Thinking about offering a group coaching program? This episode is for you! We explore the many benefits it offers – for those being coached and also for coaches themselves. Things like opportunities for support and feedback, profitability and scalability, and developing deep, lasting friendships. We also share a few different program structures we’ve tried, and the impact we’ve seen. If you're curious about how group coaching can benefit your organization, or if you're a coach looking to expand your offerings, tune in to this episode!
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Affordability and Accessibility: For many individuals, one-on-one coaching can be a financial stretch. Group coaching is often more budget-friendly than one-on-one sessions, making it an attractive option for those looking to access top-tier coaches without a hefty price tag.
Networking and Peer Learning: Participants in group coaching can build meaningful connections with peers who share similar challenges, fostering a supportive community that extends beyond the coaching sessions. Group coaching allows individuals to learn, not only from the coach, but also from observing and engaging with others in the group, enhancing the overall learning experience.
Scalability for Coaches: Instead of being limited to one-on-one sessions, coaches can reach and impact more people simultaneously. This not only increases profitability but also allows coaches to create a ripple effect of positive change. Plus, the energy and interaction in group settings can be incredibly motivating for both coaches and participants, making the experience more enjoyable and fulfilling.
Flexibility in Structure: Group coaching can take many forms, from small cohorts to larger sessions, and can be tailored in duration, allowing coaches to experiment with different formats to find what works best for their audience. Experiment to find what works best for you!
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Lisa: I'm Lisa.
Brea: I'm Brea.
Lisa: And today's topic is all about group coaching. So do you want to try group coaching?
Brea: Yes. You should. You know, not that I'm going to should on everybody, but really you should. There are so many benefits of trying group coaching. But if you've ever asked yourself that question, group coaching, should I do that? This is the episode for you.
Lisa: Yes, it is. Yes, it is. I was thinking we could talk about the two angles. Of course, anytime you have a product or a service, so we're even talking to you internal coaches who are coaching for an organization as an employee. Well, you might have a lot of reasons you want to incorporate group coaching into your internal practice. Certainly, if you're an independent coach, you might want to introduce this into your product offerings. And as always, we want to think about the person we're being of service to, right? Some people call them coachee. I will often call them the person being coached because people look at me weird if I say coachee. It is such a weird word. It's such a weird word. It is. It is. So anyway, we want to think of that person Let's, let's take that angle first. Cause of course it can benefit. You can benefit your organization, but let's talk about the person receiving the coaching first and why group coaching could be great to consider from that person's point of view. What say you, Brea?
Brea: Oh my gosh. Well, one of the main reasons that I hear people are attracted to group coaching when they're considering one-on-one versus group coaching, it's price, you know, group coaching is usually cheaper, so it makes it just a little bit more affordable. And it's a great way for them to get to know the coach and receive some coaching, you know, receive the value of it for not a big spend. It's just kind of a smaller step before they're ready to commit to one-on-one coaching.
Lisa: I had not even thought of price. And could you imagine like some people want access to a specific coach and they just cannot get that in their budget at this time, but they could get access to that person with a more intimate kind of relationship if they did group coaching. Smart.
Brea: I've got a whole list, but I'm sure you do too. Lisa, what else do you think of? All right, we'll ping pong back and forth.
Lisa: I think my favorite benefit to the coachee is the network. Because let's say you're doing a group program and you're like, I'm going into this program on how to get rid of my imposter syndrome as a new senior leader. Well, you are now in a room with 10 or 15 other senior leaders who are also currently experiencing imposter syndrome. I mean, the ability to network and really grow your relationships with people who are like you, who understand you. It's so cool. And because you're learning from peers who you respect, when they're learning, and the coach, let's say the coach is doing like a focus on that person, whether it's a hot seat or whatever you call it, depending on what kind of program you have. But If they're focusing in and doing a coaching spotlight with that one person, and that one person is not you, you still benefit so immensely because you're watching someone who has the same issue or challenge you have. You're watching the coach and you can't help it. You're coaching them in your mind. You're like, Oh, this is what I would think of that. Oh, this is how I'd approach that. And you're learning about yourself while you're doing it. It's an incredible way to learn and meet people. I just love that richness. I think that's amazing. That might've been like, two different things in one, both the networking and how you learn from peers. But gosh, that is a really big deal.
Brea: Yes, I agree. Peer feedback is, if not number one, it's, you know, it's tied with my number one, I think. So I'm glad that you brought that up. The other part of the networking piece is the network just really like commits to supporting each other, not just in the session, but also outside of. And what I mean is like on LinkedIn, whenever I post something, I'm going to tag the people that are in my group that were in that coaching session. We were just talking about, you know, being bold and putting something out on LinkedIn. So we tag those people and everybody likes and comments and boost the algorithm and just shows that support. So the network is, is more than just building friendships. It's actually committing to, to support each other in their business. Um, which I think is so cool. Oh yeah.
Lisa: I mean, you made me think of two things there. One is, if you paid $1,000 to be in a group program, and that group program is six weeks long, but you made really tight relationships and friendships during that time, now that learning and peer network carries forward for years to come. So you pay for this quick thing, and then it lasts in a way that one-on-one coaching can't without continuing to pay.
Brea: That is super cool. That's the power of of spending time with each other. You show up to a group coaching program and you're vulnerable, you're open, you're hungry, you're learning, and you're all in it together. So it really can form some great friendships.
Lisa: I think that's why it's so cool that it goes beyond the person. Because you buy a group coaching program or you buy into a group coaching program or membership or course, however the structure, because it could be literal coaching, it could be a course, it could be a membership, lots of different structures to group coaching, but you buy it based on that person selling it and you're sold on that person. And what is so cool to me is how often you get into this group coaching and you're satisfied with the purchase based on that person and how they run their program. And then all those extra people are like bonuses. It's incredible what relationships form from group coaching.
Brea: It's amazing. Yeah. You know, another great thing about being in a group coaching cohort is the added availability. I don't know about you, but my brain is always coming up with questions and it's usually not in the moment. You know, it's like after I've stepped out of it that I'm like, oh shoot, we should have talked about this or I should have talked about that. And it's like, you know, you can do that with a group coaching program. You've got all these other people in the cohort that you can reach out to outside of the sessions. You're not just limited to the one hour you've paid for with the one person. You have more time to practice what you're learning and just ask questions without that added burden of being limited to time Yeah. Oh, what a good one.
Lisa: This makes me just want to go sign up for more group programs right now.
Brea: I know. I love it. I mean, you and I both, Lisa, we're social beings, you know, very social. So the people part of it is super, super attractive. But these other practical elements, I think, are really great for you as a coach, for the listeners, to remember this is a great thing to consider. So maybe we should talk about that. Why might a coach want to consider it for themselves?
Lisa: Before we go to coach, I just feel like, I think this is a thing. My sister is super introverted and loves to tell me that the whole world is not extroverted like me. I'm like, just to put a little closure on this, I want to say for those of you who are not mega social beings like Brea and like me, don't think this is just an extrovert's game. It is a really incredible what you can get just watching what happens in a mastermind hot seat coaching or in a demo where someone's in front of the room. You don't have to be social to watch someone else. You could just sit there in your own solitary world and just watch and soak in and have your mind exploding with nuances that you learned that you never even signed up to learn. Little things that you change about how you move forward. It's incredible. So it is beneficial for all.
Brea: Yes, introverts, welcome!
Lisa: OK, OK, now let's move. You said, let's go to the coach side. How are these programs of service to the coach who's offering the program? Yeah.
Brea: Well, Price, I guess I'll just start with the same thing, right? It can be very lucrative for you as a coach to build a group coaching model. because you're able to serve more people and profit from more people at once, right? So you're getting more bang for your buck as far as the time goes. Does that make sense? Yes.
Lisa: Oh yeah.
Brea: Heck yeah.
Lisa: Yeah. You know, I like profitability. I also think it's been really cool where you can serve so many more people, have such a big ripple effect by being out there in service of others, where one-on-ones, you'll just blow past your capacity eventually. We go through waves sometimes where we're in a really high demand time. And we feel bad when we can't serve people who are like, please take my money. I love your service. Please come into my organization and do this thing, or please coach me. And you cannot, because you are just blowing way over your own capacity. So a group program also keeps that from happening.
Brea: Yep, that's right. I mean, the potential for impact is so much greater. When you've got more people in the room, you're doing more. You're doing more for the same amount of energy, the same amount of effort. So love a good group coaching program. Yeah. And if you're like me, I come out of group sessions and I am on fire, you know, I don't want them to end. And, um, all the interaction with everyone, the, the group versus the one-on-one is really where I'm at my best, you know? Um, and so it's, it's good for me because of my talents. So that's something to consider too. if a group sounds fun, then that's a reason to do it because it's fun. Yes. Yes.
Lisa: Cause if it's fun, you're going to serve better. Yes. I'm going to say this is tagging onto your first one and specifically probably make it mean something a little different for me is this idea of building a more scalable practice, whether you're an independent coach or an internal coach. I have had so many times during my coaching life where I get myself so busy that I have literal 12 hours blocked on my calendar where I know exactly what I am supposed to be doing for every minute. Get in that 12 hour block. I'm running through my house like a tornado. It is a ridiculous sight to see. And then I think, as far as being scalable, think about how many times you get asked the same question over and over again. And if you could offer that one time, you can create one video, send it out to the entire group, have a discussion around it, and it can live on forever. It gives you so much scale. So I would just say as a person who has always tended toward going back to overbooking myself and creating overwhelm, the beauty of a group program to give you space to really allow yourself to relax into it and show up as that best version of you instead of that frantic swirling around version.
Brea: Oh my gosh. Nobody wants to live in the middle of a tornado. That is not, not the life that I'm looking for. Wow. Well, you kind of stole, it wasn't exactly what I was going to say, but along the same lines. So I don't want to, you know, like go over that again. Um, I feel like we've got, it's a good list. It's a good list. We covered a lot in a little bit of time.
Lisa: Oh, you know, okay. I have one final one. Yeah. And you made me think of this while you were talking about the benefit to the person getting coached, the friendships, the vibes, the just like feeling amazing when you're of service to someone and you have that relationship and it's just giving in all the directions. It does work in both ways. It serves the person getting coached, and it serves the person coaching, and it feels so enriching. It's an incredible way to live. I mean, being coaches, internal or independent coach, if we crafted a life where it feels like you're hanging out with your friends for a living, oh my gosh, it's so darn cool. And I could not be more grateful for that. I think that is… It's the unexpected. It's not like I thought you would, you know, you don't think your people you serve are going to be enemies or something, but the level of friendships and love toward the people that you serve, it is an incredible thing that it does for your life. And I think it's been one of the bigger surprises in how deep those go.
Brea: Yeah, I totally agree and have benefited in the exact same way. I know that if I was, ever in any of their towns, I could call them up and say, Hey, I'm in town and I haven't talked to you in five years. How you doing? You know, that's incredible. It's incredible. Yeah. You know, a couple other things are coming to mind as far as what group coaching could look like, right? Um, it could be a small group. Like I think many of us would think, you know, eight to 10 is usually like a really great size. 20 to 30 could be even bigger, right? Actually, the time that I spent serving SOAR, one cohort had almost a hundred people in it. And we showed up twice a week together live. And then I did a one-on-one session with everyone. So it was a lot. Okay. A lot. That is making me tired.
Lisa: It was a lot. You're talking big group. I think what you just brought up is also so important, because a lot of people who are internal coaches, they're like, yeah, I'm responsible for all leadership development for my company. And that happens to be 12,000 people. So how big can a group be without just being considered a big old webinar, a big old course? And there are plenty of programs that do 100 people level cohorts. I probably you're not going to have the stamina that Brea had to do that many one on ones. But even if you met up, even if you took out the one on ones and just said, it's a group program, it's for 100 people, it's two times a week live, that is a lot of touchpoint action for that group.
Brea: You know, I also, I've hosted what's what I call weekly office hours, which is kind of a group coaching variation, where you know, it's advertised that I'm going to be on the zoom on this day, you know, for this hour or for this time and anybody can pop in. And sometimes that ends up being a one-on-one coaching session, you know, for the lucky winner who, you know, was there by themselves. Sometimes it's a lot of people in a room, you know, or a small amount of people in a room, but there is that group coaching element. And I think that can be beneficial to you as a coach to just, again, um, provide an opportunity for people who want to work with you. You don't have time for a one-on-one contract, you know, for an extended amount of time, but you can say, Hey, come to this. I'm committed one hour a week, you know, to be here or one hour a month even, or whatever you want it to be. But to just leave that open ended for anyone who you meet networking or who reaches out to you on LinkedIn or anyone that, that wants to work with you, boom, there it is. You've got it already in your calendar. So. they can, they can come.
Lisa: Amazing. Yeah. There are so many structures. I guess you have the kind of the numbers broken down. You can do a structure that is more like the traditional mastermind where it is the hot seat where that one lucky person gets coached. It can be open Q and a, it can be, um, even in my tools for coaches, we have an open, We call it tea time. It's really just coach connection slash Q&A. It's the spot where all the people who do coaching, speaking, training, and our friends and families and outside of our lives at work, they're like, what do you do again? And no one really understands what it is you do. Now you're in a room full of all the people who understand and you can ask one question and you'll get 20 ideas. I was just talking with a friend the other day and we were musing about how Isn't it cool that we can show up in that room and we're all what outsiders would think of as competitors, but we show up in the room together and we share the insides of our business, our resources, our ideas, our tools, and it just creates an environment that is so unique. So that's another version where it's a group program and you get so much more out of it than you would out of a one-on-one. Yes. I think I would close out with a thought on time. The duration is a big question because how long should I make my group program? So from the coach perspective, should I make this a six week thing? You talked about a 14 week bootcamp. I have corporate clients who do two year leadership accelerators. So the answer to that time thing is really, it can be as long or short as you want, but I love that for creativity and for a coach who's creating a program, Why not do a six-week, 10-week, 12-week, shorter kind of thing and see what you think of it? Because it's such a great place to experiment. You get a lot of feedback. If you have 15 people who go through a six-week program, you can finish the program, and then you can tweak it for the next one. And by the time you're a few in, you have really made a huge difference in the way that you show up for your clients compared with what it would be like if you took all of those people through a one-on-one program.
Brea: And that's another, you're, you're teasing another benefit for the coach. You, it's very easy to use a group coaching program, especially if it's a shorter time commitment as a lead generator for one-on-one coaching, right? So people get a taste of working with you. They get excited, they're invested, they're seeing results. You can easily see results after six weeks and they've had a great time. And it's a shorter runway to a more profitable sale, right? or a higher ticket item that you may have.
Lisa: You could create multiple group programs. You can take your broad topic and now you funnel into group programs that people are eligible for that go into a different skill set or focus area.
Brea: And I know I keep kind of setting it up where it sounds like it has to be group coaching or one-on-one, but the most successful group coaching programs that I've been a part of have a one-on-one element as well, right? We meet as a group and you have the opportunity or even the option to have one-on-one coaching, which is just so great because you get all the benefits of all the things, the personal attention and the peer feedback and the relationships and all of that. So it doesn't have to be either or.
Lisa: Well, I'm leaving this episode feeling like I'm going to go join more and deliver more, it's just beneficial on both sides. And I get really hyped about them. And I just, if you're a Tools for Coaches member listening in, I adore you. You are so incredible, and thanks for being part of enriching my life.
Brea: That's so wonderful. I'm sure they feel the same, Lisa. I'll speak for them. I'm sure they feel the same. I'm doing the heart thing with my hands, you know. Well, I agree. I think, I think the tornado has has gone and I'm just seeing clear blue skies, you know? Peace. That's right. That's right. Cool. Yeah. Good. All right, BreaRoper.com, LeadThroughStrengths.com. Anything else you want to remind people about?
Lisa: No, I think it's good. See you around.
“Remember, hard work doesn’t have to feel hard. Aligned with your strengths, it actually feels easy, energizing, and fun!”
MEET YOUR CO-HOSTS
BREA ROPER
Communication | Woo | Activator | Futuristic | Connectedness
If you need a Strengths Hype Girl, for yourself or your team, connect with Brea at brearoper.com. She’s ready to deliver an inspirational keynote, empowering training, or transformational workshop. If you’re looking for an expert guide to support your internal Strengths efforts, reach out today!
LISA CUMMINGS
Strategic | Maximizer | Positivity | Individualization | Woo
To work with Lisa, check out team workshops and retreats at the Lead Through Strengths site. For 1:1 strengths or life coaching, check out the Get Coached link. For independent coaches, trainers, and speakers, get business tools support with our Tools for Coaches membership.
The Fine Print: This podcast is not sanctioned or endorsed by Gallup in any way. Opinions, views and interpretations of CliftonStrengths© are solely the beliefs of Lisa Cummings and Brea Roper.