Whole Leadership is only the Beginning…
 So what makes an effective leader? Certainly one must start with leadership skills to have risen to a leadership position at all. But it doesn’t stop there. Tufts University psychologist Robert J. Sternberg describes, in several papers, what is called the WICS (wisdom, intelligence & creativity synergized) system model of leadership. Sternberg describes how each of these elements includes both a skills component and a disposition component. In other words, taking creativity as an example, an effective leader must not only have the skills and ability to be creative, but must also have the motivation to apply those skills and abilities. Using his WICS model, creativity refers to the ability to generate new ideas, wisdom is the ability to balance the interest of all the stakeholders so that action is for the common good, and intelligence means evaluating ideas analytically and persuading others of their worth. All this is moderated by one's desire to use these abilities.
So what does this have to do with whole leadership? Well, as it turns out, quite a lot. It isn’t too hard to imagine how one could fall flat attempting this model with a partial leadership approach. Let’s take the intelligence element of the WICS model. Sternberg describes how there are two types of intelligence required for effective leadership; analytic and practical. Analytic intelligence is described as the ability to analyze, evaluate and judge information, a task that the Organizer knows and loves. Practical intelligence describes the ability to solve everyday problems by adapting to and shaping one's environment, which sounds like a job for the Collaborator. And those ideas that we are talking about are the product of creativity, or, as we would say, the Visionary at work. Finally, we need some element to keep us on point, narrow down those processes and make it happen. Time to call in that Driver.
Here’s the point: far from being at odds with other models and research such as WICS, a pattern model of whole leadership gives one an excellent way to apply them. Developing the whole self by finding gaps in one's leadership, and accessing the pattern potential to fill them, is exactly a way to bring WICS from theory into practice. After all, the most important element of any of these models is the main actor: you!
-Anthony Attan
Focus Forward:
Upcoming Events...
- Burnout Talk in Michigan:
Mark Kiefaber will be speaking about Burnout at the American Society of Training and Development in Ann Arbor, Michigan on November 5th. The ticket price is $40 dollars and includes lunch, as the event is from 11am-1pm. If are interested in attending or would like to know more about the event please contact Anthony at Anthony@focusleadership.com
- FEBI Cert Webinar:
Our first web-based FEBI certification is underway this fall, running from Sept 21- Nov 2. Although we’ve run FEBI certification sessions “live” for the past several years, we’re learning, too, as we look to respond to FEBI interest from four continents in ways that are easier on budget and travel. Given the mind-body emphasis in pattern training, we weren’t so sure at first how this would translate over the web. But with live video and a training DVD, we’re finding other ways to get the “whole person” nature of this training across. We’re also finding that with 4 shorter webinar sessions in a FEBI certification (rather than 2 long days), participants have more time between the sessions to practice using the FEBI with both individuals and a team. And we have more time to respond to their questions or help them tailor FEBI applications to their needs. I’m sure our learning won’t stop with this session. We’re committed to getting ever better about reaching and supporting FEBI practitioners around the world who can put these patterns to wondrous use through their work. For those of you wanting to come through the training in 2010, we’re looking at holding both a live session and another web-based session in the spring, so let us know of your interest and preference and we’ll plan accordingly.
Want to read more?
We have a new voice on the Focus Blog...
We welcome Dave Kiefaber - who is Mark's son and a career blog writer who will no doubt light up our blog with his legendary wit and insights!
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Does Executive Coaching Work?
 You may have had, or are thinking about having, an executive coach. Perhaps you are a coach. Whichever side of coaching you’re on, the question often asked is: does executive coaching work? According to a recent article by Sarah Needleman in the Wall St. Journal (August 25, 2009), even in a year of downturns, executive coaching is up. Writes Needleman, “Individual and corporate clients say the one-on-one counseling is critical for career success, especially during tough economic times.” What is it about having a coach that leads nearly every Fortune 500 company CEO to hire one?
Well here are a few facts. For the past 20 years, researchers have found links between executive coaching and positive behavior change (*1). For example, in one study, researchers found that participants at a week-long training seminar were more likely to meet the goals set at that seminar when paired with an executive coach, scoring significantly better on 14 of 16 program benchmarks after coaching. In addition, after coaching 53% of participants reported significant improvements in self-awareness and 42% reported gains in reflective thinking. More recently, studies have shown that executive coaching leads, not only to positive change for the leader, but also to positive outcomes for the organization (*2). Wasylyshyn (2006) surveyed middle and senior managers at a large, global company who had each worked with an executive coach for about a year. In ALL cases, they reported being able to sustain their learning and behavior change with medium (48%) or high (52%) success. Moreover, their supervisors agreed; 95% of their supervisors likewise reported sustained learning and positive behavior change in the managers who underwent coaching. In another study, participants were given 360 feedback, with one subset also given coaching, and the other given feedback only (*3). Those who were given feedback with coaching were more likely to set specific rather than vague goals and to solicit ideas for improvement from their supervisors as compared to those who did not receive the coaching.
Now, improving leadership behavior and organizational climate is one thing, but can coaching also increase performance in a tangible way? This was my question in a comprehensive survey I did earlier this year of the research on executive coaching, categorizing the outcomes in terms of either soft performance measures, (e.g., employee morale) or hard performance measures (e.g., financial goals). The answer I found, in studies such as Olivero et al. (1997) & Bowles et al. (2007) is a resounding Yes. Both groups, using hard performance measures as their main criteria, found that executive coaching enhances the impact of training in middle and upper management. In the case of the Olivero study, leaders at all levels of a health agency in a major Northeastern city increased productivity by an average of 88% after undergoing a three day workshop paired with executive coaching, as compared to 22.4% productivity increased with the workshop alone. Productivity was measured by criteria such as percentage of task completed successfully and units produced depending on the individual’s position. In another study looking at hard return on investment (ROI), researchers at the Human Capital Institute calculated, for a group of leaders having executive coaches, based on their levels of executive output, quality improvements, cost savings and turnover, ROI’s in the range of 100-500 percent! It would be hard to find a better investment than that.
Of course, not all coaching is created equal. It is important that coach and client are a good fit, and that the coaching takes into account the organizational context. The average coaching engagement lasts about six months, which gives a good coach and a committed client time to build trust, get feedback, examine challenges and opportunities, deepen insight, develop a plan for making needed shifts, and turn those shifts into habit. No wonder the Wall St. Journal is finding the need for coaching goes up as times become more challenging. Those of us on the coaching side have a real opportunity to accelerate the development of leaders facing these challenges. And those learning-oriented leaders have an opportunity through coaching to reach the peak of their game.
*1 - Hein, 1989; McCauley & Hughes-James, 1994;*2 - Kampa-Kokesch, 2001; Sailing, 2005; Wasylyshyn, 2006; Levenson, 2009; *3 - Smither et al., 2003.
-Anthony Attan
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