Welcome to Coaching for Performance
Hello!
We are thrilled you have decided to spend the next month with us. This is our first iteration of Coaching for Performance. I am sure there will be some features, information, or media you would like to have but don't. Please don't hesitate to request it. If it is physically possible to do, Raja, Thiagi, and I will make it happen.
My general rule when designing this program has been to ask myself how I would like to engage the material and how would I like to demonstrate my proficiency as a participant. Some of those choices may not work for you. That's ok. Again, the beautiful side benefit of this type of program is we can add or subtract at any time. For example, in the Library, for each main topic, we included a job aid and a podcast (audio file). The reason for that—instead of creating a screencast (slides with voiceover) or a talking head video—was that we could go deeper into the content on the job aid while at the same time making the lecture content accessible to listen to when commuting, walking, exercising, etc. It added some versatility. Let us know if you would like a different format.
Each of the tasks (we call them Missions in the course) have been designed as realistic analogues to what a manager must do. The characters and the scenarios are representative of countless situations and people we have met working with organizations all over the world. These characters have been used in several simulations worldwide and in every case, participants have asked how we were able to capture so-and-so so well.
The one flaw with this type of course is that unless we Skype or FaceTime, it is impossible to really test how well you do in a continuous situation, or a complete coaching conversation. Therefore, if you would like to, we will offer that on a volunteer basis—request only.
If you have any questions, concerns, or trouble using the system, please contact me, Matt Richter at 415-385-7248 or MATTHEW@THIAGI.COM.
We hope you enjoy the show!
Best regards,
Matt Richter
President
The Thiagi Group
June 11, 2014
A Different Type of ELearning
The value of eLearning is that a participant can engage in learning on her own time, at her own pace, and without cost associated with sending her to a face-to-face course. The downside of eLearning is that it really doesn’t work if your goal is to actually learn something. There are several great thought-leaders who have for years been clamoring for a better way. They have done the research, developed the ideas, and pursued communicating the message to the masses (or, at least the HR buyers).
Four of them developed a really cool concept. They call it THE ELEARNING MANIFESTO. Michael Allen, Julie Dirksen, Clark Quinn, and Will Thalheimer got together and identified a guiding set of principles and have been spreading the word. We believe that the Thiagi 4-Door™ ELearning Approach has always adhered to these principles and when we went about designing Coaching for Performance we made sure that each of the criterion in the Manifesto matched what we built. The criteria for a better eLearning program are listed below. Thanks, Michael, Julie, Clark, and Will. Here’s how we aligned to the Manifesto.
Performance Focused
Coaching for Performance (CFP) provides a foundation for participants to be more effective at coaching. The course has participants demonstrate proficiency in each of the coaching stages (Prepare, Discuss, and Follow-Up) and all of the process steps within those stages. Practice, feedback, and repetition occur using a high-fidelity simulation, and the final performance test is on the job.
Meaningful to Learners
We spent the last two years honing the scenarios, characters, and situations in the simulation to completely reflect real-life for our participants. These are the problems and challenges learners face on the job. The skills and tools provided have also been validated by learners as useful, practical, and simple.
Engagement-Driven
Participants drive their own learning. The entire program is learner-led. Each video asks for a response. Each assignment engages the participants’ brains. Learners feel that the characters and problems in the simulation reflect their own personal experience and completely immerse themselves. As long as participants complete the missions, they can skip any part of the course they want. The missions are designed to validate that learning and skill development have occurred (or that at least skills were already within the participant).
Authentic Contexts
As mentioned, the problems, scenarios, situations, and characters came from field experience and observations. Learners report that even though the course does not specifically use their company’s name, the context could very well be their own organization.
Realistic Decisions
Once we determined that the context was realistic, we designed the Missions to reflect what a successful manager would face and have to decide. Since learners relate so heavily to their own work contexts, the types of decisions they need to make are both individualized and specific to their own work realities.
Individualized Challenges
Each mission deliverable is unique. Participants upload their own responses to the Missions and receive customized, specific feedback from the facilitator in the form of a video response. They then continue completing the tasks based on their previous work.
Spaced Practice
The program has seven Missions with 2-4 tasks in each, and one Final Mission (the performance test). Participants work at their own pace over that month. Because the facilitator provides unique and custom feedback about their performance, they get to retry, iteratively build on what they learned, and apply lessons over and over.
Real-World Consequences
The Final Mission is to go out and coach a real person about a real topic. If they succeed, they pass the course. If they fail, we will help them pick up the pieces.