The importance of agreements in any group or team coaching process

The importance of agreements in any group or team coaching process 

Jennifer Britton, Copyright 2014. All Rights Reserved

Spending time at the start of any coaching engagement to discuss expectations and create shared expectations is critical in any group or team coaching process. When things do go awry, or conflict emerges, the shared agreements become a place of common ground, and a place to return to for dialogue. They also help to shape the co-created experience of coaching, where all group or team members should have a voice, and are at choice to step into the coaching process.

While it may appear that this is a “rote” activity to some coaches, without time spent on this, things can go awry. Agreements  invite group members to be active participants in the process.

Common agreements in any group and team coaching process may include:

* Confidentiality - this is an implicit part of the coaching process

* Starting and ending on time

* Being fully present

* Participating 100%

* Use of technology during the course

In shorter programs you may want to provide some common agreements to for dialogue to start from, and participants to agree to. In longer terms programs it is important to facilitate this dialogue and have the group themselves create or co-create the set of agreements. This could take five minutes, or in larger groups, could take significantly longer time.

Questions to consider: 

What can you do to build agreements in? 

What will this look like in your next program?

What adjustments will you make in the virtual environment?

Have a great week,

Jennifer

Jennifer Britton, PCC, CPCC

GroupCoachingEssentials.com

Join us for an upcoming program - the Group Coaching Essentials teleseminar (6.75 CCEs) starting Thursday July 17th at 10:15 am ET or the Mentor Coaching Group (for ACC Renewals and ACC/PCC portfolio) starting Monday July 14th at 11 am Eastern/New York (by phone)