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FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS
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Why do clients choose CorpTalk?
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CorpTalk works with client companies to create bold visions for the future and enable profound change. We do not skim lightly over the issues to "check off the box" or "go through the motions," simply because it may be expedient. We engage everyone in change, helping our clients build holistic solutions and stay the course so that the organization's greatest potential can be realized. Our deep experience and insight into organizational change and human development means that we are comfortable working with complexity and are able to quickly imbue our clients with a sense of calm and confidence. This allows clients to build sustainable solutions that stretch beyond their current boundaries of thinking and behavior while addressing the most urgent issues in real time. Clients who work with us choose us because they know that we will provide a depth and quality of service that will have real meaning for the business and for the people who need to drive and deliver on the vision. As one of our clients has said, "...this is not coaching in a can," nor is it a "one size fits all" design for organizational development. We walk the talk right along with them, and if the going gets rough, we are there at their side.
We can do this because the depth and breadth of our program allows us to navigate with confidence and extend this sense of confidence into our customers' organizations. CorpTalk's My Coach -- our strong theoretical and practice framework, based on proprietary design elements which have been developed and field-tested for over a decade and are supported by a robust and continually evolving content library -- enables us to build unique solutions and to work efficiently to leverage the power of the whole system, in a most thoughtful and cost effective way.
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What do you mean by holistic solution?
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A holistic solution is a big-picture oriented solution. It takes into consideration the ways in which any industry, organization, business or team is interconnected and interdependent and functions as a "whole." As a result, any enduring solution or healthy change cannot be instituted without an understanding of how the whole system operates; how each part of the system influences the other; and how certain organizing principles play out within the system. Holistic solutions address complex equations in simple, straightforward ways, linking and leveraging system elements and bringing to bear the full power of the axiom, "simple means to rich ends."
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What do you mean by systems thinking?
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System thinking is a comprehensive way of thinking that focuses on the whole as greater than the sum of its parts. It encourages us to examine the interrelatedness of any system and the importance of communication in maintaining or changing the system. Organizations, as complex adaptive systems, abide by the organizing principles of systems thinking and as such can be understood and positively stimulated to change.
By paying particular attention to the interaction of system elements, we can design interventions that can spark broader actions and mobilize individuals and teams. Systems thinking opens up the full potential of any change effort and allows us to tap into the collective power and mystery of the business.
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What do you mean by "a new paradigm for communication?"
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The new paradigm for communication is organic and fluid and emphasizes the constructive nature of language (verbal and non-verbal). The emphasis is now on people talking and the ways in which conversation is a core business process, an important example of action-based communication. We refer to this as building "an architecture of talk." An organization's "architecture of talk" includes such things as the articulation of a bold and motivating vision, the introduction of stimulating or provocative propositions for the business, increased stakeholder engagement through open, dialogue-based communication practices, and easy access across self-limiting geographical, functional or thought-based boundaries.
Instead of thinking of communication as the means through which information is transferred (i.e. Bob has an idea and shares the idea with Sally who now has access to the very same idea that Bob has) the new paradigm for communication looks at how each and every utterance and/or gesture has the potential to create new or change meaning (i.e. Bob has an idea and in the very act of sharing the idea with Sally, a new or different idea is created).
This insight, which comes out of systems thinking, helps us understand how our formal and informal conversations really drive the business and how the business is, in effect, the sum of the conversations that people are able to engender with one another. The fundamental identity of the business is created and grounded in the conversations that people have with each other and the things that they tell themselves about the business. The emphasis for leadership shifts then from decision making and direction setting to a much more facilitative role: getting people to talk about and take action on things that really matter to them and to the business.
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What is different about the CorpTalk Team?
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Our team is a great example of our model. The vibrant intersection of our own backgrounds, training and experience is represented in the richness of the insights and dialogue that we are able to share with our clients and embed into the solutions that we create with and for them.
We are a small and deeply committed group of individuals who operate as a highly focused, cohesive team. We utilize our collective know-how and the My Coach model to help our clients achieve their personal, professional and business visions and to ensure healthy work environments and a sense of collective optimism.
Ongoing Roundtables
We have a strong continuous learning cycle built into our practice. This includes ongoing case reviews and knowledge sharing through our weekly roundtables where we engage the full capacity to the team to think through and energize our solutions and actively problem-solve for our clients.
The CorpTalk 2:1 Coaching Solution™
Another important point of difference is the way in which coaching cases are assigned and delivered. Typically, the coaching relationship is based on a 1:1 relationship between the coach and the participant. At CorpTalk we deliver a 2:1 solution, allowing us to offer our clients a unique and cost-effective value proposition. Our coaching cases involve a designated "Primary" Coach (who is responsible for the establishment of the coaching relationship, the identification and confirmation of coaching objectives and the development of an individualized Personal Learning Path) and a "Secondary" coach who is there to enrich the coaching experience through his/her subject-specific expertise and who can stimulate and deepen the coaching dialogue. In this way. CorpTalk's coaching process is richer, our coaching solutions are more comprehensive and the coach/participant learning dialogue -- which is the foundation of all coaching -- is more spirited and engaging. This 2:1 approach (which at times, if necessary or useful, can engage additional members of our team) accelerates the coaching process, expands the potential of the coaching and ensures that everyone is fully engaged and committed.
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What does success look like?
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For coaching: success criteria are defined and agreed upon with the person, the person's Manager and often, the person's HR Manager or project liaison. They reflect personal growth or development goals that are linked to critical business deliverables and/or strategic change initiatives. They are also typically reflected by demonstrations of visible leadership and such things as improved communication and collaboration; increased stakeholder buy-in; thoughtful strategy development and more seamless execution. Often, as coaching gets underway new success targets are identified, agreed upon and added as participants begin to build bolder visions for themselves and for the business.
For intact and cross-functional team building: success criteria are defined by the leader and the team with whom we are working. While the overall targets are set by the leader or manager, a successful outcome is one in which everyone involved has input. Typically success is defined by such things as an increase in collaboration, the pro-active management of conflict, more robust and innovative thinking, achievement of short-term deliverables, etc.
For large scale organizational design and organizational development projects: we use CorpTalk's Change Ready Snapshot™. CorpTalk's CRS™ is an initial phase project intake interview and data gathering session that allows us to clarify and confirm the project scope, determine the level of complexity of the project, the level of involvement required by CorpTalk (and desired by the client) to achieve the full potential of the project, and set criteria for success. Milestones and measures of success are mutually agreed upon with the client and are defined after this initial deep listening intake and targeted needs analysis. Typically success is defined along a continuum of three orders of change. The first is Understanding and Alignment, where people understand the business case for change, what they need to do in order to be successful in the new setting and are able to align their efforts to the new vision. The second is Involvement and Engagement, where people have actively bought into the new vision and are reaching out to engage others. The third is Reinvention and Emergence, where people have internalized new thinking and behaviors to such an extent that they are now able to imagine and define the next stage of change for themselves and the business.
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How do I know if my organization needs coaching?
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Organizations are changing so rapidly today and the complexity of change is ramping up to such an extent that people are required to adapt and grow in new ways. It is essential that organizations stay ahead of the curve by managing change pro-actively and by fully optimizing talent. Organizations utilize coaching as an essential component of leadership development for anyone in a key or strategic role and as a way to focus the organization and accelerate change.
Ask yourself whether you are taking advantage of the power of change to positively transform your organization and whether you are addressing the underlying needs of your people to survive and excel in this environment. Also ask yourself whether you are fully engaging your talent and leadership pool. Is everyone communicating as effectively as they might be: where can efforts be energized and focused? If your answers are uncertain or you have identified a need to close the gap around communication or change, CorpTalk can help.
CorpTalk offers ten different coaching programs targeting a number of different scenarios - each program is focused on different targeted outcomes. We use our My Coach Personal Growth Needs Analysis™ to determine the right program for the individual within the presenting context of the business and engage Global Strategic Leaders, Change Leaders, Team Coaches and Cross-Boundary Collaborators as required. We also utilize our Change Readiness Snapshot™ to help you identify coaching candidates with an eye to enabling change and executing on the overall business plan or key deliverables.
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How Do We Evaluate Communication Practices within Our Organization?
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To measure the health of your organization's communication practices, assess current interactions and results, by asking yourself these questions: Are people reaching out to engage and share information and ideas with key stakeholders? Do they step outside of their traditional boundaries or silos to spark cross-boundary discussions and dialogues with others? Is innovation instilled within your culture as a result of spirited conversations and open dialogue? Are people and meetings as effective as they could be because people are willing to tackle the difficult conversations to address complex issues? Are people communicating less frequently/more frequently? Do people hide behind e-mail or do they pick up the phone on sit down with each other? Are the hallways buzzing with conversation or is it quiet enough to hear a pin drop? Are business results delivered on time and with sufficient quality? Business stagnation occurs when people are not sharing information or surfacing and resolving issues quickly. People need to be engaged and excited about execution and focused on results. It takes collaboration to achieve results. For insights on assessing your organization's communications practices, inquire about CorpTalk Organizational Communications Survey©.
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What Should My Role As Leader Be in Developing these Communication Practices?
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The role of the leader is to stimulate and sponsor positive change by instituting conversation as a core business process, setting an example by engaging in meaningful conversations with others, and building the over-arching "architecture of talk" to identify and empower the types of conversations that will drive the business. This ability (to introduce and facilitate meaningful conversations that engage and motivate people and help to drive the business) should be viewed as a core competency at the leadership level. The leader makes certain that the organization creates a safe environment for real dialogue and discussion. This includes formulating organizing questions that provoke people to think in new ways and to work collaboratively to solve problems and carve out new opportunities for the business. By asking the right questions and not shying away from difficult conversations, the leader demonstrates the confidence and courage required and sets the appropriate example to the rest of the team or the larger organization. The over-arching goal for the leader is to build an "architecture of talk" that gets everyone involved in a cycle of inquiry and interaction that builds the organization's know-how and focuses on the customer. Inquire about CorpTalk's Business Leader as Facilitator™ 360 or Business Leader as Facilitator™ self- assessment.
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How long does it take before you begin to see benefits?
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That is the beauty of this perspective; benefits begin to accrue immediately! Conversations are like the air that we breathe -- a good conversation injects oxygen into the environment, bringing health and a greater sense of well-being into the business. Whenever your conversations start to interest and have relevance to employees, something changes and the impact on the business can be felt immediately. It energizes itself and travels out to customers, vendors and the community. This is what we mean when we say "doing business at the speed of speech." People care more about what they are doing and become more deeply involved with their work and each other. Short term, that can mean a more dynamic and productive departmental meeting that engages participants, stays on track and lays the groundwork for commitment and follow-through. Long term, it means involving all of the organization in a culture of collaboration, wherein all employees are curious about the business and understand the power of communicating their ideas and coordinating their best efforts on a daily basis.
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How do you keep it going? Do people start to lose interest?
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This approach to coaching and organizational development is sustainable precisely because the types of conversation we're talking about continue to change as the business evolves, generating new meaning and interest across the business. The power of the conversation is directly related to the participation of the people involved. -- We work closely with business leaders and their teams to identify the self-generative processes that are inherent in this model. Throughout the course of history, conversations have led the way through change. They cannot be controlled, measured or duplicated exactly. They are dynamic, life-giving processes that work because they drive progress and create meaning in people's lives. Corp Talk understands the underlying principles that guide these kinds of strategic, transformative conversations, and we teach organizations how to build mechanisms that will keep them moving forward on a daily basis. We have tools, skills and techniques that we teach to our client companies, and we support them on an on-going basis with periodic updates and involvement.
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