To use the term Lean Coaching might almost sounds like an oxymoron to many.  There might be fears of expediting the process, being insensitive to people’s needs and just being more concerned about a result rather than the people involved.  However these thoughts stem from a lack of understanding as to what the concept of lean truly means and for that matter, coaching.

Lean Coaching considers the whole spectrum of the coaching engagement.  It’s not just the sessions where coach and client converse; it’s also about the activities in between that emerge from these sessions.  But more importantly it has to do with the agreement between coach and client as to how best to affect a solution.  Coaching is often driven by the supposed “tried and tested” processes of so many sessions over a period of time.  Lean Coaching is solution driven and involves helping the client achieve a solution in an efficient manner, with consideration to both costs and time.

In order to be effective in this method, coaches need to be the following:
1. Solution Oriented – start with the end in mind and get to challenge quickly
2. Skills Mastery – become masterly proficient at using coaching skills and tools
3. Multi Facet Communication – utilize all forms of communicate (text, e-mail, phone, etc) to build and maintain momentum
4. Measure Success – be able to demonstrate achievement

This may appear mechanical but don’t forget this is about the client which is at the core of what coaching is all about.  It offers an effective way of helping clients realize solutions in an efficient manner; what client’s wouldn’t want this?

©2013 New England Coaching. All Rights Reserved.

When you consider words like power, selling, advocating and negotiating, they all really speak about one’s ability to influence.  The Webster Dictionary defines influence as “the capacity of persons or things to produce affects on others by intangible or indirect means”.  The interesting and somewhat surprising aspect of this definition is the mention of “intangible or indirect means” for achieving a result.  It almost implies that there is something subtle or covert going on.

In truth, what this essentially is pointing to is the fact that most of us are not moved to do things purely for extrinsic reasons such as tangible rewards.  Motivation guru, Dan Pink suggests that for many activities, particularly as they might pertain to power, selling, advocating and negotiating, it is more the intrinsic factors that are the driving forces.

However research conducted by Sinan Aral, at NYU’s School of Business suggests that the power of influence also has its limitations.  He cites how Ashton Kucher has over 13 million Twitter followers but very few would actually act on what he might suggest.  In other words he has in fact very little influence.

The key, according to Aral, to all this is the connection that exists between the person doing the influencing and the person being influenced.  Think about it, people are more likely to act on the recommendation of somebody they know.  In this context  the missing link within the true power of influence is  the existence of a relationship between parties.

So when you consider how best to exert power, sell product, advocate for a cause or negotiate an outcome, establish some form of connection or relationship first; it will have a huge bearing on your ability to influence the outcome.

©2013 New England Coaching. All Rights Reserved.

1. Better before Cheaper – compete on differentiators rather than price
2. Revenue before Cost – prioritize growing revenue over reducing costs
3. There are no rules – change anything to follow Rules 1 and 2

This was a little disappointing as one might be expecting some earth shattering revelation but instead it was really only two rules and even these might appear pretty pedestrian to most.  Without question there are sub elements to these two points that would speak to more obvious business drivers such as technology, innovation, leadership, marketing, customer knowledge, etc but perhaps these speak to the fundamental psychology and simplicity of business success.

So if business success can be viewed in such basic terms, how might it translate in a similar way to personal success?  Perhaps the three rules might look something like the following:

1. Always do your best with what you have – optimization of your unique abilities and qualities are your key differentiators.
2. Invest in your personal growth and development – seek out ways in which you continuously enhance your intellectual, physical and mental wellbeing.
3. Simply take care of the above and everything else will be fine.

Perhaps the purpose of research is to make things simpler and maybe even confirm what we already knew. But business can often be quite the metaphor for life so if there is something that we can garner from this type of research in personal terms then so much the better.

©2013 New England Coaching. All Rights Reserved.

In his book, “To Sell is Human”, Dan Pink quotes research conducted by Barbara Frederickson of The University of North Carolina as to what is the right balance between positivity and negativity is in order to be most effective.  The results suggest, for optimum performance, there should be a 3:1 ratio of positive to negative emotions.  You can do the test yourself at http://www.positivityratio.com/. This is essentially saying that one needs to be positive most of the time but that some degree of negativity is appropriate.  It might be akin to bringing positivity to what you do but in a grounded way (e.g. challenge appropriately).  This has tremendous implications to teachers, parents, leaders and indeed coaches.

In coaching, the objective is to facilitate a process that leads a client ultimately to where they want to be – a better place or outcome.  Most coaches feel that by being positive there is a contagion associated with this that is good for the client; this is true and who’d want to be coached by Debbie Downer?  Additionally, by having this appropriate blend of positivity, it can help create engagement, motivation and creativity in the process.  It also builds confidence and likeability, on the part of the client, in the coach’s abilities.  These are key ingredients for success.

Most good coaches already have this, its part of their DNA and, most likely it’s why they became coaches in the first place.  But for those who might struggle in this department, take the test and consciously begin to look more at the opportunities to succeed rather than all the challenges impeding you. Is your glass half full or half empty?

©2013 New England Coaching. All Rights Reserved.

Sadly for many, career and happiness are two words that don’t belong in the same sentence.
Many individuals legitimately pursue a certain career with the best of intentions and yet end up unhappy.  Some might even go as far as to suggest that you are not supposed to be happy; after all that is why you get compensated.  Does it really have to be that way?

Here are some cold facts.  We spend an average of 50 hours per week working when you consider commuting as well.  That represents about 40% of our waking hours.  We also spend 45 years working which with an average lifespan of 75 years represents 60% of our entire life.  This translates into approx 25% of our total life awake on the planet we spend working and for some reason many or most are unhappy during this time.  This does not even take into consideration the indirect affect of this when you go home in an unhappy state.  Is this acceptable?

What is the measure of a good career and for that matter what is being happy, and should these two ever cross?  The simple answer is yes they can, but it often takes a purposeful plan to make it happen.  Here are some basic steps to just initiate the process.

• Identify what would make you happy and don’t accept your first answer; dig deep and create your own personal vision
• List out the consequences or requirements in order to be in that state, relative to finances, relationship, health, etc.  Life is about tradeoffs.
• Speak with some trusted advisors or coaches that might help provide additional clarity or information?
• Start “doing” – work on some activities that would advance the process.

Every journey starts with one small step.  It may not happen today or tomorrow but if you set your sights, seek the opportunities and create the action plan to get there, it is possible.  We all have some control over our destiny – so at a minimum take responsibility for that!!

©2013 New England Coaching. All Rights Reserved.

Notwithstanding, a debate still rages as to whether, on its own, virtual learning is truly an affective mode with the general consensus favoring some form of blended delivery. Blended learning is a form of education that combines face-to-face classroom methods with computer-mediated activities. According to its proponents, the strategy creates a more integrated approach for both instructors and students.

However what is still somewhat elusive with any of these approaches is the application of what is being learned back in the workplace. Many training organizations do not allow for this and rather see this as being the responsibility of the individual or organization. The reality is that the job is only half done in the learning phase.

The overlooked component is translating these new skills and tools into enhancing an employee’s effectiveness on the job (in the real world). This is where coaching has a huge contribution to make and especially so if the learning is primarily virtual. This can be individual or group based but the fundamental benefits of supplementing with coaching for a period of time post the learning phase is that it:

1. Creates an expectation of doing something with the training such as practicing new skills, modifying behaviors, etc

2. Puts in place an action oriented support system

3. Provides accountability towards achieving certain goals or milestones

4. Ensures successful outcomes and benefits to the organization

5. Most importantly, it more visibly demonstrates the return on investment

Coaching is an enabler of learning. Without it the investment in the first place can be a big waste of time and money.

©2013 New England Coaching. All Rights Reserved.

This is not to say that the current process is bad but rather insufficient. Without doubt a recruiter can provide a reasonable number of potential candidates based on technical expertise and experience. Interviews help in terms of getting a variety of perspectives from people familiar with the organization. However these can be skewed by individuals following their own agendas and not really looking for what’s best for the organization. Will this person show me up? I don’t like where he/she went to college, they’re no fun, etc. Notwithstanding this traditional process, would you really want to marry somebody after two or three dates; I don’t think so. So what’s missing?

Clearly there is something elusive about connecting the potential candidates with the job that’s to be filled. How are these individuals most likely to behave once settled in and what, from an intrinsic (non monetary/benefits) motivation point of view, truly “makes them tick”. What if you had some insights as to their most likely behavior and also knew what truly motivated them (beyond the dollar)?

Emotional Intelligence (EI) speaks to a certain skill set that manifests in how people behave and, subsequently and most importantly, how they relate to others – boss, peers, reports, clients, vendors, etc. How do they show up? Are they empathetic towards others, can they manage moods or control emotions in tough situations? Imagine if you could identify what EI skills were necessary for a certain position and then compared these to the perceived skills of a potential candidate?

Intrinsic motivating factors play a small role in hiring somebody but a huge role in whether they stay or you keep them. Imagine if you could assesses the level of congruence that existed within a specific job relative to what really motivates the potential candidate?

Ultimately we are looking for “FIT”. Perhaps Emotional Intelligence and Motivation are the missing links.

©2013 New England Coaching. All Rights Reserved.

When you broaden this definition of selling, you are getting into the realm of influencing, cajoling, asking and indeed coaching. Dan Pink argues that selling is all about moving people and so too is coaching. The term “coaching” was supposedly borrowed from the old stage coach that physically transported (aka moved) people from one place to another.

When you truly coach somebody, it’s as though the client is making a deal (selling) with them self whilst the coach simply facilitates the process. Some examples might be:

• Actively looking for a new job so that you will be happier with your career
• Exercising and dieting so you can lose weight
• Learning and practicing new skills so that you can be a better leader

Another perspective on this topic is that some coaches argue that they are not comfortable “selling”. How about you think of coaching as a most effective form of selling? After all it’s about helping the potential client see what they want and the “movement” required to getting there. So just coach and without knowing it, you might be closing the deal.

©2013 New England Coaching. All Rights Reserved.

As human beings, despite our best intentions, we make “mistakes” all the time. As Peter Buffet in his book Life Is What You Make Of It, he points that we makes mistakes when impatient and indecisive, with foolish acts and foolish failures to act, when overly ambitious and not ambitious enough. There is no prescription for this and each situation is unique to every individual. Yes we can learn from others but you will never know exactly what works for you unless you try it.

Obviously, a certain amount of caution can be exercised but doing nothing can also be considered a mistake; a Catch 22 if you will! This applies to every single aspect of your life whether it has to do with family, career, health, money, relationships, etc. So what might be some options to mange these “essential mistakes”?

• Do some analysis – assess the “pros and cons” to gain a deeper insight of what might be involved
• Speak to others – identify those you know, like or trust who might have some experience and are prepared to offer their advice
• Hire a coach – seek out an objective, professional confidante who will challenge but also support you along the way
• Be courageous and just do it – maybe walk before your run and you can always adjust your setting along the way.

All of this revolves around being an active player in your life and being less concerned about the judgments of others. Perhaps there are no mistakes!

©2013 New England Coaching. All Rights Reserved.

1. Leadership

Within a volunteer body, if there is not a strong leadership presence the whole thing falls apart rapidly. However the style and approach is critically important. The best analogy is a conductor of an orchestra. Alone, there is no music but with appropriate direction towards the musicians, amazing things can happen. And one of the primary responsibilities of any good leader is to clearly provide a sense of ….

2. Purpose

This is so often overlooked and speaks to the question of WHY. Why are we here, why do we help this organization, why do we work so hard? With purpose, intrinsic motivators such as fulfillment, satisfaction and other positive feelings prevail. Without it, people will offer a minimum in terms of their unique talents and may give rise to the possible minimization of the critical element of….

3. Engagement

People at a very basic level need to feel a sense of belonging; that their voices are heard and that their ideas are considered. When they do, they are enthusiastic about their experience, they feel it’s time being well spent and because of this engaging environment, they are far more likely to spring into…..

4. Action

Yes this is where the rubber meets the road. With action “stuff” gets done, money is raised, donations are forthcoming, the needy are helped and most important the purpose gets fulfilled.

Although this is presented in the context of a non profit “volunteer” organization, quite frankly all of the above is very relevant in a “for profit” environment as well.

©2013 New England Coaching. All Rights Reserved.