Group Coaching Program Materials

I often get asked what type of materials should I have on hand, or prepare, for my group coaching program? The level of structure, and materials, will often rest on your own style and preferences, and of course, the preferences, and expecations of your participants. Throughout the Group Coaching Essentials program I spend quite a bit of time working with coaches to get clear on what will really benefit their clients.

Some questions you may want to consider are:

• What do you know about what your clients expect and want?


• Are they really visually oriented? Is it important to provide them with materials they can follow (refer to my many posts here which stress the importance of providing a takeaway, and the reminder that about 60% of adult learners do have a preference for visual learning/support)


• Do your clients appreciate handouts and takeaways, or would they want something sent electronically (before or after the session)?


• The materials you provide may differ between in-person programs versus phone or web based programs. What will be important for you to provide for these different modalities if you are running a similar program.

I go into greater depth in my book, Effective Group Coaching, some of the different materials considerations you will want to take into account for in-person and virtual environments.

Take a look at your current materials, or plans for materials. What's the one thing that will boost the impact of these for your next program?

Have a great start to the week,

Jennifer

Jennifer Britton, PCC, CPCC, CPT

Group Coaching Essentials - next program starts Monday June 7th (12 - 1:15 pm ET)- Space still remains. Accredited for 6.75 CCEs with the ICF.

10 Essential Elements for Any Phone Based Group Coaching Program

I often get questions from coaches new to group coaching about what they need to have on hand in terms of running their own phone based group coaching programs.

Here's a quick exerpt from my book Effective Group Coaching (Wiley, 2010) which outlines 10 Essential Elements for Any Phone Based Program.

10 Essential Elements for Any Phone Based Program (Text Box):

1. Bridgeline (with back up bridgeline as well!)
2. Mute Function. Things to look for:
a. Mute function on your bridgeline service so participants can mute and unmute themselves (as needed) and you can mute others as needed
b. Mute function on your phone set and/or head set (in case you need to cough or sneeze)
3. A Timer
4. A Phone with well-charged battery
5. A quiet Room
6. Participant workbook to meet the needs of visual learners
7. Web based presentation ability (i.e. WebEx or other)
8. Recording ability
9. Flash function on your phone – some recording facilities require that you press flash to start the bridgeline
10. Instruction Sheet or FAQ to send to participants prior to the call. This is very important to have in place for non-coaches who may not be familiar or comfortable in using bridgelines

Question: What item(s) do you need to put into place to position your next phone based group coaching program for success?

Have a great week!

Warm regards,
Jennifer

Jennifer Britton, PCC, CPT
Group Coaching Essentials - June Session starts June 7th (Mondays 12 - 1:15 pm ET). Beat the price increase which will take place in July. Accredited for 6.75 Hrs of CCEs with the ICF
Email: info{at}potentialsrealized{dot}com
Phone: (416) 996-TEAM

Group Coaching: Four Things to Track

As a coach, and/or business owner, tracking themes and your results is an important part of group coaching success.

Here are 5 things you will want to consider tracking with respect to your group coaching programs:

1. What themes are emerging consistently across your program(s)? How are you addressing an incorporating these themes in the current program? If there is not time or space to incoporate all of them, is a re-design of your program needed, or can this be the seeds of another program?

2. What are you doing to follow up on accountabilities between group coaching sessions? The importance of accountability is an important differentiator between group coaching and workshops. What sytem do you have in place to track accountability as a group, or for individuals?

3. What are you noticing about the impact of your marketing efforts? If you are marketing your own group coaching programs, what are you tracking in terms of your results? What are you noticing about times of year/the week when people are interested in your programs? What are you noticing about the results from the different marketing strategies you are using?

4. Tracking Comments at the end of a session through a check-out or end of session evaluation. What are your participants/group members saying that they enjoy or want more of in a session? What are they saying about improvements? How are you incorporating this feedback?

What else do you think is important to track in group coaching? Please feel free to add your comments below.

Have a wonderful week!

warm regards,
Jennifer

Jennifer Britton, PCC, CPCC
Author of Effective Group Coaching
Group Coaching Essentials - Next program starts Monday June 7th at 12 noon ET. Accredited for 6.75 CCEs with the ICF
Phone: (416) 996-8326
Email: info{at}potentialsrealized{dot}com

What skills do you want to sharpen?

I have been spending a lot of time this spring talking to, and training, coaches and trainers who are engaging in phenomenal group work - whether it is group coaching, training or retreats.

Regardless of how long we have been practicing our craft, it's important for all of us to keep our skills sharp and continue growing in our own development.

Many of you who know me, know that I love conferences. I not only enjoy speaking at them but I do enjoy particpating as well.

In the last six months I've been part of a number of great conferences - CSTD, HRPA (Human Resources Professional Association) and earlier this week I attended the Partners In Prevention Conference, a conference for health and safety personnel in the area. Given that one of the major projects I have been working on in the last year and a half has been in the safety industry with respect to design and delivery of a leadership succession management training program, it was wonderful to meet other professionals in the industry. Completely unrelated to coaching or training, I was struck by the similarity of key messages - the importance of enhancing communication and leadership skills, the importance of professional development, and the need to flourish in an environment of continuous change.

Questions to consider:

As you look towards the last half of this year, what skills do you want to sharpen?
What opportunities for learning and growth will you create for yourself?
If you have been immersed in learning, what steps will you take to action your new insights?

Have a terrific weekend,
Jennifer

Jennifer Britton, PCC, CPCC
Group Coaching Essentials
Effective Group Coaching Book

May 2010 Group Coaching Programs

Here's a quick overview of our programs which will be running over the next 60 days:

Group Coaching Essentials (Accredited for 6.75 hours of ICF CCEs)

May 2010:
Tuesdays 10:30 - 11:45 am ET:
May 11, 18, 25, June 1 and 22, 2010

June 2010:
Mondays 12 - 1:15 pm ET:
June 7, 14, 21, 28 and July 14, 2010

Cost for May and June programs: $275 US or 275 CDN plus GST

Note pricing is increasing for programs starting after July 1, 2010

Now in it's 5th year, the Group Coaching Esssentials program supports coaches to design, implement and market their own group coaching programs. Offering a multitude of tools, resourcs and structures, th program provides coaches with road-tested tips and tools and accountability for getting your program birthed. Th program is delivered by author of Effective Group Coaching, Jennifer Britton.


For more information or to register, please click over to our program description page.

90 Day BizSuccess Group Coaching program:


June 2010:
Fridays 11am-12 noon ET:

Group Calls on: June 4, 18, July 9, 23, August 6, 20 and Final Call September 17, 2010


Join Jennifer for an engaging and interactive 90 day program to focus in on your business success and growth. Jenn brings to the program her expertise as a former Business Studies Faculty Member and her skills in group coaching, to provide coaches, trainers and other service providers with a unique business building program. The program includes bi-weekly group calls, weekly biz tips delivered 3 x/week and a monthly 20 minute lazer coaching session 1-1 with Jenn. The program is limited to 6 business owners per session. Cost: $397 for the program.

Click here for more information or to register.

Want to pay in more than one installment? Please contact us.



Summer Biz Planning Retreat

Friday June 4: 10 - 4 pm ET


When was the last time you took time to focus in on your business, goals and what's important? Jennifer facilitates this one day Business Planning Retreat, geared to provide business owners with structured exerccises and focus on taking stock, planning, and taking action around your business vision and goals. The program is delivered by phone and includes 6 hours of structured group and individual exercises. We spend approximately 10-15 minutes of each hour on the phone as a group, with the rest of the hour dedicated to your own planning and action. Each participant receives a virtual manual to follow throughout the program.





Group Program Design Virtual Intensive

Friday June 18 (10-4 pm ET)
Have you been sitting on the fence, thinking about designing a program but not getting into action around it? Join Jennifer for a one day intensive by phone, geared to get you, and keep you in action for 6 hours around your next group program design, marketing and implementation. Th program provides you with 6 hours of group and individual structured exercises to move you forward with your own program ideas.

For more information and to register, click here.


AND of course our Group Coaching Intensive training held in beautiful Huntsville, Muskoka: July 15 and 16, 2010, a 15 hour in-person group coaching training program.

Hope that you will consider joining us for one of our upcoming progams!

Warmly

Jennifer

Jennifer Britton, PCC, CPCC

Group Coaching Essentials

Author of Effective Group Coaching