Group Facilitation Tip - Create a Safe Space

Group Facilitation Tip - Create a Safe Space
Copyright 2007 - Jennifer Britton, CPCC, CHRP. All Rights Reserved.
This week's Group Facilitation Tip is about creating a safe space for your group program - be it a workshop, retreat or group coaching session.

Creating a safe space means a couple of really important things for me. First, confidentiality. Confidentiality is extremely important in any group coaching program, and even more so when colleagues work together, or participants all live in the same small community. Often personal information is divulged within a retreat or group coaching session that might not be shared in a regular group environment. As part of creating "ways of working" with each of my groups at the start of the program, I include confidentiality as part of our ground rules, and ask the group what confidentiality means for them.

Group programs can provide the opportunity for participants to stretch and explore areas of their life or work they might not go otherwise. As a faciltiator, it is important to recognize that each person's "stretch" points are going to look very different. What may appear easy for one person, will be a huge stretch outside another person's comfort zone. Getting to know your participants, their needs and their comfort zones prior to the program, or at the start of a program, will enable you to support them most effectively. Ask yourself if you are checking in individually or as a group with members throughout a program (particularly if the program is long or multi-sessioned).

A third way I like to create a safe space for my participants is to ensure that I am transparent with the process. Wherever possible, I like to co-design programs with participants needs in mind, based on pre-session meetings (needs assessments). When contracted as an external facilitator I also spend time discussing with the sponsor their expectations for my role, as well as my philosophy of being an external "neutral" third party, with no other agenda than that for the success of the group.

How else do you create a "safe" space for your participants? What do you do to ensure they can stretch, explore and learn the most? I'd love to hear your comments -- so please feel free to comment below.

With best wishes,
Jennifer
Jennifer Britton, CHRP, CPCC, CPT
Group Coaching Essentials ~ Potentials Realized
email: jennifer[at]potentialsrealized[dot]com

This month's Group Coaching Essentials program is full to capacity! I am now starting to accept registrations for April's program which will start on April 10th (Tuesdays 10:45 - 12 noon EST ). Our group calls will be held April 10, 17, May 1 and 8th (with a fifth call scheduled for June). If you are looking to create and launch your own group coaching program this spring, consider joining me and 7 other coaches for this program. It is a hands-on, intensive teleseminar program, focusing on the design, implementation and marketing of your own group coaching program. You'll leave the program with a new toolbox bursting with exercises, marketing ideas, templates and other resources. Space is limited to 8, so email me to reserve your spot for April. I look forward to having you join me!