From Managers to Mentors: UP Diliman's LEVEL UP New Coaching Program

LEVEL UP: Data-Driven Coaching for Performance Improvement

March 2-4 & 6, 2026 | Seminar Room A, National Center for Transportation Studies

The Human Resource Development Office (HRDO) successfully conducted the LEVEL UP: Data-Driven Coaching for Performance Improvement program on 2, 3, 4, and 6 March 2026 at Seminar Room A, National Center for Transportation Studies (NCTS). As part of the Leadership Training Course under Leadership Competency 3 (L03): Managing Performance and Coaching for Results, the four-day program brought together supervisory personnel across UP Diliman to strengthen their ability to lead with data, purpose, and effective coaching practices.

Thirty (30) supervisory personnel, including Unit Administrative Officers and Section Heads, participated in the program. The course was designed to strengthen the participants’ competencies in performance management and coaching, while promoting a culture of continuous learning and improvement within their respective units.

During the opening program, UP Diliman Chancellor Edgardo Carlo L. Vistan II encouraged participants to view the training as an opportunity to transform their leadership approaches, emphasizing the importance of shifting from merely managing tasks to developing people and nurturing a coaching culture within the University. 

The program overview was presented by HRDO Director Arthur A. Gonzales III, he proudly shared that the HRDO has established flagship learning programs designed to support competency-based, results-driven, and values-oriented leadership. One of these is LEVEL UP: Leading the Excellence in Value Empowerment through Learning for UP Employees. Further, he said, “Our end goal for this program is for our participants to strengthen coaching skills and improve individual and team performance using data, evidence, and performance indicators.”

HR Development and Benefits Division (HRDBD) Chiel Leizel P. Lectura provided a contextualization of the program. She highlighted how the course aligns with the University’s learning and development framework and ongoing efforts to promote growth mindset and employee development across UP Diliman. 

The training module L03 Intermediate Level consisted of five interconnected lessons that explored the key dimensions of performance coaching and supervision:

• Foundations of Performance Measurement and Objective Evaluation, which emphasized the importance of evidence-based evaluation anchored on clear performance metrics and documented standards. 

• Communicating Performance Standards and Root Cause Analysis, which highlighted the role of clear supervisory communication and data-informed problem solving in addressing performance gaps. 

• Coaching Strategies and Techniques, where participants learned practical coaching approaches such as vision coaching, coachee-driven coaching, active listening, and the GROW model. 

• Coaching Towards SMART Goals and Individual Development Plans, which focused on guiding employees in crafting actionable and measurable development goals aligned with organizational priorities. 

• Monitoring Progress for Coaching Success, which underscored the importance of continuous check-ins, progress tracking, and supportive supervision to ensure sustained employee growth. 

HRDO partnered with Learning Service Providers hailing from different units within UP Diliman, namely - Prof. Romina “Phoebe” Beltran-Almazan of the College of Education, Prof. Ma. Theresa “Thesa” de Guzman from the Department of Speech Communication and Theater Arts, Dr. Ronahlee “George” Asuncion who is a former Dean of the UP School of Labor and Industrial Relations and current Director of the Office of Student Housing, and Mr. Brian Anthony Gumiran of the UP School of Labor and Industrial Relations.

The program employed a combination of interactive lectures, reflective exercises, written activities, group sharing, and case analyses, enabling participants to apply the concepts to real workplace situations. Discussions emphasized that effective supervision requires both data-driven performance evaluation and empathetic leadership, encouraging supervisors to focus not only on outputs but also on the systems and processes that influence employee performance.

Participants also worked collaboratively on a capstone project, where they analyzed workplace performance challenges and designed coaching-based interventions and monitoring plans to address them. Through these activities, participants were able to translate the principles of performance coaching into concrete strategies that can be implemented within their units. After every group presentation, the panelists, composed of all the Learning Service Providers, give generous feedback on how they can further improve their outputs.

The Training Valedictorian, Mr. Charles Jason C. Ramos from the Quality Assurance Office, reminisced his first time joining LEVEL UP in 2022 about emotional intelligence and managerial coaching behaviors. Recalling his experience then and now, he said that HRDO remains very enthusiastic in developing and implementing programs for managers. Furthermore, he shared, “I think every participant in the room would agree with me saying that after the intensive days of this training, we are better managers now… We’re pushing envelopes. We’re pushing personal boundaries… Maraming salamat sa HRDO dahil hindi nyo kami pinababayaan dahil ito yung mga training na kailangan namin para lalo naming mapangalagaan ang aming mga staff, opisina, at upang maitaguyod din namin ang mandates at goals ng UP bilang national university.”

The LEVEL UP: Data-Driven Coaching for Performance Improvement program forms part of HRDO’s continuing commitment to strengthening leadership capability within the University. By equipping supervisors with practical coaching skills and evidence-based performance management tools, the initiative supports the development of a more responsive, supportive, and performance-driven work culture in UP Diliman.