Thursday, August 15, 2013

Group and Team Coaching: Five ways to use visuals



Many of you have heard  me speak of one of my favorite visual tools for my work with group and teams- Visual Explorer from Center for Creative Leadership. Consisting of a series of several hundred vibrant photos, I find myself incorporating it in my work with teams and groups on at least a monthly basis.

Recently a team coaching partner  of mine suggested we try something different with a team we are working with next month and we both purchased the JICT deck. I’m so pleased already with this tool - the smaller size, the portability and also the questions on the back of each of the 76 photos. You can purchase a copy for yourself and the great CoachingToys.com site

 A third visual deck you may wish to explore is the Points of View: Coaching Game resource. This product has very detailed ways you may wish to incorporate it into your work as a coach, for individuals and also groups.

Of course, you can also develop your own series of photos, or you may wish to get people to create their own drawings or logos (as you see on the slide above).

I continue to find that photos/visuals bring an additional layer into the group and team coaching conversation, and may help some individuals really connect to the coaching process.

So how might you use photos or visuals? Here are five ways I will often incorporate it into my work:
1. As a warm-up/ icebreaker for the session - Have people select the photo that best represents what they are coming to the conversation with.


2. To identify what they bring that is unique to the team or group - this is actually one of my favorite questions to start work together with teams. It is always enlightening to see what themes also emerge across the group or team you are working with. Ask the group what synergies they notice.

3. Around Perspectives - As each group member to "select the photo which represents your perspective around x…"

4. Around Vision - As each group or team member to select the photo which represents your vision for (this team, your business, your family, your…..)

5. As a closure piece - Ask the group or team members to select the photo which represents their key learning, or their next steps, or what’s different about them now.

Some things to keep in mind when you integrate any of these decks is to provide individuals time to reflect on, and take notes, around what they see. What’s clear? What’s not? What’s in focus? What’s missing?

Provide each person with an opportunity to share this with a partner, small group or larger group. What I continue to see in my work is that people get great value out of articulating their thoughts and connections, and also receive tremendous value in the comments and feedback they get from others. Depending on your group size, it can be very useful to allocate time to giving people an opportunity to share.

In your programming and conversations consider how individuals will  take this image forward, and how you can reconnect them to it throughout the series of conversations.

In closing, how might you incorporate visuals into your work with teams and groups? What would this look like?

With best wishes,
Jennifer

Jennifer Britton, MES, PCC, CPCC, CPT
Phone: (416)996-TEAM (8326)
Leadership | Teamwork | Coaching 
Join us for an upcoming mentor coaching group, the 90 Day BizSuccess Program or an ICF CCE approved coach training program (Essentials or Practicum). Most programs start September 6th and 13th.
 
 

Friday, August 09, 2013

Coaching Business Builder - What's Your Service and Product Offering Mix?



Recent research from the ICF has discovered that 94% of coaches offer more than just coaching
(Coaching World, May 2013). What is your mix of product and service offerings?

Whether we are new or experienced coaches and/or business owners it can be very useful to  consider what we are offering through our business. It’s very useful to consider what you are using at different price points, for different types of clients across the spectrum of the people you serve.

For coaches, it is possible that some of your service offerings may include:

  • Coaching Services. Do you offer individual, team, group ccoaching? Partnership coaching (for business or relationships)
  • Speaking Services
  • Workshop or teleclass services
  • Retreats
  • Service areas in other areas of your expertise - list these:

Questions to Consider
What service offerings do you currently have? What additional services would your clients like you to offer? What would it take to create these?

Product offerings may include:

  • White papers
  • E-books
  • Manuals
  • Journals

The CoachingToys.com site showcases the creative spectrum of what is available to coaches as products. 

Questions to consider:
What products do you want to develop in your business? What are your clients looking for right now?
What is currently available in the marketplace or for your clients? What is not?
What would it take for you to develop new products?

Consider what products you may offer at no cost, low cost and higher price points.

What products and services do you have to offer at each price point?

  
I touch on the idea of considering your overall product and services offerings and funnel as in the digital marketing chapter of my new book, From One to Many: Best Practices for Team andGroup Coaching. We also explore it in one of our group calls during the 90 DayBizSuccess for Coaches program, starting again this September.

In closing, what are the core mainstays of your business right now? What do your clients really, really want? What changes may you make in the upcoming months? What do you want to be doing more of?

Have a great weekend!

Jennifer

Jennifer Britton, MES, CPT, PCC, CPCC
Phone: (416)996-8326

Friday, August 02, 2013

From One to Many Tips: Part 1

My latest book, From One to Many: Best Practices for Team and Group Coaching has just been released
by Jossey-Bass (Wiley). To support coaches in their work with teams and groups I will be pulling some of my favorite tips from the new book and posting them at our Facebook page. You can find the first few tips below.

Here's what coaches have said about the new book:
"Jennifer Britton has penned another winner! With From One to Many, Jennifer not only gives us a bird’s-eye-view perspective, but she also delves into the details we need to be successful as group and team coaches. I'm eager to incorporate this new material—not only into my course curriculum—but also into my own group coaching programs."
—Jory H. Fisher, JD, www.JoryFisher.com

“This remarkable resource gives coaches the necessary tools to expand their effectiveness and offer a group experience of connection and collaboration, providing an exceptional experience for many.”
—Sandy Miller, MA, CPCC, ACC, www.revolutionizingdivorce.com

"From One to Many is a must-read for coaches, whether experienced or new to group and team coaching.  Jennifer combines extensive research, personal and peer experiences, practical applications, and a comprehensive set of tools and resources to deliver another excellent book for professional coaches."   
—Janice LaVore-Fletcher, MMC, BCC, President, Christian Coach Institute

Book details:
Pages: 352 pages (plus an additional 100 pages of digital content - email me with your book receipt if you have difficulty accessing the added content)
  • ISBN-10: 1118549279
  • ISBN-13: 978-1118549278

I hope that you will enjoy it and find it as useful as my first book, Effective Group Coaching (Wiley, 2010).

You can purchase an autographed copy direct from me at our new site - www.from12many.com, purchase a copy at Amazon (not autographed), or order at Wiley.

Here are some of our first tips:


Have a great week!

With best wishes,
Jennifer

Jennifer Britton, MES, PCC, CPCC
Phone: (416)996-TEAM (8326)

Join us for an upcoming program: 
The Group Coaching Essentials teleseminar starts Thursday August 15th at 2 pm Eastern/New York (Tues/Thurs 2-3:15 pm ET: Aug 15, 20, 22, Sept 3 and 5- 6.75 CCEs with the ICF)
The Advanced Group Coaching Practicum starts Fridays September 20th (8 CCEs with the ICF)
The 90 Day BizSuccess for Coaches group coaching - starts Fridays 1:30-2:30 pm ET on September 13th
The Fall 2013 Business Planning Virtual Retreat: Friday August 9 and 16 from 1:30 - 4:30 pm ET or Friday September 6 (9:00 - 3:00 pm Eastern)

Please note the Amazon bookstore link at the top of the post is an affiliate link