What is group coaching?

Group coaching is a process where a group of individuals, generally from different teams, organizations, or affiliations will engage with the coach to target a specific problem or improve a particular set of skills. For example, a leader of an organization might be the only female executive and wants to engage a group coach to facilitate a mentoring/leadership group of female managers within the company to explore key leadership concepts. Examples outside of business organizations are boot camps at gyms where people meet to get in shape or AA meetings where people meet to explore approaches to recovery from addiction. In each case, individuals are gathering to move through a common process, yet maintain their own unique learning goals. The coach accompanies the group over a period of time to provide a safe space to explore these ideas.

When would group coaching be used?

Group coaching is about the connection, communication and community that comes from the coach engaging with group members, and group members interacting with each other. The topics might be challenging for people to explore and stick with, like addiction or physical goals. The topics might be politically tricky, leadership topics in a matrixed environment, where managers of managers might be in the same group. In all cases, building trust and belief in the process is paramount to make group coaching effective.

What does a group experience during the group coaching process?

Group coaching is very experiential and involves 1-2 coaches who lead a group of roughly five to 15 people. Typically, groups meet for an hour or two each week. Some people attend individual coaching sessions. For example, an addict might see a therapist as well as go to group meetings. A person trying to get in shape might go to the gym on their own or work with a trainer in addition to going to boot camp, and a female manager might work with an executive coach in addition to attending a leadership group session.

In terms of experiences, each member is going through their own individual journey and are in every sense, their own hero. This mirrors the Prochaska Change model in some respects. As a group, if most members are roughly at the same place of change and skill, they will advance together and help keep one another on course as they will be encountering similar setbacks and small wins.

What is a group coach?

A group coach is more than a coach working with more than one individual. More than a valuable source of support, a formal group coach offer benefits beyond informal self-help efforts. Group sessions are led by one or more coaches with specialized training, who teach group members proven strategies for managing specific problems. If you're involved in a group focused on ADHD in the Workplace, for instance, your coach will describe scientifically tested strategies for managing ADHD in the workplace. That expert guidance can help you make the most of your group experience.

Joining a Group

Unlike team coaching, where the boundaries of the team are pretty clear, groups have different rules on how people can exit and enter the group, as well as who gets to be included. Open groups are those in which new members can join at any time. Closed groups are those in which all members begin the group at the same time. They may all take part in a 12-week session together, for instance. There are pros and cons of each type. When joining an open group, there may be an adjustment period while getting to know the other group attendees. However, if you want to join a closed group, you may have to wait for several months until a suitable group is available. Some groups have maximum or minimum capacities. Small groups may offer more time to focus on each individual, but larger groups offer greater diversity and more perspectives. Groups usually work best when members experience similar difficulties and function at similar levels.

What does group coaching process look like?

Every group is different, but one thing is constant: what you put in is what you get out. Confidentiality is an important part of the ground rules for group work. However, there's no absolute guarantee of privacy when sharing with others, using common sense when divulging personal information helps. That said, members learn they are not the only one sharing their story or goals—everyone contributes. Groups work best where there is open and honest communication between members. Group members will start out as strangers, but in a short amount of time, they most likely view each as a valuable and trusted source of support and a valuable extension to their network.

Common group outcomes.

Each group has unique goals and outcomes. However, there are some general outcomes like receiving support and encouragement of other members, integration of key learning concepts in order to become more effective individually, maximizing effectiveness/efficiency/affordability for group members, and a valuable source of feedback.

The ultimate goal of a group coach is to help enable and empower others.