When most people think about coaching, they think about one-on-one conversations or one-on-one relationships. Although that’s how it’s most commonly done, it’s far from the only way coaching can be effective. In fact, bringing others who are similarly invested together into coaching groups can provide great levels of support and perspective. In this way, people can learn from each other as well as from you and from listening to God for themselves.
I ran across this concept of group coaching almost accidentally. At the time I was working with church planters and was trying to find a way for them to provide relational and prayer support for one another. Keeping the groups relatively small so everyone would have enough airtime to talk and engage, I found that the groups worked quite well. In addition to relational support, the planters frequently found themselves sharing best practices, bouncing ideas off one another, and troubleshooting specific challenges.
Options for coaching groups
Coaching triads
A coaching cluster is a small cluster of individuals, all with similar goals, and one coach facilitating the process. I’ve found that cluster coaching works best with a 1:3 ratio: one coach to three participants. It is important that all three participants in a coaching triad have a similar enough goal.
Coaching approach to working with teams
In team coaching, each member of the coaching group (aside from the coach) is a member of the same team and is working toward the same goal—let’s say it is planting a church. There is just one goal, but each team member is playing a different role and is bringing different contributions to the process.
Group coaching to training group leaders
The first step to learning how to do something is to see it being done, ideally as a participant. Why not create and facilitate a group geared toward developing new group leaders? By modeling—and then debriefing—an experience of gathering for a meal, sharing time, scripture reading, and prayer, we can teach others how to lead a group quite effectively.
The first step to learning how to do something is to see it being done, ideally as a participant. Click To TweetCoaching approach to working with boards
Even the old tradition of the board meeting can benefit from coaching skills. Some might say it could especially benefit from coaching skills! Listening, asking good questions, and learning to cool down conflict situations can significantly reduce the level of frustration many people experience as part of serving on a church board.
Coaching skills like listening, asking good questions, and learning to cool down conflict situations can significantly reduce frustration. Click To TweetWhat group situations are you already a part of? How might you bring your coaching skills to bear on those situations? What might result?