Decision making is a fact of life, we have a constant barrage of information we need to analyse and choices we have to make. Here are some simple tools to help you.

The SWOT Analysis

The SWOT analysis is a simple yet effective way of doing a situational analysis and exploring the internal and external influences that are affecting an individual or organisation. SWOT stands for:

• Strengths
• Weaknesses
• Opportunities
• Threats

Strengths and weaknesses are the internal factors; opportunities and threats the external ones. The idea of the SWOT analysis is to keep things simple and concise. All that needs to be done is to record the key considerations under each heading to highlight the critical information that needs to be acted upon. The SWOT analysis is based upon a study done at Stanford University.

The Eisenhower Matrix

The Eisenhower Matrix (named after US President Dwight D. Eisenhower) is another simple yet powerful tool but in this case it is used for time management. The process is based upon identifying whether something is either important or not important, urgent or not urgent. The matrix is then made up of four boxes:

• Important, but not urgent – things that you decide when you will do them
• Urgent and important – things that should be done immediately
• Not important, not urgent – things that can be done at a later date
• Urgent but not important – things that can be delegated to someone else

Items on a to-do list are categorised into the four boxes in order to help prioritise them.

The Conflict Resolution Model

Psychologists have identified that our responses to conflict situations can be categorised in six different ways. Understanding these reactions and being able to identify them in can help to resolve or de-escalate a situation. By looking for the best way to respond good communication and relationships can be restored. The six responses are:

• Fight. The aggressive response is to try and defeat the cause of the conflict but this has a downside in business and relationships as someone has to become the loser (lose-lose)
• Flight. Running away is just avoidance; it does not solve the issue so it will still be there at a later date (win-lose)
• Give up. This is the opposite of the fight response but the result is the same; there is a loser, and therefore this should be avoided (lose-win)
• Evade responsibility. If someone cannot handle the situation they might give the responsibility to someone else. Bringing in another party generally reduces the chances of a favourable solution. (lose-lose)
• Compromise. This is when negotiation leads to a solution but one where both parties lose some ground, therefore the conflict is resolved but at a cost to both sides (win-lose/win-lose).
• Reach a consensus. This is where the conflict is turned into an opportunity where both parties can benefit; therefore it is more productive than a compromise and the best overall result (win-win).

The Making-of Model

This model was developed by The Grove consulting agency and looks at how someone’s past has an influence on their future. It is done by looking back at a specific period of time; be that a project, business venture or important period of life and then analysing it. For each time period the considerations are:

• The people involved
• The goals that were set
• The challenges that were overcome
• The successes
• What lessons were learned

This tool can be particularly helpful when crafting a CV.

Maslow’s Hierarchy of Needs

Developed by the psychologist Abraham Maslow, the hierarchy categorises human needs as:

• Physiological needs (such as eating, sleeping, sex)
• Security (shelter, work, health, physical security)
• Social relationships (friends, community, love, a partner)
• Recognition (money, status, power)
• Self-actualisation (faith, self-belief, fulfilling potential, spirituality)

The first three are the basic needs and form the bottom three tiers of the triangle. If these needs are supplied a person no longer considers them. The last two (that form the top two levels of the pyramid) can never really be satisfied and are therefore areas of continual growth.

The Pareto Principle (The 80/20 Rule)

Vilfredo Pareto, an Italian economist, identified that 80% of success and good results come from just 20% of the input. In other words 20% of a company’s customers will be responsible for 80% of its revenue. 80% of a person’s results is down to 20% of their time. The key is identifying the productive 20% in any given situation and focussing on that.

The Belbin Team Model

Meredith Belbin conducted a series of studies and identified nine profiles that were needed in any successful team. They all have particular strengths and weaknesses, which is why all the roles are needed to provide balance. In summary the roles are:

• Plant – an ideas generator, good at thinking but can find it hard to focus on one thing
• Co-ordinator – a decision-maker and delegator who takes responsibility but can appear manipulative
• Shaper – a ‘can-do’ person who overcomes challenges but can be impatient
• Resource Investigator – someone who looks at possibilities and contacts external to the team; can be over-optimistic
• Implementer – action-orientated, this person is reliable but can be inflexible
• Monitor Evaluator – analytical and level headed but can be overly critical
• Team worker – fosters communication and good relationships internally but can be indecisive
• Completer Finisher – has very high standards, conscientious but can be too much of a perfectionist
• Specialist – provide specialist insight and skills but can be too narrow in their thinking

What is the GROW model?

The GROW model is a popular problem-solving tool used in coaching. It is a simple and effective way to help people set and achieve goals.

The GROW process was developed by Sir John Whitmore, Graham Alexander and Alan Fine, and then popularised by Max Landsberg in his book The Tao of Coaching. Subsequently, it has been used extensively, particularly in corporate coaching settings and has become something of the industry-standard tool (Passmore 2010).

What does GROW stand for?

The word ‘GROW’ is an acronym for a four-stage coaching tool, but exactly what the acronym stands for does differ slightly from practitioner to practitioner. Commonly it that stands for:

• Goal – The clearly defined endpoint
• Reality – The present situation with is challenges and opportunities
• Options (or Obstacles) – Having identified challenges and opportunities, various options can be explored to help achieve the goal and overcome obstacles
• Will (or Way Forward/Wrap Up) – The Will or Way Forward step is the breaking down of the goal into achievable steps.

How do you use the GROW process?

Here we will look at each of the stages in turn for a more detailed view on how to apply the GROW model:

Goal

The first step is used to explore the goal that the individual or team want to achieve. It is important to clearly identify the aim, define the mission and understand what success looks like.

It is worth spending time on this step as the end state needs to be properly honed. The goal is a chance to capture the vision, mission and values of a person. This in turn helps to identify a target that is inspirational, challenging and fits into the bigger picture of a coachee’s life and work.

Here are some example questions that could be used at this stage:

• What do you want to discuss?
• What is the issue?
• Which is the most important thing you want to achieve?
• What does success look like?
• What is your vision for the future?
• How do you really want things to work out?
• Why is this goal important to you?
• What would achieving this aim feel like?
• How would this goal contribute to other aims?
• How will you know when you have achieved your mission?

If you would like some more advice on setting goals, try reading the post ‘How do you set goals, tasks and milestones to achieve a plan?’

Reality

The next step in the GROW model is looking at the reality of the situation. This involves considering the present with all its challenges and opportunities.

There is an element of looking back to see what has happened in the past and how this has shaped the present. This can mean facing some uncomfortable truths or confronting the brutal facts as Jim Collins puts it in his excellent book Good to Great (Collins, J. 2001).

Here are some potential questions to use at the Reality stage:

• What has happened to bring you to this point?
• What is going on now?
• Who is involved?
• How does the present situation make you feel?
• Is there anything holding you back?
• What are the challenges that you are facing?
• What is the cause of these challenges?
• Which assumptions have you made?

At the Reality stage of the GROW model it may also be useful to apply the SWOT analysis which can help identify the key factors relating to the present situation.

For further help with working out the reality of the situation read ‘The essential importance of situation analysis.’

Options

Having defined the goal and explored the reality of the situation the next step is the look at various options to help achieve the goal. Sometimes the ‘O’ in the GROW model is used for ‘Obstacles’ as the options can provide different courses of action to overcome the various challenges that have been identified.

Here are some questions to consider at the Options stage:

• Which alternative ways could you achieve the goal?
• How can you overcome the obstacles?
• What would you do if resources were not a problem?
• Is there anyone who can help you?
• What are the advantages and disadvantages of each course of action?
• What would are really wise person do?
• Which is the best/most effective option?

For further ideas on developing options and overcoming obstacles take a look at ‘Which is the best course of action?’

Will/Way Forward

Having looked at options and identified the course of action the ‘Will’ or ‘Way Forward’ step of the GROW model is the breaking down of the goal into achievable steps that someone can commit to.

This stage helps to wrap up the session and make sure that, by the end, the coachee has committed to some concrete and achievable actions. These can be pursued and measured between sessions.

Here are some questions to help at this stage:

• Which tasks need to be completed to achieve the goal?
• What is your deadline?
• When do you want to achieve each task?
• What is the first step?
• When can you complete this step?
• Who can help?
• Who do you need to speak to?
• What do you need to do differently?

The SMART tool can also be useful to help define these steps. To create a plan you might also want to use the free templates in ‘How to make an action plan and achieve your goal.’

What are the limitations of the GROW model?

The GROW model is designed to be task-focused and is therefore good in work and sports situations. Its simplicity is a strength but does mean that it is a less holistic model and can miss some of the broader contexts of change. For example, other tools might complement the GROW model when looking at behavioural change, life coaching and career change.

Another simple and complementary tool is the Wheel of Life, which is useful in identifying where roles and goals may be out of balance. This can provide a good starting point for specific goals that you want to explore using the GROW model or The Right Questions approach.

The GROW model, as with any process, is only as good as its application. As Sir John Whitmore stated “even dictators can use GROW!” A coach should ensure that the model is utilised in a subtle way, bringing structure to the coaching session but in an unconscious and natural way. And, as with other coaching models, active listening is critical to its successful application.

How does the GROW model compare to other tools?

The GROW model is simple and this is one of the reasons that make it very effective and popular. Even with the differing interpretations of the acronym, it provides a relatively memorable structure and does not take much knowledge or practice to apply. It can also be used to explore and plan for a large number of different goals.

The simplicity of the model does mean that it lends itself to a quick look at a problem. As mentioned previously, for more depth it is sometimes beneficial to use the GROW model in conjunction with other tools and processes.

Goals

The first two stages of the GROW model relate to the Strategic Framing steps (where what and why) of The Right Questions model. In both tools, the aim is to properly understand the problem and situation before assessing options and making a plan. This is also equivalent to the Observe and Orientate stages of the OODA loop.

Reality

Another useful tool to use at the Reality stage is the SWOT methodology; a simple yet effective way of looking at the present situation.

Obstacles and Options

‘Obstacles and Options’ in the GROW process is covered by ‘Which’ in The Right Questions that cover risk as well as courses of action. Here the aim is to look at different ways to achieve the same goal.

At the Options stage, using tools such as lateral thinking can beneficial to generate new courses of action and the Belbin Team Model can be of great use in working out who might be able to help and how.

Will or Way Forward

The ‘Will’ of the GROW method is primarily covered by the Planning Phase (the when who and how) of The Right Questions. For more complicated goals traditional Project Management processes may be useful to apply. At a simpler level, using the SMART tool helps to capture the original goal and make sure the next step is an achievable one.

Next Steps

You may want also want some help, delving deeper into these tools or identifying your goals. I have the pleasure of assisting many amazing individuals and organisations in my work. If you would like some assistance too, in person or online, then please do drop me a line. You can email me via the contact page.

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If you would like to find out more about coaching and have an initial free coaching consultation then please email us using the contact page. Just click on this link: Contact Form

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References

• Colins, J. (2001) Good to Great. New York: Random House Business.
• Passmore, J. (ed) (2010) Excellence in Coaching. 2nd edn. London: Kogan Page.
• Landsberg, M. (2015) The TAO of Coaching. London: Profile Books Ltd.
• Whitmore, J. (2002) Coaching for Performance. London: Nicholas Brealey.

A Coach or Mentor – Same Same but Different?

The terms coaching and mentoring are often used synonymously but in professional terms, there are some subtle yet important differences. Having worked as both a coach and a mentor it is not that one is better than the other, it is that they are slightly different approaches to achieve slightly different things.

It is also worth noting that in practice there can be considerable overlap between the two but mixing up the terms can be confusing and frustrating (Nieuwerburgh, 2014). Therefore, the differences in emphasis and approach are important to know, especially if you are looking for either a coach or a mentor and trying to work out what would suit you best.

What does it mean to be a mentor?

A mentor is someone who is generally more experienced and who passes on that knowledge to someone who is less experienced within a certain area of expertise. The mentor is often someone older but not necessarily so; it is more about the mentor having specialist knowledge that they can impart to the person being mentored.

A classic example would be a senior manager within a company being the mentor for a more junior manager in the same company (but also someone who is generally not in a direct day-to-day line management relationship).

What does it mean to be a coach?

A coach supports a client in achieving a specific personal or professional goal generally through the facilitation of learning by the coachee.

There is no one definition for coaching as a profession but there are some common themes that come out of coaching literature. Coaching can be described as:

Unlocking people’s potential to maximise their own performance. (Whitmore 2009: 11)

Or

The art of facilitating the performance, learning and development of another. (Downey, 2003:21)

Simply put, coaching is about helping someone to become more effective in their life and work. As with mentoring, this primarily happens through one-to-one conversations.

A typical example of coaching would be a client employing a coach for a defined number of sessions to address a specific challenge or achieve a particular aim, such as improving work-life balance.

Coaching and Mentoring Differences Made Simple

As with the varying definitions, there are also various comparisons available but it is important to remember that it is hard to always fix hard boundaries between the two disciplines.

A good simple summary of the difference between coaching and mentoring is outlined by Jonathan Passmore in his book Excellence in Coaching (Passmore, 2010:5) and replicated in the table below:

	Coach	Mentor
1. Level of formality	More formal: contract or ground rules set, often involving a third-party client	Less formal: agreement, most typically between two parties
2. Length of contract	Shorter term: typically between 4 and 12 meetings agreed over 2 to 12 months	Longer term: typically unspecified number of meetings with relationships often running over 3 to 5 years
3. Focus	More performance focussed: typically a greater focus on short-term skills and job performance	More career focussed: typically concerned with longer-term career issues, obtaining the right experience and longer-term thinking
4. Level of sector knowledge	More generalist: typically coaches have limited sector knowledge	More sector knowledge: typically mentors have knowledge of organisation or business sector
5. Training	More relationship training: typically coaches have a background in psychology, psychotherapy or HR	More management training: typically mentors have a background in senior management
6. Focus	Dual focus: more typically a dual focus on the needs of the individual and the needs of the organisation	Single focus: more typically a single focus on the needs of the individual

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If you would like to find out more about coaching and have an initial free coaching consultation then please email us using the contact page. Just click on this link: Contact Form

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References

• Passmore, J. (ed) (2010) Excellence in Coaching. 2nd edn. London: Kogan Page.
• Whitmore, J (2009) Coaching for Performance: GROWing Human Potential and Purpose: The Principles and Practice of Coaching and Leadership, 4^th London: Nicholas Brealey.
• Downey, M (2003) Effective Coaching: Lessons from the Coach’s Coach, 2^nd London: Texere.
• Van Nieuwerburgh, C. (2014) An Introduction to Coaching Skills. London: Sage.

A business case is a keystone document to any new project, start-up or business. It is usually a formal document that outlines the reasons for the venture, looks at options and weighs up the cost-benefit of the proposal.

In project management the business case is part of the Initiation phase of the Project Life Cycle and forms part of the Project Initiation Document (PID) in PRINCE2.

How do you write a business case? 

A good business case is concise and it is worth remembering that most ideas can be summarised on one piece of paper. A well-crafted proposal will be interesting to read and the vision should be clear.  Subsequently the document should capture the imagination of those who are sanctioning the project. The business case should also consider the options available and provide evidence to support the recommendation.  This in turn will make the proposal easier to agree to.

What should you include?

There are many different formats available for building business cases but there is no one perfect template.  However, they generally include some common elements, such as the following:

• Overview – An executive summary of the business case. An introduction and background to the project.
• Aim – The issue, purpose or demand. The objective and scope of the project.
• Benefits – The benefits and outcomes of the project.
• Options – Outline of the courses of action available.
• Risks – Identification of the most serious risks for each option and how they be mitigated.
• Costs – Outline of costs for each option and required resources. Investment profile and cost/risk/benefit analysis.
• Duration – Key dates, time constraints and outline schedule.
• Recommendations – Choice of course and next steps.

In project terms these reflect the key elements of the Project Management Triangle (the Triple Constraint model) that reflects the interdependencies between time, cost, scope and quality. The business case should help to identify which are the most important elements and priorities within this relationship.

Business Case Template

One easy way to remember the key elements of a business case is by using The Right Questions method.  If you follow through The Right Questions process it will allow you to explore the questions that you need to answer.  Then these answers can be place into the appropriate format.

For example, if we take some of the key questions from The Right Questions process and combine them with the business case outline from above we can come up with the following business case template:

Heading	Questions
Overview	Where have we come from to get to this point?  Where are we now? What is the present situation? Where do we want to get to with this project?   Why do we need this project? Why does the project align with our values? Why do we believe the project will succeed?   Who are the stakeholders in the project? Who is the market?
Aim	What is the aim?  What is the scope of the project?
Benefits	What are the benefits?    Who are the beneficiaries?
Options	Which options are available to us?
Risks	Which risks are attached to these options?  Which are the most important risks? Which mitigation measures can be applied?
Costs	How much will each option cost?  How will resources be allocated? How do we measure the costs versus the benefits? How do we measure progress?
Duration	When does the project need to be completed by?  When can we start? When can each element of the project be achieved (the schedule or programme)
Recommendations and Conclusions	Which option is recommended and why?    Who should be in the team? Who needs to sign off on the business case?

Once the business case is written and refined it is possible to revisit each of the stages of The Right Questions process again and therefore add more detail. This will provide the basis of your project plan.

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“Pride goeth before destruction, and an haughty spirit before a fall.” Proverbs 16:18 (KJV)

The idea of ‘pride going before a fall’ is one of the best known quotes (or misquotes) from the Bible and never is the saying more true than in the context of leadership. The new Star Wars film, provides some interesting lessons regarding haughtiness and in this post we will examine three characters from The Last Jedi who suffered consequences from pride effecting their leadership.

Beware! Spoiler alert! This post discusses plot detail from the new Star Wars film, The Last Jedi.

The Tirant: Snoke

The Supreme Leader of the First Order is the terrifying Snoke, a Master of the Dark Side and someone who built their power base on fear.

History clearly demonstrates that fear is a powerful tool to control people and has been used many times by leaders to consolidate and hold onto power. But fear does not set the foundation for lasting success or a positive legacy. Fear is a powerful short-term motivator but people will take the opportunity to be free of fear given the opportunity, and empires built on fear will eventually fall. Absolute power corrupts absolutely and fear is a poor leadership strategy.

A climate of fear creates an atmosphere where those surrounding the leader cannot speak the truth – especially when sharing bad news – as they want to avoid becoming the object of wrath. This lack of honesty can result in a leader becoming overconfident and for them to look down and underappreciate those around them. It makes the person at the top believe in their own myth of infallibility and makes them blind to genuine threats, both to them and their organisation.

It was this hubris, blindness and condescension that led to Snoke’s downfall. He misjudged Kylo Ren and could not see the threat from Kylo Ren when Snoke believed he was totally under his influence.

Leadership top tip:

If you are prefer a leader who prefers a more directive approach, make sure you have people around you who are empowered to give you feedback, however challenging it may be.

Movie recommendations:

Downfall (2004) and The Death of Stalin (2017) are two other powerful stories that illustrate the paranoia and eventual demise of regimes that are led through fear.

The Maverick – Poe Dameron

Poe Dameron is a self-confident fighter pilot who is most comfortable when leading from the front and taking action. He is a talented tactical commander with a reputation for courageous deeds. His attitude is best summed up when he asks General Leia Organa for “permission to jump into an X-wing and blow something up.”

This focus on direct and immediate effect means Poe is a great tactical leader but often lacks the vision for longer-term strategy. His head-strong pursuing of tactical gains, against orders, leads to a demotion early on in the film. Poe also feels entitled to know the plans of his superiors and his strong opinions soon create friction with his new commander. His superior, Vice Admiral Holdo, is a different type of leader both in appearance (as Poe comments upon) and style, and this creates further distance and misunderstanding.

Poe has the best of intentions but allows his errors of judgement to compound. He makes some very risky decisions that result in division among the Rebels and internal conflict during a time of crisis. Heroic and daring as he is, his plans fail and it is late in the day before he understands his commander’s intent and value. It is a costly path he treads to learn more self-awareness and humility.

Leadership Top Tips:

To be a good leader you also have to be a good follower; it is important to be loyal to those that lead you and learn from them. You may have much to contribute but as Steven Covey says, “seek first to understand, then to be understood.” If you like to lead from the front make sure you take time to step back regularly and see the bigger picture.

Movie recommendations:

For more maverick fighter pilots who need some humility you don’t need to look any further than Top Gun (1986). Patton (1970) is a good case study of a strong willed commander, with excellent tactical ability, who had a character that made him divisive.

The Mentor – Luke Skywalker

At the beginning of the film Rey has finally found Luke Skywalker on a remote island, on an even remoter planet, where he has been hiding away. Luke has been in retreat ever since he failed as a leader and this disaster meant Luke cut himself off from the Force.

Luke feared failing again. He could see the vanity that had come from believing in his own legend. He had seen the fallout of his arrogance but the lesson he took from this was that he should never lead again. He thought he was disqualified by his mistakes.

Fear is poor leadership tool and it is an equally poor driver when it comes to making decisions. When we make decisions from poor assumptions or defeater beliefs we rob ourselves (and potentially others) of positive ways to progress.

Luke is a Jedi Master, but it takes his own mentor, Yoda, to help Luke to put his past mistakes into context. Yoda eloquently states, “The greatest teacher, failure is”. In other words we should learn from our errors in order to be a better leader.

Rey is the other person that helps Luke to reassess his position. She demonstrates the need and desire for Luke’s leadership, despite what has happened in the past.

When Luke accepts the past, brutal as it is, with peace and forgiveness, then he ignites a new resolve and is able to bring leadership in a new, dramatic and incisive way.

Leadership Top Tips:

Even when we are experienced leaders we still need mentors and coaches of our own. We should always be open to learning and that means learning and gaining inspiration from those who look to us as their teachers as well.

Movie recommendations:

Aragorn in The Lord of the Rings: The Return of the King (2003) has to face and overcome the fear of his heritage in order to fulfil his destiny.

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And hello to Jason Isaacs!

Steve Jobs enjoyed the productivity of walking meetings. William Wordsworth’s creativity flowed from being in the open air. Aristotle lectured on the move and Henry David Thoreau did his best thinking while sauntering about.

What could taking a stroll do for you?

Walking can inspire conversation, improve relationships, unlock creativity, foster mindfulness, reduce stress and increase productivity. Walking also improves physical health and overall mental wellbeing. Here are some reasons why:

Time to think

Walking gives times time for reflection. There is a multitude of things clamouring for our attention so it is very easy to become reactive rather than proactive in our decision-making. Equally, being busy hampers our ability to create space and think creatively.

It is very hard to think constructively if pressed up against someone on public transport, while concentrating on driving or when staring at a computer screen. We need the time and the environment to think properly.

Getting up and taking a walk, even if it is to the water cooler, the coffee shop or local-park, can improve your thought processes. As Henry David Thoreau commented, getting out for a walk helps to free us from worldly engagements. Then we can start to think more clearly.

Perspectives

“We are fallen mostly into pieces but the wild returns us to ourselves.”  Robert Macfarlane

Getting up and walking can help to give perspective. When we sit and concentrate on something we naturally focus on one thing. As we dwell on something it magnifies and the task or challenge can take over the whole of our field of vision and dominate the conscious mind. Concentration of this sort is very powerful but if we hit some sort of blockage – be that cognitive or emotional – it is very hard to break out of that situation.

By stepping out we can free ourselves of these confines and find a new perspective. Being able to see the horizon can make a real difference in how we feel. When our senses are triggered by other stimuli – be that sun or rain on our faces, the smell of wet grass or freshly baked bread, or the sound of a river or the wind in the trees – then our thoughts and feelings can be brought into context. Once we regain a clearer perspective then we allow new ideas and energy to flow in. In this way, we can better deal with the challenges we are facing.

Mindfulness and Thankfulness

There is a growing interest in mindfulness and this interest highlights the importance of being able to appreciate the present rather than living in the future or in the past. Being in the moment can help keep us grounded and can reduce stress.

There are various approaches to this sort of meditative state but I find that being in creation, surrounded by nature, fosters in me a feeling of thankfulness and spiritual connection that I do not experience in other circumstances. Walking can promote a positive or prayerful state, particularly when surrounded by the grandeur and beauty of the natural world.

Creative Space

A study at Stanford demonstrated that a person’s creative output increases by an average of 60% when walking (Opezzo and Schwartz, 2014). The research proved that just the physical activity of walking makes us more creative.

When we add an improved environment to this activity, by getting outside, our creativity can improve all the more. Being open to external influences and new experiences enable us to generate new connections and solutions.

Sitting still by definition means you are not going anywhere. Walking, by contrast, has direction, momentum and purpose. If you hit a blockage in your thinking get on the move to enable your problem solving.

Therefore it is no surprise that writers, poets, entrepreneurs and great thinkers down the ages have often taken long walks to spark their imagination and inventiveness.

“All truly great thoughts are conceived while walking.”

Friedrich Nietzsche

An Aid to Productivity

I am a keen reader and walking and reading are not easy (and generally not recommended), but with the advent of mobile technology, we can enjoy podcasts and audiobooks as well as music on our walks. In this way, walking can be a learning experience.

We can get work done too. I frequently save telephone calls for when I am walking between engagements, as this is a good use of time as well as generally being more pleasant than sitting at a desk. With increasingly good software available on mobile devices it is now easy to dictate as you walk too. You can capture thoughts, draft emails and make appointments as you amble along. Just remember, if you want time to think and reflect, remember to take your earphones out from time to time!

A journey to better relationships

I often choose to go for a walk when meeting someone. Whether it is discussing something with my wife, having a work meeting or even conducting a coaching session, I often find that going for a walk is conducive to good conversation. I think this is partly due to some of the reasons already outlined but there is also a powerful physical and psychological link that is created by walking with someone.

When walking together you are generally side-by-side as equals. This equality in proximity can help to foster parity in the thinking and conversation. Even when meeting someone in a line-management context there is no desk to get in the way or dominance from someone sitting in a larger chair. Getting outside generally provides a neutral environment too. By removing people from a work or even a home situation, not only are distractions reduced, but you can also create a place where people feel they matter in equal terms.

Walking with purpose

When you are walking together you are also going in the same direction. This is important as it can help to bring alignment psychologically. It develops a partnership as, by the nature of walking together, you are sharing a common purpose and destination. This can help bring about the same if your conversation.

In this was walking is in contrast to sitting facing someone, which is often the way we conduct meetings, and psychologically the reverse. When sitting (or standing) facing someone you can easily become more defensive of adversarial. The dynamic can become one of holding ground, looking in opposite directions. This can lead to a more critical form of debate. If emotions get raised then walking can work off some of the energy through exertion. If you are facing someone it is harder to de-escalate a situation.

Communicating on the move

If walking is so good for communication, what about eye contact? This is a good point, and in most circumstances, I would recommend good eye contact for effective listening. When walking, as long as there are not too many obstacles, you can frequently look to the person talking, but eye contact is hard to maintain.

This situation can have some advantages though. Maintaining eye contact can sometimes make people feel self-conscious and in some situations or cultures, it can even be inappropriate. Walking can provide a less pressured context for listening although it may take more concentration by the listener to make sure someone is properly heard and encouraged.

Walking can have another advantage in aiding listening. The act of walking makes silences less pronounced and awkward. This means it is easier to give time and space for introspection and the construction of a thoughtful response. It reduces the need to quickly respond to what someone has said without reflection.

Walking to better health

“Walking is man’s best medicine” Hippocrates

The various physical and mental health benefits of walking have been known for a long time and are widely reported. Walking provides an easy (most of us do it already), cheap (no gym fees) and accessible (you can do it pretty much anywhere) way to do exercise.

It has been shown that even 20 minutes of light exercise, such as walking, can reduce the risk of death considerably, as was highlighted in the European Investigation into Cancer and Nutrition (EPIC) study. Research conducted by Cambridge University has shown that even in cities with pollution the benefits outweigh the risks.

So why not take a stroll yourself?

So walking can help you solve problems, gain clarity, have effective one-to-one meetings and helps you get fitter to boot.

Not sure about the weather? Well the Norwegians say there is no such thing as bad weather, just inappropriate clothing (and there are still nice places to walk inside if you disagree!)

And for inspiration I leave you with this:

“Above all, do not lose your desire to walk. Every day I walk myself into a state of well-being and walk away from every illness. I have walked myself into my best thoughts, and I know of no thought so burdensome that one cannot walk away from it.”  Soren Kierkegaard

Now, why not take a stroll for yourself?

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References

Opezzo and Schwartz, 2014; http://www.apa.org/pubs/journals/releases/xlm-a0036577.pdf)

https://www.cam.ac.uk/research/news/walking-and-cycling-good-for-health-even-in-cities-with-higher-levels-of-air-pollution

How good are your listening skills? Do you consider yourself a good listener? Do you know what it takes to listen actively and empathetically?

For those blessed with good hearing, listening is a primary sense and the audible environment shapes how we interact with the world. Considering how important hearing is, it is therefore amazing how bad our listening can be at times, and by that, I mean how well we focus our attention on what we are listening to.

Just think of the last time someone asked you, “Are you actually listening to me?” If you have a significant other I bet that it may have been days, if not hours ago!

Achieving a level of mastery of effective listening is not easy and does require skill. But these are skills, not character traits, and although some people may be naturally better at listening, everyone can learn the principles and improve through practice; this has certainly been my experience in learning to be a professional coach (although, as my wife will point out, there is plenty of room for improvement!)

Before looking at the skills involved in effective listening we need to answer the question: what is effective listening? Effective listening should have a positive impact, particularly on the speaker. First and foremost effective listening should result in making a person feel valued. Understanding is important, but secondary to this. Effectual listening should give a person space to think, to explore their feelings and construct what they want to say.

To achieve this level of effectiveness there are a few key skills that can really make the difference: providing the right environment; focused attention; empathy; and active listening.

The Right Environment

The right environment is one that allows the person to feel at ease and gives them a platform to think and speak. This environment is physical, emotional and intellectual.

The physical environment should be comfortable and free of distraction or undue pressure for both the subject and the person listening. This is why it is often good to take someone away from his or her immediate work environment.

The demeanour, tone and body language of the listener helps to create the right emotional environment. Maintaining eye contact while listening, keeping an open posture, keeping mostly silent but giving occasional encouragement helps with this. Avoid fidgeting or looking at your watch. Completing people’s sentences or guessing words for them will also undermine the supportive environment you are creating. Most importantly of all, don’t interrupt!

The questions you pose to whomever you are listening to help to ensure the right intellectual environment and these combined create what Nancy Kline defines as the Thinking Environment (1999), where there is a sense of attention, ease and appreciation.

Focused Attention

Once a good listening environment has been created it is then important to give the person focused attention. They need to feel that they are being heard and as the listener, you need to be sure you are hearing what they are saying. This is harder than it sounds because as Stephen Covey notes, the problem is:

“Most people do not listen with the intent to understand; they listen with the intent to reply” (1989: 239).

To overcome this you need to mentally close off invading thoughts, comments and answers that you might have.

I am a solution-orientated person so I have often struggled with the deluge of ideas, experiences and comparisons that can come rushing in when someone is speaking. Knowing that the power of coaching is allowing people to come up with their own solutions I have developed strategies to deal with this. One mental technique I use is visualising shutting a door on each invading thought to actively close them out, so I can re-focus on what is being said.

Empathy and emotional intelligence

Once you have the right level of attention to what is being said, the next step is to connect with the feelings that are being expressed. As Daniel Kahneman observes, it’s very hard to distinguish between what a person believes and what they say they believe (2011). Therefore we need to understand the emotive context of their language.

To understand the emotional subtext to the words being said we need to listen to the other person’s viewpoint and start to comprehend things from their perspective. This is something that requires emotional intelligence as defined by Salovey and Mayer (1990).

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What does it mean to actively listen?

The combining of the right environment, focus and empathy creates the conditions for active listening. Bresser and Wilson describe active listening as the highest level of listening (2006) and Julie Starr states that active listening is a fundamental skill within coaching (2008). When active listening is being used then the listener has a fuller understanding of what is being communicated, can recall what a person has said and, when appropriate, reflect, paraphrase or respond to the speaker.

When actively listening to someone I find it is possible to get into a state of flow where there is an increased level of energy and focus. Using the steps of creating the right environment and then tuning into people’s feelings quickens this process. Continual practice is helping me – and can help anyone – achieve this state more frequently and for longer. I also find that a period of preparation beforehand facilitates this state more quickly. Equally, time for reflection after a conversation can help me critique my listening with a view to be even better the next time around.

You can always be better

Even simple skills require mastery but the good news is everyone can get better at both. We can all employ active listening that makes people feel valued. We can strive to use incisive questions that challenge assumptions and deepen understanding. Through this, we can all be part of unlocking people’s potential. Knowing this inspires me to keep practising these skills and helping people become more effective at achieving their goals.

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References

Brasser, F and Wilson, C (2006) What is Coaching?, in Passmore, J (ed) Excellence in Coaching, London: Kogan Page

Covey, S R (1989) The 7 Habits of Highly Effective People, London: Simon and Schuster

Kahneman, D (2011) Thinking Fast and Slow, New York: Farrar, Straus and Giroux

Kline, N (1999) Time to Think. London: Ward Lock

Salovey, P and Mayer, J D (1990) Emotional Intelligence, Imagination, Cognition and Personality, 9, pp185-211

Starr, J (2008) The Coaching Manual. Harlow: Pearson Education

A Simple 5-Step Process to Apply The Socratic Method

The Socratic Method, as outlined in Plato’s Theaetetus, is a process of questioning that inspires critical thinking and analysis. Primarily the method was designed for moral and philosophical enquiry but the technique has been used in many other fields. The strength of the Socratic approach lies in its ability to challenge assumptions and negative thought patterns.

“Education is the kindling of a flame, not the filling of a vessel.”

Socrates

Directive or non-directive?

The challenge with using the Socratic method is that the questioner needs to be very self-aware. The direction of the dialogue can be swayed by the questioner and they can sway the direction and emphasis of the dialogue. The person initiating the question naturally takes on a leading role. The Socratic method allows the questioner to subtly challenge certain ideas, evoke particular thoughts or get the subject to establish a particular logical viewpoint. This can be done in either a directive or non-directive way.

If the questioner assumes that they already know the correct answer they will ask leading questions. The technique can be seen as creating leading, loaded or weighted questions. Used in this way it can be largely convergent in the thinking it inspires. It directs towards and converges upon the questioner’s point of view, rather than helping to clarify the premise of the questionee. If this is the aim then the method can be used as a debating technique to ‘win’ an argument. This is a problem in some contexts, for example in coaching.

Therefore even though it is non-directive in style it can be quite directive in its application. For a leader and manager, this can be very useful when helping someone to see an error in their work, thinking or behaviour. Instead of directly criticising or pointing out the fault, using the Socratic method you can help a person to see the illogical or erroneous nature of their approach.

“I cannot teach anybody anything. I can only make them think”

Socrates

Watch-outs when using the approach

One danger to this method, if you use it in the directive style, is that the conversation can descend into an argument. Debating can take this Socratic approach but when people are divided in viewpoint then this can descend into pure rhetoric. It is then about point scoring or winning. The value of listening to the other person and discussing alternative viewpoints are lost.  This is often what happens in political debates.

At worst this becomes an exercise in confirmation bias rather than enquiry. The resulting argument undermines potential learning that should take place.  Therefore this descent should be avoided.

My advice is to remain humble. As Socrates himself said:

“The only true wisdom is in knowing that you know nothing.”

Socrates

As you look at the evidence for and against a position it may turn out that the wrong assumption lies with you. I have certainly found that out before! Remember the advice of Stephen Covey:

“Seek first to understand, then to be understood.”

Stephen Covey

Nancy Kline uses a similar process (in terms of steps) to the Socratic method in her Thinking Partnerships. The difference is that the Thinking Environment approach and the nature of the questions used make it less directive or confrontational and therefore better for coaching and mentoring.

“Be kind, for everyone you meet is fighting a hard battle.”

Socrates

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A question framework for the Socratic method

Here is an example 5 step framework for this type of Socratic questioning:

1. Receive

First, receive what the other person has to say. Listen to the other person’s premise, view or argument. And remember you have to properly listen to be able to do the next step.

2. Reflect

Sum up the person’s view-point or argument and reflect it back. Do this by first getting them to clarify and sum up their position and then by paraphrasing or repeating it back to them.

3. Refine

Ask them to provide their evidence. Find out why they are thinking or acting in that way. Discover the facts, beliefs or assumptions that underpin their standpoint. Often the premise will be based on assumptions rather than hard facts. Challenge these assumptions to test their validity.

Use further questions to uncover the fallacy of any wrong presuppositions. These are often ‘why’ questions. For example: “why do you think that?” Sometimes it can be helpful to construct the ‘why’ question as a ‘what’ question for example: “what makes you think that?” This is because why questions can often feel confrontational.

At times you may need to provide contrary evidence to challenge an assumption but try and structure this as a question too if possible. If there is a cognitive fallacy (a wrong way of thinking) then try and get them to find an exception (or if necessary provide one) that proves their own theory wrong. Discover and explore this circumstance to discover new, better thinking. In this way, you are refining the basic premise of the discussion.

4. Re-state

Now that you have refined your thinking get them to reformulate and re-state their position. If they see that they had a wrong assumption, get them to adapt or renew their wording and then re-state it.

5. Re-start

Now they have a new viewpoint you can go back to the start of the process. You can assess the new premise and challenge any further wrong assumptions in their thinking. This iterative or dialectic process helps to drill down to the core of the issue. This method becomes a cycle of dialogue.

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The goal of the Socratic method

And that’s it. Simple. The question technique framework is easy to remember; the skill comes in applying it. The challenge, as noted before is to really listen to the other person and truly commit to coming to a better-shared understanding of the issue. This may come from challenging assumptions or illogical viewpoints but the goal of the Socratic method is not about winning an argument, it is about finding understanding, knowledge and truth.

“Strong minds discuss ideas, average minds discuss events, weak minds discuss people.”

Socrates

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For more on the development of questioning techniques see Beyond the 5Ws: Ask Questions like a Philosopher.

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References

Ballif, M and Moran, M G (2005) Classical Rhetorics and Rhetoricians: Critical Studies and Sources, Westport: Praeger

Covey, S R (1989) The 7 Habits of Highly Effective People, London: Simon and Schuster

Kline, N (1999) Time to Think. London: Ward Lock

Waterfield, R (trans.) (1987) Plato’s Thaeatetus, London: Penguin

Pierre- Marc-Gaston said “Judge a man by his questions rather than by his answers.” It would not be an understatement to say that asking good questions is a fundamental communication skill and therefore key to effectiveness in all areas of life. But this skill is of particular importance in work contexts, especially in leadership, management and coaching. Effective questions are essential when leading, particularly at the non-directive end of the leadership spectrum, and when taking a more coaching, mentoring or facilitative approach to management.

Once we are listening properly we will be in the position to consider some good questions. I covered listening in my last post (Are you really listening?) and now we will look at questions and questioning technique. As with listening, becoming effective at questioning requires skill and practise. Therefore, having some tools and approaches to assist you will help and provide a framework for becoming better at asking questions.

What is an effective question?

Logically, we need to define what an effective question is in order to identify the types of question we want to use. A good question does not just elicit information, as John Maxwell states, “While bad questions have a negative impact, good questions actually do several positive things: They clarify objectives; they speed up the process of completion; and they stimulate good thinking” (2005:128). I would add that effective questions also develop mutual understanding and challenge assumptions.

Types of question

There are many types of questions, for example; open and closed, rhetorical, leading, loaded, repeat or negative questions. These in turn have been classified in various ways, according to use, be that research, philosophy, education, etc.

Open and Closed Questions

The classification of questions as being either open or closed is perhaps the best known, and easiest to understand, typology of questions. A closed question is one that can be answered with a single word such as ‘yes’ or ‘no’. Generally these questions do not encourage people to think deeply, or to express themselves fully. They are useful for clarification though.

Logically, open questions are the opposite of closed questions. They allow the respondent to come up with longer and more expansive answers. Because the answer can be expansive it allows people to be more divergent in their thinking and choose their own language to unpack an idea. Open questions can be constructed in various ways but generally use an interrogative word such as what, who or why.

When training to become a Bomb Disposal Officer I was taught to use open questions using the ‘5 Ws’ (or 5 Ws and an H) framework, a technique often used by journalists to capture a story by using what, where, when, who, why and how as triggers. You can read more about the history of this technique in my post Question like a Philosopher, Answer like a Visionary.

Incisive Questions

Therefore open questions are generally best in unlocking people’s thinking but it is helpful to have a framework to the questions in order to ensure they are effective. A poorly chosen open question is potentially worse than a pertinent closed question. An incisive question should be like a catalyst or a key. It should help to provoke thought, challenge assumptions and create new paradigms. Therefore it is good to have a technique or tool that prompts good questions; such as the 5Ws, clean language technique or similar.

One good starting point is the Socratic Method. You can read more about in my post on Socratic Method Questioning Technique.

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References

Maxwell, J C (2005) The 360 Degree Leader, Nashville: Thomas Nelson

Lévis, PMG (1808) Maximes et réflections sur différents sujets de morale et de politique, Paris

Heraclitus observed that there is nothing permanent except change (c.600 BCE). Therefore change is not a new challenge, but many would agree that the rate of change – in our personal and professional lives – is increasing.  Organisational change is more important than ever because the rate of change for businesses is ever increasing, driven by competition, technology and connectivity.

Why change is important

Change is important because things all around us are altering all the time.  At the cosmic scale, the universe is continually expanding.  Stars and planets accelerate away from each other.  At a global level tectonic plates shift on the Earth, continents move, mountains gain height.  Biologically Darwin said that change was essential for survival; a key tenant to the theory of evolution (1859).  Our lives are marked by change.  We age and we mature.  Our relationships grow and evolve.  Therefore we actually accept a huge amount of change even when we have a limited effect on it.

When change is hard

But if change is a constant fact of life why is it frequently so hard?  Change is constant, but the rate of change is not constant.  As Hawking notes “The increase of disorder or entropy is what distinguishes the past from the future, giving direction to time.” (1988). And therein lies the issue.  It is not so much change we struggle with, but the pace of change.  The rate of development is such that what we learn in our education and preparation for our work is no longer sufficient to last us through our careers.

Supporting the individual for team success

Therefore personal development is more important than ever and if individuals are neglected then it affects the team as a whole. In John Adair’s leadership model the spheres of task, team and individual overlap.  A leader has to keep all the elements in balance to be successful.  You have to support and develop the individual to maintain the team and you need an effective team to achieve your goal.

Companies can often forget this simple truth. In organisational change, it is often the individual and the team that suffer at the expense of forcing through the task of bringing about a change programme. Often this comes from the assumption that traditional top-down management approaches and project management processes are sufficient to manage transformation.

Project management and change management

I worked for a time as a project manager on large commercial construction projects.  These were often expensive and complex but the effect of the change was broadly practical and linear.  By contrast, in my experience, dealing with cultural change in businesses is more ethereal and organic.  Mergers, handovers of leadership, implementation of new strategies or structural changes all result in a cultural change to one degree or another.

Changing culture means changing attitudes and behaviours at an individual level.  Changing behaviour can be far more challenging than project management in construction or even software development, as humans and emotions are less predictable.  The fact is that every individual will have a subtly different set of values and behavioural cues.

This is one of the first ways that coaching can be of help to organisations going through change.  Coaching gives an opportunity to help people understand their own motivations and why they behave in certain ways.  Understanding motivation is of critical importance to successful change.  It is essential that people understand why they must change as this creates the urgency that drives change at the individual and organisational level (Kotter, 1996).

Cultural change and the importance of values

Motivation affects behaviour, behaviour is built on habits, and these, in turn, are built on our values and beliefs.  Therefore the heart of the issue in change is ensuring that people are aligned to the values underpinning the change.  Simon Sinek points out that you need to start with understanding the ‘why’ behind any venture (2009).  Only once you can communicate the reasoning behind something will you have a change of aligning people and their values to the change.

Why do we fear change?

Even when people understand that change needs to happen there can still be resistance.  I experienced this first when working with a large local government institution facing budget cuts.  It is perhaps unsurprising that there was a lot of internal resistance to the cuts. But the resistance mainly stemmed from certain assumptions and fears that people held.

Some people deal with change better than others. Some people prefer to be more settled, others prefer constant challenge and adventure.  Sometimes, even for those that like variety, they suffer from change exhaustion just from the rate of change or number of changes imposed on them.

Everyone has a comfort zone that they operate in. People can manage a degree of stretch to this zone in line with their tolerance for stress.  Beyond this people start to feel out of their depth (Covey,1989). People desire a degree of control. Change imposed on anyone means that they lose control and this increases stress.

Wrong Assumptions

Under stress, people are more likely to jump to poor conclusions or harbour wrong assumptions.  Supporting people through change is therefore very important. Taking a coaching approach is important to ensure that people are listened to, and where necessary given practical support.

In the case of the local government, that I was working with, we used a coaching approach and a specific model developed for that situation.  This helped people to explore their work through the focussing on the service user and positive effects, rather than the service provider and the budget.  In this way people were able to reframe the problem, challenge assumptions, align values and discover effective ways of providing services.

A third-party, in this sort of situation, can be beneficial because they sit outside of the line management.  The coach or other third-party provides an environment where people feel they can be honest (Van Nieurwerburgh 2017). Once trust is established, a coach can provide an environment where fears can be discussed and wrong assumptions can be identified.

Coaching and change

Coaching as a profession and a process is all about supporting change.  John Whitmore’s definition of coaching, “Unlocking people’s potential to maximise their own performance” (2009:11) speaks of positive personal change.

Whether it is hard-pressed senior managers or pressured front line staff I have found that employees find coaching sessions with an external coach a cathartic experience.  It allows people to freely express frustrations.  Once this has happened, wrong assumptions can be identified and challenged.  This all comes through a supportive thinking environment, such as the one championed by Nancy Kline (1999).  This gives an individual the chance to explore their thinking and proactively seek solutions.  Coaching empowers people to start to embrace opportunities that arise out of the perceived crisis.

Coaching Leaders

For most leaders and managers the thought of providing one-to-one coaching support can appear costly in terms of money and time but this is likely to be a wrong assumption too.  As with much in life, doing things right takes longer in the short term but shorter in the long term.  Really listening to people, understanding their feelings, encouraging their thinking and ideas, aligning values and building a sense of ownership takes time.  These are costly, but not as expensive or time-consuming as dragging unmotivated, unwilling individuals towards a destination they are unsure of at best, and insubordinate about at worst.

Having worked as a leader, manager and external consultant it has taken time to adopt more non-directive leadership approaches. When under pressure it can feel like the best thing to do is to give people solutions but in the long run, people are generally more committed to the plans they have personal ownership for. I am continually learning to give people more time and space to think and act for themselves.  Therefore as a leader and as a coach, the role is becoming more about supporting than dictating.

Once fears and assumptions are addressed, people start to think.  When they start to think, they regain impetus, and with this, they can start to adopt new habits.

Change challenges our habits

One of the greatest reasons we resist change is that we are all creatures of habit.  Habits are very helpful and help us to be more effective.  They speed up decision making and produce efficient processes for repetitive tasks.

Every organisation has habits.  Some are deliberate processes or policy-driven, others are more informal, embedded in culture and passed on relationally.  Both types of habits are likely to be challenged in times of change.

People need to see the need an incentive to change habits, even if they know a pattern is a bad one.  They need a new cue and reward (Duhigg, 2013) in order to change. If they have a routine that they think is perfectly good then they need a reason to develop a new way of doing the thing.  As Jim Collins observes, it is often the good that is the enemy of the great, if people don’t have the incentive to change (2001).

Organisations need to embrace change

Change is important but of particular importance to organisations where the pace of change is challenging more traditional structures and processes.  Businesses need to grasp opportunities arising from flux without losing important values.  Fears need to be overcome and individuals need to be supported and developed through change so that leadership can emerge at every level.

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References

Adair, J (1973) Action-Centred Leadership, New York: McGraw-Hill

Collins, J (2001) Good to Great, London: Random House

Covey, S R (1989) The 7 Habits of Highly Effective People, London: Simon & Schuster

Darwin, C (1859) The Origen of Species By Means of Natural Selection, London: John Murray

Downey, M (2003) Effective Coaching: Lessons from the Coach’s Coach, London: Texere.

Duhigg, C (2013) The Power of Habit, London: Random House

Hansen, M T (2018) Great at Work: How Top Performers Do Less, Work Better, And Achieve More, New York: Simon & Schuster

Heraclitus (c.600 BCE, cited in 2008) Fragments, London: Penguin Classics

Hawking, S (1988) A Brief History of Time, London: Bantam Press

Gawande, A (2017) TED, Ideas Worth Spreading, https://www.ted.com/talks/atul_gawande_want_to_get_great_at_something_get_a_coach#t-988662(accessed 08 Apr 18)

Johnson, S (1999) Who Moved my Cheese: An Amazing Way to Deal with Change in Your Work and in Your Life, London: Vermilion

Kline, N (1999) Time to Think.London: Ward Lock

Kotter, J P (1996) Leading Change, Boston: Harvard Business School Press

Losch, S; Traut-Mattausch, E; Mulberger, M D; Jonas, E (2016) Comparing the Effectiveness of Individual Coaching, Self-Coaching, and Group Training: How Leadership Makes the Difference.Frontiers in Psychology, 7, pp.629

Shaw, B (1944) Everybody’s Political What’s What, London: Constable

Sinek, S (2009) Start with Why, London: Penguin

Van Nieurwerburgh, C (2017) An Introduction to Coaching Skills: A Practical Guide, London: Sage

Whitmore, J (1992) Coaching for Performance, London: Nicholas Brealey