Coaching Toolbox - Time Management

Wordle crerated at Wordle.net

As coaches we are not content experts AND it's always important to have a number of resources we point our clients to around key issues we are coaching them around. In this new series I will be suggesting a number of my favorite "go-to" resources I recommend to clients  (individuals, groups and teams) when I find myself coaching around.

I'm going to start with time management. Whether our clients are struggling with "doing more with less" or finding better balance (in whatever balance means for them), outside of the coaching conversation clients are often very eager to explore topics around time mangement and priorities.

Several key resources I often refer my clients onto are

The Seven Habits of Highly Effective People - Steven Covey

First Things First - Covey, Merrill, Merrill

Get it Done Guy - Stever Robbins

Overwhelmed - Brigid Schulte

168 Hours: You Have More Time Than You Think - Laura Vanderkam

MindTools.com - They have created so many great resources and articles - from Time Management to Delegation, many of my clients have their "content" needs satiated and create that information as a foundation for our coaching exploration.

In terms of coaching tools, work around the Wheel of Life, priorities and values is part of the terrain we usually explore.

What resources would you recommend to others around time management? As always, please comment below.

Best wishes,
Jennifer

Jennifer Britton, MES, CPT, PCC
Group Coaching Essentials | Potentials Realized  
Author of Effective Group Coaching (Wiley, 2010) and From One to Many: Best Practices for Team and Group Coaching (Jossey-Bass, 2013)
 
Looking to expand your tools for groups and teams? Join us in Toronto the weekend of November 7-8 for the Group and Team Coaching Intensive (19 CCEs). Register with a colleague and each receive a discount on your registration.

Three Core Elements of Any Group Coaching Process

Group coaching processes continue to be very diverse - ranging from one month programs, to one year programs, with support to business owners, mid-level managers to stay-at-home moms. What is similar

Photo copyright of DollarPhotoClub

across these are common elements, making them coaching and not training, facilitation or something else.

Fist, goals. Every coaching process is grounded in goals. Part of what you will want to do at the start, or before the start of the program/process, is have individual group members identify their key goals for your work together. This will help the group identify common theme areas, as well as create the iniital baseline and traction for individual group members to participate. What are you doing to create opportunities for your group members to articulate and share their goals?

Group coaching is also a sustained conversation space. As I have written many times, "it's an intimate conversation space" (From One to Many: Best Practices for Team and Group Coaching). our focus on support for accountability, action and awareness is key. For a group to be considered a coaching gorup as part of an ICF coaching log there can be no more than 15 members. As we add more members to the group it becomes more a facilitated discussion, than coaching space. What are you doing to maximize the impact of these regular touch points? What numbers are optimal for your work?

Peer involvement is another essential condition for any group coaching process. Group members tend get as much out of the process from their interactions with each other, as they do with the coach. Consider how you can maximize peer interaction in a way that works well for your group, whether it's through breakouts in virtual calls, learning partners throughout a program, or linkages through journalling or other tech platforms. What approaches do you want to use in fostering peer connection?

As you move into your own programming and/or planning this fall with groups, what other elements do you see as foundational?

Have a great week,
Jennifer

Jennifer Britton, MES, CPT, PCC
Group Coaching Essentials | Potentials Realized  
Author of Effective Group Coaching (Wiley, 2010) and From One to Many: Best Practices for Team and Group Coaching (Jossey-Bass, 2013)

Prefer in person learning? Join us in Toronto the weekend of November 7-8 for the Group and Team Coaching Intensive (19 CCEs). Six spots still open. Register with a colleague and each receive a discount on your registration.

September programs - Advanced Group Coching (10 CCEs), Mentor Coaching Group and Group Coaching Essentials

It's back to work for many of us with Labor Day just behind us. Here is what's on tap in terms of program offerings I have for Coaches in the month of September:

Mentor Coaching Group (for ACC Renewals and ACC/PCC Applications with ICF) - 10 hours
This ten hour program meets the requirements for ICF mentor coaching for those working towards their ACC or PCC portfolio/ATSCH or ACC Renewals. The program is geared to support you in sharpening your skills as a coach, while deepending your understanding of the 11 core competencies of the ICF. You

also receive feedback on your coaching skills as demonstrated in the coaching lab. 7 of the hours are in small group setting (3-5 coaches typically) and 3 hours of individual mentor coaching are scheduled with Jennifer. Cost: $1000 US or CDN (plus HST)
The fall groups will meet on Fridays. Choose from either 9-10 am ET or 12 - 1 pm ET. Group calls will be held on September 11, 18, 25, October 2, 16, 30 and December 11 plus an additional 3 hours of individual coaching hours will be scheduled with you (one hour a month for the three months)
Cost: $1000 US or CDN (plus HST) for the 10 hour program. Payable in one or 3 monthly installments. Click here to learn more or register.


Advanced Group Coaching Practicum (10 CCEs) Fridays 1015 - 11:30 am Eastern/7:15 - 830 am Pacific (September 11, 18, 25, October 2, 9 and 16) - 3 spots
Looking for more practice in group coaching and getting a deeper understanding of group coaching? Geared for coaches, the program includes 6 x 75 minute group calls, 5 individual 15 minute 1-1 calls with me, along with weekly module notes full of more ideas, templates, and resources to support you in your work, along with audio and video tips.
Through practice and dialogue we take a deeper dive around group coaching topics including:

•  Core skills and techniques in group coaching
• Tricky issues in group coaching
• Engagement, systems and support for group coaching
• Virtual programming best practices (webinars, teleseminars/teleclasses, group coaching by phone)
• Co-Facilitation and Co-Leadership
• Advanced Issues in Marketing Group Coaching
• Advanced Design Issues in Group Coaching

Each coach will have at least one opportunity to lead a 25 minute group coaching session as part of our class, and will receive written and verbal feedback on their skills. This will give you an opportunity to see different styles and approaches for group coaching at play. We will also hold our calls in different virtual environments so you get to experience them for yourself - bridgelines, skype, Zoom, etc.
Cost: $495 US. Course is approved for 10 CCEs with the ICF including 9.25 hours of core competencies. Click here to register and learn more. 

Group Coaching Essentials - 8.75 CCEs - 5 spots
Tuesdays 9:15 - 10:30 am ET - September 15, 22, 29, October 6 and 13, 2015
Our flagship course, the Group Coaching Essentials teleseminar provides coaches with road-tested tips and best practices around designing, implementing and marketing your own group coaching programs. Whether you are offering corporate or public groups, virtual or in-person groups, you can benefit from the rich content, modelling of approaches, weekly assignments to draft your own program and learning with a small group of peers. Five 75  minute calls and weekly laser 1-1s with me, along with a robust 80 page set of module notes. Cost: $425 US. Click here to learn more and register.

Questions? Don't hesitate to reach out and contact me directly at (416)996-8326.
I hope that you will consider joining us!

Jennifer

Jennifer Britton, MES, CPT, PCC
Group Coaching Essentials | Potentials Realized  
Author of Effective Group Coaching (Wiley, 2010) and From One to Many: Best Practices for Team and Group Coaching (Jossey-Bass, 2013)

Prefer in person learning? Join us in Toronto the weekend of November 7-8 for the Group and Team Coaching Intensive (19 CCEs).

Six Coaching Questions to Strengthen Connection in Groups and Teams

Creating deeeper levels of connection amongst team and group members in a team or group coaching process is key to opening the doorway into greater levels of trust between members. Greater levels of trust often translate into greater levels of safety, vulnerability (or openness to each other), and performance.

Today's post provides you with six potential coaching questons you may ask groups or teams to help them become more aware of their connections

1. What does each one of us bring that's unique to this team?
2. What strengths do we bring individually? Collectively? Where do they overlap? What gaps exist? (Consider providing the team or group with a strengths based profile as pre-work such as VIA Strengths or StrengthsFinder2.0).
3. What is the common connection that binds each of us together?
4. What is important about our shared values?
5. How do we have each others' backs?
6. What do we each need from each other?

What other questions do you like to ask when helping groups and teams strengthen their connection, whether they are just coming together, or they have been working together for a while?

Best
Jennifer

Jennifer Britton, MES, CPT, PCC
Group Coaching Essentials | Potentials Realized  
Author of Effective Group Coaching (Wiley, 2010) and From One to Many: Best Practices for Team and Group Coaching (Jossey-Bass, 2013)
Upcoming programs include: Mentor Coaching Group for ACC Renewals and ACC/PCC portfolio (Fridays 9 and 12 noon ET on September 11th), the Advanced Group Coaching Practicum (Fridays 10:15 - 1130 am ET starting September 11 - 10 CCEs) and the Group Coaching Essentials teleseminar startingTuesdays 9:15 - 10:30 am ET September 15 - October 13 (8.75 CCEs)
Contact us by phone: (416)996-8326