Triple Impact Coaching: Use-of-Self in the Coaching Process Reflecting on the Past, Present, and Future Beverley Patwell MA - Patwell Consulting Inc. Beverley Patwell, MA is an international OD scholar-practitioner, consultant, and coach. She has an MA and a BA in Applied Social Sciences, Family Life Education Certificate, Special Care Counselling Diploma, and other certifications. She teaches at the University of Notre Dame, Concordia and Queen’s University. She is a senior associate with the Niagara Institute and a partner with CoachingOurselves. Beverley has written several articles and is co-author of Triple Impact Coaching: Use of Self in the Coaching Process with Edith Whitfield Seashore. Author’s Contact Information: Beverley Patwell, MA Phone: 250-382-1908 Patwell Consulting, Inc. 175 Olive Street Victoria, British Columbia V8S 3H4 Canada Abstract Triple Impact Coaching: Use-of-Self in the Coaching Process (Patwell, Whitfield Seashore 2006) is in its 11th year of publication. In celebration of this milestone, we will hear from the author and 24 multi-generational Canadian leaders about Edie’s impact in Canada and their thoughts about what remains relevant, what has changed and what we need to consider in the next phase of Triple Impact Coaching going forward. We will also learn about their favorite Use-of-Self concepts and exercises that are timeless and continue to be relevant and critical in their personal and professional quest for mastering Use-of-Self. Keywords: triple impact coaching, use of self, coaching, coaching process, team coaching, organizational coaching, mentoring, culture, leadership, choices, reframing. Email: bpatwell@patwellconsulting.com Website: www.patwellconsulting.com _______________ Patwell 1 Edie and Charlie Seashore had a huge impact on my life personally and professionally. This article will celebrate their legacy and provide you with the story of how I first met the Seashores and how they influenced the practice of organizational development in Canada. I will also talk about our book, Triple Impact Coaching: Use-of-Self in the Coaching Process (Patwell, Whitfield Seashore 2006) and the reflections and insights gained from 24 conversations with multi-generational leaders to illustrate what remains relevant, what has changed and the implications for continuing our quest for mastering our Use-of-Self as leaders, managers, coaches, mentors, organizational development, and change practitioners. Background and Context How were you introduced to the concept of Useof-Self and how has it influenced your scholarship and practice of OD? In 1995, I met Charlie Seashore who taught me in the Master of Applied Social Science Program at Concordia University in Montreal, Quebec Canada. At the time when we met, this was a new Master in Organizational Development program in Canada modeled after American University’s Master of Science in Organizational Development (MSOD) program where both Charlie and Edie taught. I was a student in the first graduating class. Being the first class, we were provided with a unique opportunity to select an elective course for our second year. One day, over lunch, Charlie talked about Edie and her course called Use-of-Self as Instrument, which sounded very interesting, so we chose it as our elective. Edie taught us then and continued to teach in the program for many years afterward. This course changed my life as it did for many others. Edie and I connected right away and developed a relationship that flourished. She was my teacher, mentor, coach, business partner, and friend. Out of the many stories that I could share, I will focus on two special memories. The first occurred in the late 1990s when OD was beginning to take on a strategic and more formalized role in Canadian organizations. It was an exciting time of innovation and opportunity 2 for OD. At that time, I met regularly with a small group of OD practitioners in the Ottawa area for informal lunch and learns to talk about OD. This small group became the planning committee for our OD community’s professional development. As a team, we designed a founding meeting for our Ottawa Outaouais OD Network organization and invited Edie to give a talk about The History of OD to approximately 200 potential members. At the beginning of her talk, Edie was asked “When are you going to retire?” Edie replied, “Ok, let’s just say, for those who want to know, I am retired. Now I am doing what I love.” Her mantra was “I am not going to retire, I am going to expire!” By living her life to the fullest, Edie inspired me and was a role model for living with purpose and passion, each and every day of her life. And yes, at the end of this meeting, we had 120 new members in our network. The Ottawa Outaouais OD Network grew to include many communities of practice and provided professional development for OD practitioners in Quebec and Ontario for over 15 years. This story is a great example of Edie’s Useof-Self and her impact. My second story took place in 2000, when Edie agreed to work with one of my client organizations where I was delivering a coaching program to develop leaders and teams to lead and manage change. When we met to do the handover, I presented Edie with a binder and the materials. She encouraged me to write a book about coaching and I agreed, on the condition that we do this together. This was the start of a mutually rewarding and unique partnership. In addition to teaching together at McGill University, and our client work in Canada, we launched our book, Triple Impact Coaching: Use-of-Self in the Coaching Process (TIC) (Patwell, Seashore 2006) that continues to influence many coaching programs throughout the world and is the foundation for my coaching, change and OD practice and research. Following graduation, the Seashores sponsored me into National Training Laboratories (NTL) where I was introduced to a wonderful network of OD practitioners, academics and fellow internal and external consultants who have, and continue to inspire and influence my OD practice. At that same time, Edie also sponsored Katherine Farquhar, the Director of the MSOD Program Organization Development Journal l Summer 2019 at American University (AU). Katherine and I became life-long learning partners and shared a passion for teaching. We worked on a new International Consulting Course for the MSOD and brought 3 classes of international students to Montreal and Ottawa to do their residencies in Canada. As part of our teaching team, we engaged professors from the AU, NTL, Canada, members of the Ottawa Outaouais OD Network and local industry leaders in HR, OD, private, public, and volunteer organizations. The students worked on compressed OD projects with our Canadian clients. Throughout this fieldwork course, the students took time daily to reflect on their evolving Use-of-Self, both as OD practitioners and as team members within a consulting group. This was a rich learning experience that influenced the direction and practice of OD in our local organizations and continues today. What is Triple Impact Coaching: Use-of-Self in the Coaching Process? In an excerpt from the preface of our book Charlie Seashore described Triple Impact Coaching as follows: The focus of Triple Impact Coaching is Use-of-Self. It is simple, profound and infinitely complex—all at the same time. We know the value of instruments and tools of the trade in all of our various professions. We also know that there is a temptation to attribute the success of our work to the technical tools or strategies that we use and the accompanying belief that all we need to do to increase our range of effectiveness is to acquire more of these tools. The simple theme of this book is to pay the most attention to the person using the tools, meaning oneself, rather than focusing on the design of the tool. An excellent tool in the hands of a struggling professional can do great damage while an imperfect tool in the hands of a true craftsperson can morph into an awesome impact at individual, team, and organizational levels. Use-of-Self is a bit different from the adage, Know Thyself—it asks the practitioner to pay attention to the process by which we make our choices and decisions. It is all about how we choose to perceive the world, how we expand our choices, and then, and only then, decide what to do in the specific situation at hand. (Patwell et al., 2006, p.6) Expanding our range of choices and recovering our awareness of the possibilities before taking action is the business of Use-of-Self in Triple Impact Coaching. Staying open, as stress and the level of demand for action increases, requires each of us to develop support systems and feedback processes that provide sound and current data. This process helps us influence and continually adapt to the unfolding situation in front of us. With practice, one can develop this action research process so that we are in flow with our work and our interactions with others. That is where the complexity comes into play. It requires us to think in terms of systems dynamics rather than using a simpler cause and effect mental model. (Patwell et al., 2006, p.7) These are the tools which allow us to influence the quality of relationships which in turn can facilitate, block, or distort the intended outcomes and our work. In this sense, each of us is a theorist about the conditions under which we can draw on the wisdom of those who have contributed to the literature. We can learn much about the conditions under which we are likely to be helpful to others and, on a good day, we can even influence how our clients can use themselves more effectively in their roles as leaders, change agents, facilitators, managers or influential role models, coaches and mentors. (Patwell et al., 2006, p.7-8) Given this description and overview, we will now explore what 24 multi-generational leaders have to say about Triple Impact Coaching: Use-of-Self in the Coaching Process. Here is the methodology that we used to guide our conversations. Methodology Objectives From January to February 2018, I held conversations with 24 multi-generational Canadian leaders to review the Triple Impact Coaching: Useof-Self in the Coaching Process Model to determine if it remains relevant for today’s leaders and if so, what concepts are applicable for today’s leaders, what has changed and what recommendations we should consider going forward. Description of Participants Participants held multiple roles ranging Patwell 3 from executive leaders, managers, front line service providers, internal and external organizational development and change consultants, entrepreneurs, team leaders, board members, academics, administrators, educators, researchers, coaches, mentors and volunteers. They had three levels of experience with the concept of Use-of-Self: 1. Master leaders who had more than 20 years of work experience and application of Useof-Self. This group learned about TIC through workshops, read the book, received coaching and mentoring and incorporated Use-of-Self and the TIC Model in their work. 2. Experienced leaders who learned about Useof-Self through coaching and mentoring, other workshops and formalized training in their workplaces; and 3. Emerging leaders who had no previous exposure to TIC. The conversations included: • 17 individual interviews; • One focus group comprised of 4 internal strategic human resources and organizational development practitioners; • One focus group comprised of 3 Generation Z university students who all had leadership experience obtained through part time work. Conversation Guide This guide was used for each conversation. 1. What is your role? 2. How were you introduced to the concept of Use-of-Self? 3. How do you define the concept of Use-ofSelf? 4. How has Use-of-Self influenced your organizational development, leadership, or management practice? 5. Our book, Triple Impact Coaching: Use-ofSelf in the Coaching Process was launched in 2006, more than 11 years ago. Please review the Triple Impact Coaching model and answer the following questions. a. What has changed since you were introduced to Triple Impact Coaching: Use-of-Self in the Coaching Process? b. Is this model still relevant for you in 4 your work? c. What would you continue to honor or leverage, change, modify or adapt in the model, given your current work experience? d. If you have not seen the model before, please answer the question based on your experience and current understanding of the Triple Impact Coaching: Use-of-Self in the Coaching Process Model. Triple Impact Coaching Model© Overview The Triple Impact Coaching Model© (Patwell et al., 2006, p.24) resembles a speedometer. It is a layered approach to coaching that involves working with individuals, teams and the organization to help people attain, maintain, or adjust their behavior to achieve their desired impact and performance at all levels. Using Figure 1: Triple Impact Coaching Model©, you will see at the center of the model is the individual focused on developing their Use-ofSelf as they move from being unaware to becoming aware, informed, intentional, and conscious about their Use-of-Self and the choices they make in their approach to living their best selves and achieving their desired performance and impact. TIC considers the individual’s personal and professional contexts, influences, connections and supports to fully understand their strengths, challenges and desired objectives so that the coaching process may be customized to meet their needs and sustain change over time. Lastly, the dial on the speedometer features four key low-tech-technologies: choices, reframing, power and feedback that are available to help individuals to help themselves, and help others achieve and sustain their desired performance. Analysis The following is a summary of the highlights of the study including feedback on what has changed, an overview of three exercises that participants experienced as transformative for them and that they believe remain relevant: Choices, Reframing and Appreciating Differences, and their recommendations on what we need to consider in the next phase of the development of the Triple Impact Coaching Model. Organization Development Journal l Summer 2019 Figure 1. Triple Impact Coaching© What has Changed? The description of Use-of-Self has become more robust and reflective of the impact of technology, the speed of change, and the complexities and impacts of our current world, work, and life contexts. Figure 2. Descriptors of Use-of-Self Figure 2: Descriptors of Use-of-Self decisions process power Use-of-Self interaction layered impact choices values alignment beliefs reframing intergenerational transformation organization Support self awareness diversity intersections accountability feedback Conscious and unconscious bias systems learning empathy influence community context Intention authentic change reflection mindfulness experience culture presence emotional intelligence motivation resiliency connection coaching Participants described Use-Of-Self as a dynamic, continuous process that applies in both their professional practices and in their personal lives. Figure 2: Descriptors of Use-of-Self represents the most frequently used words that participants used to describe Use-of-Self. The top three descriptors were self-awareness, layered impact, and Use-of-Self as a dynamic continuous process. Upon reflection on their personal impact of Use-of-Self, participants stated that they value feedback and how it accelerates learning on all levels. They are more purposeful and intentional than they previously saw themselves, especially in how they are making choices and being open to multiple and diverse perspectives. Finally, they experience Use-of-Self as a process that enhances their relationships and effectiveness as leaders and managers. Participants stated that when they pay attention to their Use-Of-Self, they are more selfaware, intentional and authentic in how they are Patwell 5 and want to be “showing up” in their relationships at work and play, as well as in their communities. They said that when they trust themselves, they are able to trust others which led to a faster path to creating common ground, collaborating as a team, and achieving their desired organizational goals. They saw TIC as adding value that results in greater achievements for their clients, colleagues, stakeholders, community and the planet. Here is how one participant explained UseOf-Self: “I am constantly juggling what is needed to lead my team, deal with staff issues and crises, manage the day to day operations, and develop the big picture, vision, and strategy for my organization. Use-of-Self is in the midst of it all. It helps me to be self-aware by reflecting on my behavior and the intended and unintended impacts that I am having with my team, and the organization. The Use-ofSelf process is instrumental in helping me develop strategies to maintain resilience and be responsible and effective as a leader and manager. It also helps me to help others to do the same. I see the concept as a way of emphasizing the intersection of self with the many other considerations that permeate effective leadership.” Another leader tells the story of how she used TIC to lead culture shifts in her organization. “I work in a unique city where we formalized and embedded TIC at the system and organizational level. The TIC concepts and principles are incorporated in our management forums, people strategy, and strategic plan. It is the framework that guides all our work. We are measuring how well we are doing through our organizational culture assessment process, service outcomes and performance management process. TIC is part of everything we do. It is not a singular program or tactic. It is part of our culture and the way we do things. It is our way of being.” What Remains Relevant? Choices, Reframing, and Appreciating Differences are three concepts and exercises that participants continue to keep top of mind when they think of Edie. Here are the descriptions of each exercise and testimonials that celebrate Edie’s impact, legacy, and her valuable lessons about Useof-Self. 6 Choices Exercise Edie continued working on The Choice Awareness Matrix after the publication of TIC (Patwell et al., p.30). Figure 3: Choice Awareness Matrix was her latest version and continues to help us reflect on our beliefs, values, perceptions, and behaviors that influence our choices and interactions with others. Awareness of these aspects of ourselves enables us to make better choices about how we intentionally want to interact with others and achieve our desired impact. When we are aware of our choices we are accountable, deliberate, and intentional in how we choose to think and act. Here are a few questions to help you reflect on and explore your choices as you lead and manage change. Think of a time when you resisted change. What did your behavior look like when you were resisting change? Why were you resisting? What did resisting do for you? Using your example, look at Figure 3: Choice Awareness Matrix. Were you aware of the choices you made when you were resisting change? We often assume that we are always choosing to be our best adult self and that we mature with age. However, we know this isn’t true. As you might have guessed, you probably, behaved like most of us. At some point you may have behaved poorly, blamed others, or acted out. Basically, not lived your best adult self. Alternatively, you may have attributed your success and praised other people in your life such as your teacher, colleagues, and even your team. Here is an example of how I experienced the choice awareness matrix through the installation of a new accounting system. Just as I was leaving to go on a business trip, I was provided a link to do a video demonstration as part of my orientation to the new system. I don’t like technology and procrastinated doing the pre-work. As a result, when I went to do my first invoice, I was anxious and worried that I would make a mistake and lose my data. I was also very angry and frustrated because it took a lot longer to do the invoice. I reacted poorly and blamed the IT manager for not setting me up with the right tools to make the process easier. My best adult could have chosen to take responsibility for my own actions by being more patient, choosing a better time for the implementation, expressing my training needs and ultimately, doing my homework. Organization Development Journal l Summer 2019 Figure 3: Choice Awareness Matrix Figure 3. Choice Awareness Matrix Awareness Choice Attributed to Self Choice Attributed to Others Aware ACCOUNTABLE Deliberate Intentional PRAISE OR BLAME Unaware AUTOMATIC Robotic Habitual SOCIALIZATION Inheritance Adapt Assimilate This would have made the change process more effective for both of us. So, what influences our choices? The choice awareness matrix highlights the choices we make, and how we attribute our choices to ourselves and others. When we are aware of our choices, we are deliberate and accountable. We take ownership of our choices and actions. Like in my example: I could have chosen to take ownership for not doing my homework and my poor behavior. When we attribute our choices to others and are aware of our choices, we blame or praise others. In my example, I blamed the IT manager for not providing me with a guide. Instead I could have chosen to thank him for his hard work in getting the system ready for when I returned and expressed what I needed to learn and adapt to the new system. Sometimes, we make choices even though we don’t recognize that we are choosing. When this happens, we are operating on automatic. For instance, think of how you use your phone. When it rings, beeps, or alerts you to an email or a text, do you look at it right away? Or do you answer it automatically regardless of who you are with? We also make choices through assimilation based on how we were socialized in our values, beliefs, and culture. For example, in the workplace, you may have been socialized to respect authority and people in positions of power. If this is the case, you may choose not to challenge your boss or boss’s boss when you are in meetings. You may even wait until you are called upon to speak. What have you assimilated that you choose to focus on in your interactions with people in positions of power and authority? How do you recognize when assimilation (unconscious bias) is taking over? What choices are you making in how you show up in your leadership role? You can use the choice awareness matrix to reflect how well you are doing in being accountable and to understand your impact in making conscious and deliberate choices. Here is a story from an executive leader about choices and reframing. The concept of choices and reframing has stayed with me. I no longer say “You made me,” or “I had or have no choice.” When I am at my best, I remember that it is not all about me. I slow things down and try to walk in the shoes of others, to deepen my understanding and to gain empathy for what the other person(s) are experiencing. I listen to understand. My internal dialogue goes something like this, “I always have a choice. I make the decision about my reaction and response. I can choose to be reactive or constructive in my Use-of-Self.” This reframe was transformational. Reframing Exercise A director of mental health services recalls this story: Edie once said to me “Play big, don’t play small.” This tag line speaks to me of potential, stay true to yourself, be authentic, and accountable. We can’t do reframing without understanding our Patwell 7 choices. They are symbiotic.” Reframing in French is recentrer, meaning to be re-centered. This concept helps us to “see” in a different way. Reframing changes the meaning we attach to an experience, person, or context in such a way that we can better understand ourselves and intentionally develop strategies to be more effective. Reframing helps us understand values and beliefs that shape our mindsets and behaviors in positive and negative ways (Patwell et al., p.63) The process gives us insight into how we may unconsciously be blocking, influencing or impacting a given situation. Choosing to view a situation from a different perspective or angle gives us an opportunity to change the meaning we give it, and opens the way to more effective, intentional, and conscious actions in Use-of-Self. Reframing can also help us view a problem, situation, or conflict from a different perspective or angle, including how we look at the impossible and make it possible. If we need a way to see the world differently, we can stop ourselves with the phrase, “Up until now,” and then try to reshape the frame to bring us up-to-date. For example: If someone says, “I never thought I could do it.” You can say, “up until now” and watch their confidence rise. Magically, they often discover how they can achieve what they thought was the impossible. Reframing equips us to be more conscious, intentional, and objective. It reduces the emotionality of a situation by creating more choices and strategies to reduce conflict within ourselves and in our relationships, which then leads to more effective results. Edie used this story to illustrate the concept of reframing: “One day when my daughter, Becky, was four years old we were supposed to do a number of activities around town. It was pouring rain that day and I said to Becky, ‘We can’t do what we planned to do today because it is a lousy, crummy, miserable day outside.’ Becky looked at me, looked outside, and then said, ‘No Mommy, it’s a rainy day.’ I looked again, and through her frame it was a rainy day, and that’s all. So, we went out into the rain and had a great time. Where did my frame of a lousy, crummy, miserable day come from? I remember hearing that phrase early and often in 8 my childhood. The memories I recalled were, ‘if you went outside in the rain, you’d get wet, then you’d get pneumonia, and you’d die.’ A frame that I still put around rainy days, even though over the years I had to have been in the rain, surely gotten wet, never had pneumonia, and am here to tell the tale. However, to this day, my first thoughts on a rainy day are my old frame, and then quickly and consciously I go to my reframe and am off and running.” (Patwell, et al., 2006, p.63-64) Here is Edie’s exercise to help you practice reframing (Patwell, 2006, p.64-67). Make a table with three columns on a piece of paper and then follow these three steps. Step 1: Complete Column 1 “Characteristics that I value about myself.” Select three to four characteristics that you value about yourself. These must be one word and can be adverbs and adjectives. No hyphenated words or words using un-, or dis- for example: unhappy, disengaged. Describe these characteristics and why you value them. Step 2: Complete Column 2 “Psychological opposite.” Write one word that describes your psychological opposite for each of the characteristics in the first column. These psychological opposites cannot include words that begin with “non-,” “un,” “dis-,” and must be different words from the ones listed in the first column. For instance, if my characteristic is energetic, then my psychological opposite might be lazy, not non-energetic. If my characteristic is honest, the psychological opposite could be deceptive, but not dishonest. The goal of this part of the exercise is to help you to think more deeply about your individual values, principles, mindsets and the impact you are having when you are living your psychological opposite. Reflect on what you are thinking and what your behaviour looks like when you are living/acting in your psychological opposite. What does this mean for you? This part of the exercise may bring you out of your comfort zone and possibly evoke a variety of reactions. You may not like talking about or describing your psychological opposite. Try to be honest about your description of your Use-of-Self. Our psychological opposites represent our shadow self and are the parts of our behavior that we often, Organization Development Journal l Summer 2019 don’t like about ourselves. Since we find them unacceptable behavior in ourselves, we are likely to have difficulty accepting these behaviors in others. These behaviors may prompt us to get into conflict, dismiss, and even dislike others. Step 3: Complete the “Reframe” column. Complete the reframe for each of your psychological opposites. The reframe should be one word, an adjective, or adverb that would make the behavior acceptable to yourself and make it easier for you to work with others who demonstrate that behavior. To help develop the reframe, it is often helpful to consider how you feel when you act in your psychological opposite, which may be similar to how others feel when they act in ways that you find not acceptable. When we do this exercise we are often asked, “Are we fooling ourselves?” “Does this really work?” Our experience is that reframing really works when the reframed mindset and behavior is really acceptable to the person who is doing the reframing. Finally, the following exercise on appreciating differences was one of Edie’s favorites and one that continues to have a lasting impact for many of the participants in this study. Appreciating Differences - Vivre La Différence Exercise An OD Change Consultant interviewed in our study, recalls a story about how Edie helped her to appreciate her differences. “Edie taught me how to reframe and appreciate my difference as a strength. This experience helped me learn new strategies for my own Use-of-Self that positively benefited me, the group, and my world outside the classroom. As an ESTP, Edie told me that I had a rare MBTI type and that I was a gift to the class because students like myself don’t normally do Master programs. Edie taught me how to look at things differently, see differently. I learned that my preference for learning was outside a structured classroom. The world, and my experience in it, was my classroom. This reframe, helped me to build confidence, apply new ways of interacting with the group that enhanced my learning and that of the group and ultimately, inspired me to finish the program. I now have a deeper appreciation of my unique contributions and impact in groups.” The participants in our study, regardless of their diversity in age, gender, stage of life, and career all aspired to live their best selves. They also shared a preoccupation and worry about the impact of the increased pace and complexity in the world. Generation Z and X’s, Millennials and Boomers all noted that the need for personal connection, meaningful relationships and the mastery of our Use-of-Self are the defining elements that will make a positive difference in the way we live, work and play. Here are the reflections on why appreciating differences is important from an experienced leader working with emerging leaders. “Use-of-Self requires empathy and the capacity of both understanding your impact and your ability to put yourself in the other person’s shoes. I am an older person working with young people entering the workforce. I believe I understand their dreams and challenges because I too did an MBA and have worked and travelled internationally. This is so far from the truth. I need to slow down my impulse to jump in and listen more carefully for connections and shared experiences. I realize people are going through similar experiences, but I may not always pay attention to their personal experience in the same way. I sometimes assume I know them. But I need to consciously work at being aware of my own biases and pay attention to their unique experiences, backgrounds and values that may be influencing their work and life. Not all students are the same. To be effective, I need an open mind and to stop filtering my interactions and conversations based on my own values, beliefs or experiences. I need to validate what’s really happening. What I am really hearing and experiencing? I need to notice. Listen to hear. Hear to understand. I need to do this in my work and at home. Use-of-Self requires a sense of humility to be receptive to developing a solution, the way forward, or a point of view that is different from your own. When I listen to myself speaking, I need to remind myself that my point of view may be inappropriate. It may not be relevant today. I may need to be more open and adapt to listen for understanding. If we don’t do this as the boomer generation, we may turn off younger generations. Today’s youth need to find things out for themselves. It’s not all about me. I need to walk in their shoes. Patwell 9 I am reminded that Use-of-Self is a continuous process that requires the attention of my whole being.” Relationships and the performance of teams and organizations can be greatly enhanced by genuinely appreciating and leveraging diversity. Here are guiding questions that Edie used to help people to get to know each other better and explore their differences and similarities so that they could have a better understanding of how to work together and be helpful to each other. Appreciating Differences- Vivre La Différence Exercise (Patwell, et al., 2006, p.58) 1. Where were you born and brought up? What impact did this have on you? 2. Where were your ancestors from? What impact did this have on you? 3. What was your family life like? What impact did this have on you? 4. When did you first realize that you were different, unique, and or special in a significant way? What was the impact on you then and now? 5. What were some significant events in your life? What impact did they have on you? What do we need to consider in the next phase of the development of the TIC Model? For the past 20 years, over 1000 leaders, managers and project team members from 27 countries representing all types of organizations have participated in Patwell Consulting’s leading change and transformation programs. As part of the programs, each participant and or team completed a Change Leadership Challenge Assessment to identify their strengths, challenges and the hot topics that they wanted to work on during the programs. This assessment helped participants to reflect on their personal, team and organizational goals before and during the program. It was also used as one method to help them evaluate their progress as they led and managed meaningful change upon their return to their workplace. These participants were leading large scale, organization wide projects and initiatives, mergers and acquisitions, designing and implementing new processes, technologies, products, and/or services. All of these changes required the participants to lead 10 and manage culture shifts. Patwell defines culture shifts as: “smart adjustments in organizations that are created through a series of changes that result in different ways of working and being in relationship with each other” (Patwell 2014, p.4). Consistently and over time, participants requested support and development to • lead, inspire, motivate and engage others to support a shared vision; • communicate change; • create buy-in and adoption of new mindsets, behaviors and skills; • motivate and engage employees throughout the change process. At the root of all of these priorities is the Use-of-Self. This is consistent with what we heard in our conversations with the 24 participants in our study. They said that they are working in a frenetic, fast paced world with increased complexity. Despite the exponential impact of technology, participants want connection and meaningful relationships. Communication is also critical and challenging for them, given the pervasiveness of social media, shorter news cycles, and the volume of immediate and easily accessible, real and fake information. Participants also stated that compared to the past, there is little or no time for reflection and thoughtful action. They are also experiencing the impact of the uneven distribution of power and an erosion of ethical behaviour. Balancing the expectations of the individual and the collective, as well as the broader stakeholder groups within the larger global context is more challenging today than in the past. They need to define new governance models, clarify roles and relationships that are more fluid and interdependent. They are also challenged in prioritizing and balancing their life, work, time and resources. Every participant, regardless of experience, education, professional role, gender or ethnicity, believes that TIC concepts are still relevant or more relevant and important today than ever before. They see effective Use-of-Self as a continuum of skillsets. It is the perfect marriage of practical, lived experience and conceptual learning. To enhance the TIC model, participants suggested refreshing the graphic to depict movement and incorporate the current world Organization Development Journal l Summer 2019 context and emerging trends such as the importance of ethics and the role of technology, socio-cultural and economic changes, geo-political influences, environmental sustainability, social justice issues, and our global and local concepts of community. They would also like to see how the research of emotional intelligence, neuroscience and mindfulness impacts our development of Useof-Self. These changes would require a new toolkit that is enhanced with technology and distance learning and continues to support self-directed individual and team learning, teaching, coaching and mentoring. Communication, interpersonal skills, and dealing with conflict were identified as personal challenges and at the same time essential skills to develop and sustain meaningful connections and relationships. Here is a Generation Z participant’s view on the impact of technology in building relationships and meaningful connections. “Technology and the role it plays in the new world of work and the implications on Useof-Self is important. Social media and technology to support online communities and forums for networking and collaboration exist and provide instant and constant communication. However, because technology exists does not equate to being connected. We need to sort out real news from fake news, gems from junk. It looks like we as Generation Z are hyper-connected. It is artificial connectivity. We need to make choices about who we want to be connected with. We are learning and applying our social skills online by making choices about how we show up and who we follow and not. Technology can be used creatively, purposefully, and also negatively. It is a choice to use it to help or harm. Our tag line is “Check yourself before you wreck yourself.” Although Gen Z were introduced to TIC in this study, they related to the concepts and saw Useof-Self piercing through all layers of the model. As such, they recommended as did the other leaders, to add one more layer of impact, community, and sustaining our planet. Here is how one Gen Z explained her rationale, “We want to ensure the company we work for cares about sustainability and thinks of our children as the next generation. We are looking for meaningful roles, work that taps into our passion and is better than just a job. Ultimately, we want an opportunity to have a positive impact in our community and planet. This approach is good for our mental and physical health.” Regardless of the generation, participants validated the concepts of TIC and the importance of developing Use-of-Self as a mindset, process, and life-long journey. They provided examples of how they valued working with diversity, including their own strengths, differences, and vulnerabilities. They also talked about the impact of technology and social media and the challenge they face in being present versus on automatic. Lastly, all participants identified a significant change on the levels of impact. They see the impact of Use-ofSelf extending beyond the level of organization to include community and planet. This is a significant shift from when TIC was first developed. Conclusion Our quest for mastering Use-of-Self remains important regardless of our generations, gender, stage of life and career. We know that Useof-Self is a lifelong journey and will be challenging given our increasingly more complex, fast paced, and constantly changing world. Technology will continue to evolve and present new challenges as well as opportunities. Regardless of these changes, our Use-ofSelf is the only factor that we can control. Going forward we need to be open to learning and accountable and intentional in how we show up and are present, so that we can live our best selves and positively make a difference for our teams, organizations, communities and our planet. What will you do the next time you find yourself asking “What is this situation challenging me to do, or think, or be, that I haven’t needed to consider before?” The possibilities are endless! Edie and Charlie were our teachers, coaches, and mentors. The lessons they taught us continue to live on in everyone they touched. Their life’s work has global reach and continues to create positive change in the world. I am grateful for their generous gift of Use-of-Self and the stories they shared with us all over the years. Patwell ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ 11 References Patwell, B. & Whitfield Seashore, E. (2006) Triple Impact Coaching: Use-of-Self in the coaching process Victoria, BC Patwell Consulting Inc. Patwell B., (2014). Leadership sustainability: A framework to sustain culture shifts. Queen’s University IRC. Retrieved from http://irc.queensu.ca/articles/leadershipsustainability-framework-sustain-cultureshifts p4. cld 12 Organization Development Journal l Summer 2019