The International Coach Federation recognizes this program for 12 hours of Resource Development of Continuing Coaching Education (CCE) for the purpose of ICF credential renewal.

In this course, you will explore at your own pace the basic principles and practices of coaching circles in a stimulating interactive learning environment. You will find multiple tools to support your role as facilitator-coach and to anticipate the wide range of situations that arise in the effervescence of a coaching circle. You will benefit from the teacher’s 20+ years of experience in designing and leading coaching circles of all shapes and forms.

This eLearning course consists of two parts. The first 5 modules are organized around the life stages of a coaching circle, i.e. what they are, what forms they can take to support the learning and development agenda of organizations, and how they work from launch to completion.

There are 12 learning capsules focusing on the development of facilitation and coaching skills. These capsules emphasize the very practical ways in which coaches can support the group process and the development of individuals in their work. Within these capsules, you will work with a number of scenarios that depict typical situations that can occur in coaching circles and what can be done to address them.

The eLearning course provides a range of tools, tips and practices to support coaches in mastering the role of facilitator-coach. A large number of printable documents, references and resources are also included in the course to help coaches design and lead coaching circles in skilful and dynamic ways.

The Modules

In module 1, we go over the core foundations of coaching circles, how they work and what they are designed to achieve on an individual level and at an organizational level. We describe the two streams from which this technology has been conceived: the action learning tradition and the integral development coaching tradition. We also provide students with an opportunity to rate their level of knowledge and skills and to identify what they could pay attention to in the class and what additional support or resources they may need to improve these skills on their own and in their actual practice of leading coaching circles.

Module 2 is designed to support coaches in bringing this technology to the world. We go over the key selling points of this approach and explore the kinds of environments that are more likely to embrace coaching circles and this way of supporting the development and performance of people. We offer a few examples of possible designs and emphasize for each what they intend to achieve and the kinds of environments they may be best suited for. At the end of this module, you will be able to develop many different proposals featuring coaching circles to meet the goals of the organization, communities or clients you are intending to work with.

In module 3, we explore the different ways to launch coaching circles, from a fairly rapid dive into the first airtimes to more elaborate preparations. We look in some detail at how a comprehensive initiation to coaching circles can be structured. Initiations typically cover 3 domains: creating a genuine and healthy rapport between new group members; describing how coaching and how coaching circles work; and introducing individual and collective practices to support the roles emphasized in a circle: the client, the coach and the facilitator-coach. From this full initiation, you will be able to pick and choose what you need to tailor your own approach and fulfill your mandate.

In module 4, we explore in some detail the various parts of leading a session. We first explore what it means to get ourselves ready to lead a coaching circle and how we can set up the session to make it a worthwhile experience for everyone. Then we go into a sample session and explore the 3 main phases involved: connecting, coaching, and completing. In the connecting phase we review how we can best support people in arriving to the coaching circle… preparing the ground for deep listening and the presence required to serve each other in the process. In the coaching phase, we focus on the active support of individual clients during their airtime, specifically in light of the role of the facilitator-coach has in guiding the process and supporting the learning experience of participants. We then review the completing phase. This is an opportunity to reflect on the session, both from a process and learning point of view and to support people in re-entering their world.

In module 5, we take a look at the experience of the coaching circle over time. This means: what can be done to sustain the momentum of the learning and development occurring for individuals and the group as a whole; how we measure progress and, how we build capacity within the group to take over responsibility for the process. We also focus in this module on what can be done to bring a coaching circle to completion.

The Facilitation Capsules

These capsules are designed to support facilitator-coaches in the following ways:

1. Creating an environment where people can learn, grow, and make a positive contribution to the life of the coaching circle
2. Supporting the full and effective participation of all members through skilful intervention
3. Modelling the coaching circle process and protecting its integrity
4. Helping the coaching circle in becoming self-correcting and self-regulating

The following are the topics covered in the facilitation capsules:

• Knowing how to sense and observe yourself as a way to remain attuned to what is happening in the group
• Knowing how to work at multiple levels when leading a group: the content, the process and the development of coaching skills
• Knowing how to modulate the rhythm and flow to best support the client and the coaching process
• Knowing how to see and capitalize on openings for coaching and how to support the emerging threads that contribute to a richer inquiry by the client
• Knowing what facilitation techniques you can use to foster creativity in the group

The Coaching Capsules

These capsules are designed to support facilitator-coaches in the following ways:

1. Helping individuals achieve breakthroughs in their projects and in their leadership role
2. Modelling a coaching way of being and helping people in developing their coaching skills
3. Using and promoting practices to manage personal resilience and efficacy
4. Facilitating the transfer and application of skills back on the job

The following are the topics covered in the coaching capsules:

• Knowing how to use assessments to support the coaching process
• Knowing how to design insightful questions to support and challenge clients in their inquiry process
• Knowing how to use distinctions to evoke new perspectives and possibilities for clients
• Knowing how to embed coaching themes in the coaching circle process to enrich individual learning and bring focus to challenges common to the group
• Knowing how to elicit powerful commitments and experiments from group members
• Knowing how to cultivate one’s own presence as a facilitator-coach and how to support coaching circle participants in deepening their presence.