Continuing our series looking at coaching tools and techniques, Coaching at Work road-tests the Leadership Signature Toolkit.
1 The tool
What is it?
The Leadership Signature Toolkit is both a model and online psychometric instrument. It helps leaders deploy the most appropriate leadership strategy to their situation.
It was developed by Simon Walker, founder of Human Ecology, 10 years ago through research at Oxford University. The tool uses an ‘ecological model’ of how power flows in any given social system to identify the most appropriate leadership strategy to be used.
There are eight strategies that a leader may adopt. The tool highlights the impact of each strategy and the likely reaction. In this way the model provides an understanding of appropriate contextual leadership.
How does it work?
As well as the model of the eight leadership strategies, the tool provides an online psychometric profile (The Leadership Signature profile), allowing the coach to help clients pinpoint which strategies they are using in different situations.
The profile involves the client creating a mental landscape in which they visualise or ‘bring in’ the different leadership scenarios they are being coached on. The process takes about 20 minutes to complete and generates a series of insightful charts and reports about the different strategies that the client used, which the coach can then bring into the session.
The tool provides a versatile array of options. For example, some coaches prefer to work with the model simply as a guiding framework; others with the formal psychometric report; others still with the visual landscape as a metaphorical arena to explore the client’s choices and options.
- There is also a helpful companion book by Simon Walker, Leading with Nothing to Lose: Training in the Exercise of Power, Piquant Editions, 2007.
- The Leadership Signature Toolkit is owned by Human Ecology, which trains and accredits coaches to use it in their practice. For more information go to: www.heinside.com or email simon.walker@theleadershipcommunity.org
2 The administrator
Using the tool
The tool was easy to administer and the client was able to access her three scenarios with ease. This was probably enhanced by the clear instructions she received prior to doing her Leadership Signature profiles.
From my perspective as coach the benefits were numerous. The client had self-generated three managerial scenarios so we were able to discuss real-life examples of her role as a manager. I was able to work with her on a number of levels, moving with fluidity between the management scenario, her reaction and feelings and the relevant landscape that she had created in each case.
The verdict
The major difficulty I found was my ability to cover three situations in just one session. Instead, it may be better to focus in-depth on one of them, which would enable both the coach and the client to discuss the key components and hence not feel too rushed.
Alternatively, an open brief could be agreed at the start of a coaching session, with the client being able to decide the emphasis. Either way, the door is open for further sessions – and plenty of material is pre-prepared.
Jenny Johnson is managing director of Red Rocks Consulting www.redrocks.co.uk
3 The client
The experience
My coach set up a coaching contract with me that involved my responses to the online Leadership Signature profile followed by a coaching session.
I was asked to think of three work-based scenarios before completing the online questionnaires. I needed to visualise a landscape of my world, and then answer the same questionnaire three times relating my responses to the three issues I had identified.
The application
The actual process of doing this made me recognise the differences within my landscape in each scenario. It also took me to the ‘feelings’ I had experienced around each particular scenario.
The first showed that my landscape changed and I did not respond to the scenario with my ‘normal’ style of leadership. I moved from PWX (Affiliative) to RSC (Foundational). I narrowed this down to details, checking everything I did with myself and others to ensure I had followed procedure, while at the same time using a strong leadership style based on fact and logic. The coaching showed, however, that I had allowed the central figure in this issue to become prominent in my landscape, which caused me some grief. If such an issue arises in the future, I will use a PSC (Commanding) style to move the individual to the periphery to reduce their influence on me.
The second scenario was related to something of which I was only able to take limited control. There were high expectations of me without the support and resources I needed. My leadership – PWX (Affiliative) – remained positive for most of this time. and my team and I tried all that was in our power to achieve the required results. What the session showed me was that I need to stand back and more forcibly advise others at a higher level when a situation is impossible, instead of beating myself up for nothing.
The third scenario was about motivation and change. The profile showed me as being more presented and driven while keeping the open style of leadership with plenty of flexibility.
The verdict
Coaching helped me to identify ways to strengthen my leadership style to ensure that my team and I retained our motivation and engagement while working on the retention of “sunshine” and the reduction of “clouds”.
The visualisation and questions required in the tool put me into the situation, recognising feelings, proximity of people around me and their influence, my own position in relation to others, and so on. The coaching then allowed me to work through this and recognise how I could develop my leadership style to improve outcomes for future issues.
It has left me thinking of other issues within landscapes and how I can coach myself to move things along in a positive way.
Muriel Vernon is with Transitions Coaching Consultancy.
Leadership Signature Toolkit: pros and cons
UPSIDE
- Relatively quick and easy to do.
- Versatile choice of options.
- Helps people recognise their potential impact on others.
DOWNSIDE
- People who are not very visual might find it hard to “see” their landscape.
- Auditory people may find it hard to consider their landscape in terms of sounds as well as pictures.
- There is lots to cover – the coaching might need more than one session.
Volume 5, Issue 1