Abstract:

A functional coach community is an integral part of the real leadership of the organization.

How can we lead the community and avoid the two main pitfalls: a centralized ivory tower of 'special' people with 'best practices' - on one end, and insurgency of coaches-cowboys-anarchists over-improvising locally - on the other?

Also, as the job-to-be-done for a coaching community develops, while transformation goes on, - what happens then?

Description:

This event will be co-presented by two organizational design consultants and change agents Ari Tikka (Helsinki, Finland) and Gene Gendel (NYC, USA).   The presenters will study how to lead a coaching community at different phases of the transformation: incubation, change thinking, and support the new ways of working.

This will be a highly engaging session, with both presenters sharing their points of view on organizational design and agile coaching communities.  Ari and Gene will base their talk on extensive personal experience, across multiple organizations, and research in the field. This session will also include interactive practical exercise among attendees, as well as extensive Q&A with the presenters.

During this session, Ari will mainly focus on:

• Shifting from Tayloristic to Agile organization
• Job-to-be-done, risks, required support and leadership related to the coach community at different phases of the transformation
• Coach community - first providing transparency for the Top Management, and then - taking responsibility for Continuous Improvement.
• Coaches or Scrum Masters - having the key role as change leaders of any transformation. We see how their work is integrated with top and middle management, and gradually transforming leadership culture of an organization.
• Patterns for learning, leading and coaching
• Cases of failure and success

Gene will cover the following additional topics:

• Exposing commonly seen confusion organizations have with coaching: coaching Focus vs. coaching Position
• Explaining key differences between Centralized and Decentralized control (leveraging examples from military history)
• Discussing main challenges organizations face with centralized coaching, dedicated coaching departments, and specialized coaching groups
• Providing some examples of extreme cases, of centralized coaching dysfunction

Both, Ari and Gene will also discuss the importance of:

• Senior leadership investing in learning
• Organizational coaching - at all levels
• Effectiveness of LeSS training and coaching - as a specific example of decentralized coaching
• Power of coaching communities

Note: The presenters wish to see in attendance people of all various organizational layers and verticals but would like to extend a special welcome to senior organizational leadership and HR.  

Attendees are also strongly encouraged to review the following two pages on less.works site:

• https://less.works/less/principles/lean-thinking.html
• https://less.works/less/principles/systems-thinking.html