• Skip to secondary menu
  • Skip to main content
  • Skip to primary sidebar
  • Skip to secondary sidebar

Executive Coaching

  • Home
  • Capabilities
  • Associates
    • Ira Chaleff
    • Emily Barnes
    • David Grau
    • Mandeep Singh
    • Marsha Hughes-Rease
    • Beverly Jones
    • Rosa María Barreiro
    • Kari Uman
  • Articles
  • Facilitation
  • Workshops
  • Case Histories
  • Blog
  • Coaching Enquiry

performance

Courageous Followers, Courageous Leaders

January 23, 2012 By Ira Chaleff

NEW RELATIONSHIPS FOR LEARNING AND PERFORMANCE – Ideas for Leaders

by IRA CHALEFF

How many times have you worked in an organization in which bright, mid-level managers were frustrated by the difficulty of influencing senior executives whose leadership style was impeding organizational growth, productivity or morale?

‘Young Turks’, as they are sometimes called, are often brimming with energy to innovate and test new ways of meeting organizational challenges. The senior executives, who cultural myth holds to be the change agents, are often mired in old ways of doing things with which they are comfortable. They are the roadblock, not the road, to innovation.

Alternatively, these bright, mid-level people, may be dismayed to watch a new senior executive who does not fully appreciate how the company works, start reorganizing, downsizing, outsourcing or merging in ways that will not be viable. Anyone daring to question the new broom is quickly earmarked as someone who needs to go. Silence reigns. A year or two later, the board and the investors are left to clean up the mess resulting from the leader’s high-handed style.

It is the quality of the relationship of leaders and followers, all the way up and down the organization chart, that makes or breaks organizations. Those lower down in the organization have more direct experience with its people, processes and customers and need to be able to influence the leaders’ thinking on which way the organization should go. They cannot be intimidated by the power and trappings of office of the leaders to whom they report. Yet, as we know, they often are intimidated.

Traditional leadership theory puts the responsibility for the leader-follower relationship with the leader. In my observation, it often works the other way around. Those who work most closely with the leader, the senior ‘followers’ if you will, need to assume responsibility for keeping their relationship with the leader honest, authentic and courageous. ‘Yes men’ need not apply.

There are two distinct roles that executives and managers are called upon to play. One is the role of leader in their own right. The other is the role of courageous follower. Endless attention is paid to leadership qualities, selection, training, development and evaluation. Who ever pays attention to how well these same individuals perform their role as courageous followers? Virtually no one. Why is this?

We are a society in love with leadership and uncomfortable with followership, though the subjects are inseparable. We don’t honor followership. We talk pejoratively of followers being weak individuals. And we certainly don’t train staff how to be strong followers who are not only capable of brilliantly supporting their leaders, but can also effectively stand up to them when their actions or policies are detrimental and need rethinking.

As a result, the orientation of those around the leader often becomes personal survival instead of group optimization. Optimum group performance requires that both leaders and followers place the organization’s welfare at least on par with protecting their personal interests. As Chris Argyris of Harvard observes, in most groups the individuals are so concerned with avoiding embarrassment or personal threat, they shy away from the conversations that need to occur to fundamentally improve performance. This is the antithesis of the vaunted ‘Learning Organization’. Important issues become undiscussable.

Where thinly disguised authoritarian relationships still prevail (leader dictates, follower complies or else) team members are driven down Abraham Maslow’s hierarchy of motivation. Their needs for physical security and social acceptance outweigh pride in organizational achievement. Instead of risking the conversations that are needed to address leadership’s own contributions to mediocre performance, they “play the game” and conform, regardless of the cost to the organization.

If leaders are exceptionally smart, they create environments in which such honest communication is the norm and rewarded. But, human nature seems to conspire against this and, most of the time, few speak truth to power. If they do so, and they get rebuffed, they don’t do it again. Instead, they complain to each other and to their spouses, but no longer to the person who needs to hear the message and do something about it.

How many times have you found yourself in this position in an organization? How much do you think this type of behavior costs organizations? But if you find yourself in a follower role with a leader who is not using his or her power well, why should you risk your job by seeking to change the status quo? The simplest answer is because it is a better way to live. Win or lose, you’ve carried yourself with integrity and self-respect.

The more complex answer is that, if you aspire to senior leadership positions yourself, you’d better learn to take risks. Leaders who can’t risk, can’t lead. Here’s a chance to get in practice.

How do you go about this? I believe that there is a two part answer to transforming leader-follower relations and creating the conditions in which a learning organization can emerge. The first part has to do with ourselves, the second with “the other.”

At the heart of all transformation of relationships lies transformation of ourselves. This is both where we have the most power to create change and the most reluctance to confront the need for it. In this instance, the process starts with an honest examination of how we have learned to cope with authority relationships. Do we tend to be subservient? Cynical? Prickly and rebellious? Functional, but always playing it safe?

These and other patterns exert a price on the relationship. Ideally we would have mature relationships between self-confident, mutually respectful, emotionally and intellectually honest peers, each operating from a prescribed role for the common good. Often this is no more easily achieved between managers and subordinates than it is between forty year old adults and their overbearing parents. Focusing on our own end of the relationship, rather than on what is being done to us, is usually the best place to start.

Some of the key points to examine and reflect on include:

  • Am I energetically pursuing the group’s purpose and aligning my self- interests with it? Or, am I holding back my full contribution, including my willingness to take risks?
  • Do I need to take more initiative to ensure that the group is effectively pursuing its mission? Will the way I am behaving in this relationship, or in authority relationships generally, permit me to do that, or do I need to try new behaviors?
  • What is my power based on in this situation that would enable me to take greater initiative? What combination of knowledge, skills, reputation, positional authority, networks and communication channels can I bring to bear? Who do I need to align myself with to effectively create the needed change?
  • Why am I hesitant to act? Have I given up hope? Become cynical? Do I think that someone else will take the first step? Have I let myself off the hook because I raised my concern once and it wasn’t acted on? Doesn’t mature, responsible behavior require persistence?
  • Do the perceived risks of taking the initiative require courage in order to act? If so, what are my personal sources of courage on which I can draw? If I don’t know, how can I find out? Living effectively requires courage.
  • Have I earned the leader’s trust so that I have a platform from which to speak? If not, why not? Is my own performance not up to what it needs to be? If so, how will I remedy that?
  • Do I have the skills to effectively confront the leader without making him or her defensive? Can I convey that what I am saying is in his or her interest to hear? If not, how will I develop those skills?

The clearer we become about our end of the relationship with a leader, the more effectively we can approach “the other” end. This is the second part of the answer. We can make several mistakes in this regard to which we must be alert.

One error is to rationalize away the leader’s behavior. We can genuinely like the leader as an individual and admire many of his or her character traits. Because, overall, we like the leader, we tolerate the counterproductive or dysfunctional behavior. But in doing so, we let the organization go on paying a steep price for this behavior. Moreover, we are placing this leader, whom we like, at risk because sooner or later, the behavior will catch up with him and the consequences are often regrettable.

An opposite, and even greater error we can make is to lose our respect for the leader. In a leader-follower relationship that has deteriorated, much like in a deteriorated marriage, we are so painfully aware of the other’s shortcomings that we lose sight of the other’s strengths, struggles and value.

To be an effective change agent or partner, we need to reconnect with what is right about the leader’s behavior. It is only from a platform of respect for the other that we can initiate transformation efforts without being perceived and treated as a threat. In this case, it is helpful to reflect on such questions as:

  • What skills and attributes enabled the leader to attain the current leadership position? How were these adaptive in the environment in which the leader developed?
  • Are there ways, with a little modification, that these skills and attributes can be better utilized to help accomplish the organization’s mission? What specifically would make a difference and how can I effectively communicate that?
  • What pressures and challenges is the leader under now? Are those challenges pushing the leader to rely on old ‘proven’ habits rather than risk new, potentially more productive behaviors?
  • If the group gave the leader greater support, or a different type of support in dealing with those challenges, might there be less reliance on the dysfunctional behaviors? How can we do this?
  • What in the leader’s self-interest can I appeal to that would make the leader more receptive to making changes?

Answering these questions in relation to ourselves and our leaders begins a process of transformation. Barriers to organizational performance can then get discussed. Learning and growth can occur.

We can apply the same strategy towards peers whose style or performance is holding back the team. When we are receptive to both receiving and initiating honest and respectful feedback, to having difficult but necessary conversations, we can help our team break unproductive patterns and learn new, healthy ways of communicating and working together.

We spend so much of our lives with the people with whom we work. We may as well do so with elan, with a forthright style that meets the world head on. If we are willing to risk having our efforts rejected, we may be surprised at how well they work. There is great satisfaction in positively influencing a leader or an organization so that its performance and morale improves.

It is also the best training for becoming a leader who knows how to create such organizations. When will you start?

Filed Under: Ira Chaleff, Leader/Follower Relationships Tagged With: courageous, ideas, ira chaleff, leaders, learning, performance, relationships

The Five Pillars of Leadership Program

January 23, 2012 By David

PURPOSE:

The key to a quality organization is quality people. To improve the quality and performance of an organization you must attend to the people who create it. It makes little sense to tinker with refining the structure, systems and processes of an organization unless you first work to improve the quality and performance of those who lead it. The Five Pillars of Leadership program is designed to lift executive and upper-middle managers to new heights of performance and results. The Five Pillars program explores and examines fundamental as well as breakthrough concepts in leadership practices. Focusing on the personal as well as the skill sides of leadership, it offers executives an unparalleled opportunity to deepen their understanding of the interdependence among leadership, personal performance, and organizational results. The program enables participants to intentionally manage, to a higher, more productive level, their own performance and effectiveness within their organization.

OBJECTIVES:

To develop leaders who:

  • Understand how unconscious, self-limiting patterns of thinking and behavior limit their ability to be powerful contributors and assets to their organizations
  • Are better able to say what needs saying, take risks, and make tough choices
  • Can effectively navigate through times of continuous or extreme change and uncertainty and maintain their focus
  • Can see new possibilities in old problems and issues
  • Can foster high performance teams
  • Guide by a deeper sense of values and principles
  • Are leaders people want to follow

METHODOLOGY:

The basic approach to learning in this workshop is exploration and discovery, individually and in small groups. The workshop uses a variety of learning technologies, including short presentations, experiential activities to examine concepts, group discussion, personal reflection, video, and a manual. State-of-the-art leadership assessment technology is used to provide participants with feedback on their leadership styles and/or skills. During the final session, participants will bring together their insights and learning and formulate a specific Application Plan to put into action in their workplace(s).

FACILITATOR:

David Lassiter is the director and founder of Leadership Advantage, a coaching and consulting firm dedicated to helping executives, teams, and organizations achieve their objectives. David has over 20 years’ experience as an executive coach and designer and developer of executive, team, and organizational development programs for profit, not-for-profit, and government organizations. He is a pioneer in the use of 360 degree assessment for leadership development and the innovator of the Strategic Team Alignment process for maximizing team members’ growth, development, and performance.

LENGTH:

There are five, all-day sessions to this program, including one in which you will receive 360 degree feedback on your leadership effectiveness. 5 – 14 participants per workshop.

Filed Under: David Lassiter, Workshops Tagged With: 5, david lassiter, executives, leadership, managers, performance, pillars, program

Change Management Training for Managers

January 23, 2012 By David

PURPOSE:

The workshop’s purpose is to provide managers with the framework, knowledge, and tools needed to successfully pilot and manage their teams through periods of change. The workshop may be utilized by managers at any level of an organization. Participants may be individuals, a team, or both. The workshop is highly effective at times of management transition, when change at the senior leadership level is causing increasing uncertainty, confusion, immobilization, and anxiety across the organization.

OBJECTIVES:

Managers will have:

  • A clear framework for understanding the change process,
  • Knowledge of how change works at the individual and team levels,
  • Understanding of the emotional impact of change on performance and how to manage it productively,
  • Ability to minimize the distress and disruptions caused by change,
  • Ability to coach associates through confusion, uncertainty, and stress,
  • Checklists to maintain focus on customers and the business, and
  • The ability to build support for change

METHODOLOGY:

Managers will participate in activities and discussions that expand their understanding of how change works at the cognitive and emotional levels and practice techniques designed to teach them to manage change productively. This workshop employs presentations, case studies, role-play, and group discussion around real-time business issues, which allow for the application of the contextual framework and practical techniques. Participants will complete an action plan for the application of their new knowledge and employment of the learned techniques.

FACILITATOR:

David Lassiter is the director and founder of Leadership Advantage, a coaching and consulting firm dedicated to helping executives, teams, and organizations achieve their objectives. David has over 20 years’ experience as an executive coach and designer and developer of executive, team, and organizational development programs for profit, not-for-profit, and government organizations. He is a pioneer in the use of 360 degree assessment for leadership development and the innovator of the Strategic Team Alignment process for maximizing team members’ growth, development, and performance.

LENGTH:

Four hours or half-day formats.

Filed Under: David Lassiter, Workshops Tagged With: david lassiter, management, performance, teams, training, workshop

Organization and Team Performance

January 23, 2012 By Ira Chaleff

Our organization development services are tailored to fit the client’s needs. The services can include a combination of any of the following:

Assessment:

  • Confidential interviews of individual members of management team
  • Confidential interviews with board directors, customers or members, subordinates and others with an interest in the outcome of the process
  • Work climate survey instrument development and benchmarking
  • Observation and analysis of key communications and operational processes
  • Evaluation of management team cohesiveness and conflict management style
  • Evaluation of management team problem solving and decision making style
  • Evaluation of environmental scanning, information distribution and interpretation processes
  • Identification of distinctive competencies and competitive advantages
  • Evaluation of robustness of strategic thinking and communication
  • Written and oral reports on strengths and weaknesses of organization and identification of mission-critical issues

Interventions

    • Design and implementation of processes to address critical issues
    • Management team briefings
    • Team skills building workshops
    • Organization-wide communication processes
    • Staff morale programs
    • Senior team-building retreats:
  • Visioning ideal futures
  • Values clarification
  • Trust development and repair
  • Work group climate improvement
  • Strategic conversations facilitation
  • Creativity enhancement
  • Action planning
  • Ongoing team observation, implementation support and coaching

Filed Under: Capabilities Tagged With: management, organization, performance, team

Primary Sidebar

Are You Considering a Coach:

How To Choose a Coach
The Coaching Process

Ways to Use Executive Coaching:

Leadership Development
Merging Exec Teams
Organizational Change
Strategic Leadership
Etiquette Coaching
Career Transition
Gender Management
Interpersonal Conflict
Job Promotion

Street Address:

Executive Coaching Consulting Assocc.
216 7th Street, SE
Washington, DC 20003
USA

Phone #

1-202-544-0097

Secondary Sidebar

Meet Our Associates

Ira Chaleff
Emily Barnes
David Grau
Kari Uman
Rosa María
Barreiro
Mandeep Singh
Marsha
Hughes-Rease
Beverly Jones

Copyright © 2021 · Executive Coaching & Consulting Associates · All Rights Reserved

Marsha Hughes-Rease - Senior Associate

After fifteen years of coaching and consulting experience and over twenty five years of leadership experience at different organizational levels, Marsha Hughes-Rease partners with senior leaders and managers to address what she calls “swamp issues”, those really messy and complex challenges that can greatly diminish productivity, stakeholder satisfaction, financial performance and personal effectiveness in any organization.

Read more

Ira Chaleff - President

Ira Chaleff is the founder and president of Executive Coaching & Consulting Associates. He has been named one of the top 100 leadership thinkers by Executive Excellence Magazine. He practices the high-stakes art of helping talented people prepare for and succeed in senior level roles. Whether working in the public sector with Senior Executive Service leaders or in the private sector with CEOs and leadership teams, he brings clarity to core success issues, and provides savvy and supportive guidance in tackling them.

Read more

Beverly Jones - Senior Associate

Beverly Jones helps executives bring new productivity to their organizations, and works with professionals to restructure and re-energize their work lives. Throughout her varied career, Bev has engaged in leadership and change management activities, and today she coaches accomplished professionals and executives who want to become more effective. Bev’s current and recent coaching clients include attorneys, other professionals and small business owners, and also executives with university systems, with a national laboratory, and with a major brokerage firm.

Read more

Mandeep Singh - Senior Associate

Mandeep partners with leaders who want to bring their own vision and passions into service for the world. This necessarily means deep inner work – increasing self-awareness and personal mastery, taking ownership and accountability, and expanding the ability to influence people and networks from within the system. While this may sound like hard work, in practice it tends to be completely natural, energizing, satisfying and fun. “Serious” and “impactful” are not correlated. Mandeep’s natural style is gentle, and his clients and he tend to forge long term, easy, trusted partnerships.

Read more

Rosa Maria Barreiro - Strategic Management & Human Resources Consultant

Rosa María Barreiro is an innovative leader, business strategist and change agent with an extensive background and success in global operating environments throughout the USA and Europe, Latin America and the Caribbean. Rosa María has repeatedly been recruited to design and execute change management, employee engagement, leadership development and performance improvement initiatives for a wide variety of organizations and companies.

Read more

Kari Uman - Senior Associate

Kari Uman, Senior Associate of Executive Coaching & Consulting Associates in Fairfax, VA, has more than twenty-five years’ experience as a coach, consultant, and trainer. Her particular experience and interest in gender issues, and their impact on relationships and performance, enables her to help individuals change behaviors that are undermining their best efforts.

Read more

David Grau - Senior Associate

David Grau is an executive and leadership coach in Bethesda, MD, with an in-depth consulting background in organization development and change management. He has over 17 years of coaching and consulting experience in the corporate, government, and non-profit sectors. He has particular abilities in assisting executives in identifying and making maximum and appropriate use of their strengths and identifying their opportunities for increased effectiveness as a leader.

Read more

Emily Barnes - Senior Associate

To organizations and individuals adjusting to recent, current or anticipated change, Emily Barnes brings the strategic focus and competencies gained during fifteen years of diverse experience with various leadership, relationship, performance and communication challenges. A consultant and strategy coach, Ms. Barnes helps clients create and implement new success strategies.

Read more

We use cookies on this site to enhance your user experience.
By clicking any link on this page you are authorizing the use of cookies.