Performance Improvement & Coaching Strategies Flashcards

A trainee has mastered a skill in isolation but struggles to integrate it with other skills during complex scenarios. Which coaching approach BEST addresses this?

Answer: Use whole-task practice that embeds the skill within realistic integrated scenarios

Whole-task practice develops the ability to coordinate multiple skills simultaneously, which isolated drills cannot replicate.

According to adult learning theory (andragogy), adult learners are MOST motivated when training:

Answer: Is directly relevant to their current roles and solves real, immediate problems

Adults are problem-centered learners motivated by training that has immediate, practical application to their professional responsibilities.

A CPI instructor uses a coaching technique where the trainee performs the task, then the instructor asks 'What went well? What would you do differently?' before offering input. This technique is known as:

Answer: Guided self-reflection or the Plus-Delta debrief

Plus-Delta (or guided self-reflection) engages learners in evaluating their own performance before the instructor provides additional perspective.

Which of the following is an example of a BEHAVIORAL (rather than cognitive) performance objective?

Answer: The trainee will demonstrate three approved verbal de-escalation phrases during a role-play scenario with 100% accuracy

Behavioral objectives specify observable, measurable actions with conditions and criteria, unlike vague cognitive or affective objectives.

In performance coaching, 'fading' refers to:

Answer: Gradually reducing instructor support as the trainee develops independent competence

Fading is the systematic reduction of coaching scaffolding as the learner builds self-sufficiency, promoting independence and confidence.

A trainee's performance has declined after initially showing improvement. A CPI instructor should FIRST:

Answer: Conduct a root cause analysis to identify whether the regression is skill, knowledge, or environmental in origin

Performance regression can stem from many causes including environmental changes, skill decay, motivation shifts, or new obstacles, so root cause analysis must precede intervention.

Which of the following BEST describes the difference between coaching and mentoring in a CPI training context?

Answer: Coaching is performance-focused and task-specific; mentoring is relationship-focused and career-developmental

Coaching targets specific skills and performance outcomes in the short term, while mentoring addresses broader professional growth and career guidance over time.