Coaching Skills for TTA Providers

1. Coaching Skills for TTA Providers South Carolina SPF SIG April 26-27, 2010

2. Objectives • Provide an overview of facilitating learning and change in SPF context • Provide an introduction of Coaching skills and mind-set for TA providers • Explore applying Coaching mind-set and skills

3. Your Challenge

4. SPF Context • Function as a Facilitator • Change agent • Carry out a process to help apply SPF in local context • Coaching is an approach to use

5. Facilitators… • Act on behalf of a change agency • Understand what will have to happen • How to make this happen • Plan for impact of change • Tailor approach and process to each context

6. Continuum of Facilitator Modalities

7. Complex Adaptive Systems • Comprised of parts are entire systems in themselves • Interact according to own rules and goals • Adapt to each other and their functioning • The interaction brings about a larger system

8. Working with CAS • Help client become attuned and responsive in a productive way to the many forms of feedback produced by systems • Intentional about what level of system is engaged and forecast impact on other level of system

9. System “Attractors” • What gets said • How it is said • By whom • Where it is said • Whose voice is heard • What can and cannot be talked about

10. 10 Characteristics of Successful Facilitators • Authentic and credible • Energetic and motivated • Highly developed communication skills • Patient and open • Range/flexibility of style, including pragmatism and vision • Recognizes other’s skills and abilities • Reliable and consistency of presence and support • Respects and believes in worth and value of people • Self-confidence • Sensitive and empathetic: Non-judgmental (Allsop, 1990; Baker, 2000; Davis et al., 1997; Harvey, 1993; Harvey et al., 2002; Kelly et al., 2000; Kitson et al., 1998; McCormack & Garbett, 2001; Morrell et al. 1995; Roger, 2003; Stetler et al., 2002; Stober & Grant, 2006; Whitworth et al., 2007)

11. 10 Skills of Successful Facilitators • Building trusting collaborative relationships • Identifying problems and formulating solutions • Allowing people to learn by their own processes • Assessing the context of the adopter • Aware the adopter is transforming the innovation/evidence • Coaching • Cultural Competency • Networking and Political skills • Acts as a resource agent • Strategic planning and thinking (Allsop, 1990; CLAS, 2001; Fullard, 1994; Harvey, 1993; Harvey et al., 2002; Kegler et al., 2006; Kitson et al., 1998; Mitchell et al., 2002; Nutley et al., 2007; Rogers, 2003; Stetler et al., 2002; Stober & Grant 2006; Titchen, 2000; Wandersman et al., 2008; Whitworth et al., 2007.)

12. Your Challenge

13. Coaching is… a goal-oriented, generative, solutions focused process in which an adopter is guided to develop a vision, delineate a range of goals and options to realize this vision, develop and implement action plans to achieve those goals, identifying road blocks and to construct possible solutions to these throughout the change process.(Moore & Tschannen-Moran, 2010; Stober & Grant, 2006: Whitworth et al., 2007)

14. Coaching Supports “The New” • “The New” is… • Crude compared to that of experienced/familiar • Fragile & must be reinforced • Incomplete & requires ongoing practice & shaping • Individual practitioners are key in Prevention

15. Two Critical Components • Reflection: an opportunity to think about and clarify visions, values, goals and hurdles; and 2)Action: a commitment to take self defined steps to move towards goals

16. Relationship is the Heart of Coaching Coaching is a generative relationship with flow.

17. Relationship Building in Coaching • Trust & Rapport • Show empathy • Slow down • Pay full attention • Be honest • Confidentiality is key • Playfulness & Humor • Silence: W.A.I.T (Why Am I Talking?) • Never take anything for granted and make no assumptions

18. 3 Core Coaching Skills • Mindful Listening • Open-ended Inquiry • Perceptive Reflections

19. Mindful Listening Listening that brings full, non-judgmental awareness of what someone is saying in the present moment. Listen until I don’t exist and find the truth behind the words.

20. Open-ended Inquiry Requires narrative response and enables clients to open up to tell their stories. • What do you enjoy most about your work? • How would your work change if you…?

21. Perceptive Reflections • Simple reflections • Amplified Reflections • Double-sided Reflections • Shifted-Focus reflections Purpose is to elicit change talk

22. Doing Skills: Coaching • Present and flexible • Intuition • Open to not knowing & taking risks • Many ways to work & chooses most effective one • Humor creates lightness and energy • Confidently shifts perspectives & experiments with new possibilities • Confident working with strong emotions & can self manage (ICF, 2010)

23. Being Skills: Coaching • Mindfulness • Empathy • Warmth • Affirmation • Calm • Zest • Playfulness • Courage and Authenticity

24. Communicate with Style & Substance • With empathy • From your intuition • It is your interpretation not a judgment • Reframe • Requesting • Intruding/Taking Charge – if you must

25. What derails coaching? • Unable to tolerate ambiguity • Thinking it is about you • Rushing to closure on the goal • Imposing expert knowledge instead of using it to inform • Objectifying or judging the client • Avoiding difficult issues • Over-identifying with the client • Getting hooked by the clients’ issues, emotions, etc.

26. Stages of Change • Precontemplation (I won’t or I can’t) • Contemplation (I might) • Preparation (I will) • Action (I am) • Maintenance (I still am)

27. Precontemplation (I won’t or I can’t) • I won’t: “I understand that now is not the time for ____. Here is how you can contact me when the time is right.” • I can’t: Help move beyond thinking change is too complicated.

28. Contemplation (I might) • Cultivate an information exchange relationship: (a) to facilitate the assessment of readiness and needs; and (b) to lay the foundation for an ongoing relationship • Is SPF needed? • Why SPF? • What must be in place to successfully adopt SPF?

29. Contemplation (I might): Coaching (Know) How • Explore best experiences with change/like approach in the past and the positive reasons for using SPF in the future. • Help connect the dots between the changes they seek and existing strengths. • Help connect the dots between the changes they seek and their vision for prevention. • Setting a clear vision for what they want is essential. Examine upside of change as well as downside. • Small steady steps and actions.

30. Preparation (I will) • Translate intent into action: • What is the right environment for using the SPF here? • How will we accomplish the actions needed to create this environment? • Are we ready to act? • How will we stage these actions?

31. Preparation (I will): Coaching (Know) How • Assist to concretize plans for change • Brainstorm many small actionable steps to take • When ambivalence or resistance show up, explore difficulties in new ways of doing and encourage them to identify possibilities to address • Forecast and discuss situations clients think could be problematic

32. Action (I am) • Facilitate the utilization of the innovation: • Are we doing what we said we would do? • Is the SPF adoption process occurring as we thought it would? • Are we seeing the expected changes? • Who do we need to make sure is on board as we implement SPF? • Do we want to maintain SPF?

33. Action (I am): Coaching (Know) How • Target incremental changes that result in early wins • Connect new ways of doing with strengths, values, vision • Explorewhenlapses happen and learn from: Who was involved? What was going on? How were they feeling? What could be done differently next time? • Frame mistakes/missteps as opportunities not failures • Anticipate and prepare for lapses

34. Maintenance (I still am) • Stabilize the use of SPF and prevent discontinuance: • Is there a local change agent supporting the adopter’s ability to maintain SPF? • How much change is expected as a result of adopting SPF; what are expected outcomes of the change? • How much time is allocated for change to using SPF? • Are adequate resources allocated to support needed changes for SPF?

35. Maintenance (I still am): Coaching (Know) How • Reconnect with and appreciate value of new way of doing • Encourage continued growth through new goals • Don’t lose sight of the vision and motivators • Help discover new motivators • Avoid judgment at all times • If a lapse happens, help get client back on track

36. Developing a Vision • A compelling picture of what could be through the SPF, that builds on past accomplishments and current desires. • Grounded • Bold • Desired • Palpable • Participatory

37. Steps to Help Develop Vision

38. Indicators of Generative Moments

39. Facilitating Generative Moments

40. Motivational Interviewing • Express Empathy • Develop Discrepancy • Roll with Resistance • Support Self-efficacy Move beyond resistance, reluctance, ambivalence

41. MI: Move beyond resistance… • Stimulate conversation about what they really want • Decisional balance • Brainstorm options • Importance • Confidence

42. Perceptive Reflections: Simple Client: We have already done a needs assessment and none of us have time to do another one. Simple reflection: I know you have done a needs assessment and there is not enough time to do another one. Client: YES! It’s frustrating to have to keep doing these and I am not sure who could do this. Empathy reflection: When you say it is frustrating it sounds like you feel like you are jumping through hoops and you are wondering about who has the time and ability to dig into the data some more…

43. Perceptive Reflections: Amplified Client: We have already done a needs assessment and none of us have time to do another one. Amplified reflection: I hear you saying that you don’t know anyone who has the time to do another needs assessment and don’t know what is the use of doing one. Client: I know it is important to know what is going on here in our community. And we do do what needs to be done and we could figure out how to add to what we have. Empathy reflection: When you say we could figure out how to add to what we have it sounds like maybe you could do some thinking and talking about who might have the time to take the lead on this, because it would help you do the best for your community.

44. Perceptive Reflections: Double-Sided Client: We have already done a needs assessment and none of us have time to do another one. Double-sided reflection: I hear you saying that you don’t anyone who has the time to do another needs assessment and don’t know what is the use of doing one. But I have also heard you say that getting all the information you can helps you plan for good prevention in your community. Client: Right, we want to do the best things for our kids and community, but we are all stretched thin here. If we could figure out how to do this without having to entirely reinvent the wheel well, THAT would be different. Empathy reflection: When you say we would like to not reinvent the wheel it sounds like you are feeling like you are spinning wheels instead of taking action. That your need to “get all the facts” and doing the work of prevention are not being met.

45. Perceptive Reflections: Shifted-Focus Client: We have already done a needs assessment and none of us have time to do another one. Shifted-Focus reflection: Because you don’t have time to redo an assessment, let’s talk about how and who you want to engage to help address the SPF. You said the SPF priority suggested that you might need to reach out beyond the “usual suspects.” Client: Yeah, this could be an opportunity for us to start working more closely with our local police and the campus. We have already called the local community officer and he’s connecting us with the campus force. Empathy reflection: Sounds like you are really getting some traction going here…that making these connections is helping the coalition come together and that feels positive and like some progress is being made. Would you be willing to let me know if that is on track?

46. Appreciative Inquiry • Clarify & summarize topic • Discover best experience • Describe vision: Energy & Strengths • Design actions • Destiny • Summarize & confirm Connect with the Positive

47. AI: Spiral Dynamic of Change Moore & Tschannen-Moran, 2010

48. AI: Connect with the Positive • “Tell me about a similar experience and how you navigated through it.” • “What did success look like?” • “What strikes you as a good possibility with the SPF?” • “What would you hope to achieve?” • “What is already in place to help...?”

49. Integrating Coach and Expert Roles • Less is more when Coaching • Judgment call when to bring in expert advice when coaching • If client needs to acquire new knowledge & skills to reach goal, help them define the path to acquiring these.

50. In Sum… • Coaching is an approach and process • It helps to cement learning • It is generative • It fosters self-efficacy • It is relationship based