Using the Accordion in support of your group/team coaching design

In the last few weeks I've been supporting a number of coaches who are looking to sharpen their program designs. Given that there is always an inherent tension between pre-design and letting in all go as you hear about what your group members want and need in each coaching conversation, it can be  useful to design keeping the principle of the Accordion in mind. I write about this further in my latest book, From One to Many: Best Practices for Team and Group Coaching, as well as my first book.

As you consider your next group or team coaching conversation, what are the components that can be contracted (shortened) if the group or team also wants to spend some time looking at additional areas? Perhaps the focus of that week's conversation is having the team develop some Team Agreements around how they want to operate with each other, what they can depend on from each other and what their commitments are around other behaviors. Perhaps as the session starts it's apparent than an additional theme of managing in a changed priority realm is also key to the conversation. Keeping the Accordion principle in mind, you may already have something in mind around what can be shortened (or an alternative approach to working ith Team agreements that takes less time).

On the flipside, there may be instances where you want to take a deeper dive in service to the group or team. Thinking of those expansion points are also useful.

For those co-facilitating or co-leading, the principle of the Accordion can be a useful dialogue point so that you together can have a game plan or shared agreement of how you want to "dance" together.

As you consider an upcoming team or group program, consider what your accordion could look like. What are the segments that could be shortened? How might you do that? What segments could be lengthened?

Have a great week,
Jennifer

Jennifer Britton, MES, PCC, CPT
Potentials Realized
Upcoming programs include the 15 hour Virtual Facilitation Skills Intensive program (5 weeks x 3 hours) - Tuesdays 5-8 pm ET/Wednesday morning Syndney/Tuesdays 2- 5 pm PT: June 1, 8, 16, 23, 30, 2015. This 15 hour program is an online train-the-trainer, supporting you in boosting your facilitation skills, tools and also confidence in working in the virtual environment. While the platform is virtual we will also be exploring tips for in  person facilitation as well. 5 spots open.

Group Coaching Essentials teleseminar (now approved for 8.75 CCEs) starts Friday May 1st at 9:15 am Eastern - 2 spots open

What's the Difference Between Group and Team Coaching?

A common question I often get asked what's the difference between group and team coaching? How are

they different and how are they the same.

I like to call group and team coaching related siblings, and the good news is, many of the skills are the same. What is different is how you might work with each "grouping". There are several key differences in terms of the role of relationships, leadership, how the process is sustained between conversations, and also what's at stake.

An article of mine on these differences between Group and Team Coaching was recently featured at Choice Magazine in the spring edition which spotlights Group and Team Coaching. For practitioners, it's a must read-edition, with other authors included such as Marita Frijohn of CRR and ORSC and David Clutterbuck, author of Coaching the Team At Work.

You can download a copy of my Choice Magazine article over at  the Resources page of the From One to Many website.

You might also find the two digital chapters on case studies which accompany (but are not part of) the From One to Many: Best Practices for Team and Group Coaching book. You can download these two chapters here (use code 4411 when prompted).



What do you see as the differences between group and team coaching? What different approaches do you use with each grouping?










Have a great start to your week,
Jennifer



Jennifer Britton, MES, CPT, PCC, CPCC
Potentials Realized | GroupCoachingEssentials
(416)996-8326
Join us for an upcoming program including the Group Coaching Essentials teleseminar, a five week program which explores the foundations of group coaching. Next group starts Friday May 1st at 9 am Eastern - being renewed for 8.75 CCEs with the ICF.

The Power of a One -Page Plan

Supporting our clients with goal setting is a critical part of any coaching conversation, whether we are working with individuals, teams or groups. Support for goal setting at both the macro- or Meta levels (the big picture of our life and work) as well as at the micro- or more immediate level, can serve as the frame for our conversations

Over the years whether I have been coaching professionals and leaders individually or in groups, I've become quite fond of getting my clients to develop a one-page plan. I should preface this with the fact that many of my clients operate in data and file overload and that anything we add on should serve to simplify, rather than expand. This makes the popularity of a one-page plan quite consistent whether I am working with emerging leaders, new business owners or authors.

Prior to the start of our first coahing  onversation (whether it's a first group coaching call, or an individual intake session) I ask clients what are their top 3-5 goals for our work toether. This usually gets people thinking. I get them to elaborate on this fruther in our first conversation, and usually ask them to complete the first draft of their One Page plan (see photo above) between session 1 and 2.

Part of our focus in a second group coaching call is usually a sharing of these one page plans amongst group members. I ask group members to bring this with them to each of our group coaching conversations and will often ask them to make reference to how they are proceeding with their plans specifically at the start of each session. Having group members share their plans (in the confidential forum) can be very empowering and it can add onto the peer accountability mechanism as well.

Questions to consider:
What do you do to support individual goal setting and tracking in your coaching work?
What frameworks do your clients enjoy?
How do your clients track their progress?
What tools would you recommend to others?

As always, please feel free to comment below and let us know your thoughts.

Have a great week, What's your most important goal this week?

Best wishes,
Jennifer

Jennifer Britton, MES, PCC, CPCC, CPT
GroupCoachingEssentials.com | Potentials Realized
Author of Effective Group Coaching (Wiley, 2009) and From One to Many: Best Practices for Team and Group Coaching (Jossey-Bass, 2013)
(416)996-8326
Goal setting is something we explore in the Mentor Coaching Group for ACC Renewals and ACC/ PCC portfolio - next group starts Monday April 20th at 10:30 am ET. 3 spots still open.