Book: The Coaching Habit: Say Less, Ask More, and Change the Way You Lead Forever, by Michael Bungay Stanier
In this book, Michael Bungay Stanier would have leaders consider how they can work to equip the people they work with more, and in doing so, to end up taking away many of the tasks that they end up doing for others anyway. His proposed solution to this situation is to ask questions, seven specific questions in fact. These questions get to the heart of what a leader needs to learn from workers and provides an avenue for having the worker then arrive at possible solutions, thus freeing the leader from doing the work that rightfully belongs to others.
Stanier's questions are not profound questions, and in fact, are likely questions that many leaders are already thinking. However, the manner which Stanier proposes for the leader to follow involves a more coaching approach to employees. It also involves changing the (likely) ingrained habits that leaders have of providing advice or solutions, changing instead to a more questioning approach that leads workers to discover what is truly challenging them and then to discover solutions on their own.
These seven questions, as I said, are not profound, but it takes the development of a new habit and approach to incorporate them. To assist in doing this, Stanier provides an area at the end of each chapter where the reader can write out the triggers that lead to their current habits, what their old habit is, and then the new habit that is proposed (which consists of asking each of the seven questions he provides, and sorry, I'm not listing them out. If you want to learn them, you will need to read the book!). By taking this approach, the leader slows down his usual approach, engages the worker, enables the worker to discover solutions on their own, and thus empowers workers.
I found this book easy to read and, while the questions are not profound, the development of a new habit toward asking questions definitely would prove challenging to myself and many others. I agree with his assertion that taking the time to reflect on what is learned is vitally important for both leaders and workers, and the approach he recommends calls for such reflection.
I would recommend this book to anyone who has to work with people and who may be frustrated when the workers consistently approach you with questions on what to do. Initially, I believe it would involve more time, but over time, it would likely prove to be an approach that would grow the workplace and create an environment where creativity and productivity would follow, not to mention workers who feel empowered and thus are more invested in their work, which is a benefit to the leader and the organization.
In this book, Michael Bungay Stanier would have leaders consider how they can work to equip the people they work with more, and in doing so, to end up taking away many of the tasks that they end up doing for others anyway. His proposed solution to this situation is to ask questions, seven specific questions in fact. These questions get to the heart of what a leader needs to learn from workers and provides an avenue for having the worker then arrive at possible solutions, thus freeing the leader from doing the work that rightfully belongs to others.
Stanier's questions are not profound questions, and in fact, are likely questions that many leaders are already thinking. However, the manner which Stanier proposes for the leader to follow involves a more coaching approach to employees. It also involves changing the (likely) ingrained habits that leaders have of providing advice or solutions, changing instead to a more questioning approach that leads workers to discover what is truly challenging them and then to discover solutions on their own.
These seven questions, as I said, are not profound, but it takes the development of a new habit and approach to incorporate them. To assist in doing this, Stanier provides an area at the end of each chapter where the reader can write out the triggers that lead to their current habits, what their old habit is, and then the new habit that is proposed (which consists of asking each of the seven questions he provides, and sorry, I'm not listing them out. If you want to learn them, you will need to read the book!). By taking this approach, the leader slows down his usual approach, engages the worker, enables the worker to discover solutions on their own, and thus empowers workers.
I found this book easy to read and, while the questions are not profound, the development of a new habit toward asking questions definitely would prove challenging to myself and many others. I agree with his assertion that taking the time to reflect on what is learned is vitally important for both leaders and workers, and the approach he recommends calls for such reflection.
I would recommend this book to anyone who has to work with people and who may be frustrated when the workers consistently approach you with questions on what to do. Initially, I believe it would involve more time, but over time, it would likely prove to be an approach that would grow the workplace and create an environment where creativity and productivity would follow, not to mention workers who feel empowered and thus are more invested in their work, which is a benefit to the leader and the organization.
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