I'm getting ready to hit the road (and skies) for the next 10 days or so. On Thursday I head to Banff, Alberta where I am leading a Pre-Conference Workshop on Expanding Your Business Using Group Coaching for the Western Coaches Conference. I can't wait, and hope to be able to capture some pics as well as quick posts via Twitter, as well as at the Effective Group Coaching page on Facebook. For those who will be there, I look forward to meeting you!
Next week I'm off to Halifax to speak at the HRANS Annual Conference on High Performing Team issues. Even with all my travel, I've never been out to the East Coast of Canada and I am looking forward to taking the train to really see it.
I am really looking forward to "getting out of the office (and off of the phone)" and away from my usual radius of every day experience.
Hope that you will tune in and follow some of my thoughts at Twitter and/or Facebook.
Warm regards
Jennifer
Jennifer Britton, PCC, CPCC
Author of Effective Group Coaching (Wiley, 2010)
Email: info{at}potentialsrealized{dot}com
Tuesday, April 26, 2011
Monday, April 25, 2011
Group Coaching Essentials starts May 10 and 19 (6.75 CCEs)
There will be two Group Coaching Essentials programs starting in May. This ICF Accredited CCE program is designed to support coaches in designing, marketing and implementing their own group coaching work.
May sessions will start on:
Tuesdays from 7-8:15 pm Eastern/New York: May 10, 17, 24, 31 and June 7, 2011
Thursdays 12-1:15 pm Eastern/New York: May 19, 26, June 9, 16, and 23, 2011
Throughout the five 75 minute calls we explore the Essentials of getting your own programs (whether in person or by phone, corporate or with groups of the public) up and running. Coaches also have the opportunity to meet with me for lazer coaching calls about their programs and questions at no extra cost. Throughout the program there are weekly assignments designed to help you move your vision into reality. Here's what coaches have said about the program:
"I learned so much from the Group Coaching Essentials program! It is a great way to identify your audience, conceptualize your program, flesh out the content, plan your marketing, and get it up and running. In other words, you'll learn how to plan and launch a successful group coaching program in five weeks" - Kerry Ann Rockquemore, PhD, www.newfacultysuccess.com
"Jennifer provides a content-rich Group Coaching course held over five weeks. She provides insightful one-on-one time which has been invaluable to me. Jennifer models excellence in a confident and positive way, giving freely of her resources, wisdom and experience. I would highly recommend this course to anyone wishing to begin Group Coaching to complement the work they already provide - Sandee Banks, PCC, www.sandeebanks.com.au
“I love programs that give you lots of useable takeaways. By that, I mean that I can use the materials I receive immediately in my business. The Group Coaching Essentials program gave me just that. Not only has it jump started my group coaching offerings, it will pay for itself many times over in the additional revenue I will generate.”
Nan O'Connor, MCC, http://www.nanoconnor.com
For a full listing of what's covered in each week and reserve your spot, please visit the Group Coaching Essentials website. Space is limited to 6-8 coaches each session to ensure maximum interaction.
I hope that you will join us!
Warm regards
Jennifer Britton, PCC, CPCC, CPT
Author of Effective Group Coaching (Wiley, 2010)
Phone: (416)996-TEAM (8326)
Looking for an in-person group coaching training program? Join me on July 14 and 15, 2011 in Huntsville, Ontario (Muskoka) for the Two Day Group Coaching Intensive program. This is a hands-on program geared to providing you with practice and feedback on your group coaching skills. Space is limited to 8-10 coaches. An early bird savings is on until May 31st. Click here for more info and to reserve your space.
Thursday, April 21, 2011
Coaching Business Builder - What's Your Biz Priority?
"You've got to think about big things while you're doing small things, so that all the small things go in the right direction" - Alvin Toffler
Every day coaches, and other service based professionals are bombarded with messages including "You've got to do this", whether it's having a perfect website or spending time on things that are not a priority.
Today's Coaching Business Builder is all about thinking about your business priorities, those big and small tasks and goals taht will move your business forward. In his book, The Seven Habits for Highly Effective People, Stephen Covey talks about the big and small rocks, and the importance of fitting the big rocks in first (our big goals, our vision) so that the smaller rocks (urgent priorities, pressing requests) have space to fit. There's a great clip of him presetning this on YouTube here:
As you move forward with your business development consider the following questions:
1. What are your big goals? What steps will get you to achieve these? What smaller steps do you need to/want to keep undertaking to gain momentum towards these big goals?
2. What is the direction you want to move in over the next quarter? This year? In moving in this direction, what might you need to say NO to?
Have a wonderful week,
Jennifer
Jennifer Britton
New Mentor Coaching Group starts May 13th. Are you a coach who needs mentor coaching hours for their ACCs Re-certification or want to brush up on your core coaching competencies?- 7 hrs mentor calls as a group, 3 individual hours. Hope you will join me!
Every day coaches, and other service based professionals are bombarded with messages including "You've got to do this", whether it's having a perfect website or spending time on things that are not a priority.
Today's Coaching Business Builder is all about thinking about your business priorities, those big and small tasks and goals taht will move your business forward. In his book, The Seven Habits for Highly Effective People, Stephen Covey talks about the big and small rocks, and the importance of fitting the big rocks in first (our big goals, our vision) so that the smaller rocks (urgent priorities, pressing requests) have space to fit. There's a great clip of him presetning this on YouTube here:
As you move forward with your business development consider the following questions:
1. What are your big goals? What steps will get you to achieve these? What smaller steps do you need to/want to keep undertaking to gain momentum towards these big goals?
2. What is the direction you want to move in over the next quarter? This year? In moving in this direction, what might you need to say NO to?
Have a wonderful week,
Jennifer
Jennifer Britton
New Mentor Coaching Group starts May 13th. Are you a coach who needs mentor coaching hours for their ACCs Re-certification or want to brush up on your core coaching competencies?- 7 hrs mentor calls as a group, 3 individual hours. Hope you will join me!
Tuesday, April 19, 2011
Integrating Nature into Your Programs
With spring on the doorstep (or even having arrived) for those of us in the Northern Hemisphere, it is a wonderful time of year to start thinking about how you can integrate nature into your programs. Whether you are running in person programs, or even phone based programs, consider how you can get group members engaged with the outdoors.
Here are some quick ideas about how you may wish to incorporate nature/the outdoors into your next workshop, retreat, group coaching program:
1. Build time in during the program for participants to actually go outside. You may have them journal on a specific question related to the topic you are working on, or have them walk around and really be "present" or notice the envionment they are surrounded with. If you are undertaking a phone based program be specific on how much time people have "offline" and get them to set an alarm as a reminder to call back in.
2. As part of your closure, have participants undertake a silent walk through their surroundings, taking note of the lessons they have learned throughout the program. You may also wish to have them "bring back" a natural item which represents their learning or Who they have become.
3. As Pre-work or home/field work - Create a structured exercise, or a reflective exercise, for participants to take outdoors.
Consider how much time you have actually spent experiencing the outdoors. This can be a wonderful exercise for us as facilitators to undertake as well. You may wish to use the quiet time to reflect on your learning and how you are finding the program.
What steps will you take in the coming weeks to integrate nature more into your programs?
Warm regards
Jennifer
Jennifer Britton, MES, PCC, CHRP
Author of Effective Group Coaching (Wiley, 2010)
Next Group Coaching Essentials programs start on May 10 (Tues 7-8:15 pm ET) and May 19 (Thursdays 12 - 1:15 pm ET) - 6.75 CCEs with the ICF. Spaces are still avaiable: http://bit.ly/9Q7oSc
Here are some quick ideas about how you may wish to incorporate nature/the outdoors into your next workshop, retreat, group coaching program:
1. Build time in during the program for participants to actually go outside. You may have them journal on a specific question related to the topic you are working on, or have them walk around and really be "present" or notice the envionment they are surrounded with. If you are undertaking a phone based program be specific on how much time people have "offline" and get them to set an alarm as a reminder to call back in.
2. As part of your closure, have participants undertake a silent walk through their surroundings, taking note of the lessons they have learned throughout the program. You may also wish to have them "bring back" a natural item which represents their learning or Who they have become.
3. As Pre-work or home/field work - Create a structured exercise, or a reflective exercise, for participants to take outdoors.
Consider how much time you have actually spent experiencing the outdoors. This can be a wonderful exercise for us as facilitators to undertake as well. You may wish to use the quiet time to reflect on your learning and how you are finding the program.
What steps will you take in the coming weeks to integrate nature more into your programs?
Warm regards
Jennifer
Jennifer Britton, MES, PCC, CHRP
Author of Effective Group Coaching (Wiley, 2010)
Next Group Coaching Essentials programs start on May 10 (Tues 7-8:15 pm ET) and May 19 (Thursdays 12 - 1:15 pm ET) - 6.75 CCEs with the ICF. Spaces are still avaiable: http://bit.ly/9Q7oSc
Thursday, April 07, 2011
Celebrate With Us for our 7th Anniversary
Seven years ago today my business Potentials Realized was established. As I wrote in my monthly newsletter, over the 7 years there's been lots of learning, lots of growth and lots of hard work. You can read my article 7 Years and 7 Lessons in this month's newsletter here.
In celebration of our 7th anniversary I am pleased to offer 3 specials over the next 10 days, up to and including April 17th. You can access and take advantage of our anniversary specials here.
1. $25 off the Advanced Group Coaching program starting in May - Thursdays 10:30 - 11:45 am: May 19, 26, June 9, 16 and 23 (for Alumni of the Group Coaching Essentials program)
2. $100 off five thirty minute individual coaching sessions
3. A special discount off the Group Coaching Essentials book
Click here to learn more and take advantage of our 7th Anniversary specials.
Read 7 of the Lessons I've learned while in business these last 7 years in this month's newsletter.
Have a wonderful week!
Jennifer
Jennifer Britton, PCC, CPCC
Author of Effective Group Coaching (Wiley, 2010)
Next Group Coaching Essentials program starts Tuesdays 12 - 1:15 pm ET: April 12, 19,, 25, May 3 and 10, 2011 (6.75 CCEs)
Wednesday, April 06, 2011
Group Coaching Pitfalls: 5 in the Realm of Program Delivery
I'm a firm believer in not reinventing the wheel. I spend quite a bit of time in the Group Coaching Essentials and Group Coaching Intensive program spotlighting some of the simple, yet dangerous, pitfalls we can fall into when designing, marketing or implementing a group program (workshop, retreat, teleclass/teleseminar or group coaching). Here are five pitfalls coaches/leaders/facilitators may find themselves brushing up against in the realm of program delivery:
1. Focusing on a topic that is not relevant to the group - How much time are you spending pre-program or in the first session/hour learning about what has brought your group members there? What their key challenges are? What their opportunities are? Consider how you can find this out.
2. Failing to change the pace/engage the audience frequently enough. On phone based programs it is important to engage your audience regularly. In fact. recent research on virtual learning points to the need to do this every 5 minutes. What approaches do you want to adopt to change the pace/engage your groups frequently enough?
3. Not including time to discuss expectations. Failing to discuss expectations can sometimes lead to tricky issues down the road. What are your expectations (yours and the groups) around starting and ending on time? Sharing of information? Confidentiality? Create time to set ground rules or discuss what people want and can expect as early as possible, even before you get in "the room" (real or virtual) together.
4. Consistently running over in time. Time is one of the most precious commodities in business today. Consistently running over in time can be very disrespectful in many contexts. If you find that you need more time, discuss this, or adopt so that you can wrap up as expected.
5. Not adapting your pace (how fast you are going) and style for different groups. Having worked with groups for the last 25 years wearing many hats (leader/manager/trainer/coach/facilitator) the one commonality they have all had is their unique identity. Each group that you will work with will have its' own needs and preferences regarding balance of content/exploration, pace, interaction etc. Be conscious of what the needs are of each group you are working with.
Before your next group program - workshop, teleseminar, group coaching or other process - refresh yourself with these five pitfalls so you steer clear of them!
Warm regards
Jennifer
Jennifer Britton, PCC, CPCC
Group Coaching Essentials
Author of Effective Group Coaching (Wiley, 2010)
Host of the Group Coaching Essentials and Group Coaching Intensive programs
1. Focusing on a topic that is not relevant to the group - How much time are you spending pre-program or in the first session/hour learning about what has brought your group members there? What their key challenges are? What their opportunities are? Consider how you can find this out.
2. Failing to change the pace/engage the audience frequently enough. On phone based programs it is important to engage your audience regularly. In fact. recent research on virtual learning points to the need to do this every 5 minutes. What approaches do you want to adopt to change the pace/engage your groups frequently enough?
3. Not including time to discuss expectations. Failing to discuss expectations can sometimes lead to tricky issues down the road. What are your expectations (yours and the groups) around starting and ending on time? Sharing of information? Confidentiality? Create time to set ground rules or discuss what people want and can expect as early as possible, even before you get in "the room" (real or virtual) together.
4. Consistently running over in time. Time is one of the most precious commodities in business today. Consistently running over in time can be very disrespectful in many contexts. If you find that you need more time, discuss this, or adopt so that you can wrap up as expected.
5. Not adapting your pace (how fast you are going) and style for different groups. Having worked with groups for the last 25 years wearing many hats (leader/manager/trainer/coach/facilitator) the one commonality they have all had is their unique identity. Each group that you will work with will have its' own needs and preferences regarding balance of content/exploration, pace, interaction etc. Be conscious of what the needs are of each group you are working with.
Before your next group program - workshop, teleseminar, group coaching or other process - refresh yourself with these five pitfalls so you steer clear of them!
Warm regards
Jennifer
Jennifer Britton, PCC, CPCC
Group Coaching Essentials
Author of Effective Group Coaching (Wiley, 2010)
Host of the Group Coaching Essentials and Group Coaching Intensive programs
Monday, April 04, 2011
Group Coaching Intensive: Community, Dialogue, Strengtening, Focus
I'm just back from an renewing weekend I spent with coaches who attended the Group Coaching Intensive here in Toronto. Over the course of the weekend I led the coaches through the ins and outs and practicalities of making group coaching successful from a coaching and client perspective. There was also ample opportunity for coaches to get their "hands dirty" practicing their own group coaching skills.
It was really a blast and I am looking forward to doing it again at least twice more this year. On Thursday and Friday July 14 and 15th I will host another two day Group Coaching Intensive in Huntsville, Ontario, CANADA in the beautiful wilderness setting of Muskoka. There will also be Group Coaching Intensive here in Toronto in October/November of this year. Registrations are now being accepted for the July program in Muskoka which will have a maximum of 8-10 spaces. I'll be applying again to have the course accredited for 15 CCEs with the ICF (13 Core Competencies, 2 Business Development).
Key insights for me this past weekend were the importance of regular dialogue within our community designed to strengthen our skills and focus our activities. As a lot of the group coaching work I do these days is by phone, if not in organizations, I was also reminded of how powerful an in-person community can be. What do you have planned to support you in strengthening your focus and building your community in the coming months?
The picture above is coaches this past weekend with their new Group Coaching Toolkits.
Have a great start to your week!
Jennifer
Jennifer Britton, PCC, CPCC
Author of Effective Group Coaching (Wiley, 2010)
Phone: (416)996-8326
Email: info{AT}potentialsrealized{dot}com
The next Group Coaching Essentials program starts this Thursday April 7th at 10:30 am (6.75 CCEs with the ICF - 3 spaces still open)