Q: What is coaching?

A: Coaching is defined as “partnering with leader being coached(s) in a thought-provoking and creative process that inspires them to maximize their personal and professional potential” International Coach Federation (ICF). It is a voluntary and experiential development process which facilitates change and growth in both individuals and groups. Through structured dialogue, coaches work with their leaders being coached to seek new perspectives and achieve greater clarity about their own thoughts, emotions and actions, and about the people and situations around them. The leader being coached gives power to the relationship, drives the coaching agenda, and is ultimately responsible for the outcome of the coaching engagement. Coaches apply specific techniques and skills, approaches, and methodologies that enable the leader being coached to develop their goals and design actions to achieve them.

Coaching is one of the most valuable developmental resources we can offer our workforce and has been linked to positive outcomes such as increased productivity, retention, and engagement.  A successful coaching engagement promotes and sustains professional growth and competence. Coaching topics and goals in the Federal setting can be aligned with the employee’s professional goals and organizational mission.

 

Q: What is the difference between sponsoring, mentoring, and coaching?   

A: Sponsoring is advocating for opportunities, supporting well-thought-out risk-taking, and expands social capital on behalf of an individual. Sponsoring is utilized more so in the military community vs. the civilian enterprise.  This is because sponsoring could lead to prohibitive civilian hiring practices based on laws.  Unlike sponsoring, mentoring and coaching are considered developmental activities, which enables individuals to achieve their full potential. While a mentor provides advice, guidance, and subject-matter expertise, a coach uses a process to mutually define actions for professional development without the coach providing any advice. Furthermore, formal coaching is always predicated on a signed agreement between coach and leader being coached, stating the ethical standards of confidentiality, voluntariness, and self-determination, including the duration of the coaching agreement and the expectations of both parties. It is important to understand the distinctions between these roles to ensure the appropriate use in the workplace; a sponsor talks about you, a mentor talks to you, and a coach talks with you.

 

Q: Who can coach in Army Coaching Program?

A:  The following individuals are able to “formally” coach:

• Professionally Trained Coach: an individual who offers support through an ongoing partnership designed to help leader’s being coached maximize their potential in their personal and professional lives. Coaches have formal training that leads to a coaching certification.  See below for details:
• Internal ACP Coach: a certified coach who is employed within the Department of the Army and provides coaching services to other Army members, and at times, other Federal employees across the Government.
• External Coach: a certified coach, who is either self-employed or partners with other professional coaches to form a coaching business that conducts business with the US Government.

 

Q: I am a supervisor, can I coach my subordinates?

A: A supervisor, manager, or executive can leverage coaching knowledge, approaches, and techniques in working with their employees to raise awareness and support positive behavior change in an informal coaching setting. It is not advised to enter into a formal confidential coaching agreement with a subordinate in order to maintain formal agreements. More details are highlighted in a subsequent Q&A.

 

Q: Who can receive internal ACP coaching?

A: The current targeted population is mid-level and higher leaders; as the ACP continues to build a robust internal coaching cadre, future courses will extend to broader, less targeted ACP populations.

 

Q: Who is Flatter, Inc.?

A: Flatter, Inc. is a professional external coaching business partner with the United States Air Force (USAF), who provides coaching services and training across the DoD as stipulated in the business contract with the USAF which the Army Talent Management Task Force (ATMTF) and ACP are partners. Flatter, Inc. is conducting the Coaching Culture Facilitator Course (CCFC).

 

Q: How many hours of training is required to complete the CCFC?

A: The course consists of 80 hours of live and virtual coach-specific training, practice, and assignments over a 16-week period. During the 16-week period, training is conducted in two-hour virtual sessions held twice a week on Tuesdays and Thursdays–1000-1200 EST and one-hour every Wednesday from 1000-1100 EST on the following dates:

• Official course syllabus will be distributed after approval of enrollment

 

 Q: Who can seek coaching from these newly trained ACP coaches, and how will the newly trained coaches be paired to those who apply to have a coach?

A: All Soldiers may apply for coaching services from trained coaches. Currently, coaches and leaders being coached are matched manually using an internal database. As the program continues to grow, coaching matching will be done on a virtual web platform. Leaders that desire professional coaching will have the opportunity to search for a coach based on a variety of filters to include time zones.

 

Q: How are the coaching classes and the 100 hours of “give back” coaching counted/tracked?

A: All classes and hours of coaching should be counted/tracked during normal duty hours by course attendees and their supervisors as a collaborative effort. In addition, coaches are required to submit hours to ACP on a quarterly basis.

 

Q: Who can recommend and approve an applicant’s training application package?

A: The applicant’s supervisor will recommend and approve the applicant’s submission package.

 

Q: How many applicants can the supervisor nominate?

A: The supervisor is not limited in the number of nominations.

 

Q: What are the reasons that individuals may engage in coaching?

A: Individuals may engage in coaching for a variety of reasons related to maximizing performance. Examples of potential coaching objectives include the following:

• Develop leadership skills of technical experts interested in supervisory positions
• Facilitate professional transitions (e.g., transition from non-supervisory to supervisory roles, transition into higher level leadership roles)
• Organize and prioritize professional responsibilities
• Clarify vision, create meaningful goals, and develop achievable action steps
• Facilitate change management
• Achieve professional career goals
• Streamline or identify functional efficiencies
• Solve individual leadership challenges
• Excel in self-awareness and self-management
• Identify core strengths and recognize how best to leverage them
• Gain clarity in purpose and decision-making
• Strengthening leadership competencies
• Enhancing relationships

 

Q: Are coaching sessions confidential?

A: All information discussed during a coaching engagement once the coaching agreement occurs is confidential unless the leader being coached gives explicit permission to share or as required by law. A coaching agreement must include a statement of confidentiality that informs coaches of the limits of confidentiality as it relates to Federal employees. Limits of confidentiality in the Federal government include: a report of an act of fraud, waste or abuse; the revelation of having committed a crime; the threat of harm to self or others; the sharing of information in violation of a security clearance; the report of sexual harassment; the requirement by law or a court order to share particular information.

 

Q: Can coaching sessions be conducted during normal duty-hours?

A: Coaching is a learning and development activity and therefore is intended to be accomplished during normal duty hours. Moreover, all coaching engagements must have approval from immediate supervisors in order to minimize conflicts with organizational priorities to meet mission requirements.

 

Q: How often does the coaching relationship last?

A: Coaching sessions should include, on average, six sessions over a 6-month period with each session scheduled every 2-3 weeks and lasting 30-45 minutes per session. This agreement is between the coach and the leader being coached.

 

Q: What ethical standards are expected to be followed for coaching in the ACP/Federal government?

A: Federal internal coaches are bound to uphold the basic obligation for public service and the standards for ethical conduct for Federal employees found in 5 Code of Federal Regulations Part 2635 as well as in Joint Ethics Regulation DoD 5500.7-R. These standards supersede all coach-specific code of ethics and must be addressed appropriately in the Coaching Agreement, specifically the limits of confidentiality and conflicts of interest.

 

Q: Can an internal coach provide coaching services to anyone in the ACP?

A: Internal Federal coaches need to avoid situations where they are coaching individuals that could be in their chain of command. Such instances include:

• Engaging in a coaching relationship as an internal coach with a current direct report
• Engaging in a coaching relationship as an internal coach with someone who will imminently become a direct report
• Engaging in a coaching relationship as an internal coach with a current manager in one’s supervisory chain
• Engaging in a coaching relationship as an internal coach with a Federal employee and receiving payment outside of regular salary compensation

 

Q: What record-keeping is required for coaching engagements?

A: Coaching in any capacity is considered professional development as long as the goal of the engagement relates to an organization-related outcome. As with any other authorized development activity, time spent in professional coaching, either as an internal ACP coach or leader being coached, must be approved by the employee’s supervisor with consideration for organizational priorities. Coaches are asked to document the number being coached and coaching hours on a quarterly basis. This is the same information that will be asked for a coach that seeks to become credentialed.

 

 Additional Quick Go-To FAQs for ACP Supervisors

 

Q: What does the application package include?

A: The application submission begins with six essay questions located in ACP Website https://talent.army.mil/acp/training/ along with the following required attachments to ACP email encrypted to: usarmy.pentagon.hqda-dcs-g-1.mbx.army-coaching-program@army.mil

• Coaching Course Application with supervisor endorsement
• Recent Soldier Record Brief

 

 Q: How many duty-hours of training are required for participants to complete the course?

A: The course consists of 80 hours of live and virtual coach-specific training and practice, over a 16-week period. During the 16-week period, training is conducted in two-hour sessions held twice a week on Tuesdays and Thursdays–1000-1200 hrs EST and one-hour every Wednesday from 1000–1100 EST on the following dates:

• Official course syllabus will be distributed after approval of enrollment

 

Q: What attributes should be considered when submitting the right applicant?

 A: Applicants must be volunteers. Targeted applicants possess self-awareness, good listening skills, respectfulness and trustworthiness, and demonstrate sensitivity and discretion towards the issues of others in the organization; additionally, applicants who express encouragement and optimism in both easy and difficult situations, and demonstrates accountability for self and others.

 

Q: How many applicants can the supervisor nominate?

A: Supervisors are not limited in the number of applicants they can nominate from each category.

 

Q: When will the participants be notified of their selection?

A: Participants will be notified of their selection by 2-3 weeks before the program start date.

 

Q: What are the endorsement windows for the supervisor?

A: The supervisor endorsement must be included when the application is submitted.