Well, the class starts tomorrow and I'm psyched. We spent a large chunk of the day reviewing coaching techniques, which are often fun and rewarding to use (really). Here's the basics from the Cleese video (see if I can remember them all):

1) Set the goals -- the task, and the meeting.
2) Promote discovery (self-directed learning) through:
-- active listening (listen quietly, paraphrase and summarize the points, confirm you understood them)
-- draw out the consequences (let the team member figure out the implications and understand them)
-- share your experience (help them learn what you've learned, good or bad)
3) Set the parameters (ensure the team member has a realistic scope of activities that won't get them in trouble)
4) Authorize and empower (ensure everyone else knows what the team member is doing and won't block it)
5) Recap (make sure everything is in agreement).

Class starts tomorrow morning at 8am. I figured out where Andy (the other faculty member) and I know each other from, and it astonishes me that we worked it out. Andy was one of the faculty members for my first Andersen Consulting course six years ago. It was a very memorable course, with (as a highlight) a very successful class party at the home of the other faculty member, Mike Plamondon, who lives here in St. Charles. Mike has a collection of hot pepper sauces, which was quite deadly.
posted by Tom at 6:54 PM | link |