Expectations of Reliant Fixed Term Coaches

Thanks for wanting to be a Reliant coach! A coach is someone who has gone before and learned the tricks and trades. Then, as a coach, you help guide people during their support-raising journey by giving them practical and actionable guidance on how to do the ins and outs of daily MTD. Yes, you will be one of their biggest cheerleaders, but you are also there to help them know what to do in the crazy season of MTD. You do this through goal setting, goal tracking, strategizing, and praying! Here is what this coaching season would look like for you practically:

Weekly

Individual coaching call with each resident

1. Should be scheduled & kept routinely each week (e.g., Tuesdays at 2 p.m.). 
1. Please keep a consistent coaching call time every week (date and time)
2. Usually around 30 minutes long (with 10 minutes for prep before the call)
3. Things to discuss every week:
   1. Check specifically about any obstacles or reasons for lack of effort
1. Toolbox activity (Activity Tracker MUST be filled out every week by resident)
2. Personal Ministry Report (optional for resident; coach decides)
3. Goals that were set the previous week (write these down weekly)
4. Goals moving forward into the next week (write these down weekly)
5. Pray with them and their MTD in the coming week as you leave.
   

Monthly

1. Group Calls
   1. if you are coaching residents from multiple programs, this may not make sense for your coaching rhythms 
1. Once a month, plan a call with all of your residents from the same program. 
2. Reset Goal Setting Worksheet
   1. The goals will adjust, and you can now build new weekly goals that are more accurate.
1. Ask what the average monthly gift is in actuality, and then adjust that number. 
3. Call with Head Coach (twice a month)
   1. You will update the head coach on your residents’ progress
   2. Feel free to ask any questions via text during the time in between calls
   3. The hope is that the head coach allows you to feel empowered and encouraged.
1. A head coach will set up a 30-minute call with you once every other week.

Rhythms 

Early Spring (Feb – March)

Here is where most residents have finished training and are getting started. They will likely reach out to tier-one contacts (close friends and family) first, so they may have fewer appointments each week starting out but will have a higher success rate gaining partners. As a coach, be aware that a slow start isn’t an issue as long as they are actively making appointments (even if they are less than their goal number). Allow them time to build up to their weekly goals if needed. Hopefully, they will be around the 10-30% mark during this season.

Late Spring (April-May)

Most people start to find their groove here and should be getting to around 20-40% marks. A lot of this time depends on if they are still in school and might be wrapping up/graduating. Try to build a plan around these eventful times so they feel like they are making progress but that they can also celebrate their accomplishments. Be gracious within their busy season, but encourage them to reach their goals.

Summertime (June)

This is where most residents thrive. They typically have more time and have been doing support for a while now. Some might feel tired but continue to encourage them that they are doing well and have only a few weeks left. They should be at their peak number of appointments each week during this month. Push them to do more if they seem to be slowing down. They should be between 40-75% around this time. 

Last Push (July)

With only a few weeks left before their start date, as a coach, encourage them to use any and all communication methods at their disposal. We encourage residents to ignore some hard rules we set up at the beginning of when to contact supporters and just throw everything they have at it. They need to contact anyone and everyone they have left on their list (ideally with phone calls, but letters might be an option if they have hundreds of contacts left). Follow-up timetables shrink to 1-2 days after appointments. Be sure as a coach to continue to push hope in Jesus as the deadlines approach. People will feel frantic and need to know you care, but also gently push them to do more. For most programs, residents need to be between 70-100% by the end of July. 

Post - Start Date (August - October)

Most residents are either fully funded by this time or close to it, so coaching may not go this far. However, if you have a resident who is still working to get full funding, we work with their ministry schedules to continue to have them pursue appointments and finalize follow-ups. The goal is to see everyone fully funded in this period of time.