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Consortium for Service Innovation

Coaching

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Coaching for Success is a Core Concept for KCS methodology and is considered an essential component of any successful KCS program. 

"If we want to maximize our realized benefits, the fundamental principles and core concepts of KCS are not negotiable."

Consortium Members have extensive experience with KCS Coaching and have developed coaching session guidance as well as a coach session tracking template. (Thanks to Jennifer Crippen and the work of the Connecting the Dots on Coaching team for this guidance and template!)

Coaching Guidance

Coach Reminders

  • Remember to Ask Before Coaching. For example:
    • "Is this a good time?"
    • "Can I share something that has worked for me?"
  • Focus on the relationship, learning, and building confidence.

First Session

  • Establish Rapport: Get to know the person you will be coaching.
  • Discuss the Big Picture (benefits of KCS to us as knowledge workers, to customers using self-service).
  • Negotiate an Agreement: Informal, discussing what expectations there are for each of you, how you will interact and be committed. Determine a cadence for coaching sessions.  

Second Session

  • Establish a baseline: This is the time to discover what was learned at KCS training and where the gaps are in learning.
  • Establish milestones: What needs to be accomplished and what are the milestones along the way? 
  • Invite the person you're coaching to set goals and objectives for development: “Is there a time frame in which you hope to become a Publisher?” 

Ongoing Sessions  

  • Prepare for Sessions: review articles, search for duplicates, query the KB, check in on contributions, results from Content Standard Checklist and PAR, review notes from last session.
  • Coaching Session: be sensitive to where the knowledge worker is and what they need the most help with.
  • Evaluate what you observe and discuss: track your notes and discussions for easy evaluation of proficiency progress.
  • Ask for feedback with questions like “What about coaching is working for you?” and “What is not working as well for you?”
  • At the end of every session, set the expectations for the next session: schedule a time, initial agenda, and note any items to focus on or prep for
  • After Session Activities: take time for self-reflection. Ask yourself, “what can I do better?” and document your thoughts and ideas.

Proficiency Progress

Progress in KCS proficiency will happen at different times for each knowledge worker, some earlier than mentioned and some later. This sample schedule is to guide your coaching and expectations to keep you and the knowledge worker on track.

  • Week 1: Train
    • Review learning from training. Knowledge worker understands expectations and is starting to Capture, Search and Link and Flag.
  • Weeks 2-3: Coach
    • Knowledge worker understands Capture, Search, Link and Flag, and is learning about Create and adhering to the Content Standard.
  • Weeks 4-8: Practice
    • Knowledge worker understands Capture, Search, Link, Flag, Create, Content Standard adherence and is learning about Improving.
  • Weeks 9-12: Monitor
    • Knowledge worker is proficiently and confidently Capturing, Searching, Linking, Flagging, Creating, Improving, adhering to the Content Standard and building on consistency in behaviors.

Sample Questions 

  • How is it going, searching for articles while you work?
  • Are you finding articles that are helpful? Are you having any difficulty searching and finding relevant information?
  • How did it feel when you found that article and linked to the case to quickly help that customer?
  • What questions do you have about the Content Standard?
  • Is there a case you worked this week that you want to look at together? Articles found while working case, create/modify an article, link an article?
  • Do you find it is easy to create an article before moving onto the next case?
  • What is currently challenging for you?
  • What would you like to get better at? (sample options include: capturing, searching, linking, flagging, creating, content standard, creating, improving, process adherence) 
  • Where have you made progress since we met last week?
  • Can you show me how/where you are doing that so I can see what you are describing?

Coach Session Tracking Template

  • Date:
  • Coach:
  • Knowledge Worker:

Pre-Session Preparation

  • Two (or more) things going well:
  • Follow up topics from last session:
  • Feedback from Content Standard Checklist and/or PAR results (not scores): 

Knowledge Worker Proficiency: [Candidate / Contributor / Publisher]

How well does the Knowledge Worker understand the following areas? Does the Knowledge Worker understand why they do it? How to do it? When to do it?

  • Capture: [New / Practicing / Proficient]
    • Comments:
  • Search: [New / Practicing / Proficient]
    • Comments:
  • Link: [New / Practicing / Proficient]
    • Comments:
  • Flag: [New / Practicing / Proficient]
    • Comments:
  • Create: [New / Practicing / Proficient]
    • Comments:
  • Improve: [New / Practicing / Proficient]
    • Comments:
  • Content Standard: [New / Practicing / Proficient]
    • Comments:

Session Notes

  • Making progress in the following areas:
  • Needs to work on the following areas:
  • Are they ready to be promoted? [Y/N]
  • Follow Up Actions for Knowledge Worker:
  • Follow Up Actions for Coach:
  • Additional Notes:

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