1. Coaching for Behavioural Competencies

2. Introductions Name Role and tenure
Who is the best coach you’ve ever had?

3. Objectives
Understand the principles of assessing behavioural competencies
Prepare to use the Behavioural Competency Assessment Questionnaire (BCAQ) and hold a coaching discussion with a direct report

4. Agenda 1 Assessing behavioural competencies 2
Coaching for behavioural competencies 3
Development planning 4
Next steps

5. Assessing behavioural competencies

6. Discussion
What challenges do you anticipate in assessing and calibrating against behavioural competencies?
Notes:

7. The BCAQ is an assessment tool to help individuals understand their behavioural competency strengths and areas for development, and define a specific path for their development.
Notes:

8. Principles of behavioural competency assessment
Use the Behavioural Competency Assessment Questionnaire (BCAQ) to assess direct reports
Assessment must be based on actual behaviour
In some situations if you are unsure, you may want to ask the individual you are assessing what his/her intent was at the time of the behaviour
Base assessments on consistent behavioural patterns, not one-off examples (i.e., what behaviour does the individual typically demonstrate at least 75% of the time?)
Gather information/perspectives from a variety of sources
Notes:

9. Things to consider when assessing others
Does the individual:
Have the opportunity to demonstrate these behaviours on a regular basis?
Demonstrate the behaviours consistently (i.e., most of the time when the opportunity arises)?
Get good results when he or she demonstrates these behaviours?
Can you think of several examples when the individual demonstrated these behaviours in the last 12 months?
Notes:

10. Evaluation pitfalls Halo Effect Stereotyping Central Tendency
Recency Effect
Length of Service Bias
Initial Impression
Lack of documentation
Notes:

11. Assessing others – key points
As you select your ratings, keep the following in mind:
The level that pertains to the individual’s role is the expected level of performance
When looking at the expected level, the idea is to determine whether the individual demonstrates the essence of the behaviours on a regular basis
Some behaviours may not be applicable to the individual being assessed; therefore, not all of the behaviours need to be demonstrated to justify a competency rating
Rate the highest level that the individual demonstrates consistently
Rate the “rule” rather than the exception
Think of several recent and specific examples to support your assessment
Notes:

12. Exercise: Assessing a direct report
Think about one of your direct reports.
Using the BCAQ, review each competency and identify the level where you feel the individual consistently demonstrates the behaviours associated with that level and all of the levels that precede it.
Provide behavioural evidence to support your assessment in the space provided.
Notes:

13. Identifying behavioural competency strengths and gaps
If the individual is…
Then…
Consistently demonstrating the behaviours (i.e., ≥ 75% of the time) at the level reflective of their role
the individual is on target – this is a competency strength
Consistently demonstrating the behaviours below the level reflective of their role
the individual is below target – this is a competency gap
Consistently demonstrating the behaviours above the level reflective of their role
individual is above target – this is a competency strength
Notes:

14. Coaching for behavioural competencies
Notes:

15. In your role as leader, you will need to provide support, development and coaching to your direct reports around the behavioural competencies. The next section of the workshop is about equipping you with the skills and tools to do this.
Notes:

16. Your role
As a leader
Who impacts organizational performance by impacting human performance.
Who expands people’s capacity and does not just check up on them.
Who takes the time to share his or her knowledge, and “how to” do it.
Who takes a personal interest in people’s development.
As a coach
As a teacher
Notes:
As a mentor

17. Coaching is…
A genuine intent to foster the long-term learning and development of others
A practice and a way of “being” that brings out the best in the coachee
About discovering and transforming behaviours that limit performance or potential
About moving forward
Keep in mind …
“We are generally the better persuaded by the reasons we discover ourselves than by those given to us by others.”
- Blaise Pascal French Mathematician, Physicist ( )
Notes:

18. Keys to effective coaching
Positive and constructive to support continuous improvement and growth
Based on data to make it “come alive”
Participatory – both the manager and direct report work together in the process
Self-directed – direct reports assume primary responsibility for for managing their own improvement and development
Future-oriented, focusing on future performance, not on past mistakes
Notes:

19. Critical coaching skills1
Listening – understanding what is said and what is not being said. 2
Inquiring – asking short, simple, yet “powerful” questions that are focused on the coachee 3
Paraphrasing – confirming understanding of the thoughts and feelings of the coachee, helping focus attention on particular aspects of the conversation, and summarizing the discussion 4
Moving to action – determining a plan of action

20. How to approach the feedback/coaching discussion1
Establish the goal 2
Gather background info and discuss perspectives 3
Identify next steps
THE CONTEXT
Personal
Professional
Organizational
THE DATA
BCAQ results
Your experience with the individual
THE PERSON
Their aspirations
Their motivations
Their strengths
Their role
Notes:
3 Factors in Coaching

21. The feedback model For feedback to be constructive… Conditions
The individual should be able to understand it
The individual should be able to accept it
The individual should be able to do something about it
Conditions
Be specific
Provide specific examples
Emphasize behavior
Be descriptive, not evaluative
Provide balance
Ensure recipient is focused
Ensure a two-way discussion
Relate feedback to behaviours that can be changed
Identify alternative, positive behaviours
Address only one or two key areas at a time
Feedback techniques
Notes:
Observations
Thoughts/Feelings
Needs

22. Preparing for the discussion
Review the individual’s self-assessment as well as your assessment of this individual and, using the Competencies Discussion Planner, prepare for the discussion as follows:
Identify areas of agreement and/or disagreement based on your assessment of this person
Anticipate the kind of discussion it will be:
Consider how you’re feeling about the meeting and sharing your assessment
Think about how the individual might respond/react to the assessment based on your understanding of the individual and his/her self-assessment
Plan how you might approach the meeting and how to respond to any potential questions and concerns the individual may have
Notes:

23. Conducting the discussion – key steps
Open the discussion 1
Gather background information 2
Share perspectives on the behavioural competency assessment 3
Agree on areas for development and begin development planning 4
Agree on next steps 5
Notes:

24. Key steps for the discussion1
OPEN THE discussion
The first few minutes of the discussion are critical – they will set the tone for the rest of the meeting
Discuss the goal/purpose of the discussion – to agree on competency strengths and areas for development with respect to the behavioural competencies, and next steps in terms of development
Remember to ask the team member if they had any other expectations – what they want to get out of it 2
Notes:
GATHER BACKGROUND INFORMATION
Discuss the individual’s situation (e.g., current challenges, his or her team, etc.)
Understand what the individual wants to accomplish in their role
Understand where the individual wants to go from here in terms of performance and career – their aspirations

25. Keys steps for the discussion, continued3
SHARE PERSPECTIVES ON THE BEHAVIOURAL COMPETENCY ASSESSMENT
Gather your team member’s perspective on their self-assessment – what do they see as their strengths and areas for development – listening carefully to what the individual has to say
Ask probing questions to explore what the team member tells you, for example:
Can you share some additional examples of when you’ve demonstrated that behavioural competency?
You said that you see (competency) as a strength/area for development – can you talk more about that?
Then share your perspective, focusing first on areas of agreement, then moving on to areas where you have a different perspective:
Provide additional examples, as appropriate, to support your perspective/assessment
Check in for their reaction and to confirm understanding
Notes: 25

26. Feedback challenges
What challenges do you anticipate in your feedback discussions with your team members?
Notes:

27. Managing feedback challenges
Anticipate where the differences may occur
In the coaching meeting, clearly identify the differences
Be open to new information
Listen carefully and reflect the individual’s feelings
Find common ground to build upon
Avoid being defensive
“Weaknesses are almost always simply an overuse of a strength.”
Notes:

28. Key steps for the discussion, continued4
Agree on areas for development and begin development planning
Identify 2-3 areas for development
Work with the individual to prepare a development plan:
Explore development opportunities/activities
You may need additional time to prepare a robust development plan, so you may not finalize a plan in this meeting 5
Notes:
Agree on Next steps
Finalize the development plan
Identify support required
Establish progress check-ins

29. Exercise: Coaching discussion role plays
Individually:
Refer to the BCAQ that you completed earlier on one of your direct reports.
Using the Competencies Discussion Planner, prepare a few notes about this individual to give to your partner (who will role play the individual), and identify two competencies you would like to discuss with this individual:
One that is a strength
One that is an area for development
With your partner:
Brief your partner on the individual, sharing your notes.
Take turns role playing the coaching discussion to come to agreement on the behavioural competency ratings. You will have 10 minutes to conduct each role play. Following each role play, discuss what went well and what you could have done differently as the manager.
Notes:

30. Development planning
Notes:

31. Principles of behavioural competency development
A person must have:
A reason to change
Data about self
A personal development plan
Time and practice
Ongoing support from manager (as well as tolerance for missteps/mistakes)
Notes:

32. Good development plans are…
Jointly developed by the manager and direct report
Include, where possible, on-the-job experiences as this is where the greatest learning typically takes place
Specific, detailing support required, if any, and target completion dates
Focused, selecting no more than 2-3 behavioural competencies for development, and approximately development activities for each behavioural competency
Implemented by the direct report with regular follow-up discussions between the manager and direct report to discuss progress
Notes:

33. The learning matrix 2 3 1 4 2. Conscious Incompetence
3. Conscious Competence
Conscious
Notes:
Unconscious 1
1. Unconscious Incompetence 4
4. Unconscious Competence

34. Stages of behavioural competency development
BCAQ results support the recognition and understanding phase of behavioural competency development.
Goal: Identify new behaviours to “try out” and capture these in a development plan.
Integration
Recognize and Reinforce
Practicing
Provide Ongoing Feedback
Competency Development
Trying it Out
Notes:
Support &
Encourage
Understanding
Communicate what is required; what the new behaviours are
Recognition
Time

35. In summary Your role as leader is to:
Support your team members in their development
Provide coaching and mentoring
Look for on-the-job activities where they can practice and hone their behavioural competencies
Gather behavioural evidence on each team member to help raise awareness with respect to the competency levels they are demonstrating, and provide feedback on a regular, just-in-time basis
Notes:

36. Questions?