Enabling Change through Coaching Approach
Jantunen, Riitta (2019)
2019
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Julkaisun pysyvä osoite on
https://urn.fi/URN:NBN:fi:amk-201905129319
https://urn.fi/URN:NBN:fi:amk-201905129319
Tiivistelmä
The purpose of this thesis was to develop a coaching tool for the Learning and Training Network in company X to accelerate the implementation of coaching approach within the company. The ultimate goal for the competence development function in company X is to ensure a life-long learning approach for all employees. The research context is a Learning and Training network in an engineering company which runs long lasting projects operating globally with offices across the world. The operating model has been traditional, and agile way of working is a novelty to the network.
Critical theories in forming the theoretical framework are theories about change, agile way of working, empowering culture and coaching. Life-long learning and motivation theories are also discussed, but only briefly in areas where they serve the thesis purpose. For many, working with agile methods mean unlearning old habits and changing behavior. Thus, agile way of working is part of personal growth. For a team to be fully agile, it must operate autonomously, which fails unless the company culture is empowering.
The methods used in the empirical work were qualitative methods such as observation. unstructured interviews in project meetings, user journey map which was adapted into sprint journey map to serve the research purpose and prototyping. A questionnaire was used to validate the tool after prototype.
As an outcome of this thesis, a coaching tool was developed based on RE-GROW coaching model. As coaching initiates a thinking process with open questioning, a simultaneous learning process occurs. One can argue that repeatedly asked open questions during the network’s sprints and in bi-weekly sprint meetings reinforce the learning process leading into a lifelong learning journey. The bi-products of this thesis are documented agile process flows of bi-weekly sprint meeting and 2-week sprints to describe the events in these actions of agile way of working.
Any agile team willing to accelerate the sprint efficiency and enhance learning can utilize the coaching tool. Furthermore, the methodology used in developing the tool can be used by anyone who wants to integrate coaching into any process to boost learning or is looking for more in-depth insight into business.
The coaching tool can, of course, in time, be developed further by adding questions as the knowledge within the team grows or if the events and touch points evolve in time. It would be fair to assume that the more familiar the network comes with the method, the more its agile process develops as well. Other areas to continue the research is to study if coaching approach has increased motivation or empowerment amongst the employees. And, of course, in what extent coaching stimulates life-long learning.
Critical theories in forming the theoretical framework are theories about change, agile way of working, empowering culture and coaching. Life-long learning and motivation theories are also discussed, but only briefly in areas where they serve the thesis purpose. For many, working with agile methods mean unlearning old habits and changing behavior. Thus, agile way of working is part of personal growth. For a team to be fully agile, it must operate autonomously, which fails unless the company culture is empowering.
The methods used in the empirical work were qualitative methods such as observation. unstructured interviews in project meetings, user journey map which was adapted into sprint journey map to serve the research purpose and prototyping. A questionnaire was used to validate the tool after prototype.
As an outcome of this thesis, a coaching tool was developed based on RE-GROW coaching model. As coaching initiates a thinking process with open questioning, a simultaneous learning process occurs. One can argue that repeatedly asked open questions during the network’s sprints and in bi-weekly sprint meetings reinforce the learning process leading into a lifelong learning journey. The bi-products of this thesis are documented agile process flows of bi-weekly sprint meeting and 2-week sprints to describe the events in these actions of agile way of working.
Any agile team willing to accelerate the sprint efficiency and enhance learning can utilize the coaching tool. Furthermore, the methodology used in developing the tool can be used by anyone who wants to integrate coaching into any process to boost learning or is looking for more in-depth insight into business.
The coaching tool can, of course, in time, be developed further by adding questions as the knowledge within the team grows or if the events and touch points evolve in time. It would be fair to assume that the more familiar the network comes with the method, the more its agile process develops as well. Other areas to continue the research is to study if coaching approach has increased motivation or empowerment amongst the employees. And, of course, in what extent coaching stimulates life-long learning.