Students

MGSM867 – Executive Coaching

2018 – Term 4 North Ryde

General Information

Download as PDF
Unit convenor and teaching staff Unit convenor and teaching staff Lecturer
Steven Segal
Credit points Credit points
4
Prerequisites Prerequisites
MGSM870 or (admission to PGCertMBAExt or GradCertMgtPostMBA)
Corequisites Corequisites
Co-badged status Co-badged status
Unit description Unit description
Executive coaching provides a “coaching space” for enabling others to realise their potential in the context of the workplace and it spells out the conditions of effective “conversations for action” so essential to management. It recognises that while technical competence may be a necessary, it is not a sufficient condition of effective performance and that effective performance requires a well-developed person. It is grounded in the importance of transformation and learning through reflection on lived experience, in the premise that we often cannot see our own limitations or blind spots by ourselves and that a coach not only helps us to see our limitations but enables us to see things in new ways so that we can act, do and develop in new ways. This unit will enable managers to bring out their coaching competencies and practices of “conversations for action.” This unit recognises that coaching is more than a set of skills and that to coach effectively; we need to discover the coach in ourselves. To this end this unit is experientially grounded and aimed at enabling you to discover the coach in yourself.

Important Academic Dates

Information about important academic dates including deadlines for withdrawing from units are available at https://www.mq.edu.au/study/calendar-of-dates

Learning Outcomes

On successful completion of this unit, you will be able to:

  • Integrate and apply the role and tools of executive coaching to how you lead, motivate and communicate across diverse teams with competing priorities and differing perspectives, as well as create effective conversations for action and professional development.
  • Integrate the role and tools of executive coaching into the tasks of developing a shared understanding of the internal and external diversity of cultural and market mindsets that may affect an organisation, as well as learning to listen and speak in ways that resonate with people of diverse cultures.
  • Use executive coaching tools and activities to build authentic (rather than naïve) trust and integrity in organisational and team relationships.
  • Critically assess stakeholder concerns and positions in order to help create and deliver sustainable value creation across organisational processes, projects and networks.

Assessment Tasks

Name Weighting Hurdle Due
Group presentation 20% No Starting 10 November 2018
Coaching Conversations essay 20% No 12pm of 18 November 2018
Reflective practice essay 60% No 12pm of 25 November 2018

Group presentation

Due: Starting 10 November 2018
Weighting: 20%

Duration: 15 minutes + 10 minutes for questions

Students will be organised into groups of 4 - 6 members per group and will be required to carry out a role play and presentation in class. The topics and structure for this activity will be handed out during the first lecture. Both group and topic allocations will be organised by the lecturer.

Each group will be required to provide a 15 minute presentation plus an additional 10 minutes for questions and responses.

Criteria for assessment of all tasks

  • Demonstrate an ability to:
    • effectively observe your own way of doing thing
    • allow your self-observations to emerge in a non-judgmental way
    • identify your own challenges and ways of working with them
    • identify your own assumptions
    • challenge your own assumptions 
  • Demonstrate your ability to conceptualise your experience or to describe them in visual forms or metaphors
  • Clarity of expression
  • Central themes or narratives running through the papers
  • Narrative flow of paper

Please ensure all participants full names, unit code (MGSM867), unit name (Executive coaching), lecturer (Steven Segal), as well as the topic presented is clearly visible on your presentation front page.

Assessment of presentation

Overall assessment of presentations will be based on a group mark component (50%) and an individual mark component (50%).

The group mark component is a mark awarded to the group and is based on an evaluation of the content and delivery of the presentation. Information about the process and criteria for evaluation of presentations will be provided by the lecturer in the first class. 

The individual mark component of the presentation assignment will be based on group member’s rating of the contribution of other members of the group (in an anonymous survey). If others in your group rate you as having made a satisfactory contribution (relatively equal contribution) this will equate to you receiving the group mark. A rating of having made less than a satisfactory contribution may result in individual deductions up to 50% of the obtained group’s mark. It will also be possible to judge a group member as having made an exceptional contribution and this will lead to consideration of additional marks to the final subject’s mark. All group member assessments of individual contribution will be reviewed and considered by the lecturer in determining the final presentation assessment.

No extensions will be granted.


On successful completion you will be able to:
  • Use executive coaching tools and activities to build authentic (rather than naïve) trust and integrity in organisational and team relationships.
  • Critically assess stakeholder concerns and positions in order to help create and deliver sustainable value creation across organisational processes, projects and networks.

Coaching Conversations essay

Due: 12pm of 18 November 2018
Weighting: 20%

Conversation is the essential tool of coaching and management. It is through conversations that authority is exercised, that people are developed, and that teams are formed.

Once again, in this paper you will be given the opportunity to develop your own understanding of the significance of coaching conversations in management by reflecting on the way in which you approach conversations in a management context. You will be expected not only to outline your virtues but the challenges that you face and the way in which you go about responding to these challenges.

Submission details

Each student is to submit 1 x soft-copy of this assessment on or before the due date as listed in the box above. The soft-copy submission will be submitted to Turnitin via the MGSM iLearn portal, a program used to ensure the originality of the work undertaken by the submitter.

This individual assessment does not need an MGSM individual coversheet attached to it.

Please ensure your full name, student number, unit code (MGSM867), unit name (Executive coaching), lecturer (Steven Segal), and type of assessment being submitted (Creating the space for coaching conversations in your team/department/organisation) is clearly visible on the front page of your assignment. Please also ensure that the filename of your assessment is appropriately titled (MGSM867-CoachingConversations-LastnameFirstname.docx), and that you only save your document in Microsoft Word format.

Extensions and penalties:

No extensions will be granted. There will be a deduction of 10% of the total available marks made from the total awarded mark for each 24 hour period or part thereof that the submission is late (for example, 25 hours late in submission – 20% penalty). This penalty does not apply for cases in which an application for special consideration is made and approved. No submission will be accepted after solutions have been posted.


On successful completion you will be able to:
  • Integrate and apply the role and tools of executive coaching to how you lead, motivate and communicate across diverse teams with competing priorities and differing perspectives, as well as create effective conversations for action and professional development.
  • Critically assess stakeholder concerns and positions in order to help create and deliver sustainable value creation across organisational processes, projects and networks.

Reflective practice essay

Due: 12pm of 25 November 2018
Weighting: 60%

Length: 2500 words maximum

This essay will take the form of an “reflective practice” assignment. The meaning of “action research” and “reflective practice” will be outlined in class. The specific topic is:

“In the context of a concept of coaching, apply the set of coaching competencies to an organisational experience which you have found perplexing, surprising, wonder-full or perturbing. Use the competencies of the course to describe and analyse the experience.”

The following rules must be adhered to:

  1. The paper must include a title page, be typed (double-spaced), and include a bibliography which lists only those authors referred to in the paper.
  2. The title page must include name, subject of paper, class, number of words in paper – (excludes title page and bibliography).   
  3. Do not include a synopsis, table of contents, appendix or footnotes.
  4. Do not exceed the maximum number of words (2500) – (excludes title page and bibliography)

Submission details

Each student is to submit 1 x soft-copy of this assessment on or before the due date as listed in the box above. The soft-copy submission will be submitted to Turnitin via the MGSM iLearn portal, a program used to ensure the originality of the work undertaken by the submitter.

This individual assessment does not need an MGSM individual coversheet attached to it.

Please ensure your full name, student number, unit code (MGSM867), unit name (Executive coaching), lecturer (Steven Segal), and type of assessment being submitted (Action research/reflective practice) is clearly visible on the front page of your assignment. Please also ensure that the filename of your assessment is appropriately titled (MGSM867-ReflectivePractice-LastnameFirstname.docx), and that you only save your document in Microsoft Word format.

Extensions and penalties:

No extensions will be granted. There will be a deduction of 10% of the total available marks made from the total awarded mark for each 24 hour period or part thereof that the submission is late (for example, 25 hours late in submission – 20% penalty). This penalty does not apply for cases in which an application for special consideration is made and approved. No submission will be accepted after solutions have been posted.


On successful completion you will be able to:
  • Integrate and apply the role and tools of executive coaching to how you lead, motivate and communicate across diverse teams with competing priorities and differing perspectives, as well as create effective conversations for action and professional development.
  • Integrate the role and tools of executive coaching into the tasks of developing a shared understanding of the internal and external diversity of cultural and market mindsets that may affect an organisation, as well as learning to listen and speak in ways that resonate with people of diverse cultures.
  • Use executive coaching tools and activities to build authentic (rather than naïve) trust and integrity in organisational and team relationships.

Delivery and Resources

Required text

Segal, S. (2014). Business Feel: Leading Paradigm Shifts in Organisations, 2nd Edition. Palgrave MacMillan UK, ISBN: 9780230242791

Where to purchase textbook?

The Coop Bookshop: The Coop Bookshop is our main retailer for textbooks and other related academic material. For information on textbook prices and online ordering, please refer to The Co-Op Bookshop webpage at  http://www.coop.com.au

Disclaimer: MGSM does not take responsibility for the stock levels of required textbooks from preferred retail outlets and other book retailers. While we advise our preferred book retail outlet, The Co-op Bookshop, of our maximum expected number of students purchasing specific required text each term, The Co-op Bookshop and other book retailers will make their own judgement in regard to their physical holding stock levels. To prevent disappointment if a textbook is out-of-stock, we highly advise students to order their textbooks as early as possible, or if the required textbook is currently out-of-stock, place an order with the book retailer as soon as possible so that these book retailers can monitor demand and supply, and adjust their stock orders accordingly.

MGSM iLearn

The web page for this unit can be found at: https://ilearn.mq.edu.au/login/MGSM

Technology

Access to a personal computer is required to access resources and learning material from iLearn.

Unit objective

The basic objectives of this unit are:

  • To help you develop your coaching style
  • Introduce you to the central tools and ways of being as a coach
  • Develop the skills of conversations for action
  • Appreciate the role of coaching in management
  • Understand organisational cultural practices that enable and inhibit coaching styles
  • Develop an understanding of both the theory and practice of coaching

Unit requirements

It will be assumed that the assigned reading for each session has been done prior to class.  Class time will be spent ensuring that you have understood this material and exploring new developments and extensions to the basic concepts.

Class case discussions and project preparations will be used as methods for active participatory learning. The grade you obtain for them together with the participation grade will measure the effectiveness of the learning process. The primary output measures are written assignments, case study discussions and the final examination. Your understanding of the basic principles on which the unit is based will be measured by the final exam and your ability to apply them measured by the project, assignment and cases.

The mode of assessment will test your skills through a number of ways during this unit: situation investigation and analysis, report writing, verbal and written presentations, the ability to work effectively in teams, participation in class discussions, and examination.

If you are unable to attend a class session or have to arrive late or leave early, please let me know before the session concerned as this will have an obvious impact on the planned syndicate work. If this situation occurs, you should also arrange with a fellow class member to collect any handouts and other information for you. Formal assessment for this unit is designed to recognise both individual and team effort.  This is consciously done to reflect the business environment where effective teamwork is essential to the achievement of individual success. Please note that class “contribution” and not simply “participation” will be graded; there is a subtle but important difference between the two. After each session, notes will be made of those who made important contributions to the session, as well as other individuals who participated. All of you have significant work experience to contribute to the class: you are strongly encouraged to use that in order to make the class a more productive learning experience for us all!

Unit Schedule

The BLOCK class for 2018 Term 4 is scheduled from 9am to 5pm on the following dates:

  • 1st BLOCK weekend - 26 - 28 October 2018
  • 2nd BLOCK weekend - 10 - 11 November 2018

Students are required to attend all classes for the class they are enrolled in. Students must only attend the class they are enrolled in as reflected in their e-Student account.

This unit will be presented over 10 sessions as follows:

Session Topics and allocated readings/activities

1

9am to 1pm of Friday, 26 October 2018

Realising potential, coaching & professional development

Essential readings: (Provided in unit folder and iLearn)

  • Segal S. (2015). Chapter 12 – The Hermeneutic Circle of Professional Development. Management Practice and Creative Destruction: Existential Skills for Inquiring Managers. Gower
  • Mead, A. and Segal, S. (2016). Chapter 3 - Moments of Resolve: Existential Challenges of Everyday Working Life. Face to Face with Practice: Existential forms of research for management inquiry. Routledge.
  • Sherman, S., Freas, A. (2004). The Wild West of Executive Coaching. Harvard Business Review. 82, 1, November, pp.82-90
  • Galway, T. (2002). Chapter 1: A Better Way to Change. The Inner Game of Work Overcoming Mental Obstacles for Maximum Performance. New York / London, Texere

2

1pm to 5pm of Friday, 26 October  2018

Psychoanaltic approach to Coaching

Essential readings: (Provided in unit folder and iLearn)

  • Israelstam, K. (2007). Creativity and Dialectical Phenomena - From Dialetical Edge to Dialectical Space. International Journal of Psychoanalysis, 88, pp.591-607.

3

9am to 1pm of Saturday, 27 October 2018

Cognitive behavioural therapy (CBT)

Essential readings: (Provided in unit folder and iLearn)

Recommended readings: (Provided only on iLearn)

  • Neenan, M. (2009). Using Socratic Questioning in Coaching. J Rat-Emo Cognitive-Behav Therapy

4

1pm to 5pm of Saturday, 27 October 2018

Socratic dialogue and CBT

Supplementary reading

  • As above in Topic 3

5

9am to 1pm of Sunday, 28 October 2018

Acceptance commitment therapy (ACT)

Essential readings: (Provided in unit folder and iLearn)

  • Harris, R. (2009). ACT made simple. Exisle Publishing
  • Harris, R. (2006). Embracing Your Demons: An Overview of Acceptance and Commitment Therapy. Psychotherapy in Australia, 12

6

1pm to 5pm of Sunday, 28 October  2018

Acceptance commitment therapy (ACT)

Supplementary reading

  • As above in Topic 5

7

9am to 1pm of Saturday, 10 November 2018

Ontological coaching introduction, Seeing through language

Essential readings: (Provided in unit folder and iLearn)

  • Caccia, P. (1991). Getting Grounded: Putting Semantics to Work in the Classroom. The English Journal. Vol. 80, No.2, Feb 1991, pp55-59
  • Weigand, H. (2006). Two Decades of the Language Action Perspective. Communications of the ACM. 2006, 49

8

1pm to 5pm of Saturday, 10 November 2018

Ontological coaching introduction, Seeing through emotion

Essential readings: (Provided in unit folder and iLearn)

  • Sieler, A. (2007). Chapter 8 - The Foundations of the Model - Some Basic Moods of Life. Coaching to the Human Soul Vol.2 - Ontological Coaching and Deep Change. Newfield Australia Newfield Network, 75 Manhattan Dr, Boulder CO. 80303, USA

Recommended readings: (Provided only on iLearn)

  • Echeverria, R. (1997). Emotions: At the Heart of Business Practice. Center for Quality of Management Journal
  • Olalla, J. (2004). Emotions in Learning and Coaching. An excerpt from: From Knowledge to Wisdom. published by Chapter 9 of textbook

9

9am to 1pm of Sunday, 11 November 2018

Conversations for action

Recommended readings: (Provided only on iLearn)

  • Solomon, R. & Flores, F. (2003). Chapter 3 – Authentic Trust. Building Trust in Business, Politics. Relationships and Life, Oxford: Powells Books

10

1pm to 5pm of Sunday, 11 November 2018

Coaching: A shift in management culture?

Essential readings: (Provided in unit folder and iLearn)

  • Spear, M. (2004). Learning to Lead at Toyota. Harvard Business Review, May 2004
  • Evered, R. D. & Selman, J. C. (1989). Coaching and the Art of Management. Organizational Dynamics, 12 (5), pp16 -30

Recommended readings: (Provided only on iLearn)

  • Howell, G., Macomber, H., Koskela, L. & Draper, J. (2004). Leadership and Project Management: Time for a Shift from Fayol to Flores. Proceedings of the 12th Annual Meeting of the International Group for Lean Construction, Elsinore, Denmark, August 2004.
  Final exam week: 26 November - 1 December 2018

 

Policies and Procedures

Macquarie University policies and procedures are accessible from Policy Central (https://staff.mq.edu.au/work/strategy-planning-and-governance/university-policies-and-procedures/policy-central). Students should be aware of the following policies in particular with regard to Learning and Teaching:

Undergraduate students seeking more policy resources can visit the Student Policy Gateway (https://students.mq.edu.au/support/study/student-policy-gateway). It is your one-stop-shop for the key policies you need to know about throughout your undergraduate student journey.

If you would like to see all the policies relevant to Learning and Teaching visit Policy Central (https://staff.mq.edu.au/work/strategy-planning-and-governance/university-policies-and-procedures/policy-central).

Student Code of Conduct

Macquarie University students have a responsibility to be familiar with the Student Code of Conduct: https://students.mq.edu.au/study/getting-started/student-conduct​

Results

Results shown in iLearn, or released directly by your Unit Convenor, are not confirmed as they are subject to final approval by the University. Once approved, final results will be sent to your student email address and will be made available in eStudent. For more information visit ask.mq.edu.au.

Student Support

Macquarie University provides a range of support services for students. For details, visit http://students.mq.edu.au/support/

Learning Skills

Learning Skills (mq.edu.au/learningskills) provides academic writing resources and study strategies to improve your marks and take control of your study.

Student Services and Support

Students with a disability are encouraged to contact the Disability Service who can provide appropriate help with any issues that arise during their studies.

Student Enquiries

For all student enquiries, visit Student Connect at ask.mq.edu.au

IT Help

For help with University computer systems and technology, visit http://www.mq.edu.au/about_us/offices_and_units/information_technology/help/

When using the University's IT, you must adhere to the Acceptable Use of IT Resources Policy. The policy applies to all who connect to the MQ network including students.

Graduate Capabilities

PG - Capable of Professional and Personal Judgment and Initiative

Our postgraduates will demonstrate a high standard of discernment and common sense in their professional and personal judgment. They will have the ability to make informed choices and decisions that reflect both the nature of their professional work and their personal perspectives.

This graduate capability is supported by:

Learning outcomes

  • Integrate and apply the role and tools of executive coaching to how you lead, motivate and communicate across diverse teams with competing priorities and differing perspectives, as well as create effective conversations for action and professional development.
  • Use executive coaching tools and activities to build authentic (rather than naïve) trust and integrity in organisational and team relationships.

Assessment tasks

  • Group presentation
  • Reflective practice essay

PG - Discipline Knowledge and Skills

Our postgraduates will be able to demonstrate a significantly enhanced depth and breadth of knowledge, scholarly understanding, and specific subject content knowledge in their chosen fields.

This graduate capability is supported by:

Learning outcomes

  • Integrate and apply the role and tools of executive coaching to how you lead, motivate and communicate across diverse teams with competing priorities and differing perspectives, as well as create effective conversations for action and professional development.
  • Critically assess stakeholder concerns and positions in order to help create and deliver sustainable value creation across organisational processes, projects and networks.

Assessment tasks

  • Group presentation
  • Coaching Conversations essay
  • Reflective practice essay

PG - Critical, Analytical and Integrative Thinking

Our postgraduates will be capable of utilising and reflecting on prior knowledge and experience, of applying higher level critical thinking skills, and of integrating and synthesising learning and knowledge from a range of sources and environments. A characteristic of this form of thinking is the generation of new, professionally oriented knowledge through personal or group-based critique of practice and theory.

This graduate capability is supported by:

Learning outcomes

  • Integrate the role and tools of executive coaching into the tasks of developing a shared understanding of the internal and external diversity of cultural and market mindsets that may affect an organisation, as well as learning to listen and speak in ways that resonate with people of diverse cultures.
  • Critically assess stakeholder concerns and positions in order to help create and deliver sustainable value creation across organisational processes, projects and networks.

Assessment task

  • Reflective practice essay

PG - Research and Problem Solving Capability

Our postgraduates will be capable of systematic enquiry; able to use research skills to create new knowledge that can be applied to real world issues, or contribute to a field of study or practice to enhance society. They will be capable of creative questioning, problem finding and problem solving.

This graduate capability is supported by:

Learning outcomes

  • Integrate the role and tools of executive coaching into the tasks of developing a shared understanding of the internal and external diversity of cultural and market mindsets that may affect an organisation, as well as learning to listen and speak in ways that resonate with people of diverse cultures.
  • Critically assess stakeholder concerns and positions in order to help create and deliver sustainable value creation across organisational processes, projects and networks.

Assessment task

  • Reflective practice essay

PG - Effective Communication

Our postgraduates will be able to communicate effectively and convey their views to different social, cultural, and professional audiences. They will be able to use a variety of technologically supported media to communicate with empathy using a range of written, spoken or visual formats.

This graduate capability is supported by:

Learning outcomes

  • Integrate and apply the role and tools of executive coaching to how you lead, motivate and communicate across diverse teams with competing priorities and differing perspectives, as well as create effective conversations for action and professional development.
  • Integrate the role and tools of executive coaching into the tasks of developing a shared understanding of the internal and external diversity of cultural and market mindsets that may affect an organisation, as well as learning to listen and speak in ways that resonate with people of diverse cultures.
  • Use executive coaching tools and activities to build authentic (rather than naïve) trust and integrity in organisational and team relationships.
  • Critically assess stakeholder concerns and positions in order to help create and deliver sustainable value creation across organisational processes, projects and networks.

Assessment tasks

  • Group presentation
  • Coaching Conversations essay

PG - Engaged and Responsible, Active and Ethical Citizens

Our postgraduates will be ethically aware and capable of confident transformative action in relation to their professional responsibilities and the wider community. They will have a sense of connectedness with others and country and have a sense of mutual obligation. They will be able to appreciate the impact of their professional roles for social justice and inclusion related to national and global issues

This graduate capability is supported by:

Learning outcome

  • Use executive coaching tools and activities to build authentic (rather than naïve) trust and integrity in organisational and team relationships.

Assessment tasks

  • Group presentation
  • Coaching Conversations essay

Changes from Previous Offering

Assessment tasks: No changes

Delivery and resources: No changes

Unit schedule: No changes

Alignment of this unit with MGSM's mission-driven attributes

  • Leadership: It is more and more recognised that leadership is not learnt outside of practice but in the context of practice. Learning of the skills of coaching is central to becoming an effective leader.
  • Global mindset: The skills of coaching are central to being able to disclose and switch between different mindsets.
  • Citizenship: Building of trust and relationships are central dimensions of coaching and of citizenship.
  • Creating sustainable value: Learning the skills of balance are central to coaching and to sustainability.

Attendance Policy

The interactive environment of the classroom is central to the MGSM experience. Students are required to attend the full duration of all classes for the units in which they are enrolled. We recognise that exceptional circumstances may occur, such as unavoidable travel on behalf of your organization or the serious illness or injury of you or a close family member.

Special consideration may be given for a maximum of 20% non-attendance for such circumstances as long as lecturers are contacted in advance, and supporting documentation provided, to request exemption from attendance. Failure to abide by these conditions may result in automatic withdrawal, with academic and/or financial penalty. The full Student Attendance Policy is published in the MGSM Student Handbook at https://students.mgsm.edu.au/handbook.

Content Disclaimer

These unit materials and the content of this unit are provided for educational purposes only and no decision should be made based on the material without obtaining independent professional advice relating to the particular circumstances involved.

Changes since First Published

Date Description
13/09/2018 Slight housekeeping in the delivery schedule section due to inconsistent label parameters.