Coaching Team Policy

Mission/Purpose:
The coaching team's primary purpose is to encourage personal, spiritual and professional growth of the professional staff members. Through honest feedback and:a supportive environment, each team enables its staff member to reflect on their performance and growth as a member of the Prospect Presbyterian Church staff and as a Christian. This page contains information and concerns about employment, education and tax matters specifically for those who work or volunteer as musicians in the PC(USA). You will find articles relating to Session Personnel Committees, Worship/Music Committees, Creating Positon Descriptions, Educational Requirements, Performance Reviews, Contracts, Salary Guidelines, Continuing Education Requirements, Pension and Medical Benefits, Dispute Resolution, Reconcilliation, and Professionals in Adversity.

Accountability:
The coaching teams are accountable to the Session through the Personnel Committee. The teams shall provide written reports to the Personnel Committee following each team meeting. At least ?once per year, one or more representatives of each coaching team will meet in person with the Personnel Committee, with no staff members present, to provide an opportunity for feedback and discussion of the performance evaluation, evaluation of the coaching team process for the year, and any other matters of interest to the coaching team and/or the committee.

Constitution of Coaching teams:

Each team shall consist of five to seven people, as follows:

• Two to four members of Prospect Church who work with the staff member on a regular basis.
• One peer from another congregation who works in the same or a related field.
• A coach/counselor - which will be the pastor, or in the case of the pastor's team, an appropriate member filling the coach/counselor role.
• The staff person.

Qualifications of team members

• Each team member should have a love for the staff member and a passion for his or her ministry. They should be able to offer honest feedback that helps the staff member to grow.
• Congregation members shall be persons who are active in the church and who work with the staff person frequently.
• The Coach/counselor should be someone, who has skills to draw out the, thoughts and reflections of the other team members.
• The peer should be someone who brings the perspective of someone outside Prospect Church who works in the field. He/she should be known and trusted by the staff member.

Team Selection and Terms of Service

• Normally the coaching team members are selected by the staff member and confirmed by Personnel Committee. Staff members are encouraged to seek and consider suggestions from the Personnel Committee regarding the selection of the members of their teams.
• Members shall usually serve at least a three year term, but annual reaffirmation of desire to serve is encouraged. There is no term limitation.
• The Personnel Committee will annually review and, as appropriate, reconfirm or recommend changes to the team membership.

Team Meeting Frequency and Objectives

The team shall meet at least quarterly, but may meet more frequently if matters arise that require greater attention. The objectives for the quarterly meetings are:

• First quarter: Review goals developed by the staff person and develop supporting objectives: Normally, the goals shall be divided into two areas of growth and performance with no more than four in each area. Under each goal, measurable objectives will be listed to support the achievement of the goal.
• Second quarter: Provide feedback on competencies to the staff member: Using the notebook provided from Del Poling, the staff member selects competencies for feedback and the team may suggest other competencies. The discussion at this meeting will focus on the feedback and ways to grow and improve.
• Third quarter: Review progress on goals with an eye toward the evaluation that will be sent to the personnel committee. One member of the coaching team will prepare a report to the personnel committee that will constitute the annual evaluation.
• Fourth quarter: A final review of goals and a discussion of possible goals for the coming year: As part of this process, the staff member reflects on personal strengths and weaknesses in light of the job description and year's experiences. On the basis of this meeting, the staff member will develop goals and objectives for the next year.

Evaluation Process

• Evaluations will include a review of current goals and objectives as well as the job description for the position.
• The Personnel Committee will collect feedback from key leaders in the congregation and provide it to the Coaching Team for input to the process. (see attachment)
• The staff person will take the initiative in the evaluation process during the team meeting, but a member of the team other than the staff person will prepare the report.
• Reports will be submitted to the Personnel Committee in writing.
• Reports will include a list of the goals and objectives including progress to date on those goals.
• Particular strengths of the staff person may be highlighted along with suggestions for growth.
• Reports will be due by the April meeting of the Personnel Committee.

Handling Conflicts or Concerns

Ideally, the coaching team process is one that should diminish conflict through a regular time of coaching and feedback. However, conflicts may develop in spite of our best efforts. During times of conflict in the congregation or staff, the team shall provide a safe place to explore the ways in which the staff person manages conflict by serving as a mirror to examine how the staff person's work and personality contribute to or diminish conflict and providing a place to help the staff person strategize appropriate and healthy response to conflict.

In the event of conflict or other situation of concern, the coaching team should be able to bring feedback from the Personnel Committee and communicate appropriate information back to the Personnel Committee. Concerns from the committee should be communicated in writing to the coach of the staff person's team with a copy to the staff person. When the Coaching Team or Personnel Committee deem it important, a member of the Personnel Committee may be invited to a coaching team meeting or a representative of the coaching team may be invited to a Personnel Committee meeting to clarify concerns. Individual coaching team members may also raise concerns directly with the Personnel Committee by contacting the committee chairperson.

Attachment: Personnel Committee Role in Program Staff Evaluation Process

Despite the significant role of the Coaching Team, the overall responsibility for the evaluation of the program staff resides with the Personnel Committee. In addition to ensuring that the process is followed, the Personnel Committee is specifically responsible for:

• Collecting feedback from key church leaders and providing that feedback to the coaching team prior to their third quarter evaluation meeting. (This should be initiated in January or early February in order to meet the timetable.)
• Receiving the evaluation report and ensuring that any required clarification is obtained.
• Providing feedback to the Coaching Team regarding the evaluation process, as well as any other aspects of the Coaching Team process to assist the team in making it as effective as possible.

The Personnel Committee will determine which persons they will request to provide performance feedback for each program staff member. These will typically include the committee chair and/or other significant lay leader(s) in the committee(s) staffed by the staff member as well as other members of the congregation or staff if appropriate. The request for feedback should provide some structure (via leading questions and/or a survey form) to facilitate the responses provided. This structure should incorporate the current year goals and objectives and job description dimensions for the staff member. It should also request feedback specific to the area(s) in which the responder works closely with the staff member.

A possible sample letter requesting personnel feedback follows. Alternatively, a form similar to those used for the hourly staff could be employed.

(sample based upon materials in the Gerry Tyer article "Evaluation of Pastors and Program Staff Members" dated February 4, 2000 and adapted for consistency with Prospect Church procedures and organization.)