ENTERPRISE DIGITAL – THE PODCAST REVISITED…
Continuing our series of reviews of our previous podcasts, highlighting the nuggets of brilliant advice and information they contain.
This week’s focus is on Sherry Bevan’s episode, looking at the value of coaching and how we develop people to be more effective in leadership roles.
Who is Sherry Bevan
Sherry ‘fell into technology by accident’ with no prior computing knowledge, working in an administrative role, before moving to service delivery.
Thirteen years ago, she launched an independent coaching practice and over time that has evolved to coaching and leadership development.
The power of independent coaching
The real power is to utilise independent coaching as opposed to being coached by someone internally and feeling that there might be a hidden agenda.
People being coached internally might be less inclined to talk about x or complain about y, but they can have that absolute confidentiality with an external coach.
“For anyone in a leadership role who wants to make more of their career, do better with their team or become a better leader, talking with someone outside of your immediate sphere of influence can be really powerful and valuable,” Sherry says.
“I think coaching is a really undervalued option to develop your career. I understand the pressure and the challenges but being able to talk things through and think things out loud allows you to be more creative and to build better relationships and make better decisions.”
‘Ask questions – that’s what we’re brilliant at’
Sherry explains: “The main role of a coach is to ask questions – that’s what we’re brilliant at! But we ask questions where we don’t know the answers are going to be. I ask questions to help you get more clarity about what it is you’re trying to do and to help you figure out the best way of doing that.
“The large part is to ask questions and not necessarily provide advice. I might suggest an alternative always with the client’s permission. Sounds simple but holding the space and being silent gives the person time to think. As human beings, if I leave silence, we want to jump in and fill that silence.”
Belief and wellbeing
One of the core skills of a good coach is to build a strong rapport with a client – and that is something that takes time. And it is important to understand that not every coach is going to be suited to every individual, but the aim is to make the client relax, feel safe, and to open up more.
“As a coach I believe you can do anything you believe you can do, my role is to help you believe that you can do it – then you will go and do it.”
As wellbeing in the workplace gets more focus, organisations have had to adapt to the increased pressure on people.
“Compared to 10-20 years ago there is a lot more openness and being ok to talk about our wellbeing in the workplace.
“Some places have the resources but are still too focussed on work but there is definitely a pressure on people.”
Skills gap in leadership in technology
The ‘Peter Principle’ theorises that employees are promoted based on their success in previous jobs until they reach a level at which they are no longer competent, as skills in one job do not necessarily translate to another.
Sherry explains: Someone who has recently promoted often struggles – they feel like they have to know everything about everything and that’s not the point of the role. You have to lead the team, build the relationships with the stakeholders, present to the board, whatever it is.
“You are never going to have enough headspace to know everything about the technical aspects of what you’re doing and to lead the team effectively.
“Often what we see is people in the first 18 months, their potential drops because they’re struggling to cope with being a leader, develop those skills and trying to hold on to the technical stuff. They need to learn to let go of the technical stuff.”
There is also an ongoing challenge is to improve the balance of women working in technology.
“Fewer women study computer science at university and the image/perception of IT is being nerdy and geeky. Until you have worked in IT you don’t see how interesting it is.
“So many roles don’t require the technical skills, but it does require the communication skills, the project management skills.
“Some ads use quite geeky language that is more likely to put women off.
“Changing the way you advertise jobs and describe the role can make a big impact. There is a lot we can do to remove those barriers and how broad technology is.”
Key Takeaways
The power of independent coaching – talking with someone outside of your immediate sphere of influence can be really powerful and valuable
Remove barriers – make the skills involved in leadership in IT broader to attract a more inclusive audience.
Encourage newly promoted leaders to let go – To get more out of both a newly promoted leader and their teams, they must learn to let go of the technical stuff and develop the broader skills to manage both up and down.
Listen to Sherry on the Enterprise Digital Podcast
Connect with Sherry on Linked In.
The Enterprise Digital Podcast is a regular discussion on all matters related to Enterprise Service Management and Digital Transformation. The hosts are Barclay Rae and Ian Aitchison, who share and discuss their thoughts on the converging worlds of technology, service management, people and management, business and corporate development, governance, automation and more… Regular guests will be invited to try and get a word in …
Listen to the podcasts on Apple Podcasts, Spotify and Google Podcasts.