Four ways to spark deeper dialogue within your groups

Group coaching is about a conversation amongst group members. Many new coaches feel

uncomfortable with the silence that can emerge in the space needed for reflection, pause and entry into that place of deeper dialogue.

Four ways coaches may consider sparking deeper dialogue include:

1. Provide pre-work, an inquiry, or have the group design an assignment in the last session which will get them thinking about that week's topic.

2. Leave structured time for pausing and writing as part of your process. Bring in music or a timer to formally mark the reflection time. Reflective writing could range from a journal question, to an inquiry, to mindmapping, to working around people's vision.

3. In larger groups, and the virtual domain, utilize breakouts and pairs. Get people connecting in different ways during the actual group coaching session, and in smaller groups so they can share more of their insights, more frequently with each other. Provide one or more questions to get the groups started in dialogue.

4. Create learning pairs/buddies for the entire program (or part of the program if it is longer) so that people do get to know each other at a deeper level, and trust each other more. These deeper connections may provide for deeper conversations quicker, inside and outside of the room/phone.

What other approaches do you use to spark deeper dialogue in your groups? As always, please feel free to comment below.

Warm regards,
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)
 (416)996-8326

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