Further praise for Coaching for Innovation Coaching for Innovation is not just for managers with innovation in their job titles, or companies at the cutting-edge of new technologies. It is for all managers of people where optimal engagement is demanded and it is a powerful tool for the management of teams. This excellent book demystifies coaching, and shows you simply and effectively how to adopt the coaching mind-set and how to deploy a coaching-based strategy in your team to drive innovation. Tim Starr, Vice-President, Operations, Symetis S.A. This book brings together for the first time innovation models driven by coaching that really open up the creativity of teams and individuals. Coaching for Innovation leverages coaching and comes with an instruction manual that is easy to understand and empowering in its application. This is an indispensable toolkit for leaders and all who truly want to invest in themselves to make a difference. Ben Wallace, Head of Global Marketing Excellence, Bayer CropScience Bianchi and Steele have created a practical handbook that will immediately enable individuals to contribute innovatively as well as coaching their team to do the same. An accessible and thought-provoking read that has application beyond innovation it s a toolbox that will support culture change. Coaching for Innovation is highly relevant and topical for any business looking to improve, amongst other things, performance, profit, employee engagement and leveraging an increasingly diverse workforce. Sarah-Jane Mills, Senior Counsel UK & Ireland, PPG Architectural Coatings UK Limited and Leader of PPG s EMEA Women Leadership Council Coaching for Innovation is a great book filled with practical tips and suggestions. The book can be used both as a quick reference guide around coaching and team dynamics, but also as an in-depth self-learning guide to take your coaching skills to a whole new level. The many examples of powerful questions are useful in any environment. Arnold Dikkers, Reward lead EMEA, DuPont Bianchi and Steele have created an important resource for research leaders and those interested in developing a detailed understanding of the powerful role coaching can have in building ideas and driving innovation.
This well-written book covers a number of important issues and techniques and includes many practical examples that are very useful in daily practice. Dr. Carsten P. Welsch, Professor of Physics at the University of Liverpool, UK Coaching for Innovation made me realise that we too often forget the multiple paths and opportunities that surround us and which could trigger our thoughts and generate new ideas. Reading this book made me step back and think about how I could best influence my environment and colleagues to develop an open, transparent and creative workplace. Yann Ehrbar, Sales Director Switzerland, Luxottica
Tools and Techniques for Encouraging New Ideas in the Workplace Coaching for Innovation Cristina Bianchi Maureen Steele
Cristina Bianchi and Maureen Steele 2014 Softcover reprint of the hardcover 1st edition 2014 978-1-137-35325-2 All rights reserved. No reproduction, copy or transmission of this publication may be made without written permission. No portion of this publication may be reproduced, copied or transmitted save with written permission or in accordance with the provisions of the Copyright, Designs and Patents Act 1988, or under the terms of any licence permitting limited copying issued by the Copyright Licensing Agency, Saffron House, 6 10 Kirby Street, London EC1N 8TS. Any person who does any unauthorized act in relation to this publication may be liable to criminal prosecution and civil claims for damages. The authors have asserted their rights to be identified as the authors of this work in accordance with the Copyright, Designs and Patents Act 1988. First published 2014 by PALGRAVE MACMILLAN Palgrave Macmillan in the UK is an imprint of Macmillan Publishers Limited, registered in England, company number 785998, of Houndmills, Basingstoke, Hampshire RG21 6XS. Palgrave Macmillan in the US is a division of St Martin s Press LLC, 175 Fifth Avenue, New York, NY 10010. Palgrave Macmillan is the global academic imprint of the above companies and has companies and representatives throughout the world. Palgrave and Macmillan are registered trademarks in the United States, the United Kingdom, Europe and other countries. ISBN 978-1-349-46962-8 ISBN 978-1-137-35326-9 (ebook) DOI 10.1057/9781137353269 This book is printed on paper suitable for recycling and made from fully managed and sustained forest sources. Logging, pulping and manufacturing processes are expected to conform to the environmental regulations of the country of origin. A catalogue record for this book is available from the British Library. A catalog record for this book is available from the Library of Congress. Typeset by MPS Limited, Chennai, India.
v Contents List of Figures viii List of Tables ix Key to Symbols x Mind Maps xii Preface xiii Acknowledgements Introduction xv xiv Part I Practical Coaching Tools for Innovation 1 Making Innovation More Accessible 3 The Innovation Myths 3 Make it Your Mission to Drive Innovation 12 Coaching Conversations That Drive Innovation 15 2 Coaching Demystified 20 Stepping into a Coaching Role 20 The Benefits of a Coaching Mindset for Innovation 26 Good Habits and Practices When Coaching for Innovation 28 3 Starting to Coach for Innovation 32 Feedback as a Door Opener to Innovative Solutions 32 The 6-Step Model for Coaching During Feedback 37 Coaching for Multiple Options Step 1 39 4 A Guide to Powerful Questions 51 Close-up on Questions 51 The Question IS the Answer 54
vi Contents Powerful Questions for Bigger Thinking 56 Coaching for Multiple Options Step 2 58 5 Mindful Listening as a Force for Innovation 69 The Rewards of Mindful Listening for Innovation 69 The 7-Day Programme for Mindful Listening 75 Day 1: Raising Your Awareness 75 Day 2: Paraphrasing and Listening Triggers 79 Day 3: The Hook Knowing Which Question to Ask Next 85 Day 4: The Importance of Non-Verbal Signals 88 Day 5: The Value of Silence 93 Day 6: Summarising Showing You are Listening 97 Day 7: Overcoming the Barriers to Mindful Listening 102 6 Sparking the Relationship Level 108 The Benefits for Innovation of Establishing Trust 108 Kick-Start the Process of Building Trust 110 Stepping Outside of the Harmonious Circle 113 7 Putting the Toolkit to Work 120 Coach yourself to Drive Innovation 120 Coaching for the Investigation Process 123 The Ideas Bank: Keeping Track of Ideas 130 Navigating the Transition: The 5 Communication Components for Change 131 Part II Bigger Thinking for Teams 8 Creating a Culture Where 1+1=3 139 Bigger Thinking and the Culture of Idea Generation 140 How Teams Work at Their Best 147 Troubleshooting the Team Dynamic 149 A Model for Managing Conflict in Teams 154 9 Building Blocks for the Innovative Team 160 Preparing the Ground for Your Creative Team Session 160 Build Your Confidence as Process Leader 162 Building Block 1 Basics of Facilitation 164 Building Block 2 Facilitation Tools and Techniques 165 Building Block 3 Treasure Chest 167 Building Block 4 Establishing a Code of Conduct 168
Contents vii Trust and Openness for a Culture of Idea Generation 170 Building Block 5 Building the Team s Value-Driven Code of Conduct 170 Building Block 6 The Mindset for Building a Culture of Idea Generation 173 Building Block 7 Building a Climate of Trust and Openness 175 Flex the Creative Muscles 176 Building Block 8 Strengthening the Creative Potential of the Team 177 Prepare to Run a Creative Team Session 182 Building Block 9 Introducing the Crea8.s Model to the Team 182 Building Block 10 Setting Aspirations 183 Building Block 11 Mindful Listening for the Whole Team 187 Make the Approach Sustainable 188 Building Block 12 Be My Guest, it s Your Turn 188 Building Block 13 Developing the Questioning Skills of the Team 189 10 The Creative Session for Innovation in Teams 194 The Creative Team Session as a Bridge 194 Crea8.s A Model for a Creative Team Session 195 The Model in Quick Fix Mode 197 The Model in Aspiration Mode 206 Final Words: Challenges and Opportunities 211 Appendixes Appendix I Questions For Great Conversations Around Innovation 219 Appendix II Mindful Listening: Suggested Texts 223 Appendix III Mindful Listening Self-Awareness Questionnaire 224 Appendix IV S:I:F:T Planning Forms 227 Appendix V Philip and the S:I:F:T Model 228 Appendix VI Test Pilots: Selected Case Studies 235 Bibliography 239 Index 244
List of Figures 1 The STAR Model: a Traditional Approach to Giving Feedback 35 2 The 6-Step Model for Coaching During Feedback 38 3 The CMO Model Step 1: Coaching for Multiple Options 41 4 The CMO Model Step 2: Coaching for Multiple Options 59 5 The CMO Model Steps 1 and 2: Coaching for Multiple Options 66 6 The Sun Model: Seven Ways to Boost Rapport 113 7 The S:I:F:T Model: Coaching for the Investigation Process 124 8 The Culture of Idea Generation as an Iceberg 144 9 The CMO Model Adapted for Dealing With Conflict in Teams 155 10 The Crea8.s Model for Running a Creative Team Session 197 viii
List of Tables 1 Questions for Great Coaching Conversations Around Innovation 16 2 The CMO Model Step 1: Focus of Attention 42 3 Mindful Listening Self-Awareness Questionnaire 75 4 The Silence Framework 95 5 Samples of Question Focus When Following Hooks 101 6 Worksheet: Barriers to Listening 103 7 Resistance Scenarios 116 8 The 5 Communication Components for Change 134 9 Treasure Chest for Facilitation 167 10 Checklist: Planning Your Creative Team Session 196 11 The S:I:F:T Model: Overview Form 227 12 The S:I:F:T Model: Option Form 227 13 The S:I:F:T Model: Overview Form (completed example) 231 14 The S:I:F:T Model: Option Form (completed example) 233 ix
x Key to Symbols Innovation Stories Look for the lightbulb symbol Sustainability Drives Innovation at FedEx 9 Trust in the Team Supports Innovation at Pixar 109 The Success of the Coffee Capsules: Find the Route that Brings the Customer to You 129 Google Glass: Going Beyond the Obvious 140 A Multidisciplinary Approach to Bigger Thinking: the Eye-Phone 142 The Way Ahead at Tata: Cross-Pollination and Reward for Those Who Dare to Try 215 The Way Ahead at Henkel: Investing in Innovators of the Future 216 Interesting Facts Look for the book symbol Top 30 Innovations of the Last 30 Years 4 Inventors: Innovators or Tweakers? 6
Key to Symbols xi The Habits of Innovative People 13 History of Coaching 22 What Coaching is Not: Coaching and Other Disciplines 26 Coaching in the Workplace 33 The Socratic Method 53 A Positive Perspective on Cultural Differences 145 The Creative Brain: Inspiration from Joining up the Dots 161 Workout for the Creative Brain 176 Tips from Our Test Pilots Look for the airplane symbol
Mind Maps Coaching for Innovation at a Glance xviii The 7-Day Programme for Mindful Listening at a Glance 74 Building Blocks for the Innovative Team at a Glance 163 Cartoons, and miscellaneous images: designed by Maureen Steele Mind maps: designed by Maureen Steele using MindNode Pro, version 1.10.2 (2411), IdeasOnCanvas GmbH xii
Preface: A Few Personal Words from Cristina and Maureen We work every day with clients in a wide range of multinational and global organisations in a variety of sectors. Everyone is faced with a number of challenges; the challenge of meeting the demands of uncertain times and dealing with ambiguity; the pressure of improving performance and results; the need to stay one step ahead. Being creative and being innovative in order to deal with these challenges is not just desirable, it is an essential ingredient for success today. Coaching for Innovation has grown out of our faith in the benefits of coaching, the value of lifelong learning for each and every one of us and our mutual belief that standing still in this life will not get you very far. Embracing all of the opportunities that come our way is our personal philosophy and we hope that you too can sense that there has never been a better time to rise to the challenge of coming up with new and different solutions that add value. Coaching for innovation implies adopting a coaching approach as an integral part of how you go about things. It requires you to be dedicated to innovation as the end result, and to be committed to using coaching tools and techniques as the means by which you achieve this. Even if there are many ways to approach innovation, the connection between coaching and innovation has been largely unexplored up until now and so this is what we set out to do. We are convinced that this book has a contribution to make. Our goal is to provide you with a new way to provoke the kind of bigger thinking that generates much needed new ideas and approaches. Coaching for Innovation offers our perspective on how coaching tools and techniques can be instrumental in your drive for innovation. xiii
Acknowledgements Writing a book is an exciting challenge not to be undertaken lightly. Co-authoring is an adventure in itself and we have both leaned on and learned from each other along the way. If you compare writing a book to the innovation process, having a good idea to take forward is both critical and essential but only the start of the execution process. We have not been alone in this. You need a publisher and an editor who have faith in you and your project at every stage. Our clients and friends have been interviewed and pressed for opinions, information and evidence about coaching and innovation in their worlds. We have been fortunate in having a number of Test Pilots volunteers who invested their own time and energy in trying out our models, tools and approaches, offering us valuable feedback and creative insights on their experiences. In particular, we would like to thank Charlie, Elena, Ewald, Ivetta, Jan, John, Karin, Ken and Sanna. Those who read drafts of our work when it was still very much a work in progress provided much needed and highly appreciated opinions that very much helped us to shape the final output. For this, we are especially grateful to Indra Modak and Ewald Effinger. Stephan Kunz was the first person to be interviewed when this book was still in its infancy and we have truly appreciated his support and encouragement. Thank you also to Ricarda who kept our feet on the ground when the submission deadline loomed. Last but not least, we would like to thank Isabelle Tran for introducing us to each other five years ago. Bringing two such diverse personalities together was an inspired idea that has resulted in a highly valued friendship, as well as a creative collaboration that is both stimulating and rewarding. Finally, our families have not just tolerated our involvement with this project they have embraced it and supported us. To all of you, we say thank you. P.S. Graham Shaw, thank you for your cartooning master class where Maureen found out she could draw after all and was encouraged to produce all the cartoons in this book. xiv
Introduction Why Coaching for Innovation The role of coaching in innovation is largely unexplored. With this book, we make new connections between coaching and the innovation process as we believe that coaching does indeed have a fundamental role to play in driving innovation. Coaching opens the door to creativity, fosters great work and leads to the kind of bigger thinking that is essential for innovation. You do not need to be either a born innovator or a professional coach to use coaching to drive innovation. You do need the right attitude, behaviours, skill set and a ready supply of tested and practical coaching models. Provided that you are prepared to invest in yourself and develop the coaching skills and abilities you need, we are convinced that everyone can be innovative and use coaching skills effectively for this purpose. Our aim is to equip you with the essential coaching skills you need to drive innovation. Whether you are a manager, a team leader or a team member, and no matter what your area of expertise or professional discipline, this book is for you when you want to acquire an effective approach to driving innovation. No matter what your professional capacity is, you can benefit from incorporating coaching skills into your way of doing things and thus play your part in the innovation process. When you adopt coaching as your preferred approach, you make it your mission to explore all possible alternatives and encourage idea generation in yourself and others. Coaching helps you to come up with unique and innovative solutions that go beyond the obvious and achieve more. xv
xvi Introduction Throughout this book, there are words, concepts and themes that reoccur frequently. The introduction is a good place for us to share with you our understanding of what they are and what binds them together. What is coaching? Coaching is a professional discipline that offers methodologies and approaches for personal and professional growth and provides tools and techniques to facilitate change and to improve performance. We define coaching as the process of accompanying an individual in the search for answers around an issue or a goal using questions and challenging assumptions. The philosophy of pure coaching is to follow the agenda set by the client. The intent and purpose of the coach is to accompany the person being coached and support them in identifying their own goals and finding their own solutions. What is coaching for innovation? It is important to make a distinction between delivering coaching as a professional coach and using coaching skills and practices every day when you step into a coaching role with innovation in mind. The journey we want to take you on will enable you to benefit from the rich possibilities that derive from using coaching skills, tools and techniques in your everyday interactions. Specifically, we want you to profit from applying coaching to drive innovation. Our intent and purpose is not to provide you with everything you need to become a professional coach. This would be a very different journey. What is innovation? As defined in Managing Creativity and Innovation (Harvard Business Essentials, HBR Press, 2003, p. 2), Innovation is the embodiment, combination, or synthesis of knowledge in original, relevant, valued new products, processes, or services. More simply said, it is about things that are new and useful and which add value. For us, being innovative in a way that adds value for the customer in anything that you do or how you do it IS already innovation. The customer can be either internal or external or even yourself! What is creativity? According to Leonard and Swap, writing in When Sparks Fly, Creativity is a process of developing and expressing novel ideas that are likely to be useful. (Leonard et al., 2005, p. 6). Creativity is one of the cornerstones of innovation and is necessary for a good supply of ideas. Without ideas, innovation has nothing upon which it can feed and draw. Good ideas can come from anywhere, at any time, from anyone and the creative potential in each of us can be fostered and strengthened. What is bigger thinking? Bigger thinking comes out of pushing the envelope. It involves exploring all possible alternatives and coming up with new and innovative ideas that contain within them solutions to
Introduction xvii everyday problems and challenges, no matter how small or major they may be. Bigger thinking means that you go beyond the obvious in the way in which you approach things, aiming to achieve more. At its best, bigger thinking and the ideas it generates leads to all kinds of possible innovations a new process, a new service or a new product. How do questions stimulate bigger thinking? Questions are an essential tool to stimulate bigger thinking and are an integral part of coaching. When you step into a coaching role to drive innovation, questions will be one of your most fundamental tools. The right question, asked at the right time in the right way with the right intent is a powerful means to examine and explore issues, challenges and opportunities from all possible angles. Questions elicit information, clarify understanding and generate solutions. They challenge and provoke reactions, get behind the surface of things and uncover reasons and motivation. They make you think and they make you dream. This is what gets you to bigger thinking. What You Will Find in this Book In Coaching for Innovation you will find a whole range of coaching skills, tools and techniques that you can use in the workplace to generate the kind of bigger thinking that creates the fertile ground for innovation. We encourage you to read through the book from start to finish in sequential order as the content is presented, to enable you to benefit from incremental learning as your journey progresses. You can of course also decide to focus on a specific chapter according to your needs and preferences. When you choose to work in this way, you can refer to the visual guide to the content we have provided in the form of a mind map. This will make it easier for you to find your way around. In Part I, we start by making innovation more accessible (Chapter 1). Thereafter, the remaining chapters provide you with practical coaching tools for innovation that support you in developing your skills and abilities to work with individuals. You will grow confidently and gradually into the coaching role as we explore with you: Questions for coaching conversations around innovation (Chapter 1). The coaching mindset (Chapter 2). Questioning skills (Chapter 4). Mindful listening (Chapter 5). How to spark the relationship level (Chapter 6).
xviii Good coaching habits and practices Ask dont t tell Questions for coaching conversations around innovation Coaching mindset Powerful quwstions for bigger thinking Questioning skills Raising your awareness Paraphrasing & listening triggers The hook Non-verbal signals Silence Mindful listening Summarising Overcoming barriers Build trust Boost rapport Cope with creative friction Sparking the relationship level Bigger thinking 1+1 = 3 Building a culture of idea generation The building Blocks Tools to troubleshoot the team dynamic Building blocks for the innovative team Questions for coaching conversations around innovation mind map Coaching for Innovation at a Glance Develop your skills & abilities to work with individuals Models for working with individuals Coaching for innovation Develop your skills & abilities to work with teams Models for working with teams 6-Step model for coaching during feedback Coaching for multiple options CMO model- Step 1 CMO model- Step 2 Sun model: seven ways to boost rapport S:I:F:T model Coaching for the investigation process Models can be adapted for working with teams CMO model adapted for dealing with conflict in teams Crea8.s model for a creative team session Quick fix mode Aspiration mode Crea8.s can be adapted for working with individuals
Introduction xix We provide you with the following models for working with individuals: The 6-Step Model for Coaching during Feedback (Chapter 3). The CMO Model Step 1 (Chapter 3) and Step 2 (Chapter 4) for coaching for multiple options. The Sun Model (Chapter 6) for building rapport. The S:I:F:T Model (Chapter 7) to accompany the investigation of ideas and options. Part I concludes with some thoughts on how to make the practical coaching tools for innovation really work for you, with tips on how to keep track of ideas and how to navigate the transition to using coaching as your preferred style. In Part II, the focus is on bigger thinking for teams. Here you will find models and techniques to unlock the team s creative potential and lead people to fresh ideas. We explore with you: How to create a culture where 1+1=3 and the whole is more than the sum of the parts. Building Blocks (exercises and activities) to prepare the ground for your creative team session. We provide you with the following models for working with teams: The CMO Model adapted for dealing with conflict in teams. The Crea8.s Model to generate ideas during a creative team session in Quick Fix Mode and Aspiration Mode. Tips to Make the Most of this Book Coaching for Innovation is conceived as a practical guide and self-study programme. In Part I, each chapter concludes with practical exercises and reflections. Chapter 5 contains the 7-Day Programme for Mindful Listening, and is an extended chapter that is almost wholly devoted to practical exercises and reflections. We really encourage you to practise and to do the exercises, as this will reinforce and support your learning. Write things down. You will definitely find it useful to have a separate notebook or journal to make notes as you carry out the exercises, to record your reflections and to track your learning progress. We refer to this in the book as your Learning Log.
xx Introduction The models provided have been tried out by a number of willing Test Pilots in a variety of professional contexts. We include tips from them wherever possible (Tips from our Test Pilots) to help you with the practical application of the models. As with all things new and different, using the models becomes easier with practice. Stay positive and be persistent. The same can be said of any new behaviour you need to introduce in order to step more effectively into a coaching role with innovation in mind. It will help if you have a degree of flexibility in your approach and adapt the tools and techniques to fit with your own context and circumstances. Please visit our website coachingforinnovation.com where you can access and download templates of our models and find helpful additional material. You can also contact us via the website if you have questions or feel you would like additional support from us in using any of the tools and techniques we have developed. We would love to hear from you. When you want to be more innovative and become a catalyst for idea generation, there is no better way to do this than to step into a coaching role and use coaching to drive innovation. We hope you enjoy the journey.