How do you skill up your team? Why skill up your team?
As the CEO Coach, you need to be very involved with the team, but you are not able to do all the heavy lifting. If you are not directly leading the marketing or the engineering efforts and have just enough expertise to be dangerous in those fields, how do you coach in ways that really matter to the team?
This might be a new way of thinking for some leaders. When asking a new chief executive about coaching individuals on a team, I sometimes get a funny look. And even once the leader starts to think about real team engagement, there can still be questions about how: what are the metrics? What do I check progress against?
Understanding Today – Planning For Tomorrow
We always start with recognizing the current state and then defining the directional vision, the future state. It is another example of meeting people where they are.
Current? Future? The real work is in the gap.
And, to compound the challenge, I am working with people who work with other people. So, my coaching for Billy has to take coworkers Ralph and Susie into account.
Let’s set the stage:
- Ralph has valuable experience and expertise, but he can be disruptive and rude with colleagues. Tough to work with – yet many think he is indispensable. His skills are valuable today and he is not strengthening the team culture. I’m uncertain of his ability to succeed as we grow – the new organization will demand new skills, capabilities, and an improved culture.
- Billy is a train wreck. He was brought on when we just needed to fill a seat on the bus, and we streamlined our rigorous hiring process. He is tough to work with and doesn’t do a very good job.
- Susie is always looking for a new challenge, is great to work with, but needs to up her skills and stop making mistakes.
Who has the best chance of moving to the “star” quadrant? Where do I devote my time? Part of coaching individuals is looking at them as key members of key teams. Part of “Meeting them where they are” is asking “Where are you?”
As the leader of the sample team, I ask myself a lot of questions:
- What is the current state of my team?
- Is Ralph worth it?
- How much longer should Billie stick around as we grow? Do I want him to stick around another day?
- Can Susie learn what is required by our future organization? How can we expedite her development?
What do you as a leader do with a high performer, a misfit, or a culture fit who is having trouble performing? And how do you coach someone who was a great fit – who might have been in that “star” quadrant when the company was young and small, but who is no longer the star – because the goal posts have moved.
Your Leadership Role – Integrating People Growth
As a leader, you’ve got to keep the whole team humming along, playing well, and working together.
How?
In your team sessions, you can give some time to that high performer misfit with things to work on during the team sessions. Then provide clear, specific feedback after the session. The pre and post (brief) coaching conversations give Ralph a chance.
It will be his choice to step up or not. Once you have given him a few chances, if he chooses not to develop, then the decision is clear. A plan to replace and help Ralph find a different team will be required.
With your increased coaching focus, the “indispensable” performer may become unhappy and self select. Time is not on your side however, so don’t just wait it out. Remember that the rest of the team is wondering why you have not jettisoned Ralph sooner if you are truly focused on a great culture.
Tough being the leader, huh?
Success is not that you can fix it all. Or that it can all be fixed. Success is coaching your team to move leaders along in their development. To step into their potential and be effective team players. Leaders that work well with other people to support team goals. In each conversation, look for the small wins. Avoiding the conversation makes zero progress and will force Susie and other talented team members to make their own choices. Inaction is still a decision. Please make the decision to have the conversations, coach your team, and give them the chance to step up or step out.
Regarding Billie, the best decision is to respectfully let him go with dignity to find another opportunity. He will be happier, and your team will be too.
Working on the gap between today and tomorrow with your team will lead to many small breakthroughs on the way to that desired future state.
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As leaders, we are constantly challenged to grow. Make a difference in your life, the lives of your employees, and take your company to the next level.
To find out more, contact Rom LaPointe.