BROCHURE

Leader as Coach & Performance Conversations

The Leadership Sphere

Insight. Influence. Impact.

2021


support@theleadershipsphere.com.au| www.theleadershipsphere.com

Introduction

As a manager, one of the most important things you can do is to provide constructive, timely feedback. When you let people know how they're doing, you give them the chance to change unhelpful habits and develop positive behaviours that contribute to team goals.

When we make a conscious choice to give regular feedback, we demonstrate that we are committed to people's personal development, and that we are taking steps to create a productive and harmonious workplace.

So, why do managers find it so difficult to give feedback? Perhaps it's because they're uncomfortable doing it, or because they don't feel that they have the skills to do it properly. Either way, they may put off giving feedback until a problem has become serious.

People want feedback and to know how they are doing in real time. This makes sense for companies operating in fast paced and fluid environments. Managers and team members need effective communication skills to be successful and to maximise engagement, talent and teamwork. The key is to plan, follow a tried and tested structure, and to be objective.

We also believe that 'performance conversations' are just as applicable to a team member who doesn't actually manage people. Our definition of a performance conversation includes being able to provide feedback and have difficult conversations with peers.

Coaching is a philosophy and set of leadership skills that fit nicely with performance conversations. We find however, that there is often confusion about when to have a performance conversation and when to coach. In other words, when should we 'converse' and when should we 'coach'? And what is the best way to do go about it?

Four Levels of Conversation

Focus on the right conversation at the right time

It is critical that leaders focus on the right conversation at the right time. To help learners understand the different types of conversations, we think about four levels of conversation. The model (below) shows that not all conversations are the same and therefore require a different approach. We find that the model helps enormously in thinking about the right approach in different situations. One of the biggest insights is that performance (or feedback) conversations should happen before a coaching approach is adopted. We see many leaders make the mistake of trying to coach people too early in the process.



Our Approach

Amplifying Competence and Confidence to have the conversations that matter.

Our Approach

The ability to be able to have effective, constructive conversations is a necessary skill demanded of leaders. However, like any skill, it needs to be developed through a methodical, well planned approach.

Two Critical Dimensions

We believe that having conversations that matter includes two key dimensions:

  1. 1.Providing constructive feedback (both positive and developmental); and
  2. 2.Coaching the individual towards a solution and plan of action.

Leaders sometimes find it difficult to understand when to have a feedback or performance conversation, and when they should coach. We strongly believe that while they are interdependent, they are very different conversations with very different goals. The approach and methodology must necessarily also be different.

PERFORMANCE CONVERSATIONS

Performance conversations in the workplace can cover a number of areas, including:

  • Giving feedback
  • Receiving feedback
  • Delivering bad news
  • A conversation where there may be disagreement and / or a strong emotional response
  • Having a difficult conversation with a peer on any subject

All of these situations can demand a lot from leaders and team members in general. In particular, our Performance Conversations program focuses on awareness, preparation, planning, structure and methodology, and flexibility.

Learning Outcomes

  1. 1.Understand the different scenarios and approaches where a performance conversation may be required.
  2. 2.Develop enhanced skills to understand and build psychological safety.
  3. 3.Know how to plan and prepare for performance conversations.
  4. 4.Gain competence and confidence in being able to have different types of conversations, particularly difficult conversations.

Key components:

The course is usually delivered in half a day or full day depending on needs.

  • Understanding the true nature of dialogue (dialogue model)
  • Understanding the four levels of conversation and when to apply them
  • 4Ps of planning and preparation (self, other, message, environment)
  • Creating psychological safety
  • Common errors in having conversations
  • 7-Step framework
  • Practice and feedback

Who is the course designed for?

We find that the course is applicable to a wide cross-section, whether in a formal management position or in fact a team member where they need to be able to have difficult and / or feedback-type conversations with each other (any team in other words).

  • New and emerging mangers and team leaders
  • Members of any team who want to be able to have difficult conversations with each other, including providing feedback
  • Senior managers
  • Executives
  • Project leaders

Course Size

We generally work to a maximum of 14 people for one facilitator or 24 for two facilitators. We have also worked with much larger groups however they do not get the individual attention they do in smaller groups.

Course Cost

As a general rule, the following costs apply, however please contact us for a more accurate assessment of your needs and therefor costs.

Number of Participants

Half-Day

Full-Day

Less than 14

$4,500

$7,500

More than 14 (two facilitators)

$7,500

$12,500


LEADER AS COACH

We see coaching as something that is fundamental to management. We don't see it as something that happens in an ad-hoc way or even once a month. Rather, coaching should be viewed as a fundamental way of managing and leading.

Performance, Learning and Fulfillment

The model of coaching (below) shows how coaching, when reduced to its essence, can be framed in terms of three interlinked components. The inner triangle represents the client and the shifts they make in the coaching process (Awareness, Choice and Trust in Essential Self). The outer triangle represents the domains in which the client seeks results (Performance, Learning, Fulfilment). The middle triangle represents the role of coaching. Coaching, through relationship, process and conversation, mediates between the results domain and the internal shifts around awareness, choice and trust for the client.



Application

Coaching can be used in many areas of management and contexts, including:

  • Development conversations
  • Supporting team members to take accountability
  • Helping others gain clarity and energy around difficult scenarios
  • Supporting teams to formulate a plan of action
  • Create major breakthroughs in mindsets and behaviours

It can also be used to support people in areas such as:

  • Time Management
  • Career planning
  • Coaching and mentoring
  • Development of self-awareness
  • High Performance Leadership
  • Adaptive leadership
  • Management vs Leadership
  • Client engagement skills and strategies
  • How to coaching and mentor others
  • Communication skills (e.g. difficult conversations)
  • Resilience and energy management
  • Feedback Skills
  • Building high performance teams
  • How to delegate effectively
  • Decision Making
  • Planning and organisation
  • Change management
  • Managing conflict

Learning Outcomes

  1. 1.Understand contemporary people development principles and practices.
  2. 2.Understand your own style of management and leadership with regards to coaching.
  3. 3.Learn that coaching is about unlocking potential and supporting people to remove internal and external blockers.
  4. 4.Empower others to take ownership, accountability and responsibility for their own behaviours and success.
  5. 5.Support people to come up with their own solutions and action plans.
  6. 6.Understand the power of coaching and the return-on-investment for relatively little effort.

Key components:

The course is usually delivered between half a day and a full day depending on requirements. Topic areas include:

  • P = p - i
  • Trust / Tension / Value Model
  • Language of coaching (watch-outs and fuzzy)
  • Hot Seat Coaching
  • The power of questions
  • Good, Bad and Ugly coaching
  • GROW Model
  • Empowerment Model
  • Dysfunctional Square (how to coach a victim, rescuer, bully and seducer)
  • Practice and feedback

Who is the course designed for?

The Leader as Coach is suitable for anyone who has people management responsibilities, including:

  • New and emerging mangers and team leaders
  • Senior managers
  • Executives
  • Project leaders

Course Size

We generally work to a maximum of 14 people for one facilitator or 24 for two facilitators. We have also worked with much larger groups however they do not get the individual attention they do in smaller groups.

Course Cost

As a general rule, the following costs apply, however please contact us for a more accurate assessment of your needs and therefor costs.

Number of Participants

Half-Day

Full-Day

Less than 14

$4,500

$7,500

More than 14 (two facilitators)

$7,500

$12,500


Support Mechanisms

We strongly believe that appropriate support mechanisms are at the heart of effective programs. The biggest challenge for any development program is creating behaviour change, not just for the sake of behaviour change, but behaviour that makes a difference to the organisation and its stakeholders.

TLS Community Hub: Blended Learning at Its Best

We have created an online space called the TLS Community Hub which now serves as a 'container' for all of our courses, including coaching. The Hub is a place where people can access relevant materials, communication, messages, videos and logistics.

The purpose of the Hub is to bring together a community of growth-minded leaders who inspire each other to embrace positive and effective leadership habits and practices so that we can be more purpose-driven, can navigate and create meaningful change, and support the development of today's leaders and the next generation of leaders.

You will have access to TLS facilitators and coaches in the Hub - and more importantly, continue to connect and learn from each other and colleagues from other industries and sectors. You will have access to the main community space where past participants of other courses, coaching or people who want to continue to learn about leadership can be found. With future courses that we conduct, there will be a specific private space for you.

Figure: The TLS Community Hub Application


In Summary:

  • Our signature LMS and community hub
  • Private spaces for client organisations, teams and coaching clients
  • Broader rich community space of other TLS clients and people wanting to improve their leadership
  • Mobile-friendly (as well as desktop)
  • Online resources (e.g. workbooks, agendas, articles, etc.)
  • Goal setting and online feedback from stakeholders
  • A rich community of like-minded leaders

We invite you to join the Hub and have a look around (if you're not already a member) by clicking here.

TLSLearning (our own app)

Our application features the latest ideas and principles in online learning including:

  • Mobile-friendly (as well as desktop)
  • Gamification (not tacky, just fun to engage with!)
  • Short, focused quests (modules) and missions (learning bites within each module)
  • Online community via a closed group where participants can share as little or as much as they want to with the community and/or the coach (TLS coach)
  • Quizzes
  • Ask the Community / Coach functionality

For a short demonstration of the app, please click here (click on Watch Video).

How We Think About Leadership Development

Levels of Leadership

Focus on the right thing at the right time

Our Levels of Leadership model creates a focus on the development needs of managers and leaders at various levels in the organisation and individual development pathways.



Challenges and Competencies

The table below shows the five levels of leadership, the typical challenges or needs at that level, and the competency / area of focus. Our programs and customised approach focuses on the requisite competencies down (deep exploration 'at level') and across (exploring development across the levels where appropriate).




Our Values


Our values are important to us. These are the non-negotiable minimum standards to which all our work and dealings apply. These values are not a high aspiration we strive for, but rather the way we do business. When we are true to our values, our clients know it.


About The Leadership Sphere

The Leadership Sphere is a solution-focused firm that has been helping organisations since 2007.

We pride ourselves on identifying your challenges quickly and designing strategies to address them, always keeping top of mind your business's need for minimal disruption.

We see leadership as a key driver of sustainable organisational performance and health. We have extensive experience working at the Board, CEO, Executive and middle manager levels in some of the world's largest companies. We have several case studies and testimonials available as an attachment.

Watch our introductory video (2 mins).

In the last 12 months, we've completed major projects for:

Ashurst


MLC Life Insurance

Monash Health

APT Travel Group

Deloitte


Melbourne & Olympic Parks

The Executive Connection (TEC)

Evolution Mining

ESTA

Victoria Police


RMIT University

Westpac

MyDNA

SGS Economics & Planning

Servier

St Vincent's Health

PeterMac Cancer Centre

Mercy Health

Leadership Victoria

Ethos Urban


Contact

The Leadership Sphere

Level 2, 350 Bourke Street

Melbourne Vic 3000

1300 100 857 | support@theleadershipsphere.com.au