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We’ve used this phrase since Enabling Development was formed. Here is an article on humane leadership from Fast Company which proves the case.
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All organisations are impacted by change and it is exponential compared to 10,20, 30, 40 years ago depending on your sector.
What is coming in the next 10 years? The March 2006 edition of Fast Company magazine explores some of the potential changes and we pose some questions you might like to consider.
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Joyce Liddle, our public sector expert, is speaking on “Transforming Leadership” to Chief Fire Officers and Senior Fire Authority members from around the UK on March 7th.
Our definition of executive coaching is that it takes a whole life view and that the personal and business and personal are interwoven - in other words we are interested in both business success and personal success for our clients. call it work life integration if you wish. So we insist on clients developing a range of both business and personal outcomes for the coaching process.
Our view is that any intervention should be, at the very minimum, self financing through the extra value created by the participant as they determine their way ahead. Hence the reason for working together over a few months. Why not investigate further how you could achieve the future you really want?
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A piece in Management Issues reports that the UK concentrates on formal study even though this may not be related to effectiveness. In contrast Norwegian and German firms rely on in house methods of development.
“experience and in-house training were considered the most effective methods,” Dr Ramirez said.
So how does your organisation deal with growing its future leaders - theoretically or experientially?
One of the interesting aspects mentioned is that the differences between masculine and feminine traits are becoming less polarised. Maybe to do with emotional intelligence becoming more mainstream as many of the previous ways of operating are perceived less effective in today’s business world?
The article links to corporate culture and talks about values and beliefs as well. Perhaps it is the values and beliefs that can cause problems for people moving into new leadership positions and the evidence shows that executive coaching is an effective way of addressing this.
So have a read of the article and you might like to consider how the way we think about modern transformational leadership mean it is worth us having a conversation.
The survey suggests that managers get in the way and hamper performance by excessive bureaucracy and slow decision making.
Sirota Survey Intelligence finds that “workers want to know what is expected of them, have competent bosses and better cooperation across the firm.”
As we read the press release, deja vu was seen again! This key move from administration to management to leadership is a crtical step for organisational performance, and we find, in terms of the individual senior manager’s aspirations, a frequent outcome for their coaching programmes.
This also links directly with a clear business strategy where a surprising number of organisations have yet to appreciate the difference between a short term operation plan and a meaningful, holistic strategy which allows them to create that vital performance difference.
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“Strategy workshops or away days have become common place, but the findings of a new survey raise questions for UK organisations about how much real value they deliver.” states the CMI!
The vast majority of organisations hold some form of strategic planning process yet less than half find their productivity improves. The report identifies that many organisations fail to prepare or use a robust and rigorous process. Almost two thirds are led by senior managers - and the majority of organisations limit participation to the “top people".
Enabling Development’s view on this is:
a) It seems that most of these organisations have yet to think about what they want to achieve - ie what is success for the workshop and what is a successful strategy that delivers competitive advantage.
b) The phrase of “failing to prepare means preparing to fail” comes to mind - so what are some of the basic public domain methodologies and processes that ensure success - eg the Johnson and Scholes process. Following that - how do organisations tailor the generic processes to their own context?
c) Keeping it in the family - All the cultural and position power influences come into play when senior managers take charge of the workshop. Usually this means compliance to an internally focussed mindset and an absence of any meaningful strategic thinking. However - there is a benefit - we don’t have to change! but what if your competitors change or are moving ahead.
d) How come organisations are spending so much money to get this right? Seems over the top to us.
Enabling Development offers a range of proven processes which take a holistic approach to developing strategy. Underpinned by our business school roles in delivering MBA strategy and writing on the subject our role is as an external, objective facilitator who ensures the organisation asks the high leverage questions and takes a whole systems perspective to developing effective strategy at corporate and divisional levels.
To help get it right why not look at our topline strategy page and contact us to talk about how we can help you get it right first time or to receive our briefing papers “Thinking about strategy“, ” Developing strategy - how we can help you create real value“
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How do you maximise the benefit of your investment in new managers and retain the key talent already in your business?
A short article in the India Times reviews the life cycle of CEOs. With a hint at corporate reputation and governance some considerations for leaders at senior levels
Whilst set in the US context - you might like to translate it to your environment. Our view is that the themes are as relevant to the public sector as the private sector. From these themes the question arises - how to change behaviour around the leadership mindset in a proactive way? Two immediately spring to mind - a focus on emotional intelligence and a focus on people - themes which Enabling Development passionately believes in and incorporates in all its Executive Coaching programmes.
Enabling Development has been invited to judge the North East Regional finalists for the prestigious National Business Awards.
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With the UK election over - where was the evidence of leadership?
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I met with Alistair Baker, Microsoft UK MD last night and asked him what keeps him awake at night.
In terms of business - his immediate response and number one issue is “Leadership Development - how to attract retain and develop people” - in other words how to develop the next generation of leaders for MS UK given the changes towards a more customer focussed rather than technology focussed company which is the move he says they are making. Microsoft uk
Of course it is not only Microsoft that have such issues - most organisations have enough problems in terms of management development, never mind leadership development. Even where basic management training/development has happened - the quantum leap to leadership is sometimes a stretch too far.
Enabling Development is biased in this regard - and that is why our focus is on helping you become inspirational and transformational leaders primarily through executive coaching
Why not use the comment facility to consider what the key issues are for your organisation?
How often have you been bored to death by an eminent guru over using PowerPoint? Or a consultant’s model allegedly the answer to your prayers?
Read on for some ideas about enhancing your message!
The idea of death by PowerPoint as a means to satisfy the presenter’s ego rather than communicate more effectively with their audience is well known. 2x2 matrices are often seen as an academic or consultant force fitting an issue into a model whether or not your context and the model are matched!
Yet the best use of a 2x2 or a PowerPoint presentation is when it makes things easier to understand (the medium is NOT the message).
A thoughtful article called “Point or Shoot” by Michael Schrage is in the Spring 2005 edition of Strategy + Business - look in the “Knowledge Review” section.
So, what is it about your communication - or that of your team - that helps you stand apart in a positive way? Have a read at the article and get some ideas - Better still contact us to help you with getting the basic message right from the start
For more ideas see here
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An Garda Siochana, the Irish Police Service, publishes the Management Journal “Communique” each quarter. In the March 2005 issue you can find an article titled “Executive Coaching” by Superintendent Jack Nolan, one of many senior officers or civilians being coached by Enabling Development.
As well as a review of coaching, Jack describes some of the other initiatives Enabling Development is providing to help the Garda develop its leadership capability.
You can read the article by clicking here
The article will give you an overview of the executive coaching arena and you may well recognise some similarities with the material from the Enabling Development website. It explores some of the theoretical and historical background to executive coaching, the benefits and challenges of coaching, plus some of the approaches that Garda participants have experienced with Enabling Development.
You might think this a pub quiz question for people who cant count. As in any form of strategic thinking, it all depends on the context. If you were a coconut octopus living in Indonesia on some occasions the answer is 2 legs - on which it walks!
For more and the video have a look here
According to HR Magazine’s weekly bulletin of 31 March:
“Two-thirds of UK organisations have a shortage of decent leaders, according to a CIPD survey of UK training managers. However, it also found that, in spite of these complaints, nearly half claimed that leadership development is not an essential business activity. Almost 40% said this was because they could not prove that leadership development had an impact on business activities.”Which leads us to muse that this might say more about their organisations’ focus on performance or the lack of it. We would expect all our clients to define specific measurable outcomes to prove the ROI of any executive coaching or other development activity – otherwise how do we demonstrate the value?
Here’s 5 tips to make it easier from the Harvard Working Knowledge site
- Balance what they seek with what you need
- Take charge of your own professional development
- Excel in your current job
- Know when it’s time to campaign elsewhere
- Don’t rely solely on recruiters