How do you coach your case managers for success?

As a leader training standards should not change based on favoritism also the only time it should and must change is based on state regulations. If the team is not trained well, supported and compensated it’s a strain that will affect the clients. Which is unfair because the clients need assistance and if your team need that emotional assistance as well it’s no good for the company, team and especially the clients.

Training is vital part of learning and mastering case management and the duties involved. It is imperative for the new trainee to become familiar and be able to perform the responsibility of case management. It is also important to practice Time Management, while documenting everything, and keeping records /forms updated always pay attention to details, and collaborate with colleagues, supervisors, Managers. Utilize skills as a team player and extend help, motivate other, occasionally take the time to teach and train others or help staff in need.

What I find effective is sharing real life case examples that offer learnings for the care manager. In particular if the care manager managed the case

I agree wholeheartedly that regular feedback is crucial to the optimal performance of case managers. Pointing out strengths and weaknesses in a sensitive manner empowers the case managers to improve without being demotivated. An open door policy to your case workers is a powerfull way of encouraging open communication and constant effective management.

I have found collaboration meetings, and reviewing real time case studies to be successful. Everyone brings different skills and levels of case management expertise to the table. When we share our advice with peers, and talk about difficult cases it helps everyone sharpen thier skills.

Develop standard operating procedures (SOPs) that have been shown to be effective, and share it with the team. Then take the time to give group and individual guidance.

Every experience is a learning opportunity and the client is our best educator. Many clients know of resources I don't know of. Teaching case managers how to learn from the best resource right in front of them, the client, will bring each one a long way to being effective. There is always more to learn from clients and it involves the client in their care

Network with colleagues and research best practices to learn. Gain skills in process improvement and rapid cycle theories, sharing this knowledge and skill with staff. Engage frontline staff in these activities as well to change the culture of your team and ensure they understand they why behind changes. If they do not understand the why behind initiatives, it can lead to burnout and dissatisfaction.

You can also have periodic group meetings to share lessons learnt and experiences. It can also be a good opportunities to share relevant updates, or to highlight common trends that can be facing different case managers and see how these cases can be managed.

Continues learning in the counseling field is crucial to stay updated with the latest trends and research based practices. Our organization often cannot send all the case managers on the same courses and therefore we make use of peer learning by encouraging the managers to share the knowledge that they obtained from a course with the rest of the team. This ensures continued learning for the whole team.

One thing I find helpful is asking the care manager for their recommendations to facilitate problem solving. Receiving positive feedback with excellent ideas is empowering

As a professional development educator, one thing I have found helpful for new case managers as well as seasoned staff, is reinforcing that they are the experts of their field. Working in healthcare, some case managers are intimidated by physicians and don’t allow themselves to shine. I make a point to remind my case manager social workers and nurses that they have a special skill set too. Their knowledge and expertise is valued and needed.

This is so necessary! Empower them once you've trained them in the areas that matter most for them to be successful in the position that they are responsible for.

It is good to have individual one to one meeting, and see how the case manager identify his/her strength points and area of development. Avoid use weakness but rather ask what topic/skill/are they believe they need more coaching on or to develop. You should have a capacity building plan for your team and periodic refreshers that highlights updates and new information regarding service providers and the local context. Empower them with knowledge and make sure you have also an onboarding training or plan for new case workers joining the team so everyone have the same base.

Remember teamwork and collaboration are essential in developing a strong team. Roll your sleeves up and jump in when things get busy or overwhelming.

Case managers may also struggle with the effects of hearing and connecting with a participant to learn more about their story, known as vicarious trauma. It is helpful to scaffold support to address vicarious trauma before, during, and after their time with patients.

Self-care is important, especially when managing large caseloads. Employee Assistance Units are a great tool for helping employees cope with stressful jobs. Having a professional who has done the same, or similar, job provide a listening ear and advice goes a long way to help case managers debrief after working a particularly grueling case.

Motivational Interviewing is a powerful tool to make sure that you are informed about the well-being of your case managers. This also gives them the opportunity to discuss issues that you were unaware of. Motivating less experienced case managers to set firm boundaries, separate their professional and personal lives and practice self-care can improve their performance and prevent burn out in the longer term

It is crucial that you empower your smart people to be creative. Provide a safe place where they feel free to communicate. I search for talent on the front lines. When you find that talent you must ensure you present them with support and opportunities. I personally coached and encouraged a font line person into management. This was a person who was previously burnt out. I spent 1 on 1 time getting to the why. I then asked for the what, what was needed to spark new passion. It’s all about active listening and being proactive.

Make sure the work conditions and payment are fair, and advocate for their rights when needed. A team leader does not just follow the progress and the results of the team but also look out for their team. Another good thing to do is to keep a record of the progress of a case manager wither physical or e-file. So you can see the progress of the case manager and remind them of what they accomplished so they remain motivated.

Give positive feedback and allow them to problem solve by talking about the issues that arise then foster learning around when they identify what they not fully understood. We give time to our case managers wu its weekly meetings and we are always available by phone to go through any support that is needed