CPA Source – Influencing for Impact
Date: October 15, 2014
Name: CPA Source – Influencing for Impact
Presenter: Joseph Sherren, CSP, HoF
CPA Source is a service of the Chartered Professional Accountants of Canada that provides valuable business leadership management support to CPA members. In every organization today, the success is heavily depended on the ability of manage and motivate people. Joseph Sherren, the past president of the Canadian Association of Professional Speakers and Global Speakers of Federation, will share his view of the difference between management and leadership. Business owners will learn from this webinar that how manager’s style can influence the performance and development of their staff.
Sherren believe there is a correlation between the ability to perform and the eagerness to engage. Sherren treats these relationships as the pillars of competence.
| Ability to Perform | Eagerness to Engage |
| Education | Confidence |
| Experience | Enthusiasion |
| Track Record | Commitment |
| Training | Assertiveness |
| Knowledge | Cooperation |
| Innovation | Activity Level |
| Planning | Flexibility |
| Judgement | Self-motivated |
These pillars determine the stage of employee competence. There are four stages of Employee competence. The first stage is called “Instructing” when employees are unable to perform but reluctant to engage. The second stage is called “Informing” when employees are still unable to perform and eager to engage. The third stage is called “Inspiring” when employees are able to perform but reluctant to engage, and the fourth stage is called “Impowering” when employees are able to perform and eager to engage.
Sheeren emphasizes the coaching behavior from each stage will be different. In “Instructing” stage, managers should provide more directive than interpersonal skills. In “Informing” stage, managers should provide maximum directive and interpersonal skills. In “Inspiring” stage, managers should reduce the directive but remain high in interpersonal skills. Lastly, in “Impowering” stage, managers should minimize both directive and interpersonal skills.
In the organization, all coaching system goes through these stages. The influencing behaviors will impact the result of overall organization performance.
| Stage | Coaching to Employees |
| Instructing | Tell Them |
| Informing | Guide Them |
| Inspiring | Let Them Try |
| Impowering | Leave Them Alone |
“A good leader knows the right road to take”
“A good manager will ensure the right people are going efficiently down the road”
“A good coach will help the people navigate the road ahead”
The coaching style will be different in every organization. However, Sherren believes the consistent behavior patterns will modify the behavior of other people. The patterns of behavior will cause employee to react in urgent situation. When managers emphasize too much on informing stage, it will lead their employees to burnout. If the focus is too much on inspiring stage, managers will rely too much on employees. Moreover, if there is too less impowering, managers will lose employees’ trusts.
Sherren indicates when managers are not following the format, it is suggested to search for other coaching mentors. Sherren designs a system that calculates the coaching preferences. The research shows the coaches should have average rating between all four stages. If coaches realize their employees are disengage, they could be either they are still in the first stage, request new manager, boredom, or personal issues. Nevertheless, it is important to understand where employees are currently at in the influencing model.
“Leaders influence is based on the belief that effectiveness results when the coach behaves in ways which are appropriate to the competency levels of each employee”