Coaching Plans

A Coaching Plan is a tool managers use to support a team member’s development. It helps them grow in their role through a structured plan, built and completed together with their manager’s mentorship. members, helping them grow in their role and improve their performance through a Coaching Plans can be used proactively for career development and role growth, and they can also be used to address performance concerns with support and clear expectations.

Purpose and Philosophy

Coaching Plans are built on the belief that all team members have potential for growth — in their job skills, alignment with company values, or execution of their role.

Coaching Plans are a positive, intentional investment. They are used to help team members prepare for career advancement, role changes, and evolving expectations as the company grows.

When to Use a Coaching Plan

A Coaching Plan may be initiated by a team member’s manager when:

• A team member shows potential for growth or expanded impact
• The growth area is specific, observable, and coachable
• Expectations need to be clarified and supported through structured development
• One or more performance areas would benefit from focused improvement
• A team member expresses interest in expanding responsibilities or transitioning to a role with additional scope
• A team member is preparing for future role progression
• A manager observes behaviors or skills that could benefit from intentional development

Coaching Plan Characteristics

FlowFuse's Coaching Plans are designed to be:

• Development-focused — Centered on growth and learning, whether proactive or in response to changing expectations
• Supportive — Emphasize mentorship, guidance, and partnership from managers
• Opportunity-based — Frame areas for improvement as opportunities for growth and skill-building
• Growth-oriented — Aimed at expanding capabilities and supporting team members in meeting and exceeding role expectations
• Collaborative — Team members actively participate in goal-setting and development activities
• Clear and structured — Shared expectations with documented goals, milestones, and review points

Creating a Coaching Plan

Identify the Opportunity

Managers should:

• Observe areas where the employee could grow or develop
• Consider the employee's career aspirations and interests
• Assess skills that would benefit from strengthening
• Identify opportunities that align with business needs
• Discuss and align with their own manager on the growth opportunity

Develop the Coaching Plan

The coaching plan should include:

1. Development area: What skill or such is to be improved.
2. Current state: Managers' assesment of the current level.
3. Goal state: A SMART goal goal to collectly aim for. This is the result that you're aiming for.
4. Activities: What actions, training, experience are to be done to achieve the set goal. This is the inputs to the goal. Team members should be active participants in trying to craft the activities. A manager's proposal in the coaching plan is just a proposal.
5. Timeline: Start and end date, typically 30 days apart.
6. Support assets: What tools, meeting, or manager assitances will be provided
7. Update Cadence: How manager and team member align on progress, and how to collectively achieve goals.

Documentation and Tracking

While coaching plans are less formal than PIPs, it's important to:

• Document the coaching plan and goals
• Track progress and development activities
• Note feedback and adjustments made
• Record achievements and milestones
• Maintain confidentiality while sharing appropriate updates with HR and management
  • Coaching Plans are only shared with the team member, their manager, the manager’s manager, and HR