Journey Module

Coaching Certification Path: Module 1 — Core Skills

A scaffolded, practical module that builds foundational coaching skills through short lessons, structured practice sessions, peer assessment rubrics, and a supervised coaching hours log. Designed for internal coaches who need consistent assessment, workable practice templates, and clear calibration guidance.

Welcome — Why this module matters

This module teaches the core interpersonal and process skills that make a reliable internal coaching capability possible. It focuses on real coaching actions you can practice, observe, assess, and repeat so the organization develops consistent, high‑quality coaches instead of uneven, idiosyncratic approaches.

Intended audience & hunger

For emerging or assigned internal coaches who need practical coaching skills, safe supervised practice, and clear assessment criteria. Underlying hungers include reducing inconsistent coaching quality, building trust in internal coaches, and creating measurable coach development paths.

Learning objectives

  • Demonstrate presence and active listening during a 20–40 minute coaching conversation.
  • Use clear, open, and powerful questions that help coachees surface underlying needs and options.
  • Co-design simple, achievable action plans and check for commitment.
  • Give and receive formative feedback using an agreed rubric.
  • Apply ethical boundaries, confidentiality norms, and know when to refer outside the coaching scope.
  • Record supervised coaching hours and reflect on growth using a short structured reflection.

Module outline — micro-lessons (short, focused learning units)

  1. Presence & active listening — Signals of true listening; managing interruptions; short exercises (2x2 minute listening pairs).
  2. Open & powerful questions — Question types, traps to avoid, quick drills to practice phrasing.
  3. Goal framing & the GROW pattern — Quick structure for a coaching conversation that produces a tangible next step.
  4. Feedback & feedforward — How to offer developmental feedback and invite feedback as a coach.
  5. Scope, ethics & referral — Confidentiality, conflict of interest, and signals for professional referral.
  6. Reflective practice — Short guided reflections and journaling prompts to accelerate learning from each session.

Practice session template (useable in pairs or triads)

This template supports repeated, timeboxed practice with observer feedback.

Structure (40 minutes)

  • Check‑in (2 min): Coach and coachee set the focus/hunger for this session.
  • Coaching conversation (25 min): Coach practices; coachee brings a real, work-related topic.
  • Immediate micro-feedback (5 min): Coachee shares what felt useful; coach reflects briefly.
  • Observer feedback (6–8 min): Observer uses the peer rubric to give targeted, evidence-based feedback.
  • Closing (1–2 min): Coach states next step(s); coachee confirms commitment.

Roles & quick script

  • Coach: Open with a short contract (“What would you like to focus on?”). Use open questions, summarize, reflect, and co-design next steps.
  • Coachee: Bring a real, current issue; speak from your own experience; commit to next steps you can try in the coming week(s).
  • Observer: Take time‑stamped notes linked to rubric behaviors (listen, question, summarize, planning, ethics). Provide one affirmation, one suggestion, and one reflective question for the coach.

Observation prompts (for observers)

  • How did the coach open and contract? Was the focus clarified?
  • What percent of the time did the coach speak vs. listen?
  • Which questions moved the coachee forward? Which closed them down?
  • Was there a clear, co‑designed action plan with a measurable next step?
  • Were ethics/confidentiality addressed appropriately?

Peer assessment rubric (for quick calibration and consistent feedback)

Use this rubric to score observed sessions. Treat descriptors as examples to be tailored by your organization. Scores: 1 = Not Demonstrated, 2 = Emerging, 3 = Competent, 4 = Exemplary.

Competency 1 — Not Demonstrated 2 — Emerging 3 — Competent 4 — Exemplary
Rapport & contracting Doesn't set or clarify session purpose; interaction feels transactional. Attempts to clarify but leaves ambiguity about focus or expectations. Clearly sets purpose; gains coachee agreement; creates safety. Quick, confident contracting that sharpens focus and invites co‑ownership.
Active listening & presence Frequently interrupts or redirects; shows minimal listening skills. Some reflective statements; occasional distractions or leading comments. Listens deeply, reflects accurately, allows space; minimal leading. Consistently present; deep reflections accelerate coachee insight.
Questioning Mostly closed or leading questions; little exploration. Some open questions but mixed with advice or assumptions. Uses open, probing questions that elicit insight. Questions catalyze new perspectives and options consistently.
Goal clarity & action planning No clear outcomes or actions emerge. Some goals defined but vague or lacking ownership. Coaches to specific, owned next steps with success criteria. Creates SMARTER (specific, measurable, agreed) actions with check‑ins planned.
Feedback & development stance Gives unsolicited advice or judgment without reflection. Mixes helpful feedback with advice; occasionally directive. Offers balanced, evidence‑based feedback and invites reflection. Feedback is concise, timely, and clearly linked to the coachee's goals.
Ethics & boundaries Ignores confidentiality or conflict issues. Recognizes issues but unsure how to handle them. Applies boundaries and refers appropriately when needed. Anticipates boundary issues and proactively escalates or refers.

Using the rubric

Observers should record scores and 1–2 evidence sentences for each competency. Encourage short calibration sessions where multiple observers rate the same recorded or live session and compare notes to align expectations.

Supervised coaching hours log (printable)

Keep a running log for certification. Organizations should adapt hour requirements to their context; below are suggested fields.

Date Coachee (initials/ID) Session length (min) Focus / Hunger Observer / Supervisor Rubric average Coach reflection (1–2 lines)
____/____/______ ________________ ______ __________________________________ ________________ __ __________________________________
(Add rows as needed — track cumulative supervised hours and average rubric score.)

Suggested certification thresholds (example — tailor to your organization)

  • Minimum supervised coaching hours: 40 (20 observed, 20 practice).
  • Minimum rubric average: 3.0 across core competencies with no competency below 2.
  • Three documented reflective practice entries showing iterative learning.

These are starting recommendations. Keep the criteria transparent and subject them to periodic calibration.

Calibration & assessor guidance

Run short monthly calibration sessions where two or more assessors rate the same observed session (live or recorded) and discuss differences. Capture exemplar sessions to build a shared standard library.

Next steps & recommended resources

  • Practice: Schedule weekly triad practice sessions using the template.
  • Reflect: Keep short post-session reflections and share one per month with your supervisor.
  • Learn: Use short micro-lessons and targeted micro-practice rather than long one-off trainings.
  • Resources: Suggested readings and videos (GROW model overview, active listening drills, and a short guide on coaching ethics) — link and curate locally to match organizational policy.

Note: Preserve this module's structure when tailoring. Certification depends on clear, shared criteria and repeated, observed practice. Consider turning the log and rubric into interactive forms for easier tracking and aggregation (see capability suggestions).

Discuss Ask the Librarian

Discussion

Comments and conversation will live here.