In today’s article and video, I share a few different formats and ideas for delivering effective group mentoring. If you're a mentor, consultant or coach who already leads group events or calls, or you’d like to leverage your time without sacrificing the quality of your mentoring, then keep reading (or watch the video!)
First off, in my experience, leading groups is awesome for business. It’s a great way to grow your income and impact, by leveraging your time and providing value beyond what you could deliver on your own. I’ve personally experienced the magic of being in a group MANY times, and shifting my business from a one-on-one model to a group model was a game-changer for me.
If you want to go deeper into the benefits (and challenges!) of leading groups, watch the video. Or keep reading the article to see a shorter recap of my favorite formats, which can all be done virtually, via zoom (or live too!)…
Format ideas:
- “Mastery Call” where you or a guest “master” brings in content and teaches it to the group.
- “Q&A Call” (Question & Answer) where people ask you questions and you respond.
- “Fishbowl Coaching” where you work live with one person while the group witnesses how that person is being coached. This is great because it allows others to benefit from the mentoring you deliver to one person. It’s helpful to reinforce that value throughout this type of call, by saying things like: “Is this helpful for everyone else?” and “What are you all getting out of witnessing this exchange?” to solidify that learning.
- “Office Hours” – Like a college professor does, you can set aside a few hours each week or each month where people can “pop in” (whether live or virtually) as needed, or even schedule in short 15 or 30 minute increments. You can also combine this with fishbowl if you want so that your clients can learn from each other.
- “Mastermind Format,” where every participant has a turn to be supported by the group. I love masterminding especially because it taps into the collective intelligence of the group, and fosters community. Also, it enables people to contribute their magic and their genius, which allows them to step into greater leadership.
- “Breakout Sessions,” where you break out your participants into smaller groups, can also be combined with a Mastermind format.
In terms of delivery platforms, I use and recommend Zoom Meeting for all my group and individual calls, and one of the reasons I use it (and love it!) is that we can break people out into smaller groups so that they can connect with each other and/or mastermind together.
One important thing to keep in mind when you’re leading groups is your own mindset and energy. If you're showing up on the call worried that you don't have enough time or there are too many clients to handle at once, for example, that's going to show up in your energy and in your language. It might be something as subtle as “Hey, we don't have a lot of time. So, make it quick.” Every time you say something like that, you're reinforcing that time is scarce and that can undermine a group experience. It’s better to reinforce that there is plenty of time to do what you need to do – and then choose a format from the list above that helps you do that.
Another way to handle that is to set “rules of engagement” at the beginning of the experience. For example, “Okay everyone, on this call, we're going to limit our shares to 2 minutes per person and so-and-so is going to be in charge of the timer.” Or: “Here's how this is going to go today…. You type in your question in the chat and I'll answer them in the order I receive them.” Setting the guidelines at the outset goes a long way towards how these agreements are received by your group.
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I hope these ideas and suggestions are helpful to you!! If you're looking to grow your business and are curious if I can help, click here to schedule a Discovery Call with me, personally. My promise is that whether you work with me or not, you will get value out of that call!
