Why on-call coaching beats more documentation
Documentation explains. Coaching builds muscle memory. On-call teams improve faster when they get feedback in the moment.
Why coaching works
- It’s specific to the incident you just had.
- It reinforces the habits you want: first checks, safe mitigations, comms cadence.
- It creates accountability without blame.
A minimal coaching loop
- 10-minute review after each incident.
- One runbook update and one onboarding update.
- A short note on what to repeat next time.
What to focus on
- The first 10 minutes: did the responder find the right dashboard and run first checks?
- The mitigation: was it safe and reversible?
- The update: did stakeholders get the four-line update on time?
Keep it lightweight
Coaching isn’t a program. It’s a habit that follows the work.
Documentation is necessary. Coaching is what makes it stick.