Motivational Coaching (MC) And Interviewing (MI) Takes Staff-Motivation and Buy-In​!

One way we are helping our customers to adopt this new model of client interaction is to encourage them to understand that client motivation is a by-product of a motivated staff member and team. It is not of benefit to anyone, and chances are will be ineffective, if organizations rush to the new model because everyone else is. If the staff cannot deliver because they have not been trained in creating better methods of connecting, it will eventually cause frustration, not motivation. Clients can tell if the staff is "winging it." If I have been doing this for 30 years and an employee, it is crazy to assume that I can change overnight and take on motivational coaching and interviewing-without creating a mindset shift. One in which the staff, leaders and other stakeholders analyze the way they view clients and how the team can collectively create a culture and climate that supports a mindset of motivational coaching and interviewing. For this to happen, I am confident several strategies need to be considered before a full-blown program is put in place. A few of the considerations are as follows:

1. Staff Needs To Be Motivated To Motivate Each Other -Motivated teams view motivational support of their teammates as important to creating a culture and mindset of motivation. Training the team to inspire each other, work towards the organizational culture desired and to embrace core values, is a critical to MC and MI success.

2. Staff Should Be Trained On C.A.P.E. (Compassion, Autonomy, Partnership, and Evocation)-Research is proving that CAPE Training is necessary to effective MC and MI Initiatives. Effective CAPE training in this arena provides a powerful mindset shift in both the clients and staff. For the C-Compassion aspect, staff need to be training to give compassion but also for compassion fatigue-which is a challenge in workforce development circles. A burnt-out staff cannot motivate clients when they so desperately need it for themselves.

3. Staff Should Embraced A Growth Mindset-Dr. Carol Dweck's work is often considered for clients and students, but in my work I train WD staff to embrace the research. It is easy to embrace a fixed mindset in Workforce Development circles due to operating in a daily routine. Creating a growth mindsets helps workforce development professionals to shift the mindset of case management to one of Motivational Coaching and Interviewing.

Below is a video clip motivating employees of New Mexico Works (30 Job Centers) during the beginning of their Motivational Coaching Initiative. We motivated the staff to motivate each other in the areas they need to change for MC and MI to be effective. It was a fun and engaging exercise, yet strategically aligned with the organization's statewide MC and MI initiative. It was a powerful first step! Would love your feedback on the power team synergy displayed in the video, 

MC and MI can be a success, but it takes staff mindset shifts in order to sustain long-term success. Many organizations are pushing in this direction but if your team in not ready, it will be easy to revert back to what is comfortable. Focusing on mindset and culture of the team first, makes it easier for the team to motivate clients using MC and MI.

Our company's model of MC and MI is called HOPE. HOPE stands for Healing, Optimism, Persuasion and Engagement. If your organization would like more information or possible training on our model, please call us or schedule a meeting.