On Friday, my 19 year old son and I went to see the movie Avatar.  The movie is an amazingly innovative tale about an indigenous community living on a planet named, Pandora.  If you know me, you know the compelling story, cutting edge special effects, riveting drama and powerful love story are all right up my alley for a great movie.

My son turned to me about twenty minutes before the end of the movie and said, "I think there's a big secret to this movie."  I laughed and replied that I was reminded so much of lessons I've learned that I knew I had to write a blog post.  No big surprise there!  The movie was filled with lessons about community, networking and most importantly - group coaching.

As a real movie buff, I know how difficult it is when folks share too much about the movie before you ever see it.  Rather than give away too much of the kewlness about the movie, I'll share a few quick lessons I remembered that speak to me powerfully about group coaching:

1. Look to the members of your group for energy, guidance and insight before, during and after your group coaching program. Appreciate the pace, intrigue and flow from the learners in your group.  Remember, you're creating a content-rich experience for each individual, as well as, for the group as a whole.  Listen and pay close attention to how your learners are learning to design a positive and highly interactive climate in the group.  Be sure everyone wins!
2. Borrowing the energy, guidance and insight is acceptable when you know you have to give it back. The people in your group coaching program are there because they know you can help them solve a very unique challenge.  Through your content and delivery of your program, you feed them with your own energy, guidance and insight.  They count on you as the group coach and resident expert to pave the way for transformation and it's a two-way, multi-dimensional approach to learning, sharing and growing.
3. The group is an interdependent network that you're tasked with helping to grow and thrive. Leverage the power and depth of the learning environment you create to benefit everyone.  Tap into the senses, memories and minds of your learners to challenge them to creative action, massive connection and lasting change.  Create masterful content using metaphors, compelling stories, powerful questions and more.  Transformation is guaranteed when you do!

Well, my son was right!  There is a big secret:  The learners in your group coaching program have two births. The first occurs when they enroll in your group coaching program.  Like babies, they need your support and expert direction wrapped with lots of caring and knowledge.   The second birth or rebirth happens after they've experienced major breakthroughs as a result of your amazing content and the compelling experience you create.  The rebirth is symbolic of the transformation created by your group coaching program.

Like Avatar, group coaching is compelling, cutting edge, riveting and truly transformational.  What group coaching lessons did you learn about watching this exciting movie? Leave me a comment

Wendy Y. Bailey - Master Certified Group Coach

Wendy Y. Bailey is a Master Certified Group Coach, Certified Experienced Coach and Certified Neuro-Linguistic Programming Practictioner.  Affectionately called "WendyY" by her business associates, colleagues and friends, she's also the Creator and Founder of Group Coaching Mastery - Master Group Coaching with an NLP Twist.  WendyY helps coaches, speakers and trainers learn to create, design, market, fill and deliver bestselling group coaching programs using Neuro-Linguistic Programming (persuasive marketing, language skills and influence strategies.)   More about Group Coaching Mastery programs

Coaches, Speakers and Other Training Professionals!! You're invited to join me for a virtual tour of my new Facebook application. We'll watch interactive videos, chat live and more! Join me on Tuesday, December 8th at 1 pm Eastern to join the fun. I'll see you there!

Login to Facebook and visit:  GroupCoachingMastery.com/ITV1

I have a question for Coaches, Trainers and Speakers - are you the ‘general of your army’ or are you a soldier?  I heard this phrase from Mark Hendricks from Internet Success Systems a while ago and it has stuck with me ever since.

Are you directing your business, looking strategically and planning (being the General) or are you stuck in the weeds and busy delivering the strategy (being a solider)?

When we offer Group Coaching to our clients, we are trying to leverage our knowledge and expertise - spend less time doing the same thing we would on a 1:1 basis, whilst delivering exceptional value to our mentees'.

All too often, we become the soldiers in our businesses, and stop acting like the general.

How often do you review the activities you are undertaking in your business and ensure that you are in fact the General, and not a soldier?

Have you even sat down and worked out the activities that you, as the strategy maker for your business, SHOULD be doing to achieve Group Mastery? Have you worked out what you like doing in relation to your business?

If you haven’t worked out what you should be doing and what you like doing – sit down now with a clean piece of paper and start writing. Create your lists and then use those lists for your planning.

Ask yourself if you need to be doing anyone of the following or whether it makes sense to outsource some of it:

• Copy writing for Advertising
• Article writing,
• Website or blog development
• Book keeping
• Rostering
• Invoicing
• Scheduling
• Ordering

Depending on the business you’re in – this list will differ but the list above should get you going.

The next question to ask is – Is this really a good and solid use of my time – particularly for the tasks that you like to do?

I know there is a cost associated with getting others to help – but you really have to ask yourself – what is your time worth?

If you spend 7 hours working on your website (because you like doing it) but an expert could do the work in 1 hour – aren’t you better off taking that assistance? Think about the great Group Coaching content you can be creating for your clients in that  7 hours!

You may need to make some tough decisions for your business to be successful but it’s worth it in the long run.

The Group Mastery Experts that are part of this community are an excellent place to start if you are looking for assistance with specific parts of your business.

Share your thoughts on becoming the general in your Group Coaching business below.

Charly Leetham - Wordpress Optimization Expert & Small Business Coach

Charly Leetham helps solopreneurs and small business get their business and online presence in order. She has many aspects to her business, including small business coaching, and her mission is to help people map their online presence to their business processes.  Learn more about Ask Charly Leetham

Charly is also the Co-ordinator of DIY Tech Talk, DIY resources for coaches, speakers and trainers.