Small Group Brainstorming: The 25 participants divided into three smaller groups, each generating recommendations and reporting these to the full group. Below is a summary of these recommendations:
• Some resistance was generated by what was perceived by the pilot teams as a disconnect between what is espoused and what is practiced. Thus, the culture change must start at the top with a strategic leadership conversation about why the change matters, what are the shared values and the vision at each level, what common language can express this vision, and how accountability can become a positive.
• This conversation will be enhanced by the development of teams through team coaching. The fact that team building typically takes two to three years requires a level of persistence that will be enabled by the ongoing strategic leadership conversation above.
• The resources to support these initiatives must be marshaled, from synthesizing a compelling story for the CEO to engaging the HR system in designing a reward structure for being a team.
Impact and Outcomes: In evaluating this experience, Marcia said “First, I heard a validation of multiple conversations I have had. Second, I realize that I am the only consistent coaching presence in this firm, so I am responsible for bringing in the lessons from the past. Third, I haven’t until now recognized the resources and time necessary to pull off something like this.”
Action Item: No matter how much experience you may have with coaching for organizational change, use other coaches or organizational leaders to confirm and/or freshen your approach.
Conclusions
We remember fondly the symposia held by ICCO. It can truly be a memorable and productive event when a group of professionals convene for robust dialogue about the effectiveness and improvement of coaching in organizations, specifically organized around the real, complex, multi-layered challenges of organizational leaders. What a gift it was to participate in these symposia—with case studies of current, real-time organizational issues or dynamics being presented to the group by the actual senior leaders of that organization and with participants in the symposium tackling it from both a consulting and a coaching point of view. These sessions were always dynamic, powerful, transformational, and meaningful. They often created sustainable impact for the organizations presenting. Most importantly, this “dream team” model is still viable and can be enacted by any leadership team, coaching or consulting group, or organization such as ICCO which is committed to the further development of leaders and their organizations.
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