I was writing a proposal last week and wanted to share with the group what I offered as the ideal conditions that can help coaching circles achieve their purpose and generate value for participants and their organizations.
- Time commitment– Dedicating quality time to collaborate with peers on a regular basis
- Tackling real issues– Bringing to the group challenges and dilemmas that are personal and complex…those that are at the edge of their capacities and comfort zone
- Being truly open– Caring more about seeing blind spots and acknowledging insecurities and shortcomings rather than defending one’s personal value or decisions
- Willingness to experiment– Creating time-limited manageable experiments with new behaviors and initiatives in order to test beliefs, assumptions and foregone conclusions
- Team spirit– Cultivating mutual trust and respect as part of a shared commitment to helping each other grow and get better
- High level sponsor– This person can help to enroll executives by underlying the value and potential impacts of the initiative
I realize that some individuals and groups may need a bit of time to practice working, learning and collaborating in this way. This is of course where the facilitator-coach plays a key role, i.e. in preparing the ground for such engagement and in creating the conditions and practice field for the coaching circle to grow into a truly supportive community.
What has been your experience in setting up the groups and teams you lead for success? Do any other elements or ideal conditions come to mind?