Innovation, Integration and Leadership Development through a Peer Coaching

Process

Innovation, Integration and Leadership Development through a Peer Coaching

Process

Marcia Hyatt, Waterline Consulting, LLP Todd Tonneson, St. Paul Travelers

Peer CoachingPeer Coaching

A group of peers commits to meet over a period of time to coach one another on their respective work challenges

Key IngredientsKey Ingredients

• Complex challenges with accountability for action

• Groups meet over time to learn and apply actions

• Questioning process uncovers assumptions

In Peer Coaching we get support to broaden our

perspectives and then to look at ourselves for the answers.

In Peer Coaching we get support to broaden our

perspectives and then to look at ourselves for the answers.

Sample AgendaSample Agenda

• Check in• Skill building• Review past projects• Current projects• Reflection

Project IdeasProject Ideas

• A new project or program start-up• Developing a new service, product or strategy• A new change initiative• Challenges with management staff• Developing client or customer relationships• Managing relationships• Career development

Action Learning Groups Action Learning Groups

ARE• Real time• Ongoing • Discovering new

approaches, creative solutions

• Learner driven

• Reflective

ARE NOT• Simulation, training• Event • Finding right answer,

applying known solutions

• Externally driven• Quick fix

Why Peer Coaching?Why Peer Coaching?

• Develops strategic leadership

• Cross-functional integration

• Outside-of-the-box thinking

• Foundation in listening and coaching skills

• Organizational learning

Practice SessionPractice Session

1. Form trios

2. Identify volunteer to share current work challenge

3. Volunteer shares challenge in 4 minutes

4. Others are passive listening devices

0

Be a person who sees others – who gets who they are and what is important to them, who gets behind them and helps move them ahead in their world.

100

Be a person who puts your projects out to others – who lets them know who you are and what is important to you, who allows them to get behind you and move you ahead in your world.

©Power and Systems Inc, Boston, MA

The 0/100 Model of PartnershipThe 0/100 Model of Partnership

Levels of ReflectionLevels of ReflectionWhat we see and do

MindsetsMindsets

Pre-conceptionsPre-conceptions BeliefsBeliefs

AssumptionsAssumptions FrameFrame

Waterline Action Learning Framework

Situation

Frame

Explore

Reframe

Action

Learning informs action and action informs learning.

Learning informs action and action informs learning.

Action

Learning

Creating Great QuestionsCreating Great Questions

• Honestly don’t know the answer

• Make the current frame more visible

• Provocative• Broadening perspectives

• 2nd largest writer of commercial U.S. property and casualty insurance

• 2nd largest writer of U.S. personal insurance through independent agents

• #85 on Fortune 500, with $24B in ‘05 revenue

• 32,000 employees in every U.S. state, Canada, Mexico, Ireland and the U.K.

JourneyJourney1998

1999

2000

2001

2002

2003

2004

2005

2006

Business Unit Leader and Marketing groups

Claim Services group

Business Unit Leader group

Business Unit Leader and HR Director groups

Business Unit Director groups

HR Director group# of Groups . . . . . . . . . # of Participants . . . . .# of Sessions/Group . .

151001-9

merger

Life CyclesLife Cycles

• Groups were started by the business, not HR

• Business conditions had substantial impact on sustainability

• Relationship-building, information-sharing, and problem-solving kept groups together

• Informal peer coaching continued after groups formally ended

Key ResultsKey Results

• Greater information-sharing

• Improved listening and coaching

• Stronger peer relationships

• Better resolution of individual challenges

• Joint decision-making

Success FactorsSuccess Factors

• Starting small and at the top

• Obtaining executive sponsorship as groups form

• Shifting quickly to self-management

• Targeting directors and above who are ready

• Fitting it to the culture

In times of change, In times of change, learners inherit the earth, learners inherit the earth,

while the learned find themselves while the learned find themselves beautifully equipped to deal beautifully equipped to deal

with a world that no longer exists.with a world that no longer exists.

~~Eric Hoffer~~