Creating the right environment
Creating the right environment is a module within our ground-breaking Big Chats, Little Chats programme which is designed to allow managers and their people to have great conversations and redefines the way coaching is perceived. This module shows managers how to develop strategies to enable them to have constructive, relationship-building conversations that are personalised, future-focussed and needs-led.
It promotes a culture of agility and response and builds managers who understand that communication and coaching shouldn’t be delivered at set times and in set structures, but should be open, ongoing and collaborative. It shows how to effectively feedback and feed forward. We have developed the PA-OFF model to define the type of chats managers should be having with their teams.
They should be:
- Personalised –defined by the person in front of you and their needs at that time.
- Anyhow, anywhere - teams are often a blend of job-sharers, homeworkers and international personnel working virtually and we now communicate through multiple channels including Skype, Google Hangout and even WhatsApp. The way we speak to each other has changed and coaching needs to reflect this in order to work.
- On demand – we encourage a more flexible approach in which coaching gets to the root of the issue quickly and effectively.
- Future-focused – chats should help people to move forward rather than look back with blame and regret.
FLIP it thinking
FLIP it thinking delivers a practical skill-set which allows people to develop resilience and a future-focused outlook. The module guides people in the art of recognising and challenging ‘wonky thinking’ and draws on elements of psychology and neuroscience to help people understand how to use focus, language and imagination to break negative patterns.
What does FLIP stand for?
Developing a team and managing with growth mindset
Developing a team and managing with growth mindset concentrates on how to build a growth mind-set culture through conversations, reward and recognition, encouragement, risk-taking, metacognition development and self-directed learning.
Growth mindset is a strong belief and desire to learn, and an attitude that skills and ability can be developed.
In contrast, a fixed mindset means thinking that skills and abilities are ‘fixed’. This leads to us thinking that there is no point in having a go, as there is nothing we can do to improve. Shifting from a fixed mindset to a growth mindset, can be the difference between saying/feeling ‘I can’t’ or ‘We’ve always done it like that’ to ‘I can’t yet’ or ‘Let’s try another way.’
The way we talk to people and see them can, in turn, make them behave in a certain way. If we have a fixed mindset about others we can put them in a box. For example, if you don’t let someone have a go at something because you don’t think they’re good enough or you perceive someone else to be better, they’ll never get a chance to learn.
This module will
- Help you to help others understand that skills are learnable with techniques for setting stretch goals for individuals and teams
- Support you to develop perseverance and motivation in your teams, allowing them to become independent and accountable
- Increase understanding of learning styles and abilities – so adjust your supportive style accordingly.
- Develop feedback and feedforward techniques to promote future success, not just about ‘yes it worked’ or ‘no it didn’t’.
- Help you have conversations that move people forward.
Build your own People Manager programme
In addition to these three core modules, organisations can also add other elements, workshops and courses, such as:
What measurements will we see?
This enables us to create a baseline on which we can plot progress at points during and after training has been delivered. We can assess behaviour change and would expect to see managers having better conversations with their people, more regular catch-ups with teams, better engagement and better relationships.
The resulting effect will be that people in your organisation feel more developed and happier, and as a result will be more productive.
If required, we can run reflective group sessions with managers which enable them to give feedback on their in-situ experiences of on-the-job learning, practical application and forward plans. We also recommend that outcomes are built into their objectives.
How do we make this sustainable?
