Coaching and mentoring

for individual and team

needs

CMI LEVEL 3 COACHING AND MENTORING

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Contents The impact on the individual and team needs of the coaching process ................................................ 2

The expected outcome of the coaching process on individual needs ................................................ 2

The expected outcome of the coaching process on team needs ....................................................... 6

The performance improvements and changes expected from the individual and team at the

conclusion of the coaching process .................................................................................................... 8

WHAT TO EXPECT ............................................................................................................................ 8

WHAT YOU SHOULD KNOW BEFORE GETTING STARTED ............................................................... 8

COACHING YOUR EMPLOYEES ........................................................................................................ 9

CHECKLIST ..................................................................................................................................... 16

The impact on the individual and team needs of the mentoring process ............................................ 17

The expected outcome of the mentoring process on individual needs ........................................... 17

The expected outcome of the mentoring process on team needs................................................... 19

The individual and team knowledge, skills or behaviours .................................................................... 20

Current knowledge, skills or behaviours of the individual ............................................................... 20

Current knowledge, skills or behaviours of the teams ..................................................................... 21

The gap between current and expected performance in knowledge, skills or behavior of the

individual ........................................................................................................................................... 31

The gap between current and expected performance in knowledge, skills or behavior of the team

.......................................................................................................................................................... 35

The stages of a coaching process .......................................................................................................... 38

The stages of a coaching process to meet agreed individual or team needs ................................... 38

The stages of a mentoring process ....................................................................................................... 39

The stages of a mentoring process to meet agreed individual or team needs ................................ 39

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The impact on the individual and team needs of the coaching process

The expected outcome of the coaching process on individual needs Today's work environment requires employees to be skilled in performing complex tasks in an

efficient, cost-effective, and safe manner. Training (a performance improvement tool) is needed when

employees are not performing up to a certain standard or at an expected level of performance. The

difference between actual the actual level of job performance and the expected level of job

performance indicates a need for training. The identification of training needs is the first step in a

uniform method of instructional design.

A successful training needs analysis will identify those who need training and what kind of training is

needed. It is counter-productive to offer training to individuals who do not need it or to offer the

wrong kind of training. A Training Needs Analysis helps to put the training resources to good use.

Types of Needs Analyses

Many needs assessments are available for use in different employment contexts. Sources that can

help you determine which needs analysis is appropriate for your situation are described below.

• Organizational Analysis. An analysis of the business needs or other reasons the training is

desired. An analysis of the organization's strategies, goals, and objectives. What is the

organization overall trying to accomplish? The important questions being answered by this

analysis are who decided that training should be conducted, why a training program is seen

as the recommended solution to a business problem, what the history of the organization has

been with regard to employee training and other management interventions.

• Person Analysis. Analysis dealing with potential participants and instructors involved in the

process. The important questions being answered by this analysis are who will receive the

training and their level of existing knowledge on the subject, what is their learning style, and

who will conduct the training. Do the employees have required skills? Are there changes to

policies, procedures, software, or equipment that require or necessitate training?

• Work analysis / Task Analysis. Analysis of the tasks being performed. This is an analysis of the

job and the requirements for performing the work. Also known as a task analysis or job

analysis, this analysis seeks to specify the main duties and skill level required. This helps ensure

that the training which is developed will include relevant links to the content of the job.

• Performance Analysis. Are the employees performing up to the established standard? If

performance is below expectations, can training help to improve this performance? Is there

a Performance Gap?

• Content Analysis. Analysis of documents, laws, procedures used on the job. This analysis

answers questions about what knowledge or information is used on this job. This information

comes from manuals, documents, or regulations. It is important that the content of the

training does not conflict or contradict job requirements. An experienced worker can assist

(as a subject matter expert) in determining the appropriate content.

• Training Suitability Analysis. Analysis of whether training is the desired solution. Training is

one of several solutions to employment problems. However, it may not always be the best

solution. It is important to determine if training will be effective in its usage.

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• Cost-Benefit Analysis. Analysis of the return on investment (ROI) of training. Effective training

results in a return of value to the organization that is greater than the initial investment to

produce or administer the training.

Principle of Assessment: Use assessment instruments for which understandable and comprehensive

documentation is available.

Knowledge, Skills, and Abilities

Today's workplace often requires employees to be independent thinkers responsible for making good

decisions based on limited information. This kind of work may require training if the employee does

not have these skills. Below is a list of various competencies that employees may be required to posess

in order to perform their jobs well.

• Adaptability

• Analytical Skills

• Action Orientation

• Business Knowledge/Acumen

• Coaching/Employee Development

• Communication

• Customer Focus

• Decision Making

• Fiscal Management

• Global Perspective

• Innovation

• Interpersonal Skills

• Leadership

• Establishing Objectives

• Risk Management

• Persuasion and Influence

• Planning

• Problem Solving

• Project Management

• Results Orientation

• Self-Management

• Teamwork

• Technology

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Are any of these KSA's required before the employee is hired? Are the required KSA's included in any

job postings or advertisements? Do they need to be?

Techniques

Several basic Needs Assessment techniques include:

• direct observation

• questionnaires

• consultation with persons in key positions, and/or with specific knowledge

• review of relevant literature

• interviews

• focus groups

• assessments/surveys

• records & report studies

• work samples

Conducting an Organizational Analyses

Determine what resources are available for training. What are the mission and goals of the

organization in regards to employee development? What support will te senior management and

managers give toward training? Is the organization supportive and on-board with this process? Are

there adequate resources (financial and personnel)?

Conducting a Work / Task Analysis

Interview subject matter experts (SME's) and high performing employees. Interview the supervisors

and managers in charge. Review job descriptions and occupational information. Develop an

understanding of what employees need to know in order to perform their jobs.

Important questions to ask when conducting a Task Analysis:

1. What tasks are performed?

2. How frequently are they performed?

3. How important is each task?

4. What knowledge is needed to perform the task?

5. How difficult is each task?

6. What kinds of training are available?

Observe the employee performing the job. Document the tasks being performed. When documenting

the tasks, make sure each task starts with an action verb. How does this task analysis compare to

existing job descriptions? Did the task analysis miss any important parts of the job description? Were

there tasks performed that were omitted from the job description?

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Organize the identified tasks. Develop a sequence of tasks. Or list the tasks by importance.

Are there differences between high and low performing employees on specific work tasks? Are there

differences between Experts and Novices? Would providing training on those tasks improve employee

job performance?

Most employees are required to make decisions based on information. How is information gathered

by the employee? What does the employee do with the information? Can this process be trained? Or,

can training improve this process?

Cognitive Task Analysis

Develop a model of the task. Show where the decision points are located and what information is

needed to make decisions and actions are taken based on that information. This model should be a

schematic or graphic representation of the task. This model is developed by observing and

interviewing the employees. The objective is to develop a model that can be used to guide the

development of training programs and curriculum.

Since the training is based on specific job tasks, employees may feel more comfortable taking the

effort to participate in training.

Gather information about how the task is performed so that this can be used to form a model of the

task. Review job titles and descriptions to get an idea of the tasks performed. Observe the employee

performing the job. Review existing training related to the job. Make sure you observe both experts

and novices for comparison.

Critical Incident Analysis

Conducting a Performance Analysis

This technique is used to identify which employees need the training. Review performance appraisals.

Interview managers and supervisors. Look for performance measures such as benchmarks and goals.

Sources of performance data:

1. Performance Appraisals

2. Quotas met (un-met)

3. Performance Measures

4. Turnover

5. Shrinkage

6. Leakage

7. Spoilage

8. Losses

9. Accidents

10. Safety Incidents

11. Grievances

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12. Absenteeism

13. Units per Day

14. Units per Week

15. Returns

16. Customer Complaints

Are there differences between high and low performing employees on specific competencies? Would

providing training on those competencies improve employee job performance?

Checklist for Training Needs Analysis

It is helpful to have an organized method for choosing the right assessment for your needs.

A checklist can help you in this process. Your checklist should summarize the kinds of information

discussed above. For example, is the assessment valid for your intended purpose? Is it reliable and

fair? Is it cost-effective? Is the instrument likely to be viewed as fair and valid by the participants? Also

consider the ease or difficulty of administration, scoring, and interpretation given available resources.

The expected outcome of the coaching process on team needs Many employers sit their workers down once a year for a review. At that time, the employee finds out

what they've been doing right or if there are areas in need of improvement. But what happens the

other 364 days of the year?

Coaching is a different approach to developing employees' potential. With coaching, you provide your

staff the opportunity to grow and achieve optimal performance through consistent feedback,

counseling and mentoring. Rather than relying solely on a review schedule, you can support

employees along the path to meeting their goals. Done in the right way, coaching is perceived as a

roadmap for success and a benefit. Done incorrectly and employees may feel berated, unappreciated,

even punished.

These seven steps, when followed, can help create a positive environment for providing feedback.

Step 1: Build a Relationship of Mutual Trust

The foundation of any coaching relationship is rooted in the manager's day-to-day relationship with

the employee. Without some degree of trust, conducting an effective coaching meeting is impossible.

Step 2: Open the Meeting

In opening a coaching meeting, it's important for the manager to clarify, in a nonevaluative,

nonaccusatory way, the specific reason the meeting was arranged. The key to this step is to restate --

in a friendly, nonjudgmental manner -- the meeting purpose that was first set when the appointment

was scheduled.

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Step 3: Get Agreement

Probably the most critical step in the coaching meeting process is getting the employee to agree

verbally that a performance issue exists. Overlooking or avoiding the performance issue because you

assume the employee understands its significance is a typical mistake of managers. To persuade an

employee a performance issue exists, a manager must be able to define the nature of the issue and

get the employee to recognize the consequences of not changing his or her behavior. To do this, you

must specify the behavior and clarify the consequences.

The skill of specifying the behavior consists of three parts.

1. Cite specific examples of the performance issue.

2. Clarify your performance expectations in the situation.

3. Asks the employee for agreement on the issue.

The skill of clarifying consequences consists of two parts. You should:

1. Probe to get the employee to articulate his or her understanding of the consequences

associated with the performance issue.

2. Ask the employee for agreement on the issue.

Step 4: Explore Alternatives

Next, explore ways the issue can be improved or corrected by encouraging the employee to identify

alternative solutions. Avoid jumping in with your own alternatives, unless the employee is unable to

think of any. Push for specific alternatives and not generalizations. Your goal in this step is not to

choose an alternative, which is the next step, but to maximize the number of choices for the employee

to consider and to discuss their advantages and disadvantages.

This requires the skill of reacting and expanding. You should acknowledge the employee's suggestion,

discuss the benefits and drawbacks of the suggestion, ask for and offer additional suggestions, and

ask the employee to explain how to resolve the issue under discussion.

Step 5: Get a Commitment to Act

The next step is to help the employee choose an alternative. Don't make the choice for the employee.

To accomplish this step, the manager must be sure to get a verbal commitment from the employee

regarding what action will be taken and when it will be taken. Be sure to support the employee's

choice and offer praise.

Step 6: Handle Excuses

Employee excuses may occur at any point during the coaching meeting. To handle excuses, rephrase

the point by taking a comment or statement that was perceived by the employee to be blaming or

accusatory and recast it as an encouragement for the employee to examine his or her behavior.

Respond empathically to show support for the employee's situation and communicate an

understanding of both the content and feeling of the employee's comment.

Step 7: Provide Feedback

Effective coaches understand the value and importance of giving continual performance feedback to

their people, both positive and corrective.

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There are a few critical things to remember when giving feedback to others. Feedback should:

• Be timely. It should occur as soon as practical after the interaction, completion of the

deliverable, or observation is made.

• Be specific. Statements like "You did a great job" or "You didn't take care of the clients'

concerns very well" are too vague and don't give enough insight into the behavior you would

like to see repeated or changed.

• Focus on the "what," not the "why." Avoid making the feedback seem as if it is a judgment.

Begin with "I have observed..." or "I have seen..." and then refer to the behavior. Focus on

behavior and not the person. Describe what you heard and saw and how those behaviors

impact the team, client, etc.

• Use a sincere tone of voice. Avoid a tone that exhibits anger, frustration, disappointment or

sarcasm.

Positive feedback strengthens performance. People will naturally go the extra mile when they feel

recognized and appreciated. When corrective feedback is handled poorly, it will be a significant source

of friction and conflict. When it is handled well, people will experience the positive effects and

performance is strengthened.

The performance improvements and changes expected from the individual and team

at the conclusion of the coaching process Make the most of your most valuable resource — people. This innovative approach to solving

performance problems presents a coaching model and creative coaching techniques for managers to

use in developing a supportive environment. It shows how to address individual differences, including

language, culture, age, and value systems.

WHAT TO EXPECT The goal of this Business Builder is to help managers, supervisors, or co-workers coach employees to

overcome barriers or hurdles and improve performance. This innovative approach to solving

performance problems presents a coaching model and creative coaching techniques for managers to

use in creating a supportive environment and addressing individual differences, including language,

culture, age, and value systems.

WHAT YOU SHOULD KNOW BEFORE GETTING STARTED Coaching is one of the most critical skills to be mastered by today's entrepreneur. Why is coaching so

important? Today's environment has created more pressure to do more with less. The key to reducing

pressure is to make the most of your most valuable resource — people.

▪ High performing employees will help you reduce the anxiety and stress of increasing and

multiple responsibilities.

▪ Coaching is the most effective way of developing your employees.

▪ Improved employee performance leads to increased productivity and bottom line results.

▪ Employees experience increased self-esteem and job satisfaction.

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Successful coaches in business as in sports are great influencers. They know how to bring out the best

in others. They also know that it is an on-going process and a primary responsibility.

Keep in mind that coaching takes time. It involves real commitment and a desire to participate actively

in the employee's development. Throughout the coaching process, it is important to keep in mind that

the main objective is to improve performance. Managers need to guard against jumping to early

conclusions when they identify a performance problem. As with any problem-solving process, the first

and often the most difficult step is to identify clearly what the problem is.

COACHING YOUR EMPLOYEES To understand the coaching process, we will look at the following areas:

▪ Definition of Coaching

▪ Qualities, Characteristics, and Skills of Effective Coaches

▪ Coaching Behaviors

▪ The Coaching Process

▪ Feedback

▪ Rewards

▪ Measuring Success

Defining Coaching

Coaching

▪ …is an on-going process designed to help the employee gain greater competence and

overcome barriers to improving performance.

▪ …differs from training, which is a structured process to provide employees with the knowledge

and skills to perform job tasks.

▪ …is appropriate when the person has the ability and knowledge but performance has

dropped, and he or she has not met expectations.

▪ …involves a change in behavior.

The idea is to move the employee from where he or she is to where you want him or her to be.

Coaching is not the same as counseling. Counseling is problem solving directed at personal issues that

are affecting, or have the potential to affect, performance. Very often counseling involves personal

problems such as marital and family problems, substance abuse, emotional and psychological barriers.

The manager should not try to counsel but should serve as a resource person, directing the employee

to a skilled practitioner for further professional help.

Identifying Qualities, Characteristics, and Skills of Effective Coaches

Studies show that effective coaches share certain personal qualities and characteristics, such as the

following:

▪ Patience

▪ Enthusiasm

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▪ Honesty and integrity

▪ Friendliness

▪ Genuine concern for others

▪ Self-confidence

▪ Fairness

▪ Consistency

▪ Flexibility

▪ Resourcefulness

To be successful, coaches need to develop the following skills and abilities:

▪ Communicating

▪ Listening

▪ Questioning

▪ Setting goals and objectives

▪ Establishing appropriate priorities

▪ Analyzing

▪ Relating to people at all levels

▪ Planning and organizing

Modeling Coaching Behavior

In addition to qualities, characteristics and skills, as an effective coach you need to demonstrate

certain behaviors. Using the acronym COACH, we will review the following behaviors. Try to relate

each one to yourself and your situation.

▪ Collaborate. The coaching relationship is a collaborative one. You need to work with the

employee to identify the performance problem, set standards and performance objectives,

and develop a performance improvement plan. It becomes a matter of how can WE solve the

problem.

▪ Own. You need to examine your own behavior. Ask yourself: "Did I make my expectations

clear?" "Did I provide the proper training?" "Does the employee have the appropriate tools to

do the job?"

▪ Acknowledge. As we will see later, you need to acknowledge successes through reinforcement

and also acknowledge an employee's problems, feelings and concerns. This last point is tricky.

Acknowledging problems and concerns is not the same as overlooking them or allowing them

to excuse behavior that is not at an acceptable level. For example, you can certainly

understand an employee's difficulty in juggling the multiple responsibilities of home and work.

However, the resulting chronic absenteeism or tardiness cannot be allowed to continue.

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▪ Communicate. This is probably the most important behavior and the one most managers

seem to find the most difficult. As we noted in the above lists, communication skills including

listening, questioning, giving and receiving feedback are critical for success. You need to

practice two-way communication on a daily basis. In particular, you need to clarify your

expectations.

▪ Help. As a manager, you are not only a coach but an advisor, serving as a resource person and

a guide to other resources, both inside and outside the organization. In addition to giving help,

you should also be seeking help from your employees. For example, if you need to increase

sales, ask your employees to help you develop a marketing plan or at least solicit their ideas.

You will be surprised how creative and innovative people can be if you give them a chance.

Following the Coaching Process

Anyone can learn to be a coach. By applying the following step-by-step process, you will improve the

performance of individual team members and get the results you want.

▪ Step One: Problem Identification.

The coach describes the current undesirable performance-related behavior that is observable,

measurable, non-judgmental and can be changed. Telling someone he/she has a "bad attitude" is not

descriptive — it's judgmental. Try to eliminate the word "attitude" from your thought process when

dealing with employee performance. A simple example is the employee who is frequently late. In

describing this unacceptable behavior to the employee, cite specific documented dates and time

periods that you have observed. Be careful not to rely on hearsay.

Using the employee you identified earlier as a case example, describe the current behavior including

the situation and the person's actions. Remember to be as specific as possible and focus on behavior

not attitude.

▪ Step Two: Employee Response.

Give the employee an opportunity to explain or question. Use open-ended questions such as "What

do you think is the problem?" " ;What is keeping you from getting to work on time?" In the tardiness

case, the employee may give the standard excuses or may reveal a real problem preventing him or her

from getting to work on time.

Make a list of open-ended questions you could ask your employee to uncover any underlying problems

or extenuating circumstances. Brainstorm some possible reasons your case employee may give you.

Of course, when you really deal with this individual, be aware that you may hear things you hadn't

anticipated so keep your mind open to other possibilities.

▪ Step Three: State Expectations.

As a coach you need to state clearly what you expect of the employee. For example, the manager of

the tardy employee restates that he expects the employee to be at her work station and ready to work

by 9 am. The use of empathy is very important at this stage. You might begin by saying, "I understand

that it must be difficult for you to manage all your responsibilities; however, the fact remains that you

are expected to be here on time and you haven't been doing so."

State very specifically what you expect the employee to do or not to do. Include an empathy

statement.

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▪ Step Four: Get Agreement.

This step is also tricky because the employee may try various ways to dodge the issue and accept no

responsibility for his or her behavior. Your careful documentation will be invaluable here. Through

two-way communication, you and the employee should agree on the problem and the impact it has

on the organization and others. If the person is frequently late, that action places additional burden

on others. It also creates resentment that affects the entire office environment.

With your case employee, identify the impact of that person's behavior on others or on your

operation.

▪ Step Five: Improvement Plan.

This step is critical. You and your employee must collaborate to identify clearly the desired behavior.

It will be very tempting just to "lay down the law" and tell the employee what he or she should do.

The two of you should establish goals that are specific, realistic, attainable, simple and time-bound, as

well as strategies for overcoming barriers to reach those goals.

Once again, use good questioning techniques to get the employee to state what he or she plans to do

to solve the problem. To the tardy employee you might ask, "What do you think you can do to make

sure you get here on time?" In this manner, you are placing the onus on the employee by making him

or her take appropriate ownership. By the same token, you will want to ask what you can do to help.

The employee may want you to do what is not be appropriate or possible. If that's the case, it's a good

starting point for further discussion and maybe even some negotiation. The employee may offer a

solution you had not considered.

What are some open-ended questions you could use with your case employee?

▪ Step Six: Gain Commitment.

In this step, the employee commits to changing behavior or improving performance by stating exactly

what he/she is going to do to improve the situation. The tardy employee who has difficulty juggling

the responsibilities of getting her small children to day care with getting herself ready and to work on

time may need to get organized the night before and/or get up earlier. Once you gain agreement and

commitment from the employee, ask the employee to summarize the discussion.

How would you determine if the employee has indeed made a real commitment to improving

performance?

▪ Step Seven: Set a time for the next meeting.

Before concluding the coaching session, you and the employee will need to agree on a time to meet

to discuss progress. The next meeting should give ample time for the individual to practice the new

behavior, yet not so long that he/she assumes the matter is forgotten.

With your case example, how long do you think you should wait before the next meeting?

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▪ Step Eight: Monitor and Follow-up.

It is important to monitor the employee's specific feedback in the form of comments, instructions, and

suggestions. For example, the manager reinforces the behavior of the formerly tardy employee by

saying, "Joyce, I've noticed that you've been to work on time every day, and I really appreciate the

extra effort to make that happen." The coach may suggest how to do something better by saying,

"Next time, John, try asking the customer how he/she is going to use the account so you can offer the

appropriate choices." Another example of reinforcing positive behavior may be, "Sandy, you handled

that customer well. Although you couldn't give her what she wanted, you gave her a choice and

allowed her to make her own decision." Immediate praise is a powerful reinforcer. If you want the

behavior repeated, you need to let the person know.

Using your example, write down some ways you could monitor the employee's progress. Remember,

however, you are doing this in isolation. In the actual situation, the employee would help determine

the appropriate plan of action.

Read the following discussion between the manager, Barry, and employee, Robin. Then identify the

steps Barry follows to coach Robin to improve her performance:

Barry: Robin, come in and have a seat. I would like to talk to you about a problem I have been noticing

with your job performance.

Robin: What are you talking about? I've been doing my job OK.

Barry: Yes, Robin, you perform your job duties very well. However, I want to talk with you about your

interactions with the customers on the telephone. On six different occasions during the past two

weeks, I have noticed that you allowed the telephone to ring at least six times before you answered

it. When you did finally answer it, you told the callers to wait a minute. Then when you got back to

the customers on the phone, you asked them what they wanted and didn't apologize for keeping them

waiting. I have noticed this behavior on several occasions. What seems to be the problem from your

perspective?

Robin: I don't think there is a problem. I get back to them as soon as I can. After all, there's only one

of me, and I had other customers in front of me that I had to take care of. What do you want me to

do — ignore them?

Barry: As we have discussed in our training sessions and staff meetings, we are committed to providing

the highest level of customer service to all our customers both in person and on the telephone.

Robin: Look, I'm doing the best I can. Maybe if you hired more people we wouldn't have this problem.

I can't do two things at the same time. Besides, if they don't want to hold, they can call back later. And

I'm not the only one who doesn't answer the phone right away, but I don't notice you giving anybody

else grief. Have you talked to John about it? He never answers the phone unless he has to.

Barry: Let's keep in mind that I expect everyone to provide the best service to our customers, and

right now, we're talking about your performance. I understand that at times you are pulled in several

directions at the same time. I did say that the customer in front of you should take priority, however,

the customer on the telephone can't see that you have a customer in front of you, and when the

telephone rings and rings, the caller gets frustrated and angry.

Robin: So what do you want me to do?

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Barry: Robin, what do you think you could do to keep the customer in front of you happy while

responding to the incoming call?

Robin: I don't know. That's what I'm asking you.

Barry: I suggest that you ask the customer in front of you to excuse you for a moment and then

immediately answer the telephone. Then ask the caller if you can put him or her "on hold," or if he or

she would like you to call back after you're free.

Robin: That's what I do now. I tell 'em to hold.

Barry: Robin, there's a difference between telling someone to &q uot;hold" and asking if he or she

would like to hold.

Robin: What difference does it make? Nobody likes to be put on "hold" so why bother asking?

Barry: People like to be given options. They like to feel they are making the decision.

Robin: OK, fine. I'll do it. Is there anything else?

Barry: Yes, Robin, there is. When you get back to both customers — the one in front of you and the

one on the telephone — be sure to smile and thank them for being so patient.

Robin: I can't go around with a phony smile on my face all day and be one of those gushy-gooey

people.

Barry: Robin, I'm not asking you to be phony. I am asking and expecting you to demonstrate real

concern for the customer by smiling, using the customer's name, excusing yourself when you need to

answer the phone, and thanking the customer for waiting. I know I'm asking you to modify your

behavior, and that isn't easy. But what do you think you will gain by changing the way you handle the

customers?

Robin: I guess I'll get to keep my job.

Barry: I'm not talking about you losing your job, but I am talking about doing everything you can to

communicate that the customer comes first. When the customer believes that, it will also make it

easier for you in dealing with him or her. So what do you think you can do to improve the situation?

Robin: I don't know. I guess I can concentrate on being a little friendlier, making sure I use the

customer's name more, and answering the phone more promptly.

Barry: Good, that's all I ask. Let's get together again in two weeks at the same time to discuss how

things are going. How does that sound to you?

Robin: OK, I guess. I'll give it a try.

Using Feedback

The importance of feedback in the coaching process cannot be stressed enough. Keep in mind the

following guidelines for effective feedback:

▪ Be descriptive rather than evaluative. Describe observable behavior not judgments on your

part.

▪ Be careful not to put the employee on the defensive.

▪ Be specific rather than general.

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▪ Describe the behavior in the context of the actual situation.

▪ Discuss only behavior the employee can change. Some people have shortcomings over which

they have no control.

▪ Be timely and do it frequently.

▪ Hold the discussion at the earliest opportunity after the behavior has occurred. Take into

account both the employee's and the employer's needs.

▪ Remember to strive for a win-win situation.

▪ Communicate clearly. Check for clarity by asking the employee to state his or her

understanding of the discussion. Do it when the receiver is ready to receive it.

▪ Keep in mind that timing is everything.

Recognizing and Rewarding Positive Behavior

Feedback and reinforcement need to be followed with recognition and rewards. Individual recognition

teamed with incentive programs can be very effective but should be tied to organizational goals and

individual performance and valued by the employee. If, your organization is committed to responding

quickly to customers, then you should reward the employee's efficiency in returning phone calls or

resolving complaints. That reward could be public praise, special privileges, choices of flex time,

schedules, vacations, or tangibles such as gifts, money, plaques or theater tickets. The reward should

depend on the person receiving it. The employee with young children may appreciate given more

scheduling flexibility whereas someone on a limited income would value the opportunity to work

overtime.

List some non-monetary ways you can reward your employees for outstanding performance.

Measuring Success

One of the ways you can measure your coaching success is to solicit feedback from your employees

on how you are doing. One easy and relatively risk-free method is to ask each employee to complete

a brief "agree-disagree" questionnaire — anonymously, of course. Your questions (or statements in

this case) could include, but need not be limited to, the following:

My manager…

▪ frequently tells me how I'm doing

▪ gives me both positive and negative feedback

▪ tells me what he/she expects of me

▪ asks my opinion and involves me in decisions that affect me

▪ keeps me informed about changes taking place in the organization

▪ does not use threats or intimidation

▪ acknowledges my extra effort with some type of praise or recognition

▪ takes the time to explain new procedures and makes sure I understand provides the training

and resources I need to do my job

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▪ treats me with respect

▪ is not afraid to admit his/her mistakes or to say, "I'm sorry."

Respond to the list above as you think your employees would respond. Are there any areas you would

like to improve?

Another approach would be for you to respond to the list according to how you see yourself. Give the

same list to your employees, then compare your self-perception with the perception of others. It could

be a real eye-opener. Regardless of the outcome, you now have valuable data that reinforces the

positive approach you are already using or identifying areas for improvement.

CHECKLIST Definition

___ How does coaching differ from training and counseling?

___ What is the goal or objective of coaching?

Qualities, Skills, Characteristics

___ What necessary coaching qualities, characteristics, and skills do you already have?

___ What areas would you like to develop further?

Behaviors

___ Why should the coaching process be considered a collaborative effort?

___ Are there any ways in which you could be part of the problem?

___ Do you let people know when they're doing something right?

___ Are your employees clear about what is expected of them?

___ In what ways do you help your employees?

___ When do you ask your employees for help?

Coaching Process

___ To what extent do you document employee performance — good and bad?

___ What are some observable behaviors on which you can focus?

___ Do you tend to ask open-ended questions or questions that can be answered "yes" or "no."

___ How do you ensure two-way communication?

___ Who should develop the improvement plan?

___ What should the improvement plan contain?

___ How do you gain commitment for the behavior change?

___ How will you monitor an employee's performance?

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Feedback

___ When should you give feedback?

___ How often should you give feedback?

___ What is the most important thing to keep in mind when giving feedback?

Rewards

___ What tangible and intangible ways can you reward positive behavior?

___ What should rewards be tied to?

The impact on the individual and team needs of the mentoring process

The expected outcome of the mentoring process on individual needs This article describes how to establish and maintain a good mentoring relationship. The focus is on

the necessary “two-way street” aspect of mentoring, the qualities and behaviors that makes a

successful mentoring relationship.

The upcoming SMPS mentoring program is called “Mentoring Pathways” because a successful

mentoring relationship is a progressive, ongoing process in a defined direction. Establishing and

maintaining a successful mentoring relationship requires a clear initial understanding of objectives

and expected outcomes; a plan with specific activities; and a commitment by both individuals to see

the process through to a successful conclusion.

Like most successful relationships between two people, the mentor/mentee relationship is definitely

a “two-way” street. Throughout the process, both individuals give something to the relationship and

get something as well. The mentors gain the opportunity to exchange ideas with another person,

professional recognition, and an opportunity to shape the future of the industry. The mentees obtain

a sense of realism of the professional culture, enhanced connections, and access to continuing

education.

Just how do individuals know what to expect in a mentoring relationship? What’s reasonable and

what’s not? The following text presents some suggestions to help make establishing and maintaining

a mentoring relationship easier and more effective.

Motivation

Motivation is a key factor in any worthwhile endeavor and, in particular, mentors need to have a

genuine interest in helping someone else grow and succeed. For the mentee, access to a mentor is a

powerful motivator, because it provides access to an extended network of resources and contacts. A

clear understanding of the role an individual has in a mentoring relationship is critical in making a

realistic appraisal of what the other person has to offer and in setting reasonable expectations for the

relationship. In the future, SMPS Mentoring Pathways plans to offer on-line training guides for

mentors and mentees, as well as a list of useful resources about mentoring. Learning about the

mentoring process is essential prior to establishing a mentoring relationship.

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For the mentor, the relationship is about guidance, not criticism; about meeting the mentee’s current

needs, planning for future career goals; and about inspiring growth and learning. Mentors can offer

advice, describe techniques to recognize shortcuts or pitfalls, give an overview of the “big picture,”

and help mentees to think in new ways or understand from new perspectives.

The mentee should understand that the mentoring relationship is about advancing his/her

professional skills and knowledge, and meeting agreed upon professional goals. The mentee is always

responsible for his/her decisions and career progress. Mentees should constantly look for what else

they can do and learn along the way. Mentees should not expect to be provided with contacts,

supplied with a new job, or provided work for the mentee’s firm.

Commitment

Commitment often means time: to meet regularly, to answer questions, to allow a relationship to

grow and flourish. Both partners also need to respect the process and each other’s time. Mentors

schedules are often difficult due to their current professional positions; mentees need to take the

initiative to ask questions promptly and allow time for responses. If a mentor travels or is frequently

in meetings, then a mentee needs to access if this response time aligns with the expectations of the

relationship.

Commitment also often means, “Put it in writing.” An action plan or a career plan is one way to build

a commitment between a mentor and mentee. A defined plan has positive implications. It is really

helpful in maintaining a mentoring relationship, because it tracks how often you really do meet, for

how long, and what was accomplished; and helps to measure progress toward stated goals. In a

relationship, even thank-you notes in writing are evidence of increased commitment over a verbal,

“Thanks.”

Contribute

Both mentors and mentees need to work at the relationship and the mentoring process. One guideline

is for each partner to believe that he/she is contributing over 50 percent to the relationship — making

the resulting relationship operate at “100 percent plus.”

Another key element is active listening and learning by both parties. The mentor should willingly share

his/her experience, wisdom, judgment, and knowledge; and honestly admit when questions or

requested information are outside of the mentor’s current skills or knowledge base. For example, this

latter situation may inspire the mentor to increase his/her own knowledge or information to be able

to provide guidance to the mentee; may present an opportunity for the mentee to do some individual

research; or may result in an opportunity for joint research by the two partners.

The mentee’s contributions to the relationship include the willingness to try new things, develop new

skills, and even branch out into areas of marketing that may be at first out of the mentee’s “comfort

zone.” Growth can be challenging and sometimes difficult; however, it is usually also rewarding and

interesting.

KEY TIPS FOR MENTEES TO DEVELOP A GOOD MENTORING RELATIONSHIP

• 1) Define expectations that you want from the relationship

• 2) Define your career goals and when you want to achieve them

• 3) Write up your expectations and your career goals

• 4) Communicate your goals and expectations to your mentor

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• 5) Give a copy of your goals to your mentor

• 6) Assess if your potential mentor has a genuine interest in your area of interest and you

• 7) Define how you will communicate with one another- one-to-one meetings, telephone or

email

• 8) Define how often you will meet or communicate with each other –be flexible

• 9) Inquire about what is a reasonable response time if you have a question

• 10) Write a brief summary of your thoughts and ideas to refer to until your next meeting.

The expected outcome of the mentoring process on team needs Doing business today requires having low-cost, yet high-quality, solutions. Starting a mentoring

program in your business allows you to capitalize on your greatest resource, your employees.

Strategically developing their talent contributes to the company's growth, innovation, and bottom

line. It shows management's support, interest, and concern for an employee's potential with the

company. It demonstrates to employees that management is willing to invest the time and resources

necessary to help employees succeed in their careers. In return, employees are more likely to be more

productive and loyal to the company.

"Company leadership should embrace, promote and value mentoring programs to realize a return on

investment," according to Harvard Business Review writer Anthony K. TJan.

He says that business leaders develop a structured and staged approach to mentoring. For example,

new employees should receive a 'buddy' to learn the ropes, but employees with a few years of

experience should be matched with a career mentor to help them grow in their position.

1. Shows the Company Cares. The biggest benefit of providing business mentors is having someone

the mentee can meet with to ask questions. The mentor can be a sounding board, helping sort out

options and giving advice on business matters. The mentee has someone who can offer a sympathetic

ear when there is a problem or the mentee just needs to vent.

2. More Engaged Workforce. Companies benefit from mentoring programs because they contribute

to the development of a better-trained and engaged workforce. Mentors help mentees learn the ropes

at a company, develop relationships across the organization, and identify skills that should be

developed or improved upon.

3. High Job Satisfaction. "Mentoring programs play a key role in decreasing employee turnover. A

2013 study, "Career Benefits Associated with Mentoring for Mentors," published in the Journal of

Vocational Behavior, discovered people who have the opportunity to serve as mentors experience

greater job satisfaction and a higher commitment to their employer." A mentor helps alleviate any job

frustration the mentee has through one-on-one training or coaching and providing insights into the

corporate culture.

Mentoring programs are a cost-efficient way to get employees engaged and empowered. These

programs enable you to develop the talent you already have and increase productivity across the

organization.

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The individual and team knowledge, skills or behaviours

Current knowledge, skills or behaviours of the individual Identifying your development needs can be challenging. Often, we find ourselves looking at what

training courses are available and deciding which of those would be most helpful. In fact, it is better

to try and identify what the development need is and then to work out ways of meeting that need,

which may or may not be a training course.

Development and Performance Review (DPR) is a great opportunity to discuss your development

needs with your line manager. You may be able to discuss the changing requirements of your role, as

well as your personal development aspirations (for example, career development). It is important that

you have considered your development needs before your Development and Performance Review

(DPR) meeting as this will enable you to make the most of your discussion. The 'Identifying Your

Development Needs' form, combined with the steps below, can be a useful tool in this process.

There are 3 stages to identifying your needs.

1. Identify what skills, knowledge and behaviours are ‘required’ for you to do your job well.

Every role in the University has a job description and a person specification. Your job description will

list the things that you are expected to do, and the person specification will identify the skills,

experience, knowledge and behaviours that you need to do that job well.

You may find it helpful to talk to your line manager or Head of Department if you feel you want to

clarify any of the requirements set out in the person specification. Your Development and

Performance Review (DPR) meeting will be one place to have this discussion, but you can raise the

issue of development at any meeting with your manager or HOD during the year.

At this stage, it’s also worth thinking about the skills, knowledge and behaviours that you may need

to develop in the future in your current job. You may know, for example, that your role will be changing

or that you will be working on different projects or that you are interested in a career change. What

new or different skills, knowledge and behaviours will you need?

Make a list of current and future skills, knowledge and behaviours that you need

2. Look at the skills, knowledge and behaviours you actually have now.

Look at the list you have produced. Now ask yourself how effectively you match against each one. You

could consider talking this through with a friend or colleague, or with your manager or HOD.

It’s important to ask yourself some rigorous questions at this stage and answer honestly! Are there

areas of your work, for example, where developing more confidence would make a real difference to

your success in your job? Are there knowledge, skills and behaviours that you only need on occasion

that would benefit from some development? Can you identify areas where you feel confident and

believe you perform well that could be an even greater strength for you with some development?.

3. Compare ‘actual’ with ‘required’ to identify the gaps. These are your development needs.

Try and be as specific as possible about what you need to do differently. This will really help you when

you are deciding how to best address your development needs. It will also help you review and

measure your success.

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For example, “I need to learn how to use Outlook to sort, prioritise and store my emails,” will be much

more helpful than “I need to be more organised,” when it comes to deciding what development you

need. It will also help you check how the Outlook training you undertook actually made a difference

in your ability to be organised.

Current knowledge, skills or behaviours of the teams The following is a summarized list of the 31 competencies listed by “cluster” (similar competencies

related to a common skill set). Each competency includes a definition and the observable behaviors

that may indicate the existence of a competency in a person.

I. Competencies Dealing with People

The Leading Others Cluster

1. Establishing Focus: The ability to develop and communicate goals in support of the business’

mission.

• Acts to align own unit’s goals with the strategic direction of the business.

• Ensures that people in the unit understand how their work relates to the business’ mission.

• Ensures that everyone understands and identifies with the unit’s mission.

• Ensures that the unit develops goals and a plan to help fulfill the business’ mission.

2. Providing Motivational Support: The ability to enhance others’ commitment to their work.

• Recognizes and rewards people for their achievements.

• Acknowledges and thanks people for their contributions.

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• Expresses pride in the group and encourages people to feel good about their

accomplishments.

• Finds creative ways to make people’s work rewarding.

• Signals own commitment to a process by being personally present and involved at key events.

• Identifies and promptly tackles morale problems.

• Gives talks or presentations that energize groups.

3. Fostering Teamwork: As a team member, the ability and desire to work cooperatively with others

on a team; as a team leader, the ability to demonstrate interest, skill, and success in getting groups to

learn to work together.

Behaviors for Team Members

• Listens and responds constructively to other team members’ ideas.

• Offers support for others’ ideas and proposals.

• Is open with other team members about his/her concerns.

• Expresses disagreement constructively (e.g., by emphasizing points of agreement, suggesting

alternatives that may be acceptable to the group).

• Reinforces team members for their contributions.

• Gives honest and constructive feedback to other team members.

• Provides assistance to others when they need it.

• Works for solutions that all team members can support.

• Shares his/her expertise with others.

• Seeks opportunities to work on teams as a means to develop experience, and knowledge.

• Provides assistance, information, or other support to others, to build or maintain relationships

with them.

Behaviors for Team Leaders

• Provides opportunities for people to learn to work together as a team.

• Enlists the active participation of everyone.

• Promotes cooperation with other work units.

• Ensures that all team members are treated fairly.

• Recognizes and encourages the behaviors that contribute to teamwork.

4. Empowering Others: The ability to convey confidence in employees’ ability to be successful,

especially at challenging new tasks; delegating significant responsibility and authority; allowing

employees freedom to decide how they will accomplish their goals and resolve issues.

• Gives people latitude to make decisions in their own sphere of work.

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• Is able to let others make decisions and take charge.

• Encourages individuals and groups to set their own goals, consistent with business goals.

• Expresses confidence in the ability of others to be successful.

• Encourages groups to resolve problems on their own; avoids prescribing a solution.

5. Managing Change: The ability to demonstrate support for innovation and for organizational

changes needed to improve the organization’s effectiveness; initiating, sponsoring, and implementing

organizational change; helping others to successfully manage organizational change.

Employee Behaviors

• Personally develops a new method or approach.

• Proposes new approaches, methods, or technologies.

• Develops better, faster, or less expensive ways to do things.

Manager/Leader Behaviors

• Works cooperatively with others to produce innovative solutions.

• Takes the lead in setting new business directions, partnerships, policies or procedures.

• Seizes opportunities to influence the future direction of an organizational unit or the overall

business.

• Helps employees to develop a clear understanding of what they will need to do differently, as

a result of changes in the organization.

• Implements or supports various change management activities (e.g., communications,

education, team development, coaching).

• Establishes structures and processes to plan and manage the orderly implementation of

change.

• Helps individuals and groups manage the anxiety associated with significant change.

• Facilitates groups or teams through the problem-solving and creative-thinking processes

leading to the development and implementation of new approaches, systems, structures, and

methods.

6. Developing Others: The ability to delegate responsibility and to work with others and coach them

to develop their capabilities.

• Provides helpful, behaviorally specific feedback to others.

• Shares information, advice, and suggestions to help others to be more successful; provides

effective coaching.

• Gives people assignments that will help develop their abilities.

• Regularly meets with employees to review their development progress.

• Recognizes and reinforces people’s developmental efforts and improvements.

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• Expresses confidence in others’ ability to be successful.

7. Managing Performance: The ability to take responsibility for one’s own or one’s employees’

performance, by setting clear goals and expectations, tracking progress against the goals, ensuring

feedback, and addressing performance problems and issues promptly.

Behaviors for employees

• With his/her manager, sets specific, measurable goals that are realistic but challenging, with

dates for accomplishment.

• With his/her manager, clarifies expectations about what will be done and how.

• Enlists his/her manager’s support in obtaining the information, resources, and training

needed to accomplish his/her work effectively.

• Promptly notifies his/her manager about any problems that affect his/her ability to

accomplish planned goals.

• Seeks performance feedback from his/her manager and from others with whom he/she

interacts on the job.

• Prepares a personal development plan with specific goals and a timeline for their

accomplishment.

• Takes significant action to develop skills needed for effectiveness in current or future job.

Behaviors for managers

• Ensures that employees have clear goals and responsibilities.

• Works with employees to set and communicate performance standards that are specific and

measurable.

• Supports employees in their efforts to achieve job goals (e.g., by providing resources,

removing obstacles, acting as a buffer).

• Stays informed about employees’ progress and performance through both formal methods

(e.g., status reports) and informal methods (e.g., management by walking around).

• Provides specific performance feedback, both positive and corrective, as soon as possible after

an event.

• Deals firmly and promptly with performance problems; lets people know what is expected of

them and when.

Communication and Influencing Cluster

8. Attention to Communication: The ability to ensure that information is passed on to others who

should be kept informed.

• Ensures that others involved in a project or effort are kept informed about developments and

plans.

• Ensures that important information from his/her management is shared with his/her

employees and others as appropriate.

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• Shares ideas and information with others who might find them useful.

• Uses multiple channels or means to communicate important messages (e.g., memos,

newsletters, meetings, electronic mail).

• Keeps his/her manager informed about progress and problems; avoids surprises.

• Ensures that regular, consistent communication takes place.

9. Oral Communication: The ability to express oneself clearly in conversations and interactions with

others.

• Speaks clearly and can be easily understood.

• Tailors the content of speech to the level and experience of the audience.

• Uses appropriate grammar and choice of words in oral speech.

• Organizes ideas clearly in oral speech.

• Expresses ideas concisely in oral speech.

• Maintains eye contact when speaking with others.

• Summarizes or paraphrases his/her understanding of what others have said to verify

understanding and prevent miscommunication.

10. Written Communication: The ability to express oneself clearly in business writing.

• Expresses ideas clearly and concisely in writing.

• Organizes written ideas clearly and signals the organization to the reader (e.g., through an

introductory paragraph or through use of headings).

• Tailors written communications to effectively reach an audience.

• Uses graphics and other aids to clarify complex or technical information.

• Spells correctly.

• Writes using concrete, specific language.

• Uses punctuation correctly.

• Writes grammatically.

• Uses an appropriate business writing style.

11. Persuasive Communication: The ability to plan and deliver oral and written communications that

make an impact and persuade their intended audiences.

• Identifies and presents information or data that will have a strong effect on others.

• Selects language and examples tailored to the level and experience of the audience.

• Selects stories, analogies, or examples to illustrate a point.

• Creates graphics, overheads, or slides that display information clearly and with high impact.

• Presents several different arguments in support of a position.

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12. Interpersonal Awareness: The ability to notice, interpret, and anticipate others’ concerns and

feelings, and to communicate this awareness empathetically to others.

• Understands the interests and important concerns of others.

• Notices and accurately interprets what others are feeling, based on their choice of words, tone

of voice, expressions, and other nonverbal behavior.

• Anticipates how others will react to a situation.

• Listens attentively to people’s ideas and concerns.

• Understands both the strengths and weaknesses of others.

• Understands the unspoken meaning in a situation.

• Says or does things to address others’ concerns.

• Finds non-threatening ways to approach others about sensitive issues.

• Makes others feel comfortable by responding in ways that convey interest in what they have

to say.

13. Influencing Others: The ability to gain others’ support for ideas, proposals, projects, and solutions.

• Presents arguments that address others’ most important concerns and issues and looks for

win-win solutions.

• Involves others in a process or decision to ensure their support.

• Offers trade-offs or exchanges to gain commitment.

• Identifies and proposes solutions that benefit all parties involved in a situation.

• Enlists experts or third parties to influence others.

• Develops other indirect strategies to influence others.

• Knows when to escalate critical issues to own or others’ management, if own efforts to enlist

support have not succeeded.

• Structures situations (e.g., the setting, persons present, sequence of events) to create a

desired impact and to maximize the chances of a favorable outcome.

• Works to make a particular impression on others.

• Identifies and targets influence efforts at the real decision makers and those who can

influence them.

• Seeks out and builds relationships with others who can provide information, intelligence,

career support, potential business, and other forms of help.

• Takes a personal interest in others (e.g., by asking about their concerns, interests, family,

friends, hobbies) to develop relationships.

• Accurately anticipates the implications of events or decisions for various stakeholders in the

organization and plans strategy accordingly.

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14. Building Collaborative Relationships: The ability to develop, maintain, and strengthen

partnerships with others inside or outside the organization who can provide information, assistance,

and support.

• Asks about the other person’s personal experiences, interests, and family.

• Asks questions to identify shared interest, experiences, or other common ground.

• Shows an interest in what others have to say; acknowledges their perspectives and ideas.

• Recognizes the business concerns and perspectives of others.

• Expresses gratitude and appreciation to others who have provided information, assistance, or

support.

• Takes time to get to know coworkers, to build rapport and establish a common bond.

• Tries to build relationships with people whose assistance, cooperation, and support may be

needed.

• Provides assistance, information, and support to others to build a basis for future reciprocity.

15. Customer Orientation: The ability to demonstrate concern for satisfying one’s external and/or

internal customers.

• Quickly and effectively solves customer problems.

• Talks to customers (internal or external) to find out what they want and how satisfied they

are with what they are getting.

• Lets customers know he/she is willing to work with them to meet their needs.

• Finds ways to measure and track customer satisfaction.

• Presents a cheerful, positive manner with customers.

II. Compentencies Dealing with Business

The Preventing and Solving Problems Cluster

16. Diagnostic Information Gathering: The ability to identify the information needed to clarify a

situation, seek that information from appropriate sources, and use skillful questioning to draw out the

information, when others are reluctant to disclose it

• Identifies the specific information needed to clarify a situation or to make a decision.

• Gets more complete and accurate information by checking multiple sources.

• Probes skillfully to get at the facts, when others are reluctant to provide full, detailed

information.

• Routinely walks around to see how people are doing and to hear about any problems they are

encountering.

• Questions others to assess whether they have thought through a plan of action.

• Questions others to assess their confidence in solving a problem or tackling a situation.

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• Asks questions to clarify a situation.

• Seeks the perspective of everyone involved in a situation.

• Seeks out knowledgeable people to obtain information or clarify a problem.

17. Analytical Thinking: The ability to tackle a problem by using a logical, systematic, sequential

approach.

• Makes a systematic comparison of two or more alternatives.

• Notices discrepancies and inconsistencies in available information.

• Identifies a set of features, parameters, or considerations to take into account, in analyzing a

situation or making a decision.

• Approaches a complex task or problem by breaking it down into its component parts and

considering each part in detail.

• Weighs the costs, benefits, risks, and chances for success, in making a decision.

• Identifies many possible causes for a problem.

• Carefully weighs the priority of things to be done.

18. Forward Thinking: The ability to anticipate the implications and consequences of situations and

take appropriate action to be prepared for possible contingencies.

• Anticipates possible problems and develops contingency plans in advance.

• Notices trends in the industry or marketplace and develops plans to prepare for opportunities

or problems.

• Anticipates the consequences of situations and plans accordingly.

• Anticipates how individuals and groups will react to situations and information and plans

accordingly.

19. Conceptual Thinking: The ability to find effective solutions by taking a holistic, abstract, or

theoretical perspective.

• Notices similarities between different and apparently unrelated situations.

• Quickly identifies the central or underlying issues in a complex situation.

• Creates a graphic diagram showing a systems view of a situation.

• Develops analogies or metaphors to explain a situation.

• Applies a theoretical framework to understand a specific situation.

20. Strategic Thinking: The ability to analyze the organization’s competitive position by considering

market and industry trends, existing and potential customers (internal and external), and strengths

and weaknesses as compared to competitors.

• Understands the organization’s strengths and weaknesses as compared to competitors.

• Understands industry and market trends affecting the organization’s competitiveness.

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• Has an in-depth understanding of competitive products and services within the marketplace.

• Develops and proposes a long-term (3-5 year) strategy for the organization based on an

analysis of the industry and marketplace and the organization’s current and potential

capabilities as compared to competitors.

21. Technical Expertise: The ability to demonstrate depth of knowledge and skill in a technical

area.

• Effectively applies technical knowledge to solve a range of problems.

• Possesses an in-depth knowledge and skill in a technical area.

• Develops technical solutions to new or highly complex problems that cannot be solved using

existing methods or approaches.

• Is sought out as an expert to provide advice or solutions in his/her technical area.

• Keeps informed about cutting-edge technology in his/her technical area.

The Achieving Results Cluster

22. Initiative: Identifying what needs to be done and doing it before being asked or before the

situation requires it.

• Identifying what needs to be done and takes action before being asked or the situation

requires it.

• Does more than what is normally required in a situation.

• Seeks out others involved in a situation to learn their perspectives.

• Takes independent action to change the direction of events.

23. Entrepreneurial Orientation: The ability to look for and seize profitable business opportunities;

willingness to take calculated risks to achieve business goals.

• Notices and seizes profitable business opportunities.

• Stays abreast of business, industry, and market information that may reveal business

opportunities.

• Demonstrates willingness to take calculated risks to achieve business goals.

• Proposes innovative business deals to potential customers, suppliers, and business partners.

• Encourages and supports entrepreneurial behavior in others.

24. Fostering Innovation: The ability to develop, sponsor, or support the introduction of new and

improved method, products, procedures, or technologies.

• Personally develops a new product or service.

• Personally develops a new method or approach.

• Sponsors the development of new products, services, methods, or procedures.

• Proposes new approaches, methods, or technologies.

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• Develops better, faster, or less expensive ways to do things.

• Works cooperatively with others to produce innovative solutions.

25. Results Orientation: The ability to focus on the desired result of one’s own or one’s unit’s work,

setting challenging goals, focusing effort on the goals, and meeting or exceeding them.

• Develops challenging but achievable goals.

• Develops clear goals for meetings and projects.

• Maintains commitment to goals in the face of obstacles and frustrations.

• Finds or creates ways to measure performance against goals.

• Exerts unusual effort over time to achieve a goal.

• Has a strong sense of urgency about solving problems and getting work done.

26. Thoroughness: Ensuring that one’s own and others’ work and information are complete and

accurate; carefully preparing for meetings and presentations; following up with others to ensure that

agreements and commitments have been fulfilled.

• Sets up procedures to ensure high quality of work (e.g., review meetings).

• Monitors the quality of work.

• Verifies information.

• Checks the accuracy of own and others’ work.

• Develops and uses systems to organize and keep track of information or work progress.

• Carefully prepares for meetings and presentations.

• Organizes information or materials for others.

• Carefully reviews and checks the accuracy of information in work reports (e.g., production,

sales, financial performance) provided by management, management information systems,

or other individuals and groups.

27. Decisiveness: The ability to make difficult decisions in a timely manner.

• Is willing to make decisions in difficult or ambiguous situations, when time is critical.

• Takes charge of a group when it is necessary to facilitate change, overcome an impasse, face

issues, or ensure that decisions are made.

• Makes tough decisions (e.g., closing a facility, reducing staff, accepting or rejecting a high-

stakes deal).

III. Self-Management Competencies

28. Self Confidence: Faith in one’s own ideas and capability to be successful; willingness to take an

independent position in the face of opposition.

• Is confident of own ability to accomplish goals.

• Presents self crisply and impressively.

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• Is willing to speak up to the right person or group at the right time, when he/she disagrees

with a decision or strategy.

• Approaches challenging tasks with a “can-do” attitude.

29. Stress Management: The ability to keep functioning effectively when under pressure and maintain

self control in the face of hostility or provocation.

• Remains calm under stress.

• Can effectively handle several problems or tasks at once.

• Controls his/her response when criticized, attacked or provoked.

• Maintains a sense of humor under difficult circumstances.

• Manages own behavior to prevent or reduce feelings of stress.

30. Personal Credibility: Demonstrated concern that one be perceived as responsible, reliable, and

trustworthy.

• Does what he/she commits to doing.

• Respects the confidentiality of information or concerns shared by others.

• Is honest and forthright with people.

• Carries his/her fair share of the workload.

• Takes responsibility for own mistakes; does not blame others.

• Conveys a command of the relevant facts and information.

31. Flexibility: Openness to different and new ways of doing things; willingness to modify one’s

preferred way of doing things.

• Is able to see the merits of perspectives other than his/her own.

• Demonstrates openness to new organizational structures, procedures, and technology.

• Switches to a different strategy when an initially selected one is unsuccessful.

• Demonstrates willingness to modify a strongly held position in the face of contrary evidence.

The gap between current and expected performance in knowledge, skills or behavior of

the individual A skills gap is the difference between skills that employers want or need, and skills their workforce

offer. Conducting a skills gap analysis helps you identify skills you need to meet your business goals. It

can also inform your employee development and hiring programs.

Here’s how to conduct a skills gap analysis:

Step 1: Plan

You can perform a skills gap analysis on two levels:

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• Individual: You can identify the skills a job requires and compare them to an employee’s actual

skill level.

• Team/company: You can determine if your employees have the skills to work on an upcoming

project or if you need to hire externally. This analysis can help you target your employee

training programs to develop the skills you need.

Here’s an overview of skills gap analyses, including scope, examples of when to conduct a skills gap

analysis and ways to close skills gaps:

HR can initiate team and company-wide skills gap analyses by holding a meeting with managers to

explain the process. It can also be a good idea to hire an external consultant to conduct a skills gap

analysis. Hiring an outside evaluator can make the process more objective and will free up staff time

to focus on other relevant work.

Step 2: Identify important skills

Some employers say they have difficulty filling jobs because of skill gaps. But others argue that skill

gaps are a product of unrealistic expectations. Identify the skills you need by answering two questions:

• What skills do we value as a company?

• What skills do our employees need to do their jobs well now and in the future?

Consider your company’s job descriptions, business objectives and company values. Think of the new

skills your company might need in coming years. You could also survey team members on what skills

they think are missing. Their insights could prove invaluable and involving your employees can help

them feel that they’re contributing to your company’s growth.

Here’s an example of how to list and prioritize skills employees, teams and companies need:

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Numerical rating scales can be a more practical way to assess skills gaps when you want to aggregate

individual scores. You could use a five-point or three-point system. Ensure you have explicitly defined

scales. For example, a scale of 1 to 5 could range from poor to excellent, or inexperienced to expert.

Step 3: Measure current skills

To measure skill levels, you could use:

• Surveys and assessments.

• Interviews with employees.

• Feedback from performance reviews.

• Skills management software, like Skills DB Pro and TrackStar that can make a skills gap analysis

much less time-consuming.

Alternatively, you can measure skills by creating a skills spreadsheet specific to each individual

position. For example:

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Sometimes, a skills gap can result from limited experience, especially in the case of new hires.

Consider on-the-job coaching as a way to close a skills gap, instead of formal training. An employee

with the scores listed above probably doesn’t need training in Customer Relationship Management

(CRM) software. But, they do have negotiation and Excel skills gaps. Negotiation skills are marked as

more important than Excel, so employee training and development should begin there.

Step 4: Act on the data

There are two ways to fill skills gaps: training and hiring. Decide which approach (or combination)

works best for each skill gap.

Train for skill gaps

More than half of companies train and develop their staff to fill open positions. Offer training for

employees in skills you’d like to strengthen, for example using SAP or Excel. The right training can help

you close gaps between current and desired skill levels.

You can use professional training firms to arrange workshops, training sessions and seminars for your

staff. Along with formal training, you can also offer:

• Subscriptions, online courses and educational material.

• Voluntary employee mentorship programs.

• Opportunities to attend events and conferences.

• Opportunities to obtain certifications like Project Management Professionals (PMP)

or Professional Certified Marketer (PCM).

Hire for skill gaps

If your skills gaps are too wide to minimize with training, consider hiring to bring new knowledge and

skills into your company. You could:

• Modify your hiring process to screen for skills your company needs. For example, you can add

skills assessments (like writing samples) and numerical reasoning tests.

• Use structured interviews to reduce biases and ensure your criteria for choosing a new hire

are strictly job-related.

• Source passive candidates. Often, candidates who have the skills you need aren’t looking for

a job. Use effective sourcing techniques (like recruiting on Twitter and sourcing using boolean

logic) to find and contact promising candidates.

Conducting a skills gap analysis can be time-consuming. But the results are worth it. Knowing which

skills you need to grow as a business will help you hire – and retain – the right people.

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The gap between current and expected performance in knowledge, skills or behavior of

the team Workplace training can be an extremely important activity to have your staff participate in, especially

if you feel there is a particular skills gap that your staff could use some training on. If you have a certain

time of the year where you schedule in a lot of training, you may be looking at what sorts of training

sessions would be the most beneficial. This is a great time to see if you can identify any skills gaps in

your staff to make sure that you arrange some training which will address this.

We take a look at some of the best ways of determining if your employees have a gap in their

knowledge, so you can arrange the perfect training to help get them up to the standard you would

expect.

Identify the Skills

If you haven’t already, now is the perfect time to sit down and really think about the skills your staff

need to have. This may be different for different members of staff, depending on what their job

entails. People who work behind the scenes will certainly have a different skill-set to those who are

customer facing, so it’s important to consider what everyone specifically needs. People will also need

different skills depending on their level, as managers will need additional skills compared to other staff

for example.

Make sure you draw up a skills list that you expect each staff member to have. You may want to sit

down with their direct line manager to make sure you’re getting an accurate representation of how

staff in your workplace are expected to act, and how knowledgeable they have to be in certain areas.

Taking the time to write out what you want from staff will make it easy to see if your staff are living

up to your expectations, or whether there is a gap that needs addressing. Gaps in knowledge could be

because you’ve just realised they need trained in a certain area, staff not properly understanding their

job role, or staff who have recently moved job roles and haven’t received all the required training yet.

Either way, you need to decide on the skills you want so identifying the gaps is easy, and you can start

booking in the relevant training as soon as possible.

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Ask Around

A good way to see how your staff are performing is to gather feedback from the people they interact

with on a daily basis. Whether this is customers, or just other staff in your workplace, it can be a great

way to see how your staff are really performing on a day to day basis.

If your staff are in a customer facing role, it can be a good idea to offer the customers the ability to

provide feedback on the service they received. This means you can see when your staff are doing very

well, or perhaps when there are points they could be working on. However, it may be hard to rely on

this type of feedback, as there is no way of making people fill it out, so you may not gather enough

data to make an informed decision. Customers may also only fill out feedback forms if they had a very

positive or negative experience, so you may miss out on the way your employees act on an average

day as this may not be displayed in the feedback.

Another way to get feedback can be to ask the people who work with and around your employees.

You can do this by asking people to fill out anonymous 360 degree feedback forms. A 360 degree

feedback form is designed to evaluate an employee’s performance from all sides. In order to get a

clear picture of how your employee is getting on in the workplace you would ask them to fill out one

themselves, as well as asking their manager, anyone who is managed by that employee, and people

who work directly with the employee. This will let you see how they work in all the different aspects

of their role, as they could be excellent at managing their own staff, but perhaps not as good at

working with people outside their immediate team.

Create questions in the questionnaire which apply to the sorts of skills you expect your staff to have,

and then you can see which areas they are falling short on. Questions are typically answered in the

form of a numbered scale, so you can easily compare the answers from lots of different sources, and

see which areas they may need some work in.

Finally, ask the staff themselves! Some people may be very aware that there is a gap in their

knowledge that is affecting their work life, and are keen to get the correct training for it. If a lot of staff

come back with similar answers, you can be sure that booking a training course around that issue

would be a good decision.

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Test Them

This may not work for all the skills you require in your workplace, but if you have a particular skill that

you can easily test, it may be the best way see how your staff are performing. There are several ways

you can do this:

• Role play. If you want to see how your staff are doing with things like interacting with

customers that come into your place of work, or dealing with customer enquiries over the

phone, role play may be the best way to get a general idea of this. While your staff may be on

their best behaviour if they know they are being assessed, it will still give you a good idea of

things like whether they are asking all the right questions, or whether they know how to deal

with certain problems in the correct way.

• Practical Test. Similar to role playing, this a great way to see if your staff can carry out the

tasks you expect them to be able to in the workplace. Whether this is baking a loaf of bread a

certain way or the stages of diagnosing a problem with a broken car, it’s important that your

staff know how you expect them to do their job, and practical tests let you see where they

might need some additional training.

• Written test. This is a good way to test your staff on their knowledge of your company’s way

of doing things, and lets you see quite clearly where any gaps in their knowledge might be.

This could be questions on how they would deal with a new customer, or how they would deal

with a complaint that comes in, so you can see if there are any bits of the procedure that they

are unclear on.

Conclusion

Now you should have a better idea of where the knowledge gaps lie within your employees, which

means you can go ahead and start booking the relevant training to get everyone on the same page.

Taking the time to recognise skills gaps is an excellent exercise, as it means you are providing relevant

training for your staff, and not just what you assume they need, which may end up not being very

helpful at all.

This should also help you staff recognise that you are keen to train them on things that will make their

lives easier and their workday better, and aren’t just providing training for the sake of it. For the best

results, make sure you repeat this type of exercise regularly, so if you do identify any skills gaps, you

can deal with them before they become a big problem.

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The stages of a coaching process

The stages of a coaching process to meet agreed individual or team needs The key to having self-motivated employees is effective coaching. Initially, it will take extra time – the

whole “teach a man to fish” process versus just “catch a man a fish.” But the results are worth the

investment.

Follow these five steps to make your coaching and feedback process more effective.

1. Decide what you want to accomplish

Before you go to your employees with a new project, you need to be clear in your own mind about

what you want them to accomplish. Focus on what the end result should look like more than how you

think they should get there. Think about the big picture. How will it affect your overall company

objectives? How will it affect your employees’ role in the long run? If you can explain this to your

employees, you’re more likely to get buy-in.

2. Set a goal with your employees

Then, it’s time to talk to your employees and set goals together. Discuss what you want to accomplish

and be clear about your expectations. Consider giving your employees a model of what their end goal

looks like or set specific criteria for what the output should include. Has this ever been done before?

If so, is there someone else within the company or team who might provide some first-hand advice?

Set your employees up for success by being crystal clear about your expectations.

3. Make a roadmap for reaching the goal with milestones along the way

In the same conversation, discuss a project timeline with your employees. Set milestones that build

toward the end goal. Set up “check-in meetings” that allow you to get together along the way in order

to evaluate how things are going. Talk about a deadline and indicate how important the timing may

(or may not) be to the success of the project.

4. Give feedback

As your employees work toward accomplishing the goal you set together, be sure to attend your

check-in meetings at the agreed upon times. Let them ask questions. Give praise for what’s going right

with the project and make suggestions if you feel they need more direction.

Also ensure your employees have access to all resources necessary to meet the goal. Are there any

tools or aids you can provide to make the process smoother? Continue checking in and giving feedback

until your employees have met the criteria you set in step two.

5. Debrief

Meet a final time with your employees to take a look back on the project as a whole. Discuss what

worked, what didn’t, and what might be better if done differently next time. But be sure to make time

to celebrate success and reward their accomplishments as well. This positive reinforcement helps

make the extra effort feel worth it to your employees and encourages them to keep moving forward.

But that’s not all. Here are a few more crucial components to creating a successful coaching culture

within your organization.

Make sure your coaching is aligned with your company’s core values

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Coaching is the key to achieving company goals. Therefore, your coaching should be based on your

organization’s core values. They become the “why” behind your advice and encouragement. This way,

your coaching becomes less about what you think and reinforces the culture that you want in your

organization. And when you and your employees are looking at the bigger picture together, it should

help them be more receptive to you, too.

Understand what motivates your employees

To have successful coaching relationships with your employees, you really need to get to know them

on at least some personal level. A big part of this is knowing what gets them excited. It can prove very

helpful when you’re persuading them to change or grow. It enables you to frame the advice you give

in a way that can be most effective.

It’s okay to ask them flat-out, in a one-on-one meeting, what makes them feel motivated. Or you could

distribute a questionnaire to all your employees at once. And when you’re having casual

conversations, find out what they do on the weekend and what their hobbies are. They’re more likely

to put in a little extra effort for a leader who genuinely cares about their well-being.

Keep it collaborative

No matter the situation, coaching conversations should flow both ways with ample opportunity for

mutual feedback and discussion. This way, you’re not removing your employees’ responsibility in the

matter or doing the work for them. Collaboration in coaching emphasizes the relationship and teaches

you how to become sounding boards for each other.

When you establish great coaching relationships with your employees, it can improve every

interaction you have with them and makes management far easier. Effective coaching can build more

trust on both sides and keep the door to improvement open at all times.

The stages of a mentoring process

The stages of a mentoring process to meet agreed individual or team needs At the beginning of their mentoring relationship, mentors and mentees should discuss how they want

to structure their partnership. The following outline, which is tied to the first two of the Evolution of

the Mentoring Relationship phases covered in the prior section, can help partners plan their future

work together.

This is a summary of the information covered in greater depth when we examine the process from the

individual viewpoint of the mentor and the mentee in their specific training.

First Meeting: Building Rapport

The first mentoring meeting is critical. It is important at the very beginning of the mentoring process

for the partners to get to know each other and clarify the overall mentoring goals. The end result of

this conversation will be a Mentoring Partnership Agreement, a formal document signed by all

members of a mentoring team that spells out the expectations and responsibilities of everyone

involved. Additional vital information concerning the acquisition of the competencies needed to

successfully navigate these phases will be provided within the personalized mentor and mentee

training.

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Step 1 - Get Acquainted: Start with what you might have in common. Break the ice by talking about

family, hobbies, interests, and personal histories.

▪ Find the commonalities. Number of years in the industry, have you both worked for the same

organization, similar career paths, common skills, etc.

▪ Look for uniqueness. Share what specialized knowledge you bring to the partnership, do you

speak a foreign language, bring technical expertise, etc.

▪ Explore hobbies. Do you have a hobby? What do you do when you are not working?

▪ How similar/different are behavioral styles? What are the benefits of being matched with

someone who is a different behavioral style? A similar style?

Step 2 - Discuss Your Overall Mentoring Goals: Make sure the mentor (and the mentee) is clear about

what the mentee hopes to gain from the process. Use these question to guide the discussion.

▪ Where are you going?

▪ What are your visions and aspirations?

▪ Where are you now?

▪ What are your strengths, weaknesses, and behavioral style?

▪ How can your mentoring relationship to help you to:

• Build technical skills

• Multitask

• Explore new ideas

• Forge a new career path

• Expand your network

• Build your confidence

▪ Identify your top 3 goals.

Step 3 - Create a Mentoring Partnership Agreement: Discuss and sign a letter of understanding that

lays out time commitments, goals, and pledges about general rules of behavior understood by both

parties. Outline the parameters of confidentiality so that each partner is clear that their discussions

are privileged and private information and will not be shared unless legally necessary.

• Clarify mentoring goals, roles, and responsibilities.

• Establish a meeting schedule.

• Where?

• When?

• How long?

• Frequency?

• Determine who will initiate meetings.

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• Consider geographical differences and make accommodations.

• Outline the parameters for information sharing. For example, “What we discuss stays

between the two of us.” Or “What we discuss stays between the two of us unless you give me

permission to share it with others.”

Second Meeting: Setting Direction

The partners have collaboratively created a mentoring agreement outlining what they wish to

accomplish and when. Now they must forge a plan or strategy delineating how they will go about

achieving their goals. A key outcome of this conversation is a plan of action or Mentoring Action Plan .

This vehicle helps create a safe environment for the mentee to examine behaviors or areas that they

want to change or improve. A mentor can be a wealth of knowledge during this stage by sharing

resources, developmental ideas, and opportunities to stretch and grow.

Step 1 - Review the Top 3 Mentoring Goals: Mentees should prepare by reviewing their notes from

the previous meeting and think about what they would like to focus on at subsequent meetings and

in what order. Prior to the second meeting, a mentee should place in writing:

• A list of their mentoring/learning goals in order of priority.

• The objectives that describe how to achieve their goals.

Each time they meet, mentors should then set a meeting objective based on those goals and assemble

any supplementary materials in advance of the session. Both partners should evaluate the mentee's

progress toward the identified objectives and goals each time they meet.

Step 2 - Create a List of Learning Activities, Resources Required, and a Timeline The most successful

plans are those that have a range of learning activities that advance the attainment of goals by

encouraging:

▪ Learning by doing (ex., special project, writing a memo, etc.).

▪ Learning from others (ex., shadowing, situational mentoring, etc.) .

▪ Learning from challenging experiences or “stretch assignments” (ex., project outside of work,

leadership role, etc.).

Indicate any outside resources you may need to accomplish each activity. With your Mentoring

Agreement in hand, also determine how many hours, days, or weeks it will take to complete each

activity.

Step 3 – Put Your Mentoring Action Plan in writing. Planning puts our goals into action. Putting the

goals, action steps, resources needed and a target completion date that are part of the Mentoring

Action Plan onto paper helps mentees translate their goals into executable and attainable steps and

allows the partners to plan and track their successes.

In your Mentoring Workbook, locate the exercise titled "Adult Learning Principles with

Implications." You are provided with the adult learning principle and which element of mentoring it

impacts. Demonstrate your understanding of mentoring thus far by indicating how you would apply

each principle to the element indicated. Use your back arrow to return to this page. A copy of the

answers is also included in your Mentoring Workbook.

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Moving Forward

Thus far, together as mentor and mentees, we have: examined what mentoring is and is not

▪ explored reasons why mentoring works in general

▪ looked at reasons how mentoring might work at different stages of one's career

▪ shattered some common mentoring myths

▪ identified the mentoring benefits for all parties involved

▪ discussed the phases of the mentoring relationship

▪ indicated the desirable competencies to have for each phase

▪ reviewed behaviors that must be reciprocal in nature for mentoring success,

▪ and outlined the steps needed to begin the mentoring process

You now have the option of continuing this training sequence, no matter what role you intend to

assume, or proceed directly to the training specifically designed for your role.