The Sky’s The Limit – NASA JSC Procurement Coaching/Mentoring Initiative

2. The Sky’s The Limit – NASA JSC Procurement Coaching/Mentoring Initiative Breakout Session # WC 610 Name: Krystine Bui and Roberta Beckman Date: Tuesday, July 20, 2010 Time: 3:45 pm – 5:00 pm 1

3. Table of Contents Background Purpose Definitions Goals and Objectives Coaching vs. Mentoring Phase I – Coaching Guide Phase II – Procurement Training

4. Background How did we get here? Exit interviews of outgoing employees revealed need/desire for formal mentoring program tailored to procurement needs

5. Purpose • What is the purpose of this Coaching/Mentoring Initiative? • Transfer knowledge • Build/develop future leaders • What is the relevance? (Why does this matter to me?) • As you move up in the organization, your sphere of influence grows • The culture you create becomes your legacy as you influence others • Train your co-workers

6. Definitions NASA/JSC Office of Procurement Sponsor: Person assigned to assist new employees in learning basic information about NASA/JSC and procurement to get them off on a positive direction. Coach: Employee assigned to develop and increase proficiency in job-related skills; usually provided by a professional colleague with more experience/know-how. Includes acquisition/procurement technical skills (“hard” skills) plus personal effectiveness skills (“soft” skills). Anyone can take on a role of a coach. A coach is primarilya Contracting Officer (CO) or a senior Contract Specialist (CS).

7. Definitions NASA/JSC Office of Procurement Coachee: Any employee including new employees, interns, and existing employees transferring from one procurement office to another. Mentor: Trusted counselor or guide. Role and responsibility assumed by an experienced, caring, and wise employee who agrees to help, build a relationship with, and facilitate the professional growth of a mentee. Mentee: Role that an employee assumes when working with a mentor. Can be newer, junior employee, or more senior, experienced employee. Role requires and assumes a willingness to actively work with and learn from the experience and wisdom of the mentor. The mentoring process is adapted over time to develop the strengths and changing needs of the mentee.

8. Goals and Objectives • Goals: • Develop expert coaches within procurement to ensure that knowledge is transferred while developing and retaining a highly qualified procurement workforce • Develop expert mentors within procurement to aid in the personal and professional growth while increasing employee satisfaction and cultivating a more positive organizational climate • Objective: • Implement a formalized procurement coaching and procurement mentoring program, that includes development of accountability, best practices, and training, to maintain a highly competent and fully staffed workforce

9. Coaching vs Mentoring • Coaching: • Coaching takes place within the confines of both a formal manager-employee relationship and an employee-employee relationship • For procurement, this means any work relationship between a higher graded or more experienced employee that has been assigned responsibility of a lower graded or less experienced employee • We are learning all the time; we all have a responsibility to teach (Coach) and learn (be a willing Coachee) • The focus is to develop individuals within their current job • The interest of the relationship is functional, arising out of the need for individuals to perform the tasks required to the best of their ability • The more experienced individual tends to initiate and drive the relationship

10. Coaching vs Mentoring • Mentoring: • Mentoring is career-focused or focused on professional development that may be outside a mentees area of work • Mentors provide both professional and personal support • Relationships may be initiated by mentors or mentees or created through matches initiated by the organization with mutual consent of both parties • Relationships can cross job boundaries

11. Coaching vs Mentoring

12. Coaching vs Mentoring

13. Coaching Guide Accountability Best Practices Training Conclusion

14. Accountability for Coaches and Coachees • Three Aspects of Mutual Accountability

15. Accountability1. The Relationship • Create a Dialogue: • Create a Coaching Plan together; to enhance communication within the existing performance planning and evaluation process • Individual Development Plan • Assess work experience, skills, knowledge • Perform gap analysis of work experience, skills, knowledge • Coach and Coachee establish goals • Analyze work styles/preferences – communication, learning, data/people/task oriented, etc. • Establish frequency and means of communicating

16. Accountability2. The Learning Process (Utilizing assessment & gap analysis)

17. Accountability3.Development and Achievement of Learning Goals • Assess Results: • Throughout performance planning and evaluation process, Coach and Coachee should assess the results achieved—their personal results, and the results of the relationship. • Questions for Coach to consider : • Were (formal and informal) training sessions, meetings conducted/attended? • Was leadership provided? • Was organizational know-how shared? • Was decision-making ability demonstrated? • Did you communicate clearly? • Did you make yourself available? • Did you share your experience?

18. Accountability3.Development and Achievement of Learning Goals • Questions for Coachee to consider : • What progress are you making towards realizing learning goals? • Did you engage and demonstrate understanding? • Have you communicated any challenges? • What is your greatest success so far? • Have you shared any lessons learned? • What gives you the most satisfaction about what you are learning? • Were (formal and informal) training sessions attended? • Did you communicate clearly?

19. Best Practicesfor Coaches • 7 Best Practices of Good Coaches from Procurement Employee Surveys: • Great Listener • Approachable • Treats subordinates with same respect as a Supervisor • Technical Proficiency • Adaptable • Self-Awareness • Leads by Example

20. Best Practicesfor Coaches • Great Listener • Takes time to listen: It’s about the relationship and communication • Understands and listens to what motivates the coachee – finds out how they learn or grasp knowledge best • Understands the coachee’s background -- they may have skills you’re not aware of or may need additional training • Focuses on the coachee: It’s about them gaining knowledge - It’s about their development

21. Best Practicesfor Coaches • Approachable • Be approachable – a coachee needs to be able to come to you for advice/guidance or to obtain answers to questions • Be available – as a coach, keep your team informed such as your leave plan. Let them know when you’re going to be out and have a backup to guide them while you’re gone. • Let your coachee know they are important to you – don’t turn them away • Everyone has busy periods where they just don’t have the time immediately to sit with someone – use an alternative approach like setting up a meeting for later to discuss the coachee’s issues • Give your coachee your undivided/uninterrupted attention

22. Best Practicesfor Coaches • Treat Subordinates as well as a Supervisor • Akin to the “Golden Rule” up and down the organizational hierarchy • Have respect for everyone and they will have respect for you • Be professional to everyone and encourage a professional workplace • Encourage professionalism even when dealing with tough matters such as an irate technical person on a difficult contract issue

23. Best Practicesfor Coaches • 4. Technical Proficiency • Explain how things are done and why they are done a particular way • Encourage coachee to ask questions • Include coachee in meetings with technical personnel and let the technical personnel explain what it is they want/need and why • -- Improves the overall understanding of how procurement (and the coachee) fit into the big picture • -- Increases the coachee’s overall knowledge and understanding • Provide all of the relevant data when transferring knowledge • -- Things that seem unimportant to you may be important to someone learning about a particular issue or body of knowledge • -- Transfer Corporate Knowledge – what you’ve learned/experienced • Teach in a positive manner

24. Best Practicesfor Coaches • Adaptable • Tailor (your demeanor and teaching approach) to the needs of your coachee: Remember people learn best by different methods – there is no one size fits all • Find out what motivates your coachee: People are motivated by different things - what motivates one person may not motivate another • Be flexible enough to shift between approaches/styles in working with each coachee • Encourage creativity and thinking “outside the box” yet acknowledge the limitations of “the box”

25. Best Practicesfor Coaches • 6. Self-awareness • Be truthful to yourself about your capabilities • Recognize your own personality type and the strengths and weaknesses that go along with that • Know that everyone has weaknesses/areas that can be improved on (including yourself) and focus on trying to improve those areas • Be aware (if not sure, ask) when certain approaches you are using are not working or are not as effective as intended and be willing to switch to another more effective approach • Expand your knowledge • If you don’t know something, get help • Know who the experts are; and use them!

26. Best Practicesfor Coaches • Lead by Example • Have a great attitude • Have an exemplary work ethics • Be cognizant of the fact that what you do and how you react is being watched by your coachee and your peers • If you foster a great attitude and great work ethics, that will likely spread to your coachee because they are learning from you • Bring out the best in people by your example • Be willing and positive in promoting a fun/interactive/creative environment

27. Other Best Practicesfor Coaches • From the NASA/JSC Mentoring Program • Core Best Practices/Skills that apply directly to Coaches • Instructing/Developing Capabilities: informal instructing and modeling • Inspiring: inspiring coachees to greatness by setting an example • Providing Corrective Feedback: providing coachees corrective feedback to let them know how their actions are perceived (what they can do to “course correct” or how to handle situations better in the future) • Managing Risks: being willing and able to protect their coachees from disasters • Opening Doors: providing visibility for your coachee and introducing them to a variety of people (in their field as well as their customers)

28. Best Practicesfor Coachees • Set at least one goal to learn “how to …” from your coach • Ask questions if you don’t understand something • Openly discuss your knowledge or background with your Coach and learn how to use the resources and tools available in your daily job. • Expand your knowledge to learn/accomplish new and more complicated procurement actions • Communicate any concern or issues with your Coach, lead, and management • Be cognizant of deadlines and schedules. If you see a problem developing, inform your Coach (and management) early on • Be creative and think “outside the box” yet understand the limitations of “the box”

29. Best Practicesfor Coachees • Do research before bringing a problem or issue to your coach • Bring a recommendation to your Coach as well as options with your rationale (This helps your Coach see if you are appropriately applying procurement body of knowledge to the problem.) • Don’t be afraid to make a mistake; every mistake is an important lessons learned for the next time (and almost every mistake is correctable) • “Own” your workload. Make it high quality as it is a reflection on you • Make time for training; formal and on-the-job training.

30. Other Best Practicesfor Coaches and Coachees • From the NASA/JSC Mentoring Program • Core Best Practices/Skills that apply directly to Coaches and Coachees • Listening Actively: When you listen well, you demonstrate to your coachee that their concerns have been heard and understood. (This is the most basic mentoring skill; the other skills build on and require it.) • Building Trust: The more your coachee trusts you the more committed they will be and the more effective you’ll be • Encouraging: Important to provide recognition and sincere and positive feedback • Identify Realistic Goals: You need to be clear on and talk to your coachees about their vision, dreams and goals and provide strengths and limitations • Source: Best Practices/Core Mentoring Skills (identified by “The Mentee’s Guide”, pp. 25-29, by Linda Phillips-Jones, Ph. D.)

31. Training Technical LEADERSHIP On-the-job Personal

32. Training • Provide and promote relevant training, and educational opportunities to employees within the procurement organization • Develop World-Class Procurement Professionals • Improve purchasing outcomes by upgrading the knowledge base of employees • Promote responsible expenditure of funds within delegated authority • Develop a training program responsive to the needs of the organization • Monitor the quality of the training, revise, and add additional training as necessary • Provides a ready source of qualified personnel to meet organization/company needs • Transform Procurement employees utilizing training, conferences, and trade association memberships to develop highly skilled personnel • Ensure training, conferences, and trade associations (e.g., NCMA) have a logical connection to current and future responsibilities

33. Training • Conduct assessments to determine the specific needs of • employees • Include both external and internal provided courses in your plan • Customize a plan to meet the needs of yourorganization • Certification Programs • Encourage employees to obtain certifications • Support preparation efforts for certifications • Form study groups to prepare for certifications

34. Training • Other training/development opportunities • Brown bag sessions (e.g., to share coaching stories, lessons learned) • Leadership forums/seminars (NCMA NES’s, training classes) • External training (e.g., corporate mgmt classes, university classes) • Books, periodicals & online tools • Contract Management magazine • See helpful links below • NCMA – Contract Management Body of Knowledge • Certifications – NCMA, other universities • Helpful links: • CON classes/certification: • http://prod.nais.nasa.gov/portals/pl/documents/trainingpolicy.html#core • NASA HQ Competency Management System: • https://cmstool.nasa.gov/ • NCMA: • http://www.ncmahq.org/

35. Incentive Tool for Managers • Consider a Rewards Program • Provides an incentive by rewarding and recognizing a coach for outstanding achievement in developing the coachee • Coachee nominates a person as “coach of the year” • Coach nominates an individual as “coachee of the year” • Management reviews nominations and selects coach and coachee of the year • Suggested rewards • monetary, • time-off, • certificate of recognition, • other non tangible awards

36. Conclusion • Leave a Legacy • You have an effect on your co-workers • Inspire them to have a positive impact on the organization • Passing on your knowledge and experience allows you to have the flexibility to move on to other job opportunities • As you move on, a strong knowledge base is left behind • Pay it forward!