Coaching Toolkit for Child Welfare

246 The Coaching Toolkit for Child Welfare Practice

and follow-up discussion (known as reflection) does not require
each person to provide the other with feedback on their
performance.

Example: Benefits of peer coaching

An agency is rolling out a major new initiative — family team
meetings — for all social workers to learn. Organization leaders
researched implementation, and after some initial introductory
trainings selected the early adopters (see "Change Agents" in
Chapter 7) to first receive formal classroom training. Early adopters
were paired with external coaches who both demonstrated the skill
and then observed the social worker using the skill.

When the social worker began demonstrating proficient skill, the
agency offered formal training to other staff members. The
experienced social workers began coaching the newly trained staff,
first by having the new learner observe them demonstrating the
practice. The shared learning experience between the early adopter
and peers was beneficial to both learners. The organization chose
not to mandate training or coaching, instead relied on the early
adopters and the early majority to lead the implementation through
their positive experiences in the coaching process.