Information Sharing - A Specific Coaching Strategy

During our March 2024 Coach2Coach event, we explored a coaching strategy called "information sharing." 

Here's an overview:

• Purpose: Information sharing serves as a two-way conversational strategy aimed at establishing and nurturing relationships between EI coaches and parents. It helps in understanding progress, informs intervention plans, and fosters trust and collaboration.

• Content: We discussed the types of information to gather and give during sessions. This includes updates on significant life changes, priorities, developmental milestones, intervention progress, and any questions or concerns from the family.

• Who and When: All family members are encouraged to share information during sessions, and information sharing can occur at any point during the coaching visit. However, it often takes place at the beginning to set the tone for the session (during the "Lights" part of the Lights, Camera, Action, Wrap framework)

• Remain Curious and Judgment-Free: Dr. Dana Childress emphasizes the importance of maintaining curiosity and avoiding judgment when gathering information from families in her book, "Pause & Reflect" (2021). Being mindful of how questions are asked and responding non-judgmentally is crucial for building trust with families.

• Give Sufficient Time: Allow families ample time to share their thoughts and experiences without rushing. Utilize strategies like asking open-ended questions and waiting for the parent to elaborate on their responses.

• Break Information into Chunks: Recognize that sharing too much information at once can be overwhelming for adults. Break down information into manageable chunks, presenting more details gradually over multiple visits as needed.

• Stay Relevant: Keep the focus on the parents' priorities and the child's development, avoiding tangents that may detract from the main objectives of the visit.

• Follow Up: If there are areas where the parent expresses a desire for more information, be sure to follow up in subsequent sessions to provide additional support and clarification. 

As you'll hear in the video, sometimes we question the dose of information we're giving parents.  This is a definitely a balancing act and different for each caregiver. Some C2C members' prefered questions to ask for gathering information include: 

1) What's been going well this week?

2) What's been challenging?

3) How did ______ practice go this week? 

4) Tell me about the _____ routine this week?

4) What do you want to prioritize during our visit today?