Our preliminary research and surveys highlighted a sceptical view of traditional coaching models within the organisation. What was needed was a radical rethink of what coaching was, what it should aim to achieve and how it should be delivered. Old coaching models were outdated and unengaging.
O2 believed that every conversation was an opportunity to transform thinking and to drive change. Their 2017 engagement outputs were clear in indicating that people wanted more conversation with their leaders throughout the year. The goals for the programme were:
Laughology set about developing our coaching programme for the 21st century, which we call Big Chats, Little Chats (BC,LC). We started by identifying the weaknesses in traditional coaching models, which are generally outdated and fail to address modern working patterns, including remote teams.
Traditionally, when managers coach, they are sent on a course to learn how, and then deliver coaching in rigid, informal chunks, usually booked in diaries days or even weeks in advance. Life doesn’t work this way.
We believed that coaching should fundamentally be an ongoing, fluid process, the success of which is dependent on how managers interact with their people. We recognised that great coaching should be delivered as a continuum, not incrementally.
Using this philosophy, we developed a model to define the type of chats managers should be having with their teams. The goal was to develop a programme where conversations were personalised, anyhow/anywhere, on demand and future focussed (which we denote using the handy acronym, PA-OFF).
With BC,LC, we set about creating an environment and culture where managers would be constantly connected and could develop and nurture their teams on a day-to-day basis. It was important that the programme did not take a prescriptive approach. Managers and leaders needed to be agile and flexible. This works better in the connected world we now live and work in.
PA-OFF was the coaching delivery style. The next challenge was to create the right content to allow O2 to achieve its strategic goals.
23 percent uplift in sales for store managers who had been through the programme.
Leaders who had been through the programme scored >95 in the Engagement Index in the Employee Engagement Survey. All these leaders had taken part in early adopter sessions. Other high scoring leaders had taken part in the programme and received positive feedback. Qualitative data from teams showed a direct impact from BC,LC.
Examples of feedback around BC,LC themes:
Due to this retail achieved a positive uplift in 6 out of 7 KPI measures, including footfall, team engagement and profits. “The change in focus from results to performance has been fantastic to see” Keith Wood, Retail Learning Partner
Content performed above expectations, showing a positive engagement in the progamme.
50 of the highest line management engagement scores showed BC,LC behaviours present and consistent.
Other high-scoring leaders above 75 percent had taken part in the programme and received positive feedback.
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