Soft Skills are Hard Assessing impact of coaching. Parameters, KPIs and processes Presentation Corporate Advisory Seminar - 6 February 2009 EFMD premises, Brussels Bente Thomassen Soft Skills are Hard Approaches for Measuring Impact of Coaching and Selection of Coaches
Does coaching work? What do corporates say and what do they measure? What do coaches say? What does research say? Recommendations
Paradox Brian: Please, please, please listen! I've got one or two things to say! The Crowd: Tell us! Tell us both of them! Brian: Look, you've got it all wrong! You don't need to follow ME, You don't need to follow anybody! You've got to think for your selves! You're all individuals! The Crowd: Yes! We're all individuals! Brian: You're all different! The Crowd: Yes, we ARE all different! Man in crowd: I'm not... The Crowd: Sch!
Does coaching work? What do the corporates say and what do they measure? Source: Does Coaching Work? A report prepared for the Coaching at Work Conference, CIPD 2005 Report based on survey amongst 30 UK based organisations, eg. BBC, Dixons, Greater London Authority, Lloyds TSB, Panasonic Europe, Shell.
Coaching at T-Com. Selection criteria for coaches. Source: EMCC Forum European Mentoring and Coaching Council Training in in coaching/many years of of experience in in coaching executives Self-confident, genuine and appreciative manner, ability to to conduct discussions Own experience of of management References from comparable large companies Focal topics such as as customer orientation, leadership, change management International experience/networks Coaching Birgit Diekmann, Senior Executive Vice President, P4, Management, HR Development, HR Support to Senior Executives/Executives 17.02.2005, Page 5
Coaching at T-Com. Evaluation (1). From January 10 to January 28, 2005, we conducted a systematic evaluation of all coaches with whom T-Com currently collaborates in the field of management development. All managers who have used coaching on the advice of HR Development were asked about their experiences of the following in a telephone interview... Preparation of the coaching process (information material, booking process, appointment scheduling) Quality of the coach (formation of a relationship, technical knowledge, effectiveness, structured approach, target orientation, focal topics) Success of coaching (target achievement, personal benefit) The vast majority of former coachees were satisfied or very satisfied with coaching in general, and their personal coach in particular Coaching Birgit Diekmann, Senior Executive Vice President, P4, Management, HR Development, HR Support to Senior Executives/Executives 17.02.2005, Page 6
Coaching at T-Com. Evaluation (2). Perdent 60 50 40 30 Technical expertise of the coach Percent 60 50 40 30 I have achieved my goals 20 20 10 10 0 1 2 3Rating 4 5 6 0 1 2 3Rating 4 5 6 Percent 90 80 70 60 50 40 30 20 10 0 I would use coaching again 1 2 3 4 5 6 Rating Rating: 1 = Agree completely 6 = Do not agree at all Status: February 14, 2005, surveyed: 36 coachees Coaching Birgit Diekmann, Senior Executive Vice President, P4, Management, HR Development, HR Support to Senior Executives/Executives 17.02.2005, Page 7
Coaching at T-Com. Experiences to date. Some of our managers comments: We We practiced practiced some some new new approaches approaches which I which I learnt learnt a great great deal deal allowed allowed me me to to find in find in just just a few few solutions solutions even even in sessions. in sessions. deadlock deadlock situations. situations. It It was was very very helpful helpful to to have have someone someone on on the the outside outside holding holding up up a mirror mirror to to me. me. Coaching Coaching has has given given me me confidence. confidence. My My coach coach was was too too conservative conservative for for my my tastes, tastes, and and unfamiliar unfamiliar with with modern modern career career paths. paths. Our Our discussion discussion of of concrete, concrete, current current issues issues helped helped me me to to solve solve the the problems. problems. I I learnt learnt a different different way way of of dealing dealing with with new new situations. situations. Coaching Birgit Diekmann, Senior Executive Vice President, P4, Management, HR Development, HR Support to Senior Executives/Executives 17.02.2005, Page 8
Coaching at T-Com. Outlook. Evaluation has already shown a high level of customer satisfaction with current coaching practices at T-Com. Nevertheless, we want to improve further, and pick up on some of our customers requests, e.g. for more indepth preliminary information T-Com s network of coaches is updated and developed at regular intervals to enable us to accommodate our internal customers requirements even more effectively Contact between the HR Development unit at T-Com and the coaches is being intensified in order to gain a better feeling for their focal topics and working methods Both the coaching process as a whole, and the evaluation of coaching and coaches, will be further optimized Benchmarks with external companies (such as Roland Berger) indicate that T-Com operates in a high-quality, customer-oriented manner Coaching is to be extended to managers below the senior executives level The training and deployment of in-house coaches is to be stepped up Coaching Birgit Diekmann, Senior Executive Vice President, P4, Management, HR Development, HR Support to Senior Executives/Executives 17.02.2005, Page 9
Monitoring and managing the coaching engagement Evaluating effectiveness Checking satisfaction and progress Setting and managing expectations Managing the ongoing coaching engagement Setting up the coaching Drawing things to a close Initial orientation of the coach Managing your coach pool. Practical tips for HR. CIPD 2005
3 types of data Targets Performance ratings Success stories
Targets Increases sales, revenue, market share, profitability, and productivity Decreases cycle times, absence, down time, and quality failures Instilled practice employee using a defined procedure or a new skill
Performance ratings - examples Performance rating from coach, coachee, mentor and manager 360 degree or 180 degree feedback Mystery shopper / customer feedback Cultural survey scores Performance ratings Ratings of competence Employee satisfaction survey scores Quality percentage improvement Customer survey results Skills matrix percentage of key tasks covered by the teams Position in survey such as 100 best companies
Success stories Stories about changes in customer perceptions Accounts of individual or departmental successes
Use of different evaluation techniques Asking for feedback from individuals receiving coaching Asking for feedback from participants line managers Assessing changes in individual performance or career progress Assessing achievements of goals set at the beginning of the coaching Assessing changes in employee attitude survey ratings Assessing changes in the culture of the organisation Assessing changes in the organisational performance Percentage of respondents using this technique 89 75 64 57 39 36 32
Selecting coaches
What to look for
What do coaches say and how are they measured?
What do coaches say There There are are regular regular checkpoints checkpoints with with HR In HR In most most cases cases I I and and the the manager, manager, as discuss as discuss progress progress part part of of the the HIPO with HIPO with the the coachee coacheeat at development the development the end end of of each each programme session. programme session. We We do do not not take take any any coaching coaching engagement engagement where where we we have have to to report report progress progress to to anyone. anyone. We We feel feel that that would would compromise compromise the the coaching coaching relationship relationship Many Many of of my my clients clients are are at at CEO CEO level level or or senior senior management, management, and and in in effect effect there there is is no no one one specific specific person person to to report report to to Any Any reporting reporting concerning concerning progress progress to to HR HR is is done done with with the the coachee coachee present, present, and and is is led led by by the the coachee. coachee. Depends Depends on on the the organisation, organisation, however however always always the the boss boss and and then then others, others, such such as as Chief Chief Learning Learning Officer Officer or or Leadership Leadership Development Development Manager Manager
Top 3 reasons
What do coaches say? HBR report 2008
Reporting progress
In what form is progress reported?
The coaching framework
Example of collective feedback from coaches to an organisation Please share your observations and reflections Findings, and observations that COMPANY might benefit from being aware of Trends that top management may take into consideration Development needs for the managers in COMPANY I have spotted when working with them My recommendations to COMPANY based on my understanding of the company, its culture and its values Coach pool was invited via e-mail to feed back their observations, and recommendations. The result was consolidated and explored in a NECTAR session, with participation of top management, HR, and lead coaches Network Exchange of Coaches, Top Executives, Administrators and Roadmappers
What does research say? Coaching outcome research not yet available Question is, from where can we learn about what works, in terms of positive impact?
Coaching borrows from both consulting and therapy Consulting Coaching Therapy Paid to come up with answers Advises individual leaders on business matters Focuses on the future Paid to ask the right questions Focuses on the past Focuses on organisational performance Strives for objectivity Provides quantitative analysis of problems Involves managers in goal setting Based on organisational ethics Paid for by the company Fosters individual performance in a business context Helps executives discover their own path Tackles difficult issues at home and at work Focuses on individual behavioural change Explores subjective experience Diagnoses and treats disfunctionality Based on medical ethics Paid for by the individual
Therapy outcome research. Meta-analysis The Great Psychotherapy Debate: Models, Methods, and Findings by Bruce Wampold
The hard data what outcome research in psychotherapy says 1. Psychotherapy has a large effect on various criteria for success (effect size d 0.85) 2. There is a negligible difference in effectiveness between different approaches (effect size d < 0.20) 3. The active ingredients of therapy are therefore common to many approaches: Relationship-related factors: working alliance, commitment, transference Client-related factors: hope of change, motivation, problem, pressure Therapist-related factors: personality traits, cultivation of positive expectations, warmth, appreciation, attention Change-related factors: opportunities for expression, practice and acquiring a rationale for change Structure-related factors: use of techniques or rituals, exploration of issues of the coachee, and commitment to theory External factors: outside help, changes occurring independently of the therapy Question is: what works?
Hard data: the strongest factors Quality of the relationship: d 0.54 Person of the therapist: d 0.50 0.65 The client. The least studied, but probably most effective factor in therapy. Well founded estimates of effect size of hope : d 0.85. Influence of external factors: d 1.65
Recommendations
3 elements of a successful coaching relationship
Erik de Haan s recommendations for coaches First, do no harm Have confidence Commit yourself heart and soul to your approach, even if you know that it doesn t matter which professional approach you choose Feed the hopes of your coachee Consider the coaching from your coachee s perspective Work on your coaching relationship, discuss it explicitly If you don t click, find a replacement coach Look after yourself Stay as fresh and unbiased as possible Don t worry too much about your specific behaviour in the moment
Harvesting the learning to reach organisational development (Peter Hawkins) Coaching in many organisations has begun to equal outsourced people management. Coaching must start to connect the personal benefit to the organisational benefit. Recommendations Build a community of internal and external coaches committed to the organisation learning as well as the individuals At regular intervals bring the community together to hear the challenges the organisation is experiencing and questions it has about the organisation s people/culture and development Facilitate supervision trios on key coaching relationships with managed confidentiality Work with the coachees on structured pattern identification Facilitate a dialogue with senior executives and the coachees on the key themes emerging and the recommendations for both coaching and organisation development next stages
Apropos measuring
References Does Coaching Work? A report prepared for the Coaching at Work Conference. Event report September 2005. CIPD Chartered Institute of Personnel and Development The Realities of Executive Coaching, January 2009, Diane Coutu and Carol Kauffmann. Harvard Business Review Research Report. Ten commandments for the executive coach. What psychotherapy research may teach executive coaches. Training Journal, October 2007, Erik de Haan Developing an Effective Coaching Strategy. Peter Hawkins 2008. APECS Conference. Association for Professional Executive Coaching and Supervision (APECS) Relational Coaching. Erik de Haan. John Wiley 2008 Evidence Based Coaching Handbook. Putting Best Practices to Work for Your Clients. Dianne Stober & Anthony Grant (Editors). John Wiley 2006