Group Coaching Intensive Accredited for 15 CCEs

A quick note to let you know that the Group Coaching Intensive has been accredited for 15 CCEs (13 hours of Core Competencies and 2 hrs of Business Development). Join us in Huntsville, Muskoka for this two day in-person program July 14-15, 2011. There are still a few spaces open.

Who the program is for:
This program will be of interest to:
- coaches wanting to add group coaching to their service offerings
- experienced coaches wanting to refine their group coaching skills
- coaches looking for tips and road-tested group coaching techniques
- ACCs, PCCs, and MCCs looking for ICF recertification hours (course accredited for 15 CCEs

What we'll cover:
The program covers topics including:
- Best Practices of Group Coaching
- Core skills and competencies, along with practice and feedback opportunities
- Tricky issues, and how to avoid them
- Filling seats - marketing for group coaching
- Group Dynamics
- Structuring Group Coaching
- Virtual Programming Considerations
- Corporate Programming Considerations
and many more topics.


Cost: $950 CDN (plus HST) which includes the program, a copy of the Effective Group Coaching book, a light lunch both days, a Group Coaching Toolkit to take home. Coaches responsible for their own accomodation.

Dates: Thursday July 14 (9-6) and Friday July 15 (8:30 - 5) at the Holiday Inn Huntsville (Pre-registration required)

Registration/More Info: Online or contact me (Jennifer) directly at (416)996-8326

Program size is limited to ensure individualized attention.
Can't make it to Muskoka? Bring us to you - we will deliver the program to groups of 8-10 coaches at your location/venue.

I look forward to having you join us.

Warm regards
Jennifer

Jennifer Britton, PCC, CPCC
Author of Effective Group Coaching
Host of the Group Coaching Essentials teleseminar (6.75 CCEs). Next course starts July 13th by phone.
Email: info{at}potentialsrealized{dot}com

Two weeks & Two Spots Left for the Group Coaching Intensive (Muskoka)

It's just a little more than two weeks until the Group Coaching Intensive in beautiful Huntsville, Muskoka on Thursday July 14 and Friday July 15th. Three spaces are still open for this 2 day group coaching training program. If you are a coach who is looking to run their own group coaching programs, this will be of interest to you.

Over the two days there will be ample opportunity for you to practice and receive feedback on group coaching skills as we explore topics including:
- Core skills and best practices of group coaching
- Structuring a group coaching program - Essential Components
- Group Development and Group Process Issues
- Tool and Exercises for Group Coaching
- Avoiding Tricky Issues in Group Coaching
- Filling Your Seats - Marketing Strategies

A special room rate is available at the venue in Huntsville for participating coaches until this Thursday. A variety of accommodation is also available within driving, and walking, distance.

Your Registration includes:
- 15 hrs of in-person training (an application has been submitted to the ICF for 15 CCEs)
- a copy of my book, Effective Group Coaching (Wiley, 2010)
- a toolbox of physical resources to take back for your work in the Group Coaching Toolkit
- a group follow up call one month after the event
- a light lunch both days

Cost: $950 CDN plus HST (total $1073.50 CDN) - Installment payments are available. $150 Discount each when you register with a colleague.

You can register here. More information, a downloadable program outline and registration links can be found at our site.

I hope that you will join me in beautiful Muskoka in a few weeks! It's been voted the #1 Summer Vacation Getaway destination for 2011 by National Geographic. What great reason for a working holiday.

Take a look at what Muskoka has to offer through these YouTube videos from Discover Muskoka.

If you have any questions about the Group Coaching Intensive, would like to register offline, register with a colleague, or pay in installments, please feel free to contact me directly by email (info{at}potentialsrealized{dot}com) or at (416) 996-8326.

Please spread the word to any other coaches you may know. I look forward to meeting you in Huntsville!

Warm regards
Jennifer

Jennifer Britton, PCC, CPCC
Author of Effective Group Coaching
GroupCoachingEssentials.com

Visual Map by Julie Gieseke of MaptheMind.org of one of the Group Coaching Essentials sessions (an ICF accredited CCE program)

The imporatance of trust within the group coaching process

Establishing Trust and Intimacy with your clients is one of the ICF Core Coaching Competencies (Competency 3 under Co-Creating the Relationship). This coaching competency is defined by the ICF as:
"Establishing Trust and Intimacy with the Client - Ability to create a safe, supportive environment that produces ongoing mutual respect and trust.

1. Shows genuine concern for the client's welfare and future,
2. Continuously demonstrates personal integrity, honesty and sincerity,
3. Establishes clear agreements and keeps promises,
4. Demonstrates respect for client's perceptions, learning style, personal being,
5. Provides ongoing support for and champions new behaviors and actions, including those involving risk taking and fear of failure,
6. Asks permission to coach client in sensitive, new areas."

International Coach Federation - Core Coaching Competencies

As a group coach, establishing trust is a critical component of the group coaching process. Just as we hold "intake" sessions or foundation sessions with individual clients, group coaches need to spend time co-creating the relationhip and establishing trust within their own groups, pre-program and throughout the intial group sessions.

Practical activities group coaches can use to Establish Trust and Intimacy are:
1. Hold pre-program 1-1 calls with individual participants prior to the program start. A short 15 minute call can help to start developing a bond with each participant/client and get to know them. Find out what brought them to the program, what they want to learn, what's unique about their own learning style preferences. This call can also provide an opportunity to answer any questions, and also check out that the program is going to be a good fit for them. This pre-program contact can be an important step in building rapport with each group member.

2. Leave time at the start of programs, particularly phone based programs for participants to introduce themselves and get to know each other. Knowing who is who is an important part of the group coaching process.

3. Discuss group expectations/develop ways of working - What are the groundrules for group participation? Behavior? What can people expect? Spend time discussing this as a group, including key ground rules such as confidentiality.

4. If pre-program 1-1s are not possible before your first meting, leave time and space to discuss expectations, hear from each participant about what they want out of the process and what's brought them there.

5. Walk your talk - follow through as you have promised. Circle back to check in on commitments. Check in with the group regularly throughout a session to see what's working and what changes may be needed.

Check out the ICF Core Competencies for a full listing of all 11 core coaching competencies.

In closing, consider the following for yourself:
Which competencies are you strongest at?
Which ones do you want to further develop?
What can you do in your own group coaching program to strengthen the competency of Establishing Trust and Intimacy?

Warmly
Jennifer

Jennifer Britton, PCC, CPCC
Author of Effective Group Coaching (Wiley, 2010)
Join me starting August 12th for a Mentor Coaching Group, an opportunity to expand on your core coaching competencies. The program also meets the mentor coaching requirements for ICF Credentialing. Space is limited to 4-6 coaches. Group calls meet Fridays 12 - 1 pm Eastern.

Coaching Business Builder - Focus on Ease and Impact

For years I have held the perspective that my best work is work that is fun, easy and impactful. In running a business, if I don't make it fun and easy, who will? Perhaps the concept of fun and easy is also something that is a key learning from the 12 years I spent living and working out of the Caribbean. As we move into the summer months, I'll be making the move part time to work out of my northern office in Muskoka.

It's been very interesting to see how the concept of Easy is starting to be echoed across the coaching world, and others are starting to talk about easy business.

As you approach your own business development activities in the next few weeks, consider the following:

What activities do you find easy in your business?
How are these having an impact?
What do you notice when you approach activities through the lens of easy, rather than "challenging" or "a struggle"?
What do you need to be letting go of, because it's not easy? Because it's not having impact?
What do you need to be doing more of?
What easy and impactful activities do you want to incorporate into your schedule this week?

This week, see what happens when you lead from ease and impact, rather than hard.

Warm regards
Jennifer

Jennifer Britton, PCC, CPCC
Author of Effective Group Coaching (Wiley 2010)
Join me this summer for high impact programs including the 2 day Group Coaching Intensive (Huntsville Muskoka - July 14-15) and the ICF Accredited CCE Group Coaching Essentials program (by phone - starts July 13th and Aug 4th)

Group Coaching Niches

To niche or not to niche, that is the question. Whether you have been coaching for a short time, or a long time, the question of "who do I serve" is a big one. The same holds true in the group coaching context. It is much easier to market and tailor a group coaching program when there are common themes tying a group together.

"A niche market is a focused, targetable portion of a market.

By definition, then, a business that focuses on a niche market is addressing a need for a product or service that is not being addressed by mainstream providers. You can think of a niche market as a narrowly defined group of potential customers." - Susan Ward

Here's a quick list of niche areas I've seen coaches run group coaching programs in:
- New business owners
- Women business owners
- Career transition
- New parents (moms/dads)
- New managers
- New retirees
- Musicians
- Teachers/Educators
- Students
- Professors
- Professionals in specific industries (i.e. financial services, safety, transportation, education etc)
- Virtual Assistants
- World Changers
- Social Entrepreneurs

This list is by no means exhaustive. You may also notice how each one of these niches can be broken down into subsets. For example, career transition - may include a group of people who are moving from career to self-employment, or entry level to supervisory roles, those staying in the same field, those moving to a different industry.

Being as specific as you can who the program is for will help you with your program design, how it is offered, when it is offered, pricing and what else is included (i.e. additional individual coaching sessions, manuals, e-manuals, audio). As you undertake your work, notice who you enjoy working with, who is being pulled towards your programs.

We spend some in the Group Coaching Essentials program looking at what your particular clients really want. What do you want to ask your clients about their needs this week.

What other group coaching niches have you heard about? Who do you want to work with? As always, please feel free to comment below.

Warm regards
Jennifer

Jennifer Britton
Author of Effective Group Coaching (Wiley, 2010)
Email: info{at}potentialsrealized{dot}com
Phone: 416.996.8326
Join me July 14-15 in Huntsville, Muskoka for the 2 day Group Coaching Intensive. The focus of this program is to give you tools you can use immediately in your own group coaching work, as well as opportunities for practice and feedback on your skills. A couple of spaces are still open - would love to have you join us.

Evaluation Questions - Group Coaching

Earlier this week I posted on the importance of evaluation in the group coaching process, with a couple of coaches emailing me asking "What type of evaluation questions might I want to ask"?

You may wish to ask for feedback on the following (in no particular order)
1. Venue/Bridgeline
2. Ease of Program Registration
3. Materials provided
4. Facilitation/Coaching quality
5. Benefits the clients/participants viewed from the process
6. The most important goal the client has taken action on as a result of the program
7. The most important learning/new insight as a result of their participation
8. What they really found useful (topic/homework assignment)
9. What topics/themes they would add and/or take away
10. Price Point
11. Individualized attention to their needs
12. What they wish they had known before participating in the program...
13. What they know now (knowledge/insights) because of participating in the program
14. Group/Individual Support between sessions
15. Quality of the coaching requests/fieldwork/assignments/inquiries

This is by no means a comprehensive list, and certainly you will not want to ask for feedback on all these areas at once. These are areas you as a coach will want to take a look at and reflect upon in terms of impact and potential improvements each and every time you run a program.

In addition to asking for written feedback, also ask for quantitative (numerical) feedback.

You will also want to ask for testimonials/recommendations from participants to provide prospective clients/participants with real-life feedback and insights from those who are alumni.

As I mentioned earlier this week, there is a lot more on this topic in Chapter 10 of the Effective Group Coaching book and I spend time covering this in the Group Coaching Essentials program.

As a coach, what other areas are you eager to get feedback on? As always, please feel free to email below!

Warm regards
Jennifer

Jennifer Britton, PCC, CPCC
Group Coaching Essentials - New Group starts July 13th (Wednesdays 10:30 - 11:45 am Eastern/New York) - Registration now open. 6.75 CCEs.

Join me on July 14 and 15th in Muskoka, Canada for a 2 day in person Group Coaching Intensive (Holiday Inn Huntsville, ON) program, geared to provide you with tools, and practice in the area of group coaching. We'll also cover evaluation! 15 hours of training, ICF CCES have been applied for (15 hrs - 13 hrs Core Competencies, 2 hrs Biz Development)
Questions? Please feel free to contact me directly at info{at}potentialsrealized{dot}com

Evaluation Feedback and Group Coaching

Evaluation plays a key role in any group coaching context. How are you incorporating feedback and more structured evaluations into your programs?

Feedback is important for:
1. Taking a pulse of the group each and every session
2. Making changes as you progress through each session
3. Making changes for new programs
4. Testimonials at the end of a program are an important marketing tool
5. Feedback at the end of the program can point to benefits clients receive from participation, what they really enjoy, quality of materials/coaching/ assignments etc.

Resources you may want to explore related to the topic of evaluation are:
Donald Kirkpatrick's 4 Levels of Evaluation (the seminal work in the realm of evaluation and training and development)
Jack Phillips numerous writings on the topic of ROI (Return on Investment)
Anderson and Anderson's Coaching that Counts

Many of these books are listed as some of my favorites on my Amazon storefront.

What other resources would you recommend for coaches to refer to as it relates to evaluation? As always, please feel free to comment below.

You may also be interested in checking out Chapter 10 of my book, Effective Group Coaching, which goes into greater depth about evaluation for coaches for their group coaching programs.

Have a great start to your week,
Jennifer

Jennifer Britton, PCC, CPCC
Group Coaching Essentials
One month to go! Join me in Huntsville, Ontario for the 2 day Group Coaching Intensive (July 14-15, 2011). Special pricing for ICF-GTA members and alumni of the Group Coaching Essentials program.
Email: info{at}potentialsrealized{dot}com