It's a fact that the main reason why most people are unhappy with their job is poor management. At one point or another, chances are you will have to deal with a difficult, grumpy or (hopefully) unwittingly disparaging boss.
You know the type: they get angry for no apparent reason, they completely ignore your questions and the only times they do talk to you is when they find fault with something you've done.
I've been there myself and over the years I've found four successful ways to handle difficult managers. Here they are:
1. First thing, don't take it personally. Chances are, you're not the only person they treat in the same impolite and often condescending way. If so, their behavior most probably is a reflection of some deeper psychological issues that extend further than a typical workday.
2. Find a discrete way to inform them about the negative effects their unhelpful behavior is having on your work productivity. For example, if you've been left out of last week's client meeting, make sure to highlight that it's difficult for you to fix customer problems if you are not involved. Address these issues factually and in a relaxed manner, without questioning why they acted as they did.
3. When they criticize your performance, ask for specific details. Make it clear to them that it's important for you to receive factual feedback on your work so you can improve it accordingly. How else could you possibly perform better on the next task if you don't know what the problem was?
4. Make it a habit to praise your boss every time they act wisely and considerately, even if it's just a small gesture on their part. Your positive feedback is likely to encourage similar behavior in the future and maybe even trigger unexpected acts of kindness.
Remember, some managers have no idea that what they're doing is making employees unhappy at the workplace. This is when your feedback and good communication can be an essential prerequisite to them improving their behavior.
What other strategies have you used in the past to deal with a bad boss? We'd love to hear your stories below in the comments section.
Workplace stress costs businesses millions of dollars each year. Find out more about how to manage workplace relationships effectively at http://www.businessperform.com/communication
Friday, April 13, 2012
Monday, April 9, 2012
Training Exercise to Encourage Workplace Application
Here are some helpful hints to assist you with your next employee training session. As a trainer, you know that the hard part is getting your learners to use what they learned when they get back to work. Here is my suggestion. At the end of the session, get your learners to form pairs. Start the exercise by reminding them that it may take some time before they start to implement their newly acquired skills when they get back on the job.
They may get distracted with other things, they could lose sight of details, deadlines may be piling up, they may not have the right tools, and so on. Ask them to remember an instance when they did successfully use their newly gained skills in the face of these kinds of obstacles.
The next step is to ask one employee in each pair to put to their partner these three questions:
1. After that training program you just recalled, what were the things that helped you utilize your new skills?
2. How do you think you could use those same strategies in this course you are on now?
3. How would your work and your work performance look if you implemented those strategies?
After the first person in the pair has shared their insights, ask the pair members to swap roles. Allow at least five minutes each per turn. If an employee has trouble recalling an instance of them beating constraints in the workplace, then suggest they recall a time when they witnessed other employees overcoming obstacles to application. This is a very powerful exercise as story telling taps deep into peoples' psyche. It also draws on the efficacy of sharing learning in social groups.
A key ingredient of this exercise is the use of positive psychology. For those familiar with Appreciative Inquiry, you will be aware that I borrow some key practices from this approach. Many studies have shown that getting people to talk about what has worked well is a more powerful motivator of future behavior compared with dwelling on the negative.
The final part of this exercise is to get each pair to share the answers to the three questions with the rest of the class. If you are conducting several sessions as part of a larger training program, run this exercise at various stages throughout the program. Directly connect the exercise to the strategies participants can use to apply the skills they have learned up to that point.
Please note that this exercise does not acquit participants’ supervisors and workplace trainers from their duty to create a favorable working environment that encourages learning and the application of knowledge. Transferring learning to the workplace well relies on willing individuals and a positive workplace environment. You can’t have one without the other.
What strategies have you used in your training room to help your participants employ what they have learned back on the job? Have you used positive psychology as part of this strategy? How have your learners reacted? Please share you insights and experiences.
Find out more about creating maximum impact from your learning programs. Check out Leslie's high performance training guide, From Training to Enhanced Workplace Performance, at http://www.businessperform.com/effective-training-tools
They may get distracted with other things, they could lose sight of details, deadlines may be piling up, they may not have the right tools, and so on. Ask them to remember an instance when they did successfully use their newly gained skills in the face of these kinds of obstacles.
The next step is to ask one employee in each pair to put to their partner these three questions:
1. After that training program you just recalled, what were the things that helped you utilize your new skills?
2. How do you think you could use those same strategies in this course you are on now?
3. How would your work and your work performance look if you implemented those strategies?
After the first person in the pair has shared their insights, ask the pair members to swap roles. Allow at least five minutes each per turn. If an employee has trouble recalling an instance of them beating constraints in the workplace, then suggest they recall a time when they witnessed other employees overcoming obstacles to application. This is a very powerful exercise as story telling taps deep into peoples' psyche. It also draws on the efficacy of sharing learning in social groups.
A key ingredient of this exercise is the use of positive psychology. For those familiar with Appreciative Inquiry, you will be aware that I borrow some key practices from this approach. Many studies have shown that getting people to talk about what has worked well is a more powerful motivator of future behavior compared with dwelling on the negative.
The final part of this exercise is to get each pair to share the answers to the three questions with the rest of the class. If you are conducting several sessions as part of a larger training program, run this exercise at various stages throughout the program. Directly connect the exercise to the strategies participants can use to apply the skills they have learned up to that point.
Please note that this exercise does not acquit participants’ supervisors and workplace trainers from their duty to create a favorable working environment that encourages learning and the application of knowledge. Transferring learning to the workplace well relies on willing individuals and a positive workplace environment. You can’t have one without the other.
What strategies have you used in your training room to help your participants employ what they have learned back on the job? Have you used positive psychology as part of this strategy? How have your learners reacted? Please share you insights and experiences.
Find out more about creating maximum impact from your learning programs. Check out Leslie's high performance training guide, From Training to Enhanced Workplace Performance, at http://www.businessperform.com/effective-training-tools
Tuesday, February 28, 2012
Internal Coaches Need Support, Training to Succeed
Not long ago, workplace coaching was available only to high-ranking executives. Organizations hired outsiders who worked one-on-one with the leaders to develop their professional and personal skills. The benefits were real, and so were the bills. Coaching is a powerful tool, but how can it be extended to more employees without breaking the budget?
Many businesses have figured out a way: tap into employees to serve as internal coaches. Here's how it works. A manager, human resources staffer or another senior employee holds regular coaching sessions with a worker, just as an external coach would with the CEO. The same techniques of guided questioning, goal-setting, reflection and so on are used to unlock potential.
In a survey of 250 UK companies, the Institute of Leadership and Management found that 83% of them engage internal coaches. (Senior executives are mostly coached by external professional coaches.) As I wrote in an earlier blog post on workplace coaching practices, 95% of respondents identified benefits to both the coached individuals and to the overall organization.
Problem solved? Not exactly. The ILM survey uncovered troubling evidence that internal coaches aren't being rigorously selected, properly trained or monitored. It's likely that these issues are blocking many organizations from realizing the full benefits of coaching.
The selection process is outright lackadaisical at some companies. Sometimes, the role comes with the job, whether it's wanted or not. A line manager is told to "coach" their direct reports. Other times, senior employees or HR staffs are instructed to "have a go" without any direction. Volunteers may be solicited.
Even if employees want to coach, there's a good chance they won't receive training for the role. More than a third of respondents (34%) told ILM their organizations offer no support or development opportunities to internal coaches. Those who do say it comes in the form of in-house training (20%), management-development sessions (11%) or train-the-trainer programs (8%).
In the hands of an improperly trained coach, sessions can devolve into instruction, which is pointless, or pseudo-therapy, which can release an explosion of emotions. Someone who has been properly trained is aware of these pitfalls and knows how to manage them. An ineffective coach can easily cause more harm than good.
Damage to employee careers and company reputations is avoidable. Earlier this year, Standards Australia released a set of national coaching guidelines devised by the experts in the field of professional coaching. Their guide, Coaching in Organizations, assists organizations select suitable coaches and implement effective coaching programs. You can also get in touch with the coaching association in your area for further help.
Does your organization use internal coaches? If so, how do you prepare them for their new role and ensure their skills continue to develop over time? Please share your experiences here.
Find out more about coaching skills and how to implement a coaching program in your organization at http://www.businessperform.com/articles/coaching-mentoring
References
Allan, Leslie (2011). "Survey Finds Organizations Restrict Workplace Coaching",
http://www.businessperform.com/blog/2011/10/27/workplace-coaching-restricted-1483.html
Coaching in Organizations HB 332-2011 (2011). Sydney, SAI Global, Standards Australia
Creating a Coaching Culture (2011). Institute of Leadership and Management,
https://www.i-l-m.com/downloads/publications/G443_ILM_COACH_REP.pdf
Many businesses have figured out a way: tap into employees to serve as internal coaches. Here's how it works. A manager, human resources staffer or another senior employee holds regular coaching sessions with a worker, just as an external coach would with the CEO. The same techniques of guided questioning, goal-setting, reflection and so on are used to unlock potential.
In a survey of 250 UK companies, the Institute of Leadership and Management found that 83% of them engage internal coaches. (Senior executives are mostly coached by external professional coaches.) As I wrote in an earlier blog post on workplace coaching practices, 95% of respondents identified benefits to both the coached individuals and to the overall organization.
Problem solved? Not exactly. The ILM survey uncovered troubling evidence that internal coaches aren't being rigorously selected, properly trained or monitored. It's likely that these issues are blocking many organizations from realizing the full benefits of coaching.
The selection process is outright lackadaisical at some companies. Sometimes, the role comes with the job, whether it's wanted or not. A line manager is told to "coach" their direct reports. Other times, senior employees or HR staffs are instructed to "have a go" without any direction. Volunteers may be solicited.
Even if employees want to coach, there's a good chance they won't receive training for the role. More than a third of respondents (34%) told ILM their organizations offer no support or development opportunities to internal coaches. Those who do say it comes in the form of in-house training (20%), management-development sessions (11%) or train-the-trainer programs (8%).
In the hands of an improperly trained coach, sessions can devolve into instruction, which is pointless, or pseudo-therapy, which can release an explosion of emotions. Someone who has been properly trained is aware of these pitfalls and knows how to manage them. An ineffective coach can easily cause more harm than good.
Damage to employee careers and company reputations is avoidable. Earlier this year, Standards Australia released a set of national coaching guidelines devised by the experts in the field of professional coaching. Their guide, Coaching in Organizations, assists organizations select suitable coaches and implement effective coaching programs. You can also get in touch with the coaching association in your area for further help.
Does your organization use internal coaches? If so, how do you prepare them for their new role and ensure their skills continue to develop over time? Please share your experiences here.
Find out more about coaching skills and how to implement a coaching program in your organization at http://www.businessperform.com/articles/coaching-mentoring
References
Allan, Leslie (2011). "Survey Finds Organizations Restrict Workplace Coaching",
http://www.businessperform.com/blog/2011/10/27/workplace-coaching-restricted-1483.html
Coaching in Organizations HB 332-2011 (2011). Sydney, SAI Global, Standards Australia
Creating a Coaching Culture (2011). Institute of Leadership and Management,
https://www.i-l-m.com/downloads/publications/G443_ILM_COACH_REP.pdf
Sunday, February 5, 2012
Survey Reveals Inconsistent Evaluation of Coaching's Impact
It's easy to measure the effectiveness of a sports coach. Just look at each season's wins and losses - and how those numbers and other statistics have changed since the coach joined the team.
It's not so easy to evaluate the effectiveness of coaches in the workplace. I've recently written about the Institute of Leadership and Management's coaching survey that shows an explosion in the popularity of coaching as a management technique. The survey also found that a large number of organizations are failing to measure the specific impact of their coaching initiatives.
The ILM study, which was conducted by telephone in February and involved 250 UK companies, found that 93% measure coaching outcomes. But 60% do not evaluate coaching specifically. Because of that, it's often not clear what is driving the results.
Seventy percent of the respondents said their organizations measure the impact of coaching via their existing appraisal system. Forty percent responded that they gather information on coaching during 360 degree evaluations. In both types of evaluations, the focus is on individuals and their overall performance. Coaching is unlikely to be the only factor.
Only 40% reported that their companies undertake "specific evaluations of coaching interventions", while just 49% try to evaluate against key performance indicators and business goals. There is a lot of work to be done. Just like major training programs and other development initiatives, workplace coaching needs to be objectively and specifically measured. Goals must be identified and should be connected to business outcomes. Many of the techniques I've outlined in previous posts on measuring the effectiveness of training programs could be used to assess coaching.
The ILM survey showed that the vast majority of respondents (95%) believe coaching programs have positively impacted both organizations and the coached individuals. (The survey was limited to people who are responsible for management and leadership development in their organizations.)
Without hard metrics specific to coaching, however, it's impossible to quantify coaching's impact - or make informed adjustments to the program to improve its effectiveness. It's great to hear stories of how coaching improved an employee's attitude or motivation, but that in itself is not actionable. Improvement (or lack of improvement) against specific business goals is. If the aim of a coaching program is to boost the number of new orders generated by the sales team, an analysis can be done of the team's performance before and after coaching. Assuming there are no other variables, the impact of the program would be clear.
Most importantly, specific measurements uncover the value of coaching. Unless clear business benefits can be demonstrated, coaching programs are likely candidates to be cut when the budget tightens. By the same token, those that can prove their worth are more likely to receive extra funding at budget time.
What's your organization's experience with measuring the impact of coaching programs? What lessons did you learn along the way? Please share your stories here.
Find out more about measuring the benefits of employee development programs at http://www.businessperform.com/effective-training-tools
Reference
Creating a Coaching Culture (2011). Institute of Leadership and Management
https://www.i-l-m.com/downloads/publications/G443_ILM_COACH_REP.pdf
It's not so easy to evaluate the effectiveness of coaches in the workplace. I've recently written about the Institute of Leadership and Management's coaching survey that shows an explosion in the popularity of coaching as a management technique. The survey also found that a large number of organizations are failing to measure the specific impact of their coaching initiatives.
The ILM study, which was conducted by telephone in February and involved 250 UK companies, found that 93% measure coaching outcomes. But 60% do not evaluate coaching specifically. Because of that, it's often not clear what is driving the results.
Seventy percent of the respondents said their organizations measure the impact of coaching via their existing appraisal system. Forty percent responded that they gather information on coaching during 360 degree evaluations. In both types of evaluations, the focus is on individuals and their overall performance. Coaching is unlikely to be the only factor.
Only 40% reported that their companies undertake "specific evaluations of coaching interventions", while just 49% try to evaluate against key performance indicators and business goals. There is a lot of work to be done. Just like major training programs and other development initiatives, workplace coaching needs to be objectively and specifically measured. Goals must be identified and should be connected to business outcomes. Many of the techniques I've outlined in previous posts on measuring the effectiveness of training programs could be used to assess coaching.
The ILM survey showed that the vast majority of respondents (95%) believe coaching programs have positively impacted both organizations and the coached individuals. (The survey was limited to people who are responsible for management and leadership development in their organizations.)
Without hard metrics specific to coaching, however, it's impossible to quantify coaching's impact - or make informed adjustments to the program to improve its effectiveness. It's great to hear stories of how coaching improved an employee's attitude or motivation, but that in itself is not actionable. Improvement (or lack of improvement) against specific business goals is. If the aim of a coaching program is to boost the number of new orders generated by the sales team, an analysis can be done of the team's performance before and after coaching. Assuming there are no other variables, the impact of the program would be clear.
Most importantly, specific measurements uncover the value of coaching. Unless clear business benefits can be demonstrated, coaching programs are likely candidates to be cut when the budget tightens. By the same token, those that can prove their worth are more likely to receive extra funding at budget time.
What's your organization's experience with measuring the impact of coaching programs? What lessons did you learn along the way? Please share your stories here.
Find out more about measuring the benefits of employee development programs at http://www.businessperform.com/effective-training-tools
Reference
Creating a Coaching Culture (2011). Institute of Leadership and Management
https://www.i-l-m.com/downloads/publications/G443_ILM_COACH_REP.pdf
Wednesday, February 1, 2012
Workplace Coaching: Only for Middle Managers and Above?
Nearly every respondent to a recent survey of 250 UK companies said coaching in the workplace has helped individuals and their organizations. As I wrote in my previous blog post on coaching culture, they cited improved personal skills, better communication, higher confidence levels and greater motivation.
With so many benefits, one might expect all companies to adopt coaching - and make it available to as many employees as possible. The Institute of Leadership and Management survey found that isn't the case.
Only 68% of companies with 230 to 500 employees said that coaching is part of their development toolkit. For companies with more than 2,000 workers, the percentage rises to 90%. (Organizations with 501 to 2,000 employees reported using coaching 81% of the time.)
But even at large companies, coaching isn't available to everyone. The ILM survey found that at 85% of the responding companies, coaching was targeted primarily at middle managers and those higher on the organizational totem pole. Only 63% of organizations make coaching available to non-managers, while just over half say it's offered to all staff.
The reasons for limiting the availability of coaching are obvious. For one, it requires a significant commitment of time, money and personnel. All three are in short supply at many organizations these days. In addition, the most popular reasons for coaching are related to career progression. Management and leadership development was cited by 21% of the respondents while 19% reported the purpose was senior executive development.
The ILM study shows that coaching produces results that would benefit everyone, not just those who have reached a certain level in their careers or those who are up-and-comers. Improved attitudes, stronger teamwork and increased motivation would help entry-level workers as well as the next CEO.
There would have to be adjustments. A coaching program designed for senior managers wouldn't work for a line worker. But one of the greatest features of coaching is its flexibility. It wouldn't be difficult to design a programs for all tiers of the organization.
That leaves money. Smaller organizations are struggling to find the resources to offer any sort of coaching. But the ILM numbers indicate that some (68%) manage to do just that. These organizations understand the importance of coaching and its benefits. They see it as an investment in both individuals and the organization, and find a way to make it work within their budgets.
The coaching culture is exactly what's needed in today's economic climate. As companies and employees are forced to do more with less, coaching can help everyone - not just the select few - reach the next level of performance. It's an investment that will pay off for years to come.
There are ways to institute coaching without breaking the budget. You could, for instance, tap your senior employees, managers and HR personnel to coach fellow workers. Local business schools also might have students who have been trained to coach and are looking for opportunities to practice.
Is your organization using coaches to help develop your workforce? If so, who has access and who does not? Why? Please share your experiences below.
Find out more about how you can improve the coaching skills of the managers in your organization at http://www.businessperform.com/two-way-communication
Reference
Creating a Coaching Culture (2011). Institute of Leadership and Management
https://www.i-l-m.com/downloads/publications/G443_ILM_COACH_REP.pdf
With so many benefits, one might expect all companies to adopt coaching - and make it available to as many employees as possible. The Institute of Leadership and Management survey found that isn't the case.
Only 68% of companies with 230 to 500 employees said that coaching is part of their development toolkit. For companies with more than 2,000 workers, the percentage rises to 90%. (Organizations with 501 to 2,000 employees reported using coaching 81% of the time.)
But even at large companies, coaching isn't available to everyone. The ILM survey found that at 85% of the responding companies, coaching was targeted primarily at middle managers and those higher on the organizational totem pole. Only 63% of organizations make coaching available to non-managers, while just over half say it's offered to all staff.
The reasons for limiting the availability of coaching are obvious. For one, it requires a significant commitment of time, money and personnel. All three are in short supply at many organizations these days. In addition, the most popular reasons for coaching are related to career progression. Management and leadership development was cited by 21% of the respondents while 19% reported the purpose was senior executive development.
The ILM study shows that coaching produces results that would benefit everyone, not just those who have reached a certain level in their careers or those who are up-and-comers. Improved attitudes, stronger teamwork and increased motivation would help entry-level workers as well as the next CEO.
There would have to be adjustments. A coaching program designed for senior managers wouldn't work for a line worker. But one of the greatest features of coaching is its flexibility. It wouldn't be difficult to design a programs for all tiers of the organization.
That leaves money. Smaller organizations are struggling to find the resources to offer any sort of coaching. But the ILM numbers indicate that some (68%) manage to do just that. These organizations understand the importance of coaching and its benefits. They see it as an investment in both individuals and the organization, and find a way to make it work within their budgets.
The coaching culture is exactly what's needed in today's economic climate. As companies and employees are forced to do more with less, coaching can help everyone - not just the select few - reach the next level of performance. It's an investment that will pay off for years to come.
There are ways to institute coaching without breaking the budget. You could, for instance, tap your senior employees, managers and HR personnel to coach fellow workers. Local business schools also might have students who have been trained to coach and are looking for opportunities to practice.
Is your organization using coaches to help develop your workforce? If so, who has access and who does not? Why? Please share your experiences below.
Find out more about how you can improve the coaching skills of the managers in your organization at http://www.businessperform.com/two-way-communication
Reference
Creating a Coaching Culture (2011). Institute of Leadership and Management
https://www.i-l-m.com/downloads/publications/G443_ILM_COACH_REP.pdf
Sunday, January 22, 2012
Coaches Take Performance to Next Level
In this tough economy, many organizations are cutting back and expect the remaining employees to do more with less. Top performers are feeling the heat and hitting the wall. How do business owners and managers raise the bar in this environment?
A recent survey by the Institute of Leadership and Management (ILM) provides an answer: adopt a culture of coaching. Just as coaches can take star athletes to the next level on the playing field, coaches in the workplace can help employees reach heights that they couldn't imagine reaching on their own.
The ILM study found that 80% of the 250 UK companies surveyed are using or have used coaching as a development tool, and another 9% plan to do so. An astounding 96% say coaching has benefited the coached individual, while 95% say they believe it's also helped the organization.
Let's take a closer look at the purpose and benefits of coaching - and how it can benefit your organization. (In future posts, I'll examine some of the problem areas identified by the survey. It's not all good news.)
The best coaches help people unlock hidden potential, whether in a game or in the workplace. It's very different from traditional boss-worker relationships, where the manager is the superior, the expert, the teacher or the enforcer. Instead, a coach guides, asks questions and tries to draw performance out of an individual. Coaches can be managers, fellow employees or outsiders hired for the specific purpose of coaching. The benefits of a good coach tend to be consistent, regardless of the source.
Given the nature of coaching, it comes as no surprise that the development of personal skills is a major reason and a major benefit. In the ILM survey, 53% of respondents said their companies offered coaching for personal development. Only 26% said it was to improve specific areas of work performance.
The benefits skew toward personal development, too. For example, 43% of the ILM respondents cited an improvement in self-awareness while 42% reported it boosted self-confidence. Other benefits identified were better leadership, management and communication skills, improved conflict resolution abilities, higher motivation, better attitudes and improved preparation for a new role within the organization.
The ILM survey respondents praised workplace coaching: 96% said it benefits the coached individuals and 95% agreed it helps the organization. Even 93% of the respondents who work at companies that don't practice coaching could identify benefits. These are impressive results for any professional development initiative.
Coaching requires an investment of time and money and the survey reveals some areas of concern. I'll be taking a closer look at these in future posts. If your organization hasn't adopted a coaching program, why hasn't it? Please use the comments section to share your experiences.
Find out more about improving the communication skills of your managers. Check out our practical guide to effective communication in the workplace, 2 Way Feedback, at http://www.businessperform.com/two-way-communication
Reference
Creating a Coaching Culture (2011). Institute of Leadership and Management
https://www.i-l-m.com/downloads/publications/G443_ILM_COACH_REP.pdf
A recent survey by the Institute of Leadership and Management (ILM) provides an answer: adopt a culture of coaching. Just as coaches can take star athletes to the next level on the playing field, coaches in the workplace can help employees reach heights that they couldn't imagine reaching on their own.
The ILM study found that 80% of the 250 UK companies surveyed are using or have used coaching as a development tool, and another 9% plan to do so. An astounding 96% say coaching has benefited the coached individual, while 95% say they believe it's also helped the organization.
Let's take a closer look at the purpose and benefits of coaching - and how it can benefit your organization. (In future posts, I'll examine some of the problem areas identified by the survey. It's not all good news.)
The best coaches help people unlock hidden potential, whether in a game or in the workplace. It's very different from traditional boss-worker relationships, where the manager is the superior, the expert, the teacher or the enforcer. Instead, a coach guides, asks questions and tries to draw performance out of an individual. Coaches can be managers, fellow employees or outsiders hired for the specific purpose of coaching. The benefits of a good coach tend to be consistent, regardless of the source.
Given the nature of coaching, it comes as no surprise that the development of personal skills is a major reason and a major benefit. In the ILM survey, 53% of respondents said their companies offered coaching for personal development. Only 26% said it was to improve specific areas of work performance.
The benefits skew toward personal development, too. For example, 43% of the ILM respondents cited an improvement in self-awareness while 42% reported it boosted self-confidence. Other benefits identified were better leadership, management and communication skills, improved conflict resolution abilities, higher motivation, better attitudes and improved preparation for a new role within the organization.
The ILM survey respondents praised workplace coaching: 96% said it benefits the coached individuals and 95% agreed it helps the organization. Even 93% of the respondents who work at companies that don't practice coaching could identify benefits. These are impressive results for any professional development initiative.
Coaching requires an investment of time and money and the survey reveals some areas of concern. I'll be taking a closer look at these in future posts. If your organization hasn't adopted a coaching program, why hasn't it? Please use the comments section to share your experiences.
Find out more about improving the communication skills of your managers. Check out our practical guide to effective communication in the workplace, 2 Way Feedback, at http://www.businessperform.com/two-way-communication
Reference
Creating a Coaching Culture (2011). Institute of Leadership and Management
https://www.i-l-m.com/downloads/publications/G443_ILM_COACH_REP.pdf
Saturday, October 22, 2011
I Am Asked To Deliver a One Hour Brain Dump Training Session
It can be exciting to be asked by a manager to deliver a short training session. But what if the subject is broad, and there's not enough time to do the job right? Here are some strategies for turning a potential disaster into a success that won't waste your time and that of your participants.
When it comes to training, the road to failure is often paved with the best of intentions. Often, what seemed like a good idea - a quick session on a not-so-quick topic, for instance - turns into a time-waster that saps morale and has none of the intended impact.
Consider this scenario: A manager asks you to conduct a short, hour-long session for staff on customer service, team building, managing time, leadership, general management or another similarly broad topic. Perhaps you had a success recently that the requesting manager had heard about. You feel enthused to start and agree on the spot.
You collect your thoughts, outline what you want to say, and as the day approaches, get increasingly nervous about everything you need to pack into that hour. When the day arrives, you stand in front of the training room and deliver what amounts to a 60-minute brain dump. In the audience, you notice some yawns and rolling eyes. Others just look confused. As people leave, you overhear talk of all the work that's awaiting them at their desks.
Of course, you and the requesting manager only intended to share useful skills, not create ill-will. My advice on how to handle such requests is just to say no. Sometimes, though, refusal is not an option. If that happens to you, try these strategies for mitigating the damage.
• Limit the subject matter. Suggest that only one or two areas be covered - and make those as specific as possible. For example, if you're asked to discuss time management, you could propose a session on how to craft a meeting agenda or strategies for dealing with interruptions. If the topic is conflict resolution, you could restrict your discussion to how to diffuse tense situations by taking a deep breath.
• Ask the requesting manager what post-training employee behaviors they want to change with the short training session. The answer will give you a good idea of where to focus your efforts. If the list is long, work with the manager to narrow the list down to the one or two most important behaviours.
• If the manager still insists on a broad topic, point to research and your own experiences that show how brief training sessions are unlikely to be effective unless participants can practice their new skills. You might win more time to deliver your message - or the manager might reconsider his earlier decision.
• Offer to help the manager set up a workplace support system that will reinforce the skills taught in your session once employees return to their jobs. This can be a reusable framework that'll be useful both for your current session and any future program.
These tips will help you turn lemons into lemonade when you're asked to train on a big topic with too little time to do the job effectively. Even if you don't win over every manager, you will be pushing in the right direction and will look on top of your profession in the process. The end result will be more effective training, better workplace support for participants and more satisfied employees.
Find out more about creating the right learning environment for effective transfer of training to the employee's workplace. Check out Leslie's high impact training guide, From Training to Enhanced Workplace Performance, at http://www.businessperform.com/effective-training-tools
When it comes to training, the road to failure is often paved with the best of intentions. Often, what seemed like a good idea - a quick session on a not-so-quick topic, for instance - turns into a time-waster that saps morale and has none of the intended impact.
Consider this scenario: A manager asks you to conduct a short, hour-long session for staff on customer service, team building, managing time, leadership, general management or another similarly broad topic. Perhaps you had a success recently that the requesting manager had heard about. You feel enthused to start and agree on the spot.
You collect your thoughts, outline what you want to say, and as the day approaches, get increasingly nervous about everything you need to pack into that hour. When the day arrives, you stand in front of the training room and deliver what amounts to a 60-minute brain dump. In the audience, you notice some yawns and rolling eyes. Others just look confused. As people leave, you overhear talk of all the work that's awaiting them at their desks.
Of course, you and the requesting manager only intended to share useful skills, not create ill-will. My advice on how to handle such requests is just to say no. Sometimes, though, refusal is not an option. If that happens to you, try these strategies for mitigating the damage.
• Limit the subject matter. Suggest that only one or two areas be covered - and make those as specific as possible. For example, if you're asked to discuss time management, you could propose a session on how to craft a meeting agenda or strategies for dealing with interruptions. If the topic is conflict resolution, you could restrict your discussion to how to diffuse tense situations by taking a deep breath.
• Ask the requesting manager what post-training employee behaviors they want to change with the short training session. The answer will give you a good idea of where to focus your efforts. If the list is long, work with the manager to narrow the list down to the one or two most important behaviours.
• If the manager still insists on a broad topic, point to research and your own experiences that show how brief training sessions are unlikely to be effective unless participants can practice their new skills. You might win more time to deliver your message - or the manager might reconsider his earlier decision.
• Offer to help the manager set up a workplace support system that will reinforce the skills taught in your session once employees return to their jobs. This can be a reusable framework that'll be useful both for your current session and any future program.
These tips will help you turn lemons into lemonade when you're asked to train on a big topic with too little time to do the job effectively. Even if you don't win over every manager, you will be pushing in the right direction and will look on top of your profession in the process. The end result will be more effective training, better workplace support for participants and more satisfied employees.
Find out more about creating the right learning environment for effective transfer of training to the employee's workplace. Check out Leslie's high impact training guide, From Training to Enhanced Workplace Performance, at http://www.businessperform.com/effective-training-tools
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