GS-11 supervisors with 10 years time-in-service along with O-3s and E-7s with two years time-in-grade, can now apply for the online Air Force Coaching Culture Facilitator Course Pilot scheduled to begin in April 2021.
Coaching is a voluntary process facilitating growth and development for both individuals and groups. Through structured dialogue, coaches provide members with new perspectives to help them achieve greater clarity and inspire them to achieve their personal and professional potential.
"There are many efforts underway to establish a coaching culture, one of which is building an Air Force internal coaching cadre through an online Coaching Culture Facilitator Course," said Russell J. Frasz, Air Force director of Force Development. "The goal for this course is to support the creation of an organizational culture that understands, values and uses formal and informal coaching to amplify the development of Airmen."
While many people are knowledgeable about sponsorship and mentoring, they aren't always as familiar with coaching. To differentiate between the three, Frasz explained, a sponsor talks about you, a mentor talks to you, and a coach talks with you.
Flatter, Inc., an external contracting partner, developed this pilot course to equip leaders with a coaching skillset to enable and enhance the development of Airmen. In addition, this course provides a stepping stone for those seeking an International Coach Federation credential.
Seven members from each applicant group will be selected to engage in 74 hours of training over 15 weeks. Upon successful completion of the course, participants will earn an Air Force coaching certificate, and will be required to deliver 100 hours of coaching sessions over a two-year period, along with a two-year service commitment.
Eligible personnel will receive a targeted message via MyPers with instructions on how to apply via MyVector; supervisors and senior raters must approve the application. The senior rater can then nominate no more than one applicant from each of the eligible categories.
The application window opens Jan. 15, and will close after the first 100 applications from each group have been received, or by Jan. 29,-whichever comes first; applications must be uploaded to MyVector under the member's profile. Those selected will be notified by March 25. The program will begin April 19.
In the future, there are plans for MyVector to contain the platform for coaching, similar to the mentoring program currently housed there. Based on the success of the pilot, the course will open to a larger population to include wage-grade and bargaining unit employees.
