Different Design Considerations - Group Coaching

This week at the Group Coaching Essentials program, we are exploring the topic of design. In

coaching many, there's often a dynamic tension of how much pre-preparation a group coach may undertake while being ready to throw it all aside if your group members are looking for something else.

In today's post I wanted to go back to some of the basics in group coaching design in sharing some of the different considerations you are work through with every group you host:

#1 - What are your clients needs? You want to be exploring this at both the macro - level, and at each individual group level.
If you don't know it already, what are:
The top 3 opportunities facing your client group right now?
The top 3 challenges that keep them up at night?
They are looking for in terms of support- type of support, length and where...
The items they are willing to invest in?
Their appetite for group vs individual work?

#2 - What are the approaches you want to incorporate?
There are many different ways you can coach groups. From integrating weekly laser coaching sets with one or two group members in the coaching chair from the week, to more group focused activities, to individual reflection prompts, what are the approaches you want to incorporate?
What's going to work best for the type of clients you work with and the type of areas you coach around.


#3 - What's going to keep the conversation, and focus, going in between calls?
The impact of coaching doesn't just happen in the call itself. A lot of learning happens on an individual and sometimes collective level, in between the calls.
What is going to keep the conversation, and focus, going in between your group calls?\
Is there going to be :
A 1-1  call you have with each group member?
Communication via email
Communication via a chat board/social site geared for group members?

#4 - What can you do to activate and meet the different learning styles in the group?
What do you notice about how the various group members engage with different learning styles? Some may be more hands-on and kinesthetic, others more visual, and others who learn verbally or in an auditory fashion. These are differences that will show up within your groups. What variety and options are you offering throughout?

What else is important to note as you design, and co-design, the conversations and group coaching sessions with your clients?

Feel free to share using the comments below

Warm regards,
Jennifer

Author of Effective Group Coaching (2009), and From One to Many: Best Practices for Team and Group Coaching (2013), Effective Virtual Conversations (2017) and Coaching Business Builder - Workbook and Planner (2018)
Phone : 416-996-TEAM (8326)

Upcoming 2019 programs include Group Coaching Essentials program (8.75 CCEs) which starts Friday March 23 (10:15 am - 11:30 am  ET - 5 weeks) and the Virtual Facilitation Essentials program - Fridays 11:45 - 1 pm ET (March 1, 15, 23, 30 and April 6) (8.5 CCEs)

Did you hear that I've just released a new on-demand course? If you have been enjoying the Coaching Business Builder Workbook and Planner, you may want to join me for my 19 Productivity Tips program which includes short-video based lessons AND bi-weekly live calls around productivity for the next 5 months. Kick off to the live calls is this Friday at 4 pm ET (February 15th). Check out the 19 Productivity Tips program here.