other words, take the high road, sit down with your peer, and make a genuine effort to repair the relationship.
Q - Here's my situation: I'm new to the company, and have already seen a lot of things that could be improved around here. When I've try to point these out to people and share my ideas for fixing things, I can't seem to get anyone's attention. How can I exert my influence more effectively?
A - It all starts with your approach to sharing ideas. Your ideas may be good ones, but it's probably the way you're sharing them that is causing you to lack influence. You must "honor the past" when you start with a new company... after all, these people have been here for awhile and probably built some of the processes you're criticizing. Couch all of your recommendations as suggestions, and point out what is working before offering your ideas for making things even better. Also, build a coalition of like-minded people by socializing your ideas and gathering input to make them even stronger before sharing them... you need to convince people that you're sincerely interested in improvement, not just in showing everyone how smart you are!
Leading Change22-Mar-2010
Q - My department is getting ready to initiate a re-organization. I’m not sure I’m ready to lead this kind of change… any advice?
A – You’re already on the right path – change definitely needs to be led, not “managed.” Start with a solid planning session with your colleagues; the best change plans are those that are well planned in advance. Follow the simple model of who/what/where/when/why/how – if you can answer all of these questions, you’ll be ready to execute the plan. Remember to over-communicate; it’s impossible to communicate too much when you’re impacting people’s jobs. Be visible during the change, more than you normally would, and more than you might even think you should be. Plan, communicate, be visible – that’s the simple formula for executing change.
My Career22-Mar-2010
Q – I just got passed over for promotion (again). I’m not sure this is the right company for me anymore. What would you recommend I do?
A - Talk to your boss about your concerns and your career aspirations. Ask her directly: “what can I do to earn a promotion”? At this point, you need the straight story on how the organization views you – not just your boss, but others that are contributing to the promotion decisions. Ask her to be completely candid, and be willing to accept the feedback and do something about it. At the same time, you need to be open to the fact that most leaders will work at several companies in their career; moving to a company where you might be a better fit isn’t a sign of weakness or an admission of failure. Being happy at work, tackling interesting and challenging work, and being recognized for your unique contributions is what you should be striving for in a job, and a career.
My Leadership Brand22-Mar-2010
Q – I’m new to this management team; my colleagues all have great track records, big personalities, and are firmly entrenched in the organization. How can I make a difference, get noticed and establish my own identity?
A - Establishing your own leadership brand takes time, so first of all, be patient. Look for ways to make a meaningful contribution in the staff meetings (pick your spots and weigh in on issues from your source of expertise – don’t reach outside your capability to make outrageous statements that aren’t grounded in fact or experience). Focus on developing strong relationships with your peers. Look for small wins with your own team, and show your peers that you’re focused on a) execution, b) assessing and developing your team, and c) being a team player. There’s no need to to “rock the boat” in your first 90 days; instead, concentrate on learning the business, the players, and the issues the team is wrestling with; then, gradually take a firmer stand or push your point of view.
Strategic Thinking10-Mar-2010
Q – I’ve gotten feedback from my boss that I need to be more “strategic.” When I ask him for specifics, he says I need to “bring more to the table” in terms of big ideas. I’m not even sure what this means… my team is doing great work, and I’m well liked by my peers and my direct reports. What am I missing?
A – Your boss wants you to demonstrate “thought leadership” – that is, he wants you to develop a specific point of view about three things, each of which needs to be grounded in the context of the company’s position in the marketplace. Do some research about your industry, your competitors, and your own company’s capabilities, and then answer these three questions: 1) how can your team’s current products or services be enhanced to produce even greater results for the company? 2) where can you develop new products or services that will help the company move forward? 3) how can you partner more effectively with the rest of the organization (or with external partners) to help the company be successful? Leaders who get a reputation for being “strategic” do so by looking into the future and positioning their teams for success – they paint a picture of where the team needs to go, and chart a course for getting there. Leaders need to do more than just execute what’s right in front of them… they also need to create a vision for what’s next and a strategy for getting there.
