Strengthen Your Odds!

As new employees enter the professional workforce, straight out of college, many have visions of getting ahead and occupying the "corner office" at some point in the future. Given the future is just that--the future, and decidedly uncertain, the question is what do you need today? How can you increase your odds of success? One thing is certain; the "corner office" maybe an evasive goal in the 21st century if you're not prepared to lead and coach others.

If you're interested in strengthening your odds then seek out an on-site coach from within your work environment that you can learn from. An experienced coach, defined as one with several years of hands on training in the trenches and a proven track record, can afford you valuable insight regarding the ups and downs of understanding self and working with others. Your coach, unlike a mentor, should be someone who interacts with you and those around you on a regular basis. But, make sure they willingly accept the responsibility that comes with coaching. The best way to identify the right coach is to start by observing, not asking. And, be very open to receiving and analyzing feedback if you expect to gain from your experience and theirs.

As organizations struggle to find their way out of the fog of today's economic pressures, on-site coaching is pivotal to your cause as formal education alone will come up short in the area of practical experience needed for successful execution of leadership know how. According to a blog post written by Nic A Paton "...It's not just managers and the newly-redundant who are being let down when it comes to skills, either...new graduates and younger Generation Y workers were being badly let down by the schooling system when it came to trying to get ahead in the jobs' market..." http://www.management-issues.com/2009/7/15/research/america-sill-suffering-shortage-of-skilled-labour.asp July 15, 2009.

A second blog post written by Brian Amble made similar claims; "Management and leadership skills development has been neglected by employers, government and managers themselves for far too long...We need a renewed focus on investing in training and development in this field, both for the current generation and future generations of mangers." http://www.management-issues.com/2010/8/11/research/self-delusion-rife-among-managers.asp August 11, 2010.

Each post finds fault with one group or another. Either it's the business schools, employers, government, or managers who are to blame. However, according to the later Peter F. Drucker you need to take matters into your own hands, "The worker has been given even less attention--and the knowledge worker so far receives almost none...Managers cannot wait till the scientists and scholars have done their work. Nor can the worker." So, who cares who's to blame? Either way you slice or dice it; you're left hanging in the balance.

And don't bother to run to your Human Resource department to sign up for yet another vanilla, geared for the masses, development and training program. While these programs have their value, it is obvious that they too are not enough. The learning process in these settings is too controlled and represent very little in the way of practical experience. Life comes at you from various angles, it's not scripted.

All frontline staff members would benefit from on the job coaching. Developing a coaching relationship will allow you to experience things differently as your coach will help you see and understand things that may otherwise go unnoticed. They can help you create a heightened sense of awareness of who you are and help you recognize the need for further development. Your coach can accelerate your ability to put theory into practice and give you the added courage to try. They also have a way of not allowing you to drown, hence delivering an invisible, mental, safety net. They are there for you and usually have enough business savvy to help you out of a jam. A good coach will not protect you from meaningful experiences, but enable your ability to recover quickly from missteps.

Managers who say they can't afford to take time away from the daily grind to coach staff members don't fully understand or appreciate their role within the organization. They cost their organization money and more than likely spend too much time working on the wrong thing--still carrying out daily task best assigned to others instead of planning for the future success of their staff.

If you already have someone in the work environment that fills the role of a coach--consider yourself fortunate. Perhaps you can further help your department by marshaling in a coaching program on a larger scale. If you've never had a coach you may not believe that such a person could be of any value to you. Don't take my word for it--experience it for yourself, find a work environment coach. If you can't find one, or no one professes to have the time, strongly consider who you are working for.

Sidebar: The line between coach and mentor is sometimes hard to separate. As a competitive figure skater, my coach and I worked together on a regular basis on the ice. My training routine included practicing jumps and spins--repeatedly. She was in a position to assess all of the factors that either facilitated or posed barriers to success during the actual practice session. She offered just in time, real time, feedback which allowed me to make adjustments on the spot.

In addition to competing, I had a second goal of becoming an adult figure skating coach as well. Thereby, my coach also served as my mentor. She provided insight, shared the ropes, introduced me to others and endorsed my skills or ability to coach others. Hence, my association with her opened doors for me. In some cases your coach and mentor maybe one in the same. If this is the case, consider yourself double lucky!

Challenge round: How effective or ineffective is the employee development training provided by most organizations through their Human Resources department? What worked, how is it valued? What doesn't work, what void does it leave in its wake? How does the program take you from knowing to doing? Is there any follow up to performance?