csgov1: coaching master-class to support training

Background:

The Council initiated a coaching-skills for managers programme which had been running for about six months. The programme had been externally sourced (but not from AMA). They had independent news about two separate AMA Coaching Master-classes run elsewhere and were intrigued to know more. The Training Manager was provided with priviledged access to video of an earlier master-class and immediately saw that this would provide rapid context for their managers. Specifically, to understand coaching best-practice and to help to integrate a number of conscious and sub-conscious skills within their cohort.

Challenge:

AMA required a brief of existing training to date in this cohort. This background was used to structure the initial part of the master-class and include a ‘same-page’ check; this to be certain that everyone would use the same language and have the same understanding.

Solution:

A one-day master-class was facilitated for the Council’s employees across a number of offices in the County. The initial inputs, though short, were structured to get everyone on the ‘same page’ and work through any differences. The format would then follow a typical routine: Angus to coach a delegate and then facilitate a de-briefing session, asking the delegates to talk through the key interventions (including non-verbal) and the reasons for changes in the direction and pace of the coaching. After further inputs, another coaching session would take place. Invariably the two or more sessions enable the delegates to see very different approaches, depending totally on the needs of the coachee. Coachees would receive video access to their session and the recorded feedback session.

Outcomes:

The master-class was very well received and useful in bringing forward learning from the taught course. Delegates suggested that in future training of cohorts, that the master-class should be done earlier to give context to managers early in their training. They sought further master-classes towards the end of each cohort’s training so that they could make a step-change in understanding higher-level techniques.