The first 90 to 180 days are critical to a new leader’s success, and they often benefit from executive coaching during this transitional period. In this episode of People and Strategy, Christine Mixan, talent planning lead at General Motors, shares her STEPS model for coaching leaders through transitions. She also shares the ROIs associated with executive coaching, how long coaching should last, and more.
The first 90 to 180 days are critical to a new leader’s success, and they often benefit from executive coaching during this transitional period. In this episode of People and Strategy, Christine Mixan, talent planning lead at General Motors, shares her STEPS model for coaching leaders through transitions. She also shares the ROIs associated with executive coaching, how long coaching should last, and more.
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Mo Fathelbab:
Welcome to today's episode of People and Strategy. I'm your host, Mo Fathelbab, president of International Facilitators Organization. People and Strategy is a podcast from the SHRM Executive Network, the premier network of executives and thought leaders in the field of human resources. People and Strategy is the podcast delivering in-depth conversations with HR executives and people leaders to advance the field of human resources by providing engagement and thoughtful leadership to senior executives.
In today's episode, we'll be discussing the topic of how HR can coach executives during transitions. For this discussion, I'm pleased to be joined by Christine Mixan, talent planning lead at General Motors. Christine is a talent management leader and executive coach with 18 years of experience in leading enterprise-wide initiatives for Fortune 500 companies and leadership development, executive coaching, team effectiveness, culture and succession planning. In her current role, she leads strategy and execution of General Motors' talent planning, processes, and solutions. Christine, welcome to the People and Strategy Podcast.
Christine Mixan:
Thank you. I'm so happy to be here.
Mo Fathelbab:
So happy to have you. So I want to start with your career journey. I want to know how you got here, if you could start us at the beginning and walk us through maybe in a couple of minutes or so.
Christine Mixan:
It's quite a web. I will tell you my career path has not been a traditional one. While I've certainly worked for the majority of my career in this field, I didn't start out on this field. So I actually began my career in broadcasting of all things and then found my way into public relations for a few years. But I'll tell you, I wasn't fulfilled. I knew my passion was elsewhere. And so I had to really do some thinking around what I wanted to really do with my career. And I realized that I have always been fascinated by studying human behavior, organizational culture and really human potential. And I was really inspired and extra fascinated by Marcus Buckingham's work around strengths. So I worked my way into this field through the door of training and development actually, and then moved into the areas around leadership development, succession planning, culture and executive coaching. And I will tell you, I have never looked back. I still sometimes pinch myself in a quiet moment when I'm thinking, "Is this for real?" I can't believe I get to do this kind of work every day.
Mo Fathelbab:
Well, I see you're beaming with energy and I could tell you have a passion for this, which is really exciting and intoxicating. And gosh, just loving it. Let's dig in. Ready?
Christine Mixan:
Yes.
Mo Fathelbab:
Yeah. So at the SHRM annual conference this summer, you spoke on the topic of how HR professionals can coach and guide company leaders during times of change. With so much constant change in business world right now, it's a very important topic. So why do leaders who are experiencing transitions need support?
Christine Mixan:
Well, first of all, you're absolutely right. Transitions are so prevalent in our lives. They're such a universal experience for human beings, and we all experience them frequently. Some we choose and look forward to, right? We want to step into that space. Maybe it's a new job or getting married. And some we don't, like getting laid off or aging, right?
Mo Fathelbab:
Inevitable.
Christine Mixan:
Transition. For sure. I mean, our lives are a story of transition. We're constantly leaving one chapter behind while moving on to the next. So whether those transitions are personal or professional, they're always really marketing pretty pivotal moments for us in our lives, and they come with a lot of emotions. It can be anticipation or stress or uncertainty, not to mention usually a host of new challenges that come with that transition.
But for leaders, when you think about leaders in particular, when they're trying to navigate these shifts, whether it be a new role, an expanded role, maybe it's even just a new boss, that experience often intensifies because of the position they're in, and it really starts to demand from them this delicate balance of finding guidance and support.
But especially in the case for leaders who are new to role, so let's think just about that population, the right support helps to make the difference between success or failure. And I know that's a bold statement, but it's true according to research. The first 90 to 180 days are critical to a new leader success. In fact, and here's some interesting newer data for you, 40% of new leaders leave their organizations within two years of being hired. 64% of leaders that are hired externally fail in their new jobs. And you are probably familiar with Michael Watkins book, most of us in the HR field are, The First 90 Days is the book he wrote, of course. And he says that a new leader's success or failure is determined in their first three months. So these are some really compelling reasons why leaders in particular need that extra support during transition.
Mo Fathelbab:
Yeah, and you had a transition of your own.
Christine Mixan:
Yes, absolutely. I recently joined the General Motors team as the talent planning lead, and so I'm dealing with my own transition, which is a really exciting time for me right now.
Mo Fathelbab:
Yeah. So let's talk about coaching. Why is coaching an important part of supporting leaders through transition? And why coaching rather than mentoring or training?
Christine Mixan:
First, let me say the good news for HR professionals is that you don't need to be a professional coach to offer transition coaching for leaders within your organization.
Now, I'm a little biased, of course. As a credentialed executive coach myself, I will always advocate for offering credentialed coaching within organizations. But this type of coaching that I'm talking to you about today, well, it can be offered by any HR professional who has some sort of role in supporting a leader's success in some way.
So to answer your question though about why coaching rather than something like training or mentoring, and this is a really important point I want to impress upon, it's not an "or," but rather an "and." In world-class organizations, coaching is part of a systems approach to leadership development, and it should be one important ingredient in the recipe for leadership success.
Let me tell you, my husband is an exceptional cook, and he loves to share his recipes. I am not an exceptional cook, to say the least, he would agree, but I do have one recipe for leadership development that never fails, and it includes a host of things. You've got to have some sort of assessment to start with to identify a leader's strengths and development areas. Then that's got to be followed with a really robust development plan. You've got to throw in, as an ingredient, support from the leader's manager, a leadership coach, of course, plenty of opportunities for practicing and reflecting on what is learned. And then reinforcement, both positive and constructive.
Now, if just one method of development is used, then the chances of failure are pretty darn high. We all know that development, it takes a village. So the more support the leader gets during the transition, the more successful the transition's likely going to be. So when a leader goes through a development experience, whether that's coaching or leadership development program and then you drop them back into a system or a work environment that does not support what they just learned, the system's going to win every time. The learning doesn't stick and development won't occur.
I always like to share one of my favorite quotations about the value of providing support through transitions. And if I can share that with you, it comes from William Bridges.
Mo Fathelbab:
Please.
Christine Mixan:
He's an author. He said, "Change is situational. Transition, on the other hand, is psychological."
Mo Fathelbab:
Ooh.
Christine Mixan:
"It is not those events, but rather the inner reorientation or self-redefinition that you must go through to incorporate any of those changes into your life. Without transition, well, a change is just a rearrangement of the furniture. Unless transition happens, the change won't work because it doesn't take."
So in summary, I would just say coaching leaders through important transitions can help ensure that a change isn't just a rearrangement of the furniture, but something transformative, that becomes this meaningful inflection point full of discovery, insight, and productive action forward for the leader.
Mo Fathelbab:
It's so funny you say that because I reflect on my own experience. I left the job as executive director of the Entrepreneurs' Organization, and for a year, after starting my business, I would always say, "Well, here's my business, but I used to be executive director of this organization." And it is probably exactly what you said, the transition just didn't come so easily for me, even though it was one that I wanted, let alone if it was one that wasn't wanted.
Christine Mixan:
That's such a great point. And see, everyone has those stories, those personal examples to share. That's a great example.
Mo Fathelbab:
Yeah. Thank you. So let's talk about ROI. What type of ROI can an organization expect if they offer transition coaching for their leaders?
Christine Mixan:
The International Coach Federation reports some great statistics really on this question because they're always getting asked, "Well, if we make this investment, what can we expect back?" Well, you can expect a 70% increase in individual performance for those who come to coaching and want that support and help, a 50% increase in team performance, and a 48% increase in organizational performance. And I'll tell you, these are impressive percentages that apply to the benefits of coaching on any topic, transition related or not. But since most organizations don't have the resources to support new leaders, it really leaves that leader in a sink or swim position. And when hiring or promoting leaders, organizations, well, they're making a big bet on that leader's success. And if they recruited them externally, the stats show now and in this day and age, the recruiting company is making upwards of 25% of their salary. So there's a big investment there. And we know the cost of failure to the organization is high. And the chances of failure are also high with 40% of new leaders failing within 18 months.
So what can organizations do to hedge their bets? Well, they can provide leadership transition coaching in the first six months of their transition, which in essence is like buying an insurance policy. Even better, offering this type of coaching is an investment with a potentially high ROI. So it becomes a way to maximize your investment.
Getting off to a strong start, it really helps these leaders to produce early wins, which helps to set the stage for long-term success. The data is one thing, and the data's great. As HR professionals, we love data, but seeing success stories, that is why I love what I do.
I did transition coaching with a new leader a while back, and he had some really strong beliefs around delegating. And he was really struggling with how to step into his leadership role because he thought he should still be rolling up his sleeves on the daily to work alongside his team. It was fascinating to watch him wrestle with this belief until one day he came to me and said, "Christine, if the company is paying me to lead this team and I'm always in the trenches, then what does the company need me for?"
Mo Fathelbab:
Ooh.
Christine Mixan:
As his coach, it was exciting to watch him experience this leadership transformation. Through our coaching partnership, we explored whether or not this belief that he had was working for him. And when he realized that it wasn't, the changes that he made not only made him a stronger leader, but his team grew stronger as well.
Mo Fathelbab:
What a lovely example.
Christine Mixan:
Thank you.
Mo Fathelbab:
Thank you. I understand you've developed a very robust coaching model. Is this model useful for anyone?
Christine Mixan:
It sure is. It's this model that I created for my years of experience and coaching leaders throughout their leadership lifecycle. So it applies actually to leaders experiencing any transition. So I would say it's an extremely accessible model. And I call it the STEPS model for transition coaching. So it's easy to remember. And it stands for scan, tailor, explore, plan, and stay connected.
So really just kind of brief overview of what each of those steps mean. You start with really scanning your workplace environment to spot those leaders who are in transition, so you know who they are. They're out there somewhere, right? So there's a lot of leaders within the organization that are going through some kind of transition usually. And then you move on to tailoring topics that align to the leader's transition. So you really think about what does that leader need? You explore the uniqueness of the leader situation to, what we call in coaching, meet them where they are. You've got to meet somebody where they're at. And then you get to the part of the model where you're creating a tailored transition coaching plan, this is also where you're bringing in input from the leader's manager. And then finally, you stay connected with that leader because what you're really wanting to do there is solidify an alliance with that leader in a lasting relationship.
So the best practice is really to execute each of these steps in the STEPS model over the first 90 to 180 days, because that 90 to 180 days, that's when it's a really critical time in the transition period for that new leader.
Mo Fathelbab:
All right, so let's break these down. Let's talk about scan. Tell us what you mean by scan your environment.
Christine Mixan:
Yeah. Well, and the purpose, I want to start with the purpose of the scan step too. The purpose of this step is really to, like I said, identify where these transitions are occurring within the organization and then the method for engaging with those leaders. The scan step kind of depends on your organization. It can be accomplished either formally or informally. So the informal way, if you don't have a big fancy program yet for this, you can make it informal and you can just simply scan the leadership landscape to be on the lookout for who might be experiencing the transition. But this is where you're really going to want to leverage your internal HR peers and your centers of excellence because they're often in the know about leadership changes, right? So the important thing here is you don't want to get tunnel vision.
So let's say you were talking to an HR peer, an HR pal on your team, and you just found out that John got a big promotion. Well, now is the right opportunity then to reach out to John and offer leadership transition coaching. So that's the informal way. The more formal way of scanning is to actually build a transition coaching program within your organization for promoted and externally hired leaders. And then you're really going to want to include the scan step in that.
So this is what I've had the pleasure of doing at three different organizations throughout my tenure in this field. The benefit of doing this, so I highly suggested if you can do it, is that you'd be creating a systematic and repeatable process for identifying and then engaging with leaders in transition. But I will tell you this, either way, the most powerful time to work with leaders in transition is when they are actually experiencing the pain points of their challenge. I mean, think about when you're shopping online for a new pair of workout shoes and then, poof, magically 10 ads appear for new workout shoes, right?
Mo Fathelbab:
Yes. How does that happen?
Christine Mixan:
How does it happen, right? Albeit annoying, it is brilliant marketing. And we can do the same thing for the leaders that we support. Of course, not the annoying part, but the just in time value add part.
Mo Fathelbab:
And it's probably when they're most receptive because the pain becomes a motivator.
Christine Mixan:
That's right. That's exactly when people need and are most accepting of that support. That's a great point.
Mo Fathelbab:
Do you think people are more motivated to change and grow because of pain or because of just motivation?
Christine Mixan:
That is one way to think of it, and I like where you're going with that. I think to frame it on in a really positive way, I think it's because people want to do better. They want to continuously improve, they want to reach their potential. They know they have more to give. And I think that inner intrinsic motivation is often what compels people to seek out that supporting guidance of a coach.
Mo Fathelbab:
Love it. So let's talk about the next step, tailor. So what sorts of topics might you cover with the leader in that step?
Christine Mixan:
Yes. So this is really an important part of the model, and it really depends on the type of transition though, right? So for various transition types, here's where you're going to want to get really clear on what kinds of topics could the leader be experiencing during the transition that you identified in that scan step.
So the point of this step, I don't want it to make it sound like it's very prescriptive or you're making assumptions here, you're not. You're rather being very thoughtful and empathetic to what the leader might be experiencing at that time. So it provides you with the sort of foundation or an anchor point from which to draw from with that leader.
So let me just give you some examples. A first time leader, well, they might be struggling with how to manage former peers. A newly promoted leader might be navigating how to lead leaders for the first time. And then you think about the other end of this spectrum or the timeline, a retiring leader, they might be struggling with how to let go and ensure knowledge transfer to a successor. So it all just sort of depends on the transition that you're working with.
Mo Fathelbab:
Absolutely. I like it. So let's talk about explore. After the tailor step, what happens in the explore step?
Christine Mixan:
So as a savvy coach or HR professional, this is a really critical point in the coaching engagement where you're going to want to use those deep active listening skills to understand what that leader is uniquely experiencing as it relates to their transition, and then meet them where they are. It's important to meet that client where they're at.
So this is also at the point where you're going to want to reach out to the leader's manager because you want to get their input, in addition to the leader's input, regarding what else should we be covering here, right? Because you came up with this tailored list of topics, that's great, but you really want to get input from what the leader's uniquely experiencing and what their one-up says might be beneficial to cover.
So I'm going to give you some examples. There's some really great questions as an executive coach that I like to explore with my clients to get at that "What else?"
Mo Fathelbab:
I'd love to hear some of those.
Christine Mixan:
I think a big one is because they're usually moving right from X to Y, so to speak, so I like to ask them, "What do you need to let go of? What experience and wisdom are you applying from your past to your current situation?"
Mo Fathelbab:
Great question.
Christine Mixan:
There's so much wisdom there that they have. This is a big one. "What rules or beliefs do you have that are getting in your way? What competency, skills or abilities do you want or need to develop?" And I love this last one because I think it's so important to allow them reflection time. So I love to explore with them, "How are you growing and what are you learning?"
So after this part of the model, there's a couple more important steps that kind of pull this model through. And at this point, you're really starting to get down to the planning part of the model. So here's where you're going to create that tailored transition coaching plan, incorporating that list of topics that you came up with from the tailor step, and then what the leader and their manager generated from the explorer step. It's really important to emphasize that since coaching happens to be client-driven, by the way, the client or the leader has to be highly encouraged to come to coaching sessions with topics that pop up for them along the way too. You don't want them to feel like they just need to stick to the outline or the plan. So that's really important.
And then the last step of the model is to, what I would call, stay connected. And this is important, and this gets kind of lost sometimes I think on coaches or HR professionals. As the coaching engagement, as it starts to come to a close, this becomes a golden opportunity for you to reflect with that leader on their progress and learning and growth, but also you got to look forward regarding the leader's path ahead. So if you're able to do that, what you're doing there is you're solidifying an alliance with that leader, which naturally creates space for you to walk alongside them during future transitions, which is a lovely thing especially, and it's an important thing as an internal HR professional, right? Because you're going to find yourself working with these leaders again in the leadership life cycle.
So a couple strategies for staying connected would be to maybe just simply offer them quarterly coaching check-ins. Or if again, you're internal to the organization, you can feature these leaders in company forums or presentations that you're working on, maybe a leadership development programs that you're leading or managing or even like a panel session.
Mo Fathelbab:
And how long should a coaching stint last to help somebody through a transition?
Christine Mixan:
That's a great question. I get asked that a lot. Six to nine months. It really depends on the uniqueness of their situation, some of the topics that you've decided that would be good to cover with them. But I would say six to nine months. Remember that first 90 to 180 days is just critical to the success or failure of that leader in that transition. So that's really a sweet spot, a six month or so.
Mo Fathelbab:
Another question I'm curious about is, as a coach, I would imagine there's a certain amount of detachment you have to have to the outcome, because at the end of the day, the person has to do what they're supposed to do and you can't make them do it. How do you cope with those outcomes not necessarily working out every time?
Christine Mixan:
Yes, you bring up a really important point of the life of a coach. And I will tell you two things, good training. I still think about my training many, many moons ago as an executive coach because we train for that, right?
Mo Fathelbab:
Of course.
Christine Mixan:
That you have to detach from the outcome. But also my years of experience, and I've learned that it's so much more profound, for me too as the coach, if I really let that client or that leader own their development, their progress, their growth, their learning. I am honored to be alongside them, but it's not mine, it's theirs. And it's just-
Mo Fathelbab:
You can't do it for them.
Christine Mixan:
You can't do it for them. And so it's really fulfilling to me as a coach to see that happen in another person and to know that I was a small part of that.
Mo Fathelbab:
Love it. Thank you. So you've done a lot of executive and leadership coaching over the years, clearly. What are some of the most common themes that leaders need help with to avoid missteps during transitions?
Christine Mixan:
I've often thought I should write a book on this. That has not happened yet, but that is a great question, because I will tell you, there are a lot of different themes that I've seen over the years that can help or hinder a leader's success.
So just a handful that come to mind for me. I will tell you one thing for sure I've seen a whole lot of, and I get it because we all have this as part of being human, is a lack of self-awareness. Or even blind spots, I'll call them blind spots. Our habits, because humans are just... We're made up of a collection of habits, aren't we? I mean, we have these habits and they become like breathing. We act in certain ways or we do certain things on autopilot, and we can often be completely unaware of their consequence or their impact.
So good development always starts with self-awareness. You've got to kind of figure out where that leader is when you start. And there's so many good tools out there, a Hogan or a 360 or a DISC, whatever you want to use. But most of my job, honestly, as an executive coach, is to help create that self-awareness in my clients and then behavior change so that they can really form some productive, healthy habits going forward.
Another big one I see, and it surprises a lot of people when I tell them, this is even true for executives that I've coached, it's lack of confidence. I'm not kidding. You think you get to a certain level, you've got all the confidence in the world. Mm-mm. Not true. It's not true. A lack of confidence, it can be a real hindrance when it comes to performance, ability to lead. And I will tell you, even reputation. I worked with healthcare executives for seven years, and what I discovered was this chronic lack of confidence among female leaders especially. I'd hear things from these leaders such as, "I couldn't possibly go for that promotion" or, "I don't deserve that seat at the table" or, "I can't imagine being on that succession plan."
And I'll tell you, that was a sham, because these women were some of the most talented leaders I'd ever met, and they never failed to amaze and inspire me. And yet this pervasive lack of confidence, it persisted like a veil. It was really preventing them from taking the appropriate level of calculated risk taking in their careers or even just going after what was next for them. But through our coaching partnership, I always worked really closely with them to help them grow that confidence so they could lift that veil.
Mo Fathelbab:
And how do you help them grow the confidence? What do you say when somebody says, "I don't deserve that role"?
Christine Mixan:
You know, it's not so much about what I say as the questions I'll ask them. Because what I really ask them to do is look inside and explore some of that intrinsic strength they have, some of their intrinsic power that they have, their uniqueness that they're bringing into their role or to their function at the business. And what they start to really find out is that they take that time to look inside rather than comparing or looking outside, they see what's there.
Mo Fathelbab:
Yeah. Yeah. So Christine, what are some other themes that you think can hinder or help somebody make a transition?
Christine Mixan:
Yeah. I think some of those other themes that help or hinder a leader's success or transition is not being able to set clear expectations for their teams and for their staffs. I've seen a lot of fear of conflicts. A lot of people, a lot of leaders especially, they're in a role where they're really having to lead through conflict, and so they struggle with that. And then finally, because we're talking specifically about transitions today, a lot of times regarding promotions for leaders. Getting leaders to understand that what got you here won't get you there-
Mo Fathelbab:
Marshall Goldsmith.
Christine Mixan:
... so to speak. That's right, exactly. What a great book. Helping them to really understand that the toolbox that they spent a lot of time using and fine-tuning over the years, that toolbox that helped them to be successful is not the same toolbox they're going to need in their next role. And so that is just really a big one, and that's a form of helping them to let go and leaning in to building that new toolbox.
And then I talked earlier about confidence. I'd love to go back to the topic of confidence and just share a quick story about one of the leaders that I coached.
Mo Fathelbab:
Please.
Christine Mixan:
I will always remember her because her transformation was nothing short of spectacular. She was in the same role in the same functional area her entire career. Now, this spanned over 20 years within the same organization. She had so much potential, but each time the organization tapped her on the shoulder to entice her with the next opportunity, something new, she said no. She had gotten quite comfortable. And over time her name, well, it wasn't even brought up anymore for development opportunities because everyone just assumed that she wanted to stay where she was. So she ended up coming to coaching because she knew she had more to give, but she didn't have the confidence to step outside of her comfort zone.
And so after doing a few months of coaching and some deep exploration around what she truly wanted for her career, and of course her self-limiting beliefs for getting there, she applied for this amazing opportunity. She got the courage and she applied for this amazing opportunity in another division. And you know what?
Mo Fathelbab:
What?
Christine Mixan:
She got that job.
Mo Fathelbab:
All right.
Christine Mixan:
And she has since been promoted again and is thriving in her executive role. I guess the bottom line is, when organizations... And I know not every organization can do this, but when organizations can provide support, like a transition or an executive coach, to help leaders through their transition, these leaders need to have a growth mindset, but that combination, if they have that growth mindset and the power of a coach to help them, it can really serve as a catalyst for those leaders who can become this unstoppable force of nature. And when leaders are at their best, we all know this, it has a domino effect on employees. It has a domino effect on the teams they lead, and ultimately the success of the organization. And it's an honor for me to coach leaders like her because they know the power of walking alongside a coach during these times of transition to just help them find their way and then push the limits of what they thought possible.
Mo Fathelbab:
Last question. I'm sure you've had a coach at some point.
Christine Mixan:
I have.
Mo Fathelbab:
Yeah. Can you point to an example where your coach helped you personally make a transition that was important for you?
Christine Mixan:
Yes, I can. Actually, mine came pretty early in my career, and I think you might recall when we started, I was talking about kind of finding my path and finding my way in my career and having to do some work around exploration on what inspires me, what are my passions. Actually, a coach helped me to do that. So I credit a coach in my life to helping me find my own passion and my career path. And like I said, I've never looked back.
Mo Fathelbab:
And look how many people you've impacted as a result.
Christine Mixan:
Yes, absolutely. Truly.
Mo Fathelbab:
Amazing. Christine Mixan, thank you so much for joining us today on People and Strategy. It was a pleasure being with you. You can follow People and Strategy Podcast wherever you get your podcasts. Also, podcast reviews have a real impact on a podcast visibility. So if you enjoyed today's podcast, please give us a review to help others find the show. Finally, you can find all our episodes on our website at shrm.org/podcasts. Thank you for listening, and have a great day.