Chief Learning Officer - December 2007 - (Page 20) learning solutions in practice: Informatica: Coaching Managers For the approximately 1,400 employees of Informatica, a leading provider of data integration products and services, finding time for learning can be tough. That’s because the company operates in a “very hypercompetitive environment,” according to Linda Pfeifer, director of HR global learning and performance. “Our business is very fast paced,” she said. “It’s very important for our employees and managers to be up to date on the latest technologies, soft skills and leadership skills. At the same time, because everything’s moving so fast, it can be hard to set aside time for training. My biggest challenge is helping busy managers carve time out of their busy schedules for learning and development. One of the ways I do that is by ensuring that the learning solutions are well aligned with the needs of the managers and the employees, as well as aligned to strategic goals.” With those kinds of performance demands, it might seem surprising that Pfeifer is so enthusiastic about mentoring and coaching initiatives, which typically require a fair amount of time and effort. But in her role, she has just launched a pilot for a mentoring program, and she also operates extensive coaching offerings for managers. “We have a core management curriculum that all of our managers go through,” she explained. “It’s coach-based. It doesn’t matter if they’re a manager in California or Bangalore or the Netherlands — they’re all going to go through the same management development experience.” Using external coaches, the program teaches managers about key knowledge and skills for their roles, such as motivational techniques and leadership practices, Pfeifer said. “As they work with the managers, there is structure in that there are certain skills that the managers must learn and apply in their own environment. At the same time, there is a lot of flexibility, in that the manager has the freedom to determine how they’re going to apply the skills, and in what context it works best. Providing structure around what the manager must learn while at the same time providing flexibility so the managers have freedom for self-direction is a powerful combination.” Another advantage of the program is that the information flows in multiple directions. Particularly, it serves as a way to gather expertise and lessons learned from Informatica’s management population. “Our coach-based management development program is set up to capture and continuously grow and pull in new best practices and learning from all our managers,” Pfeifer said. “Even if I’m a manager and I’m too busy to enter the mentoring program right now, at least through our core management development curriculum, I can benefit from the lessons learned and best practices of other managers half a world away. “What I’ve learned is how these programs morph. They continuously change and adapt to the new knowledge that comes into the environment. What’s exciting is when these processes and skills are actually applied in the real world, we gain even more awareness and insight as to how to translate that research into effective management behavior. You only get that if you have your hand on the pulse of what’s happening in the trenches.” Also, Pfeifer pointed out that mentoring and coaching programs are effective ways to capture knowledge before it leaves the organization. “To me, the organizational learning piece is critical,” she said. “When you have a top performer who’s been a mentor to many people leave the company, if you haven’t figured out a way of capturing their best practices and expertise to share and disseminate on a global basis, then you’ve missed a tremendous opportunity.” —Brian Summerfield, bsummerfield@clomedia.com nize the importance of mentoring by making the time to talk with others about their experiences. 4. Leaders must continuously create value for mentoring. When leadership is not present and accounted for in the mentoring effort, people take notice. If mentoring is felt, experienced and perceived as a vested interest and a commitment of leadership, then that spirit of ownership permeates every level of the organization. 5. Leaders must build the right infrastructure to support their mentoring efforts. Infrastructure promotes sustainability by assuring that mentoring ownership is well-anchored within multiple layers of the organization. An organization with a mentoring-friendly infrastructure commits its leadership and time to mentoring over the long term. It also ensures that there are sufficient financial, technological, human and knowledge resources to support mentoring as it develops and expands. 6. Leaders must proactively address the succession of mentoring leadership. This task cannot — and should not — reside with one person. This responsibility is too important and too time-consuming to rest on only one set of shoulders. Leaders eventually move on, retire or leave. Wise leaders empower mentoring leadership to replace itself. 7. Leaders must be role models of mentoring excellence. Positive role models exert powerful influence. Their example extends a compelling invitation to engage in a personal odyssey, to learn their story, to follow their example and to travel alongside them. As Laurent Daloz reminds us, the mentor’s gift “is not the opportunity to become like them but the challenge to become more fully ourselves through them. They call forth the best we have. They invite us to transcend ourselves.” 8. Leaders must keep abreast of progress and current developments. Up-to-date knowledge, success stories and data points should be part of the organizational leader’s communication tool kit. Holding periodic briefings to keep leaders current helps them in their efforts to maintain mentoring visibility and reinforce the value mentoring creates in an organization. December 2007 I www.clomedia.com I Chief Learning Officer 20 Strategies for Success It is clear that leaders have a key role to play in ensuring mentoring success. Here are some very specific high-leverage strategies for success that organizational leaders can adopt. http://www.clomedia.com
For optimal viewing of this digital publication, please enable JavaScript and then refresh the page. If you would like to try to load the digital publication without using Flash Player detection, please click here.