A520.7.3.RB - Importance of Having a Coach and Mentor

A520.7.3.RB_Manglona,Matthew-Napu_Importance of Having a Coach and Mentor 


When it comes to having a mentor/coach in your professional journey, I am glad to say I have experienced this interaction, and it has benefited me today. I had this mentor (who I consider a brother, father figure, and all around awesome guy) who helped mold and shape my mentality, leadership career, and most of all my attitude toward things that surround both my personal and official life (career). “Advancement can be a benefit of mentoring, but it is not its purpose. The sole purpose of mentoring was once career advancement and promotion, which explains why mentoring was often seen as merely an activity to groom the next generation of leaders. The goal of mentoring today has shifted to focus on helping anyone gain new insights and abilities” (Emelo, R. 2011).

The significance and importance of having a coach and or mentor is to allow an individual to become a successful leader/manager. As a coach I like to use the coaching zone method from “uses effective communication, such as listening for underlying themes or assumptions, asking questions, posing possibilities, and pushing thinking so that clear and creative ideas emerge. Decisions are therefore created by the group, not by any one individual, as they openly share information and thinking” (Novak, D., Reilly, M., & Williams, D.2010). As a mentor the significance and importance can relate to as a “process that supports learning and development, and therefore, performance improvements for an individual, team, or business. It typically involves offline help by one person to another in making significant transitions in knowledge, work, thinking, or career” (Emelo, R. 2011).

Having a great coach and mentor really impacted me in my career as I stated earlier. He taught me the dos and don’ts of my career in the Army. From how to approach soldiers, to care for them, to take care of my administrative career, to be actively participate and show them I am one of them (as a subordinate). Even when it comes to coaching, I remember a time when he taught me to never whine when it comes to doing tasks, physical training, and overall working to improve myself. Even when the tasks seem so difficult he taught me how to adapt and overcome it. “Coaching in most applications addresses performance in some aspect of an individual’s work or life; while mentoring is more often associated with much broader, holistic development and with career progress” (Salter, T., & Gannon, J. M. 2015).

As I continue my professional growth and journey I plan to continue to learn my craft. There is never too much information to learn. I remember I was always told, “If they send you to a course to learn how to clean a bathroom, you learn it, and be the best bathroom cleaner you can possibly be”. I always appreciated my coach and mentor for he paved the way for me to create my own path and allow me to become the coach and mentor he sees that I can be. “There are times when mentoring is required, when your colleague wants the benefit of your knowledge, experience and advice on what course of action he/she should take. Then there are those times when a coaching conversation is called for, when your professional experience and beliefs are not what’s required, and can even get in the way” (Hicks, R., & McCracken, J. 2009)

   References:

Emelo, R. (2011). Conversations with mentoring leaders. T + D, 65(6), 32-37,6. Retrieved from http://search.proquest.com.ezproxy.libproxy.db.erau.edu/docview/872083534?accountid=27203

Emelo, R. (2011). CREATING A NEW mindset: Guidelines for mentorship in today's workplace. T + D, 65(1), 44-49. Retrieved from http://search.proquest.com.ezproxy.libproxy.db.erau.edu/docview/846785033?accountid=27203

Hicks, R., & McCracken, J. (2009). Mentoring vs. coaching--do you know the difference? Physician Executive, 35(4), 71.

Novak, D., Reilly, M., & Williams, D. (2010). LEADERSHIP PRACTICES ACCELERATE into HIGH SPEED. Journal of Staff Development, 31(3), 32-37,66. Retrieved from http://search.proquest.com.ezproxy.libproxy.db.erau.edu/docview/870834137?accountid=27203

Salter, T., & Gannon, J. M. (2015). Exploring shared and distinctive aspects of coaching and mentoring approaches through six disciplines. European Journal of Training and Development, 39(5), 373-392. doi:10.1108/EJTD-02-2015-0014

A520.6.4.RB - Team Roles

A520.6.4.RB_Manglona, Matthew-Napu_Team Roles

Task Facilitating roles as described in Whetten & Cameron helps the team work more efficiently and effectively in achieving its objectives. It’s direction given; information seeking; information giving; elaborating; urging; monitoring; process analyzing; reality testing; enforcing; and summarizing. In the military this is the most common when trying to achieve the organizations goals. However there are some areas where some roles are not present in the team work realm. An example would be “information giving”. A task would come down and it will be up to us as leaders to figure out what needs to be done, although it is not hard or difficult task to do, but information is always crucial when conducting tasks or missions for the unit. What works for me is reality testing, process analyzing, and elaborating.

 For reality testing I go with the term “work smarter, not harder” I would look at the task at hand. Process analyzing always goes through my thought process, I always try to give an “outside looking in” type of approach. Then elaborating, I always want everybody to be on the same page, when one idea comes up, or a task is given, I try to ensure everybody on the team understands. I would ask my subordinates to back brief me (meaning letting me know what they understand about the task/mission) that way at the lowest level they understand their job roles for us to be successful.

Relationship building roles are those that emphasize the interpersonal aspects of the team (Whetten & Cameron, 2011). I forgot to mention earlier that after finally understanding this I know that I sync the two different types of roles (Task Facilitating and Relationship building). Supporting, harmonizing, tension relieving, confronting, energizing, developing, consensus building, and empathizing are all examples of relationship building roles (Whetten & Cameron, 2011). In my career I’ve been known to be a supportive, tension relieving, confronting, and developing type of leader. In my team however everybody brings something to the table. There is not one person in my team who lacks one of these attributes that were discussed. I have my motivator, joker, serious one, spotlight guy, the sensitive one, and pretty much a whole team build up.

Those attributes I discussed earlier from both the task facilitating roles and relationship building roles are what I see myself as a team member. I am a hard charging type of person that tries to go above and beyond in everything I do. “believe that members of a competent team also will have positive feelings about their work. Typically, the relationships among team members reveal a high level of mutual respect and trust. The ability to question each other allows for the appropriate amount of redundancy that I believe is a requirement for minimizing error” (Guglielmi, C., Feldman, D. L., Marco, A. P., Graling, P., Hoppes, M., Asplin, L. L., & Groah, L. 2011)

I try to be a perfectionist when it comes to task getting done by the team (although it does not happen, at least striving for it gives us a better work output). At all times I always ensure that collaboration and cohesiveness are executed within my team. I really dislike it when one team member is offset when it comes to the task that needs to be done. As I stated before, everybody that is in my team is accountable for their actions, it is just a matter of them communicating amongst each other to accomplish the tasks at hand. Not one person will do the “individual” team concept as I am allotted the opportunity to choose my team. I ensure that the team that I choose is reliable and trust worthy within my team. Both concepts apply to the scenario I deal with. There are time where I have to adjust to facilitating roles and organizations roles when challenges are presented.

References:

Guglielmi, C., Feldman, D. L., Marco, A. P., Graling, P., Hoppes, M., Asplin, L. L., & Groah, L. (2011). Defining competency in high-performance teams. AORN Journal, 93(5), 528-538. doi:10.1016/j.aorn.2011.03.004

Whetten, D. A., & Cameron, K. S. (2011). Developing Management Skills, 8th Ed. Upper Saddle River: Pearson Education.

A520.5.3.RB - Forrester's Empowerment

A520.5.3.RB_Manglona, Matthew-Napu_ Forrester's Empowerment

The article entitled “Empowerment: Rejuvenating a potent idea” by Russ Forrester (2000) discusses somewhat the birth of empowerment dating all the way back to 1960s with a term that was known as “participative management”. The term Empowerment came into its own right along the 1980s. It took the combination of participation and involvement, however, there is a distinction between suggestion, job, and business involvement. Empowerment known in this article is “a more exacting involvement that implies the freedom and ability to make decisions and commitments, not to just suggest them or be a part of making them” (Foster, 2000). Empowerment means “providing freedom for people to do successfully what they want to do, rather them to do what you want them to do” (Whetten, & Cameron 2011).

To empower means to be enable, to give an individual (employee) a sense of ownership and confidence in what they are doing (Whetten & Cameron 2011). I have been put in this position many of times because in the military structure Commanders and senior leaders alike just do not have the time to accomplish all the tasks that are appointed to them. The article stated that there are four components of high involvement which are sharing information, developing knowledge, rewarding performance, and distributing power (Foster, 2000). Whetten & Cameron sync a few of the 9 principles of empowerment that can relate to Foster’s article. Which are providing support and providing information to name a couple. Information is a crucial part of empowering because it is needed to be on the same page with your superior who is assigning or tasking you with such power and authority. If you were to cause a negative result in your decision making then it will allow for your superior to feel that same embarrassment or set back because he or she was the one who assigned you to accomplish that specific duty or task.

In today’s workplace or at least in my organization, “It is about giving people clear goals to strive for, but also holding them responsible for achieving these goals. Reallocating power by delegating authority goes together with responsibility for outcomes placed with individuals and teams” (Dierendonck, v., D, & Dijkstra, M. T. M. 2012) when I was given tasks to accomplish I used those as goal setting opportunities especially with the magnitude that each specific task held. Like when I was the officer in charge to qualify 442 soldiers in weapons qualification for a drill weekend. I was empowered to run the range and the results of the range weekend to get all soldiers weapons qualified. Giving me the responsibility of getting it done was a goal for me to set during the drill weekend. Just like Whetten & Cameron discussed by setting “SMART” goals by being; Specific, Measurable, Aligned, Realistic, and Time bound to be successful when given an empowerment role.

Although the article was brief, I was able to grasp the development of empowerment of how it worked in the past and it eventually bringing itself to become implemented as a leadership trait.

References:

Dierendonck, v., D, & Dijkstra, M. T. M. (2012). The role of the follower in the relationship between empowering leadership and empowerment: A longitudinal investigation. Journal of Applied Social Psychology, 42, E1-E20. doi:10.1111/j.1559-1816.2012.01022.x

Forrester, Russ. (2000). Empowerment: Rejuvenating a Potent Idea. The Academy of Management Executive (1993-2005), 14(3), 67–80. Retrieved from http://www.jstor.org/stable/4165660

Whetten, D. A., & Cameron, K. S. (2011). Developing Management Skills (8th ed.). Upper Saddle River, NJ: Prentice Hall.

 

A520.4.3.RB - Motivation Beyond Money

A520.4.3.RB_Manglona, Matthew-Napu_ Motivation Beyond Money

The video discussed three motivating factors in the workplace which are; 1). ”Give me interesting work”; 2). “Expand my skill set; and 3). “Recognize me. In all honesty these three factors were on point on how I personally feel in the organizations I work for. I started off in active duty (Army) now I work as a Probation Officer, Deputy Marshal Reservist, and an Army Guard member who reports once a month, two weeks out of the year.

“Give me interesting work” is a concept that even in high school that always followed me. When I deployed I never was able to be complacent always trying to find work to do. I would volunteer on missions that I was not scheduled to go on, I would be in the gunner’s hatchet trying to be a gunner ( when my position does not allow me too), and I would even trade missions with my fellow Platoon Leader in order to expand my experience out in Afghanistan. ” Whetten & Cameron discussed goal setting (pg. 333) where having an “effective motivation program” is through goal setting. Groups that set goals had a higher performance rate than those who did not. My goal as a leader was to show my superiors, soldiers, and peers that I am a “well-balanced” leader who can get down and dirty with their subordinates, have the knowledge of his superiors, and one step ahead of his peers. Even as a Probation Officer and Marshal Reservist, I am looking for work outside my comfort zone that way I be that “balanced” individual and gain as much knowledge about my job as I can. I try to imagine I am a tool box. I different compartments for the specific tools, I will always be readily available, and I serve a multi-purpose for whatever task is in front of me.

“Expand my skill set” is a concept that kind of ties itself with the “give me interesting work” explanation above. I was trained to be a “generalist” meaning I can be put somewhere outside my scope of work and duties and still be an effective manager, leader, or even subordinate. Currently in the Army I am the Executive officer (X0) for one of the companies as I transferred over from being a Platoon leader. As a Platoon leader I was in charge of soldiers, their wellbeing, their families, their safety, and their career. Now as an (XO) I am in charge of logistics, maintenance, and personnel for the entire company rather than just a Platoon size element. This was a new assignment which for my Army career will expand my skill set to become a Company Commander. It is structures like this that keep me motivated to strive to become more and like I said earlier which was to be “balanced”.

The third one “recognize me” is a motivator is an impact that can be a double edge sword on me. Meaning that I do get recognized for the great work I do, and sometimes (majority of the time) my great work doesn’t go recognized and leaves me in a bitter state toward my organization. Deep down I am humble about it, but there are times when if the work I put up is not being recognized, or let alone my soldiers work is not being recognized then I have internal attitude (that I do not show) within myself. Like I said I remain humble, but the frustrations are there. The Army is good at recognizing their soldiers. There are times though that goes straight out the window and they do not. “The number one reason people leave their job is they do not feel appreciated” (Whetten & Cameron, 2011). Then on the other side of the sword being recognized can be higher expectations when you do exceed the performance standards. That being said I believe that it is always good to set those goals and strive to be better every single day.

If I can identify 3 additional motivators that I thought of was 1). Team oriented values; working alone can be fine and dandy, however for an organization to shine and grow it takes the concept of team work. My success truly is not because of my individual accomplishments in the military, it is because of my subordinates and the outstanding work they do. 2). Benefits; whether they be monetary or non-monetary such as extended paternity/maternity leave, being able to take care of family members, being allotted time to work out of home, and being able to adjust a flexible schedule in cases where an employee needs to do so for example. Finally 3). Fairness; this motivates me when it comes to promotions, other job assignments, and training opportunities in the event of competing with other coworkers. In my experience I have been shafted numerous times because I wasn’t the favorite or I didn’t brown nose enough to get be afforded those opportunities. I just  would like experience, work demeanor, results, education, and the list can go on to be the justification for those examples I listed earlier.

References:

Whetten, D. A., & Cameron, K. S. (2011). Developing Management Skills (8th ed.). Upper Saddle River: Prentice Hall.