Group Coaching by Ginger Cockerham MCC

Author:Ginger Cockerham, MCC [Cockerham, Ginger, MCC]
Language: eng
Format: epub
ISBN: 9781450290685
Publisher: iUniverse, Inc.
Published: 2011-02-25T05:00:00+00:00

Chapter Nine

Collaborative Agendas—Group-Based Content

“A group of individuals may stimulate one another in the creation of ideas.”

—Estill I. Green, American Business Executive, VP of Bell Telephone Laboratories

The agendas in group coaching are not driven primarily by coach-based content, but rather from the typical coach and client relationship of “just in time” needs and wants of the group participants. The group is typically formed with either a company or organizational focus created from a strategic initiative or from group members’ focus on a goal they all want to achieve. The company focus may vary from sales to the contributions, depending on the shifting needs and collaboration of the group coaching members. A coach proficient at co-creating the group agenda gets out of the way so the members can play a powerful part and take ownership in the group coaching experience. The agenda is then based on the needs and desires of the group members as they focus on achieving their goals.

A good example is an affiliated group that has joined together to serve as a board of directors (BOD) for each other. A part of the commitment to their group is that they regularly bring specific real-life agenda items to the call. Recently, one of the members brought an agenda item that needed group input. His office manager of twenty-five years was retiring, and she wanted to return one or two days a week to work part time for him. He had very mixed feelings about how that might work and wanted the input of his BOD peers before he made his decision. He sent his agenda item to me as the coach, and I added it to the agenda for our next meeting. A few days before we met, I sent out the agenda to the members so they could peruse it ahead of time and add any items they wanted.

When the group met, Trent explained the circumstances just a little more, and then the group shared their personal experience and wisdom with him. I coached him individually in the group to help him clarify his concerns and priorities. Then we had a round-robin, where everyone in the group asked questions and shared insights. By the end of the call, he had gained clarity on the situation with the great input from everyone, and he felt confident that after careful consideration, he would make the right decision. It was a valuable experience not only for Trent, but for all the group members.

Co-creating the agenda requires group members to be on the calls, fully participating and willing to share business and life circumstances that are real and important to them. Also, if the group has chosen a quarterly focus like increased production, implementing more efficient office systems, getting higher quality referrals, or delegating 30 percent more of their responsibilities, there may be some content and resources supplied by the coach and members of the group.

There may also be some reading and researching or tracking and reporting that members do to achieve their specific outcomes.

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