COACHING AND INFLUENCING SKILLS
PART 1
Abstract
The capacity to efficiently manage projects and programs has become a progressively important skill in the management industry today. However, many project managers and leaders are not able to efficaciously lead projects due to a deficiency of the necessary management skills mainly in coaching and influencing skills.
The objective of this paper is to largely explore about coaching, mostly coaching processes, coaching plans, influence strategies, coaching models and questions asked in coaching processes. Some of the questions discussed in this paper will include, which coaching models contribute to building and maintaining healthy team environment? What are some of coaching skills and behavior appropriate for a coaching session? This will help individuals in management understand what coaching entails and even put them in a position of coaching others directly or indirectly.
Additionally, the other main objective that is entailed in this paper is the influencing skills in management which will deeply bring out: what is influencing? The types of influencing skills, the different types influencing styles, influencing models, main influencing modes, lastly why influence others? This will highly be effective due to the fact that influence is a good idea in bringing together staff from all places an organization.
This paper sightsees five published books and articles on results of research conducted in various situations both online and on the ground to effectively bring out an outcome that can be used as a detailed study by professionals. This articles and publications each defines and explain coaching and influencing differently but all with a common objective of management efficiency. Holloway and Smith (2006) explain coaching and influencing skills as coaching and mentoring where coaching is mainly immediate improvement of development skills. Mentoring is described as a longer term acquisition of a wide range of skills in various sectors of management.
Arnold (2009) has come up with a well explained strategic plan to motivate and bring out the best from staff in any organization. Mark (2005) explains that effective communication as the key element in leadership works in terms of coaching and influencing.
Deans and Oakley (2006) describe coaching and influencing as a key playing tool. This tool is appropriate in the area of leadership management development, often cited in proposals and journals as key elements of noble and ethical traditions in professional practice. Passmore Association for Coaching (2010) points out that leadership is a process of social effect through which an individual is capable of enlisting the aid and support of others in the achievement of a collective duty. The above situations have each portrayed in a deeper understanding in coaching which will be uniquely presented in this paper.
Concluding, resulting to an in-depth multi-dimensional analysis of preliminary research and data collected in this paper, the main recommendations for coaching and influencing skills will be vividly seen. This will help management teams or individuals gain due benefit on the day to day operations in their various managerial roles. It will also improve productivity by creating a mutual understanding between various organization personnel.
PART 2
Coaching and Influencing Skills
Introduction
The capacity to manage projects and programs efficiently has become a progressively important skill in the management industry today. However, many project managers and leaders are not able to lead projects efficaciously due to a deficiency of the necessary management skills mainly in coaching and influencing skills. Coaching and influencing skills are defined as coaching and mentoring where coaching is mainly immediate improvement of development skills (Driscoll, 2005). Mentoring is described as a longer term acquisition of a wide range of skills in various sectors of management. When implemented effectively, these skills would facilitate in the adoption of effective management skills in an organization, hence contribute to improved performance. It is vital to note that coaching and influencing serves as a key tool in influencing the performance of an organization (Holloway & Smith, 2006).
Furthermore, embarking on effective leadership is ideal to facilitate in realizing the goals of an organization through coaching and influence. This is because leadership serves as a process of social effect through which an individual is capable of enlisting the aid and support of others in the achievement of a collective duty (Arnold, 2009). When leaders develop effective leadership plans, they are capable of devising strategic plans, which allow them to coach, mentor, and influence other key employees in an organization, thus serve as examples of improved performance. In addition to this, effective communication is vital for organizations to adopt. It is not possible for managers to coach or influence other individuals in an organization without effective communication, as this can result to miscommunication (Arnold, 2009). Hence, the paper depicts coaching and influencing as a vital tool within an organization, which can be applied to enhance effective management.
Reason for Study
Leaders in every organization need to devise effective ways of coaching and influencing their employees to ensure they follow their example, hence realize similar organizational goals. The ability of any leader to influence the leadership traits to team members to facilitate in realizing demands of the organization is a complex process in the entire coaching development picture. Leaders are supposed to know that they are responsible for guiding an organization to achieve its goals effectively, while laying notable emphasis in the skills that are ideal to give out appropriate output (Passmore J. Association for Coaching , 2010).
Methodology
This paper sightsees five published books and articles on results of research conducted in various situations both online and on the ground to bring out an outcome that can be used as a detailed study by professionals effectively. These articles and publications each define and explain coaching and influencing differently but all with a common objective of management efficiency. Questions will be asked, which will be utilized in the findings section, hence identify the diverse forms of coaching and influencing skills.
Formulation of Purpose Statement and Research Questions
The purpose of this paper is to explore largely about coaching, mostly coaching processes, coaching plans, influence strategies, coaching models. This will help individuals in management understand what coaching entails and even put them in a position of coaching others directly or indirectly. The other main objective that is entailed in this paper is the influencing skills in management. This will highly be effective because influence is a good idea in bringing together staff from all places an organization. The diverse questions that will be applied to address the issue of coaching processes and influencing are as follows.
- Which coaching models contribute to building and maintaining healthy team environment?
- What are some of coaching skills and behavior appropriate for a coaching session?
- What is the need of influencing others?
Findings
- Coaching Models for Health Team
To facilitate in building and sustain healthy team environments, when coaching and influencing others, leaders can utilize a number of models. The trans-theoretical model targets the readiness to change or attempts that individuals make over time. Social learning theory is also applicable in that it explains behavior of individuals through dynamic interaction between environmental forces, personal factors, as well as behavior (Arnold, 2009). In addition, the theory of planned behavior is ideal, as it perceives individuals as rational beings with the intention of exercising their behavior strongly in relation to real performance through attitudes, beliefs, assumed behavioral control, and subjective norms (Deans & Oakley, 2007).
- Coaching Skills and Behavior
To coach effectively in an organization, leaders should possess certain skills. They should be able to listen with curiosity by exercising patience and attentiveness to avoid hampering dialogue during the coaching process. When communicating with team members, a leader should also be capable of listening with reflecting with accuracy to show that you are listening to their grievances as well as confirm that the right information is conveyed (Holloway & Smith, 2006).
- Need for Influencing Others
Influencing other individuals is vital in an organization. By influencing others, you manage to create a drive for individuals to exercise hard work in their initiatives to realize the anticipated organizational results. Influence also plays a vital role in improving the discipline of employees, which then fosters accountability in the culture of the organization. Influenced employees also boost dedication in their workplaces, encouraging employees to show dedication in the tasks they undertake (Deans & Oakley, 2007).
Evaluation
To evaluate the success of the project, a team of experienced academicians will be called upon to review the project and make any appropriate changes to ensure that it meets the proposed deadline as well as incorporate any measures deemed appropriate as the study progresses.
PART 3
Findings
Coaching requires a multidimensional approach which involves all parties. In order to achieve the anticipated results, it’s critical to understand the skills being passed to the rest of the subordinates in the organization. In addition, the coach must identify those who are likely to complete the program successfully. Moreover, those who will enroll should be well informed about what is expected of them after going through the coaching program. This is to avoid resistance which might delay the overall process.
In order to develop additional skills in the workforce, the coach must implement an open office policy. This enables the rest of the employees who are under coaching program to report directly to the coach without the use of the intermediaries. During this process, conflicts of interests arise frequently. This might bring frictions among those under training. Therefore, the implementation of the policy makes it possible for the coach to intervene on time before it gets out of hand.
The first stage involves the observation of the behavior by the subordinates to be coached. This provides an opportunity to notice a gap in skills that need to be developed and the best strategies to be used in order to achieve the desired results. Furthermore, coaching should go hand in hand with changes in the system. Therefore, at this stage, it’s important to observe the working systems and any defects or new technologies that need to be procured in order to match with the skills. This should be followed by analyzing the coaching program while comparing it with the observation results (Holloway & Smith, 2006). This is critical in identifying the areas that need to be changed in order for the additional skills to be of great benefit to the whole organization. This stage should take approximately one month.
The second step should involve the analyzing data collected regarding the daily habits of those to be coached. In addition, any emerging or dominant trend should be identified and analyzed on whether it might have an impact on the overall results. However, personal judgment will not be applied at this stage because it might affect the coaching attitude. Unlike the first stage, this should take approximately two weeks to be complete.
After the completion of the analysis, the next stage should involve the setting of goals. The goals should be based on the potential patterns and the gaps identified. However, the goals should be specific, measurable, attainable, realistic, and based on a time frame. This is to avoid any delays which might increase the costs or fail to achieve the desired results.
The step in coaching will involve the beliefs, behaviors and knowledge of the trainees. Currently, diversity has become a critical aspect towards the success of any organization. As a result, in order to achieve the desired results, it will be critical to understand the values and beliefs that are held dear by the trainees. Through this information, the coaching practice will focus on assuring the trainee that the program will not affect them negatively (Holloway & Smith, 2006). It will only be meant to improve their skills and relationship with the rest of the team. The move will be important in reducing the level of resistance which might have adverse effects on the overall training program. This stage will be developed in conjunction with the supervisors and other senior managers who will be giving directions to the subordinates.
The second part of the coaching process will involve advising the trainees on the best way to maximize from the training program and the new changes. For instance, the program will train them on how to deal with different challenges that affects the organization. Therefore, this part will focus on appreciating their contribution towards the organization and encourage them to ensure that they go through the training program to the end in order to contribute more towards the success of the organization. The success of this stage will be measured by the number of trainees who will agree to go through the next stage. This will indicate that they have accepted that they are a critical component in the organizational success; therefore, they must upgrade their skills in order to remain competitive (Deans & Oakley, 2006).
After the consent, the actual coaching will take place. This part of the action plan will be characterized by assisting the trainees. This will involve identifying the personal barriers that might affect the success of the program. For instance, trainees with special needs or personal challenges will be assisted. This is to ensure that such factors will not force them to drop out of the program. In addition, problem solving techniques will be changed in order to meet the specific needs of the trainees (Arnold, 2009). In addition, social support will be increased in order for the trainees to be mentally strong. This will enable them to persevere and concentrate on the program. Those who will opt to drop out will be taken through the counseling sessions. The reason is that many of the respondents indicate that they drop from the training programs due to lack of psychological support because some of these programs are intensive. Therefore, they have an impact on their normal life, an aspect that forces some of them to quit.
The last part of the action plan will involve assessing the progress of the trainee while in their working environment. Follow-ups will be emphasized in order to collect information regarding the level of progress. Those who depict the previous behavior and low skills intake will be studied in order to understand the reason behind the turn of the event. On the other hand, those who absorbed the new skilled will be put under study for a period of 3 months. This will make it possible to analyze their impact on the overall performance of the organization. Different elements such as their relationships with the peers and any negative elements will be recorded in order for changes to be implemented during the next coaching program (Arnold, 2009). This will ensure that the current defects are rectified on time.
References
Arnold, J. (2009). Coaching skills for leaders in the workplace. Oxford: Little, Brown Book Group.
Deans, F., & Oakley, L. (2006). Coaching and Mentoring for Leadership Development in Civil Society. INRAC 2007
Driscoll M. (2005). Influence Skills in Instructional Coaching: Reflections for the September 2005 Instructional Coaching Conference. EDC, Inc.
Holloway, A. & Smith, J. (2006) .Coaching and mentoring for success. UK: Word Smiths
Passmore J. Association for Coaching (2010). Leadership Coaching: Working with Leaders to Develop Elite Performance. Philadelphia: Kogan Page Publishers.