Coaching Winners A Coaching Development Guide

Coaching Winners!
A Coaching & Development Guide
Ronald C. Page, Ph.D.
A Leader’s Toolkit for Coaching and Development

Copyright © 2007 Ronald C. Page All rights reserved.
Published by:
Assessment Associates International, LLC
11100 Wayzata Boulevard, Suite 620, Minnetonka, MN 55305
www.hrconsultants.com
No part of this publication may be reproduced, stored in a retrieval system, or transmitted, in any form
or by any means, electronic, mechanical, photocopying, recording, or otherwise, without the prior writ-
ten permission of the copyright holder.
ii
Coaching & Development Guide for Performance Excellence
Contents
Preface ................................................................................................. v
Introduction: Using the Coaching & Development

Guide.....................................................................................................1
Self Management Competency Cluster 11

1. Initiative & Risk Taking ............................................................13
2. Learning Agility & Self Development .......................................21
3. Drive for Results......................................................................29
4. Adaptability & Change Management .......................................37
5. Emotional Resilience...............................................................45
Relationships Competency Cluster 55

6. Communication & Influencing..................................................57
7. Interpersonal Skill & Relationship Building ..............................69
8. Teamwork & Team Building ....................................................77
9. Customer Focus ......................................................................85
Analytical Competency Cluster 95

10. Problem Solving & Critical Thinking ......................................97
11. Decision Making ..................................................................105
12. Innovation............................................................................113
13. Technical/Professional Expertise ........................................125
Management Competency Cluster 133

14. Delegation & Performance Management ............................135
15. Project/Program Management ............................................143
16. Coaching & Developing Talent ............................................151
17. Managing Differences/Conflict ............................................159
18. Negotiating Solutions ..........................................................167
© 2007 Ronald C. Page. All rights reserved. iii

Leadership Competency Cluster 175

19. Approachability & Fostering Openness............................... 177
20. Strategic Thinking & Planning............................................. 185
21. Business Acumen ............................................................... 193
22. Leading & Inspiring Others ................................................. 201
23. Integrity, Ethics & Credibility ............................................... 209
Appendix: Development Action Plan 221
iv © 2007 Ronald C. Page. All rights reserved.

Preface
The content of this book was developed and has accrued over several years of re-
search, development and application. The competencies and development recom-
mendations in this book have evolved from our research on hundreds of jobs and
involving thousands of employees from organizations on both sides of the Globe. I
want to thank our Assessments Associates International Colleagues in Asia for their
insights and contributions regarding cross cultural effectiveness. With such an ex-
tended development process the content of this book is the result of the insights,
suggestions and hard work of a number of people. Special recognition and apprecia-
tion goes to the following individuals:
Claudia L. Brueber
Michael J. Chanaka
Linda B. Draze
Nancy A. Fritzke
Chaitra M. Hardison
Timothy M. Johansson
Nathan D. Page
Thomas L. Payne
Sidney L. Teske
© 2007 Ronald C. Page. All rights reserved. v

vi © 2007 Ronald C. Page. All rights reserved.

Introduction
Introduction:
Using the Coaching & Development Guide
What this Guide Is

This Guide has been designed as a support tool for coaching and developing indi-
viduals. Using a competency framework, it provides specific and detailed instructions
to enable individuals to develop and practice new behaviors and skills. Moreover, it
helps in creating and implementing action-oriented development plans. It provides
suggestions in easy-to-follow steps for on-the-job activities to assist in further devel-
oping and enhancing an individual’s competencies.
Research has shown that the most effective form of employee learning and develop-
ment is through on-the-job experiences. Capitalizing on this fact, this Guide provides
suggestions and guidance on specific work activities. Like a recipe book, this guide
provides step-by-step procedures (i.e., “recipes”) for developing and honing specific
job-related behaviors, skills, and competencies. Following the step-by-step activities
in this Guide will lead to increased competence and effectiveness in those areas.
The Coaching & Development Guide assists managers, coaches, mentors, and em-
ployees in helping increase an individual’s performance, capability and career poten-
tial. It:
Provides concrete, step-by-step suggestions for activities that develop and
hone an individual’s skills.
Enables employees to create a focused development plan.
Enables employees to take responsibility for their own development by pro-
viding clear guidance.
Helps assure that employees have the right skills to maximize their career
potential.
Helps assure that employees have the right skills to meet the organization’s
evolving skill requirements.
Provides a process in which action-based development suggestions are
identified and implemented, leading to new skills.
Contributes to improved employee and organizational performance.
How This Book Is Organized

This Coaching & Development Guide contains three primary components:
1. Competency Model. A broad-based model that is relevant for a wide range of
jobs and organizations. It provides over 300 examples of highly effective and
less effective behaviors.
2. Development Suggestions. Over 250 high-impact step-by-step development
actions organized by the 23 competencies.
© 2007 Ronald C. Page. All rights reserved. 1

3. Development Action Plan. A form (the Appendix) for detailing an individual’s

specific plan of action. Individuals typically identify about three competencies for
development and select a couple of development actions for each competency.
This Guide is organized according to the 23 competencies in the Assessment Asso-

ciates International (AAI) core competency model. This model has five clusters of
competencies, which comprise each section of this book, and are shown in Figure 1:
Self Management Cluster

Relationships Cluster
Analytical Cluster
Management Cluster
Leadership Cluster
Each chapter provides a definition of the competency, examples of Highly Effective

and Less Effective behaviors and provides at least 10 development activities. This
format allows the identification of development activities that are targeted at the indi-
vidual’s unique development needs.
The Development Action Plan (DAP), which is presented in the Appendix, is de-
signed to enable the development of a specific plan of action. Typically, it is recom-
mended that an individual identify about three competencies or development areas to
work on in a development cycle (typically six months to a year). The DAP provides a
format for: 1) recording the competencies that are to be developed, 2) the specific
development objective for the competency, 3) the actions to be taken, 4) who is in-
volved in the development activity, 5) the resources that are required, and 6) the time
frame for the development process. In addition, the DAP provides a format for re-
cording the results of a Progress Update after three months, six months and nine
months.
An Introduction to the Coaching & Development Process

The coaching and development process is a cyclical, ongoing process. Throughout
one’s career, the process is continuing as the individual continues to grow and de-
velop new capabilities. These new capabilities enable the individual to adapt to
changing work roles, new technologies and customer demands. Moreover, these
new capabilities enable the individual to take on more responsibility and to progress
through larger positions.
Figure 2 presents a visual model of the coaching and development process. It shows
the components of the typical coaching process and how these components are re-
lated to each other. The five steps in this process are as follows:
1. Start. The development process may be triggered by performance review,

self-identification, or a recommendation by someone in the organization.
2. Development Diagnosis. Assessment information is provided about the indi-
vidual’s current capabilities by 360° Assessment, self-report, performance
assessment or feedback from others.
2 © 2007 Ronald C. Page. All rights reserved.

Introduction
Figure 1
Core Competency Model

for
Performance Excellence
RELATIONSHIPS ANALYTICAL
6. Communication & Influencing 10. Problem Solving & Critical Thinking
7. Interpersonal Skill & Relation- 11. Decision Making
ship Building 12. Innovation
8. Teamwork & Team Building 13. Technical/Professional Expertise
9. Customer Focus
SELF MANAGEMENT
1. Initiative & Risk Taking
2. Learning Agility & Self Development
3. Drive for Results
4. Adaptability & Change Management
5. Emotional Resilience
MANAGEMENT LEADERSHIP
14. Delegation & Performance Man- 19. Approachability & Fostering Open-
agement ness
15. Project/Process Management 20. Strategic Thinking & Planning
16. Coaching & Developing Talent 21. Business Acumen
17. Managing Differences/Conflict 22. Leading & Inspiring Others
18. Negotiating Solutions 23. Integrity, Ethics & Credibility

3. Development Planning. Using the development diagnosis information, the

individual creates a Development Action Plan (DAP). The template for the
DAP appears in the Appendix.
4. Coaching & Mentoring. Using this book as a key resource, the coach or
mentor may guide the individual in implements learning and development
activities.
5. The coach/mentor will periodically meet with the individual to review pro-
gress, identify observed behavioral change, and update the plan of action.
How to Use this Book

Coaching Winners! has been created as a support tool to the Development Action
Planning process. Working with this Guide might be one of the most significant
things you do in your career. Whether you are working on your own development or
are a Coach, Supervisor or Mentor, the activities outlined in this Guide will help you
and others grow and enhance individual competencies.
The following sections provide steps for using this Guide for four different types of
users, including whether:
You are the Coach.
You are the Supervisor
You are the Mentor
You are Your Own Coach (Self-Development)
You are the Coach!

Many times organizations will bring in external professional coaches to work with
their executives, managers and/or employees. They also may have internal people
designated to this role as well. The different areas of coaching may include busi-
ness, executive, career, employee/management development, life and presentations.
This Guide focuses on development and as a coach who will be working with this
Guide; your role is to focus on "development" as it applies to work performance.
1. Your Client. – You might be working with a variety of positions, as well as an

array of different personality styles. Whether you are working with one person
or several, each one has specific needs and will have a unique and special
working relationship with you.
a. Executive. – This position might have a different focus than a middle man-
ager or an employee with no supervisory responsibilities. Some of the key
areas may include leadership, risk taking, drive, influencing, decision mak-
ing, strategic planning, and approachability. This is a very important focus
because you may possibly be playing a role that will have a major impact on
the organization and its employees.
While the latter has more of a focus on Executive Coaching, one of the rea-
sons the client has brought you in might be relating to performance or lead-
ership styles. Because this is at the executive level, certain sensitivity is in-
volved. Executives are used to making the decisions and not having some-
one question their authority. Make it clear that the two of you are a team and
help them share in the ownership of the outcome.

Introduction
Figure 2
Coaching & Development Process
Start
of
Process
Development
Diagnosis
Coaching
&
Mentoring
Progress Development
Updates Planning
b. Manager. – This position also has very unique responsibilities. They answer
to their supervisors and possibly their management. Motivating their em-
ployees to perform is one of their organization's main expectations.
The manager might be considered a star performer and your role will be to
enhance their strengths. By the same token, you might be brought in to
coach them based on input from their management, peers or employees
(360° Assessment). This will require finesse and may focus on communica-
tion, team building, management implementation, conflict and openness.
c. Employee. – This will cover a wide range of possibilities and could include a
specific department or different employee positions. You may be coaching
someone who is being considered for management or someone who has is-
sues with conflict or meeting goals and expectations.
d. Personality Styles. – When you are coaching someone, one of the most im-
portant things to remember is that this is a very personal experience for
them. Everyone's personality and behavior is unique and different. For
some, it's a positive because they are on the fast track. For others, it's about
improvement and everyone is going to react differently. Review the different
styles outlined in Chapter 6 on Communication and Influencing. This will
help you in how you approach them.
2. Development Action Plan. – The Plan will consist of a Developmental Goal,

Developmental Objectives, Activities, Vision Planning and Progress Updates.
Every person you coach will follow this Plan, and their accountability and will-
ingness to work with you will determine their success.

3. Goals. – Establishing the goal for the individual coaching session is a must.
What are you and the person you are coaching trying to accomplish? Some
examples of goals could include the following:
a. Enhancing Leadership Capabilities

b. Instilling Team Building among Employees
c. Channeling Conflict into Productive Behavior
d. Improving Customer Service
The goal should be revisited each time you meet. Typically, it's good to have
one main developmental goal at a time because you will be achieving that goal
through multiple objectives.
4. Developmental Objectives. – These objectives are identified to attain the de-

velopmental goal. Let's say the goal is "Improving Customer Service" as previ-
ously identified. You might be working with one person or a group of people.
The development objectives might be similar or different for each individual.
Some of the objectives might include the following:
a. Improving Communication Skills on the Phone

b. Focusing More on the Customer
c. Enhancing Follow-through
d. Negotiating “Win-Win” Solutions
5. Development Activities. – Numerous proven activities are outlined in this

Guide. Apply the activities that support the development goals and objectives
you have identified with your coaching recipient. Let's continue with "Improving
Customer Service" and select the objective of "Focusing More on the Cus-
tomer". One of the activities you can work on is "Improving Customer Service
through Information Sharing". Have them go through the activities and develop
a plan to create a customer-focused environment. This is where coaching a
group of people would benefit if they have the same developmental goals.
6. Vision Planning. – "Envisioning where you want to be" goes beyond reaching
your goal. It's a "state of mind". As a coach you can work with an individual
and help them improve or change the kind of person they portray. Using our
example of Customer Service, say you work with someone who is self-centered.
Coaching them to focus on others, like their customers and work with their team
to do the same, can produce a very empowering feeling for them. By getting
them out of their self-serving ways, a new healthy perspective is achieved.
Vision Planning is almost like "brainstorming" with a focus on the desired out-
come. You encourage the person you are coaching to envision the ideal sce-
nario. Some additional examples might include the following:
a. Being recognized as one of the "Most Valuable Technical People" in their

organization
b. Achieving the "Top Salesperson of the Year" award
c. Leading an organization to produce record breaking profits
d. Merging two acquired companies successfully
Vision Planning helps people achieve their developmental goals because it en-
courages a change in their behavior and how they perceive themselves.

Introduction
7. Schedule. – Setting up a schedule is very important and will vary depending on

the number of people, type of positions and number of individual goals that are
identified. Coaching agreements are usually 3, 6 or 12 months in length. The
first session is typically one to two hours in length. From this point the coaching
might occur weekly, biweekly or monthly. The duration will depend on the num-
ber of people being coached and the number of goals, objectives and activities.
8. Progress Updates. – Meeting with those you are coaching, on a regular basis
is key to their success. You will meet with them personally or speak with them
on the phone. The time frame for meeting objectives and carrying out the activi-
ties is reviewed. If objectives and activities are completed, it will then be deter-
mined to move on to the next objective. If, however, objectives and activities
are not completed, this needs to be noted and why. This is very important and
is where your coaching expertise can play an extremely valuable role.
It should also be noted that during this time you will be updated the group who
brought you in to coach. Since this is usually upper management you should be
prepared with either a formal presentation or one-on-one meetings updating
them on the progress of the sessions.
You are the Supervisor!

Whether you are a Manager, Director, Vice President or running your organization,
leading and bringing out the best in your people is one of your primary responsibili-
ties. The workplace environment you establish can foster growth, performance and
shape people for life.
Feel free to copy the Development Action Plan in the back of the Guide for each em-
ployee you coach. Make copies of the Progress Updates for your records to track
their individual progress.
1. Performance Reviews. – Using the Guide in tandem with the Performance Ap-
praisal process is an excellent way to develop your people. The competency
areas that need to be strengthened or enhanced can be identified and sup-
ported through the numerous activities outlined. Progress Updates can be
scheduled to measure the degree of change and objectives and activities com-
pleted.
2. Motivation. – Everyone is motivated by different things. You are encouraged to

review the information on "Motivating Your Employees", in Section 6 on Com-
munication and Influencing. Identifying what motivates your employees is up
to you. Once you have determined this, you can use the activities mentioned in
the Guide to bring this out on an individual basis.
3. Team Building. – This is an element that is essential to the success of your or-
ganization. Teaching people how to work together, by using activities from this
Guide, will help them capitalize on their individual strengths. Review Chapter 8,
Teamwork/Team Building.
4. Project Management. – You at some point might be directing your employees

and other manager's employees on a project team. This can be a real chal-
lenge because you are trying to direct people that don't report to you. To help
move everyone in the same direction, some pertinent sections to review for

ideas and activities include: Chapter 3, Drive for Results, Chapter 6, Commu-
nication & Influencing, Chapter 7, Interpersonal Skills & Relationship
Building, Chapter 8, Teamwork & Team Building, Chapter 14, Delegation &
Performance Management and Chapter 15, Project/Program Management.
5. Top Performers. – It's always great to have an employee who is always up for
a challenge and a good role model for her or his coworkers. To keep them mo-
tivated, assign additional responsibilities, including leadership roles, to keep
them on the right path and enhance their skills and expertise. Chapter 22,
Leading & Inspiring Others is a good one to review, along with encouraging
programs to update their business knowledge.
6. New-Hire Employees. – New employees require a great deal of guidance. Vir-

tually all the activities in this Development Guide could be used to help them
acclimate to their job and the business environment.
7. Challenged Employees. – Sometimes employees are overwhelmed for a vari-

ety of reasons. Taking them aside and telling them you are there to help them,
will ease their mind. Find out what areas are challenging for them. For exam-
ple, they might have a real struggle in solving problems. A good area for ideas
would be, Chapter 10, Problem Solving & Critical Thinking.
8. Performance Improvement Plans. – This is an area in which this Guide will be

invaluable. Since it is targeting 23 Competency Areas, they will all tie in to
Work Performance issues. When you have to put one of your employees on a
Plan, it is stressful for both of you. Inevitably, whether it's a one-month, three-
month or six-month plan, your employee might feel threatened and feel “what's
the point?” Emphasize the positive, and pick out activities from this Guide that
support the expectations laid out in their plan. Tell them you want this to work
and that this is an opportunity for growth.
9. Discipline Problems. – When issues come up that go beyond the norm, many
times they involve conflict and behavior which goes against organizational pol-
icy. Many groups have a zero tolerance when it comes to discipline and usually
is grounds for termination. There are times, however, when intervention can
turn a situation around and put an employee on the right path to a productive fu-
ture. The activities in this Guide, particularly, Chapter 17, Managing Differ-
ences/Conflict are advised.
You are the Mentor!

Remember that special teacher we all had or that person you looked up to and re-
spected. Guess what? Now it's you! Many organizations take special pride in se-
lecting their mentors. The guidance you provide and impact you will have on the
people you mentor, will stay with them for a lifetime.
Many times the employees you work with will be a new-hire or someone who is new
to a department or division. These are some activities you can work on with the em-
ployee you are mentoring. This Guide is a complement to them and provides addi-
tional activities you can use along with a Development Action Plan. Help them iden-
tify Competencies that support these activities, along with a copy of the Plan.
Schedule meetings for monitoring progress and provide feedback on improvements.

Introduction
1. Walk them through a typical day. – When an employee is new, it is nice to

have someone give them a perspective on what to expect. Give them insight
into the pace of the day, operational expectations, when meetings occur and a
feel for the culture of the organization.
2. Give them a thorough tour of your facility and introduce them to different
departments. – Two of the things that seem so basic, but are sometimes for-
gotten are tours and introductions. Many times organizations are so large that
new employees never get the opportunity to just wander around and familiarize
themselves with the different departments. It's also difficult to get to know peo-
ple and where they work if there are no preliminary introductions. By doing this
you help enhance communication and the working relationships of the employ-
ees you are mentoring.
3. Take them to an internal business meeting. – This is always good for em-
ployees new to a department, division or organization. Take the time to intro-
duce them to everyone and make them feel welcome. Others might take a per-
sonal interest in them and what you are doing as a mentor.
4. Have them partake in one of your staff meetings. – A staff meeting can
really open the eyes of someone new because everyone is a little more com-
fortable in being themselves. This can mean different outcomes, but it will give
them an opportunity to see how you and your group interact.
5. Take them to a customer site. – Customer visits can be a lot of fun and can il-
lustrate your relationship with your client, and how they use your organizations
products and/or services.
6. Let them participate in one of your project teams. – Based on their back-
ground and education you might be able to use them on one of your projects. It
will give them an opportunity to demonstrate their expertise and allow them to
interact with other team members.
7. Have them audit a training program with you. – Observing a training pro-
gram together can be a great educational experience. It might even be an ex-
ternal seminar, a college or vocational course or even a class you are facilitat-
ing. Particularly, if you are the instructor, introducing your colleague will make
them feel special and part of your program.
8. Take them to a professional association meeting. – Helping them grow pro-

fessionally is very important. Introducing them to business and associations re-
lating to their field will help them build their career, and they will have you to
thank!
You are Your Own Coach! - [Self-Development]

You are now in charge of your own self-development. This is quite an exciting pros-
pect. The competencies and activities covered in this Guide are designed to help
you strengthen key aspects of your background. An easy step-by-step process is
provided for different growth areas, and you are encouraged to carry out each activity
you choose in their entirety.

1. Review what a Coach does. – Take the time to review the previous Chapter on
what a professional coach does. It will give you great insight into the process
and techniques that are necessary for success.
2. Read the section for Supervisors. – This section will give you an overview of
the different areas a Supervisor will use this Guide. The benefits of this will be
to give you an idea as to what your Supervisor is monitoring in terms of work
performance. It will also help you in your working relationship with her or him.
Knowing this will point you in the right direction in being a stellar performer.
3. Review the Mentor's section. – You might be assigned a mentor or as you

carry out designated development activities, realize you need the support or
feedback from a colleague.
4. Identify Your Competencies. – Look at this Guide closely and decide which
areas you want to develop further. Since you are doing this on your own, did
you decide to use this Guide based on feedback you received from your Super-
visor, a coworker or through your own initiative. If it's through your own initia-
tive, you will have the say as to which Competency you want to work on first. If
it's through input from your Supervisor, they might have a specific idea on which
area you need to address.
5. Copy the Development Action Plan. – Make a copy of the Plan in the back of
this Guide. Identify the Competency you want to focus on and write down your
Developmental Goal. Typically, you should only work on one to three Compe-
tencies at a time. Document why you are working on this and your expectations
of yourself.
6. List Your Objectives and Activities. – Once you have determined what your
Developmental Goal is identify the Developmental Objectives. These will be the
objectives that will help you obtain your Goal. Once this is accomplished, iden-
tify the activities you want to carry out. Document everything on your Plan.
Remember, you might want to focus on one Developmental Goal per plan,
which is fine. Customize the plan to make sense for you and what you are try-
ing to accomplish.
7. Implementation. – Make copies of the Activities you have chosen and carefully
review them. Modify them accordingly to enhance your learning and develop-
ment. Carry out the steps and track how things are going. When you complete
an activity decide whether you want to repeat it. If you feel you have accom-
plished your Developmental Objective, you might want to move to another Ob-
jective and activity. Make sure you document your progress on your Plan.
8. Support. – You might want to have someone review your Plan, Goals, Objec-
tives and Activities if you have initiated this on your own. If your Supervisor was
the driving force, then you will be working with them. It is important that you de-
cide how your progress will be monitored. It might be entirely you who has this
responsibility, but it is nice to receive perspectives from people who can support
you and help you achieve your goals. Your can schedule your progress up-
dates accordingly.
9. Accomplishment. – It's a great feeling when you know you have achieved your
Goals and Objectives! Even more importantly, when you can see enhancement
and improvement in your own behavior, your career is on the right path.

Analytical Cluster
10. Problem Solving & Critical Thinking
11. Decision Making
12. Innovation
13. Technical/Professional Expertise


Problem Analysis & Critical Thinking
10. Problem Solving & Critical Thinking

Core Characteristics: Effectively gathers, researches, analyzes and/or assimilates
information; uses logic and critical thinking to address issues and problems; gener-
ates and selects effective solutions and checks their results.
Example Highly Effective Behaviors

Thoroughly assesses and diagnoses problems; analyzes various perspectives
and weighs alternatives to reach logical conclusions.
Gets to the root of the problem; probes the facts and doesn’t take informa-
tion at face value.
Actively solicits diverse perspectives and remains objective; draws appropriate
conclusions by effectively researching issues.
Cuts to the core of an issue and is incisive; remains objective under pressure
and differentiates root causes from symptoms.
Has excellent critical thinking skills; listens, asks the right questions,
checks, and double-checks.
Assesses probabilities and options; analyzes pros and cons and provides
fact-based justifications for recommendations.
Uses systems thinking and sees the whole while addressing the parts; antici-
pates consequences of actions.
Example Less Effective Behaviors

Analyzes things at an inappropriate level of detail; over analyzes or under ana-
lyzes issues.
Has difficulty analyzing problems and identifying underlying structures; fails
to recognize patterns in data.
Provides superficial or haphazard analysis or solutions; analysis identifies only
the most obvious alternatives.
Pursues preconceived or politically favored solutions; uses gut reaction to ana-
lyze issues.
Fails to separate relevant from irrelevant information; develops partial or im-
practical solutions.
Is unwilling to act without all of the data; refers to a higher authority or follows
procedures or the lead of others.
Doesn’t distinguish root causes from symptoms; fails to identify alternative ap-
proaches.

List of Development Activities:

1. Implementing a Plan, Do, Check, Act (PDCA) Process
2. Implementing a Six-Step Problem-Solving Process
3. Identifying the True Cause of Problems
4. Avoiding Problems through Preventive Action
5. Improving Problem Diagnosis
6. Coping with Unforeseen Problems
7. Improving Analysis by Following-Up on Decisions
8. Anticipating Potential Problems by Identifying Risk Areas
9. Generating Innovative Solutions to Work-Related Problems
10. Improving Your Critical Thinking Skills by Brainstorming New Ideas
Development Activities
Implementing a Plan, Do, Check, Act (PDCA) Process

The PDCA process is an approach that may be used to support problem analysis,
continuous improvement, and organizational effectiveness. Systematically used, this
process helps assure that effective approaches are implemented and that the les-
sons learned from these approaches are leveraged for even more effective and pro-
ductive solutions in the future. The PDCA process consists of the following four
steps:
1. Plan. First, you should assess the situation and identify an approach, including
your objectives, the steps to be undertaken, and the time frame for undertaking
these steps.
2. Do. Next, implement the plan of action. By implementing your plan of action
you assure that your planned steps are accomplished.
3. Check. Next, review the progress that you have made against the plans you
made in the Step 1. Did your efforts result in positive outcomes? What could
you have improved?
4. Act. Finally, you should act upon the “lessons learned” that emerged from
checking the results of your actions (i.e., Step 3). You may identify “improve-
ments” to your process or approach. In this way, you may help assure that fu-
ture actions will benefit from your actions and the lessons you have learned.

Implementing a Six-Step Problem-Solving Process

The following six-step process provides guidance for analyzing problems and making
decisions based on the use of data and logic. It helps make the process consistent
and understandable across all levels of an organization. To effectively diagnose
problems, identify root causes and implement effective actions, undertake the follow-
ing six steps.
1. Identify the Project. The definition of the project addresses such issues as:
What is it? What does it look like? These questions may be addressed by de-
fining:
a. Background Information. This defines what the project is, why it is useful,
and its characteristics.
b. Customer Viewpoint. This analyzes the project from the customer’s per-
spective and helps assure that the process addresses key issues pertaining
to end results of the organization.
c. Indicators. This establishes appropriate measures to clearly measure the
outcomes of the initiative.
2. Determine Area of Focus. The purpose of this step is to stratify the project so
as to isolate a significant area of focus. It is used to help differentiate the “vital
few” from the “insignificant many.” Do the following:
a. Stratify the Data. Chart relevant data to identify trends using such tech-
niques as a checklist, Pareto diagram, or histogram.
b. Understand the Process. Prepare a visual display of the steps of your
process that shows who is responsible for each step. This frequently re-
sults in a Process Map.
c. Create a Problem Statement. A problem statement is a concise statement
of the problem. It highlights the essence of the project as identified by the
stratification process and it sets the direction for what needs to be ana-
lyzed.
d. Define the Goal. The goal identifies the target for addressing the problem.
It helps establish standards that can be used to measure the effectiveness
of solutions.
3. Analyze the Problem. Next, gather relevant data to prove or disprove the iden-
tified causes. Thus process digs below the more superficial symptoms to get
at the underlying root causes.
a. Perform a Cause-and-Effect Analysis. In this analysis you will work to de-
termine the effect, analyze contributing factors, and select probable causes.
b. Verify Root Causes. This provides a focus for the initiative supports (i.e.,
proves or disproves) the true causes.
4. Select and Implement Solutions. Do this by doing the following:
a. Select Solutions. Identify potential solutions and systematically analyze
their relevance, ease of implementation, and relevance.
b. Perform a Cost-Benefit Analysis. This determines the magnitude of the
benefit by addressing the relative cost of the problem vs. the cost of the
proposed solution.

c. Create an Action Plan. Create a formal plan to assure successful imple-

mentation and carefully analyze factors that may hinder or enable the iden-
tified solutions. It should identify the steps, responsibilities, and time
frames.
5. Assure Improvements. Next, check to assure that the solutions have reduced
the root causes by:
a. Reduction of Root Causes. Did the effect of the problem improve? Was
the goal achieved?
b. Overall Results. Identify the overall results by showing the before and after
data for the measures that were identified in Step 2.
c. Changes to the Process. Assure that the process is changed so that the
improvements are maintained on an ongoing basis.
6. Plan Next Steps. This step will address:
a. Learning Points. Using hindsight, identify what was learned from the prob-
lem solving process.
b. Future Plans. Identify plans for the future, including if appropriate, recom-
mended system enhancements.
Identifying the True Cause of Problems

Identifying the true nature of a problem is a critical element of effective problem solv-
ing. Often, people try to solve the wrong problem. By undertaking the following
steps you will hone your skills in locating the exact nature of the problem.
1. For the next three problems in which the cause is not immediately apparent,
generate a list of possible causes and methods for checking these. Organize
the list in order from the most simple to check to the most difficult.
2. Identify and document the data/information that demonstrates the problem.
Share this information with management to gain support for addressing it.
3. Do not be misled by the obvious. Continue the diagnostic process until you
have verified through facts and data the key that the key problem areas have
been identified.
4. If necessary, your manager will supplement this suggestion by having you re-
view resolutions to problems in similar areas (i.e., best practices).
Avoiding Problems through Preventive Action

An effective means of reducing problems is to take preventive action in avoiding
them. Although there are many unforeseeable circumstances that are completely out
of your hands, in certain cases preventive action could be undertaken to avoid prob-
lems.
1. Over the next month, keep a list of all problems that occur within a particular
process, recording the cause, how they were handled, and the effect they had
on the project or service performance. Use facts and data to support this.

2. At the end of this period examine your list to determine patterns, limits of con-
trol, exceptional situations or reoccurring issues. For example, the listed cause
of a problem might suggest a lack of planning, a failure to attend to detail, poor
communication, etc.
3. Record what actions could be undertaken to avoid the problems. Develop a
simple plan of action.
4. Initiate steps to ensure preventive actions are a part of your regular work pat-
tern within the next two weeks.
5. Check your results by repeating the diagnostic process you used in Step 1.
Improving Problem Diagnosis

In certain cases, the cause of a problem will be readily diagnosed. However, the ex-
planation for a problem is not always so self-evident. In these situations, skill in di-
agnosis will be called upon.
1. Select three or four general areas in which you frequently encounter job-
related problems.
2. Ask your manager or a colleague with strong diagnostic skills to give you ad-
vice on how to find the facts required to properly evaluate a problem in each of
these areas.
3. Over the next 3 months, each time you are faced with diagnosing a job-related
problem, follow this procedure:
a. Find the facts required to anticipate and verify the problem. Utilize others
with these skills to coach you through the process.
b. Develop alternative causes for the problem. Generate a list of all possible
causes of the problem. Strive to come up with at least 5 possible sources.
A fishbone, or affinity diagram are suggested tools to use for this.
c. Verify the cause having the most significant impact.
d. Verify the root cause, brainstorm solutions, weight the appropriateness of
each solution and identify the most appropriate solution(s).
e. Gain support to implement the solution, if needed.
Coping With Unforeseen Problems

In your day-to-day planning and decision-making, identify alternative solutions to
various problems that arise. Then, if an unforeseen emergency arises and the cho-
sen solution must be abandoned, you will be able to come up with an alternative
quickly. Try the following activities.
1. Break an issue or problem into its parts. Use a fishbone, or affinity diagram to
visually see the parts of the problem or issue. Are there aspects that you did
not originally anticipate?
2. Participate as a member on a cross-functional team. Sharing ideas and solu-
tions with others can help uncover issues and problems that were unforeseen

to you.
3. Review best practices for an issue or problem. How have others addressed
this? Have they identified problems or issues that you have not foreseen?
Improving Analysis by Following-Up on Decisions

One of the ways to improve your analysis of problems is to investigate the situations
that result from your decisions.
1. Keep a journal of decisions that you make and considerations that you made
prior to making that choice of action.
2. Ask the following questions for each decision:
a. Did it result in what you expected?
b. If it did not, what did you fail to consider in analyzing the situation that could
have helped you to better predict the outcome?
c. In looking back, do you still think other plans of action that you discarded
would have resulted in negative outcomes?
d. Was this a successful decision or did it result in something less desirable
than you would hope for?
e. For successes, how can you duplicate that in the future? For failures, what
can you do to avoid repeating the same mistake?
3. For each of the actions that you have taken, re-evaluate the current state on a
regular basis to determine if changes need to be implemented because of un-
anticipated events.
Anticipating Potential Problems by Identifying Risk Areas

It is important to identify and anticipate potential problems to ensure timely corrective
action. One way in which this can be done is via the identification of risk areas in the
initial stages of work planning. Over the next 3 months each time you begin work on
a project or assignment, institute the following procedure:
1. Prepare a breakdown of all the functional tasks involved in the project.
2. Analyze each of these to determine any areas of risk. For example, data nec-
essary for effective work planning might be missing. The project might involve
implementing a procedure that is new. Perhaps one of the service groups on
which you rely is currently undergoing staffing problems. Try to think of every-
thing that could go wrong.
3. Categorize these into high and low risk areas.
4. Generate several possible approaches to these problems in the event that
they, in fact, do occur. Explore all potential trade-offs and alternatives in
choosing the best approaches.
5. Incorporate safety factors into your planning for high-risk areas. For example,
perhaps more time and/or funds should be allocated to these areas. If you are

not working on an area identified as high risk, ensure that you are kept fully in-
formed of all developments, either through actual observation or written re-
ports.
6. If an identified risk does become real, turn to your proposed strategies and de-
termine which should be implemented. Be sure to get input from all other
technical people involved before implementing the action plan.
Generating Innovative Solutions to Work-Related Problems

By looking at organizational activities from an innovative perspective, it is possible to
generate new solutions to old problems.
1. Select one major problem that co-workers have repeatedly encountered over
the past 6 months.
2. Record the nature of the difficulty, how and if it has been handled in the past,
and the success with which the solution was met.
3. Meet with co-workers to generate as many alternative solutions as possible.
4. Do not limit yourself to one or two solutions, since this will curtail creative think-
ing and cause too much concentration on detail. For the moment, concentrate
on innovation rather than on the limiting factors of implementation.
5. Review this list of potential solutions and see if it is possible to combine the
best parts of several solutions into one superior solution.
6. Seek additional input from your manager or mentor and discuss the feasibility
of implementation.
7. Arrange for follow-up a month later with the individuals affected by the innova-
tion to determine if it is serving its purpose.
Improving Your Critical Thinking Skills by Brainstorming New Ideas

It is almost impossible to be innovative and critical at the same time. Critical thinking
tends to stifle innovation because novel ideas usually seem ridiculous at first glance
and are rejected as unrealistic before they are fully developed. When you encounter
obstacles to your normal work methods or approaches, and need to generate new or
improved procedures, temporarily let yourself be innovative at the expense of being
critical and analytic. Follow these steps.
1. Idea Generation. Whenever you encounter a major obstacle to progress within
your current work method or approach, generate as many solutions as possi-
ble before evaluating them.
a. First, define the problem that is impeding your progress. State the problem
in the most general terms possible. This will help you avoid getting locked
into a particular perspective.
b. Set aside a period of time (30 to 60 minutes) to devote to generating poten-
tial solutions to the problem. If you run out of ideas before the time is up,
force yourself to generate ridiculous suggestions. One of them may start
you on a novel and productive train of thought.

c. Record all your ideas, no matter how ridiculous they may seem at the time.
2. Critical Analysis. Following the idea-generating period, review your ideas and
carefully analyze the ones that seem most likely to yield a successful ap-
proach.
a. Write down all the steps involved in implementing the new approach.
b. Carefully scrutinize and evaluate each step to see whether this approach
would, indeed, allow you to overcome the current obstacle, and also to an-
ticipate future obstacles that might arise if you adopted this approach.
c. If no major obstacles seem to be associated with this approach, implement
it. If you do foresee a major obstacle, then choose another reasonable idea
from your list and repeat this critical analysis phase.

Decision Making
11. Decision Making

Core Characteristics: Makes quality decisions based on a mixture of analysis, wis-
dom, judgment, and due diligence.

Demonstrates excellent judgment, even when facing complex, ambiguous or
unique situations.
Remains objective under pressure and makes good decisions within constraints;
anticipates difficulties, including those of an interpersonal nature.
Shows awareness of who and what is affected by decisions and keeps stake-
holders informed and involved.
Supports and defends good decisions that may adversely affect others in the
short-term and stands firm when unpopular decisions need to be made.
Actively solicits diverse perspectives and draws appropriate conclusions; re-
mains objective and unbiased in making decisions.
Balances the need to gather information with the need to make timely decisions;
does not delay decisions unnecessarily.
Addresses ineffective decisions appropriately; admits to mistakes, takes correc-
tive action and identifies, assesses and mitigates risk.

Makes poor decisions under time constraints or lacks objectivity when making
decisions; under or over estimates ability to deliver.
Avoids responsibility for making decisions or is indecisive in resolving work is-
sues.
Refuses to make difficult or unpopular decisions; delays or postpones certain
decisions that need to be made.
Makes impractical or poorly thought-out decisions; has difficulty applying policy
to new or unique situations.
Relies heavily on personal opinions to make decisions; prejudges and ignores
the perspective or experience of others.
Lacks objectivity or uses “gut feeling” rather than knowledge when making deci-
sions.
Makes impractical decisions; implements quick fixes rather than permanent solu-
tions.


1. Minimizing Last-Minute Decision Making
2. Choosing the Best Available Solution
3. Improving Decisions by Increasing Your Flexibility
4. Generating Alternative Solutions by Addressing Obstacles and Alternatives
5. Assuring Timely Decision Making
6. Assessing the Strengths and Weaknesses of Alternative Solutions
7. Responding to Crisis Situations Swiftly and Resolutely
8. Avoiding Hasty Decisions While Under Pressure
9. Making Good Decisions and Avoiding Overreacting in Crisis Situations
10. Taking Responsibility for Decision Making
Minimizing Last-Minute Decision Making

Having to make last-minute decisions is an inevitable part of the work function. How-
ever, a practical goal is to reduce the number of decisions made in this manner and
replace them with systematic planning.
1. Keep a record of your spur-of-the moment decisions for the next month.
2. Analyze this record at the end of this time period. Devise methods to incorpo-
rate as many of these last-minute decisions as possible into regular systematic
planning.
3. Maintain the record for another 1-month period once you have implemented
the above methods into your work planning.
Choosing the Best Available Solution

A plan is more likely to work well if it is the best one rather than the only one.
1. Choose two goals and generate at least three different plans, programs, or op-
tions to meet these goals.
2. Outline the strengths and weaknesses of each, comparing your perceptions
with those of others who may be involved in the project.
3. In making choices among them, be prepared to offer a rationale for your deci-
sion. The best rationale will be one that outlines specific strengths and weak-
nesses of the chosen plan in comparison to the alternatives.

Decision Making
4. Discuss or debate the merits of the different options with a co-worker. Provide
a rationale against the option that seems to be the best to clarify if it is truly the
best choice.
Improving Decisions by Increasing Your Flexibility

Learn to keep an open mind even after arriving at a decision. Additional information
can sometimes be critical and make the revision of your decision appropriate or nec-
essary.
1. Think back over the past several months to instances where you now realize
you were too rigid in sticking to your point of view once you had made up your
mind.
2. List as many negative consequences as you can recall of your rigidity at these
times. For example, were you unable to meet a project deadline because you
had already decided that no additional personnel were needed for the project?
3. Determine if some outcomes might have been more positive had you been will-
ing to reevaluate your decision in light of new information.
4. Over the next month keep a record of decisions you make and the information
on which you base those decisions.
5. Consider these decisions as tentative and then actively seek additional input.
6. Revise your decisions when new information warrants it.
7. At the end of the month compare the quality of final decisions you made prior
to and during the1-month period. Determine if your increased flexibility over
the past month has had a positive impact on your decision-making.
Generating Alternative Solutions by Addressing Obstacles and Al-

ternatives
In your day-to-day decision-making process, make a conscious effort to generate
additional alternatives to those that seem most obvious initially.
1. To aid in developing alternatives in decision-making, consider the following
questions.
a. What will happen if I do nothing about it? Some problems clear up by
themselves, while others call for immediate action.
b. What principles or practices, if applied, would offer solutions to the prob-
lem?
c. What obstacles stand in the way of a solution? Considering obstacles one
by one can help yield ideas for solution.
2. Once you have developed several possible solutions, generate ideas about
them. Do not limit yourself to one solution; this will limit creative thinking and
cause too much concentration on detail. The availability of several solutions
will make it possible to combine the best parts of them into one superior solu-

tion. Also, alternatives provide something to fall back on in case your one best
solution falls through.
Assuring Timely Decision Making

Decisions that are not made in a timely fashion can often be more detrimental than
making a less informed decision at the crucial moment. Many decisions that manag-
ers are faced with require immediate attention, yet people are less comfortable with
these decisions because they may result in a poor choice.
1. List all of the occasions in which you postponed a decision and it resulted in a
less effective outcome than if you had not postponed it. List all of the times
that you made a decision but felt uncomfortable about it because you lacked all
of the information to make the decision.
2. For the decisions that you felt uncomfortable with, was there a positive result?
Use the positive results to remind yourself in similar situations of the benefit
gained by making that decision. For the negative results, were they worse
than if you had made no decision at all?
3. When you postponed the decisions, evaluate how you could have made a
faster decision.
4. Part of making prompt decisions is feeling confident in your ability to make a
decision. Consider how you and co-workers can boost your confidence in de-
cision-making. Part of empowerment is having the tools to make quick deci-
sions. Do you have all of the tools that could be provided by your peers and
superiors? If not, ask them if they can help to enable you to make decisions
more quickly.
Assessing the Strengths and Weaknesses of Alternative Solutions

Once you have clearly defined a problem, it is necessary to assess the strengths and
weaknesses of alternative solutions so that an effective action plan can be devel-
oped. A thorough assessment of the possible alternatives requires an initial decision
as to which factors to optimize in the solution and a consideration of all the con-
straints under which you are operating.
1. Prepare a brief written statement of the problem.
2. List all factors that should be considered in choosing the solution, such as:
a. Controlling expenses within established budget figures.
b. Meeting scheduled deadlines.
c. Specifications.
3. Rank order these factors according to their priority.
4. List all constraints (external forces) under which you are operating that might
prevent certain decisions from being made or possible.
5. Generate several possible solutions in which the highest-ranking factors are
optimized and all operating constraints are accepted.

Decision Making
6. Contact other individuals who are involved in the situation to determine which
of these would most feasibly be implemented.
7. Document all assumptions on which investigated alternatives are based to re-
fer to if unforeseen developments require a change of strategy.
8. Put the chosen action plan into operation.
9. Document your actions.
10. Keep a record of alternatives and background assumptions so that you will
have a second course of action to fall back on, should the chosen course
prove inoperable.
11. Record the final outcomes on each selected action plan. Note the extent to
which the factors chosen for optimization were met.
Responding to Crisis Situations Swiftly and Resolutely

Following a clear series of steps, especially when in a crisis situation, will make your
actions more effective and allow you to remain objective under pressure.
1. Respond to a crisis using the following sequence:
a. Recognize and acknowledge that a problem exists.
b. Diagnose the problem for possible remedial action. Establish the cause of
the problem.
c. Generate several possible courses of action and choose from alternate so-
lutions.
d. Apply the solutions.
e. Evaluate the situation for better solutions or ways to have prevented the
crisis.
2. Apply the first four steps as an immediate response to the situation; postpone
the last until the crisis is past and there is time for reflection.
3. The first thing to ask yourself in times of possible crisis is what is wrong.
Later, when things have returned to normal, you can ponder why it went
wrong.
4. If immediate action is called for, respond. It is usually better to offer a less-
than-perfect intervention than to let matters go completely awry.
5. Be willing to go out on a limb in a crisis situation. This is not the time to sit
back and let someone else handle it.
6. In times of crisis, it is important to think clearly and act swiftly. Avoid directing
stress and frustration at others. While there may be occasions when you
must act alone, try to enlist the aid of a co-worker in such a situation.
7. Determine how quickly remedial action is needed. If there is sufficient time,
generate more than one plan of action and get feedback. Try to make the
most informed choice possible under the circumstances.
8. Whenever possible, a brief discussion before acting allows you to bounce
your ideas off someone else and gives you a basis for evaluating your per-

formance after the crisis has passed.

9. Keep a record of your response to crisis situations over the next month. De-
termine at what stage in the crisis response you were weak. Did you fail to
recognize the problem or were you unable to provide solutions?
10. Keep a crisis notebook on a departmental or team basis. Record problems
when they occur. Include how it was recognized and by whom, what steps
were taken, and how it might be avoided in the future. Use the notebook as a
basis for discussion at an organization or team meeting.
Avoiding Hasty Decisions While Under Pressure

Many day-to-day decisions need to be made in a short period of time while in a
stressful, high-pressure situation. There are two types of mistakes that can be made
with this type of decision: not making one when it is needed, or making a hasty deci-
sion too quickly.
1. Ask for feedback from co-workers using specific examples of when you have
made a decision too quickly. Add to the examples provided by co-workers
your own observations of mistakes you have made. For times that you made a
premature decision without gathering more information, ask the following ques-
tions. Use your answers as a Guide to how to prepare ahead of time and ef-
fectively deal with the situation.
a. Was I under pressure and feeling highly stressed? If stress was a factor,
try to lower the level of stress by encouraging a calm, non-threatening lan-
guage and climate both for yourself and others. Consider postponing the
decision for a brief period of time and remove yourself from the situation to
relax for a few minutes.
b. Were other people making demands of me? Were they also highly
stressed? If you felt that demands were being made of you, consider dis-
cussing the climate of communication during those situations. Imagine
what you can do in the stressful situation to lower the level of anxiety that
everyone is facing.
c. Did I fail to consider information that was readily available to me? Take a
step back from the situation and consider what your options are. Ask for
input from co-workers who have information pertaining to, or will be im-
pacted by, the decision.
d. Was someone withholding important information, or was there a break-
down in communication? For breakdowns in communication discuss with
your co-workers how you all can facilitate decision making in times of cri-
sis. If someone was withholding information, consider why and try to ad-
dress the problem before a crisis situation occurs.
e. Did it seem that an immediate decision was necessary when in actuality it
was not? Why? Make note of when you are wrong about the urgency and
refer to your notes when faced with similar situations.
f. Did I feel threatened and allow my frustration, pride, or likes and dislikes of
others to influence my decision? Use this information in weighing alterna-
tives when making a decision.

Decision Making
g. Did I ask for other people’s opinions/ideas? Often a decision is greatly im-
proved by asking for input. Involving individuals in less senior positions in-
creases their feeling of involvement and may provide a fresh perspective
on the situation. Involving your peers and senior co-workers can help pro-
vide insights on how your decision will impact others.
2. If you made a hasty decision, was it because of one of the above reasons? If
so, then ask yourself why you made the decision without investigating alterna-
tives, and consider what you can do to prevent it from happening again.
3. The next time you are faced with a crisis situation, ask all of the above ques-
tions and evaluate whether your decision was still overly hasty.
Making Good Decisions and Avoiding Overreacting in Crisis Situa-

tions
When a crisis occurs you should avoid jumping at the first possible solution to the
problem, since acting too quickly may only serve to worsen the situation.
1. Ask your manager, mentor or colleague to provide you with examples of your
overreaction to crisis situations over the past several months.
2. Probe for specific examples of negative consequences of your overreaction.
3. Seek suggestions as to how you might have better responded to the crisis
situation.
4. Think back to some of the crisis situations you handled relatively well over the
past several months. Note in particular how the actions you took led to a posi-
tive outcome.
5. Prepare a list of “do’s and don’ts” for handling crisis situations based on the in-
formation identified above.
6. Use these Guidelines over the next 3 months to help you avoid overreacting to
crisis situations that arise.
7. Keep a written record over this time period of crisis situations that arise and
how you respond to them. List both the positive and negative consequences
of the actions you take.
8. Review your progress at the end of the 3-month period by comparing your for-
mer and present methods of handling crisis situations. In particular, focus on
the difference in outcomes or consequences to see to what extent using your
Guidelines has helped you to make better, more rational decisions.
Taking Responsibility for Decision Making

Learning to confidently take responsibility for decision-making is an important part of
effective performance. Increased willingness to make tough decisions will allow you
to take charge when necessary, and foster the confidence to accept new projects and
assignments. To do this, try the following:

1. Examine all that you do in the day-to-day performance of your job. Identify ar-
eas in which you typically go to others for help making a decision.
2. Determine the decisions for which you could begin taking responsibility.
3. Be sure you understand all the elements that need to be considered before
making a judgment. Then, discuss the possibility of taking on additional re-
sponsibility with the decision-maker and with their approval, begin to take over
decision-making for those issues yourself.
4. Set a meeting with them for some time in the future after you will have as-
sumed responsibility for the area of decision-making. Try not to seek encour-
agement before that time (but use your judgment here, obviously in some
cases it will be important to consult with your co-workers). Review your deci-
sions with your manager or mentor. Look for new ways in which you might
take decision-making responsibility.
5. Sharpen your decision making skills by looking for areas where progress is be-
ing stifled because no one has taken responsibility for the project or assign-
ment. Often projects get stalled because others are waiting for a decision for
which no one has responsibility. Use these opportunities to take ownership of
the decision making to help your team function smoothly.

Innovation
12. Innovation
Core Characteristics: Identifies new and fresh approaches to problems and issues;
has a vivid imagination and creates new concepts that are not obvious to others; and is
willing to try new or novel approaches.

Formulates useful new explanations or approaches for complex problems, situ-
ations or opportunities.
Engages others in brainstorming and encourages creativity in others.
Serves as a resource to others in coming up with creative approaches to prob-
lems or issues.
Conceives new, unusual or clever ideas or approaches for situations or issues.
Has a vivid imagination and creates new concepts that are not obvious to oth-
ers.
Continues to come up with alternatives even after a workable solution has been
identified.
Originates or creatively defines new techniques, criteria, standards or ap-
proaches within the organization.

Rarely identifies or applies a different approach to established procedures.
Usually stops creating or defining options once he/she has found one that
works.
Doesn’t contribute new ideas or approaches for addressing issues.
Doesn’t use his/her imagination in solving problems or addressing issues.
Avoids situations where creativity and imagination are required; tends to
squelch creativity in others.
Rarely integrates or combines approaches in different ways to best meet objec-
tives.
Has difficulty evaluating the quality of new ideas or approaches.


1. Honing Your Innovative Process
2. Using Customer Input for Generating Innovative Ideas
3. Brainstorming
4. Tips for Personal Brainstorming
5. Open Sourcing
6. Storyboarding
7. Mind Mapping
8. Dynamic Approaching to Thinking
9. Creating an Innovative Environment
10. Increasing Innovation through Creative Goal Setting
11. Practical Activities for Innovation
12. Stretching the Mind through Daily Creative Exercise
Honing Your Innovative Process

It is important to remember that while creativity and innovation come easily for some
and difficult for others, it is a skill that can be developed by anyone. Innovation is a
process of gathering as much information as possible and then combining, analyzing
and distilling it into its richest, most useful form. Good innovators know where to look
for information and then how to combine the best components from multiple sources
into something new and useful. To hone your innovative process, go through the
following steps:
1. Identify the roadblocks that keep you from innovative contributions. Write
them down and list the reasons for the roadblock. Share these roadblocks
with a trusted colleague, supervisor, or peer. Ask this person to help you
identify your habits that prevent your from creating innovative ideas. Per-
haps you “zone-out” during brainstorming sessions, or maybe you need to
find someone who can have a creative conversation with you.
2. Divide innovation into two steps: 1) gathering information and 2) distilling in-
formation. List the places where you get your ideas. Where do you go for
innovative information? This could be from:
♦ Creative teams.
♦ Literature. Magazines, journals, newspapers, trusted websites.
♦ Discussions with colleagues.
♦ Seminars.
♦ Prior experiences (yours or others’).

Innovation
3. Next, write down how you usually go about “distilling” information. Do you
rank order ideas? Do you combine two concepts from two different sources?
Remember, distilling information is all about processing ideas. Good innova-
tors are able to consistently draw out and channel new thinking from all
available resources.
4. Draw a flow chart of your last good idea. Start with the sources, and then
draw arrows linking the information flow. There is a blank flow-chart for you
to fill in. The squares in the first row represent the sources; the pyramids
represent the first combinations of ideas. The large oval should be your final
idea. Label the connections with details about how you “distilled” the idea.
You may want to take this sample and re-create a full-page version, with
more intermediate steps. Remember, most innovative processes involve
more than three iterations.
5. Review your results. Take an inventory of where you currently stand in your
workplace and among peers. To improve your innovative process all you
need to do is add more tools to your toolkit. Gather information from a
broader base and then combine those ideas in myriad ways.
6. Remember, honing your innovative process is more systematic than intuitive!
Using Customer Input for Generating Innovative Ideas

Organizations need a constant stream of new ideas if they are to remain on the cut-
ting edge of innovation. In many organizations there is resistance to change; how-
ever, innovation is built on change. Ideas are the fundamental building blocks of new
products, services, processes, and strategies. As such, customers are often the end
users of the organization’s new ideas. Consequently, obtaining customer input may
markedly enhance the generation of new and relevant ideas. To engage customers
in the process of generating new ideas, consider undertaking the following:
1. Involve Everyone in the Quest for Ideas. Organizations can enlarge their pool

of ideas by including more employees in the process of new product and ser-
vice ideas and in solving vexing organizational problems. Start by encouraging
them to listen to customers.
2. Involve Customers in Your Process. New products are most often initiated by
ideas from customers, rather than from in-house brainstorming sessions or de-
veloped internally by research and development. Identify customers who tend
to buy the latest versions of your products. These "lead adopters" can provide
you with insights about where the market may be headed and how your or-
ganization can best position itself.
3. Involve Customers in New Ways. Organizations evolve and embrace new
ways of doing things at different rates. Nowhere is this more evident than in
the ways they listen to customers. Look outside your own field or industry for
ideas on how to get customer input. Automakers, retailers, consumer electron-
ics manufacturers, for instance, are on the leading edge of customer surveying
and are often considered the early adopters of idea techniques.
4. Focus on the Unarticulated Needs of Customers. How do you get feedback on
ideas that don't exist? One approach growing in popularity is to probe the un-
articulated needs of customers, asking them to consider hypothetical products
and prototypes to see how they would respond. Learn from customers by ob-
serving what they are not doing, listening to what they are not saying. Recog-
nize the sources of their frustration and find potential ways of eliminating it.
5. Seek Ideas from New Customer Groups. Most organizations should have a
good idea of who their customers are. But if you expand your definition of cus-
tomer, you can also expand your ability to generate winning ideas. Look at
your customers' customers and your competitors' customers. Instead of look-
ing at only the present, look also at the past (former customers) and the future
(anyone you haven't done business with yet). Ask how you might meet those
customers' needs.
6. Involve Suppliers in Product Idea Generation. Suppliers can be key partners in
the idea-creation process, but many organizations are reluctant to share infor-
mation with suppliers (who, after all, might be partners with the competition as
well). Just as you look to your customers for new ideas (such as by detecting
their unarticulated needs), think of your organization as your supplier's cus-
tomer. You too, have unarticulated needs. Try articulating them and get your
supplier's idea-generating capacity working in concert with yours.
7. Benchmark Idea Generating Methods. Innovative organizations actively man-
age the idea generation process by examining its effectiveness and question-
ing how the ideas-to-results process might be improved. Idea generation is not
something that should be left to chance. Organizations that rely on innovation
need to seriously examine the climate in which idea generation takes place
and put someone in charge of making the process better, more productive, and
more innovative.
Brainstorming
The point of brainstorming is to generate ideas in a group situation while suspending
judgment. Splicing the generation phase from the critical thinking phase is imperative
while brainstorming – it allows group members to freely contribute. No one can be

Innovation
creative if they are being critiqued.

1. Identify your Group Members. Research has show that the ideal group size for
brainstorming is 5-7 participates. This properly balances the breadth of contri-
butions while maintaining a socially comfortable atmosphere. Also, it is impor-
tant to appoint a facilitator who is capable of moving the discussion along with-
out dominating other members.
2. Define your purpose before your meeting. This ensures that everyone is on
the same page and has had time to think about the meeting before hand.
Consider including with your memo a worksheet to be completed before the
session. This further stimulates thinking.
3. Prepare starter questions. Begin the meeting by asking:
a. Who/What/When/Where/Why/How?
b. Solutions to Problem?
c. Any member with prior experience with this situation?
d. Potential root causes?
e. Any risks/rewards?
f. What is obvious about this issue? What is subtle about it?
g. Who is an expert in this area? Where are these experts?
4. Audit your information trail. Get a large whiteboard, posters, or video screen.
Answer all of your starter questions and begin a flow-chart of ideas, exploring
all avenues the discussion follows.
Tips for Personal Brainstorming

It is possible to apply the principles of group brainstorming to create a focused pro-
gram for personal brainstorming. With group brainstorming, the purpose is to gener-
ate a wealth of ideas and allow many people to piggy-back on them. When alone, it’s
difficult to apply a fresh perspective to an idea. Here are some practical tips to help
you increase the effectiveness of your innovative problem-solving skills:
1. Write your problem or issue down in one sentence at the top of a blank sheet
of paper. Work hard at being concise and pointed. The better you can articu-
late yourself, the less distracted you will become.
2. Next, write down everything you know about the issue. Isolate specific factors
or trends that have contributed to it. By gathering all of the information that
you know about your challenge and laying it out in front of you in tangible form,
you enable your brain subconsciously to begin making connections and impli-
cations about the information you've collected. Many connections are not ob-
vious if you don’t take the time to write information down. Researchers refer to
this subconscious information processing as the “incubation” phase of innova-
tion.
3. Think about people who have faced problems or challenges similar to the one
you are facing. What strategies or solutions did they use? Ask yourself: How
would a person who is an expert in this area solve this problem? The point
here is to begin thinking in a different frame of reference than you are used to.
The main effect that group brainstorming is that similar ideas are strung to-
gether to form an excellent idea. Working from a new frame of reference al-
lows you to string new ideas together with some of your original thoughts.

4. Break down your issue into the smallest component pieces and write each of
them down. Consider drawing a mind map or outline that shows the relation-
ships between each element. Then, try brainstorming ideas around each ele-
ment. Tackling only a few elements at a time often works well when you're
faced with complex or multi-dimensional challenges.
5. Work backwards from your end goal. In golf, a long putt usually breaks in a
slightly different direction the final 1-3 feet. However, this break is rarely visible
when reading the line from behind the ball (or starting point). The best putters
will stand behind the hole and read the putt in reverse to reveal the hidden
break in the final 10% of line. Working backwards from the end goal can re-
veal the hidden pitfalls that are preventing your idea from complete develop-
ment.
Open Source
Most commonly used in reference to software, “open source” is an ideology and set
of practices that promotes the free and iterative exchange of ideas. Open source
projects often yields remarkably innovative results. The magic behind open source is
the long-term iterative process. The best ideas rarely emerge in a single session or
overnight, rather, they evolve over weeks, months, or even years.
In many respects open source is large scale collaboration; however, collaboration
often refers to real-time, face-to-face or group discussion with little time for highly
innovative results to emerge. “Open sourcing” an idea is typically done by posting it
in a public location – most often the internet – and inviting as many individual contri-
butions as possible. “Open sourcing” is an excellent way to grow an idea or solution.
Consider the following:
1. Send a mass email to your colleagues describing your problem or invita-
tion to build upon a good idea, post the best suggestions into one email,
and then send it to the entire group again.
2. If applicable, post your idea/invention/product in a high-traffic area of your
office with a sign asking passers-by to contribute novel ideas. Incorporate
any good ideas in your next iteration, then, put the improved idea on dis-
play again.
3. Research your issue on the web; for example, join a blog, do a topic
search using an internet search engine. Perhaps your issue is already be-
ing “open sourced” and you can join the current development of it.
4. Create a webpage or blog and watch your idea develop and grow. This is
how “traditional” open source projects begin.
5. Always remember, the entire point of open source is to bring on as many
contributors as possible and allow an idea to evolve over time.
Storyboarding
Storyboards go back to the very beginnings of cinema and the world of animation.
Walt Disney and his staff developed a Storyboard system in 1928. Disney wanted to

Innovation
achieve full animation and for this, he needed to produce an enormous number of
drawings. Managing the thousands of drawings and the progress of a project was
nearly impossible, so Disney had his artists pin up their drawings on the studio walls.
This way, progress could be checked, and scenes added and discarded with ease.
1. Storyboarding is a popular management tool to facilitate the innovative thinking
process and can be likened to taking your thoughts and the thoughts of others
and spreading them out on a wall as you work on a project or solve a problem.
2. When you put ideas up on Storyboards, you begin to see interconnections,
how one idea relates to another, and how all the pieces come together. Once
the ideas start flowing, those working with the Storyboard will become im-
mersed in the problem. People will "hitch-hike" onto other ideas. To imple-
ment a Storyboard solution you can use a cork board or similar surface to al-
low the pinning up of index cards. There are now software programs available
for Storyboarding on the computer.
3. Start with a topic card and under the topic card place header cards containing
general points, categories, and considerations that will come up.
4. Under the header cards you will put sub-heading cards containing the ideas
that fall under each header. They're the details of the ideas generated in the
innovative thinking session, ideas that develop or support the headers.
5. There are four major types of Storyboards:
• Planning board
• Ideas board
• Communication board
• Organization board
6. During a Storyboarding session, consider all ideas relevant, no matter how im-
practical they appear. Think positively, hold all criticism until later and hitch-
hike on other's ideas. Innovative thinking sessions are held separately from
critical thinking sessions. Storyboards provide total immersion in a problem
that allows you to see how everything fits together.
Mind Mapping
The human brain is very different from a computer. Whereas a computer works in a
linear fashion, the brain works associatively as well as linearly—comparing, integrat-
ing and synthesizing as it goes. Association plays a dominant role in nearly every
mental function and words themselves are no exception. Every single word and idea
have numerous links attaching them to other ideas and concepts.
Mind Mapping is an effective method of note-taking and useful for the generation of
ideas by associations.
1. To make a mind map, start in the center of the page with the main idea and
work outward in all directions, producing a growing and organized structure
composed of key words and key images. Key features are:
• Organization.
• Key Words.
• Association.
• Clustering.

• Visual Memory—Print the key words, use color, symbols, icons, 3D-effects,
arrows and outlining groups of words.
• Outstanding Center—every mind map needs a unique center.
• Conscious involvement.
2. Mind Maps are beginning to take on the same structure as memory itself.
Once a Mind Map is drawn, it seldom needs to be referred to again. Mind
Maps help organize information.
3. Because of the large amount of association involved, they can be very crea-
tive, tending to generate new ideas and associations that have not been
thought of before. Every item in a map is in effect, a center of another map.
4. The creative potential of a mind map is useful in brainstorming sessions. You
only need to start with the basic problem as the center and generate associa-
tions and ideas from it in order to arrive at a large number of different possible
approaches. By presenting your thoughts and perceptions in a spatial manner
and by using color and pictures, a better overview is gained and new connec-
tions can be made visible.
5. Mind maps are a way of representing associated thoughts with symbols rather
than with extraneous words something like organic chemistry. The mind forms
associations almost instantaneously, and "mapping" allows you to write your
ideas quicker than expressing them using only words or phrases.
6. To get started, ask the six key questions for any issue: What? Where? When?
How? Why? And Who? Then create a mind map of the issue with these six
words as nodes on the map.
Dynamic Approaches to Thinking

An important aspect of innovation is distilling many ideas down to only the richest
ones. Research tells us that all great innovators go through similar exercises when
distilling ideas down to their idea form. Either in groups or alone, take the following
actions when you are ready to start boiling down your information:
1. Combine like ideas. Group your ideas in as many ways as possible. This
could be by similar: intended applications, required resources/personnel,
timeframes, drawbacks, costs, etc…
2. Force analogies. Compare the problem with something else that has little
or nothing in common and gain new insights as a result. You can force a
relationship between almost anything and get new insights. For example,
companies and whales, management systems and telephone networks, or
your relationship and a pencil. Use the following as a Guide:
• A useful way of developing the relationships is to have a selec-
tion of objects or cards with pictures to help you generate ideas.
• Choose an object or card at random and see what relationships
you can force.
• You can use a matrix to record the attributes and then explore
aspects of the problem at hand.
3. Rank order. In groups, have everyone do an individual rank order of ideas
and then tally up the rankings to create a master ranking. Compare the

Innovation
master ranking with each of the group members’ rankings. Let this gener-
ate further discussion.
4. Use a “what if” scenario. Ask, “what if this idea was implemented today?”
Or, “If this idea was implemented 5 years ago, what would be some prob-
lems we would be facing now?”
5. Reverse the issue. Have you ever thought about all of the ways that Cus-
tomer Service could be bad? Or if you wanted to increase sales, how
would you decrease them? This exercise yields remarkable insight into
current practices and also gives an entirely fresh perspective to your issue.
6. Physically change your point-of-view. Often termed “walking around an is-
sue,” go sit in the desk of your peers, subordinates, and (if appropriate)
your boss. How do they see the issue from there?
7. “Fivewise” it! -- Fivewising is a term for determining the root cause of a
problem or identifying the origin of an idea. If you ask “Why” five times,
you become all the wiser. Try fivewising the next time you have a simple
computer problem or fivewising your businesses’ main product or service.
Consider a classic example:
• Why has the press stopped printing? The power unit blew from an
overload.
• Why was there a power overload? The bearing locked up.
• Why did the bearing lock up? The lubrication pump failed.
• Why did the pump fail? The pump shaft has excessive vi-
bration from excessive wear.
• Why was the shaft worn down? The filter was missing so materials en-
tered the pump.
• After making the repairs and replacing the filter, the problem will be
solved.

Creating an Innovative Environment

When faced with the challenge of managing a creative team or trying to bring out the
creative ability of employees, many mangers would resort to traditional techniques
that too often impede creativity. It is important to identify the road blocks to creativity
and then develop an environment that fosters innovation.
1. Realize employees may be skeptical. Too often employees are not sure if
management is truly committed to real and meaningful change. It is important
to display a commitment to innovation by openly recognizing high-quality
suggestions and then taking steps to implement them. Over time as employ-
ees begin to see this commitment, high-quality innovation will follow.
2. Organize the physical environment. Promote productive discussions by keep-
ing doors open and sightlines free from obstacles. Consider re-designing a
large workspace by removing unnecessary walls, turning desks to face open
areas rather than walls or corners, and create a central hub where ideas can
be posted in high-traffic areas. Proctor and Gamble’s famed “Clay Street”
Think Tank is a model of creativity and innovation. The company sends
cross-functional teams to a warehouse loft in downtown Cincinnati for 10-
weeks. It’s designed with wide-open spaces, many handy objects to write on,
tinker with, and sit on. Clay Street has allowed P&G to transform itself into a
forward-thinking innovative giant.
3. Flatten the chain of command. Ensure procedural justice by implementing a
transparent and standardized evaluation process of all ideas. If ideas have to
work too far upstream through the organization, any single manager who is
averse to change can squash it without fair review. For an employee, nothing
is more defeating than this. Having multiple managers review ideas not only
will ensure fairness, but also improve the likelihood that the best ideas will
emerge.
4. Let ideas incubate. Ideas need time to incubate in the right environment with
the right nutrients. Setting aside time on a regular basis for workers to es-
cape their desks enables them to tap their innovative capabilities. It will also
signal to employees that you truly value their innovative input. Try this:
• Let employees suggest where to go for a monthly off-site trip.
• Schedule a weekly 30-45 minute, round-table group session,
tackling one important issue.
• Have employees “trade places” with each other for a half-day.
Increasing Innovation through Creative Goal Setting

Setting appropriate goals can enhance your creativity and innovation. Follow these
guidelines to set effective goals for stimulating your creativity:
1. Think outside the box. Break out of familiar grooves. For example, set a goal
to spend five minutes every morning coming up with a new answering machine
message that may reflect your mood or attitude. Have fun with it.
2. Make connections between two unfamiliar things. Everyday, make it your goal
to think of five different ways you can combine two unrelated things to produce
something new. For example, a book and a bubble, or a chair and a wheel.
Freewheeling propels you toward inspiration.

Innovation
3. Go after what you're afraid of. Write down one thing every day that you're
afraid to do, and do it. Invite a prospective employer out for lunch. Volunteer
to sing in the church choir. You may be surprised at the creativity that will flow
once you leave your comfort zone.
4. Change your perspective. Next time you're stuck on a particular problem, think
about it from another person's perspective. How would your grandmother view
the situation? Set a goal to view a situation from another viewpoint at least
once a day.
5. Hone in on your target. Divide your big goal into small pieces. Chopping up
big things into little things not only makes your goal more attainable, it can also
give you more options to explore and solve the problem.
6. Setting goals can foster your innovation. Maintain a clear, confident, goal-
setting frame of mind. Fear and distress shuts off the part of the brain where
creativity and problem solving live. Here are the top four ways goal setting can
help foster innovation:
• It helps you take risks.
• It pushes you out of old, familiar grooves.
• It helps you stay organized.
• It helps you accomplish new things.
Practical Activities for Innovation

Implement the following:
1. Define your problem. Grab a sheet of paper, electronic notebook, computer or
whatever you use to make notes, and define your problem in detail. Until
you’ve done this, it’s difficult to begin generating new ideas.
2. Build creative teams, with highly creative people as leaders. Empowering
each individual employee to be a creative genius is not practical. Indeed many
staff are quite happy doing their work as they always have done. Forcing them
to be creative on their own will only increase the angst. But, once they are part
of a creative team with a creative leader, they will loosen up
3. Creative teams should comprise people from a wide range of disciplines and
backgrounds. If you are trying to invent a better wheel, don't just put wheel
specialists on the creative team. The important thing is to get the widest range
of disciplines possible. However, the team leader should be a naturally crea-
tive person who inspires others.
4. Brainstorm problems regularly. If properly carried out, brainstorming can help
you not only come up with several new ideas, but can help you decide which is
best.
5. Establish a means of publishing, sharing and storing ideas. This can be as
simple as a bulletin board where people can pin ideas or as complex as an
Intranet based idea bank.
6. If you can't think, go for a walk. A change of atmosphere is good for you and
gentle exercise helps shake up the brain cells. Most people, however, are at
their creative worst sitting behind a desk with a stack of papers on the left and
a computer on the right.

7. Always carry a small notebook and a pen or pencil around with you. That way,
if you are struck by an idea, you can quickly write it down. Upon rereading
your notes, you may discover about 90% of your ideas won’t work. Don't
worry, that's normal. What's important are the 10% that are brilliant.
8. If you're stuck for an idea, open a dictionary, randomly select a word and then
try to formulate ideas incorporating this word. You'd be surprised how well this
works. The concept is based on a simple but little known truth: freedom inhib-
its creativity. There is nothing like restrictions to get you thinking.
9. Read as much as you can about everything possible. Books exercise your
brain, provide inspiration and fill you with information that allows you to make
creative connections easily.
10. Exercise your brain. Brains, like bodies, need exercise to keep fit. Exercise
your brain by reading a lot (see above), talking to clever people and debating
with people – debating can be a terrific way to give your brain cells a workout.
Stretching the Mind through Daily Creative Exercise

Stretching your mind is essential in order to reveal new creative possibilities. Most of
what we do and think about during our day isn’t new or difficult –- it doesn’t stretch
our mind. A passive state-of-mind creates a roadblock for innovation. To remove
this mental block, people need to activate and engage their minds. Here are five
practical steps for stretching your mind.
1. Spend about 30 minutes right before sleep thinking about a single difficult
topic. Right before you lay down work to clear your mind of it. While you're
sleeping, your subconscious mind, the seat of most breakthrough ideas, will be
mulling it over and working on it. This is called incubation.
2. The next morning, find 30 minutes –- perhaps during your commute –- to think
about your topic again. Write everything down that occurs to you no matter
how odd or unusual these thoughts may seem. You can evaluate these ideas
and thoughts later. Right now, your job is to let your brain do a "mental dump"
onto paper.
3. When you arrive at work or begin your daily routine, put this topic out of mind
again. This allows your ideas to travel through the stages of cognition, gather-
ing hunches, insights and subconscious experiences to impact your idea.
4. When your day ends, spend another 30 minutes before sleep re-discovering
your topic. Remember, one day rarely brings new insight to your topic. But
submerging yourself in a single topic while in many different environments will
eventually bring innovation. Isaac Newton many not have “discovered” gravity
had he not been submerged in thought and sitting under a tree.

Coaching Winners A Coaching Development Guide

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Coaching Winners!

A Coaching & Development Guide

Ronald C. Page, Ph.D.

A Leader’s Toolkit for Coaching and Development

Introduction: Using the Coaching & Development

Self Management Competency Cluster 11

Relationships Competency Cluster 55

Analytical Competency Cluster 95

Management Competency Cluster 133

© 2007 Ronald C. Page. All rights reserved. iii

Leadership Competency Cluster 175

Appendix: Development Action Plan 221

iv © 2007 Ronald C. Page. All rights reserved.

© 2007 Ronald C. Page. All rights reserved. v

vi © 2007 Ronald C. Page. All rights reserved.

What this Guide Is

How This Book Is Organized

© 2007 Ronald C. Page. All rights reserved. 1

3. Development Action Plan. A form (the Appendix) for detailing an individual’s

This Guide is organized according to the 23 competencies in the Assessment Asso-

 Self Management Cluster

Each chapter provides a definition of the competency, examples of Highly Effective

An Introduction to the Coaching & Development Process

1. Start. The development process may be triggered by performance review,

2 © 2007 Ronald C. Page. All rights reserved.

Core Competency Model

© 2007 Ronald C. Page. All rights reserved. 3

3. Development Planning. Using the development diagnosis information, the

How to Use this Book

You are the Coach!

1. Your Client. – You might be working with a variety of positions, as well as an

4 © 2007 Ronald C. Page. All rights reserved.

2. Development Action Plan. – The Plan will consist of a Developmental Goal,

© 2007 Ronald C. Page. All rights reserved. 5

a. Enhancing Leadership Capabilities

4. Developmental Objectives. – These objectives are identified to attain the de-

a. Improving Communication Skills on the Phone

5. Development Activities. – Numerous proven activities are outlined in this

a. Being recognized as one of the "Most Valuable Technical People" in their

6 © 2007 Ronald C. Page. All rights reserved.

7. Schedule. – Setting up a schedule is very important and will vary depending on

You are the Supervisor!

2. Motivation. – Everyone is motivated by different things. You are encouraged to

4. Project Management. – You at some point might be directing your employees

© 2007 Ronald C. Page. All rights reserved. 7

6. New-Hire Employees. – New employees require a great deal of guidance. Vir-

7. Challenged Employees. – Sometimes employees are overwhelmed for a vari-

8. Performance Improvement Plans. – This is an area in which this Guide will be

You are the Mentor!

8 © 2007 Ronald C. Page. All rights reserved.

1. Walk them through a typical day. – When an employee is new, it is nice to

8. Take them to a professional association meeting. – Helping them grow pro-

You are Your Own Coach! - [Self-Development]

© 2007 Ronald C. Page. All rights reserved. 9

3. Review the Mentor's section. – You might be assigned a mentor or as you

10 © 2007 Ronald C. Page. All rights reserved.

11. Decision Making

13. Technical/Professional Expertise

© 2007 Ronald C. Page. All rights reserved. 95

96 © 2007 Ronald C. Page. All rights reserved.

10. Problem Solving & Critical Thinking

Example Highly Effective Behaviors

Self Management Cluster