Coaching for Innovation: Tools and Techniques for Encouraging New Ideas in the Workplace

268 Pages·2014·1.886 MB·English

by  Cristina Bianchi, Maureen Steele (auth.)

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 demy-
stifi es coaching, and shows you simply and eff ectively 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 fi rst 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 diff erence.”
– Ben Wallace, Head of Global Marketing Excellence, Bayer CropScience
“Bianchi and Steele have created a practical handbook that will immedi-
ately 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, profi t,
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 fi lled with practical tips and sug-
gestions. 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 lead-
ers 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 oft en forget the
multiple paths and opportunities that surround us and which could t rigger
our thoughts and generate new ideas. Reading this book made me step
back and think about how I could best infl uence my environment and
colleagues to develop an open, transparent and creative workplace.”
– Yann Ehrbar, Sales Director Switzerland, Luxottica
r
o
f
ues eas
q d
hni w I
Tec Ne e
Tools aonudr aginWg orkplac
nc e
E h
t
n
i
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 identifi ed 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)
DOI10.1057/9781137353269
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.
Contents
List of Figures viii
List of Tables ix
Key to Symbols x
Mind Maps xii
Preface xiii
Acknowledgements xiv
Introduction xv
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 Demystifi ed 20
Stepping into a Coaching Role 20
The Benefi ts 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
v
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 Benefi ts 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 Confl ict in Teams 154
9 Building Blocks for the Innovative Team 160
Preparing the Ground for Your Creative Team Session 160
Build Your Confi dence 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 Confl ict 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
x
i