BUSINESS / EXECUTIVE COACHING : RISING TO THE NEXT LEVEL

BUSINESS / EXECUTIVE COACHING :

RISING TO THE NEXT LEVEL

 

 

"Many of the World's most admired corporations, from GE to Goldman Sachs, invest in coaching. Annual spending on coaching in the US is estimated at roughly $1 Billion Dollars." ― Harvard Business Review .

Even modest improvements can justify hiring a business coach. A reasonable investment in getting a competent coach for an executive who has responsibility for tens of millions of dollars is a sound business decision .

“Business coaching is attracting America’s top CEOs because, put simply, business coaching works. ” - FORTUNE Magazine

Xerox Corporation carried out several studies on coaching. They determined that in the absence of follow-up coaching to their training classes, 87% of the skills change brought about by the program was lost.

In a survey carried out by Right Management consultants in America , 86 percent of companies said they used coaching to sharpen skills of individuals who have been identified as future organizational leaders.

"The business demand for coaching is nearly doubling each year. " ― Business Wire

 

Business / Executive Coaching is for you , if :

§        You are a top executive in a Company or Organization interested in taking it to the next level .

§        You are a team leader or senior executive interested in taking your team performance to the next level .

§        You are an executive interested in improving your performance in the organization and building your career .

§        You are an NGO , or a freelancer , or are engaged in any business activity , and are interested in improving the results that you are producing now .

Executive Coaching , when undertaken , benefits you in many ways :

§        Every area of your activity is put under the magnifying glass . There will be review and fresh thinking on past trends , present activities and future aspirations .

§        There will be flashes of inspirations , fresh ideas , deep understanding and new directions .

§        With new results in sight action-plans will be finally drawn to move on to a higher level .

§        The Return on Investment is usually Very Very High .

The Coaching Methodology is a step-by-step , deep and meticulous process . It is best described as stated below :

The three chief steps of coaching are generally known as :

§        EXPLORATION

§        REALIZATION

§        ACTION

Normally the following six areas of activity are put under the scanner :

§        HR & PERSONNEL

§        FINANCE ( Use of internal resources )

§        MARKETING ( Making use of external resources )

§        OPERATIONS

§        R&D

§        MANAGEMENT ( Checking that the other five areas of activities are performing at an optimum level )

For each area of activity discussed above , the following aspects are looked into :

§        CENTRAL VALUES

§        VISION

§        CENTRAL GOAL

§        STRATEGIC TARGET

§        RESULTS PRODUCED

§        LEVEL OF SATISFACTION

§        BLOCKS

As understanding grows and insights occur , the following steps are taken :

§        SWOT ANALYSIS

§        CHANGES AND OUTCOMES DESIRED WITH 360 DEGREE COVERAGE IN LIGHT OF NEW UNDERSTANDINGS .

§        CRITICAL OUTPUTS .

§        PLAN OF ACTION .

§        SUCCESS CRITERIA .

Using coaching , instead of sending executives and managers to seminars twice or thrice a year , can be more beneficial as well as less expensive .

Executives , unless coached , seldom reach their maximum capabilities.

Therefore it is discreet to have a competent executive coach by your side to build your business as well as to have a rewarding personal life at the same time .

 

 

 

 

MONITORING PROGRESS OF ORGANISATIONAL PERFORMANCE WITH EAGLE EYES ( COPYRIGHT RESERVED )

        MONITORING  PROGRESS OF ORGANISATIONAL PERFORMANCE  WITH  EAGLE  EYES
[ COPYRIGHT  RESERVED ]

BY  S. K. SENGUPTA 

Every member of an organization must have definite targets . Every member must clearly know what his targets are . Every member must fulfill his targets . Only then the organization can achieve its goals .

It therefore is essential that at the beginning of every production or financial year targets are set for every employee of an organization . Every employee should be made to set the targets in consultation with his reporting authority . Targets will be finalized only after the reporting authority gives his signed approval .                                                                     

After the yearly target has been settled , it has to be broken down into mutually agreed upon monthly targets . The reporting authority then can subsequently check the actual achievements of the employee against the planned monthly targets .

What this write-up proposes to suggest here is the format in which the monthly planned targets of an employee can be usefully presented .This format is easy to prepare , simple to understand , and a very effective tool to keep progress on track for the organization as a whole from top to bottom .

To understand how the format has to be prepared for a particular employee , let us take the manager of Personal Banking Division ( PBD ) of a private Bank . There are four areas , let us suppose , in which he is expected to perform :

             i.            Business Development ( Deposits & Advances )

           ii.            Customer Satisfaction ( Holding Monthly Customer Meeting & Minimizing Customer grievances )

         iii.            Bringing new Prestigious accounts to Bank’s Books .

        iv.            Major Image Building Measures .

The yearly measurable/quantifiable targets in these four areas will be fixed for the manager . This will be done by the manager himself in consultation with his reporting authority , in this case the Branch Manager . These goals fixed for the manager ( PBD ) has to be in harmony with the overall goals of the Bank . These goals will be settled only after the Branch Manager okays it after every due consideration . Once this is done , the yearly targets will be divided into monthly targets by the manager subject to approval by the Branch Manager . Once this too is done , then the 12 monthly targets will be presented in a format as shown below :

MONTHLY  GOAL  SHEET

( Month Ending April , 2015 )

Goal – Business Development

HEAD	CURRENT POSITION	MONTHLY TARGET	ACTUAL PERFORMANCE	VARIANCE	COMMENTS
Deposits
Advances

Goal – Customer Satisfaction

HEAD	CURRENT POSITION	MONTHLY TARGET	ACTUAL PERFORMANCE	VARIANCE	COMMENTS
Number of Meetings Held
Number of Grievances Received

Goal – New Prestigious Accounts

HEAD	CURRENT POSITION	MONTHLY TARGET	ACTUAL PERFORMANCE	VARIANCE	COMMENTS
New Accounts Brought

Goal – Major Image Building

HEAD	CURRENT POSITION	MONTHLY TARGET	ACTUAL PERFORMANCE	VARIANCE	COMMENTS
New Image Building Measures

On 1^st of April this sheet will be opened . Current Position will show the position as on the start of the day on 1^st of April . Next column will show the monthly Target . At the end of the day on 30^th April , the actual position will be mentioned under Actual Performance . If Actual Performance is greater than the Monthly Target , then the excess will be shown as a positive (+) variance under the Variance column . If Actual Performance = Target , then Variance will be Nil . If Actual Performance is less than Monthly Target , then the shortfall will be mentioned as a negative (-) variance . Suitable Comments must be given to explain any substantial Negative or Positive Variance . This report must be prepared at the end of each month and submitted to the Reporting Authority . On the first of next month , the sheet for the next month will come into operation .

The Reporting ( and Controlling ) Authority , the Branch Manager in this case , will watch over the performance of the PBD Manager . If the PBD Manager is over-performing or under-performing , his ( PBD Manager’s ) comments and the circumstances will have to be observed analytically . The Branch Manager then will have to report the matter to Higher Authorities with his observations . In case of under-performance suitable corrective actions will be taken . In case of over-performance the PBD Manager will be duly rewarded .

Suppose the Hierarchy in an Organization is as shown below :

Here , the Reporting ( and Controlling ) Authority

for E1 is D1

for E2 is D2

for E3 is D3

for E4 is D4

for E5 is D5

for E6 is D6  .

The Reporting ( and Controlling ) Authority

for D1 is C1

for D2 is C2

for D3 is C3

for D4 is C4

for D5 is C5

for D6 is C6  .

The Reporting ( and Controlling ) Authority

for C1 is B1

for C2 is B1

for C3 is B2

for C4 is B2

for C5 is B3

for C6 is B3  .

The Reporting ( and Controlling ) Authority

for B1 is A

for B2 is A

for B3 is A

A is the ultimate Head of the Organization . Therefore , he has no Controlling or Reporting Authority . Nevertheless he is responsible for the overall Targets and Goals of the Organization which he has to achieve with all the employees working under him .

As shown in the chart above , the monthly targets for each employee will be prepared in consultation with his Reporting Authority . The Reporting Authority gives final consent to the targets . Subsequently the monthly monitoring of performance of each employee is also done by the Reporting ( and Controlling ) Authority .

As can be seen in the Chart , all employees ( except the ones at the very bottom and the very top ) have to report to a higher authority , and at the same time there are other employees below them who have to report to them . A has to report to no one as he is at the top of the structure . No one reports to E1 , E2 , E3 , E4 , E5 & E6 as they are at the bottom of the structure .

If Overall Goals are suitably broken down and handed over to all the employees , and if all the employees achieve the targets allotted to them , the Goals of the Organization will be achieved . For this it is essential that the performance of every single employee is closely monitored on a regular basis as explained above .

Many many organizations and institutions do not take the trouble of fixing quantifiable targets for each and every employee . Often they say that quantifying targets is not possible . Nothing can be farther from truth . With a little application of mind , targets can be quantified . If necessary an organization can take the help of experts to learn how to do it in the initial stages .

Quantified planning is a must . Every employee thereafter must produce results to match these plans . Without these measures an organization cannot survive .

Performance has no substitute .

QUICK ACTION AND STRAIGHT VICTORY ( COPYRIGHT RESERVED )

QUICK ACTION AND STRAIGHT VICTORY

§        What is STRATEGY ?

      Strategy is a blueprint , a complete overall scheme of action , to achieve a crystallized cherished goal .

      For example , if we need to attack an enemy post from three sides simultaneously for victory , then the strategy will cover the general overall details of the invasion from all the three sides .

§        What is PLANNING ?

Each part of the overall Strategy requires separate detailed planning for the attainment of the goal .

So for the scheme of invading the enemy post in the example mentioned above , we will have three separate plans to attack the enemy post from three different sides .

§        What is TACTICS ?

Tactics are the step-by-step methods which are used to accomplish a plan .

In the example on hand , we have three plans . For ensuring the definite and easy accomplishment of each plan , we will need to apply our mind . We have to work out the Who , When , Where and How of how to proceed . These well thought-out steps of the move-by-move action process are called the Tactics .

§        What is the First Thing To Do when we want to achieve a goal ?

Obviously , the first thing to do is to be crystal-clear about what precisely is our target , what exactly are we out to achieve . We must have a crystallized goal .

§        How should we prepare ourselves before we Prepare A Strategy ?

Before working out a Strategy , take stock of :

                                i.            How much time is available to you .

                              ii.            How much manpower is available . Can you get reinforcement within the time on hand ?

                            iii.            Sum total of resources available with you . Can you get more supply of resources within the time that you have ?

§        What is the next step in devising a Strategy ?

Focus your mind on :

                                i.            What are the obstacles and difficulties that you might encounter in carrying out the action-plan . What risks are involved ?

                              ii.            Considering every danger and every pitfall , how much manpower is required to accomplish the task victoriously ?

                            iii.            What resources in what quantity will be required to execute the task successfully ?

                           iv.            What skills will be required to overcome all the obstacles .

§        What is at the heart of a Genius Strategy ?

The following Master Steps are at the core of a Genius Strategy :

                                i.            Strategize to win the War , not the Battles . Don’t waste energy and vital resources on pulling down plenty of pillars . Think of a penetrating action to pull down The Central Pillar which will bring down the entire enemy structure .

                              ii.            Think hard for a strategy so that this Central Pillar can be vanquished with minimum resistance , minimum action and minimum efforts .

                            iii.            For victory , we need a Brilliant Army , not some individual heroic soldiers . Flawless coordination between teams ( in charge of different plans which are part of the overall Strategy ) , and perfect co-ordination between members within a team is vital for victory .

§        What is done after the overall Master Strategy is ready ?

The following steps are taken :

                                i.            Each field of Action is identified under the Master Strategy , and accordingly the overall game-strategy is broken down into effective and easily manageable Plans . Each Plan is put under the charge of a different team . Perfect coordination between the different teams is worked out meticulously .

                              ii.            A ‘Vision Board’ is prepared for the overall Master Strategy , so that everyone can See the Big Picture . Everyone then realizes the role of each plan ( which is a part of the master Strategy ) , and can also visualize how the role of every member is absolutely vital for the success of the Big Picture .

§        What do we do after the plans are ready ?

The next steps are mentioned below :

                                i.            The more we apply our minds before Action , the more easily and better we perform . Therefore , each plan is now broken down into very very small and easy action-steps , often known as ‘baby steps’ . This makes the entire game-plan very easy to perform .

                              ii.            These action-steps which are taken to accomplish a plan are known as Tactics . At times these tactics proceed as foreseen . At times these tactics have to be spontaneous , at the spur of the moment , and different from what was foreseen . This is so because Reality often is different from what was pre-conceived and planned .

                            iii.            The ‘Vision Board’ is now further elaborated and completed . Each Plan is shown in it . The connection and interdependence between the plans is displayed to make the Big Picture more thorough and complete . All the Tactics as foreseen are then placed in complete details under each Plan . The ‘Vision Board’ thus now shows :

a.      The overall Master Strategy .

b.     The break-up Plans under the Strategy , and their interdependence .

c.     The anticipated ‘baby steps’ or the Tactics to accomplish each Plan .

d.     Every member thus knows what is his vital role in the overall Strategy .

e.      Every member knows the importance of every Tactics or ‘baby steps’ .

f.       Every member knows what are the different plans which are essential parts of the overall scheme .

g.     Every member understands the interdependence and connection between the Plans .

h.     Every member knows the Big Picture .

i.        Every member realizes their interdependence for Victory . Suddenly they know : “ Together we stand , Divided we fall ! ”

§        All preparation is over . NOW WHAT ?

There is a time to Think , and there is a time to Act . Preparation over , now is the time to Act .

Time is always in short supply , and coordinated Action has no substitute .

So go out all guns , rapid fire , but with a sober , responsible and calculating mind overseeing the entire operations .

“ The greatest weapon on Earth is the human soul on fire ! ”