The Coaching Approach A Catalyst to Staff Retention, Improved Performance and a Dairy Farming Career

Simon Gibson

Topics
What is coaching? The environment and skills that drive the process Where is coaching most effective within a business? Benefits of the coaching culture

What is coaching?
Who has read, heard about or discussed the subject of coaching for the first time, other than sports coaching, in the past two years? Your reading could be from the local papers, to the international magazines, to research papers, best sellers, radio and television. What these articles are saying? Businesses and organisations are discovering that the traditional command and control style (the tell approach) of management alone is no longer effective in todays environment. Todays environment requires change as the norm. On-going employee career development and satisfaction, accountability, individual effort and high performance are critical to the team and business success. These in turn contribute to a stable, adaptable and competent workforce. People want career and personal direction, purpose, balance, achievement and action. They need accelerated learning, clarity of goals and to be valued and given recognition. The coaching approach is increasingly being promoted as a style of leadership to assist in meeting these needs. This trend is now worldwide. In reality, coaching has been around a long time. I am sure you can relate to a situation in the past where somebody has supported and encouraged you to achieve or plan for improvement. This persons focus was to support you achieve your goals and what you perceived as a success. Notes:

That person showed genuine interest in you, was always there for you and believed in you and your potential. You trusted them, they created an environment that you felt comfortable in, you could share without fear, you were confident and felt special and you responded, learnt, worked hard and achieved your goal and felt good about yourself. You celebrated those little successes together and that person was a support when things did not go so well. That is the essence of a coaching relationship. Nothing new really, we have known the value of coaching for a long time maybe we have lost our way a bit over recent years around values and what matters most. Still, coaching is here in a big way. Research supports the value of the coaching. It found that training alone increases the capability of an individual by 25%. Effective ongoing coaching to follow that training can grow the capability to 80%. My personal experience in the coaching business over the past 10 years supports these views. The coaching approach is an credible process and is an essential leadership and personal development tool. Key messages and outcomes of coaching The coaching approach is a learnable discipline, as is the skill set. There are three avenues of learning: training (the event) , self learning, coaching. Coaching leverages and follows training and gives accountability to self-learning. The coaching culture model will offer sustainable benefits to all stakeholders involved in a farming business. The coaching moment The coaching moment occurs when an individual is prepared, or ready, to take on new information or skills that will create a shift in their knowledge or behaviour. It can be informal or formal and either the coach or the person being coached can create the coaching moment, hence creating an environment of responsibility. The coaching moment can be on-the-job spontaneous coaching, formal arranged one-onone coaching or team coaching. What coaching does Creates self-awareness It provokes thought, new insights, ideas and options. Generates responsibility It challenges you to find your own solutions, as well as a commitment to implement those solutions.

Grows confidence and self-belief I have the potential. I will try that. Tell me how to do this. Increases competence I want to learn, I want to know. It leverages the training programmes and on-the-job knowledge. Improves performance It encourages standards and pride in achievements. Offers choice Decision making is based on values and understanding the implications. It will create a self-generated career path, leading to an empowered and committed workforce. The desired outcome of the coaching process is simply: A shift in thinking and behaviour followed by a changed result.

The Environment and skills that drive the process

The coaching environment Intent The focus is on the coachee's agenda, goals and definition of success. The coachs work is geared to moving the individual forward on the path of their success, enabling them to find answers and develop. Behaviour Words and actions are not judgmental in nature and are delivered in a neutral manner, relevant to the coachees situation. This is generally in a manner that is supportive and open. Relationship Mutual respect and an established reason to work together are essential.

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Trust This is the outcome of the intent, behaviour and the relationship. Trust is an essential element. Coaching skills Listen to understand There is a need for active or emphatic listening. Listen with the coachees agenda in mind and to fully understand what they are saying, not saying and feeling! This can be very difficult. Are you really listening? .....or are you just waiting for your turn to talk? Questioning Use open questions beginning with what, who, when, how, where. Establish and clarify the context and focus and create awareness, possibilities, options and ideas. This all needs to be done without judgment, and this is challenging! Feedback Acknowledge a shift in behaviour and achievements and what that shift will enable people to do going forward. The coachee needs focused feedback to acknowledge, celebrate or endorse positive contributions, learnings and behaviours. This will contribute towards creating an environment of being valued. Messaging There is a need for a non-judgmental message to create a shift in behaviour. The intent here is to unstick the coachee to allow a shift to occur. Accountability This is generated when the coachee tells/shares what he/she will be implementing and when this will happen going forward. The coaching process Why do we have a process? Provides structure Creates a predictable progression towards outcomes Creates a collaborative environment Provides a powerful way to be intentional in conversations.

Table 1 What is the Process? Step One Establish where the coachee is at currently Create a GAP Step Two Where they want to be - the goal Coaching skills drive Steps Three to Seven through the Gap Step Three Step Four Step Five Step Six Step Seven Establish the focus Discover the options and possibilities Plan the action Remove the barriers Review

Where is coaching most effective within a business?

Where does coaching fit? The most effective way to introduce the coaching approach is at the senior management level. Target the people who currently have staff responsibility, are accountable for making the decisions and are able to influence the culture and success of the business. These people require coach specific training and follow up coaching. They need to be familiar with the process, competent in the skills and understand the values and standards of the environment. With these people committed to this approach and armed with the skills and knowledge, the coaching approach has the opportunity to permeate through the whole business. It is from this point that the new entrant to dairy farming can, through the coaching approach, be supported to develop that embedded on-the-job learning. The new entrant can also develop and be coached to specific goals and personal learning plans. They can begin to see a career in dairy farming and leverage the training and learning offered by Agriculture ITO and other learning organizations.

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The new entrant will, through coaching, experience empowerment. Empowerment is about creating conditions that foster accountability to release the talent, ability and potential that exists in people. Six levels of empowerment Empowering leaders employ a flexible style that adapts to two variables: The perceived risk of the situation (visibility, cost, importance, etc) The confidence in the person (his/her character and competence knowledge, skills, experience, motivation, honesty, trustworthiness, etc). The combination of the two determines how much supervision is required or freedom is allowed, depending on the people and the situation. The following levels of empowerment can be a point of reference: Table 2 Levels of empowerment Level One Level Two Level Three Level Four Level Five Level Six Wait until you are told Ask for instructions Bring recommendations Do it and report immediately Do it and report routinely Do it Delegation

The process for evaluating levels of empowerment is 1. Determine your confidence in the person. 2. Determine your perception of the situations risk. 3. Determine your perspective on the appropriate level of empowerment, and what leadership style is appropriate for that person at their level. 4. Plan how to communicate your expectations using that leadership style. Benefits to the leaders and business The benefits of the coaching approach to the leaders are numerous. It grows their leadership skills and they become more effective and complete in their roles. They can become better communicators, grow their interpersonal skills and have a wider understanding and perspective of what the accountabilities of the leadership role are.

The key result is the leaders are better able to manage the HR matters on the farm. To be specific, less staff turnover, higher retention of quality staff and the investment in training and people is leveraged. The coaching approach is a vital component of leadership. Over recent years there has been much research done on leadership styles by Daniel Goleman. One of the key points the research makes is that successful leadership is about the appropriate use of up to four leadership styles. Two of these styles are: 1. The ask or coaching style 2. The tell or directive style. Understanding the distinction between the coaching (ask) approach and the tell (directive) approach is important. The traditional tell (directive) approach of leadership and management is a direct, authorative approach which at worst can be destructive, controlling and impersonal. At best it gets things done on time and within criteria. At the appropriate time and environment the tell (directive) style is very effective. The coaching (ask) approach is less traditional and is growing in prominence for reasons we have already talked about. The coaching (ask) approach in the business environment generates personal responsibility and develops a creative and supportive environment. It is inclusive. Both approaches are valid and effective used in the appropriate circumstances. Effective sustainable leadership has a balance of both the tell (directive) and coaching (ask) approaches operating and the key to success is knowing when to use the appropriate approach. Ineffective leadership is a result of an imbalance of approach, and constant disruptive HR issues are often a result of this imbalance.

Benefits of the coaching culture

The coaching approach culture Leadership Leadership is a choice, not a position Balanced coaching and directive style Self-leadership is a prerequisite to organizational leadership.

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Accountability Aligned effective teams People understand what part/role they play and how they contribute to the business vision and values. Innovation and involvement People are expected to contribute with new ideas and develop best practice.

Stable empowered work force The work environment is supportive and people feel valued They are learning and growing in responsibility.

Sustainable results/profits The culture contributes towards sustainable results and profits for the organisation.

Benefits of coaching The coaching approach is a positive process that supports all individuals to develop selfgenerated solutions and strategies, increases self-awareness and encourages accountability. It is a discipline and a skill set, which focuses on the individuals agenda, enhances performance, action, creativity, momentum and transformation. It is a style of leadership that promotes an involved, empowered workforce. When does coaching work? Coaching works when: the attitude is right the environment is right trust, values, intent the process and skills are applied goals and objectives are established perceived and actual benefits are understood the appropriate leadership style is applied.

References
Covey S R. 4 Roles of Leadership.

Recommended Books to Read

Blanchard K. The One Minute Manager: Builds High Performing Teams. Goleman D. Working with Emotional Intelligence. Johnson S. Who Moved my Cheese?. Covey S. 7 Habits of Highly Effective People.

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