Martin Charles Raff <martin@vistaraff.win-uk.net> writes:
> I am preparing for a short seminar for a group of consultants on
> coaching top management who wish to lead organisational change. We
> are interseted in learning more about how consultants can help top
> leaders with their personal development and learning on this issue.
>
> I would be fascinated to hear what thoughts learning org people
> might have on this. In particular on:
>
> What is the 'subject matter' of the coaching/relationship? By which
> I mean the need for us to understand the leaders role in whole
> system change.
Developing the perception of Integrity. Colloquially, "walking the talk",
understanding that how your actions are percieved in this role is more
important in many cases than the substance of the action.
Fairness. A reputation for honesty.
Comprehension that knowledge of specific tasks is more a hindrance than a
help in most executive leadership roles. The notion that credible
leadership is universal.
> What is involved for the leader personally in this sort of change?
> What does he or she need to learn/do/change? What are their
> feelings/problems/incentives in making the personal journey towards
> a new place?
A reocgnition of the obstacles involved is essential. I know of no effort
anywhere that has produced a consistent or statistically significant
change in leadership behavior. Leaders tend to believe as they always
have; many times, organizational transformation is caused by
organizational changes that place those leaders that behave in the "right"
ways in key positions, while minimizing the contact that leaders with
"wrong" behaviors have with the organization, if indeed they are retained
at all (because of specialized knowledge, technical skills, etc.).
If you look at the huge "success stories" and case studies, I know of no
instance where you do not find a leader placed, rather than grown.
Only a very few people successfully "make the change". Those people have
to abandon ego, and assume personal accountability on a scale that seems
ridiculous from an outside perspective. Ralph Stayer, head of Johnsonville
Foods, is one of the few leaders of which I am aware to "make the change"
- get his book. His manta, "If it's to be, it's up to me.", while trite,
is accurate in describing the degree of personal responsibility an
executive leader and coach has to assume. At the same time, the executive
leader has to abandon control over tasks almost totally, the worst of all
possible worlds to many minds.
> What is the consultant role? Is coaching - in the sense of teaching,
> possible in this situation? Or is the consultant's role more that of
> catalyst or facilitator? Or is there no role for a consultant?
The second. There is a role - catalyst and facilitator, yes, provider of
information maybe more accurate, externalized conscience may be more
accurate still.
There is a model for this role. When monarchies were fashionable, many
rulers employed a "discreet", a private "confessor" whose sole
responsibility was to be the sounding board to which the ruler unburdened
himself, and who could perhaps make suggestions to the monarch that might
have landed other advisors in a cell somewhere.
The above is scantily sketched in, but it provides a starting point of
sorts.
M. Carpenter
--penguin <penguin@rapidramp.com>
Learning-org -- An Internet Dialog on Learning Organizations For info: <rkarash@karash.com> -or- <http://world.std.com/~lo/>