My colleague
Pam Boney's high-quality leadership model,
Tilt, is
supported by a 360 questionnaire with a number of applications.
She works with emerging leaders and her experience and research
indicate a growing preference for the anonymity and objectivity
of written questionnaires. Personal interviews can be subjective
and unreliable, and it may be too easy for recipients to
identify who said what. When line-level employees are
interviewed, the rumor mill can create a perception that their
boss is in trouble. Questionnaire results, in contrast, are
typically seen as more objective and scientific.
In my
graduate years I co-authored a
book on social
research methods, so I understand the importance of
reliability and validity in data collection. But I’m a
Nine and a gut type.
It’s harder for me to interpret data not founded on my own
senses. Without interviews I'd miss my “gut” reading of people
in the clients’ sphere of interaction. I want context. I need to
connect with everyone involved.
Taking time
for both a written 360 and an interview can seem unnecessary to
busy executives. But I find ways to convince them follow-up
conversations are important. Why? In addition to the reasons
I’ve mentioned, interviews provide the opportunity to quietly
and implicitly sell the value of coaching. On more than one
occasion, clients I’ve interviewed about someone else have come
to me later for coaching or sent referrals. And again, this
illustrates the importance of considering your Enneagram style.
When you ask Nines to tell you what they do and why you should
hire them instead of someone else, you might hear some
stuttering and stammering. Our forte
is getting someone else to talk. We might not have the immediate
pizzazz of a Three or a
Seven, but give us
someone to interview and we’re on our way!
Moreover,
while interviewing I can intervene directly in the system, get a
“read” on my client’s co-workers, and ask questions that plant
the seeds for my client’s success: “What exactly will you see
that will convince you this person has changed? How will you
reinforce that when you see it?”
Twenty-five years ago I
tailored all
data
collection to the organization where I was coaching. I'd
facilitate a focus group discussion to identify key factors for
success in their organization and industry, help them set
priorities, and create behavioral profiles that became the
measures for leadership development. In some cases, the same
profiles became part of their performance management system,
especially in companies where performance feedback had been
informal. This is obviously a lot of work, but creates terrific
ownership of the profiles and a positive striving toward
behaviors mutually agreed upon as key to an organization’s
continued success. Note also that Nines value collaboration, so
I was again operating from my Enneagram style.
Regardless of experience or
Enneagram style, however, technological innovations and ease of
Internet access may force all of us to rethink our strategies.
Our clients now can respond to an online questionnaire with an
iPhone while sitting in the airport. Many organizations have a
sophisticated understanding of leadership development and talent
management. And it’s rare these days to hear, “You’re a coach?
What does that mean?” Thus it's not so necessary to sell
yourself with personal contact.
A number of validated and
reputable 360s on the market benchmark generic success
factors—behavioral profiles and/or personality traits. CTI
(Coach Training Institute) has aligned itself with The
Leadership Circle (TLC). I much prefer Tilt, however. TLC
is based on competencies and "reactive" tendencies. In contrast,
Tilt is strengths-based and well-recognized in the growing field
of transcendent leadership (Founder Pam Boney was a featured
speaker at the 2010
International
Leadership Association Global Conference).
Furthermore, Pam is an
experienced
coach, so she knows what works. Instead of "fixing
leadership problems," Tilt 360 feedback provides clients
with a positive vision of conscious leadership presence. The
overall coaching goal is to rise above ego's personal agenda
to serve the greater good for all stakeholders. As Pam
describes it, "This form of leadership creates a positive
impact through building a culture that is highly
collaborative, creative and innovative, so it has a positive
and sustainable impact on the economy at large."
The Tilt program also
provides a highly supportive coach community. As a
Tilt-trained coach, I'm part of a collaborative network with
monthly conference calls and membership in the Tilt Forum –
where we learn from common issues and have access to highly
professional support materials such as power-point
presentations. I hope you'll join Pam Boney in her mission
to "change the world, one leader at a time."
