Metropolitan Police: coaching as a contributor to culture change Coaching at the Metropolitan Police Following a strategic review of coaching nearly one year ago, the Metropolitan Police is swiftly moving from using coaching as an ad hoc, disparate activity to one that is tightly entwined with its learning and development strategy. Coaching is set to become a major tool for the organisation to enhance its leadership capability, raise performance, and also support the MPS’ transition to a more responsive, approachable and partnership based culture. MPS is the largest employer in London, consisting of 55,000 serving police officers. In the last five year or so and helped by some ‘sea-change’ events such as the Morris Inquiry, MPS has embarked on a journey away from its hierarchical culture and traditional ‘command’ style of leadership. The service has committed itself to a policing approach that depends on building relationships and partnerships with individuals and communities. Responding to the ever increasing complexity of modern policing, MPS believes its staff must ‘learn from experience’ by being ‘prepared to do things differently, challenge how they work, and share experiences and learning’ (see box for MPS’ four core values and behaviours).
Not why but why not? In the words of an internal coach and police officer: ‘In the light of our four core values, the real question is why would we not use coaching? It supports everything we are trying to do to build a quality service and help our staff develop a more inclusive, assistive and reflective style of leading’. The strategic review, as well as a successful coaching pilot with senior leaders, led the Met to some important conclusions about the ability of coaching to support the MPS’ policing strategy and core values and beliefs (see box for further information about the coaching review). It is a message endorsed by some of the organisation’s most senior leaders. For example, Martin Tiplady, MPS’ Director of Human Resources, says that he and his colleagues on the MPS Board are united in their personal determination to spell out the long term, tangible benefits of coaching. ‘We are ready to identify what this investment in coaching is about and why, operationally, it means something. It is not just another new initiative or culture change process; it can have a demonstrable return and make a direct impact on our results.’ Coaching within the Met is therefore positioned as ‘performance coaching’. The stated aim of performance coaching is to ‘enable leaders to maximise their potential and, in accordance, optimise their personal and professional performance in the workplace’. The Met believes coaching is most effective when it resolves around clear SMART performance goals, consisting of both private and public goals. Coaches aim to help their coachees identify ‘current performance levels in relation to an agreed goal and specify actions (including timescales) that will improve performance and ensure the goal is attained’. In addition to a clear, consistent definition of coaching, MPS has also clarified how it
supports the overarching learning and development strategy. Bill Griffiths, MPS’ Director of the Leadership Academy, says that coaching will help develop leadership capability. The long term hope is that coaching behaviours will become embedded across the organisation. He explains: ‘We want to promote the concept of leader as coach so that anyone leading a team sees it as a core skill. We want people at every level of the organisation to understand that coaching can help them develop into effective leaders, better equipped to get the best from their people and build constructive partnerships with the public’. For Jackie Keddy, police officer and Coaching and Action Learning Lead consultant, success will come when a different type of conversation is heard in the rooms and corridors of MPS. ‘Culture is made from language and behaviours - a five minute coaching conversation in a corridor can be a powerful catalyst for change. If we can embed coaching conversations into our culture, we will have a major lever for profound culture shift.’ In terms of L&D processes, the LA has found that coaching works most powerfully when it is delivered alongside 360 degree feedback (known as values based feedback because feedback is gathered around specific MPS behaviours and competencies) and action learning. Says Jackie Keddy: ‘They work together incredibly well and people change as a result of the experience. For me, coaching, action learning and values based feedback are definitely three jewels in the crown of learning and development’.
Building a coaching ‘footprint’ across MPS The Met has decided to take an incremental and long term approach to embedding coaching skills. In cost terms, this is a pragmatic approach for such a large organisation. In cultural terms, senior leaders believe that a ‘full frontal’ approach would not work but simply whip up resistance among staff, particularly operational staff, who may not immediately see the potential benefits of coaching in their role at the front line. In the words of Jackie Keddy, ‘We have to be gently relentless!’ The Leadership Academy is responsible for coordinating coaching activities and integrating a consistent approach across a range of leadership development programmes. A full time coaching lead consultant has been appointed, an individual who is widely respected for her extensive operational experience and passion for coaching. There is strong agreement among the coaching team that the best way forward is to allow coaching to gain credibility slowly, as growing numbers of staff experience coaching for themselves and see the difference it makes in others, especially more senior leaders. The plan is to ‘seed’ coaching throughout MPS using two approaches. One approach, according to Bill Griffiths, is to ‘get more people cognisant of coaching skills by presenting coaching to every level of the organisation through a one day workshop that will give people the ability to have a coaching conversation’. He adds: ‘Given that we have approximately 1,200 staff going through our team leaders programme, that is quite a footprint that we are building’. The other approach is to give staff opportunities to become internal coaches (in addition to their existing roles) and to opt to receive performance coaching, either as part of a leadership development programme or in response to a development need identified during such programmes. There is also the hope that local divisions will begin to request coaching
and ‘LA Local’ is currently piloting a coaching initiative within an established training programme for MPS boroughs. MPS expects that most of its coaching activities will be delivered by internal coaches but when appropriate, particularly for senior people, external coaches would be assigned. The coaching team has identified several groups that have been prioritised to receive coaching within the next two years. These include: team leaders (i.e. Sergeant and Inspector at Band D). These individuals will receive a core coaching module as part of the team leader programme. ● newly promoted programme leaders (ie Chief Inspector, Superintendent at band C and B) and command leaders (Chief Superintendent band A). These individuals will be offered one coaching session while they are in their former role and up to five coaching sessions in their new role. ● established programme leaders and command leaders. They can choose to receive coaching on a specific, short term performance goal. ● in the longer term, Band B and Superintendent level programme leaders, will be offered the option of a coach. ●
Building a coaching capability MPS has taken the decision that the most practical means of moving towards a coaching culture is by developing a pool of internal coaches. These individuals can support the development of the majority of coachees. External coaches will be available for more senior people, especially those dealing with sensitive or confidential issues. After researching into the area of internal coaches, MPS took the decision that it should not have a team of dedicated coaches. It believes that having individuals coach in addition to their existing role helps ensure that coaching is more credible and is driven by the business rather than imposed by HR. During 2007, the Met has taken a number of practical steps to developing its coaching capability and ‘seeding’ coaching activities throughout the organisation: 1.
Identifying existing coaching expertise As a first step, the coaching team conducted an audit of existing coaching skills, mainly through on on-line questionnaire to staff. This helped the Met identify pockets of excellence throughout its various business divisions and begin to bring together the first cohort of internal coaches.
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Defining coaching competencies The coaching team has identified four core coaching skills: effective communication; self-awareness; maximising potential and planning and goal setting [could supply more detail in box]. These help support training for internal coaches and also form the framework for a rigorous selection process.
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Identifying useful coaching models MPS believes the coaching conversation itself is more important than finding the ‘best’ coaching model. However, to help coaches frame the coaching conversation, they are now trained in the following coaching models: – GROW (Goal, Reality, Options, Will/Way forward)– a well know coaching
approach – OSKAR (Outcome, Scaling, Know-how, Affirm, Review) – this approach is well received within the Met because of its positive, solutions-based approach. 4.
Recruiting regular cohorts of internal coaches Internal staff can now apply to become internal coaches. They go through a rigorous selection process which is based on the four coaching competencies and includes on-line application, interview and role play. In the first recruitment drive, 90 people applied to be an internal coach.
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Training internal coaches Candidates are given the opportunity to develop coaching skills by attending an internal modular based coaching programme, lasting between approximately four months. (The MPS is currently looking at having the programme accredited by an external coaching body such as the EMCC.) Trainees are required to ‘pass’ the programme in order to join the pool of internal coaches. Trainee coaches also practice on two or three coachee throughout the programme. If appropriate, they can be assigned a mentor to help them develop. The programme aims to ensure trainee coaches: – understand the philosophy of coaching within MPS – develop their listening and questioning skills – develop self-awareness – understand at least one coaching model or technique.
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The coaching agreement Once ‘passed’ as an internal coach, these individuals meet with the coaching manager and agree the level of commitment they can give to coaching; the number of coachees they can take on (normally a maximum of three) and commit themselves to holding 1 ½ hour monthly sessions with coachees.
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Matching process MPS Coaches supply the coaching manager with a biography which outlines their preferred approach and areas of interests (for example, work life balance, time management, delegation). The coaching manager then supplies coachees with three or so suitable biographies and agrees with them the best match.
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Contracting with the client and setting goals Coach and client meet together to ensure the latter understands the nature of coaching and is committed to undergoing personal change and development. They also agree practicalities about time and place etc. They also start to identify a set of SMART goals which include both organisational goals and personal goals.
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Coaching supervision and on-going personal development MPS has appointed a small number of internal coaching supervisors, including the coaching manager. These supervisors will meet roughly every two months with individual coaches. Both internal and external coaches will also meet together in a shared learning group every two months or so. They will share learning and identify patterns or trends that suggest an organisational issue that need to be further discussed by the Leadership Development Team.
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Evaluation MPS is still considering the best methods of evaluating the impact of coaching. Internal demand for coaching will be an important indicator. Documenting the outcomes of coaching is also likely to be help determine whether coaching has led to improvements in individual performance.
First steps MPS is now implementing its new coaching strategy. The first cohort of 33 existing internal coaches have been matched with their clients, and a second cohort of 14 individuals are currently progressing through the internal training programme. Coaching is offered in both the Commissioners Leaders Development Programme and the Programme Leaders Development Programme. Coaching has also been introduced into the Team Leaders programme in conjunction with 360 degree feedback. LA trainers are also being trained as coaches, so that this approach can be incorporated into any type of learning and development activity. The LA is also engaged in an initiative with six Local Boroughs in an effort to communicate the benefit of coaching and promote uptake at a local level. MPS has decided to start small and let coaching slowly gather momentum as people see the benefits of becoming a coach and/or being coached. The coaching process is in place, but it will take some time to see how the process works and whether it will need further adjustments. Time is likely to be an issue for both coaches and coachees - it may be all too easy to let coaching slip down the list of priorities, given that it is an ‘extra’ activity. The role of the line manager is also under consideration, and MPS may need to establish some strong boundaries so that line managers understand that coaching is not a performance management tool and that some areas of coaching must remain confidential. These boundaries may be particularly important in situations where line managers are not particularly supportive of coaching. However, it is hoped that support for coaching will grow as it is seen less as a remedial tool and more as an enabler of high performance. For this reason, it is important that more senior leaders are open about how they have benefited from coaching. It is also important that operational staff at the sharp end of policing experience coaching and test out for themselves whether it can help them work in more responsive, collaborative ways with their teams and local communities.
MPS: ‘Working together with all our citizens, all our partners and all our colleagues’ Core values and behaviours: We will be proud to deliver quality policing. There is no greater priority. Put the needs of individuals and communities first. Be helpful and attentive. Make the best use of our resources. ● We will build trust by listening & responding. Be accessible and approachable. Build relationships. Encourage others to challenge and get involved. ● We will respect and support each other and work as a team. Work to bring people together. Trust and value the contribution everyone makes. ● We will learn from experience and find ways to be even better. Be prepared to do things differently. Challenge how we work, share experiences and ideas. ●
MPS’ ‘scoping’ study of coaching Conducted by an internal change consultant, this review looked at how best to introduce coaching into MPS, based on interviews with a number of private and public sector organisations and other research including a literature review. Some important conclusions and recommendations included: coaching is, most importantly, about ‘optimising personal and professional performance and getting employees to fulfil their potential’. ● coaching requires a full-time ‘coaching coordinator’ to ensure quality standards and help deliver business benefits. ●
External and internal coaches are both valuable: ● ● ● ●
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external coaches have wide experience, and senior personnel are more likely to trust them for their objectivity and independence internal coaches understand culture and internal politics. They are more cost effective and with rigorous selection and training can provide a valuable service. internal coaches should offer coaching in addition to their existing roles and responsibilities to ensure that coaching is driven by the business and not HR. coaching is the conversation and not the tool. Evidence suggests coaching models are less important than the coach’s ability to listen and understand the philosophy behind the tool. Internal coaches should be trained to use different coaching models to help structure the coaching conversation. coaching supervision and support with on-going professional development is essential, not an option. MPS identified specific good practice and concluded that it should appoint and train a small number of coaching supervisors. It should implement coaching supervision for individual coaches and also shared learning groups for internal and external coaches to help build a collective picture and ensure organisational learning
