COMPETENCY BASED LEARNING MATERIAL

Sector:

TOURISM
Qualification:

HOUSEKEEPING NC II
Unit of Competency: Basic Competency

WORK IN A TEAM ENVIRONMENT

Module Title:

WORKING IN A TEAM ENVIRONMENT

SOUTHBAY MONTESSORI SCHOOL AND COLLEGES, INC.

HOW TO USE THIS COMPETENCY-BASED LEARNING MATERIAL

 The unit of competency, “WORK IN A TEAM ENVIRONMENT”, is one of the
competencies of BASIC COMPETENCY, a course which comprises the knowledge, skills,
and attitudes required for a TVET trainee to possess.
The module, Working in a team environment contains training materials and
activities related to the skills and knowledge required to provide a range of BASIC
COMPETENCY.
In this module, you are required to go through a series of learning activities in order
to complete each learning outcome. In each learning outcome are Information Sheets, Self-
checks, Operation Sheets, Task Sheets, and Job Sheets. Follow and perform the activities on
your own. If you have questions, do not hesitate to ask for assistance from your facilitator.
Remember to:
 Read information sheet and complete the self-checks.
 Perform the Task Sheets, Operation Sheets, and Job Sheets until you are confident
that your outputs conform to the Performance Criteria Checklists that follow the said
work sheets.
 Submit outputs of the Task Sheets, Operation Sheets, and Job Sheets to your
facilitator for evaluation and recording in the Achievement Chart. Outputs shall serve
as your portfolio during the Institutional Competency Evaluation. When you feel
confident that you have had sufficient practice, ask your trainer to evaluate you. The
results of your assessment will be recorded in your Achievement Chart and
Progress Chart.
You must pass the Institutional Competency Evaluation for this competency before
moving to another competency. A Certificate of Achievement will be awarded to you after
passing the evaluation.

You need to complete this module before you can perform the module on PRACTICE
CAREER PROFESSIONALISM.

Date Developed: Document No.

Competency Based Issued by:

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 BASIC COMPETENCY

COMPETENCY BASED LEARNING MATERIALS

LIST OF COMPETENCIES

No. Unit of Competency Module Title Code

PARTICIPATE IN WORKPLACE Participating in workplace 500311105
1
COMMUNICATION communication

WORK IN TEAM
2 Working in team Environment 500311106
ENVIRONMENT

PRACTICE CAREER
3 Practicing career professionalism 500311107
PROFESSIONALISM
PRACTICE OCCUPATIONAL
Practicing occupational health and
4 HEALTH AND SAFETY 500311108
safety procedure
PROCEDURE

MODULE CONTENT

Date Developed: Document No.

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UNIT OF COMPETENCY: WORK IN A TEAM ENVIRONMENT

MODULE TITLE: Working In a Team Environment

MODULE DESCRIPTOR:

This unit covers the skills, knowledge and attitudes to identify role and responsbility as a
member of a team.

Upon completion of this module, you should be able to:

Learning Outcome 1: Describe team role and scope

Learning Outcome 2: Identify own role and responsibility within team

Learning Outcome 3 Work as a team member

Learning Outcome 4: Work effectively with colleagues

Learning Outcome 5: Work in socially diverse environment

COMPETENCY SUMMARY

Qualification Title : BASIC

Unit of Competency : Work in team environment

Date Developed: Document No.

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Module Title : Working in team environement

Introduction
This unit covers the skills, knowledge and attitudes to identify role and responsibility as a
member of a team.

Learning Outcome

Upon completion of this module, you MUST be able to:

1. Describe team role and scope

2. Identify own role and responsibility within team

3. Work as a team member

4. Work effectively with colleagues

5. Work in socially diverse environment

Assessment Criteria
1. Observation of the individual member in relation to the work activities of the group
2. Observation of simulation and or role play involving the participation of individual
member to the atainment of organizational goal
3. Case studies and scenarious as a basis for discussion of issues and strategies in
teamwork

LEARNING OUTCOME #1 DESCRIBE TEAM ROLE AND SCOPE

CONTENTS:
1. Communication process
2. Team structure
3. Team roles
4. Group planning and decision making

Date Developed: Document No.

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 5. Specific diversity issues

ASSESSMENT CRITERIA
1. The role and obkectives of the team is identified from available sources of
information
2. Team parameters, reporting relationships and responsibilities are identified from team
discussions and appropriate external sources

CONDITION
Student/ trainee must be provided with the following:
Role and objective of
Sources of information Workplace content
team

 Standard operating and or  Work procedures and

other workplace practices
 Work activities in a procedures  Conditions of work
team environment  Job procedures environments
with enterprise or  Machines/equipment  Legislation and
specific sector manufacturers industrial agreements
 Limited discretion, specifications and  Standard work
initiative and instructions practice including the
judgement maybe  Organizational or external storage, safe handling
demonstrated on the personnel and disposal of
job, either  Clients/supplier chemicals
individually or in a instrcutionsquality  Safety, environmental,
team environment standards housekeeping and
 OHS and environmental quality guidelines
standards

ASSESSMENT METHOD:
 Demonstration
 Observation
 Interviews/ Questioning

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Learning Experiences

Learning Outcome 1
DESCRIBE AND IDENTIFY TEAM ROLE AND RESPONSIBILITY IN A TEAM

Learning Activities Special Instructions

Date Developed: Document No.

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Read Information Sheet 2.1-1: on This Learning Outcome deals with the
PREARE FOR ON-THE-JOB
development of the Institutional Competency
COACHING
2.1.1 Identify the need for coaching Evaluation Tool which trainers use in evaluating
based on a range of factors
their trainees after finishing a competency of the
2.1.2 Identify skill deficiencies that
could be addressed by coaching qualification.
needs through discussion with
Go through the learning activities outlined for you
the colleagues to be coached
2.1.3 Organize with colleagues a on the left column to gain the necessary
suitable time and place to
information or knowledge before doing the tasks to
conduct coaching in accordance
with enterprise policy practice on performing the requirements of the
evaluation tool.
The output of this LO is a complete Institutional
Competency Evaluation Package for one
Work project 2.1-1
Competency of BASIC COMPETENCY. Your
Answer guide 2.1-1
output shall serve as one of your portfolio for your
Institutional Competency Evaluation for WORK
IN TEAM ENVIRONMENT Feel free to show
your outputs to your trainer as you accomplish
them for guidance and evaluation.

INFORMATION SHEET 2.1

2.1 PREPARE FOR ON-THE-JOB COACHING

2.1.1 IDENTIFY THE NEED FOR COACHING BASED ON A RANGE OF

FACTORS

Introduction
Coaching plays an important role in any enterprise and being asked to coach a workmate is
recognition of your current skill and your potential to pass on that expertise to others.
Up to date skills and information must be regularly passed on to both
new and old employees. Coaching will ensure that all staff are
confident in working the systems and equipment present in the
workplace and in complying with workplace procedures.

What does coaching relate to?

Coaching a colleague will generally relate to:
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 Presenting and explaining verbal and/or written information
 Demonstrating practical skills
 Observing a colleague complete a task
 Providing follow up advice, support and feedback
 Reviewing a colleague’s work and work practice.

Competency standards
Since the introduction of Competency Based Training (CBT), coaching may be conducted in
line with a ‘competency standard’.
A competency standard is a benchmark level deemed as being the necessary level a person
needs in order to proficiently perform a specific task.
These standards may be set in-house by the establishment, or they may be derived from a
government or industry-accredited course or source.
It is essential you know the standard you are expected to coach someone to before you start
delivering any coaching.
You may be able to identify these standards by:
 Talking to onsite trainers
 Reading internal standards, work procedures and service criteria
 Conferring with more experienced staff
 Talking with management
 Using your common sense coupled with industry and venue knowledge to determine what
is applicable.

Identifying the need for coaching

Colleagues may require coaching on existing systems and equipment, coaching on new
systems and equipment, or they may require remedial coaching (such as refreshing a person’s
skills with the aim of improving their current observable performance).
There are several factors that can indicate a need for coaching:
Staff induction
Staff who are inducted may need initial skills coaching in certain areas (because they have no
experience at all with a specific task), or they may require remedial coaching (because their
existing experience is not at the standard required by the new venue, or the equipment and
procedures are different).
Where this is not provided, new staff can easily feel ignored and frustrated, leading to high
levels of staff turnover. Since recruiting staff is time consuming and expensive, it makes
sense to ensure the appropriate levels of coaching are delivered at this early stage of a
person’s time with a new employer.
Date Developed: Document No.

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A request from a colleague for coaching
Many staff identify their own need for coaching.
If this occurs recognise staff may feel anxious about disclosing this need, feeling they are
‘admitting’ their performance is below the required level and fearing they might lose their
job.
This means you must be sensitive to the feelings of learners when delivering coaching in
these circumstances, and develop a good rapport so they do not feel threatened, compromised
or incompetent by virtue of having asked for help.
It is vital they realise their jobs are not at risk simply
because they have asked for help.
A direction from management to help a staff
member
Management may observe certain staff and determine
they require coaching.
Once again, you must be sympathetic to the staff
concerned and ensure you support them, rather than
further increase their anxiety at being identified as being ‘deficient’ by management.
It is to be expected that any staff who are told by management they need training are going to
be somewhat anxious about their future and job security.
Where appropriate, it is vital you begin such coaching by informing staff their jobs are not
under threat. A coaching session set within a framework of mutual co-operation and benefit is
much more likely to result in success than one set within a context of coercion and worry.
As a result of personal observation of staff performance
Frequently, coaches are supervisors or middle level managers and their job can present
opportunities to observe staff in the workplace.
Your observations in this regard may indicate a need for coaching and, arguably, this is
something management expects you to do.
When such circumstances arise, it is critical that specific instances are communicated to staff
to provide (or prove) the basis for the coaching needed.
Where coaches can identify specific needs (that is, actual examples of under-
performance/sub-standard performance) staff are more ready to understand, and accept, why
they require coaching.
Following a customer complaint
Given you work in an industry where there is a high
degree of interaction with customers, it is almost
inevitable complaints will occur.

Date Developed: Document No.

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As a workplace coach you need to differentiate between genuine and frivolous complaints so
coaching is only offered when a real and genuine need exists.
In reality this usually means you do not automatically respond with a coaching response to
each and every complaint received.
As a result of changes in workplace equipment
There will always be examples of new equipment being introduced into the workplace
whether items are replacing worn out or superseded equipment or they are new items
introduced to enable a new product or service to be provided.
As coaches you must realise, for example, that just because staff could competently operate
the previous cash register, it does not mean they will be able to use the new one.
It is common for suppliers to provide some form of initial training, but it may well be up to
the coach to complete or complement this training, as well to coach new staff.
As a result of changes in procedures
Changes in procedures may be caused by:
 A change in management – new management can have new or different ways of doing
things
 A change in establishment focus such as a change in the customer profile the
establishment is trying to attract
 Changes in equipment used requiring coaches to teach staff how to use the new items.
Changes in legal requirements
Existing legislation often varies over time, and new legislation can be introduced.
Common legislation requiring your ongoing attention as a workplace relates to safety and
health, liquor licensing, gaming and food handling and any other compliance-related issues.
Coaching as a result of these changes often involves making staff aware of the new or revised
legislation, but there are occasions where demonstrations to illustrate the new laws and
requirements are required.
Case studies and role plays may be used to further illustrate mandatory legislated
requirements.

Date Developed: Document No.

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2.1.2 IDENTIFY SKILL DEFICIENCIES THAT COULD BE ADDRESSED BY
COACHING NEEDS THROUGH DISCUSSION WITH THE COLLEAGUES TO
BE COACHED

Introduction

Any coaching session must be undertaken with a definite end in mind. Coaching without an
aim is a waste of time, money and effort and likely to be ineffective.
The person being coached must be able to see they have a definite need for the coaching.
No coaching should ever be done just for the sake of it.
To help achieve effective coaching, a coaching plan should be developed and used.

Training and coaching

Formal training tends to be a situation where all staff are

required to undertake a set course of instruction. It is somewhat
‘lock-step’ and everyone is usually expected to complete all of
the requirements for the unit, session or topic.
By comparison, coaching is less formal and focuses more on
individual staff need as it is identified at the time.
In some ways, coaching can be seen as informal training
delivered on the job that supplements other training he business
engages in. It is usually of a short duration and addresses
common workplace tasks.
For example, a worker may be doing a course at a local training
college yet still receive coaching at work to help with their
study.
Alternatively, the staff member may not be undertaking any
kind of course but still receive coaching to bring their existing
skills and knowledge up to the required level.
Websites
Useful websites discussing and further explaining differences between training and coaching
include:
 http://www.trainingzone.co.uk/item/94693
 http://internetmarketingtipsweb.blogspot.com/2007/08/what-is-difference-between-
training.html
 http://www.wishfulthinking.co.uk/2007/03/14/coaching-is-not-training-mentoring-or-
counselling/.
Date Developed: Document No.

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Skill deficiencies that could be addressed by coaching

There is no limit to the skills coaching can effectively address.

In practice skill deficiencies often addressed by coaching tend to be those which do not
require formal or extended training sessions but which are short, commonly-used tasks such
as:
 Customer service skills
 Technical or practical skills such as operating equipment, making
something or completing documentation
 Selling or promoting products and services.

Identifying specific coaching needs

Specific coaching needs for each individual colleague will be determined as a

result of considering a combination of three main elements:
 General need for coaching
 The factors relating to the individual colleague
 Discussion with each individual staff member.

What factors will individualise the coaching needed for each staff member?
The following is a representative list of factors you will need to take into account when
developing a coaching plan for a staff member.
Remember, factoring in these considerations is important because you do not want to deliver
coaching seen as unnecessary.
You need to make sure you address genuine, identified need.
Urgency of the coaching
This can be influenced by:
 The number of staff needing to be coached. If all staff have to be coached, the need can
be urgent
 The nature of the coaching topic, such as whether or not it is a legal requirement, a safety
issue, or strongly related to revenue and/or service standards.
The colleague’s previous work, life experience and training
It is useful to know whether or not staff have had positive or negative experiences with earlier
coaching/training.
Colleagues with negative experiences relating to coaching/training can warrant:
 Extra attention

Date Developed: Document No.

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 More support
 Added time to ensure they understand the first time they receive coaching. This allows
you to build success upon success with your coaching.
The colleague’s current skill level
When delivering coaching it is vital to know where the individual staff members are starting
from, and where it is you want them to go.
This helps avoid coaching them in skills they already have competency in, and allows you to
describe to them the path individuals will take in their future coaching/training.
This level of starting information and skills is referred to as their ‘entry’ level to
training/coaching.
In the workplace this means having a very clear idea about the standards involved in the task
being coached, and the establishment practices and protocols that apply. It is to be expected
you will already know these or you would not have been chosen as a coach.
If you do not know the required workplace standards, criteria, practices and protocols you
must take action to learn them.
The colleague’s prior knowledge
When coaching staff, it is standard practice for the coach to move from the known to the
unknown in terms of any knowledge or skill being delivered.
This means when you coach someone you should begin with something the person being
coached already knows, and build on it.
For example, if you were coaching a staff member on new legislated requirements in relation
to dealing with intoxicated customers, you might use as the starting point for your coaching
session the experience the staff member had last weekend when they refused service to an
intoxicated person.
Alternatively, you might base a session of grinding coffee beans on their previous training in
using the espresso machine to make lattes.
The colleague’s weaknesses
It is important whatever weakness has been identified as being the basis for the coaching can
be agreed to by the staff member as being a legitimate need for coaching.
Standard coaching procedure is to gain agreement from staff that it is a good idea for the
coaching to take place to address an identified training need.
As mentioned earlier, coaching for coaching’s sake is a total waste of
everyone’s time so it is best to obtain agreement at the beginning that
there is a need for the coaching.
This may require you to:
 Provide evidence you have of their below standard performance.
This may be your own observations, letters from unhappy
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 customers, samples of sub-standard product, copies of internal documents they have
competed incorrectly
 Ask them to perform a nominated task. This is often useful and can quickly gain their
agreement that there is a need for the assistance coaching will provide when they show
they cannot perform to the standard required.
The colleague’s strengths
Knowing a staff member’s strengths provides you as the coach with an opportunity to use the
staff member themselves as a coach.
There is absolutely nothing wrong with using other staff to coach other staff, providing
appropriate levels of competencies (perhaps combined with appropriate experience too) exist.
Knowing these strengths also ensures you do not coach those staff in things they already
know and have competency in.
The required standard/level at which the learner is required to work
You are only required to coach staff to the level the establishment requires them to work to,
so before you start coaching you must know this level (sometimes referred to as the
‘standard’) they are required to work to.
Within the one venue there can be different standards/levels of service or product. For
instance, the level of bar service in a cocktail bar will be different from what is required in
another bar.
When coaching, there is only a need to coach to the level/standard required in the particular
area where the staff member works.
This means someone who works in a cut-price establishment
does not need to be trained to the level required of the same
position in a 5-star venue.
Coaching people to a standard they do not need to have is a
waste of time, effort and money and may confuse the staff
member who is being trained, especially when they never get
to use the extra skills or knowledge they are coached in.
There are, however, certain times when staff are intentionally
coached in additional skills and knowledge. This is known as ‘multi-skilling’ where workers
gain skills and knowledge to allow them to work in another area or department if the need to
do so arises.
The colleague’s time restrictions and personal affairs
Coaches must strive to match the delivery of their coaching with the ability of staff to attend.
This means factoring in the work demands of staff together with their out of work obligations
such as their family, sporting commitments, community service obligations and socialising
requirements.

Date Developed: Document No.

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It is often frustrating to have to arrange coaching around such restrictions, but it is part of
coaching and training life. Arranging a suitable time for coaching seems to be a continual
juggling act trying to get times when both you and the person being coached are available and
willing to participate.
Sometimes coaching may occur during working hours and sometimes it
may need to occur before or after work.

Discussing things with the learner

It is important for the person being coached to be involved in the

development of their coaching plan. This helps them to understand
coaching is being created to suit their needs and to help bring their
workplace performance in line with expectations.
Their involvement in the planning phase will:
 Demonstrate your intention to assist them as an individual. This
discussion shows the investment the business is prepared to make in
them
 Prove they are a valuable asset to the organisation even though they may not be 100%
competent. This should help allay any fears they may have about losing their job just
because they cannot do things, or they do not know things
 Allow them to share any additional coaching needs they have. Many staff have ’hidden’
coaching needs they are reluctant to share, fearing job loss, reduced hours or less chance
of promotion
 Enable you to get to know them better as an individual. This includes finding out about
their previous training experiences, identifying restrictions they have on their
participation in coaching, talking about their previous work history/experience and their
out of work interests.
Your discussion with the learner should also:
 Explain why the coaching is needed
 Highlight the benefits of receiving coaching to the learner, the business and to the
customers
 Obtain agreement coaching is a legitimate activity in the particular context and can be
seen as a way of achieving mutually acceptable results
 Agree to outcomes/goals for the coaching.

Prior to creating a formal coaching plan

Before you start to generate your coaching plans you should have some idea of the overview
of the type and extent of the coaching required for each person. Remember, every learner will
need to have their own unique coaching plan. They may all be variations on a theme but they

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must reflect the individual needs of each staff member and take into account their individual
level of skills, availability and outside commitments.
The following are some basic examples of what you should know or consider, at a minimum,
before any really useful coaching plans can be prepared.
Scenario One
 Your observation of colleague – Mary makes cappuccinos that look like flat whites
 Coaching need(s) – since Mary is already proficient in using and cleaning the espresso
machine, she only needs to be coached in how to froth milk
How the coaching may be tailor-made – Mary is a full-time employee and can be coached
during a quiet daytime shift.
Scenario Two
 Your observation of colleague – John makes cappuccinos that look like flat whites
 Coaching need(s) – John has little experience in using an espresso coffee machine, so he
will have to be trained on how to clean and operate the espresso machine, as well as how
to make various coffees, including steaming and frothing the milk
 How the coaching may be tailor-made – John will have to be trained during the evening
as he has a full-time job elsewhere.
Scenario Three
 Your observation of colleague – Sid is a new employee in the establishment, but he has
been waiting on tables for many years. After a week or so it is obvious he lacks the polish
of his peers in this new job. He makes occasional mistakes with orders and gets the
accounts wrong on a fairly regular basis
 Coaching need(s) – Sid needs to be trained in all systems/procedures, menus, some
equipment, house policies, and safety and health requirements
 How the coaching may be tailor-made – Sid can only be trained on the weekend as he has
other personal and work commitments during the week.
Scenario Four
 Your observation of colleague – Karen is a new food waiter. She has only ever worked in
a bar environment in the venue but is keen to learn new skills in the restaurant. She has
excellent customer contact skills.
 Coaching needs – Karen needs to be trained in all system procedures, menus, familiarised
with all equipment, and safety and health requirements. She also needs training in plate
carrying skills, docket writing, table settings, the sequence of service, taking reservations,
making a table plan, and preparing the waiter’s station.
 How the coaching may be tailor-made – Karen has indicated she is eager to learn new
technical and operational skills and is happy to either come in an hour early when
rostered for or to stay an hour after her rostered finishing time.
Date Developed: Document No.

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Making a plan

The more time spent preparing a coaching plan, the better the actual
coaching will be.
A lack of adequate planning is the single most common reason for
poor coaching.
In practice, how your coaching session goes, will depend 99% on
the way you planned it to go. The critical importance of planning
any coaching/training sessions cannot be over-stated.
Planning every coaching session is vital.
As they say, ‘If you fail to plan, you plan to fail’.

The coaching plan

There are many different ‘plans’ that can be used to help coaches deliver their coaching
sessions.
All of these plans are essentially variations on a theme and you should feel free to experiment
with different coaching plans (or ‘session plans’, or ‘lesson plans’) available.
There is no legally required type or style of coaching plan. It is a matter of personal
preference as to what style you elect to use.
The role of the coaching plan:
 Is to help you sequence the material you want to deliver to the learner
 Is to help you remember all the content you need to deliver
 Is for your use only – no-one else needs to see it, read it or use it
 Provides you with an opportunity to work out in advance:
 How you will start the session
 The key points you want to make
 How you will conclude the session
 What materials you will need in order to conduct an effective
session
 How you will determine, if applicable, whether the learner has successfully learned
what was necessary or intended
 Timing requirements – how long the session and individual parts of it will take.
Your first plans will commonly be pretty lengthy but they will be vital to the success of your
session (you might do a first draft, a second and even a third draft before you get to the
finished product) but stick to it.

Date Developed: Document No.

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If you decide to do a session without a plan you will soon understand why you need one.
Preparing a Task Breakdown
When delivering coaching for a practical skill it is usual for the coach to prepare a Task
Breakdown sheet to guide the session.
In some organisations these sheets will exist as part of the standard operating procedure. In
other places, you as the coach will have to develop them from scratch.
The intention of this stage is to produce a written analysis for each job that can eventually be
converted into a checklist. This is a printed form setting out the major steps to be performed,
and the features in each of the steps.
Task breakdown sheets can only properly be prepared when you are fully aware of all the
aspects of the task under consideration:
 You must know all the knowledge, skills and attitudes required to complete the task
 You must break down major steps of the task into sub-steps and features
 You must ensure correct sequencing of all activities
 You must be aware of any special factors applying to any aspect of any step or sub-step
(the so-called ‘tricks of the trade’, or certain safety issues).
Not only must the physical task itself be analysed, but associated standards related to quality
and quantity – for your workplace – must be determined.
The quantitative aspects can frequently be measured in terms of speed, wastage, weight,
specific size and percentages and these are relatively easy to measure, however qualitative
factors (such as use of communication and interpersonal skills) are more difficult to measure
but are nonetheless critical, especially in the service industries.
Where a Task Breakdown sheet is not used, there is always a risk the coach only passes on the
bits he or she knows (which may include dangerous practice, wasteful methods, incorrect
professional techniques), as well as the chance the job/task can be delivered in a disjointed
and ad hoc fashion or important key information is missed.

A Sample Task Breakdown

"To serve a glass of draught beer"

Step Description Checks Essential knowledge

1 Select correct size Check clean and not  Correct glass

and shape of glass chipped  Fingers at bottom of glass

2 Select beer as ordered Confirm selection  Beer product knowledge

by customer

3 Fill glass with beer Check beer is cold  Put ‘head’ on bottom of glass

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 Do not knock glass  Flick tap on and off
against tap  Hold glass around bottom
 Raise glass as it fills
Compensate for drawing
conditions
 Do not overfill

4 Present glass to Beer looks  Place serviette under glass

customer presentable  Ensure glass badge faces
customer

One approach to a coaching plan

Any plan must begin by setting out what it is that is to be achieved. There should be a clearly
stated ‘Objective’ or ‘Aim’ or ‘Learning outcome(s)’ for the session.
Essentially this is where the aims of the session are clearly and concisely stated at the outset.
You can add individual details if you want, such as date the coaching is to be delivered and
specific title of the session, if applicable.
Next may come a section headed ‘Preparation’ listing all the equipment, items, tools,
facilities, manuals, notes, and audio-visual equipment you will need throughout the session.
This list grows as your plan takes shape.
It becomes a checklist you can refer to prior to delivering the coaching session to check
everything needed is available and ready.
Next an ‘Introduction’ heading may be written up.
This explains how you intend to introduce the topic/session to focus learner interest in what is
about to be delivered, to help verify prior knowledge, or to revise any previous coaching.
The Introduction might be a challenging question, a startling set of facts, a humorous
anecdote, or an attention-grabbing demonstration.
Next comes analysis of ‘Content’ (that is, what is going to be taught) and ‘Method’ (that is,
how it is going to be taught) along with a ‘Time’ frame (allocating each section of the
coaching session a pre-determined number of minutes to guide the pacing of the session to
ensure it finishes on time and everything will fit in to the time available).
The Content section should set out the key points to be covered in the session, laying them
out in the order identified as being the most appropriate sequential arrangement.
Key questions may be written down to prompt you about what to ask. Key points may also be
written down to prompt about what to say. Even the answers to the questions you plan asking
can be written in so you do not forget, or get caught out.
The Content should be laid out as clearly as possible, making things as easy to do as possible
so trainees can succeed and build on their success.

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In addition trainers must know where to draw the line about what to include in the training
and what to leave out.
The content must build on existing knowledge and proceed from the known to the unknown.
Other points to consider in any type of session plan are:-
 Stick to the main topic – do not waste time on
peripheral or unimportant issues
 Teach the basics first
 Move from the important points to the less
important ones
 Put the task in context by illustrating how the
content in question fits into the overall scheme of
things
 Get learners to observe and then to reason about what they have seen.

When writing the plan, ensure the writing is sufficiently large, clear and legible so you can
refer to it easily during the training session.
Under ‘Method’ is listed the training technique (‘Demonstration’, Video’, ‘Chalk and talk’)
you will use to deliver each part of the Content.
Next comes a heading ‘Conclusion’ where you set down what is going to be said and/or done
at the end of the session to finalise the session.
The Conclusion may include some verbal summary of what has been done, and/or a few
questions to check the extent of the learning and understanding.
The conclusion should always include some constructive feedback to the learner on how they
went in the session.
Below is a model session/coaching plan to use or adapt for your sessions.

OBJECTIVE:

PREPARATION REQUIRED:

INTRODUCTION:

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 CONTENT METHOD TIME

CONCLUSION:

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Another approach

The following is a different approach. It is an alternative way of achieving the same thing.
It is an option you might consider to work out which approach best suits your individual style.
It is simply another pro forma for a session/training plan – this model/approach sees any
training session as comprising 3 parts similar to an aircraft trip:
 An Introduction (the ‘Take-Off’)
 A Body (the ‘Flight’)
 A Conclusion (the ‘Landing’).
Introduction
INTRO:
This stands for:
 I – Interest
 N – Need for training
 T – Topic
 R – Range
 O – Outcomes
Conclusion
In this model the Conclusion follows ‘OFF’, as in ‘Sign off’:
 O – Outcomes: re-cap what you covered in the session
 F – Feedback: re-assure and support learners, and also get feedback about your coaching
performance
 F – Future: tell the learner what will be coming up in their next session.

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The Body
This is where the main Content (practical or theory) is delivered
Using demonstration
Where you have decided to use Demonstration as your Method:
 Tell trainees about what you will be doing
 Do it at normal speed without talking/explaining
 Then do it slowly, explaining it step-by-step
 Ask questions to check trainees have understood :
 “What’s the next step?”
 “Why did I use a 38mm spanner?”
 “What document would I complete now I have finished this?”
 Give staff an opportunity to practice – watch and question them, helping where necessary
 Check on standards – have they measured up to your workplace requirements?
Using theory
Where you have decided to use Theory as your Method:
 Make sure the Introduction is motivating because attention will wane more readily with
theory sessions
 Put in appropriate practical action as soon as possible after the theory has been delivered
where learners perform some sort of activity that applies the theory.
For example:

Knowledge/theory presented Application activity

Reading material/notes Discuss notes
Reading a manual Develop a personal checklist
Watch a demonstration/DVD Complete XYZ form
 Summarise content regularly, asking learners to also do the summary
 Indicate the workplace application of the theory at all stages.
Other tips include:
 Break theory into “bite-sized, digestible chunks’ – do not drown learners with
information
 Do the ‘Must Know’ first – then the ‘Should Know’ and ‘Could Know’ if there is time
 Determine the sequence you will deliver in taking into account you should move from:
 Most to least important

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  Simple to complex
 Specific to general
 Always cover safety concerns
 Always refer to present workplace procedures.
The following pages show how the above concept can be used for a theory session where the
learner will be coached on making a pizza.
Theory session planning sheet
Session title

Making a pizza

Venue

Training room

Time

5 minutes

Learning resources

Whiteboard, handouts

Content (task list, overview)

Explanation and demonstration; learner handouts

Aim

To introduce learners to easy pizza making with minimum implements at home

Underpinning knowledge

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 Very basic cooking ability including awareness of domestic oven operation

Learning outcome/Objective

Basic knowledge of pizza dough making

Assessment criteria

List steps in activating yeast for baking

Explain basic pizza mixing and raising technique

Explain pizza oven temperature and technique

Assessment methods and procedures

Multiple choice questionnaire

(Acknowledgement – Linda Gain)

Skills session planning sheet

Session title

Venue

Time

Learning resources

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Content (task list, overview)

Aim

Underpinning knowledge

Learning outcome/Objective

Assessment criteria

Assessment methods and procedures

Time Key points Methods and learning resources

G I
L N
O T
S R
S O
D
U

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 C
T
I
O
N

Give an overview of the whole skill

Demonstrate at normal speed

B
Demonstrate again, but slowly, and describe each step O
Check understanding D
Y
Observe learner perform the skill

Check that the skill was done to the appropriate standards

C
O
N
O C
F L
F U
S
I
O
N

Comment:

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Theory session planning sheet

Time Key points

1. Introduction
1 min G Pizza for kids and tired parents is a favourite – not too greasy and informal – but
bought pizzas cost anything up to $15 delivered – and you often have to warm
them up. This session aims to show you how five minutes of work and a dollar or
two at most can make a good pizza
L Everyone here knows how their oven works and can mix ingredients. That’s
about all you have to know
O By the end of the session you’ll be able to save yourself between three and
seven bucks a time each time you make pizza
S We’ll go through five simple steps, learn in a minute about yeast in baking, and
with the handouts, be able to go home tonight and bake
S We’re talking here of win-win. Not only can you easily make a home pizza and
save money, but as a triple whammy you can put better quality ingredients on your
home pizza than many commercial outlets provide!
2. Body
30 secs Definition of pizza – ‘easy bread’ – simple to put together, dead simple with a
Kenwood or similar – actual preparation time is minimal – two periods of waiting
and oven heating but otherwise low-work
1 min Preparation of yeast – do not be afraid, instant yeast always works if one rule
(lukewarm or tepid water) is followed. In 10 – 20 minutes in a warm place (near
heater, warm window, even sink of warm water) foam something like beer or stout
foam or head will well up – this means that the yeast is started and it’s ready
30 secs Next step is simple – put flour, olive oil, salt and the yeast mixture into the bowl,
and mix until it forms a fairly sticky dough mass after scraping the bowl. Put a
good pinch or two of flour in the same bowl, and drop the dough in. Cover with a
damp tea towel and leave in a warm place, as before, on or near the oven. Wait 30
minutes to 1 hour, or until doubled in size approx. Turn on oven to 200 - 235°C
(Mark 6)
1 min Dust a board or flat surface with flour, and knead/roll the pizza out from a rounded
lump, using more flour if necessary. (Explain very briefly about toppings and give
handouts). Place on a baking sheet or round with greaseproof parchment
underneath. Bake on the top or next top shelf of the oven (explain briefly about
oven heat/types).
1 min O With the handouts and this theory session, you should be able to make a basic
pizza, as long as you’ve got topping, and remember the yeast rule – after that it’s

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 all plain sailing. You can save money and eat better, with a little practice
F Any questions relating to the basic procedure? I’m happy to give advanced tips
or discuss pizza later – but first any problems with the basic procedures? (Hand out
assessment questionnaire)
F With basic yeast skills used in pizza, you can go to any other sub-branch of yeast
cookery – like bread, rolls, yeast cakes and things like babas – they all rely on the
same, easy principles, and the yeast rule
(Acknowledgement – Linda Gain)

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Pizza making – Multiple choice assessment

Which of the answers to each question is most correct?

1. The dried yeast used in pizza making should be sprinkled into:

Warm water from the tap

Olive oil
Lukewarm or tepid water
Pure mineral water

2. Activated yeast and water looks like:

Rising bread
Thick beer foam
Milk
Cloudy water

3. The best oven temperature for pizza is:

As hot as possible
200 – 235ºC
Warm oven

4. The rising pizza dough should be covered with:

Plastic wrap
A damp tea towel
Flour

5. The pizza topping ingredients should be put on the dough:

Just before baking

Well before baking to allow them to marinate
While they are in the oven

6. Pizza is ready from the oven:

After an hour
After 10 – 15 minutes but it should be watched

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 After 15 minutes


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 2.1.3 ORGANIZE WITH COLLEAGUE A SUITABLE TIME AND PLACE
TO CONDUCT COACHING IN ACCORDANCE WITH ENTERPRISE
POLICY

Introduction

There is often the belief coaching sessions ’just

happen’.
The reality is effective coaching must be planned,
organised and arranged.
Coaching sessions not properly planned tend to
confuse the learner and embarrass the coach.

Organisation policy

Different establishments will have different policies

relating to the delivery of training sessions.
A central issue relates to paying staff to attend training.
Some employers are happy to pay staff to attend training, and others prefer not to do so.
A variation to this is where the employer may be prepared to pay, say, for 2 hours of coaching
but the staff member is expected to contribute the rest of the time needed ‘free of charge’ (at
their own expense and in their own time without being paid).
Check to see what applies where you work. It can obviously be much more difficult to
arrange training sessions for staff who are not being paid to attend.
Another factor is the approach taken by the organisation toward certain competency topics.
For example, an establishment may say it is a condition of continuing employment that all
staff successfully complete the in-house course in ‘cash register operation’.
The fact that this unit is ‘compulsory’ generally makes it a lot easier to arrange the coaching
as staff are more willing and eager to attend.
Organisation policy may also relate to:
 The sequence in which coaching is delivered on various topics
 Who is eligible to receive coaching. Generally, all staff are eligible
 Where the coaching can occur. Most times it is on the job but there may be times when:
 A training room is to be used
 Off-site training may be required
 Payment for coaching – identifying whether or not staff who provide coaching are
entitled to payment for delivering out of hours coaching
 Who can deliver the coaching. There may be a requirement that only nominated people
with specified experience and/or qualifications are allowed to provide on the job coaching
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 The relationship between coaching and other formal training. Coaching is usually
regarded as a fundamental addition to formal training, enabling workplace practice and
allowing the training to take on an actual workplace context.

Coaching contexts

Coaching sessions are usually conducted in a range of workplace contexts including:

 On the job coaching during work hours where the coaching is regarded as part of the time
worked by the employee.
This coaching initially takes place during quieter periods in order to minimise disruption to
trade and reduce interruption to service.
Often this type of coaching will build up to coaching in busier situations where actual
workplace pressure can be added to in order to create a more realistic situation
 Before or after work. These times are useful because the equipment needed for coaching
is usually available and free for coaching purposes rather than being needed for servicing
customers.
When using these options you will need to take into account:
 Out of hours commitments the learner has – are they able to arrive at work early or do
they have to drop children off at school? Can they stay back after their shift has
finished or do they have a team sport they have to go and participate in?
 The fact the learner may be tired after their working day so coaching them ‘after
work’ may not be a good idea. If they are tired they are likely to be resentful at
having to stay back and be coached, and the chances are they will not learn as
efficiently either
 In a simulated location away from the actual workplace. This can occur where the
organisation has a dedicated training room, or it may involve moving off-site and using,
for example, the facilities provided at head office, a supplier’s premises, a recognised
training provider (College or Institute) or some other business with whom partnering
arrangements have been established.

Organising coaching

Time and date

A specific time and place for coaching must be organised with the colleague. As we have
said, good coaching does not just happen, and it has to be planned.
The time and place should be agreed to by you and the learner.
Note some establishments have a separate training room where coaching can take place, but
actual workplace coaching is preferred by many.
It is a fact coaching will tend to be ineffective if it takes place in an inappropriate location and
at an inappropriate time. For example, it would be very unproductive to coach your colleague

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in a bar during trading hours where there is a shortage of staff and has customers standing
four-deep waiting for service.
Coaching should be conducted wherever possible in a
comfortable environment and at a time when the
learner will be able to focus solely on the information
being transferred. This means the coaching location
should be as free as possible from distractions and
interruptions.
There should also be a lack of external pressure from
customers and other staff. Therefore there should
preferably not be other people standing around
watching, or listening to what is going on.
Time, date and location of coaching will further depend on factors such as:
Reason for the coaching
Where the coaching is urgently needed, staff seem more prepared to participate almost
‘anywhere, anytime’.
Because they realise the urgency involved, they will accommodate nearly any time, date and
location for coaching.
Also, the reason for the training will often determine what equipment and other resources are
needed to conduct the coaching. For example, you cannot coach someone in cellar operations
in the housekeeping department! (See ‘Room availability – location of the coaching’ below).
Staff availability and your availability
In many instances, staff may not be able to be coached when they are rostered ‘on’ to work.
The reality is arranging a time for coaching is nearly always a problem.
There may often be times when you, as the coach, are available and the staff member is not,
or vice versa.
In many situations coaching may need to be done before or after work. In other
circumstances, you may need to negotiate with the relevant supervisor to have staff released
from duties to attend coaching.
Room availability – location of the coaching
The ‘training room’ may be unavailable, or the room/workplace location in which you
intended to do the coaching may be in use. This can often be a problem in role specific rooms
such as the cellar, the bottle shop, the dining room, accommodation rooms and front office.
While there may be a room available, it may not be suitable for the particular coaching need,
especially where specific items of equipment are required.
Likewise, certain coaching will require access to relevant stock – food, beverages, linen.

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Agreement about a time and date for the training therefore needs to factor in the availability
of a suitable location for the training and the availability of supporting resources to enable the
coaching to occur.
Operational staffing levels
Service to guests and customers must take precedence over coaching.
This means it is vital to maintain suitable staffing levels at all times and not to compromise
service levels because of coaching demands.
If you have to choose between coaching and serving customers, serving customers must
always take priority unless there is a very real safety issue involved.

To conclude

You should not only simply tell the learner when and where their coaching session will be.
You have to involve them in the decisions and negotiate a time and date with them.
You should also:
 Advise of the finishing time so they can arrange other aspects of their private, social or
work life
 Tell them if they have to bring anything with them
 Let them know if you expect them to have done something before they arrive such as read
a workplace policy, watched another staff member undertake a certain task
 Confirm the location for the coaching session.
When a mutually agreed time, date and location for the coaching has been established, this
should be noted on the coaching plan.

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WORK PROJECTS

It is a requirement of this Unit you complete Work Projects as advised by your Trainer. You
must submit documentation, suitable evidence or other relevant proof of completion of the
project to your Trainer by the agreed date.
Note: this Work Project forms the basis of the following two Work Projects.

1.1 To meet the requirements of the Work Project you are required to provide written,
video, photographic or other evidence you have:

 Identified a workplace colleague who has a need for coaching

 Described the factors indicating a need for that coaching
 Identified the skills or knowledge required by the colleague
 Obtained agreement from the colleague there is a need for the identified coaching
 Developed a coaching plan for the coaching to be provided
 Organised a mutually acceptable time and place to provide the coaching.

ANSWER KEY

When preparing for on the job coaching:

 Realise staff need to be coached to workplace competency standards
 Be aware the need for coaching can be identified at staff induction, following a request
for coaching from a colleague, as a result of a management direction to provide it, or as a
result of personal observation
 Realise a change to workplace practices, procedures or equipment and introduction of
new legislation can trigger a need for coaching
 Ensure there is always a need for any coaching to be delivered. Never impose coaching:
obtain agreement from the learner there is a need for it
 Factor in the experience, skills and knowledge of the learner. Never coach them in what
they already know
 Talk to the learner to gain agreement that coaching is a legitimate means to address their
accepted and identified need
 Prepare a coaching plan for coaching sessions
 Organise a mutually agreeable time for coaching
 Select a suitable place for coaching
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 Arrange and obtain the necessary materials/resources to support coaching in accordance
with the coaching plan.

2.2 COACH COLLEAGUES ON-THE-JOB

2.2.1 EXPLAIN TO THE COLLEAGUES THE OVERALL PURPOSE OF

COACHING

Introduction

Skills to be coached are generally those which do not require formal or extended training
sessions.
This means coaching is commonly applied to common,
practical tasks which are of a short duration such as:
 Customer service skills
 Technical or operational skills such as operating
equipment, making something or completing
documentation
 Selling or promoting products and services.
Before a coaching session commences, the overall purpose of the coaching should be
explained to the learner even though it was agreed to at the planning stage.
This explanation helps to set the scene for the coaching and serves to focus attention on what
is about to take place.
Coaching must never simply be imposed.
Even though your coaching is underpinned by a legitimate rationale, adults do not respond
well to anything imposed on them.

What might be the purpose of the coaching?

The overall purpose of coaching may be one or more of the following:

 To increase product knowledge
 To address a legally-imposed compliance requirement
 To increase workplace safety
 To reduce wastage
 To increase productivity
 To raise service delivery standards
 To change an existing skill to one required or preferred by the employer

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 To prepare the learner for extra duties, promotion or additional responsibilities.

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Before each coaching session

Remember, before each coaching session, the following three things should occur:
 The purpose of the session should be explained to the learner
 Agreement should be gained that there is a need for the coaching
 Agreement should be obtained that a coaching session (or series of sessions) is a
legitimate and effective way to achieve the intended goal.

Tips to use when explaining the purpose of the coaching

Suggestions to remember when preparing staff for coaching are:

 They should be informed of the need for the coaching and how it will
benefit them in their daily tasks. This will help provide fundamental
motivation for the coaching and demonstrate there is a genuine need for
the coaching
 Where applicable, the learner should also be informed about how the
coaching will benefit co-workers, customers and the business
 The learner should be encouraged. As the coach you must ensure staff
feel you are there to support and help them.
Extremely high levels of interpersonal skills are critical for successful coaches.
Learners must feel confident and comfortable enough to ask the coach questions. Any learner
who feels uncomfortable with their coach, or feels intimidated by them, will never learn
to their optimum capacity.
To be clear about this, it is 100% the responsibility of the coach to create and maintain this
supportive and encouraging environment
 Staff should be encouraged to be involved in the coaching session. This means all
coaching sessions must be participatory in nature.
Adults learn better and quicker if they learn by doing rather than simply by watching or
listening
 The coaching session is being conducted for the benefit of the learner. Ensure you do not
shift the focus of the coaching to yourself.
It is a common trap for coaches to begin to feel the coaching sessions are being undertaken so
they can show the learner how smart or competent they are!
Remember: the coaching session is there to assist the learner, not to indulge the coach.
 Create a positive environment conducive to learning. The coach must use excellent
interpersonal skills welcoming the learner into a supportive and caring place where the
focus is on fostering and cultivating.

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This means the coach will need to adjust the pace and flow of their coaching to meet the
needs of the learner. Not all learners will learn at the same speed so the effective coach
must modify their delivery to take this into account.
2.2.2 EXPLAIN AND DEMONSTRATE THE SPECIFIC SKILLS TO BE
COACHED

Introduction

To explain and demonstrate a skill, the coach must be

well versed in the theory and practical components of
the task – it is inadvisable for a coach who is not fully
competent in a skill to try to coach in it.
As obvious as this sounds, there may well be
occasions where you are required to coach in a task
you are less than totally proficient in.
While this is a less than satisfactory situation, it is a
fact of training life.
In addition, you must have the necessary knowledge and skills to perform the task while
adhering to all safety and health requirements as well as establishment practices.
Specific skills needing to be explained and demonstrated may relate to:
 New equipment introduced to the workplace
 New processes and procedures introduced by management
 Skills required to compete a job or task effectively and efficiently.

Coaching practice

Every task coached should be explained and demonstrated in a clear, short and simple
manner.
Remember, skills to be coached are generally those which do not require formal or extended
training sessions.
This means coaching is commonly applied to common, practical tasks which are of a short
duration.
The two basic techniques commonly used in coaching sessions are:
 Explanation
 Demonstration.

Explanation

When explanation is required the following are useful guidelines:

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 Use industry and establishment jargon as appropriate, but ensure full explanations are
provided where necessary. Communication should inform the learner, not exclude or
confuse them
 Speak slowly, clearly and accurately. Do not rush your words and never assume
knowledge on behalf of the learner.
 Ask questions to confirm comprehension. Questions are a vital part of coaching.
A good coach will ask many more questions than the learner (see below).
 Refer to safety and health requirements where and when necessary. All coaching must be
set against a framework of required OHS practices.
It is never acceptable to coach people in unsafe practice, or in short-cuts that introduce the
potential for accidents
 Make references to the manufacturer’s instruction manual where appropriate. Coaching
must conform to protocols as listed by the manufacturer’s instructions for equipment
being used.
A copy of the manufacturer’s instructions should be available for the learner to read, and
where possible take away with them for future reading or study.

Questions

There should be lots and lots of questions in any coaching session. The
learner will hopefully ask some but the coach should ask loads of
them.
Questions should be both ‘open’ and ‘closed’ questions, and they
should be designed to provide you as the coach with feedback on how
the learner is progressing so you can use this information to modify
what it is you are doing, if the need to do so exists.
Questions may be along the lines of:
 “Have you got any questions?”
 “What do you think the next step might be?”
 “Do you think this product is now ready to serve to a customer?”
 “Why do you think this product is not fit to serve to a customer?”
 “What are the legal considerations at this stage?”
 “What safety issues are likely to be involved in this task?”
 “What would happen if I now pressed the red button?”
Asking questions does not come naturally to most people so you have to practice asking them.

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You should get to the stage where asking questions is a standard part of your coaching
delivery.
If the learner knows you ask lots of questions, this can also serve as a motivator for them to
pay attention.

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Conducting a demonstration

Demonstration is a very common and popular coaching technique. Where a skill is being
taught, it is impossible to coach someone without using demonstration.
Remember earlier advice – you must be proficient in the
skill being demonstrated or the session will degenerate
into an embarrassing farce.
If you cannot do the demonstration yourself, try to get
another staff member to do the session with you there to
add whatever comments (underpinning knowledge – see
next Section – company policies, legal requirements) are
necessary.
When demonstration is required, the following are
effective guidelines:
Go through the tasks slowly and accurately
It is important you get the task right the first time.
Any mistakes on your part as the coach will have an enormous negative impact on the
coaching and harm your personal credibility in the eyes of the persons being coached.
This highlights the need for the coach to be competent, and also underlines the need for the
coach to practice before delivering coaching.
You have a duty to your learner to be able to competently perform any task you are coaching
them in. This is a non-negotiable requirement.
Bear in mind as a coach your role may also be one of ‘facilitator’.
That is, your job may be to facilitate the learning process.
This means you yourself do not have to do all the coaching but you may elect to get someone
else (more qualified, more experienced) to do certain coaching tasks. This is not an admission
of your own incompetence, but more an indication you recognise your own shortcomings yet
remain committed to ensuring the learner gets the best coaching help available.
People you might use to deliver some of the coaching sessions might be:
 Other staff from your department (or from elsewhere in the establishment) who have
special skills
 Management personnel or owners
 Manufacturers and/or suppliers.
The real key here, regardless of who does the coaching, is they must be competent in the task,
too.
Provide verbal explanation when and where necessary

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Coaches must be able to explain simply and accurately what they are doing, and why.
This includes being able to correctly name pieces of equipment and procedures being used.
Industry terminology should be used as appropriate, but there is a need to try not to dazzle the
learner with your own brilliance on the subject – coaching is not intended to show the learner
how smart you are!
Ensure all procedures used in coaching sessions adhere to the establishment’s policies
and procedures
Internal policies, practices and procedures must be incorporated into the coaching so they
become part of the operation, and are not seen as an optional extra.
It is acceptable to coach the learner by showing them legitimate, safe and effective short-cuts
that are part and parcel of being a trade professional but it is never acceptable to coach
someone in the use of illegal practices or unsafe techniques.
Also be aware that research has shown there is often a gender issue when coaching staff in
this regard. Especially, research has shown males will coach females in the correct techniques
for a job but not pass on any of the ‘inside tips/trade secrets’ – they reserve these only for
other males.
Try to make sure you share all your knowledge with all your learners regardless of who they
are.
Ensure all demonstration of equipment complies with the manufacturer’s instructions
The way learners are coached must conform to prescribed instructions, especially where
things such as safety, operation and cleaning are concerned.
Explaining these requirements before you start is a
good idea, and also indicating to the learner where the
‘operating instructions’ are kept is useful.
If you can photocopy relevant parts of the operating
instructions to give to the learner for them to take away
with them after the coaching session this is even better.
You must also check what you are going to use for the
demonstration beforehand to make sure:
 It is safe
 It is fully functional
 All parts are in place – including ancillary items such as printer ribbons in cash
registers/terminals
 It has been adjusted where necessary to suit the needs of the learner.
I do it normal …
There is a little rhyme used by coaches and trainers to describe how they might go about
doing a demonstration with a learner.
It goes:
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“I do it normal,
I do it slow,
You do it with me,
Then off you go.”

I do it normal
This describes the first part of the demonstration.
The task is explained to the learner and then the coach demonstrates the task at normal speed
with no pauses, and no explanations.
This gives the learner the opportunity to see how ‘it’ is done and helps to put the whole
coaching session into context/perspective.
I do it slow
The coach then repeats the demonstration but this time breaks the demonstration down into
sub-steps/stages (see ‘Coaching sub-steps in sequence’ in this section) and explains each
phase as the demonstration progresses.
The learner is encouraged to ask questions and the coach uses questions too.
The coach might ask:
 “Can you remember what I did next?”
 “Why do you think it is important to do this before we do that?”
 “Why was it important I did what I just did?”
It is during this stage you would also:
 Incorporate underpinning knowledge – see next Section
 Name the parts, ingredients and other items being used
 Highlight any safety issues relating to the task
 Explain how this task fits in with other tasks the learner (or other
staff) might have to undertake.
You do it with me
This is where the learner and the coach do the demonstration together.
This may occur with the coach and the learner each using their own piece of equipment (that
is, the coach and the learner each have a piece of equipment, and they work ‘in tandem’) or it
can be a joint effort with the coach and the learner combining to work on the one item, piece
of equipment or set of items.
The learner is free to ask questions as they go and the coach provides whatever assistance is
necessary.

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The role of questioning plays a vital role during this phase too.
For example, if the learner had a question about ‘what to do next’, the coach could simply
provide the answer to the question or they could elect to ask a question to get the learner to
think through the situation and work out the answer for themselves. The coach might say:
 “What do you think might be the next step?”
Or
 “If I said, think about the safety aspects of this job and try to recall what we said about the
possibility of you losing a couple of fingers … would that help?”
Throughout this phase the coach must:
 Be alert to make sure the safety of the learner is never at risk
 Ensure the learner follows all the required steps. At this stage of their education, the
learner is not allowed to take short cuts or make up their own mind about standards or the
sequence of steps in the task
 Offer support and encouragement. Where the learner has done a correct step it is
appropriate to offer some form of sincere praise (but not to overdo it). A simple “Good”,
“Yes”, “Well done” or just an approving nod of the head should be enough
 Offer extra advice/coaching when the learner gets lost or stuck. This can be verbal advice,
providing another demonstration or a mix of the two.
Then off you go
This is the last stage of the coaching where the coach provides the opportunity for the learner
to practice their newly learned skill.
The opportunity for practice may be in the training room or on the floor in an actual
workplace situation.
Usually, practice is also arranged with the learner’s supervisor so they too can monitor what
is being done and provide on the spot assistance when and if it is required.
The coach should check back with the learner (and/or the supervisor) periodically to see how
things are going and determine whether:
 The learner needs more coaching
 The learner is ready to move on to their next coaching task.

Using handouts

Many coaching sessions can benefit from the use of ‘handouts’.

Handouts are any printed or handwritten material given to the learner.
Handouts may be generated by you as the coach, or they can be
photocopies of other relevant material. Examples of handouts can
include:
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 Company policies and procedures
 Manufacturer’s instructions
 Recipe sheets
 Work instructions/Standard Operating Procedures
 Checklists
 Price lists
 Brochures
 Advertising material that the company uses to attract business.

Observing the learner practicing

When observing a colleague attempting or practicing their newly acquired skills, the
following apply as guidelines:
 Effectively correct the learner whenever they take an incorrect step – corrective action
needs to be immediate so incorrect practices are not allowed to become habits
 Ask questions to confirm the learner’s knowledge. Effective coaching will ensure staff
not only know what to do, but why they are doing it.
For example, if the learner correctly performed a sequence of tasks it is still appropriate for
the coach to say something like “Well done. Can you tell me why we turn the X valve off
before we release the pressure?”
 Ensure the learner is always in comfortable surroundings. This
may mean adjusting lighting and/or air conditioning and taking
action to eliminate extraneous distractions. Sometimes
comfortable surroundings may mean having music playing in the
background and sometimes it may not
 Praise the learner when and where appropriate. Be lavish in your
praise, but ensure it is genuine praise and is deserved.
Too much unwarranted quickly becomes false and annoying
 Encourage the learner as much as possible. Learners may be
anxious about the coaching so create an environment of success.
If they get something right, it is appropriate to say a quick “Good”, or
“You’re doing well”.
A smile or a nod of the head can do the same job in some circumstances
 Listen to the learner’s feedback and act on it. If the learner is unhappy or uncomfortable
with some aspect of the coaching, do whatever you can to remedy the situation in line
with still achieving the coaching objective

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 Pay attention. You must focus your attention on what the learner is doing and not get
distracted (by phone calls, people walking past, calling in for a chat), or by doing other
things such as completing paperwork, taking a delivery.

Coaching sub-steps in sequence

Any task to be coached must be broken down into its sub-steps, and then coached in
sequential order.
This is one of the tasks the coach must prepare as part of their planning and preparation for
the coaching session.
It requires you to write each sub-step down and into your coaching plan to ensure:
 No step is omitted
 Tasks are presented in the correct sequence.
It is not acceptable for a coach to believe they can remember all the sub-steps for a job or
activity. They must be written down for reference if needed during the coaching session
and/or to give to the learner for their future reference.
For example, to coach someone in making a cappuccino, the following sequence may have
been identified:
 Select appropriate cup
 Select saucer
 Select teaspoon
 Position crockery and cutlery correctly on saucer
 Fill up a single cup espresso holder
 Tamp coffee granules
 Fit holder into espresso machine
 Depress single cup 1/3 cup button
 Wait for cup to fill with concentrated coffee to 1/3 mark
 Steam milk
 Fill cup with 1/3 steamed milk
 Scoop froth onto coffee for remaining 1/3
 Sprinkle froth with chocolate powder.
Note that the above information will not apply to all establishments producing cappuccinos –
and nor should it. The intention is to write down only the way a cappuccino is made in this
establishment and to use the names/terminology and practices this establishment uses.

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Other premises might talk about group handles, ‘texturing’ the milk (instead of ‘frothing’) or
filling the cup to different levels but at this establishment, the above information is what
happens.
Remember, if the accepted or standard operating procedure in the workplace is different from
what the ‘textbooks’ say, then the coaching must follow the workplace practice (providing
safety is ensured). Coaching should never train people in what should be done only for them
to find out that in practice something else happens in the real world of their workplace.

2.2.3 COMMUNICATE CLEARLY ANY UNDERPINNING

KNOWLEDGE REQUIRED

Introduction

Underpinning knowledge refers to the essential knowledge required to carry out tasks or
perform skills effectively, legally and as required by the
establishment.
All tasks where there is a need for coaching will have
some level of underpinning knowledge associated with
it.
As a coach, not only must you be competent in the task
you are demonstrating, but you must also be
knowledgeable about the underpinning knowledge
required for that task.

Communicate clearly any underpinning knowledge required

Depending on the task being coached, underpinning knowledge can include:

 Knowledge of processes and procedures, principles and practices – including theory
underpinning technical skills
 Communication skills that contribute to production and harmonious relations between
employees and customers
 Teamwork skills, contributing to productive working relationships and outcomes
 Planning and organising skills that contribute to long-term and short-term strategic
planning
 Self-management skills, contributing to employee satisfaction and growth
 Learning skills helping to contribute to ongoing improvement and expansion in employee
and company operations and outcomes
 Technology skills that contribute to effective execution of tasks
 Ingredients in a dish or drink, including information on how those ingredients need to be
stored, where they are stored and indicators of quality for each ingredient
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 Components of a piece of equipment, including indicators something is wearing out and
needs replacing, and how to undertake basic maintenance
 Product knowledge and/or knowledge relating to the services the venue offers such as
trading hours, discount rates available, which credit cards are accepted, whether or not
there are home deliveries. This list is virtually endless
 The range of principles underscoring skills such as selling, so practice may be based on
sound theory, and so certain acknowledged and accepted strategies can be applied at
appropriate times.

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 Reasons for undertaking tasks so staff understand not only what they are doing, but also
why they are doing it.
This makes it more likely staff can modify behaviour and practice as circumstances alter and
as situations dictate, rather than blindly continue to deliver the same service to all
customers when the situation obviously requires a variation to standard practice
 Legislative requirements, so staff function responsibly and within the letter and spirit of
the various laws applying to the industry. Major concerns in this regard (depending on the
venue) include OHS, liquor licensing, food safety and gaming as well as the common law
‘duty of care’ provisions.

2.2.4 CHECK THE COLLEAGUES UNDERSTANDING

Introduction

It is a standard requirement throughout all coaching sessions that you focus

effort on checking and determining the level of understanding the learner
has in relation to the task being coached.
This applies whether the topic is a knowledge-based one, attitudinal or
skill-based.

Another look at the role of questions in coaching

During a coaching session, it may be necessary for the coach to ask the learner questions to
confirm their knowledge of a specific task. Indeed, as earlier stated, the effective coach will
ask many, many questions.
The type of questions that can be asked will vary according to the type of coaching session
being conducted.
It is advisable to prepare these questions as part of the planning phase of the coaching, rather
than rely on your ability to think of and remember to ask appropriate questions during the
coaching session.
Examples of such questions may include safety and health issues like:
 Why is it important not to touch the steam wand of the cappuccino machine?
 Why is it important to check glassware before it is used?
 When and why should you refer to the manufacturer’s instruction manual about how to
operate a piece of equipment?
 Why must we always refer to the current schedule before making a quote?
Questions could also relate to seeking underpinning knowledge about products, such as:
 Who makes XYZ liqueur?

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 What brand of coffee do we serve?
 What is the price of a trip to ABC?
 What procedure do you follow when changing a cash drawer?
 In which book or file do you record deposits paid?
Sometimes, when attempting to determine the existing level of underpinning skills and/or
knowledge a staff member has, the coach may approach a supervisor and ask their opinion.
Alternatively, or in addition, the coach may ask the staff member to bring along evidence they
have previously completed a course or received some other experience via training or life
experience.

Checking colleague’s understanding

At various stages throughout a coaching session you should ask the learner questions
confirming or determining their understanding of a particular task.
The reason for this is to seek verbal and/or visual confirmation of understanding. Checking
for understanding is important because the learner may not have fully understood what you
showed them.
The learner may have been anxious and unable to concentrate properly, they may have just
had a momentary lapse of concentration, they may have been distracted by something, they
may have been trying to assimilate an earlier item and missed the next one, or there could
have been a noise that prevented them hearing what you said.
It is therefore essential to seek confirmation at regular intervals throughout the coaching
session to make sure all information provided by you has been accurately received by the staff
member, and received in the right context and to ensure it is appropriate to move on to the
next step/stage of the coaching.
The two-way nature of communication
Always remember communication is two-way thing: there is a sender and a receiver. For
communication to be effective, the receiver must accurately interpret the sender’s message
and provide feedback to it.
To check if information has been received accurately,
coaches commonly use more 'open' questions than
‘closed’ questions to obtain feedback.
Open questions require more lengthy answers than
'closed' questions, which require a simple ‘Yes’ or
‘No’ response , or a very short reply.
Open questions start with:
 Who? - Who do you report equipment failures to?
 What? - What is the purpose of our guarantee?

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 When? - When should you switch off in-room air conditioning?
 Where? - Where do you store the travel vouchers?
 How? - How do you greet a customer?

2.2.4 PROVIDE THE COLLEAGUE THE OPPORTUNITY TO

PRACTICE THE SKILL AND ASK QUESTIONS

Introduction

All coaching sessions should provide an opportunity for the learner to practice their newly
found skills.
This opportunity should include:
 Opportunity within the coaching session as part of the coaching provided
 Opportunity after the coaching session has finished in the workplace under your
supervision, the supervision of another staff member or under the supervision of a
supervisor.

Providing the opportunity to practice

Any new skills shown to the learner may be quickly lost if there is no opportunity for the
learner to put those skills into practice.
Do not believe once you have shown the learner what to do, the job of coaching is finished –
far from it!
While the colleague practices, you must:
 Watch to ensure they are doing the task correctly. This means they
are working safely, doing sub-tasks in the correct sequence, not
wasting effort, time or product
 Provide further information. This information is sometimes known
as the ‘nice to know’ information, or the ‘could know’ information.
The vital information is called the ‘must know’ information and
should be presented as part of the demonstration you did initially)
 Be ready to demonstrate again a step where and when necessary
 Encourage, praise and congratulate.
While watching the learner practice it is also appropriate to ask them
questions to assess their level of understanding or underpinning knowledge.
Remember some employees become embarrassed easily, so all feedback (especially feedback
with a negative element) should be done in an appropriate location away from other staff
members and members of the public.
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Encouraging the learner to ask questions

Some learners are reluctant to ask questions.

There can be several reasons for this:
 They may feel it indicates their ignorance
 They may not want to ask what they feel is a stupid question
 They may not want to waste your time.
Ways to overcome this possibility are to:
 Regularly ask the learner if they have any questions and then pause
long enough for them to ask a question.
There’s no point asking if they have a question and then rushing on to the next topic or point
without giving them an opportunity to actually ask a question
 Ask lots of questions yourself. This legitimises the use of questions in the coaching
context and, if the learner is not asking any or many, it gives you the opportunity of trying
to determine their actual level of understanding and/or knowledge
 Congratulate the learner on their question. This must be done appropriately to avoid it
seeming false.
You might simply say “Good question. It shows you’re thinking about XYZ. That’s good”
 Generate an answer to the question – note we have not said ‘answer’ the question.
If the learner asks a question it is vital it gets answered but this does not mean you have to
supply the answer.
Part of the learning process can be for the learner to think the question through themselves
and come up with an answer you will either confirm or modify.
For example, when asked a question you could:
 Re-word the question and ask the question back to the learner
 Give them a hint and then ask them what they think the answer might be
 Tell them the answer – this option should not be your only response when learners
ask questions.

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 2.2.5 PROVIDE FEEDBACK IN A CONSTRUCTIVE AND SUPPORTIVE
MANNER

Introduction

Not only must all coaching be conducted positively and in an encouraging fashion but
supportive and constructive feedback must also be given.
Such an approach encourages the learner to try harder and
assists in creating an environment conducive to learning.
This will inspire more determination to achieve the final goal.

The anxiety of learners

Commonly learners are anxious about their progress and they

are usually seeking answers to questions such as:
 "How am I going?"
 "Am I on the right track?"
 "Is what I am doing OK?"
Many learners will not actually talk about these concerns but it is usual they are thinking
them.
The effective coach will set their mind at ease by supplying appropriate answers to the
unstated questions on a regular basis.

Basics of feedback

It is useful to bear the following in mind when considering the use of feedback in coaching.
Feedback refers to:
 Guiding the person being coached
 Being a core part of coaching sessions
 Being constructive so the person being coached feels encouraged and motivated to
improve their practice
 Being timely so the person being coached can use the feedback to guide practice
 Being linked to a clear statement of orderly progression of learning so the person being
coached has a clear indication of how to improve their performance. This provides a
developmental approach for achievement of a certain skills set
 Being specific to the learning outcomes of the coaching session so assessment is clearly
linked to learning
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 Guiding people to become independent learners and their own critics.

Providing feedback

The support and feedback can be communicated either by verbal or non-verbal

communication.
Verbal communication
This is communication spoken to the learner, for example: “You’re doing a great job, Tony.
Now would you like to try including some workplace statistics?”
Keys in giving verbal feedback are:
 Keep it brief
 Keep it relevant
 Keep it genuine
 Make sure it is warranted.
Beware!
While speaking with a learner during a coaching session remember to avoid phrases which,
on the surface, sound encouraging but which can be counter-productive.
For example, you may wish to indicate a certain task is relatively easy so you say “You’ll
learn this quickly – it’s child’s play, really!”
Your genuine intention is to set the learner’s mind at ease, and to facilitate their learning by
attempting to remove the thought that the task is difficult: this is very commendable.
However, if the learner was then unable to learn the task quickly, what have you just said?
In effect, you have told them they are more incompetent than a child.
The above example highlights the need for coaches to be extremely alert to giving
unintentional negative feedback, and the very real need for them to think before talking.
Delivering negative feedback
It is a fact of life when coaching that there will be times when you need to provide negative
feedback to a learner.
In reality you have an obligation to do this where it is called for. You would not be doing
your job if you failed to give legitimate negative feedback.
However, there is a need for you to pass on such comments in a sensitive and supportive
fashion.
This can be done by using a ‘positive-negative-positive’ sandwich.
This means you begin your feedback by mentioning something the learner is doing well,
follow it with the negative feedback, and then finish the communication on a positive note by
making reference to something else you are pleased with.
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This approach still gets the negative message across but is sensitive because it allows the
learner to know you are happy with other aspects of what they are doing.
An example of the use of a ‘positive-negative-positive’ sandwich is:
“Jim, I think you are going really well with the new cocktails. I was especially impressed
with that new cocktail you created the other day. I think it’ll be a winner.
I just need you to focus a bit more though on the wastage angle. I think we’re wasting just a
bit too much product when we mix the drinks and that will really bite into the bottom line.
But overall you’re doing great – your presentation and garnishing are outstanding.”
The above illustrates how the coach can let Jim know he needs to stop wasting product but
does it in such a way Jim is left positive about the negative feedback because the coach has
acknowledged some of the other good work he has done.
Note the use of the ‘we’ in the feedback also helps to de-personalise the feedback.
Non-verbal communication
This is communication via body language.
Coaches have to pay special attention to their
body language to avoid sending unintentional
negative messages to their learners.
For example, when observing a learner you
might find yourself frowning, shaking your
head, drumming your fingers or giving off
‘negative’ signals in some other way.
These negative signals will interfere with the
learning process and are to be avoided.
In addition, because most people believe body
language above verbal language, you must be
careful about what messages your body language
is sending.
There is no point verbally telling a learner you
are happy with their progress when your non-
verbal signals indicate frustration, anger,
disapproval or dissatisfaction.

WORK PROJECTS

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It is a requirement of this Unit you complete Work Projects as advised by your Trainer. You
must submit documentation, suitable evidence or other relevant proof of completion of the
project to your Trainer by the agreed date.

2.1 To meet the requirements of the Work Project you are required to provide written,
video, photographic or other evidence you have coached a colleague on the job and:

 Explained the need and purpose of the coaching to them

 Prepared for the coaching by arranging the location and necessary
resources/materials
 Explained and demonstrated the required skills
 Communicated necessary underpinning knowledge as part of the coaching process
 Checked understanding of the person being coached throughout the coaching
process
 Provided opportunity for colleague to practice
 Provided feedback to the learner throughout the session.

ANSWER KEY

When coaching colleagues on the job:

 Explain the need and/or reason for coaching to the learner at the outset
 Gain agreement coaching is a legitimate way to address identified need
 Develop a relationship with the learner
 Demonstrate skills using the ‘I do it normal, I do it slow, You do it with me, Then off you
go’ approach
 Provide explanation and underpinning knowledge as required
 Use questions to assist learning and check for understanding
 Support demonstrations with handouts
 Provide opportunity for learner to practice skills learned
 Ensure all coaching sessions align with company policies, safety requirements and actual
workplace practice
 Observe the learner and provide encouragement, support and feedback
 Provide opportunity for application of skills and knowledge learned
 Provide constructive and supportive feedback.

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LEARNING OUTCOME #3 WORK OWN ROLE AND
RESPONSIBILITY WITHIN TEAM

CONTENTS:
1. Communication process
2. Team structure
3. Team roles
4. Group planning and decision making
5. Specific diversity issues

ASSESSMENT CRITERIA
1. Effetive and appropriate forms of communications used and interactions undertaken
with team members who contribute to known tem activities and objectives
2. Effective and appropriate contributions made to complement team activities and
objectives, based on individual skills and competencies and workplace content
3. Observed protocoles in reporting using standard operating procedures
4. Contribute to the development of team work plans based on an understanding of
team’s role and objectives and individual competencies of the members

CONDITION
Student/ trainee must be provided with the following:
Role and objective of Appropriate
Sources of information
team communiation techniques

 Work activities in a  Standard operating and or  Use of active listening

team environment other workplace  Use of both open and
with enterprise or procedures closed
specific sector  Job procedures questionsspeaking
 Limited discretion,  Machines/equipment clearly and concisely
initiative and manufacturers  Using appropriate
judgement maybe specifications and language and tome oof
demonstrated on the instructions voice
job, either  Organizational or external
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 personnel
 Clients/supplier
individually or in a instrcutionsquality  Being attentive
team environment standards
 OHS and environmental
standards

ASSESSMENT METHOD:
 Demonstration
 Observation
 Interviews/ Questioning

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Learning Experiences

Learning Outcome 3
WORK AS A TEAM MEMBER

Learning Activities Special Instructions

Read Information Sheet 2.3-1: on This Learning Outcome deals with the
PREARE FOR ON-THE-JOB
development of the Institutional Competency
COACHING
2.3.1 Monitor progress with new Evaluation Tool which trainers use in evaluating
skills in the workplace and
their trainees after finishing a competency of the
provide supportive assistance
as required qualification.
2.3.2 Report progress to the
Go through the learning activities outlined for you
appropriate person as required
2.3.3 Identify performance problems on the left column to gain the necessary
or difficulties with the coaching
information or knowledge before doing the tasks to
and rectify them or refer them
to the appropriate person to practice on performing the requirements of the
follow-up
evaluation tool.
The output of this LO is a complete Institutional
Competency Evaluation Package for one
Work project 2.3-1
Competency of BASIC COMPETENCY. Your
Answer guide 2.3-1
output shall serve as one of your portfolio for your
Institutional Competency Evaluation for WORK
IN TEAM ENVIRONMENT Feel free to show
your outputs to your trainer as you accomplish
them for guidance and evaluation.

INFORMATION SHEET 2.3

2.3 FOLLOW UP COACHING

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2.3.1 MONITOR PROGRESS WITH NEW SKILLS IN THE WORKPLACE AND
PROVIDE SUPPORTIVE ASSISTANCE AS REQUIRED

Introduction
People learn at different rates and it is usual for coaches to
have to follow up on their coaching by monitoring the progress
of those they have coached.
Where monitoring indicates the learner requires more help, the
coach is responsible for providing this, or for arranging it to be
provided.

Monitoring progress
Coaching does not always finish at the end of the coaching session.
Most coaching continues until the point where the learner has achieved, and can confidently
display the required level of competency for the task being taught.
Frequently, achieving competency cannot always be reached in the time allocated to a
coaching session because there is generally a need for the learner to practice.
Practice should always be monitored to ensure the learner is performing as required, and not
learning bad habits.
Practice without supervision, or monitoring, is really not practice.
You must monitor the practice and be ready to correct where required, add further
information or detail if asked for, and praise where appropriate.
Monitoring may entail:
 Completing coaching checklists to ensure all learning outcomes/competency standards
have been achieved. Using standard checklists ensures all learners are coached to the
same standard and coaching is uniform
 Questioning the learner to verify underpinning skills and knowledge and to evaluate the
level of understanding of certain aspects
 Visual observation. Watching the learner perform a task to verify their competence
 Checking, for example, improvement in sales figures or improvement in service speed –
using a measurable indicator to assess the workplace impact of the coaching to
demonstrate the coaching has achieved its intended outcome
 Utilising a number of assessment tools. This may involve (in addition to demonstrations
and verbal questions) the application of written questions, the use of case studies,
practical exercises, role plays, or assignments to judge whether or not the learner has
achieved the competency level required.
Why is monitoring the progress of learners important?

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Monitoring is undertaken to identify:
 The progress of the person being coached
 If changes to content of coaching sessions need to be made
 Changes to coaching processes that need to be made.
Further points to note when monitoring learner progress
Your monitoring of the learner must be friendly and genuine.
You must strive to continue the supportive environment created during the initial coaching
phase.
When monitoring, you must also strive to be:
 Fair – all learners should be treated the same.
Never play favourites. Do not be harder on some than you are on
others. Do not favour males over females or vice versa.
Never be harder on older people than younger ones.
Do not favour people from a certain race or religion
 Accurate – watch for and record workplace performance of learners
accurately.
What you record must genuinely reflect what the learner can do
 Understanding. It is important your monitoring takes into account the limitations
individual learners are experiencing.
For example, one learner may have lots of out of work activities or lots of extra work-related
responsibilities limiting the amount of practice they can do and hence this will affect the
rate at which they might achieve competency.
Coaches should also appreciate some people just have problems with some learning tasks.
They might be brilliant at everything else except this one task so extra patience and
understanding is called for
 Unbiased. It is said workplace coaches occupy a powerful position because they are able
to influence a person’s progress within the organisation.
Management will often speak to coaches about the potential a learner is displaying and their
readiness for extra duties/responsibilities or promotion.
The feedback provided by the coach must therefore be fact-based and not founded on
prejudices, favouritism or lies.
This means if a person is good, you are obliged to say so.
Similarly, if they are not suitable you have an obligation to say so too but making sure you
use specific examples to illustrate your opinion.

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Management will not appreciate you recommending an unsatisfactory or unsuitable person for
promotion, and it certainly will not reflect well on your ability to select ‘good’ staff.
 Consistent – monitoring of learners should be regular in nature.
Sometimes monitoring activities can be organised but frequently they are not.
Central to this is the issue of fairness. You must ensure the number of times you monitor one
learner is not significantly different to the number of times you monitor another learner or
you run the risk of one person feeling they are being picked on
 Relevant. The monitoring should be relevant to the skills which were the basis of the
coaching sessions.
Monitoring other aspects of a learner’s work may give the impression you are checking up on
them. Stick only to the topic of the coaching as the basis for the monitoring. This may
mean your monitoring of a learner has to occur at a certain time during their shift when
they are performing a nominated task.

Providing supportive assistance

A coach must remember individual staff members come to coaching with widely different
experiences and expectations. No two people are the same, and no two people learn in exactly
the same way.
As a result, one learner may grasp a concept or pick up a skill
quite quickly, where another may struggle or take longer.
This necessitates the coach being patient, tolerant and
understanding, while in addition they must be flexible in their
delivery and encouraging in their support.
Flexibility in delivery is essential as it enables the coach to cater
for individual differences among staff.
This means coaches must get to know their learners/staff and
use the best coaching method as appropriate for each individual
staff member.
For example:
 Some staff will learn better by watching
 Some will learn better by doing
 Some learners prefer learning by reading
 Some prefer to listen
 Others will learn better if they learn on their own, while others will learn better if they are
in a group
 Some prefer lots of attention, while others prefer to learn on their own.

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An effective coach will match their delivery technique to the learning style of the learner.
This again indicates why a coaching plan is useful because it ‘forces’ the coach to plan their
coaching delivery to suit the needs of every individual learner they have to deal with.
This approach avoids the highly ineffective ‘one size fits all’ approach to coaching.
Keys in providing supportive assistance
The coach should:
 Be accessible to the learner. Coaches should be prepared to be available when the learner
needs to talk, needs help, needs support, needs more information
 Be non-judgemental. The coach should be a source of encouragement and support, not a
person who makes judgement calls to the learner about their competency, potential or
capacity
 Maintain confidentiality. What is said between the learner and the coach should stay
private
 Avoid giving the learner the impression they are intruding or interrupting. The coach
should welcome the learner’s approaches and avoid giving the impression they are
rushing their dealings with the learner.

2.3.2 REPORT PROGRESS TO THE APPROPRIATE PERSON AS REQUIRED

Introduction

Progress on coaching may be reported in a formal or informal manner.

The precise method used in each instance will depend on the particular establishment’s
policies and procedures, but reporting is either verbal, written or a combination of the two.

Who might receive a report?

Coaching results may have to be reported to a number of people.

Naturally the staff member who is being coached should be
supplied with an honest and comprehensive report of their coaching
and/or assessment.
In addition you may be required to report to:
 Management and/or the owners of the business
 The HR Department – because the learner’s remuneration may
be linked to their capacity to demonstrate competency

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 Head Office – for their records which may be used to identify staff who are eligible for
promotion, further training, extra responsibilities, higher duties
 The supervisor in the area where the learner works – so they can get feedback about their
skill levels, potential, commitment.

How often might the report be needed?

There is a wide variation of possibilities in reporting frequency.

Most establishments encourage ‘regular’ verbal reports on learner progress so this may be an
almost daily chat with someone, just for a minute or two, about how they are progressing.
Written reports are usually required less frequently and may be
needed:
 Weekly or monthly
 On completion of the coaching – that is, when you are
confident the learner has achieved the required competencies
 For nominated staff or management meetings – where there
can be a need for coaches to present a report on who they are
coaching, and how those learners are progressing.
Why are these reports required?
These in-house progress reports can be very useful management tools in a variety of ways,
some of which include:
 Checking overall skill levels of staff. This entails keeping a current inventory of all in-
house staff skills.
This can be referred to when there is a need to move staff around internally to respond to
extra demand, staff absenteeism or unpredictable issues
 Recording extra coaching/training required. Reports are really records and these can be
used to help coaches (and other staff within the organisation) identify, and remember for
future use, the top-up coaching/training required by individual staff members
 Identifying those who appear appropriate for future skill development. Records can serve
to identify future training/coaching needs for individuals, individual departments, and the
enterprise as a whole.
A prime role of these records is to flag for attention certain staff who appear to have an
aptitude for certain work, and/or to identify those who seem to have management
potential
 Providing a reference for promoting employees. Success with learning can be beneficial
for an employee’s promotional prospects
 Amending employee’s staffing record. As staff increase their skill sets their employee
records should be updated to reflect their increased value to the organisation.

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This increased skill level may be linked to increases in remuneration but is commonly taken
into consideration when the business is looking to promote someone within the
organisation to the next level of responsibility
 Compiling statistical records. Many establishments like to record details about the
number of staff coached in a given period, how much time was spent on coaching and
how much money was allocated to it.

2.3.3 IDENTIFY PERFORMANCE PROBLEMS OR DIFFICULTIES WITH THE

COACHING AND RECTIFY THEM OR REFER THEM TO THE APPROPRIATE
PERSON FOR FOLLOW-UP

Introduction

At the end of every coaching session, the coach should review the session.
This review should aim to determine how effective the session had been with a view to
improving future sessions.
Even coaches can learn if they take the time to look for the signs, and the feedback.

Identifying performance problems or difficulties

Performance problems or difficulties may be identified as a result of:

 Feedback from customers regarding their levels of
satisfaction or dissatisfaction with products and
services
 Feedback from supervisors about the performance
of individual staff
 Observation of work performance
 Performance appraisals conducted in the workplace.

The role of evaluation

Many coaches make notes and document how the

coaching could have been improved at the completion
of each coaching session.
Effective coaches take this evaluation phase very
seriously, recognising its potential for improving future
coaching sessions.
In fact, until a review has been done, the coaching session cannot be truly seen to be
complete.
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This illustrates there are really three stages to any coaching session:
 Planning of the session
 Delivery of the session
 Evaluation of the session.

What’s involved?

Not only should the coach monitor the coaching session, looking for things that created or
caused problems or impeded learning but also looking for techniques which appeared to work
well or be particularly effective with a learner.
The coach should also ask for the learner’s feedback on the coaching session and this
feedback should be taken seriously and constructively.
Remember, everyone learns at a coaching session, the coach included.
Just because you are the coach does not mean you cannot learn too – especially about the way
you deliver your coaching and about the
person you are coaching.
Where problems with coaching are
identified, every effort must be made to
remove them from the next coaching session.
A coach who knows there is a potential
problem and fails to take action to eliminate
or reduce the impact of that problem is
simply lazy and unprofessional. He/she will
quickly gain a reputation in the workplace
for being just that.
How can I tell there’s a problem? What
should I look for?
As a coach you must be alert to signs that coaching has not been effective.
Performance problems or difficulties may be due to:
 Shyness or lack of confidence – where the learner is worried or anxious about their ability
to cope with the coaching sessions and/or to be able to achieve the required competency
or standards
 A breakdown in communication – where the coach may be sending mixed messages
(such as a non-alignment between verbal and non-verbal communication).
Problems may also be caused by:
 The coach using trade terminology not properly explained
 The coach allowing other issues to take priority over the delivery of coaching

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  The learner misinterpreting a message sent by the trainer which causes a barrier to
future learning
 Language or cultural barriers – where there is a spoken language difficulty or the coach
has unintentionally given unintended cultural offence by something they have said or
done
 Insufficient opportunity to practice – where the coach has failed to arrange for the
practice sessions or where the opportunity (and the tools, the time, the pressure) to
practice has not matched the real needs of the learner
 An inappropriate environment for coaching. This can include situations where there are
members of the public present causing anxiety, too many other staff present, or situations
where it is too hot, too cold, too noisy or too sunny.
Possible causes of problems
The above problems can nearly always be traced back to one or more of the following
reasons:
 Poor, insufficient or rushed preparation. Good, solid preparation is the key to effective
coaching
 Time restraints. Rushed coaching will rarely be effective
 Communication barriers. Anything that gets in the way of the messages being sent in the
coaching session is likely to cause problems (including interruptions from outside
sources)
 Uncomfortable surroundings making the learner feel uncomfortable and unable to
properly concentrate
 Inappropriate learning tools. For example, if you are coaching someone on how to use a
cash register/POS terminal it really needs to be the same type of register/terminal they are
using in their day to day work
 Broken, dangerous or faulty equipment. Never use dangerous or unsafe equipment
 Unmotivated learners. You must remember:
 Not all learners are as motivated as you in relation to what it is they need to know or
be able to do
 It is without exception your responsibility to motivate your learners.
This can be difficult to do in some cases but it needs to be clearly stated that it is your job
to get the learners to a stage where they are, if not eager to learn, they are at least
willing to learn.
Again, how you intend to achieve this is often recorded on the coaching plan.
Motivation may be encouraged by:
– Telling a short story or anecdote illustrating the need for the coaching which is
about to occur

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 – Doing a brief demonstration of what can happen when things go wrong
– Reading out a media article relating to the topic
– Mentioning relevant statistics demonstrating the need for the coaching (such as
injury statistics, wastage figures, money spent by the venue on raw materials).
 Insufficient stock, items or products to complete coaching session. It is the coach’s job to
make sure there is enough of everything to allow the coaching session to be completed as
intended
 Poor levels of attendance. Where learners have a tendency not to attend for arranged
coaching sessions this is usually an indication they are unhappy with some aspect of what
you are doing.
They may be unhappy with your coaching style or the way you deliver the coaching but a
common cause of problems in this area relates to interpersonal skills.
Learners may find you are being too ‘forceful’, they may not find it funny when you make
jokes or they may have taken offence at a comment you made which you thought was
funny.
The final thing to consider when levels of attendance are poor is whether or not the learner
has other commitments at that time.

The need to act on the basis of reviews

Coaches must realise reviews or evaluations are only useful if acted upon.
Once a problem or difficulty has been identified, it must be addressed.
There is little point in taking the time and trouble to obtain feedback if it is ignored.
If the review identifies lack of equipment is
an issue, then more equipment must be
obtained.
If the review shows your delivery style is
annoying, ineffective or disliked then it has
to be changed.
In some cases, the coach alone is able to take
action to rectify the problem, while in other
cases, there will be a need to involve others
who may control rosters, resources or
knowledge.
If you are unsure about what action to take in
relation to a person you are coaching, the best approach might be to discuss the situation with
them to try to work out a mutually acceptable and agreeable solution.
Referring to other people for follow-up
Where you are genuinely unable to fix a coaching-related problem (and this can include a
problem relating to the delivery of coaching, assessment of the competency of a learner,
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materials needed to undertake the coaching, time release for staff to attend coaching sessions)
there is a need to refer this situation to the ‘appropriate’ person.
Exactly who is the appropriate person will depend on the nature of the problem – obviously
you need to refer the issue to someone who has the authority to act on your behalf.
For example, coaches often have problems with supervisors refusing to release staff from
normal duties to undertake training so this problem may need to be referred to the manager
(after having, of course, tried to resolve the issue with the supervisor one on one).
The ‘appropriate person’ may be:
 Duty manager
 Office manager
 Branch manager
 Owner
 Department manager
 Section manager
 Someone at head office who has authority for spending money or obtaining resources for
training/coaching.

WORK PROJECTS

It is a requirement of this Unit that you complete Work Projects as advised by your Trainer.
You must submit documentation, suitable evidence or other relevant proof of completion of
the project to your Trainer by the agreed date.
Note: this Work Project follows from and builds on Work Project 1.1 and 2.1.

3.1 To meet the requirements of the Work Project you are required to provide written,
video, photographic or other evidence you have followed up after a coaching session for
a colleague on the job and:

 Monitored their on the job progress in relation to the skill that was coached
 Provided additional help as required to supplement the coaching
 Liaised with others to monitor and support the learner’s on the job practice
 Reported progress to others in the workplace as required or necessary
 Reviewed or evaluated the coaching provided to the colleague to learn lessons for
future reference

Date Developed: Document No.

Competency Based Issued by:

Learning Material SOUTHBAY MONTESSORI Page 73 of 74
SCHOOL AND COLLEGES,
HOUSKEEPING NC II INC.
Developed by: Revision No.
Work in a Team
Environment
  Determined if the learner was experiencing problems and/or difficulties with the
skill in which they were coached
 Addressed identified learner problems and/or difficulties effectively and in a timely
manner.

ANSWER KEY

When following up coaching:

 Monitor progress of learner in the workplace
 Involve other staff, supervisors and customers in the monitoring process
 Use a variety of ways to monitor learner progress
 Be supportive, fair, accurate, unbiased, understanding, consistent and relevant
 Maintain confidentiality
 Report learner progress as required to those who need to know
 Be alert to the possibility the learner may have problems or difficulties and take action to
identify them
 Respond promptly and appropriately to identified learner problems or difficulties – never
ignore them
Accept coaching has not finished until an evaluation or review has been undertaken.

Date Developed: Document No.

Competency Based Issued by:

Learning Material SOUTHBAY MONTESSORI Page 74 of 74
SCHOOL AND COLLEGES,
HOUSKEEPING NC II INC.
Developed by: Revision No.
Work in a Team
Environment