Reconnecting and Supporting Groups in the Return to the Office: 4 Things

Reconnecting and Supporting Groups in the Return to the Office

By Jennifer Britton, Fall 2021

This fall marks the return to the office in many places around the world. Whether individuals are moving back into the office, or moving to a hybrid workspace, or remaining distributed, it's an opportunity to reconnecting individuals, teams and groups. 

Over the last year I've spent a lot of time talking with teams, HR groups, coaches about the 7 Remote Enablers (TM), seven areas which help us soar in the remote space. When moving to this next phase of work, whatever it will look like, it's important that we provide a space for people to reconnect. 

This blog post focuses on four things you can do as a coach to reconnect and support groups in the return to the office. 

#1 - Provide space for connection. Leaving time and space for people to connect is at the foundation of a smooth return to the office. What formal and informal opportunities can be built in, to reconnect people?

#2 - Provide ample time for (re-) introductions - in many workplaces, and workspaces today people may not have seen each other for almost two years in person. There are likely to be several people who have never been physically in the building or having met their team mates, especially if they were hired after the pandemic started. As coaches in what ways can you provide a space for introductions.

#3 - Explore vision - Vision has been an important anchor for so many throughout the last few years. As I shared recently at the ICF Converge conference, revisiting and rearticulating vision is a key part of success in the remote and hybrid space. What are you doing to explore vision with the groups and teams you are working with?

Consider how you might:

• Create Vision Boards on an individual basis
• Create Roadmaps on an individual, group or team basis
• Create Team Quilts
• Bring in a graphic facilitator (like myself) to do a Draw Your Future process to map it out!

#4 - Revisit strengths - The ability to leverage strengths is a key part of success and in today's variable workspace this is no different. What opportunities can you create to introduce StrengthsFinder/Clifton Strengths or VIA Strengths to clients. Stimulating these conversations are important for individual contributors in a group setting, or for entire teams can be a valuable place to begin.

What is going to stimulate the conversations in the workspaces you support?

For more ideas pick up a copy of Reconnecting Workspaces, or join us for the next Reconnecting Workspaces Coach Certification (24 CCEs) to build out your toolkit.

We cover these topics more in-depth in the Team Coaching Essentials program as well. Next group starts November 9th.

Best wishes,

Jennifer

Jennifer Britton - Group Coaching Essentials | Effective Virtual Conversations | Potentials Realized
Instagram @Remote Pathways (for remote workers) and @CoachingBizBuilder (for coaches)
Pick up a copy of the  Reconnecting Workspaces book or the
90-Day Guide for Success

Build out your skills, toolkit and mastery in coaching in the hybrid space with the Reconnecting Workspaces Certified Coach training (24 CCES). Training starts November 2nd (10 weeks), and December 9th (3 days)

Also author of Effective Group Coaching (2010), Coaching Business Builder (2018), Effective Virtual Conversations (2017) and From One to Many: Best Practices for Team and Group Coaching (2013). Check out my author page on Amazon for all publications.

Email: info@potentialsrealized.com

Phone: (416)996-8326 

Six Exercises to Consider for 2019 - Group and Team Coaching

Last month, I hosted my 15th annual year-end group and teams program call. I've broken that 35 view it here.

minute call down into three pieces. If you missed part 1 which I shared last month on 2018 trends in group and team programs,

You can read part 1 of the post here.

Today I wanted to jump forward into six exercises you might want to consider incorporating into your upcoming group and team programs - View the 11 minute video here.

In this 11 minute video I share some of my most widely tools and processes during 2018 and contrast them with what I used in 2017.

As coaches, facilitators and trainers, our toolkit is essential. What are the tools and processes you regularly lean into, in service of your clients?

What are the approaches you want to be leveraging more this year?

With best wishes,
Jennifer

Jennifer Britton
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 Tuesday January 29th (4:20 - 5:35 pm ET - 5 weeks) and the Advanced Group and Team Coaching Practicum (Tuesdays Jan 22 - early March - 3 - 4:15 pm ET) (10 CCEs)

Setting New Year Intentions at the Learning Lab and Design Studio

Today was New Year Intention Setting day at the Learning Lab and Design Studio, an annual group I

2018 Intentions at the Learning Lab and Design Studio

host for coaches. We’re stepping into year three at the Learning Lab and Design Studio this month. The LLDS is a group I host for coaches, trainers and other professionals who are looking to expand their work and business in the areas of group and team work.

Every month we meet for two calls – one a hands-on Facilitation Lab where I bring real-time tools and approaches and we apply it to our monthly theme. The second call is a content/learning call where I share resources you can apply right away in your work (upcoming 2018 themes are exploring are video-based learning, building trust, program hacks, core skills and building your toolkit).

As I went to wrap up our call today, I pulled some cards for my own intentions at the LLDS this year and wasn’t it interesting what showed up.

From the Points of You Deck I pulled the card – LOVE – lucky #88. The LLDS is one program I LOVE facilitating. It’s also probably one of the lesser known programs of mine. It’s been a way that I hve been able to develop an extended relationship with coaches who don’t just want to quick dive into group and team coaching, or growing their business, but want a longer term focus. You can join us at any time (and of course there’s a 50% New Year Special on it right now)

From Wayne Dyer’s card deck, The Power of Intention, I pulled the “Practice the Power of Intention Card” which I take as a reminder to me to get more into the practice of intention setting, or thinking of what outcome I am looking for in my work, before taking action.

Finally, the last tool I shared this morning were Rory’s Story Cubes….As you’ll see from the photo above the following story showed up for me around the LLDS 2018:

The apple – As the first cube selected, I take the apple as a representation of Knowledge – very appropriate for us at the Learning Lab and Design Studio where the lens is about all things learning, and creating engaging learning and growth experiences for the groups and teams we work with as coaches, trainers and facilitators.

Magnifying glass – Every month a different theme gets put under the magnifying glass. As a facilitator myself, it encourages me to continue my pursuit of learning, keeping abreast of new trends in our field, and exploring topics I can bring in my own work to my clients.

The Flower – As an avid gardener in the warmer months I was pleasantly surprised to see this come up. It got me to researching to see if different flower symbols have different meanings – and in fact they do – here’s a cool list - https://www.almanac.com/content/flower-meanings-language-flowers . For this story, I’m taking the flower as a representation of the importance of building up your garden bed, and taking time to appreciate the beauty they exist. I think that for many of us doing a lot of work with groups and teams we are moving so fast (like our clients are) that it’s quite rare to have a quick pause to take stock of what we have, and what we can do. The LLDS creates one of these important pauses.

Footprints – The LLDS is also about taking action, and leaving your mark. Once a quarter I host a 4 hour virtual retreat afternoon, geared to get you into action around your own work. This year I’ll also be hosting quarterly program hacks so you can do some real-time design work in a compressed timeframe.

Lightening Bolt – One of the two calls each month is a facilitation lab. In establishing this program in January 2016, I felt that it was really important to create a place where we as facilitators could try out different tools, and experience them as learners ourselves, before taking them into work with our clients.

Book - There is an abundance of topics we cover throughout the year, and I’ve loved how there are now more than 24 sets of templates, articles, and almost 50 recordings for LLDS members to explore when they have time.

Conversation – One of my favorite symbols (the conversation bubble which is also on the title of my newest book, Effective Virtual Conversations) was next in the storyline. The other element I love at the LLDS is the conversations that ensue. It is a small group conversation experience, and unlike larger group webinars where  everything might be chat only, we engage every week in rich conversation.

Fountain – The fountain to me represents the fact that there will always be a myriad of topics left to explore. Our work and professional field is not static. It’s ever changing and evolving. The LLDS provides a regular reminder to keep learning.

Tree – For the last three or four years now I have been returning back to my roots as an environmental scientist in different ways, particularly as I speak and write about ecosystems. My work has always been very multi-disciplinary and the tree symbolizes how at the LLDS many of our conversations span the different disciplines of coaching, training, learning, education, e-learning, facilitation, social change….

As a writer and author I love seeing how these cubes spark a new storyline for the teams and groups I work with!

I hope that today’s blog post has given you more insights about what we explore and the conversations we have at the Learning Lab and Design Studio.We’ll be meeting throughout 2018 on Fridays from 845 – 930 am Eastern (slightly later than our last two years of programming, but early enough so you can catch us as you head into work on Fridays). Calls are held twice a month with the next one on Friday January 19th.

Download the Winter/Spring 2018 schedule here and consider joining us.

My 50% off New Year’s special is on for a few more days (until our next call). Save $625 US on the annual rate of $1250 US. Use code 2018NewYear at checkout. More info and registration at http://www.learninglabanddesignstudio.com.

I'd love to have you join us this year! Email me to set up a time to discuss how this program could support you.

With best wishes,

Jennifer

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

Most 2018 programs kick off on Friday January 12th with the return of the 3 month Mentor Coaching Group (for ACC/PCC), the Group Coaching Essentials program (8.75 CCEs). The Advanced Group and Team Coaching Practicum (10 CCEs) starts 1/19. 

Day 3 - 12 Days: Working With Visual Cards

One of my favorite tools in working with groups and teams is bringing in visual cards. Given that I work with many multi-national groups, English is not always the first language. Visuals create a new way to connect across the group. Visuals often spark deeper level of individual insights. Many of you are familiar with the Conversation Sparker Cards I launched back in 2014. This past year we made available a French series for coaches who work with francophone clients. 22 of the 70 Conversation Sparker cards are questions.

There are a variety of different ways be can use visual cards. Consider the opportunities:

a. As a way to open the conversation

b. As a way to close a session with a group

c. As a creative sparker for new ideas when a group is stuck or when you need a little something different

d. When you are working with a team on visioning

e. When you are working with business owners on innovation

f. When you are undertaking a strategic planning session

Many of you viewed my 2015 blab on different ways to work with visual cards over at our YouTube channel. You can view that 30 min call here.

During 2015 I created the 40 Ways to Work with Visual Cards E-Manual, which includes facilitated instructions for more than 40 different ways to incorporate your favorite visual deck in an upcoming workshop, retreat, or virtual  program. The 40 Ways E-manual is a digital download and includes 40 different activities you can facilitate, along with five worksheets you can reproduce and bring into your session. Cost is $40 US. Pick up your copy here.

Have a great Wednesday,

Jennifer

Jennifer Britton, PCC, CPCC

GroupCoachingEssentials | PotentialsRealized

Footer:

About Us: Jennifer Britton is the author of Effective Group Coaching (Wiley, 2010) and From One to Many: Best Practices for Team and Group Coaching (Jossey-Bass, 2013) . Since 2004 she and her company, Potentials Realized, have supported thousands of coaches, trainers, and leaders, design and create more impactful team and group programs (in-person and virtual). Jennifer offers customized programs for organizations, as well as virtual public training programs. Our areas of specialty are team development, leadership and coaching. Our 2017 programming starts during the week of January  9th and will include: The Group Coaching Essentials teleseminar (8.75 CCEs), The Advanced Group and Team Coaching Practicum(10 CCEs), and the Mentor Coaching Group for ACC/PCC portfolio routes. Our 2017 Learning Lab and Design Studio Group for Coaches who want to build their business and expand their group and team programs starts January as well (2 group calls on Fridays throughout 2017)

Four Activities for Opening Group and Team Coaching Sessions

Having a robust toolkit of activities in your back pocket is a must have for team and group coaches.  Building onto other posts here at the Group Coaching Ins and Outs blog (Four  Ways to Create Coaching Closure with Groups etc), today's post covers four of my favorite activities for opening group and team coaching sessions.

Trust and connection is key to successful coaching conversations, and in a group setting, it is likely that people will not know each other. In a team setting, history, roles and power differentials can also impact trust and connection.

These four activities can be adapted for the different groups and teams you work with:

1. Personal Logos: I've used this activity with multiple groups and teams. With teams it is always really interesting to see what themes emerge from the logos people choose. Instructions are simple, ask people to create a logo which represents what they bring to the group or team. Have them write it down as part of their name card. Get each person to introduce themselves according to their logo. Have the group or team notice the patterns, similarities etc.

2. Visual Cards -
Visual cards can provide a new "spark" for conversation. Lay photographs (your own or a photo deck like Conversation Sparker Cards) out on a table and have people select the card that either:
1. Represents that they bring to the group;
2. Represents their hope for the work together;
3. Signifies where they see the team right now (for teams)

If you have time, you may want to ask people to select a second photo which represents:
1. What they hope to gain or achieve through your work together
2 Where they would like to see the team going (for teams)

Check out one of the blabs I did last fall, dedicated to working with visual cards. As I mentioned in my July Team and Group Coaching Newsletter (subscribe here), one of my biggest sellers at last month's ICF Mid-West Conference was the 40 Ways To Work With Visual Cards E-manual. Check it out here.

3. Patrick Lencioni's Personal Histories
 - Many coaches and trainers love the resources included the Patrick Lencioni's Five Dysfunctions of Team Playbook. One you will want to look up and consider using is his Personal Histories exercise. I have used it with executive teams from mining, full teams involved in television, and also with teams in customer service. When time has been available, it's been a valuable exercise in building connection at the start of one day and longer sessions.

4. And the generic go-round - Who are you, what's brought you here. For virtual shorter calls giving people an opportunity to connect and hear each other's voices can be important and can help with boosting engagement and ownership of the call. When people come to a virtual call and realize that something is a little different with their introductions, it may be easier to cut through the assumption that your program is goingt to be another experience of "Death by Conference Call"

People remember the start and end of things and a memorable kick off can be very important.Taking time to focus on creating the space for trust and connection helps people feel safe to take the conversation to a deeper level, and really bring themselves into the conversation.

What's going to help you feel confident around that? What are your next steps around this?

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)

About Us: Jennifer Britton is author of Effective Group Coaching (Wiley, 2010) andFrom One to Many: Best Practices for Team and Group Coaching (Jossey-Bass, 2013) . Since 2004 she and her company, Potentials Realized, have supported thousands of coaches, trainers, and leaders, design and create more impactful team and group programs (in-person and virtual). Jennifer offers customized programs for organizations, as well as virtual public training programs. Our areas of specialty are team development, leadership and coaching. Our 2017 programming starts during the week of January  9th and will include: The Group Coaching Essentials teleseminar (8.75 CCEs), The Advanced Group and Team Coaching Practicum (10 CCEs), and the Mentor Coaching Group for ACC/PCC portfolio routes. Our 2017 Learning Lab and Design Studio Group for Coaches who want to build their business and expand their group and team programs starts January as well (2 group calls on Fridays throughout 2017)

Team and Group Coaching: Four Approaches To Consider

Activities to consider in your next group coaching process

Activities form the shape of any group coaching experience. Conversation is not the only way people learn, and acquire insights. I continue to enjoy bringing in a variety of activities into any group coaching process including:

1. Visual Decks - I’ve written and have spoken on bringing in decks for a number of years. This spring we launched the ConversationSparker Cards™ and they have started to be used by facitiators and coaches around the world. You can learn more about them here. I also recorded a video earlier this year showcasing three other visual decks I have used over the years with groups and teams - JICT, the Coaching Game, and Visual Explorer

2. Journalling - Journalling can be a very powerful process for group members, whether it is our traditional paper based journal process, or a newer approach with online journalling. In my latest book, From One to Many: Best Practices for team and Group Coaching I spotlight the work of Journal Engine, which takes journalling into the online domain. For coaches who are working with groups who are more digitally inclined, a tool such as JournalEngine is has many advantages and extends the coaching conversation.

3. Experiential Processes - As someone who started out originally as an experiential educator more than 25 years ago, I continue to see great value in creating experiential processes for our group members to step into. For creative sparks to get the juices flowing about what this may look like, I will usually turn to sites such as Wilderdom.com (check out their Toolkit of Group games) and Business Balls.com (for corporate group and team programs)

4. Assessments can also be an invaluable tool in our coaching work, and in fact, utilization of an assessment such as the Five Behaviors of a Cohesive Team or the Team Diagnostic from Team Coaching International may point to the focus areas of our work.

There are a wide range of assessments you may wish to be certified or credentialed in, depending on your clients needs , including:

At the individual level:

* MBTI

* DiSC - select from the Everything DiSC series of tools (which I use (and am a provider for coaches who want to offer this to their clients) due to the robust nature of the reports and variety of customized assessments such as the DiSC Workplace, DiSC Management, Work of Leaders, DiSC Sales), the Extended DiSC or one of many other Disc

* EQ I 2.0 - for those interested in, and exploring, Emotional Intelligence

* The Leadership Circle

At the team level:

* Team Diagnostic from Team Coaching International

*The Five Behaviors of a Team from Everything DiSC (based on the work of Patrick Lencioni)
What assessments do your clients find useful in the work you do?

Have a great week,
Jennifer

Jennifer Britton, MES, PCC, CPCC
Author of Effective Group Coaching (Wiley, 2010) and From One to Many: Best Practices for Team and Group Coaching (Jossey-Bass, 2013)
GroupCoachingEssentials.com - Join us for an upcoming program including the Group Coaching Essentials teleseminar (6.75 CCEs) starting July 17 or the Mentor Coaching Group - starting July 14
(416)996-8326