In the Office of the County Executive, we hold ourselves to a high standard. Staff are expected to operate with autonomy, manage their time well, and contribute meaningfully without constant direction. It is the kind of environment that prepares people for leadership.
But when we bring someone in who is still learning, especially an intern, our approach has to shift. We have to coach more intentionally.
Recently, our intern shared that there are moments during his day when he freezes. Not because he does not care. Not because he does not want to do the work. But because sometimes the next step is not clear, or the task does not carry the same urgency or energy. And that freeze can lead to long periods of unproductive time.
To his credit, he did not just sit with it. He told me. And because he trusted me enough to share, I searched for a way to help. It was important to me that the solution did not feel punitive, but supportive.
A friend of mine, a brilliant communications coach, shared some motivational interviewing tools designed to help people name what is getting in their way and reset with intention. I also used AI to help format and streamline it into something I thought the intern would use.
What came out of that collaboration is a simple but powerful tool we now use called the Unstuck Check-In.
It is a short form that the intern completes when he notices he has hit a wall. It asks him to reflect on what is hard about the task, what is going on internally, and what kind of reset might help. He rates his clarity and confidence, and once a week, we review those stuck moments together during our check-in and development time. Even the form's color was intentional, as blue is said to provide clarity and calm.
It has felt like the right balance between accountability and support. A good reminder that structure does not have to mean micromanagement. It can mean empowerment.
Take a look at screenshots of the form below.
