Needle Coach Certification™ — Build habits. Raise the bar.

Coaches make progress repeatable.
This certification turns internal enablers into habit builders: people who help teams write good goals, tighten measures, shape Behavior Packs (rules/checklists/protocols), design short experiments, and run lightweight clinics that keep the loop healthy quarter after quarter.

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Why this?

Leaders set direction. Captains run the weekly. But teams need someone who can tune the system in between—fix the frictions, sharpen the measures, and turn “we should” into workable habits. That’s the Coach.

Different from the Leader & Captain

  • Leader: decides the objective and the few measures that matter.

  • Captain: facilitates the 20-minute weekly and keeps the decision log.

  • Coach: improves how the team works—crafts Behavior Packs, designs Experiment Cards, and runs short clinics so the loop gets better every month.

Outcomes (what certified coaches can do)

  • Facilitate the OKR setting workshop alongside the Leader (2h) and translate it into weekly-ready work.

  • Write and refine Behavior Packs (Rule, Checklist, Protocol, Evidence) so habits are clear, teachable, and visible.

  • Design short Experiment Cards (question, criteria, window) when behavior is external/unknown—so decisions are evidence-based.

  • Coach Captains on agenda discipline, decision hygiene, and blocker handling.

  • Triage friction (data, flow, ownership) and run micro-clinics that fix one thing at a time.

  • Prepare Decision Days (keep / tune / kill) with plain-English summaries and a clean trail of choices.

  • Guard against drift: light reviews of the dashboard and weekly notes; nudge people before it slips.

Coaches don’t own team delivery—they improve the operating habits that make delivery possible.

What’s included

  • Coach Playbook (PDF): step-by-step guides for Packs, Cards, and Decision Days.

  • Pattern Library: examples of high-leverage Behavior Packs and Experiment Cards.

  • Clinic-in-a-Box: 30–60 min micro-clinic agendas (flow, measures, blockers, experiments).

  • Nudge Library: ready-to-paste messages for pre-reads, reminders, and follow-ups.

  • Escalation Tree: when a blocker needs a decision outside the weekly.

  • Templates: Pack, Card, Decision Day brief, dashboard notes.

  • Credential: digital certificate + badge (valid 12 months).

Seats for this certification are included in Needle Loop License™ — Plus/Enterprise. (Two coach seats/year in Plus.)

Format & pricing

Live Cohort (remote) — 2 × 2 hours

Interactive, case-based, capped group size.
€900 per coach (min 5, max 14)

On-site Intensive — ½ day

For one org, your context, your teams.
€5,000 on-site (Benelux, + travel) — up to 15 coaches

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Syllabus (plain English)

  1. From goals to weekly moves
    Help the Leader’s objectives survive contact with Monday.

  2. Behavior Packs
    Write rules, checklists, and protocols that people actually follow—plus how to make them visible on one page.

  3. Experiment Cards
    When you can’t control the behavior yet: ask the right question, set simple criteria, choose a short window, decide on time.

  4. Captain coaching
    Keep the 20-minute review tight: timebox, decision hygiene, blocker handling.

  5. Micro-clinics
    30–60 minute fixes for flow, measures, ownership—run them without drama.

  6. Decision Day prep
    Summarize the quarter on one page; lead keep/tune/kill conversations without politics.

  7. Anti-drift routines
    Light checks that prevent the loop from sliding back into status theater.

Assessment & certification

To earn the badge, coaches must:

  • Submit one Behavior Pack and one Experiment Card.

  • Shadow a weekly review and provide coach notes (agenda, hygiene, blockers).

  • Prepare a Decision Day brief (one page).

  • Pass a short knowledge check (habits, experiments, decision gates).

  • Attend both sessions (or the on-site intensive).

Recertification (12 months): quick update clinic or submit two recent artifacts for review (included with Loop License tiers).

Who it’s for

  • Product/engineering managers, EMs, senior ICs, operations folks—anyone tasked with improving how teams work rather than managing headcount.

  • Organizations that want consistency without bureaucracy.

How it fits with the rest

  • Executive Briefing — feel the loop.

  • Needle Leader Certification™ — set direction and measures.

  • Needle Captain Certification™ — run the weekly 20-minute review.

  • Needle Coach Certification™ — make habits and experiments work in practice.

  • Needle Loop License™ — monthly clinics, quarterly audits, and coach seats to avoid drift.

FAQs

Is this the same as Leader or Captain?
No. Leaders set direction; Captains run the weekly. Coaches improve the habits and experiments that make the weekly effective.

Do coaches need analytics expertise?
Enough to read simple trends and spot nonsense. If data is messy, Coaches use starter signals and tighten them over time.

How many coaches do we need?
As a rule of thumb: 1 coach per 2–4 teams.

Can a Captain also be a Coach?
Yes—roles can overlap in smaller orgs. The distinction keeps responsibilities clear.

What if we need help right away?
Use Support Credits for extra clinics or an on-site intensive. No retainer required.

Ready to build habits that last?

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