I'm teaching an Ensemble. How should I guide the next 10 minutes?

Meeting them where they are at in the moment.

I wish the Ensemble could solve problems without me there.

How often have you heard this said or said it yourself? We know the ultimate coaching triumph is helping teams get to solutions autonomously. And, easier said than done … as is anything in the skill acquisition sphere! There is a big mindshift that can make this very possible though, and then a set of behaviors and strategies that will clinch it!

Mindshift—think like a facilitator, not a problem solver.

Their goal is to solve the problem. Your goal is to help them get better at solving problems like this. As a likely expert in the field, it will be very hard to not fall into problem solving, or showing them how to do it. But this is a disservice to the learners.

How do I think like a facilitator?

Continuously assess the learners, not the problem. This will mean three likely outcomes:

• it will take longer for the Ensemble to solve the problem.

• it will likely be a substandard solution.

• they will be gaining autonomy in solving problems.

The third outcome makes the first two worth it.

How do I continuously assess the learners?

By observing their behaviors. I mean, yes, you can learn the art of reading the room, but for coding, behavioral outcomes are the fast, easy, and effective way to determine where they are at for that particular technique in that particular moment.

I see the behavior, but now what?

Since you’re observing behaviors, particularly in the Typist and Driver roles, it takes seconds for you to realize exactly where they are at in that moment. Facilitating in an Ensemble is a series of 10 minutes iterative lessons, so now you can decide what technique is best for what’s being demonstrated, and how to implement it in the Ensemble space.

Hurricane Update

For those of you who know that Asheville North Carolina was hit by a hurricane for the first time in known history (!), we are recovering. We have power, Internet (for the most part), and non-potable water now pressurized in our pipes. Everything is a little bit harder than our normal first world country norms, and it’s left me with a lot of gratitude for how much we do have. Thank you to those who have reached out, and patience with the three week interrupt on my content <3