Guidance on Coaching 100-Day Challenge Teams
The purpose of this Learning Guide to prepare you to coach a rapid (100-day) project team that aims to significantly improve a strategic issue that requires fresh thinking and collaboration across departments and/or organisations.
The approach you will learn about is called the 100-Day Challenge. Leaders in the private sector, government and non-profit organisations have used it to make breakthrough improvements on a multitude of issues and in dozens of countries around the world. So, you will join a community of global coaches who have helped leaders achieve remarkable results by empowering and enabling others in their organisations and communities.
Below are some of these leaders and Coaches describing the results they were able to inspire through 100-Day Challenges.
Our own 100-Day Challenge Guru – Nadim (the young version)- talking about doing 100-Day Challenges in different countries. (100-Day Challenge used to be called Rapid Results Initiatives)
Dumi
The 100-Day Challenge as a Relay Race
The 100-Day Challenge can be viewed as a relay race, with the baton getting passed back and forth between the different runners. When a runner passes the baton, they do not get out of the race. They continue running alongside the runner with the baton, supporting and cheering them. Unlike relay races, they will be handed the baton back one or more times during the race. The runner holding the baton, though, is the one leading the show for that part of the race.
The 100-Day Challenge as a Relay Race
LABELING THE ACTORS AS THEY EMERGE ON THE SCENE AND AS THEY PASS ON THE BATON TO EACH OTHER.
As you can see in the graphic, you will be holding the baton as of week of “-2” (two weeks before Day 0 – the Start-Up Workshop). Before that, you will be supporting the Challenge Strategist in their efforts to get the 100-Day Team recruited and to get them to the Starting Gate, ready for the race! The first Guidance Note covers your support role during that early part of the relay race. This could cover multiple weeks, though day 0 (Start-Up Workshop) will be no later than 4 weeks after you had been designated as Coach.
Guidance Notes
As a Team Coach, you will support the Challenge Strategist and guide the 100-Day team as they run their race. And you will cheer them along during their 100-Day race. In short, you play a very critical role.
In order to help you understand this role and play it effectively, the World of Impact team will send you WhatsApp messages most weeks for the next 20 weeks or so. Each note will include specific tasks that you will need to follow up on, complete, or pay special attention to that week. We refer to these messages as Guidance Notes. They will include guidance on performing these tasks, and in many cases, they will include links to more substantive information to prepare you to perform these tasks. We refer to these substantive information packets as Learning Deep Dives. We highly encourage you to go over these.
At the end of each Guidance Note, there will be an Assignment that you are expected to complete. It generally takes 5-15 minutes. It either refers back to the Learning Deep Dives of the week, or it includes information that was generated by you or others during the week.
The World of Impact team will host a weekly one-hour “Ask a Guru” Zoom call. Please join these if you have questions after reviewing the Guidance Note and Learning Deep Dives of the week.
Your first Guidance Note includes Learning Deep Dives on the topic that you and your colleagues are working on, to provide a strategic context and some useful background, before diving into the 100-Day Challenge process.
Please note that in line with the figures in the race diagram, throughout the programme, we will use the female pronouns for the Challenge Strategist and Team Leader and the male pronouns for the Team Coach.
100-Day Challenge Team Coach Certification Track
North-West University Certification
The Management Department at North-West University has adopted this program as one of its “short courses” on leadership and project management. You will be eligible to receive a certificate of participation from the University if you complete the assignments at the end of each Guidance Note. The short course certificate can be used for credit towards a further qualification in management from the University.
Enrolling in the certification program requires a registration fee of R250. There no fee required for the learning programme. This is covered, for all public service employees and staff of public benefit organisations by the Ford Foundation, as part of the Ending GBVF 100-Day Challenge Learning Programme.
Please reach out to us at info@theworldofimpact.org if you’d like to enroll in the 100-Day Challenge Strategist Certification Programme.
Where can I get help during the Learning Programme?
Groups and people are available if you need guidance or a second opinion. Follow the links or email us to connect.
