space for people to come together to connect, share and grow.
Having worked my entire career around disruption and crisis, I've always been struck at how important it is in finding the patterns around what remains similar (maybe not exactly the same, but similar). As much as the context in which we group coach changes, one thing doesn't, which is working with goals.
Goals create an important part of the map which our group coaching clients navigate. When coaching many, it's paramount that group members are clear on their own unique path of what they are working on, and how that may differ, or be similar, than other group members.
What are you doing to provide an opportunity for group members to map out their unique goal stream?
This might include:
- A one-page plan which everyone completes and shares within the group, or with the coach;
- A dashboard which the client can access to note their goals
- A goal tracker shared and commented on in Dropbox or Google Drive
What does working with goals look like for you in your programming?
At what level are you working with goals?
Another key area with goals is to ensure that you are working with both micro-goals as well as the meta-goal.
Meta-goals, or the 30,000 foot view, is all about helping clients connect their most important goals to their purpose, mission or WHY.
Our micro-goals (those at the ground level) are often the more practical and tactical goals. While these can be alluring to get quick wins around, note that goals also need to be grounded in with our values, beliefs etc. While developing traction and momentum around quick wins is important coaching is also about creating new awareness or insights on the part of clients as they move through their actions.
Challenges and frictions can emerge as our coaching clients move towards their goals, particularly if belief systems start to change, as their results change. Be sure to spend time going "Below the Waterline" as I share in the Coaching Business Builder Workbook and Planner.
What pause points are you making for individuals to explore where they are with their goals?
What opportunities are you providing for group member to speak to and share their goals and progress with others, along with the coach.
There are many derivatives of what is being called group coaching these days. As a credentialed coach or one who aspires to doing the best work they can, it's important that we spend time thinking about how what we are doing maps into the Core Coaching Competencies, and does not deviate into training, consulting or mentoring.
Also make sure you are meeting the requirements of the ICF for coaching logs, in that your coaching groups are no more than 15 people. Research and practice demonstrates how group size exponentially makes the conversation shift. Larger groups than 15 are not considered a coaching group for ICF coaching log purposes.
WE dive deeper into many different ways to work with goals, awareness and action as group coaches in the Group Coaching Essentials program (8.75 CCEs) I hope that you will join me for an upcoming cohort.
Enjoy your conversations,
Jennifer
Jennifer Britton - Group Coaching Essentials | Effective Virtual Conversations | Potentials Realized
Instagram @Remote Pathways (for remote workers) and @CoachingBizBuilder (for coaches)
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
Join us for the one-day Virtual Facilitation Essentials program this fall. Take your virtual facilitation skills to the next level (and yes, even if you've been on zoom every day for the last 7 months there probably still are a trick or two to help you continue to create a WOW experience every time). Cost: $475 US.
