What problem does it solve?
Not every conflict is a values conflict, and not every disruptive behavior is intentional harm. When a participant disrupts governance processes because they lack facilitation skills, communication skills, or governance knowledge, sending them to a harm circle misdiagnoses the problem. The participant does not need restorative accountability -- they need skill development. Without a coaching pathway, the community either treats skill gaps as character flaws (escalating to harm circles that feel punitive) or ignores the disruption (allowing the pattern to continue until it does cause genuine harm). This skill provides a distinct intervention pathway for conflicts rooted in competency gaps. Coaching is voluntary, skill-focused, and oriented toward building capacity rather than assigning blame. It distinguishes between "you did something harmful" (harm circle) and "you lack a skill that is causing problems" (coaching), preventing the conflation that erodes trust in both processes.
Core Features & Use Cases
- Coaching eligibility assessment: verifies that root causes are skill gaps rather than values or harm.
- Coach selection & independence: assigns an independent coach with no direct authority over the participant.
- Coaching plan design: co-designs a measurable, time-bound plan with targets, methods, and check-ins.
- Affected parties engagement: gathers feedback to ensure the plan targets real impacts and does not punish.
- Outcome-driven formalization: captures coaching outcomes in a structured artifact for accountability.
Quick Start
Initiate a coaching intervention by routing the triaged case to coaching and creating a coaching plan.