Kata Coaching: Understanding the Challenge
Overview
Join Coach Tracy Defoe for session on the first step of the Improvement Kata, Understanding the Challenge or Direction. Many people who try to practice the kata on their own end up starting on the wrong foot by misunderstanding the role of the challenge. How do we need to be performing by next quarter, next year? What will we measure or observe to confirm we have made the change? What are some good challenges for beginners? These are some of the questions we will answer in this webinar.
Host Company
Kata School Cascadia (KSC) is one of the world’s most active kata schools. We are based in the Pacific Northwest and welcome people to our community from all over the world. Since 2019, KSC has met every Friday at Noon Pacific on Zoom to talk kata. We host two in-person kata learning events in 2026. Everyone is welcome.https://kata-school-cascadia.org/
Presenter
Tracy Defoe is an adult educator turned kata coach. She is a co-founder of Kata School Cascadia and Kata Girl Geeks; both are virtual kata learning communities. Tracy’s mission has always been to be smarter about learning. She wants to help you be smarter about learning kata routines and rocking people’s worlds when they achieve the impossible. Her consulting practice is called TLFI The Learning Factor. Tracy is based in Vancouver BC Canada.
Mark Rosenthal is a co-founder of Kata School Cascadia and one of our most experienced and thoughtful coaches. After two decades in the trenches of Continuous Improvement, today Mark is a consultant who blogs as ‘The Lean Thinker. As an early adapter to kata coaching, calling it the ‘missing piece’ of the improvement puzzle that makes improvement about developing people. Mark is based in Washington USA.
Maria Grzanka is a facilitator, instructor, and coach with over 20 years of experience in continuous improvement. She helps organizations design better systems and build lasting capabilities by focusing on both processes and people. Maria is based in Portland, Oregon USA. https://www.linkedin.com/in/mariagrzanka/
Agenda
Wednesday, February 18, 2026
11:55 a.m. Check in
12:00 p.m. Introduction
12:05 p.m. Presenter presentation
12:50 p.m. Q&A
1:00 p.m. Webinar concludes
PARTICIPANT BENEFITS
You will be able to explain the importance of setting and understanding challenges. You will know the difference between a KPI and challenge. You will have ideas of how to start on your first, or your next challenge.
WHO SHOULD ATTEND
Leaders curious to learn more about kata a structured, scientific thinking framework for continuous improvement, a way to develop people and build a culture of learning and innovation.
Safety Requirements
OTHER REGISTRATION INFORMATION
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