lunch and learn: why being an expert can hurt your career, impaq solutions

How Being An Expert Can Stall Your Career

Arizona Technology Council May 1, 2012

Margo Boster #ImpaQExpert

@ImpaQ_Solutions

#ImpaQExpert @ImpaQ_Solutions

ImpaQ Solutions

• Concentrating on the people side of business, we work with individuals, teams and organizations to help them be better leaders, better employees, and better companies.

• Some of our services include: – Executive/leadership coaching – Organizational and team development – Organizational culture and improvement – Strategic management and company growth strategic

planning

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Margo Boster • CEO & Principal Consultant, ImpaQ Solutions, LLC • Help organizations and the people within those organizations do

and be more than they thought possible; more than 25 years of professional experience in senior leadership – International Coaching Federation credentialed coach – Center for Credentialing and Education Board Certified Executive Coach – BS in Psychology with emphasis in Organizational Effectiveness, University of

Maryland – Graduate level course work in Public Policy and Administration – Georgetown University Certified Leadership Coach – PMI Certified Project Management Professional (PMP) – HIMSS Certified Professional in Healthcare Information and Management Systems

(CPHIMSS)

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Today’s Discussion

• Introduction to concept of Adult Stages of Development

• Why it matters to you – as an employee, employer or manager

• How you can use this information

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Topics include… • Characteristics of each stage • Identify jobs that are most appropriate for different stage • If I’m a technical person and want to advance in my career,

what do I need to do? • If I’ve moved into a management position and am having

challenges, what may help me be more effective • The value of businesses having a career management track

and a technical track • What companies need to know and do with a technical

person who wants to rise into management • Beneficial actions to take when you are responsible for

hiring and/or developing employees

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Action Logic Stages

Conventional Stages Post-Conventional Stages

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Stages Are Not About…

• Behavioral style (DiSC) • Intelligence • Personality preferences (MBTI) • Job position • Socio-economic status

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Be Your Self

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Conventional Stages

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80% - 85%

#ImpaQExpert @ImpaQ_Solutions • Avoids overt conflict.

Wants to belong; obeys group norms; rarely rocks the boat

• Gain approval and avoid disapproval from those they regard as significant

• Power comes from affiliation

• Important to “save face” • “Us” and “Them”

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Diplomat / Conformer

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Matthew Perry Movie: Mr. Sunshine

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nCmPPEs6wN4

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• Strengths – Good as supportive glue

within an office – Helps bring people together

• Appropriate Jobs – Sales / Business Development – Assistants

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• Rules by logic and expertise. Seeks rational efficiency.

• Believe there is a “Right Way”

• Perfectionist standards • Tendency to micromanage • Sarcastic humor

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Expert

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Leroy Jethro Gibbs

TV Series: NCIS http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eKBbfNrv4ns


• Strengths – Good as an individual

contributor

• Appropriate Jobs – Project Managers – Team Leads – Technical Experts – Software Developers

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• Meets strategic goals. Effectively achieves goals through teams; juggles managerial duties and market demands.

• Has more complex and integrated understanding of the world.

• Open to feedback; appreciates ambiguities and conflicts.

• Focused on successful plans and outcomes

• Driven to accomplish things • Believe in the scientific method;

answers can be found

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Achiever

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Steve Jobs, Founder and former CEO Apple http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4SDowINMjfo


• Strengths – Action and goal oriented – Get results through teams

• Appropriate Jobs – Senior Managers – Executives

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Action Logic Stages

Conventional Stages Post-Conventional Stages

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Employees Can…

• Be Aware • Choose where you want to be at this point

– There is no universal “Right” answer • Be open to different approaches

– Recognize that what got you where you are may not get you where you want to go

• Awareness Willingness Skills • Determine how you can acquire the skills that are

going to make you most effective • Find role models, get a mentor, request a professional

coach

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Employer/ Manager Can..

• Provide opportunity for Diplomats and Experts • Recognize the transition pains • Help grow / support your employees

– Don’t assume they will automatically have the skills to transition from one stage to another without support

– Establish a mentor program – Engage professional coach

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Tips for Working With Each Stage

• Diplomat – Help them manage conflict and use positive

working relationships to support the group – Help them begin to create a separate sense of self

• Expert – Help them with time management – Teach delegation skills

From “How Stages of Adult Development Influences Leaders and Organizations”; Barbara Braham, Ph.D., and Chris Wahl, M.A.Ed.

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Tips for Working with Each Stage

• Achiever – Help them build emotional intelligence – Help them achieve work/life balance


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Intention vs Impact

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For More Information

Margo Boster [email protected]

480-359-6147

www.impaq-solutions.com

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mailto:[email protected]�



http://www.impaq-solutions.com/�




Margo Boster • Margo has a long history of helping organizations and the people within

those organizations achieve goals they felt were beyond their reach. With more than 25 years of professional experience in senior leadership and information management, including more than 10 years in health information management, she combines proven, real world experience with the education and training to help you thrive.

– BS in Psychology with emphasis in Organizational Effectiveness – Georgetown University Certified Leadership Coach – Member of the International Coaching Federation (ICF) – Certified in Myers-Briggs Type Indicator (MBTI) – PMI Certified Project Management Professional (PMP) – HIMSS Certified Professional in Healthcare Information and Management Systems

(CPHIMSS) – Graduate level course work in Public Policy and Administration

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• Mark Boster is an industry leader in both Federal Government and private sector. He takes small or under-performing organizations and leads them to heights they never thought possible. He brings more than 30 years of management experience including 20 years of IT management at all levels of the Federal Government and private sector. Dr. Boster is a demonstrated leader in building businesses and growing partnerships between businesses and government to accomplish mutual goals and exceed customer's expectations.

– BS from The Ohio State University – M.S. and PhD from the University of Arizona – Senior Executive Fellow at Harvard University – Federal 100 Industry Award Recipient

Mark Boster, PhD

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Post Conventional Stages

16%

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Pluralist/Individualist/Catalyst • Interweaves competing personal and

company action logics. Creates unique structures to resolve gaps between strategy and performance.

• May be irritated by the drive of the Achiever • Likes the process of discovery • Sees things from different perspectives • 5% - 10%

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Pluralist/Individualist/Catalyst

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Pluralist/Individualist/Catalyst

• Strengths – Effective in venture and consulting roles

• Appropriate Jobs – Change Agents

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Tips for Working With Each Stage

• Pluralist – Help them deepen inquiry skills – Support self exploration and development (who

am I)

• Strategist – Help them manage polarities – Be a thinking partner (and stay out of the way!)


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Co-Creator / Strategist

• Generates organizational and personal transformations. Exercises the power of mutual inquiry, vigilance, and vulnerability for both the short and long term.

• Meet people where they are • Committed to personal development, self-

actualization • Strengths: Effective as transformational leader. • 4%

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Co-Creator/Strategist

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http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ne6tB2KiZuk


Alchemist/Synergist

• Generates social transformations. Integrates material, spiritual, and societal transformation.

• Strengths: Good at leading society-wide transformations.

• 1%

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Alchemist / Synergist

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http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=elBx5lbnCe0