Week 4 – Briefing the Challenge Strategist
Week 4
Briefing the Challenge Strategist - 30-Day Check-in
You have reached the one-month milestone of the 100-Day Sprint. This is a critical junction where momentum must be converted into sustained leadership support. Your mission this week is to bridge the gap between the Team’s “on-the-ground” reality and the Challenge Strategist’s “strategic” oversight.
Podcast
Click here to listen to two Coaches discussing the mission and tasks this week – with great tips!
Your Task This Week
Joint Progress Review
Your task is to facilitate a briefing between the Team Leader and the Challenge Strategist.
The Partnership: Conduct this meeting jointly with the Team Leader.
The Coach’s Role: You are in a support role. Ensure the Team Leader takes the lead in reporting progress and obstacles.
The “Why”: This reinforces the Entrepreneurial Leadership of the Team Leader and builds their confidence in managing senior stakeholders. Regular briefings make it much easier to ask for high-level intervention later if the Team hits a bureaucratic “brick wall.”
High Impact Report
Avoid long, narrative reports. Leaders value brevity and clarity.
Remind the team to lead with the “North Star”—how close are we to the 100-Day Goal today compared to Day 1?
You can use this “Stop-Light” format to guide the discussion:
The Human Factor
Discussing Team Members with the Challenge Strategist
The Challenge Strategist is your most powerful tool for managing team dynamics across different organisations.
- The “Gentle Nudge”: If a Team member is disengaged, ask the Strategist to make a casual inquiry into their progress. Often, knowing that a senior leader is watching is enough to refocus a participant.
- The “Amplified Cheer”: If a member is performing exceptionally, the Strategist should send a recognition note.
- The Multiplier Effect: Suggest that the Strategist send a commendation directly to the Team member’s manager. In a collaborative community project, this is the highest form of “currency” for a government official of civil society member.
As you sit in this meeting, keep your mantra at the front of your mind: “How can I help?” Your goal is to help the Team Leader shine and help the Strategist feel confident that their investment is yielding results.
For more insight on how you can advise the Challenge Strategist on creating and reinforcing the enabling environment of 100-Day Challenges, go over the following Learning Deep Dives:
Creating the Enabling Environment for the 100-Day Challenge Team
Coaching the Challenge Strategist
