Session Title:

Agile, Lean, Joy – Creating a Culture of Coaching

Facilitator:

Rich Sheridan

Session Abstract:

Is it possible to create a culture that invites coaching rather than resists it? Too often coaching is seen as an afterthought, an add-on or a luxury that we get to as only we can afford the time and effort.

Yet, Peter Senge’s Fifth Discipline calls for leaders to create a “Learning Organization”.

In this workshop, Menlo CEO and co-founder will explore the learning and coaching culture that Menlo has created. It will be a deep dive into the ways that Menlo creates coaching moments throughout the day, while getting the work done.

The workshop will explore various aspects of Menlo’s system and culture including:

  • Hiring for culture fit, including an interview process that asks no questions and begins introducing company culture right into the interview itself.
  • Onboarding techniques that get people productive in the first few minutes of arriving.
  • A compelling work style that has everyone on the team working in pairs (peer coaching), leading to significant productivity and quality gains.
  • A resource leveling system that ensures 40 hour work weeks, while ensuring each individual has the chance to grow and be coached while working.
  • Feedback systems that eliminate the dreaded annual performance review system.
  • Engaging planning tools that coach a project’s sponsor in making responsible tradeoffs.
  • Engaging status reporting that allow team members to hold each other accountable without management oversight, pushing coaching down the the individual level.
  • Engaging progress reporting that provides project sponsors the opportunity to coach the team on the actual needs of the project versus endless arguing over requirements.
  • Engaging timekeeping approaches that arm coaches for teaching how to project the effort required for new projects.
  • Exploration of interpersonal communication approaches that provide individuals the opportunity for growth into leadership.
  • Encouragement of experimentation, innovation, creativity, and invention by systematically pumping fear out of the room, and how to coach the entire team to sustain this environment.