Brainstorming

Generating Many Innovative Ideas

How often have you used brainstorming to solve a problem? Chances are, you've used it at least once, even if you didn't realize it.

For decades, people have used brainstorming to generate ideas, and to come up with creative solutions to problems. However, you need to use brainstorming correctly for it to be fully effective.

Prepare thoroughly for your brainstorming session so that you get the most out of it.

In this post, we'll look at what it is, why it's useful, and how to get the best from it.

What Is Brainstorming?
Madison Avenue advertising executive Alex Osborn developed the original approach and published it in his 1953 book, "Applied Imagination." Since then, researchers have made many improvements to his original technique.

The approach described here takes this research into account, so it's subtly different from Osborn's approach.

Brainstorming combines a relaxed, informal approach to problem solving with lateral thinking. It encourages people to come up with thoughts and ideas that can, at first, seem a bit crazy. Some of these ideas can be crafted into original, creative solutions to a problem, while others can spark even more ideas. This helps to get people unstuck by "jolting" them out of their normal ways of thinking.

Therefore, during brainstorming sessions, people should avoid criticizing or rewarding ideas. You're trying to open up possibilities and break down incorrect assumptions about the problem's limits. Judgment and analysis at this stage stunts idea generation and limit creativity.

Evaluate ideas at the end of the session – this is the time to explore solutions further, using conventional approaches.

Why Use Brainstorming?
Conventional group problem solving can often be undermined by unhelpful group behavior  . And while it's important to start with a structured, analytical process when solving problems, this can lead a group to develop limited and unimaginative ideas.

By contrast, brainstorming provides a free and open environment that encourages everyone to participate. Quirky ideas are welcomed and built upon, and all participants are encouraged to contribute fully, helping them develop a rich array of creative solutions.

When used during problem solving, brainstorming brings team members' diverse experience into play. It increases the richness of ideas explored, which means that you can often find better solutions to the problems that you face.

It can also help you get buy-in from team members for the solution chosen – after all, they're likely to be more committed to an approach if they were involved in developing it. What's more, because brainstorming is fun, it helps team members bond, as they solve problems in a positive, rewarding environment.

While brainstorming can be effective, it's important to approach it with an open mind and a spirit of non-judgment. If you don't do this, people "clam up," the number and quality of ideas plummets, and morale can suffer.

Individual Brainstorming
While group brainstorming is often more effective at generating ideas than normal group problem solving, several studies have shown that individual brainstorming produces more – and often better – ideas than group brainstorming.

This can occur because groups aren't always strict in following the rules of brainstorming, and bad behaviors creep in. Mostly, though, this happens because people pay so much attention to other people that they don't generate ideas of their own – or they forget these ideas while they wait for their turn to speak. This is called "blocking."

When you brainstorm on your own, you don't have to worry about other people's egos or opinions, and you can be freer and more creative. For example, you might find that an idea you'd hesitate to bring up in a group develops into something special when you explore it on your own.

However, you may not develop ideas as fully when you're on your own, because you don't have the wider experience of other group members to draw on.

Tip:
To get the most out of your individual brainstorming session, choose a comfortable place to sit and think. Minimize distractions   so that you can focus on the problem at hand, and consider using Mind Maps   to arrange and develop ideas.

Individual brainstorming is most effective when you need to solve a simple problem, generate a list of ideas, or focus on a broad issue. Group brainstorming is often more effective for solving complex problems.

Group Brainstorming
Here, you can take advantage of the full experience and creativity of all team members. When one member gets stuck with an idea, another member's creativity and experience can take the idea to the next stage. You can develop ideas in greater depth with group brainstorming than you can with individual brainstorming.

Another advantage of group brainstorming is that it helps everyone feel that they've contributed to the solution, and it reminds people that others have creative ideas to offer. It's also fun, so it can be great for team building!

Group brainstorming can be risky for individuals. Unusual suggestions may appear to lack value at first sight – this is where you need to chair sessions tightly, so that the group doesn't crush these ideas and stifle creativity.

Where possible, participants should come from a wide range of disciplines. This cross-section of experience can make the session more creative. However, don't make the group too big: as with other types of teamwork, groups of five to seven people are usually most effective.

How to Use the Tool

You often get the best results by combining individual and group brainstorming, and by managing the process according to the "rules" below. By doing this, you can get people to focus on the issue without interruption, you maximize the number of ideas that you can generate, and you get that great feeling of team bonding that comes with a well-run brainstorming session!

To run a group brainstorming session effectively, follow these steps.

Step 1: Prepare the Group
First, set up a comfortable meeting environment for the session. Make sure that the room is well-lit and that you have the tools, resources, and refreshments that you need.

How much information or preparation does your team need in order to brainstorm solutions to your problem? Remember that prep is important, but too much can limit – or even destroy – the freewheeling nature of a brainstorming session.

Consider who will attend the meeting. A room full of like-minded people won't generate as many creative ideas as a diverse group, so try to include people from a wide range of disciplines, and include people who have a variety of different thinking styles.

When everyone is gathered, appoint one person to record the ideas that come from the session. This person shouldn't necessarily be the team manager – it's hard to record and contribute at the same time. Post notes where everyone can see them, such as on flip charts or whiteboards; or use a computer with a data projector.

If people aren't used to working together, consider using an appropriate warm-up exercise, or an icebreaker  .

Step 2: Present the Problem
Clearly define the problem that you want to solve, and lay out any criteria that you must meet. Make it clear that that the meeting's objective is to generate as many ideas as possible.

Give people plenty of quiet time at the start of the session to write down as many of their own ideas as they can. Then, ask them to share their ideas, while giving everyone a fair opportunity to contribute.

Step 3: Guide the Discussion
Once everyone has shared their ideas, start a group discussion to develop other people's ideas, and use them to create new ideas. Building on others' ideas is one of the most valuable aspects of group brainstorming.

Encourage everyone to contribute and to develop ideas, including the quietest people, and discourage anyone from criticizing ideas.

As the group facilitator, you should share ideas if you have them, but spend your time and energy supporting your team and guiding the discussion. Stick to one conversation at a time, and refocus the group if people become sidetracked.

Although you're guiding the discussion, remember to let everyone have fun while brainstorming. Welcome creativity, and encourage your team to come up with as many ideas as possible, regardless of whether they're practical or impractical. 

Don't follow one train of thought for too long. Make sure that you generate a good number of different ideas, and explore individual ideas in detail. If a team member needs to "tune out" to explore an idea alone, allow them the freedom to do this.

Also, if the brainstorming session is lengthy, take plenty of breaks so that people can continue to concentrate.

To your greater success,

Peter Mclees, Leadership Coach, trainer and Culture Consultant

SMART DEVELOPMENT

Take the Next Step... 

Interested in learning how process improvement can benefit your organization? We begin with a collaborative discovery process identifying your unique needs and business issues. To request an interview with Peter Mclees please contact: 

Email: petercmclees@gmail.com    or    Mobile: 323-854-1713

Smart Development has an exceptional track record helping service providers, ports, sales teams, restaurants, stores, branches, distribution centers, food production facilities, nonprofits, government agencies and other businesses create a strong culture, leadership bench strength, coaching skills and the teamwork necessary for growth. 

Having worked with several companies throughout their growth cycle, we have valuable insights and strategies that would help any late stage startup, small or medium sized company achieve sustained growth and prosperity.

Cause and Effect Analysis: Identifying the Likely Causes of Problems

The Fishbone Diagram

When you have a serious problem, it's important to explore all of the things that could cause it, before you start to think about a solution.

That way you can solve the problem completely, first time round, rather than just addressing part of it and having the problem run on and on.

Cause and Effect Analysis gives you a useful way of doing this. This diagram-based technique, which combines Brainstorming with a type of Mind Map , pushes you to consider all possible causes of a problem, rather than just the ones that are most obvious.

Cause and Effect Analysis was devised by professor Kaoru Ishikawa, a pioneer of quality management, in the 1960s. The technique was then published in his 1990 book, "Introduction to Quality Control."

The diagrams that you create with are known as Ishikawa Diagrams or Fishbone Diagrams (because a completed diagram can look like the skeleton of a fish).

Although it was originally developed as a quality control tool, you can use the technique just as well in other ways. For instance, you can use it to:

• Discover the root cause of a problem.
• Uncover bottlenecks   in your processes.
• Identify where and why a process isn't working.

How to Use the Tool

Follow these steps to solve a problem with Cause and Effect Analysis:

Step 1: Identify the Problem
First, write down the exact problem you face. Where appropriate, identify who is involved, what the problem is, and when and where it occurs.

Then, write the problem in a box on the left-hand side of a large sheet of paper, and draw a line across the paper horizontally from the box. This arrangement, looking like the head and spine of a fish, gives you space to develop ideas.

Example:
In this simple example, a manager is having problems with an uncooperative branch office.

Figure 1 – Cause and Effect Analysis Example Step 1
Example Fishbone Diagram: Step 1

Tip 1:
Some people prefer to write the problem on the right-hand side of the piece of paper, and develop ideas in the space to the left. Use whichever approach you feel most comfortable with.

Tip 2:
It's important to define your problem correctly. CATWOE  can help you do this – this asks you to look at the problem from the perspective of Customers, Actors in the process, the Transformation process, the overall World view, the process Owner, and Environmental constraints.

By considering all of these, you can develop a comprehensive understanding of the problem.

Step 2: Work Out the Major Factors Involved
Next, identify the factors that may be part of the problem. These may be systems, equipment, materials, external forces, people involved with the problem, and so on.

Try to draw out as many of these as possible. 

Brainstorm any other factors that may affect the situation.

Then draw a line off the "spine" of the diagram for each factor, and label each line.

Example:
The manager identifies the following factors, and adds these to his diagram:

Site.
Task.
People.
Equipment.
Control.

Figure 2 – Cause and Effect Analysis Example Step 2
Example Fishbone Diagram: Step 2

Step 3: Identify Possible Causes
Now, for each of the factors you considered in step 2, brainstorm possible causes of the problem that may be related to the factor.

Show these possible causes as shorter lines coming off the "bones" of the diagram. Where a cause is large or complex, then it may be best to break it down into sub-causes. Show these as lines coming off each cause line.

Example:
For each of the factors he identified in step 2, the manager brainstorms possible causes of the problem, and adds these to his diagram, as shown in figure 3.

Figure 3 – Cause and Effect Analysis Example Step 3
Example Fishbone Diagram

Step 4: Analyze Your Diagram
By this stage you should have a diagram showing all of the possible causes of the problem that you can think of.

Depending on the complexity and importance of the problem, you can now investigate the most likely causes further. This may involve setting up investigations, carrying out surveys, and so on. These will be designed to test which of these possible causes is actually contributing to the problem.

Example:
The manager has now finished his analysis. If he hadn't looked at the problem this way, he might have dealt with it by assuming that people in the branch office were "being difficult."

Instead he thinks that the best approach is to arrange a meeting with the Branch Manager. This would allow him to brief the manager fully on the new strategy, and talk through any problems that she may be experiencing.

Tip:
A useful way to use this technique with a team is to write all of the possible causes of the problem down on sticky notes. You can then group similar ones together on the diagram.

This approach is sometimes called CEDAC (Cause and Effect Diagram with Additional Cards) and was developed by Dr. Ryuji Fukuda, a Japanese expert on continuous improvement.

Key Points
Professor Kaoru Ishikawa created Cause and Effect Analysis in the 1960s. The technique uses a diagram-based approach for thinking through all of the possible causes of a problem. This helps you to carry out a thorough analysis of the situation.

There are four steps to using the tool.

• Identify the problem.
• Work out the major factors involved.
• Identify possible causes.
• Analyze your diagram.

You'll find this method is particularly useful when you're trying to solve complicated problems.

To your greater success,

Peter Mclees, Leadership Coach, trainer and Culture Consultant

SMART DEVELOPMENT

Take the Next Step... 

Interested in learning how process improvement can benefit your organization? We begin with a collaborative discovery process identifying your unique needs and business issues. To request an interview with Peter Mclees please contact: 

Email: petercmclees@gmail.com    or    Mobile: 323-854-1713

Smart Development has an exceptional track record helping service providers, ports, sales teams, restaurants, stores, branches, distribution centers, food production facilities, nonprofits, government agencies and other businesses create a strong culture, leadership bench strength, coaching skills and the teamwork necessary for growth. 

Having worked with several companies throughout their growth cycle, we have valuable insights and strategies that would help any late stage startup, small or medium sized company achieve sustained growth and prosperity.

13 Ways Leaders Can Build A 'Coaching Culture' At Work

Building a coaching culture in the workplace better positions organizations and companies to grow talent which will help grow the organization. But what exactly is a "coaching culture," and how can leaders make this part of their everyday environment?

A coaching culture simply means supporting your employees so that they learn new skills and are able to make greater contributions to the company, the community and all the people they impact. A coaching culture is a collaborative environment where leaders have regularly scheduled interactions with employees to develop and retain top talent through well thought out coaching practices. 

A company that emphasizes coaching, training, regular feedback, and opportunities for growth creates a more engaged and energized workforce.

Below, are 13 things leaders can do to get started: 

1. Be Clear And Strategic 

If you don't already have a clear definition of what coaching is, you need to have one so everyone in the company is in sync with what it means, especially compared to mentoring, training, consulting, etc. If your company doesn't have a definition here's one you can adapt: Coaching is a deliberate process using focused conversations to create an environment for individual growth, purposeful action and sustained improvement.

Then, ensure coaching is not just an "ad hoc" activity but is truly integrated into your overall talent management strategy. Ask yourself how coaching fits with all other aspects of your employee lifecycle?

2. Lead By Example 

If you think your team could benefit from coaching, engage a coach for yourself. Find someone who delivers what you are hoping to provide for your team. If you achieve the desired results, then share your experiences with your team. Leading by example will change the paradigm of "you need assistance, but I'm just fine," to "I have benefited, and now I want you to experience this." 

Start by teaching senior leaders the skills of coaching including listening, asking questions, encouraging others to reflect and develop insights before taking action. Then guide them to coach their most respected team members. As these “influencers” gain traction from being coached, they will be open to learning and modeling the same coaching behaviors. Over time, a coaching culture will emerge.

3. Ask Your Employees The Right Questions 

A coaching culture encourages employees to learn from their experience by exploring the right questions rather than telling them what to do and how to do it. Next time an employee has a challenge ask them open-ended questions that begin with "how" or "what." For instance, "What would you have done differently? and "How can I support you?" This way you empower employees to come up with meaningful solutions.

4. Ask More Questions Than You Answer 

When someone asks you what to do, ask them what they think will work. Ask how they came to that conclusion. Ask what alternatives they've considered. Show them that you value their input, and empower them to make decisions and be ready to defend them. Over time, you’ll find that people will begin to bring you solutions instead of problems, and they’ll encourage their teams to do the same

5. Establish A Coaching Routine 

You can’t be a runner without putting in weekly miles, and you can’t have a coaching culture without a coaching routine. One high-performing sales manager at Salesforce creates a coaching culture by allocating an entire day each week to coaching. On Tuesdays her 10+ direct reports get 30 minutes of one-on-one coaching — time completely dedicated to their developmental needs.

6. Just Do It 

Coaching is a way of being, and as such, you can't simply integrate it. You just have to understand what it is and do it. It's not the same as adding carrots to your stew. So the key is to educate teams about what coaching is and then have them do it — coach each other. Have a weekly group coaching session with a coach to help answer questions and demonstrate.

7. Bring in Training and Coaching

If you are going to successfully integrate coaching into your workplace culture, you must engage expert coaches to train individuals at all levels of the organization in coaching practice. Too often, companies try to bring what they call "coaching" in, which is not actual coaching, but more like mentoring, advising or training. 

Training is teaching someone what to do, why or how to do it and perhaps when and where to do it. Coaching is helping a person with that knowledge attain a higher level of quality and performance. Training and coaching each do something fundamentally different and each work best when complimented by the other. 

You also need to ensure there is alignment at all levels and evaluate effectiveness. 

8. Hold Managers Accountable For Developing Employees 

Create a coaching culture by tying this activity to the organization's mission, and hold every manager accountable for coaching employees to help them master their jobs and learn new skills. Create a structured process with clear goals for coaching employees. Be sure to make time and resources available to guarantee success. Reward managers who meet or exceed these goals and coach those who don't.

9. Develop A Learn/Do Culture Where Teams Learn to Self-Coach 

The days of sitting in five-day courses designed to "fix" skill deficiencies are done. The new model for high performance is to implement hands-on, learn/do programs related to specific business outcomes, where teams receive on the job training and coaching from an expert, and hold themselves accountable to perform at a high level.

10. Live What You Claim 

Ever joined an organization that claimed they had an open-door policy but that door was always closed? To cultivate a coaching culture you need to create a workplace that walks the walk. Coaching, training, regular feedback and evaluation schedules, valuing different voices, rotating team leadership opportunities, and mentorship programs will create an interdependent and energized workplace. 

11. Have Lunch Bite Drop-In Sessions 

Teach people how to be with one another and listen through short introductory coaching lunch drop-in sessions. Many people say they listen when in fact they just wait their turn to speak. Coaching skills teach people how to deeply listen, stay curious, and locate the root of an issue fast. 

12. Gain Buy-In And Practice 

Coaching is real-time development by all team members to all team members. It's about practice, not perfection. Start asking questions to help individuals gain more insight on what happened and how they can handle it next time versus just telling them what to do. This gains buy-in and puts them in the driver seat. They will take on more ownership and know they have you for support and resources.  

13. Measure Employee Engagement Before and After The Implementation of Your Talent Development Programs

The primary reason for issuing engagement surveys is to measure the engagement level of your employees. Measuring the key drivers of engagement within your organization will allow you to assess whether your employees are engaged or disengaged. While there are no standard drivers of engagement, some commonly assessed factors are:   Training and development opportunities, recognition, pay & benefits, job role, leadership, work environment, etc. Engagement surveys are crucial because they give employees a venue for open feedback. 

Surveys are an opportunity to establish two-way communication and involve employees in the development process by giving them a direct voice to the management team. Being actively involved in the planning process makes employees realize that they have a stake in the company and that their opinions are valued.

Conducting an employee engagement before and after the implementation of coaching program will help gauge its effectiveness. Designing and implementing an employee engagement survey is far easier and less expensive and time consuming than most leaders think.

To your greater success,

Peter Mclees, Leadership Coach, trainer and Culture Consultant

SMART DEVELOPMENT

Take the Next Step... 

Interested in learning how coaching can benefit your organization? We begin with a collaborative discovery process identifying your unique needs and business issues. To request an interview with Peter Mclees please contact: 

Email: petercmclees@gmail.com    or    Mobile: 323-854-1713

Smart Development has an exceptional track record helping service providers, ports, sales teams, restaurants, stores, branches, distribution centers, food production facilities, nonprofits, government agencies and other businesses create a strong culture, leadership bench strength, coaching skills and the teamwork necessary for growth. 

Having worked with several companies throughout their growth cycle, we have valuable insights and strategies that would help any late stage startup, small or medium sized company achieve sustained growth and prosperity.

The Task Channel and the Relationship Channel

Every now and then, we found ourselves immersed in a conversation so emotionally charged it seems to have nothing to do with the issues we are actually discussing.
What do you do when a conversation starts escalating and risks going off the rails. When you’ve’ tried all actively listening and the person still isn’t willing to budge? How do you get the conversation back on track?

Anthony Suchman has invested a good portion of his career searching for the answer. A physician with a profound intellect, Suchman has been studying the dynamics of human relationships for more than three decades (For more information about his research check out www.rchweb.com), publishing his results in some of the leading medical journals.
According to Suchman, every workplace conversation operates on two levels: 
a task channel and a relationship channel. Occasionally the two get fused, which is when disagreements intensify and cooperation breaks down. 

Here’s what he means: Suppose you and I are working together on a project. Along the way, we have a difference of opinion about our next steps. Perhaps I think we shouldn't use PowerPoint to deliver an important presentation and you see PowerPoint as an important communication tool. When I express a point of view (You could call it a power point 😊) different from yours, you may take our disagreement at face value by saying, “Hmm, I guess Ron sees it differently. But if we were new to working together, or if we’ve had a couple of dust-ups in the past, you’re likely to read beyond my suggestion and perhaps use it to draw inferences about our relationship. For instance, you may misinterpret my suggestion as a lack of trust, a sign of disrespect, or even proof of competition.

It’s at this point, Suchman argues, that our task-focused disagreement becomes contaminated with concerns about our relationship. And when that happens, things escalate. Fast!

Neurologically, what Suchman is describing is the activation of the fear response. When we perceive danger (Physical or psychological), our hypothalamus sends a signal that release adrenaline and cortisol into our blood stream. That triggers a flight-or-flight that sends our bodies into overdrive, short-circuiting our ability to concentrate or think creatively. Our critter brain takes over and we experience tunnel vision.

In the evolutionary past, having an automatic reaction to fear proved quite useful. It helped protect us from oncoming predators and kept us alive long enough to reproduce. But in today’s workplace an involuntary fear response can interfere with our ability to work collaboratively with others. It’s one reason why the greater the emotional charge, the harder it is to get the other side to listen.

How do you diffuse an emotionally volatile situation? 

Shuman believes the first step is to disentangle the task and relationship channels. “When people disagree, it’s often because one party interpreted the feedback as a personal attack,” he says. “So it becomes: If you like my idea, you like me, and if you don’t like my idea you don’t like me. That puts a huge encumbrance on the task channel and makes it really hard to speak openly.” 

Our mental capacity is limited, Suchman points out, which means we an attend either to the task channel or the relationship channel. It’s when we get the two channels crossed that our ability. It’s when we get the two channels crossed that our ability to collaborate suffers.

One approach to reducing tensions during disagreements involves deliberately attending to the relational channel and reaffirming your commitment to the relationship. This way, there’s no confusion about what the argument is really about. By momentarily focusing on the relationship you disentangle the personal from the business.

Suchman recommends using a specific series of relationship building statements to make the conversation more productive, which are represented in the acronym PEARLS.

Partnership	“I really want to work with you on this.” “I bet we can figure this out together.”
Empathy	“I can feel your enthusiasm as you talk.” “I can hear your concerns.”
Acknowledgement	“You clearly put a lot of work into this.” “You invested in this, and it shows.”
Respect	“I’ve always appreciated your creativity.” “There’s no doubt you know a lot about it.”
Legitimation	“This would be hard for anyone.” “Who wouldn’t be worried about something like this.”
Support	“I’d like to help you with this.” “I want to see you succeed.”

Using relationship building statements can feel unnatural at first, especially when you’re not used to complimenting others. I know they did for me (As still do depending on the person) when I started using them in workplace conversations. The key, I’m discovering, is to employ them sparingly at first, and to say the ones that genuinely reflect how you feel.

Almost immediately, you’ll notice that inserting a well-timed PEARLS statement can dramatically alter the tone of a conversation. Because no matter how far up we climb on an organizational ladder, we are stuck using an emotionally driven brain. When fear enters the equation, its impossible to get people to do their best work, which is why restoring confidence in the relationship can be a powerful tool.

The value of relationship-building statements extends far beyond the workplace. They’re as effective with spouses, children, and friends as they are with colleagues. The reason is simple: Anytime you attend to people’s psychological need for connection, you have the potential of improving the quality of the exchange. The more heated the argument, the more vital they become.

To your greater success and fulfillment,

Peter Mclees, Leadership Coach, Trainer and Performance Consultant

SMART DEVELOPMENT

Take the Next Step... 

Interested in learning how coaching employees to prevent and resolve conflict can benefit your organization? We begin with a collaborative discovery process identifying your unique needs and business issues. To request an interview with Peter Mclees please contact: 

Email: petercmclees@gmail.com  or  Mobile:323-854-1713

Smart Development has an exceptional track record helping service providers, ports, sales teams, restaurants, stores, distribution centers, food production facilities, nonprofits, government agencies and other businesses create a strong culture, leadership bench strength, coaching skills and the teamwork necessary for growth. 

Having worked with several companies throughout their growth cycle, we have valuable insights and strategies that would help any late stage startup, small or medium sized company achieve sustained growth and prosperity.

Coaching Works. Here’s Why.

How Does Coaching Help? 

It’s becoming increasingly difficult to lead effectively in today’s complex and rapidly changing business environment. Employees at all levels are asked to do more and more with less and less and are feeling overworked, overwhelmed, and stressed out. They need help navigating the complicated business landscape and how to handle the pressures from increased demands, high workloads, and the challenges of running cross-functional projects while working on diverse teams.  

Coaching can help by providing much needed support and strategies for not only surviving, but thriving under these difficult circumstances. It is a personalized process that provides clarity on what success would look like, understanding the obstacles and barriers that get in the way of achieving it, and specific action steps to take that will lead to a positive outcome. Through active listening and powerful questioning, a coach will help the coachee maximize their potential and move toward a preferred future.  

What’s Driving the Growth? 

There are many factors driving the growth in coaching. Quite simply, there is evidence that it works. Organizations and individuals are investing in coaching because it is a powerful form of development that leads to change and results. According to the International Coaching Federation, 86 percent of organizations saw a return on their coaching investment, and 96 percent of those who have been coached said they would repeat the process again. 

There are many tangible and intangible benefits of coaching that lead to these impressive results. Key tangible benefits include increased productivity and performance, reduced costs, growth in revenue and sales, and higher retention and engagement of employees. 

Intangible benefits also enhance the effectiveness of coaching. They include increased confidence of those being coached, improved communication, better relationships with key stakeholders, career advancement, and greater balance between life and work. It truly is a win-win for individuals and organizations.  

Why Is It So Powerful? 

A good coach who builds trust and rapport with their client can help the coachee get unstuck, shift their thinking, see new possibilities, try different behaviors, and achieve breakthrough results. Specifically, coaching is most powerful when the following five factors are present during the coaching process: 

Awareness: This is about helping the coachee become aware of the key behaviors that either help or hinder their progress and growth. We can’t change what we’re not aware of, so cultivating awareness in the coachee for how they show up and what they can do differently is crucial. 

Alignment: Coaching works best when there is alignment with what the coachee wants to work on and what is significant to the organization. It is also important to have buy-in and involvement from a sponsor such as a direct boss or human resources representative, so there is a common understanding of the focus of the coaching as well as internal support for the process. 

Action: Creating clear goals and a written action plan will help provide a road map for achieving the vision for the future. The plan also provides a baseline for the current state, pre-coaching, and indicates progress toward the desired state post-coaching. 

Accountability: Coaching by design creates the conditions for the coachee to take responsibility for their growth, and provides built-in accountability because the coach will check in on the progress the coachee made toward agreed-upon action items from the last coaching session. 

Acceleration: Due to the clarity of goals, support in overcoming obstacles, alignment on the focus of the coaching, a written action plan, and a committed coach that holds the coachee accountable, the pace in which a coachee achieves results is often significantly accelerated. Oftentimes, challenges that a leader has faced for many months or even years that they have been unable to address on their own become resolved much quicker and with better results when a coach is involved. This is the power of coaching in action. 

SMART COACHING WORKS: HERE'S PROOF

To your greater success,

Peter Mclees, Leadership Coach, Trainer and Performance Consultant

SMART DEVELOPMENT

 

Take the Next Step 

Interested in learning how coaching can benefit your organization? We begin with a collaborative discovery process identifying your unique needs and business issues. To request an interview with  Peter Mclees please contact: 

Email: petercmclees@gmail.com    or    Mobile:323-854-1713

Smart Development has an exceptional track record helping service providers, ports, sales teams, restaurants, stores, distribution centers, food production facilities, nonprofits, government agencies and other businesses create a strong culture, leadership bench strength, coaching skills and the teamwork necessary for growth. 

Having worked with several companies throughout their growth cycle, we have valuable insights and strategies that would help any late stage startup, small or medium sized company achieve sustained growth and prosperity.

Coaching the Employee Who Isn't a Team Player [Case 2]

Dear Leader's Digest:

I lead a customer service team of eight people. Things have been running more or less smoothly, but I've noticed an uptick in the complaints about my team member Kevin. He’s okay at the technical parts of his job, better than average even... but Kevin never steps up to take on the extra work that falls to other members of the team from time to time.

I've talked with him about it several times before. I've reminded him that teamwork is one of the organization's values (he nods but nothing changes). I've pointed out opportunities for him to stretch (he nods but nothing changes). I've offered to help countless times, letting him know I'm there to help. “How can we solve this?" I asked.

Help,

Stuck

Dear Stuck:

If you knew the bathroom sink was clogged, would you brush your teeth first or try to clear the drain?  

It’s common sense to focus on the latter (exempting teenagers of course), to clear the path rather than making for an even messier cleanup. And yet, when we attempt to have difficult conversations with our direct reports and colleagues, we tend to do the exact opposite. (Not to mention conversations in our intimate and family relationships.)

But, what if hard conversations aren’t actually hard at all — but rather, they seem hard because we're brushing our teeth over a clogged drain? 

Here are some of the things I notice in this situation ...

• You seem to be doing all the work here.
• You seem to want Kevin to change more than Kevin wants to change.
• You seem to be offering support, but Kevin, for whatever reason, isn’t taking you  up on it.

These dynamics between you and Kevin are the clogs in the drain that make hard conversations feel hard.  That’s “how it is” until it’s not. But now you have a choice: You can repeat your attempts at feedback or support using the same methods (i.e., trying to push some water down the clogged drain) or you can pause, and take a moment to try and unclog it.

How can you move the stuck conversation forward? 

How about this:

“Kevin, I’m not sure why this is happening … but I feel like I’m doing too much of the work here. I’ve raised this issue around not chipping in like your teammates do. I’ve tried to point a few opportunities for you to challenge yourself there, but I haven’t seen you take advantage of any of them. What I’m saying is, I feel like I want you to change more than you seem to want to. Do you have a sense of what I’m talking about?”

Now, depending upon your experience, you might say that’s a hard or awkward conversation. Is It? Is it any harder, more frustrating, or more irritating than repeating the same feedback or conversation — only to watch nothing change and get even more complaints from Kevin’s teammates?  

What’s more likely to lead to a moment of honest self-assessment from Kevin: Repeating the same feedback or naming, in a spirit of openness and curiosity, that that feedback doesn’t seem to be working?”

Which approach is more transparent, more vulnerable, more authentic?   

The dialogue about how the people on your team are showing up for one another apart from their technical role is both the gap and the gift that you as a manager should lean into for the benefit of your direct reports, your organization, and not at all lastly, your personal well-being.

The soft skills renaissance is upon us.  

To your greater success and fulfillment,

Peter Mclees, Leadership Coach, Trainer and Performance Consultant

SMART DEVELOPMENT

Take the Next Step... 

Interested in learning how soft skills training and coaching can benefit your organization? We begin with a collaborative discovery process identifying your unique needs and business issues. To request an interview with Peter Mclees please contact: 

Email: petercmclees@gmail.com  or  Mobile:323-854-1713

Smart Development has an exceptional track record helping service providers, ports, sales teams, restaurants, stores, distribution centers, food production facilities, nonprofits, government agencies and other businesses create a strong culture, leadership bench strength, coaching skills and the teamwork necessary for growth. 

Having worked with several companies throughout their growth cycle, we have valuable insights and strategies that would help any late stage startup, small or medium sized company achieve sustained growth and prosperity.