Action and Reflection

“Follow effective action with quiet reflection. From the quiet reflection will come even more effective action.” - Peter DRucker

What steps are you taking to provide your participants with action and reflection?
What impact is this having?

Have a great week,
Jennifer

Jennifer Britton
Next Group Coaching Essentials program starts this Tuesday (October 5th) from 8-9:15 pm Eastern. 2 spaces still open! Group calls held on Oct 5, 12, 19, November 2 and 9. Accredited for 6.75 CCEs wtih the ICF for recertification purposes.

Business Building Tips, Support and Accountability

Marketing is a critical part of any group coaching process, whether you are having to market to the public, or market a program internally.

One of the experiments I started earlier this month on Twitter is the 100 Days of BizSuccess Questions. We are now at day 27 and it's been neat to hear from business owners all over the world about what questions have resonated with them. You can follow along at Twitter @jennbritton for my daily BizSuccess tips.

For several years now I have been running the 90 Day BizSuccess program, a group coaching program geared to give business owners (yes, coaches included!) a place for accountability and dialogue, as well as tools to grow their business. Our next session starts next week - Tuesday October 5th from 2-3 pm Eastern. Over the next 3 months we'll be meeting every other week for group calls (Tuesdays 2-3 pm Eastern), and I'll be holding montly 1-1 coaching calls with each business owner. To keep the momentum going you'll receive email bytes/tips in your inbox three times a week, and there will be structured assignments to move you forward in your business.

We'll be exploring themes such as Clarifying Your Business Vision, Finding Your Marketing Sweetspot, Systems to Boost Your Business, Leveraging Social Media and Expanding Your Relationship Web, along with many other rich topics. Space is limited to 6 business owners.

There are still a number of spaces open for next weeks program. I would love to have you join us! for more information and to register you can click here, or give me a call directly at (416)996-8326.

Looking forward to hearing more about your business goals!

Warm regards,
Jennifer

Jennifer Britton
Author of Effective Group Coaching
Email: info{at}potentialsrealized{dot}com

Participate in the 2nd Group Executive Coaching Survey

Many of you will know that I am a real advocate for enhanced research in the coaching profession, and am always eager to hear of, and spread the word on, research related to Group Coaching. When I wrote Effective Group Coaching last year I found that there was really not a lot of research out there.

Jacki Nicholas of the Air Institute is undertaking the 2nd Group Executive Coaching Survey. The first one was published last year and provides an important overview of group coaching.

If you are a coach who is undertaking group coaching work, I would strongly encourage you to participate in this 20 minute online survey. It will help to boost the knowledge base of this emerging work in our profession.

You can complete your own survey at http://www.surveymonkey.com/s/29N3WVL.

I look forward to hearing about the results Jacki - thanks for your leadership on this! I look forward to seeing the results and hope to spotlight these here down the road.

Warm regards,
Jennifer

Jennifer Britton
Effective Group Coaching (Wiley, 2010)
Email: info{at}potentialsrealized{dot}com

PS - Next Group Coaching Essentials program starts Tuesday October 5th (8-9:15 pm ET) - 4 spaces still open! Accredited for 6.75 CCEs (ICF). Hope you will join us!

Great Exercises for your Team and Group Work

I'm often getting asked "What are some of your favorite exercises you use when working with teams and groups"? Since I started working with groups back in the late 1980s in outdoor wilderness leadership programs I have amassed bookcases full of ideas and great ones. I always encourage professionals new to this work to spend some time collecting their own and looking for opportunities to undertake their own train the trainer education.

I had to surf the net today (one of the best resources around for collecting great ideas) and stumbled on these sites which I think provide a pretty good introduction to some different exercises:

Huddle's Teamwork - 10 Quick and Easy Team Building Exercises (Communication, Problem Solving)
BusinessBalls.com - some great business games for teams and groups
Group-Games.com - 40 free activities with instructions
and of course one of my favorites - Wilderdom.com

What exercises do you enjoy doing?

Have a great start to the week.

Warm regards,
Jennifer

Jennifer Britton
Author of Effective Group Coaching

Follow the 100 Days of BizSuccess Questions at Twitter

Earlier this month I started a new Twitter experiment - tweeting business development questions once a day for a 100 days. We're now into Day 10 and I hope that you will follow along at http://twitter.com/jennbritton.

So many coaches continue to struggle on the business side of things. For the past three years I have been running the 90 Day Biz Success program for coaches, trainers and other service based professionals, and have seen what focus, and some practical business development resources and exercises can do to boost a business. The fall group will be starting next Friday September 17th at 11 am and will run until December 17th.

I'm encouraging "followers" to carve out time on a daily basis to reflect on the daily questions I am posing, as well as setting goals and taking action on these goals.

I hope that you will join me on Twitter for the next 90 days, and prehaps even in the more intimate environment of either the Group Coaching Essentials program (starts Thursday Sept 16th at 10:30 am ET) or the 90 Day Biz Success Program (starts Friday September 17 at 11 am ET).

Here's some of the first 10 questions I've tweeted for coaches and other business owners to consider since the start of the month:

Biz Success Q 3: Who haven't you connected with lately in your network?What's the 1 step u can take today to reach out?
Biz Success Question 4: What skills make you stand out as a business owner or leader?
Biz Success Q 5: What's the 1 activity you have been shying away from this week?What would be the impact if you did it
Biz Success Question 7: What's on your not-to-do list today?

Have a great weekend!

Warm regards,
Jennifer

Jennifer Britton
Author of Effective Group Coaching (Wiley, 2010)

Five Questions to Ask If You are Going Virtual with Group Programs

Technology has really changed the way we can deliver group coaching, and other group programs over the last few years. More and more coaches are now delivering programs by phone, skype and web. Over the next couple of months I will be speaking on key tips and ideas for coaches who are looking to take their programs virtual. On october 15th I'll be presenting 5 Keys to Successful Virtual Programs - Teleclasses, Group Coaching and Webinars at the Global Coach Conference. you can be one of 20 coaches to join me for free at the conference from 9-10 am EST that day. Click on over to http://www.globalcoachconference.com/ to reserve your seat with me.

In November I'll be presenting at the Professional Coaches Assocation of Michigan on Tips and Ideas for Phone Based Group Coaching work. You can check out this great fall conference at http://www.pcamconference.com./

So, what if you are thinking about taking an in-person program virtual? What questions should you be asking? Here are five key questions to keep in mind when moving an in person program to a virtual one:

1. What components can stay the same?
2. What modifications will I need to make (timing, pre work, post work, exrcises)?
3. Which exercises can be moved to an assignment that participants can complete between calls?
4. What changes do I need to make to the materials I provide?
5. How long will this program take to run in a virtual setting?

I go into much greater depth about other virtual considerations in the Effective Group Coaching book and would invite you to check out my other posts on the topic here at the blog.

Enjoy!

Warmly
Jennifer

Jennifer Britton
Group Coaching Essentials

Check Point - Taking Stock as We Get Back to Fall

As we move into the fall of the year in the northern Hemisphere, thoughts shift to "getting back to work". It's often useful to build in some time to pause and take stock as to where you are, what you have at your fingertips, and where you are going. Those of you who have read my book, Effective Group Coaching, or who are subscribers of my newsletter would know that I encourage coaches to take stock at regular points of the year - quarterly or at major transition points.

Here are a few questions borrowed in part from Effective Group Coaching (lots more checkpoints included there!) are:
- I am really pleased that I have accomplished the following this summer/last quarter/since the start of the year
- The major projects I want to complete are....
- The new projects I want to start are....
- The opportunities facing me right now are....
- The challenges facing me right now are....
- I want to keep the following on my radar screen for the remainder of the year
- I want to put more attention on ______ for the next few months
- My next steps are...
- I will be accountable to....

Have a great start to September!

Warm regards,
Jennifer

PS - Some of the programs we have starting this month to keep you on track are:
Group Coaching Essentials - starts September 16th (Thursdays at 10:30 am ET)
90 Day BizSuccess Program for Coaches - Fridays from 11-12 noon ET starting September 10
Mentor Coaching Group for ACC Renewals - Fridays from 2-3 pm ET starting September 10
Advanced Group Coaching - Fridays from 12 - 1:15 pm ET starting September 17th

September Offerings - Group Coaching, Business Building for Coaches

It's September and it's back to learning and action for many of us! This month we have a number of exciting programs - both new and old - which I hope that you will consider joining us for:

NEW - Mentor Coaching Group for ACCs (Renewals and new candidates): Are you an ACC candidate or renewal and needing to work with a mentor coach? Join me and a small group of other coaches for the mentor coaching group I will be offering this fall. It meets the requirements for your 10 hours of mentor coaching needed for recert. We'll be holding 7 one hour group coaching/mentoring calls to focus in on the core ICF Coaching Competencies over the next 3 months, and I will be holding a monthly 1-1 mentor coaching call with you each month (3 hours in total). Benefit from a collaborative learning envrionment, as well as a lower cost! Calls will start on September 10th on Fridays from 2-3 pm Eastern/New York. Click here for more info and to register. Special $200 US discount off program pricing for those who register with a colleague.

Group Coaching Essentials (6.75 CCEs from the ICF): Geared for coaches who want to design and deliver their own group coaching programs, this course focuses on giving you core tools and information so you can design, run and market your own group coaching program. The program includes dozens of practical, road tested tips, tools and templates so you don't have to reinvent the wheel. Benefit from the years of experience from Effective Group Coaching author, coach Jennifer Britton. Cost $325 US
September 2010:
Thursdays 10:30 - 11:45 am ET: September 16, 23, 30, October 7 and 14, 2010
October 2010:
Tuesdays 8-9:15 pm ET: October 5, 12, 19, November 2 and 9, 2010
Click here for more info and to register

Advanced Group Coaching: This program is geared for experienced group coaches and alumni of the GEC program. In addition to giving you real-time practice and feedback on your virtual group coaching facilitation skills, we look deeper at more advanced group coaching issues related to tricky issues, implementation, design and marketing.
Program runs: Fridays from 12-1 pm Eastern: September 17, 24, October 8, 15, 22 and 29, 2010 Click here for more information about the Advanced Group Coaching program.

90 Day BizSuccess for Business Owners: This fall's program is geared to coaches, and other service based professionals, who are business owners. The program supports coaches to plan and take action on their own business over a 3 month period. We cover topics such as creating your business vision and RoadMap, identifying your limiting beliefs, developing a marketing plan, leveraging social media and identifying your marketing sweetspot. You will leave the program with enhnaced knowledge, core plans and having taken action and created accountability in your business.
Program runs Fridays from 11 - 12 noon Eastern: September 17, October 8, 22, November 5, 19 and December 3 and 17, 2010
Cost: $397 US
Click here for more info or to register for the 90 Day BizSuccess program

I look forward to having you join me this fall for one of our upcoming phone based programs! All programs are limited in space to ensure maximum interaction.

Warm regards,
Jennifer

Jennifer Britton
Potentials Realized
Group CoachingEssentials.com
Follow me at Twitter: @jennbritton (Follow my Twitter 100 day Biz Success Question Exercise which starts Sept 1st!)
Phone: (416) 996-8326