December 23, 2002
Assimilation Coaching
An Investment in Success
Executives who take on a new position—whether promoted from within or hired from outside—are finding that the honeymoon is over quickly these days. Expectations are on the rise while the window for achieving results is narrowing. Assimilation coaching is one of the most effective means of compressing the learning curve and enhancing the probability of success for those taking on new roles.
Unfortunately, companies are more likely to provide assimilation, or transition, coaching for an internal promotion—for someone who is generally taking a leap of scope—than for an outside hire. Yet any executive in a new role faces the challenges of working with a new team, achieving against new objectives, and making immediate decisions relating to both.
With an outsider, there's a tendency to think, "We spent a lot for your expertise, now show us what you've got." That thought process needs to be turned around to, "We've made a major investment in you, now how can we safeguard it?" Coaching helps the outsider acclimate to the organization's culture and helps ensure fit and effectiveness, which contribute to overall job satisfaction and retention.
Coaching as a Change-Management Model
We can look at assimilation coaching as the implementation of a change-management model. It helps executives who are new in their roles understand the expectations being placed on them and develop a plan to effect the kind of change that will enable them to adapt. Specifically, it can help them:
- clarify the new role and how it relates to the company's success;
- identify and correct behavior that may impede their ability to lead effectively;
- uncover and address obstacles that could sabotage success; and
- enhance their emotional intelligence (self-awareness, managing emotions, motivating others, staying connected, and showing empathy).
The assimilation coaching process begins with helping the coachee assess the organization and its culture to determine what kind of leadership style will be effective and facilitate the alignment of personal and corporate missions, visions, and values.
The coach works with the individual to identify his or her key professional, personal, and interpersonal strengths and then structure a process for building on them that is aligned with corporate, unit, and team goals and strategies and will yield the greatest return on the investment.
Providing Support
The focus of assimilation coaching is on supporting coachees in organizing and structuring their work and meeting the goals and objectives established during the assessment phase. An important part of this process is helping identify the organizational forces and boundaries—cultural norms, power and influence centers, politics, relationships, turf, etc.—the new executive must address early in the game. We often recommend working with a corporate sponsor: an internal mentor/role model who is vested in the executive's success and can provide an insider's help in learning the ropes.
The process also focuses on helping the coachee evaluate his or her new team in light of the vision against which they collectively will be executing. In many cases, we go on to help the executive and his or her direct reports define, or redefine, team purpose and performance goals and establish effective team dynamics.
The final stage of the process involves a 360° Leadership Competency Assessment to determine how well the coachee has adapted to the new role and develop a plan for ongoing leadership development. At this point, assimilation coaching often transitions to executive coaching as more and more companies recognize the benefits of this practice in achieving organizational effectiveness.
To maximize leadership effectiveness, assimilation coaching should be part of a comprehensive talent-development system that is woven into the fabric of the organization. The commitment to investing in valuable human assets and success go hand in hand.
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