Rooting 360 with Development and Accountability

 

Case Includes:

High Potential Development

3-way 360 Feedback

Cohort Development Groups

Situation:

A multi-line of business company, dispersed across the NA, had an HR staff devoted to developing the maturity of their HR practices.

They reached out with a request for 360 feedback for their high potentials since most of them had never had such feedback, and the internal staff was unable to offer such. Besides Voices, other instruments were used including a 360 learning agility assessment and a well validated personality inventory. A cadre of coaches from Lominger was assembled and invited to help with this; time was invested in both the external coaches and the internal Leadership Development and the Executive Development people to get to know each other well. This collaborative effort paid off in ensuring that after a “Time 1” the internal staff would be competent and confident to take over and adapt the services for other groups as well.

The external staff was further oriented with the senior executives since they would be our ultimate customer: coaching them to give effective feedback and manage development plans of high potentials assigned to them.

Action:

The high potentials were oriented with competencies and learning agility. They did a minimal amount of experience history profiling and learned how to credibly invite 360 raters. Many Rater Briefings were held to educate them on how crucial well formed written notes would benefit the “learners” and how to plan the notes.

Different rater briefings were held for the senior staff and direct bosses of the high potentials addressing 360 issues and concerns they might have in rating learning agility. This also increased rapport.

Each high potential had a files of content for the coaches to assimilate and prepare feedback for the individuals to see over-lapping “dynamics” for their 360 development targets

From the outset all participants knew that the internal staff wanted “3-way” coaching sessions held with: the senior executives, the high potentials and external coaches. The external coaches had to prepare the senior executives for the most and least helpful actions. The 3-way events became both practice for them (senior executives) as well as the opportunity for the high potentials to firm up accountability for making progress on their development targets.

Further, after the 3-ways, the high potentials would be set up in cohort groups to serve as peer coaches with one another. The HR staff carefully assembled the cohort groups (of 6-8 people) to include individuals who have had conflicts with one another, as well as ensuring they were comprised of a mix of highly diverse (in line of business origin). Pairs of external coaches opened up the cohort group experience to clarify goals and emphasize total confidentiality among them, and facilitate ground rules they would abide by, such as types of interactions and frequency, etc.

Surprises:

This implementation required approximately 9 months from inception through leaving the cohort groups on their own to continue peer interactions. Many of the surveyed cohorts reported the peer coaching as one of the most important experiences of their career to date especially in being advocates for developing the new target competencies.

One senior executive was relieved of responsibility to mentor any high potentials.

Conclusion to Share:

The internal staff stayed involved, shadowing and felt professionally enriched by the experiences.