Two Mentor Coaching Groups starting: September 14 and 18

Are you an ACC needing to complete your mentor coaching hours for renewal, or a coach who is moving towards their ACC or PCC portfolio route? If so, you may be interested in joining me for one of the upcoming Mentor Coaching Groups. This program meets the 10 hour mentor coaching requirement with the ICF, and is geared to support coaches getting "crisper" with their skills while taking a deep dive around the ICF core coaching competencies. Held over three months, the program includes 3 hours of individual mentor coaching calls (1 hour taken each of the three months), and seven hours of group mentor coaching calls (maximum 4-5 coaches). Our group calls provide coaches with an opportunity to practice and get feedback on their coaching skills, as well as explore the 11 core competencies, and are supported by written module notes  The program is held by phone so you can participate from wherever you are located.

There are two new groups starting in September:

Fridays 1:30 - 2:30 pm ET: Sept 14, 28, October 12, 26, November 2, 9, December 14: (3 spots open)

Tuesdays 10:30 - 11:30 am Eastern/New York. Group Calls held on September 18, Oct 2, 9, 30, November 13, December 4, 18 (3 spots open)

Here's what alumni of the program have said:

"Jennifer is a coach’s coach . I hired her to fulfill the mentor coaching requirement for renewing my ICF credential and came away with much more." - Shirin Khamisa, Coach and HeartMath Provider, www.careersbydesign.ca

"Done as Jennifer does it, I would only ever recommend Mentor Coaching in a group setting (barring the 3 hours of individual hours required). It opened me to considering new ways of providing coach work in the world. Jennifer's way of working with the group modeled best practice for group coaching and facilitation. She is a professional through and through, showing up authentically with felt presence. She provided a space that allowed for the experience to be effective, compassionate and inspirational" - Kathy Igoe, ACC, 2011 President of Professional Coaches Association of Michigan

Cost: $1000 US or CDN(plus HST), payable in 1, 2 or 3 installments

For more information and to register please click here.

I hope that you will join me for an upcoming program!

Warm regards,
Jennifer

Jennifer Britton, MES, PCC, BCC
Author of  Effective Group Coaching (Wiley, 2010)
Phone: (416)996-8326

Another great book for the shelf/reader- Gamestorming

This summer I've been reading some really good books in doing research for my next book on group and team coaching. One that I came across recently which I thought that coaches may appreciate is Gamestorming (Gray, Dave; Brown, Sunni; Macanufo, James (2010). Gamestorming: A Playbook for Innovators, Rulebreakers, and Changemakers. O'Reilly Media, Inc). For those that cross the boundaries of coaching and facilitation, I think you will find some wonderful inspiration in working with groups and teams.

Here's a link to one of the authors -  Sunni Brown's site. For those interested in visual facilitation, as well as more experiential approaches for working with groups, I think that you will enjoy it!

Have  a wonderful long weekend!

Warm regards
Jennifer

Jennifer Britton, MES, PCC, BCC 
Author of Effective Group Coaching (Wiley, 2010)
Phone: (416)996-8326

Key Marketing Tips for your Group Coaching Work

My mind is revolving around marketing for group coaching today, particularly as I was speaking about this topic with the Group Coaching Essentials program this morning. Questions around pricing, promotion, social media, positioning are always key topics when I am speaking with both internal and external coaches.

For those interested, I would invite you to check out past posts I have written around business development and marketing. At the moment I am synthesizing some key marketing tips for an upcoming presentation I am giving to a coaching group in September.

Some key tips to keep in mind when you go about marketing (and of course, your related design) for your programs this fall:

1. Don't just consider the program from your vantage point. Really put yourself in the shoes of the group members/clients you are working with. What is most meaningful and relevant to them in terms of marketing communication (language, approach/platform, touch-points). What do they want to know? What language is going to be relevant to them?
2. We learn through action. I continue to see business owners falling into the analysis - paralysis trap. As I mentioned this morning to the coaches participating in today's call, much of what I have learned in the realm of group coaching, and related marketing, has been through trial and error. I am the first to recognize that not everything I have done is a success. AND it's been really useful feedback and learning, which has helped me continue to shape and refine my work.
3. Track It, Track It, Track It - It's really important to notice, and ask for feedback on, when and where people are finding out about your work. Over time, notice what is sticking and what is not. Make adjustments as necessary (and frequently!).
4. Consider the question - "What do you want to be known for?".  What is the work you really want to create? Who are the people you really want to serve? From the 30,000 foot view, what do you want to be known for? How do you want to add value?
5. Remember it's about consistent action - Over time, action creates it's own momentum. A few weeks ago I wrote about the 1% rule to business development. How are your actions coming?

What's going to be your next step around your work?

Have a great week,
Jennifer

Jennifer Britton, PCC, CPCC
Author of Effective Group Coaching (Wiley, 2010)
Phone: (416)996-TEAM
Join us for an upcoming fall program: 90 Day BizSuccess Group Coaching (for Coaches wanting to build their business - Tuesdays 745-845 pm ET starting Sept 11), the Group Coaching Essentials teleseminar (6.75 CCEs starting Thurs Sept 13 at 1030am ET), the Advanced Group Coaching Practicum (Fridays 10:30 am ET starting Sept 14) and  the Mentor Coaching Group (starting Sept 4 and 14)

Different Types of Groups in Group Coaching

As group coaching work continues to expand around the world, the diversity of types of groups, and group formations which are emerging, also continues to expand. One of the key principles we want to keep in mind as coaches in designing our work is Knowing Our Client, and being aware of their preferences in terms of length of engagement, frequency, time of week, and pricing. Essential elements in the group coaching process also include a focus on goal setting, action, awareness and accountability, usually over a sustained period.

Some of the different types of groups which coaches are working with under the banner of group coaching include:
- Coaching Circles (often with a strong emphasis on peer coaching practices)
- Mastermind Groups
- Workshops and retreats which bring in a group coaching approach
- Virtual Retreats
- Post Training Groups (i.e. Group Coaching initiatives as part of a longer term training process, where group coaching conversations focus on the application of skills, learning involved,  roadblocks, commitments and successes
- Groups which focus on laser coaching individual members
- Groups which are a combination of individual reflection, group dialogue and sharing
- Group coaching of intact systems such as community groups or boards

How would you describe the groups you are leading? What gives your work impact? We have been exploring the myriad of different group coaching approaches in the Advanced Group Coaching Practicum, and what is apparent is the wide variety of approaches of interest for the clients we work with.

As you consider the groups which you are working with, ask yourself:
1. What are the key needs of this group?
2. What supports the group in setting better goals?
3. What supports the group in deepening awareness around issues of importance to them (individually or collectively)?
4. What structures are in place to sustain the conversation and exploration?
5. What is the role of accountability and commitments within this group?
6. What does this group value in terms of approaches? Is it individual reflection? Small group conversation? Lazer coaching? Witnessing? Conversation with a partner? Other?

Have a wonderful week,
Jennifer

Jennifer B|ritton, PCC, BCC
Author of Effective Group Coaching (Wiley, 2010)
Phone: (416)996-8326
Connect with us on Facebook for the A-Z of Team and Group Coaching Activities
Upcoming programs include: Group Coaching Essentials (6.75 CCEs: starts Thurs Sept 13), Advanced Group Coaching Practicum (8 hrs, starts Friday Sept 14), the Mentor Coaching Groups for ACC Renewals and ACC/PCC portfolio (starts Tues Sept 4 and Friday Sept 14)

 

A reminder of the 1% Rule: Business Development Tip

I often receive emails from readers of my book saying that they really appreciated reading about the 1% Rule to Business Development. Very simply, the 1% rule is an encouragement for you to get in the momentum of regular, consistent action around your goals.

As we near the start of September and for many the start of the school year, it signals the start of a new year for many of us that are parents.

As you consider your own work this fall (or spring):

• What are your major business goals? 
• What key activities do you want to achieve before the calendar year end?
• What would 1% action towards these goals look like every day look like for you? 
• What would it feel like? 
• What space would it open up for you knowing you had made a 1% change?

I know that practicing the 1% rule, along with thinking about how I can systematize much of my work has supported me in my own business results. How can the 1% rule support you? What do you notice about the impact it has for your work?

As always, please feel free to comment!

Warm regards
Jennifer

Jennifer Britton, MES, PCC, BCC, CHRP
Author of Effective Group Coaching (Wiley, 2010)
Join us for an upcoming September program for tools and accountability - 
Group Coaching Essentials: Thurs 10:30-11:45 am ET Sept. 13, 27, Oct 4, 11, 18 (6.75 CCEs)
Mentor Coaching Group (ACC Renewals/ACC/PCC): starting Sept 4-Dec 4 (Tues 10:30 - 11:30 am ET) or Sept 14-Dec 14 (Fri 1:30-2:30 pm ET)
Advanced Group Coaching Practicum: Fridays 10:30 - 11:45 am ET: starting September 14
90 Day BizSuccess Group Coaching Program: Tuesdays 745 - 845 pm ET: September 11 - December 11

What are your strengths as a coach?

Many of us work with strengths-based assessments with our clients. What are your strengths? How are you leveraging these in your work? In your business?

If you have not yet done so, you may want to undertake theVIA Strengths Survey to discover your Signature Strengths, or purchase a copy of the StrengthsFinder 2.0 book from Tom Rath, to find out what your StrengthsFinder Strengths are. The online resources are great. Marcus Buckingham’s work, Go Put Your Strengths to Work, is another great resource to work with strengths.

As you consider your strengths ask yourself:

1.       How are you using your strengths on a regular basis?
2.       Which ones are not being used?
3.       Which ones are being overused, and may be creating a blind-spot?
4.       Which, if any, were you surprised to see?
5.       Which one would you like to place some focus around and use more in your work or life in the next month or quarter? What changes would this entail?

Finally, on the side of working with your clients, what would you like to do with strengths based work? How can you incorporate this into your next group or team coaching program?

Have a great week,

Jennifer

Jennifer Britton, MES, CPCC, PCC, CHRP

Author of Effective Group Coaching (Wiley, 2010)

Email: info{at}potentialrealized{dot}com

Phone: (416)996-TEAM (8326)

90 Day BizSuccess Group Coaching Program runs Tuesdays from 7:45 - 8:45 pm ET September 11 - December 11, 2012 - Are you a coach looking to grow your business this fall and want to experience and participate in a group coaching process. Hope you will join us!

Different Ways to Adapt the Coaching Wheel

The Wheel of Life is a standard coaching tool which can be adapted in many ways. How are you currently using the Wheel of Life (or health or other) with your clients - individuals, teams and groups?

Over the years I have adapted the labels on the wheel to create different wheels for different clients. From speaking with other coaches I know that this is something they continue to evolve for their own client groups. Depending on the types of issues you work around, how might you adapt your own Wheel of:
 - Health or Wellness
- Leadership
- High Performing Teams
- Small Business
- Entrepreneurial Skills
- Career

There are some wonderful resources out there, with Wheels already existing, such as the Co-Active Coaching Book (check out their Appendix of tools).

The Wheel is a great tool to have at the start of a coaching engagement to support clients in taking stock or seeing where they are at. Depending on the length of a program I may have group members revisit mid point or before the end.

It can be a very useful tool in:
- Planning and Goal Setting
- Deepening Awareness around where you are at
- Action and Accountability

In addition to using the Wheel on paper, consider how you can integrate Body-Centered Coching or the skill of Geography in having people physically "walk the wheel". The photo above is from a couples retreat I ran several years ago. I bring the physical wheel into a lot of the work I do with teams, groups and pairs. There are always some great new insights in making it very kinesthetic.


Questions to incorporate into your coaching using a wheel with clients (individuals/teams/groups):
What do you notice about your wheel?
Where are you strongest?
Which is/are your weakest?
Where do you want to place attention?
In which wedge do your strengths lay? How are you using these?
Which wedge are you/ do you want to ignore? What's important about this?
On a scale of 0-10 what would you rate your level of balance/skill/confidence/competence in this area right now?
What would be an optimum rating on a scale of 0-10 in each of the wedges?
What will it take to get there? What do you need to say YES to? NO To?
With teams and groups - Have members observe the synergies - what's similar? What's missing? Where is it overbalanced?



Questions to consider:



As you think about your work, how do you currently incorporate the wheel? How would you like to expand on this with your work?


Have a great week!


Warm regards
Jennifer

Jennifer Britton, PCC, CPCC
Author of Effective Group Coaching (Wiley, 2010)
Join us for an upcoming program - Group Coaching Essentials starts this Thursday Aug 9 at 10:30 am ET by phone (3 spots open) or the Mentor Coaching Group for ACC Renewals, ACC/PCC portfolio route starts Friday Aug 10 from 12 - 1pm ET (2 spots open).

What's In Your Marketing Funnel?: Coaching Business Builder

What's in your marketing funnel? What do you have in place to appeal to the different needs of potential clients and customers?

The concept of a marketing funnel is important when you think about your business at the macro, or 30,000 foot, view. What are all the different products and services you are offering? What are the different strategies you have to engage, connect and interact with people who are looking for at each level.

Many of you may be familiar with the idea of marketing funnel. You can see a picture of it to the right. At the top, or widest level, consider what you have to offer that is free or low cost.  As the funnel narrows, your services become more expensive.

So what is in each part of the process:
At the top - Free or no fee: This may include blog posts, white papers, audios, videos, pro bono speaking engagements. Notice how the top of the funnel is wider. A key to leveraging this for your business is to consider how wide your funnel is, and how wide you want it to be. What do you offer at the free or no fee level? Do people know how this connects to other offerings you have? Enhancing your visibility with your client group is a benefit of services/offerings at this level. It is often here that they get to "know, like and trust you".

Next level - Low cost: This may include e-books or other lower cost services. Some coaches may in fact put some of their group coaching offerings here. What do you want to include in this low cost band? What does "low cost" mean for you and your clients?

Third level - slightly higher cost. This again main be e-books, services, or programs at a slightly higher cost. You may consider this the mid range. What would you include in this level?

Highest Cost - This may be your one-on-one coaching, or services where people work intensively with you (in person or other). What would you include in this level? How does it link to other levels?

Questions to consider:

• As you take a look at your marketing funnel from the 30,000 foot view, what do you notice? 
• Are there any gaps? 
• What's the connection between the different levels? 
• Where do your current clients gravitate to? What are they asking for? Where would you position that?
• What are your next steps around the marketing funnel for you?

You can read a little more about the marketing funnel in my chapter on Marketing in Effective Group Coaching. 

Have a wonderful weekend.

Warm regards,
Jennifer

Jennifer Britton, PCC, CPCC
Author of Effective Group Coaching (Wiley, 2010)
Join us for an upcoming program - Group Coaching Essentials (6.75 CCEs starting Aug. 9) or the Mentor Coaching Group for ACC renewals (starting Aug 10) or the BizSuccess Virtual Business Planning Retreat (Aug 10 & 17)

August Programs: Group Coaching Training, BizSuccess Summer Virtual Retreat

At the start of every month, I like to include a listing of our upcoming programs. Here's what is planned for August, and into September:

 Group Coaching Essentials - 6.75 CCEs

Looking to add group coaching to your mix and don't want to reinvent the wheel? Join me this month as we take a deep dive into the nuts and bolts of the group coaching process - design, marketing and implementation issues for public, corporate, in person and virtual programs.

August: Thursdays 10:30 - 11:45 am ET: Aug 9, 16, 23, 30, Sept 6, 2012

September: Tuesdays 12 - 1:15 pm ET: September 11, 18, 25, October 2 and 9 (note pricing increases for programs starting in September)

 Summer Virtual Business Planning Retreat (By Phone)
Friday August 10 and 17, 2012 - 2 - 5 pm Eastern/New York both days
Looking for some time to focus and TAKE action on your business plans for this year? Want to retreat but not have to travel? Join me for this six hour virtual retreat where we will be moving through a 6 hour structured process of individual and group activities to support you in your business planning and action. Each hour has a different focus, with topics including revisiting your business vision, marketing, social media, and also taking action on one of your current business projects.
Cost: $195 US for the 6 hour program which includes a retreat manual, access to me during the program for 1-1 time, and many tools and templates to support you in your business. Click here for more information or to reserve your spot.

 

Mentor Coaching Group  (for ACC Renewals, ACC/PCC portfolio routes)

Upcoming Program Dates:

Friday August 10 from 12 - 1 pm Eastern/New York. Group Calls will be held on August 10, 17, 24, September 1, 28, October 12, November 9   (2 spots open)

Tuesdays 10:30 - 11:30 am ET: September 4, 18, Oct 2, 9, 30, November13, December 4 (4 spots open)

Fridays 1:30 - 2:30 pm ET: Sept 14, 28, October 12, 26, November 2, 9, December 14

The Mentor Coaching Group will be of interest for ACC renewals, as well as those working towards their ACC and PCC portfolio applications with the ICF. This is a 10 hour mentor coaching program, which includes 7 hours of group mentor coaching calls, and 3 hours of individual mentor coaching sessions (held monthly). We look at all 11 core coaching competencies of the ICF, and coaches have the opportunity to practice and receive feedback on their skills during the program. Each class you'll receive module notes to support you with your learning and coaching work. Click here for more info about the Mentor Coaching Group. 

Space is limited to 4-6 coaches. If you have a group of 4 of your own and want to get started, please give me a call.  

Current pricing: $1000/10 hour program.  

If you would like to pay in multiple installments (2 or 3) for the Mentor Coaching Group, or register for the September program please click here.

Group Coaching Intensive - 2 days of in-person training - 15 hours

Saturday/Sunday November 10 - 11, 2012, Toronto, CANADA

Early Bird rate on until September 21st

  

Join me for two days of in person training (15 hours) around group coaching. We will be covering foundational and advanced issues for designing, marketing and implementing your own programs (virtual, in person, corporate and public), 

plus Practice and Feedback opportunities with group coaching throughout the two days! 

   

And some of the most valuable things coaches have indicated from their experience with the Intensive - the ability to have their specific questions answered in the small group intensive, the opportunity to connect with other coaches, and get practice and feedback around their skills.   Click here for more information on the Intensive program.  

The program includes:

- The Group Coaching Intensive Binder (70+pages of content and worksheets)

- A copy of the Effective Group Coaching Book

- Coffee Breaks and Light Lunch both days

- The Group Coaching Toolkit for you to use in your own work  

- A pre-program 1-1 call to learn more about your learning needs  

- A group follow up call one month after the event

- An application is being submitted to have this program approved for 15 CCEs with the ICF as our past programs have been (13 hrs Core Competencies, 2 hrs other)     

Hours: Day 1 - 8:30-5 and Day 2 - 8:30 - 4:30 pm.

Here's what July Intensive participants in Muskoka said about their experience:

"A must for coaches who want to bring their coaching skills to another level!" - Mylene Beauchamp

 "A time for you to focus on group coaching and building your business. A rare treat and strategic business move to participate in person with other great coaches and Jennifer's excellent facilitation." - Kathleen Clark, PCC

"Expands and enhances your work/skills even if you aren't going to build a group coaching business" - Dr. Jean Davidson

"Specific tools and techniques combined with flexibility and expertise in eliciting participation made the time meaningful" - KH

 

90 Day BizSuccess Group Coaching Program

September 11 - December 11: 2nd and 4th Tuesday of the month (7:45-8:45 pm ET/4:45 - 5:45 pm PT)

You asked for it! I will be leading a special fall edition of the 90 Day BizSuccess Group Coaching program. Are you a coach looking to focus on growing and taking action on your business this fall? I will be working with a small group of business owners through this 3 month deep dive around business issues, returning to my roots as a Business Faculty Member. The program includes monthly laser calls with me, 7 group calls and bi-weekly modules, supplemented by 36 E-Biz Tips. Space is limited to 4-8 business owners. I look forward to working with you to move your business forward this fall! Reserve your spot today. Cost: $497 for the 3 month program.

Have a wonderful August! Looking forward to connecting with you soon.
Jennifer

Jennifer Britton, CPCC, PCC
Author of Effective Group Coaching (Wiley, 2010)
Phone: (416)996-8326