Comments on the Video Recording

We offer a commentary and two responses to this commentary on the video recording of the Leadership Development Survey results.

Linda Miller

Comments were offered by Linda Miller (an experienced coach and educator affiliated with the Blanchard Companies). following are Linda Miller’s comments:

While watching the 2^nd video about the focus of the preliminary surveys and conversations, I was surprised by my response to the discussion.  There are several aspects I noticed:

• It seems like the topics are similar to ones we’ve discussed over the years (exec coaching as part of leadership development, where coaching fits, who gets coaching, messages we want to deliver, etc).  And, at least on the call, it sounded like the same options were coming as were discussed years ago. If we’re going to explore familiar topics, I’m wondering how we can bring new life to them.
• Agnes brought up the need for different conversations so people who are polarized can listen and talk differently – would love to be part of that discussion.  Who in attendance has the expertise to move this idea forward?
• Some of us (including me!) are aging. I’m trying to invest in the next generation of coaches by mentoring younger/incoming coaches. I’d love to hear what others are doing and what else can be offered.
• If the number of attendees is potentially half of what was expected, I’d be interested in including younger experienced coaches who will see things differently and challenge our thinking.  Not sure if this is of interest to others…?
• Am wondering about the desired outcome of the time together? I’m asking so we can stay focused and help each other stay on track.

Bill Bergquist

Bill Bergquist, one of the principal organizers of the summit and creator of the Leadership Development Survey, and presenter of the Survey results, offered the following responses to Linda Miller’s comments:

Linda — Thank you for your very thoughtful comments. Let me offer my own reflections on your comments (Suzi and Garry might have their own to offer).

First, I agree that many of the responses to the survey were predictable and not contributing very much to generation of new perspectives and practices. However, part of the reason for conducting the survey was to get a clear sense of the land in which we are operating. At the summit we can move beyond the predicted. From the survey, we found the areas of highest disagreement — this might be one of the good places to start.  Some of the controversial issues concern the way high potential leadership is treated, the way to work with leaders facing short-term personal problems (arising outside the workplace), and the ways to work with low performing leaders.

With regard to new perspectives and practices (or at least “fresh” ideas), Adi’s suggestions regarding polarity management are generative. I would add such “cutting edge” perspective and practices related to leadership development and executive coaching as: (1) agent-based modeling (and related computer-based simulation tools) with a focus on the processes that create the polarities, (2) specific strategies related to VUCA Plus (turbulence and contradiction in addition to volatility, uncertainty, complexity and ambiguity), especially regarding the management and metabolization of anxiety associated with the VUCA-Plus challenges (accelerated by COVID), (3) the crisis of expertise–how information is being abused or blocked and how fake expertise is being promoted, this crisis relates to the challenge of contemporary leadership and the role played by coaches in helping leaders address this crisis of expertise and (4) the relationship between diverse perspectives regarding leadership challenges and different coaching strategies (creating a integrative research project that parallels that done by SEPI in the area of psychotherapy).

Yes, mentoring and legacy should be an important part of the studio. I would like to contribute notions from my new book on four models of generativity — that takes the notion of mentoring several steps forward.

We have invited some younger folks (as you have proposed). However, not many have accepted our invitation. Do you have some younger colleagues to recommend and invite — or do you have a strategy for getting some of the next generation to join us?

With regard to outcomes, there are a couple of ways to think about this matter. First, there is a level of outcomes that has to do with the way we disseminate proceedings and insights generated by our summit. We have this well covered with plans for articles from the summit being presented in multiple venues — including the Library of Professional Coaching (and Library of Professional Psychology) as well a choice magazine. We are in much better position for dissemination than we were after the original summits.

There is also a second way to consider desired outcomes–this is about the specific focus of our summit and about what the content will be that emerges from our summit dialogues. This is a bit hard to predict ahead of time. However, I would love to hear what you hope will be the content-based outcomes of the summit. It seems at the very least that you would like there to be new ideas and “new life” coming out of the summit, as well as a focus on mentoring. From the Zoom call conversation, it looks like there is also a strong desire for outcomes related to diversity and inclusiveness.

Suzi Pomerantz

Suzi Pomerantz, one of the other organizers of the summit also offered responses to Linda Miller’s comments (with minor editing Suzi’s responses are embedded in the comments offered by Linda Miller):

• It seems like the topics are similar to ones we’ve discussed over the years (exec coaching as part of leadership development, where coaching fits, who gets coaching, messages we want to deliver, etc).  And, at least on the call, it sounded like the same options were coming as were discussed years ago. If we’re going to explore familiar topics, I’m wondering how we can bring new life to them.  Amen to that! I suspect that the magic of being in a room together and sharing energy and space beyond the digital sphere will help us to generate new conversations (at least that is what I’m hoping), and we will have some open space segments in the agenda as well. Like you, I’m hungry for NEW and DIFFERENT conversations, and have little patience for rehashing old conversations.
• Agnes brought up the need for different conversations so people who are polarized can listen and talk differently – would love to be part of that discussion.  Who in attendance has the expertise to move this idea forward? Agnes has done some work with polarity management, and we have invited Dr. Sandra Martinez, who teaches polarity management, but she has not responded.  
• Some of us (including me!) are aging. I’m trying to invest in the next generation of coaches by mentoring younger/incoming coaches. I’d love to hear what others are doing and what else can be offered. Several of the attendees are heads of education programs that are developing the new generation of coaches, there will be lots to discuss on that front.
• If the number of attendees is potentially half of what was expected, I’d be interested in including younger experienced coaches who will see things differently and challenge our thinking.  Not sure if this is of interest to others…? We are VERY eager to include younger and diverse thinking and have invited dozens of young and diverse folks.  PLEASE invite whoever you think can bring new ideas to the room!
• Am wondering about the desired outcome of the time together? I’m asking so we can stay focused and help each other stay on track. I think everyone is coming with a different desired outcome.  I know Bill is excited about getting lots of things published as a result.  Personally, I’m looking to have deep, connective, transformational conversations that I don’t have elsewhere.