The Coaching Triangle System

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The Coaching Triangle System

• An innovative organizational learning framework
  for professional development that uses a coach
  approach to develop leadership skills and enhance
  learning.
• Linda Naiman, Creativity at Work
• In association with
• Debbie Payne and Erna Hagge,
• Deberna Coaching International

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Organizational Learning

• KEY ISSUE
• Managing talent the recruitment, development,
  and retention of people, are key issues for
  organizations today given the labour demand,
  demographics, and looming retirement of the major
  leaders of our workforces.
• Engaging People
• We believe that providing opportunities and
  possibilities for people to optimize and
  self-direct their learning engages them. We
  believe that being coached and coaching others
  accelerates leadership and fosters
  accountability. We also believe that engaged
  people can raise the collective intelligence of
  an organization achieving desired results.

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Relationship Focus

• We know that real work gets done through people
  having valuable conversations, reflecting, and
  developing skills, then applying this to their
  work. By providing space for people to have the
  conversations and to focus on what they are
  learning they become more engaged, using
  discretionary effort to be more effective and
  productive.
• Look carefully at how a workplace organizes its
  relationships, not its tasks, functions and
  hierarchies, but the patterns of its
  relationships and the capacities to form them.
• Margaret Wheatley Leadership and the New
  Science

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Purpose of Coaching Triangles

• Learning, reflection then taking action are a
  large part of leadership. By creating this safe
  practice environment, we foster opportunities for
  reflection from which action can stem.
• to learn and practice coaching
• to develop leadership competencies
• to reflect and learn from experience
• to integrate and apply previously learned skills
• provide a safe place to problem-solve, practice,
  and create
• to foster, support and recognize informal
  learning that naturally occurs
• reduce silo effect

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The Coaching Triangle System

• An organizational learning framework that uses a
  self-directed coach approach to develop
  leadership skills and enhance learning
• Built on solid adult learning, management, and
  leadership principles, models and theories
• Simple practical concept, easy to implement, and
  cost effective
• People solution, not a technological solution
• Managers learn a coach approach to leadership
• Creates a positive workplace environment

Tri-innovating
Tri-optimizing
Tri-reflecting
Tri-actioning
Leadership
Coaching
Learning
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The Triangle Process

• A Coaching Triangle is formed through one person
  selecting a learning partner and the two together
  choosing a third to create a Coaching Triangle.
• The three attend an Orientation and using the
  Tri-namics resource book they create their own
  charter, commit to guiding principles, set goals,
  and sign a contract.
• They then embark on their self-directed learning
  journey using the over 100 exercises and
  assessments in Tri-namics to spark dialogue, to
  challenge their thinking and learn to coach each
  other.
• Once the Triangles are established and
  functioning a Coach Approach workshop is taught
  to further develop coaching skills.

The resource book for the Coaching Triangle
System Published by Deberna Coaching
International 2006
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Coaching Triangles bridge learning and work
Learning
Work
Coaching Triangles are learning labs creating a
safe place to practice
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Benefits

• Peer coaching, dialogue
• Creates culture for mentoring coaching
• Aids in succession management
• Fosters integration of skills
• Provides a safe place to solve problems, test
  ideas, take risks
• Dissolves silos
• Builds networked relationships
• Engages people in their work and relationships
• Coaching Triangles when networked together create
  a positive force for culture change, harness
  existing intellectual capital, improve knowledge
  transfer, and become a practical organizational
  learning tool.

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Are there barriers to making this work?

• There are always those who do not want to do
  something different, who are not willing to
  change.
• Bureaucracy
• Little perceived value for task producers
• Politics
• Resistance to change
• Trying to control
• No coach support
• However, people have control of their own
  triangle. If each group takes that control and
  makes it work for them, it will work.

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Applications

• Terasen Gas Inc. (bridging learning and work)
• University of BC (extension to coaching
  workshops)
• Vancouver Community College (leadership
  development)
• BC Audiologists Association (learning to peer
  coach)

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Case Study Terasen Gas

• First triangle formed in April 2002
• Supported by senior management
• Three vice-presidents, General Manager have
  participated
• Used cross-organizationally for development
• Used for Distribution Team Leadership Program
• Have had over 30 Coaching Triangles in the
  organization
• Currently 12-15 active Coaching Triangles
• Value to organization cost effective
  development, fosters cross-org relationships and
  learning, local solutions to problems, extends
  classroom learning.
• Challenges Making time and priority for Coaching
  Triangles to meet, limited coach support.

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Testimonial

• In my own Coaching Triangle we explored and
  clarified in a candid manner, our leadership
  strengths and weaknesses. The dialogue allowed
  each of us to look into the mirror and see the
  reflection more clearly of how others see us as
  leaders. The greatest value of Coaching Triangles
  is that they create the opportunity to practice
  leadership skills in a non-threatening
  environment.
• Daryle Britton, Vice President Human Resources,
  Terasen Gas Inc.

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Preliminary Research Terasen Gas 2003

• Written survey, 19 participants
• I look forward to meeting with my Triangle
  partners 90 agree
• My Coaching Triangle helps me integrate learning
  and work 73 agree
• I have improved my leadership as a result of
  being in a Coaching Triangle. 42 agree
• I feel I am a better coach as a result of being
  in my Coaching Triangle 42 agree
• There is sufficient structure with the Coaching
  Triangle approach. 64 agreeI
  have encouraged others to form a Coaching
  Triangle 68 agree
• Anecdotal comments
• Frequency of meetings range from once per week to
  one per month, irregular
• Length of meetings vary from 30 min to 2 hours

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University of British Columbia Research 2004

• Qualitative study
• External researcher for credibility
• 15 Coaching Triangle participants interviewed
  over a period of 5 months (September/04
  January/05)
• Pre-determined in depth interviews (30-45
  minutes)
• Observations and Comments
• Triangles met bi-weekly, monthly or bi-monthly
• New discoveries about approaching and solving
  workplace problems
• Increased personal consciousness towards taking a
  coach approach to situations and in looking for
  coachable moments at work
• Self awareness and self inquiry was fostered
• Communication was noted as having
  improved/transformed
• Significant learning was related to mentoring
  others and to the effectiveness of peer
  supported learning
• triangles offer immediate feedback in the moment

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Testimonial

• "Both my Coaching Triangle partners had much more
  experience in coaching than I did and held more
  senior positions. I thought this would be a
  challenge for me. Far from being intimidating it
  was wonderful equalizing experience. Each time we
  met I came away centered, anchored and ready to
  go on. Although I have the privilege of having
  great supportive people in my career, this
  triangle provided an environment like no other in
  building my successes."Linda Kompauer, Human
  Resource ManagerDepartment of Medicine,
  University of British Columbia

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Who We Are

• Linda Naiman is known internationally for
  pioneering the use of arts-based learning to
  develop creativity, innovation, and collaborative
  leadership in organizations, through consulting,
  training and coaching. She is an associate
  business coach at the University of British
  Columbia, and co-author of Orchestrating
  Collaboration at Work (Wiley 2003). Clients
  include Fortune 500 companies and public sector
  organizations in North America, Europe and Asia.
• Debbie Payne, MA, RODP, CDA, co-author of
  Tri-namics Coaching Triangle System. Debbie has
  over 25 years experience as an adult educator,
  leadership and organizational development
  specialist, and coach. Her credentials include a
  Master of Arts in Leadership and Training from
  Royal Roads University.
• Erna Hagge CEC, EM, HRM, co-author of Tri-namics
  Coaching Triangle System. Erna is the founder and
  leader of the University of British Columbia
  (UBC) Coaching Services Program, Vancouver BC.
  She has over 25 years in human resource
  management in three major organizations with
  focuses on coaching, organizational and personal
  development, employee relations, recruitment,
  training, facilitation, and business development.