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2010 Executive Tidbits
Price of denim jeans: 47% under $25, 37% $25-50, and 16% over $50. |
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Check out Keith's other site:
Virtual Writing Coach |
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The Executive Connection SM
a publication of The Virtual Executive Coach SM
"Vision + Accountability = Success!"
www.virtualexecutivecoach.com
November, 2007
In This Issue:
1. Preview
2. Executive Summary
3. Internal Coaches
4. Helpful Hints
1. Preview
The Executive Connection explores the creative and analytical process of business development,
team-building, and executive development.
We are an interactive community of executives and small business owners who desire to network
with like-minded high-performance executives
to enhance our knowledge, skills, and aptitudes in the competitive business world.
Published monthly, the Newsletter offers coaching suggestions around the topics of: business development, financing, marketing, networking,
incorporations, mergers, human resources, governmental regulations, and tax laws.
Topics are presented from the perspective of Keith Barton and represent only his ideas on creating and running your business.
Because we are an interactive community of executives and business owners, other viewpoints are welcomed and may be printed in future monthly
newsletters with permission from Keith Barton.
2. Executive Summary
November, 2007
Dear Executive Connection Subscriber,
This month's newsletter features information on Internal Coaches.
3. Internal Coaches
Business coaching is different from life coaching because the emphasis is on employee buy-in
and performance within the organization. Life balance issues which are critical to personal
success at home and work are less important in a business setting because coaching is
typically generated from upper management. Therefore, the employee is not necessarily open
to coaching at first and the coach must be seen as a facilitator and advocate for the
employees rather than management. Unless upper management has bought into coaching for their
managers, then any real change is highly improbable.
Recently I was asked to help insurance executives at a large multi-national company infuse
coaching into their middle managers. Direct employee reporting had been relegated to “howdy”
calls in the field and being available for crisis management. An astute executive wanted his
middle managers to become better coaches to their respective field office staff including
claims, clerical, fiduciary, and legal personnel. In preparing for the half-day workshop I
decided to go back to a seminal chapter in Executive Coaching by Fitzgerald and Berger,
2002 on “Coaching from the Inside,” by Casey Strumph.
By strengthening internal coaching any gains are more aptly to be accepted because of
cultural buy-in. For those organizations resistant to “experts” who typically leave after a
presentation with a “bag of tools,” a coaching “facilitator” whose job is to teach key
organizational players how to better coach may be the answer. Flatter organizations are
better suited to internal coaches because of multiple functions and roles where decisions
can be implemented more quickly. Certain prerequisites are required, however.
A strong and credible HR function
Executive level support and buy-in
Using feedback effectively
Supportive self-development
Partnering with external experts
Creating internal coaching networks
Role modeling and mentoring
An explicit confidentiality policy
A strong HR department can make or break internal coaching. If coaching is part of one’s job
description that is rewarded by the company, then supervisors may view knowledge transfer as
positive and necessary for successive planning.
Another axiom for successful internal coaching is the level of the employee in the
organization. The more senior the executive, the more likely external coaching is needed; in
this assignment, I was asked to train middle managers who were critical to the information
flow between senior and field personnel. A cost-effective approach was to build coaching into
existing job functions, thereby making coaching part of the corporate culture.
Witherspoon and White (1998)1 identified four coaching areas: skills, performance, development,
and leadership agenda. Skills coaching can be provided by internal coaches. Sample areas
include: conducting meetings, goal setting, and accountability structures. Performance coaching
concentrates on improving job performance with growth plans intended to focus on employee
strengths and coaching needed to improve skill sets. Development coaching is generally intended
for candidates who have just been promoted. Finally, leadership coaching focuses on strategic
vision and planning.
Feedback is useful for managers to see if they are actively communicating and supporting their
staff; feedback is better given in anonymous surveys rather than 360 evaluations to minimize
political agendas. It is important that managers act on feedback given by their staff or give
reasons why they cannot act.
Self development includes readings, conferences, structured coaching experience and workshops.
Reflection is a valuable tool to improve accountability and provide a timeline for employee
change.
Partnering with external coaches is valuable for introducing a new evaluation technique or
setting the stage for developing internal coaches within the organization. External coaches can
provide validation for coaching performance.
Role modeling is another important function of internal coaches who manage by example and
provide an in vivo coaching experience for one’s direct reports.
Coaching networks are important. The International Coach Federation has state and city chapters
that provide ongoing training and sharing of coaching tools and experience.
Internal coaches should secure from management an internal policy protecting coachee confidential
information and to share only employee strengths. Trust is gained over time and the coaching
agreement should spell out potential pitfalls of breaking confidentiality. The internal coach
must face his/her peers everyday and harmonious working conditions require confidentiality.
1Witherspoon, R., and R.P. White (1998). Four essential ways that coaching can help
executives. Greensboro, N.C.: Center for Creative Leadership.
Helpful Hints:
- Hire an external coach to give a workshop on coaching within the organization and to
validate the importance of internal coaches.
- Think of a time when you gave negative feedback to an employee and whether or not
long-term gains and morale were maintained. Could internal coaching provide a better solution
than growth plans?
- Ask HR if they value coaching and to what extent employee morale and teamwork is
improved.
SUBSCRIPTION INFORMATION
The Executive Connection SM is a free publication. If you want to continue to receive this Newsletter, you can
SUBSCRIBE by clicking here or by sending a blank email message to
keith_barton@att.net
with the word SUBSCRIBE in the subject line.
To UNSUBSCRIBE click here or send a message to
keith_barton@att.net
with the word UNSUBSCRIBE in the subject line.
Be assured your name and email address are confidential. We do not sell, rent or share our mailing list with anyone.
Contact Information:
Keith Barton, Ph.D.
Voice: 281-583-5005
Fax: 281-583-5008
Web: http://www.virtualexecutivecoach.com
E-Mail:
keith_barton@att.net
(c) Copyright 2010,
Virtual Executive Coach SM and A. Keith Barton, Ph.D.
All rights reserved.
Distribution Rights:
The Executive Connection SM is copyrighted, but you may retransmit or
distribute it to whomever you wish as long as not a single word is changed, added, or deleted, including the contact information. However, you may not copy
it to a web site.
Republication of The Executive Connection SM in paper media is encouraged and permitted by individuals, organizations and associations, as long
as the issue is reprinted in its entirety, without change, and includes the contact information.
With advance permission, we are happy to edit an issue to fit your space requirements. Republication also is encouraged under other circumstances.
However, the advance permission of
A. Keith Barton, Ph.D. must be obtained in the event that changes in the text are desired.
The Executive Connection SM Mission:
The Executive Connection SM is dedicated to helping first-time business owners and executives to recognize resistance to change, while they create
and manage their own businesses. My goal is to help you transform your vision into a successful business venture with the addition of accountability structures
and silent partner.
The Executive Connection SM is a publication of The Virtual Executive Coach SM and Keith Barton, Ph.D.
We would like The Executive Connection SM to be as interactive as possible. If you have feedback, comments, topics you would like addressed, or can
suggest additional resources to benefit us all, please email us at any time. Send your e-mail to
keith_barton@att.net
.
Please forward this issue to anyone you think would find The Executive Connection SM interesting and beneficial. Your recommendation helps us
keep growing, and ensures an excellent exchange of information and techniques.
Archives:
You can read previous issues of The Executive Connection SM in our archive section.
About Keith Barton, Ph.D
Dr. Barton received his Ph.D. in 1972 from the University of Texas at Austin and has been a practicing therapist for over thirty years. He is a graduate of
MentorCoach and is accepting new clients.
He has been an adjunct professor at the University of
South Carolina, consultant to Fortune 500 companies in
executive development, founded and managed Texas Community
Living Ventures, Inc., in 1986 for providing group home
services to persons with mental retardation. Keith founded
and has been running a clinical practice in Northwest Houston since 1990.
He writes part-time with the goal of completing one novel a year. His desire to coach others derives from his passionate interest in helping others become
attuned to their creative powers of storytelling.
Dr. Barton has training in coaching, cognitive and family therapy and health psychology. He has published articles, made presentations and conducted workshops about:
Small Business Development
Employee Wellness Programs
Anxiety and achievement
Stress management
Self-esteem
Communication skills
Leadership styles
Core values in the workplace
Executive Development
High-performance groups
Physician support groups
Writer support groups
© 2010
The Virtual Executive Coach SM and Keith Barton.
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