Coaching groups
Groups of three
Each session lasts for 75 minutes
Allow 3 minutes at the beginning and end of the session for a quick check-in and check-out from each member of the group.
It is not necessary (or even important) to finish each challenge. It is more important for the group members to establish a rapport and to get to a point where they understand each problem and are working towards a solution.
An inexperienced group can be led by a facilitator, who can ensure that everyone understands their roles and can offer their meta-observations (an observer watching the Observer!).
Schedule
00:00 Check-in
00:03 Establish roles
00:05 Round #1
00:25 Round #2
00:45 Round #3
00:65 Group reflection
00:70 Check-out
00:75 End
Two different modes
A coaching group can work as:
A forum for group members to get support on a problem they have been working on; or
An opportunity for group members to set challenges for each other as a way to get experience of responding to each other under mock interview conditions.
The roles
Proposer
The proposer shares their screen and presents a challenge which is then discussed with the respondent. Depending on the context, this will either be:
A problem that they want help with; or
A problem that they have prepared to test the knowledge of the Respondent.
Respondent
Depending on the context, it is either the Respondent's role to:
Support the Proposer to find a solution to their challenge; or
Take the lead in finding that solution.
In either case, they should start by ensuring that they fully understand the challenge being presented by reading or describing for the whole group the information they see on the Proposer's screen.
The Proposer and the Respondent are effectively pairing on a problem together, with one taking the lead with the problem solving. The person in the supporting role should focus on asking questions of the person in the leading role, rather than directly providing solutions, with a view to the whole group gaining a better understanding of the problem.
Observer
The Observer is responsible for providing constructive feedback to both the Proposer and the Respondent at the end of the round. Was the person in the supporting role supportive and did they at any point step out of role and offer solutions? What was missing from the eventual solution that either the Proposer or the Respondent missed?
It is also the Observer's role to keep time and allow time for their own feedback at the end of the round.
Starting
After checking-in, the group can agree on their roles for the first round.
Ending
At the end of the third and final round, the group can take 5 minutes to offer final reflections on each of the rounds. If the group is reporting back to a larger group, then each person can rehearse a 20-second reflection from the Observer's point of view, before checking out.
Tools
Question crib sheet, that each respondent can use as a scaffold for their questioning;
Glossary of terms.
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