Group and Team Coaching: Five ways to use visuals

Many of you have heard  me speak of one of my favorite visual tools for my work with group and teams- Visual Explorer from Center for Creative Leadership. Consisting of a series of several hundred vibrant photos, I find myself incorporating it in my work with teams and groups on at least a monthly basis.

Recently a team coaching partner  of mine suggested we try something different with a team we are working with next month and we both purchased the JICT deck. I’m so pleased already with this tool - the smaller size, the portability and also the questions on the back of each of the 76 photos. You can purchase a copy for yourself and the great CoachingToys.com site

 A third visual deck you may wish to explore is the Points of View: Coaching Game resource. This product has very detailed ways you may wish to incorporate it into your work as a coach, for individuals and also groups.

Of course, you can also develop your own series of photos, or you may wish to get people to create their own drawings or logos (as you see on the slide above).

I continue to find that photos/visuals bring an additional layer into the group and team coaching conversation, and may help some individuals really connect to the coaching process.

So how might you use photos or visuals? Here are five ways I will often incorporate it into my work:

1. As a warm-up/ icebreaker for the session - Have people select the photo that best represents what they are coming to the conversation with.

2. To identify what they bring that is unique to the team or group - this is actually one of my favorite questions to start work together with teams. It is always enlightening to see what themes also emerge across the group or team you are working with. Ask the group what synergies they notice.

3. Around Perspectives - As each group member to "select the photo which represents your perspective around x…"

4. Around Vision - As each group or team member to select the photo which represents your vision for (this team, your business, your family, your…..)

5. As a closure piece - Ask the group or team members to select the photo which represents their key learning, or their next steps, or what’s different about them now.

Some things to keep in mind when you integrate any of these decks is to provide individuals time to reflect on, and take notes, around what they see. What’s clear? What’s not? What’s in focus? What’s missing?

Provide each person with an opportunity to share this with a partner, small group or larger group. What I continue to see in my work is that people get great value out of articulating their thoughts and connections, and also receive tremendous value in the comments and feedback they get from others. Depending on your group size, it can be very useful to allocate time to giving people an opportunity to share.

In your programming and conversations consider how individuals will  take this image forward, and how you can reconnect them to it throughout the series of conversations.

In closing, how might you incorporate visuals into your work with teams and groups? What would this look like?

With best wishes,

Jennifer

Jennifer Britton, MES, PCC, CPCC, CPT

Author of From One to Many: Best Practices for Teams and Groups (Jossey-Bass, 2013) and Effective Group Coaching (Wiley, 2010)

Phone: (416)996-TEAM (8326)

GroupCoachingEssentials.com | Potentials Realized 

Leadership | Teamwork | Coaching 

Join us for an upcoming mentor coaching group, the 90 Day BizSuccess Program or an ICF CCE approved coach training program (Essentials or Practicum). Most programs start September 6th and 13th.

 

 

Coaching Business Builder - What's Your Service and Product Offering Mix?

Recent research from the ICF has discovered that 94% of coaches offer more than just coaching

(Coaching World, May 2013). What is your mix of product and service offerings?

Whether we are new or experienced coaches and/or business owners it can be very useful to  consider what we are offering through our business. It’s very useful to consider what you are using at different price points, for different types of clients across the spectrum of the people you serve.

For coaches, it is possible that some of your service offerings may include:

• Coaching Services. Do you offer individual, team, group ccoaching? Partnership coaching (for business or relationships)
• Speaking Services
• Workshop or teleclass services
• Retreats
• Service areas in other areas of your expertise - list these:

Questions to Consider

What service offerings do you currently have? What additional services would your clients like you to offer? What would it take to create these?

Product offerings may include:

• White papers
• E-books
• Manuals
• Journals

The CoachingToys.com site showcases the creative spectrum of what is available to coaches as products. 

Questions to consider:

What products do you want to develop in your business? What are your clients looking for right now?

What is currently available in the marketplace or for your clients? What is not?

What would it take for you to develop new products?

Consider what products you may offer at no cost, low cost and higher price points.

What products and services do you have to offer at each price point?

  

I touch on the idea of considering your overall product and services offerings and funnel as in the digital marketing chapter of my new book, From One to Many: Best Practices for Team andGroup Coaching. We also explore it in one of our group calls during the 90 DayBizSuccess for Coaches program, starting again this September.

In closing, what are the core mainstays of your business right now? What do your clients really, really want? What changes may you make in the upcoming months? What do you want to be doing more of?

Have a great weekend!

Jennifer

Jennifer Britton, MES, CPT, PCC, CPCC

Group Coaching Essentials | Potentials Realized

Phone: (416)996-8326

From One to Many Tips: Part 1

My latest book, From One to Many: Best Practices for Team and Group Coaching has just been released

by Jossey-Bass (Wiley). To support coaches in their work with teams and groups I will be pulling some of my favorite tips from the new book and posting them at our Facebook page. You can find the first few tips below.

Here's what coaches have said about the new book:
"Jennifer Britton has penned another winner! With From One to Many, Jennifer not only gives us a bird’s-eye-view perspective, but she also delves into the details we need to be successful as group and team coaches. I'm eager to incorporate this new material—not only into my course curriculum—but also into my own group coaching programs."
—Jory H. Fisher, JD, www.JoryFisher.com

“This remarkable resource gives coaches the necessary tools to expand their effectiveness and offer a group experience of connection and collaboration, providing an exceptional experience for many.”
—Sandy Miller, MA, CPCC, ACC, www.revolutionizingdivorce.com

"From One to Many is a must-read for coaches, whether experienced or new to group and team coaching.  Jennifer combines extensive research, personal and peer experiences, practical applications, and a comprehensive set of tools and resources to deliver another excellent book for professional coaches."   
—Janice LaVore-Fletcher, MMC, BCC, President, Christian Coach Institute

Book details:
Pages: 352 pages (plus an additional 100 pages of digital content - email me with your book receipt if you have difficulty accessing the added content)

• ISBN-10: 1118549279
• ISBN-13: 978-1118549278

I hope that you will enjoy it and find it as useful as my first book, Effective Group Coaching (Wiley, 2010).

You can purchase an autographed copy direct from me at our new site - www.from12many.com, purchase a copy at Amazon (not autographed), or order at Wiley.

Here are some of our first tips:

Have a great week!

With best wishes,
Jennifer

Jennifer Britton, MES, PCC, CPCC
Phone: (416)996-TEAM (8326)

Join us for an upcoming program: 
The Group Coaching Essentials teleseminar starts Thursday August 15th at 2 pm Eastern/New York (Tues/Thurs 2-3:15 pm ET: Aug 15, 20, 22, Sept 3 and 5- 6.75 CCEs with the ICF)
The Advanced Group Coaching Practicum starts Fridays September 20th (8 CCEs with the ICF)
The 90 Day BizSuccess for Coaches group coaching - starts Fridays 1:30-2:30 pm ET on September 13th
The Fall 2013 Business Planning Virtual Retreat: Friday August 9 and 16 from 1:30 - 4:30 pm ET or Friday September 6 (9:00 - 3:00 pm Eastern)

Please note the Amazon bookstore link at the top of the post is an affiliate link

Mentor Coaching Group starts Friday August 9

The Mentor Coaching Group is designed for coaches who are renewing their ACC, or are undertaking

the ACC/PCC portfolio route for ICF credentialing. The program consists of 7 hours of small group mentoring calls (max 6 coaches) and 3 hours of individual coaching over a three month period.

The program explores the 11 ICF Competencies, encouraging coaches to consider what these skills look like in their work with individual, team and/or group coaching clients. Each coach will also have the opportunity at least once during the course of the program to coach and receive feedback on their skills. 

The next Mentor Coaching Group starts by phone Friday August 9th at 12 noon Eastern with calls being held Fridays 12 - 1 pm Eastern/New York on August 9, 16, 23, September 6, 13, October 4, November 8. Cost for the program is $1000 US and can be paid in one installment, or monthly installments.

In addition to the 10 hours of mentor coaching, group members receive session module notes (with resource links and worksheets), recordings of each call, verbal feedback on their skills and a letter confirming their completion of the mentor coaching process.

Here’s what coaches have said about the program:

"Done as Jennifer does it, I would only ever recommend Mentor Coaching in a group setting (barring the 3 hours of individual hours required). It opened me to considering new ways of providing coach work in the world. Jennifer's way of working with the group modeled best practice for group coaching and facilitation. She is a professional through and through, showing up authentically with felt presence. She provided a space that allowed for the experience to be effective, compassionate and inspirational" - Kathy Igoe, PCC

 

For more information and to register for the next Mentor Coaching Group please visit our website.

With best wishes,

Jennifer Britton, PCC, CPCC

Potentials Realized | GroupCoachingEssentials.com

Author of Effective Group Coaching (Wiley, 2010) and From One to Many:Best Practices for Team and Group Coaching (Jossey-Bass, 2013)

Phone: (416)996-TEAM (8326)

The Benefits of Group Coaching

I recently wrote an article for the CoachingTools site on the Benefits of Group Coaching which grew out
of questions from coaches, prospective clients and organizations around what are the benefits of a group coaching process. I hope that you will read the article here.

As I wrote several years ago in my first book, Effective Group Coaching, benefits for coaches include the ability to work with a larger number of individuals, offering a range of services at different price points. Many coaches may also appreciate how group coaching can leverage their time and impact.

Coaching clients, or participants of the group often comment on how powerful the peer learning process really is, as well as the different pace a group coaching process offers. Many clients may find it more comfortable to have more time to reflect and learn from the insights of their peers. The lower cost of a group coaching process can also be a great attractor.

I have written on the benefits of group coaching for organizations before (see earlier blog posts). The cross-functional fertilization that happens between group members is increasingly important in today's collaborative workspace, where today's business challenges require new approaches. The scalability of a group coaching process, also enables  more individuals to benefit from a coaching process, at a lower cost per capita. One of the more intangible, but important benefits of a group coaching process, is the relationships formed across, and within an organization.

For those interested in reading further about group coaching benefits I hope that you will:
Read the recent article I wrote for Coaching Tools here. 
Refer to Chapter 2 in Effective Group Coaching (Wiley, 2010)
Refer to the Chapters on Group Coaching and Team Coaching in my newest book - From One to Many, Best Practices for Team and Group Coaching, just released by Jossey-Bass. 

Have a great week,
Jennifer

Jennifer Britton, MES, PCC, CPCC
GroupCoachingEssentials | Potentials Realized - Leadership, Teamwork
Join us for the Group Coaching Essentials teleseminar starting August 1st (Thurs 10-11:15 am ET) - 6.75 CCEs
Phone: (416)996-TEAM

The value of pre-program calls in group and team coaching

Many of you have read how pre-program calls are more the norm, than not, for most of my group
coaching programs, and sometimes also with my team coaching work. These pre-calls provide an important opportunity to get to know group members before we start our work together, as well as identify additional interest areas for participants. It also provides a key opportunity to clarify
expectations, review logistics, and make sure that the program is a good fit for each person.

I usually try to keep my pre-program calls to 10 or 15 minutes and most group coaching calls focus on:

• Who is the person? What has brought them to the program?
• What are they looking to get out of their involvement?
• What key goals do they have? 
• How will they measure successful participation from their perspective?
• What should I know about their learning style and how they will get the most from the program?
• What questions do they have?

These pre-programs will give you an opportunity to get a high level snapshot of some of the initial interest areas of the group. It also may point to particular themes which may be of interest to the group which you had not anticipated.  Just like the photo on today's post, these calls help you see the connections.

I continue to hear how group members enjoy these calls as well, and find them an important part in feeling part of the group, and connection with me as the coach.

I go into further detail into team and group coaching pre-programs in the chapter on Engagement in my new book, From One to Many: Best Practices for Team and Group Coaching, which has just been released by Jossey-Bass/Wiley.

Questions to consider:
What type of connection do you want to create with group, and team members before the start of a program?
What format do you want it to take?
What can you do to build connection with group members, and amongst group members, with your programs?

Have a wonderful weekend!

Best wishes,
Jennifer

Jennifer Britton, MES, PCC, BCC, CPCC
Author of Effective Group Coaching (Wiley, 2010) & From One to Many: Best Practices for Team and Group Coaching (Jossey-Bass, 2013)
Phone: (416)996-TEAM (8326)
Email: info(at)potentialsrealized(dot)com

Coaches: What summer projects are you focusing on?

Summer is a terrific time for coaches to undertake projects. For some, the summer may be a quieter time, You can listen into it here. It is a 6 minute recording.
and for others you may find it filled with requests from new individual and organizational clients. Last year I did a short recording on some potential summer projects you might want to undertake. If you didn't catch it last year, here it is again:

Some additional ideas you might want to consider are:

1. Reviewing and updating business components (i.e. Coaching Agreement, Welcome Letter, Intake Questionnaires)
2. Blocking off 20-30 minutes three times a week to write articles or blog posts which you can queue for the rest of the year
3. Looking into a new system for your business (i.e. online payments, coaching client tracking)
4. Working on a new product (e-book, app, or something cool like you can find at the CoachingToys site)
5. Tackling the filing on your desk, in your computer. Clearing space to make room for more great work!
6. Reading the books you have purchased and have not yet read. Make a list of the books that are gathering dust (or taking space on your e-reader).
7. Revisiting your marketing and/or business plans. What's working? What's not? What needs an adjustment or tweak? What do you want to add? What needs to be taken off?

What summer projects are you going to undertake this year? What time are you going to dedicate to them?

With best wishes,
Jennifer

Jennifer Britton, MES, PCC, CPCC
Author of Effective Group Coaching (Wiley, 2010)

My newest book - From One to Many: Best Practices for Teams and Groups (Jossey-Bass, 2013) is going to be released in the next few weeks. Receive 5 hours of bonus audios when you purchase direct from our site.  Also take advantage of special bundle pricing when you purchase both books and the Group Program Toolkit.

Join us for an upcoming program including the Mentor Coaching Group (for ACC renewals and ACC/PCC portfolio routes- Tues 10:30 - 11:30 am ET) and the Group Coaching Essentials teleseminar (6.75 CCEs starting Tues July 16th at 12 noon ET.