Author: Carter McNamara

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Reflections on the Question: “Is it Group or Team Coaching?”

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I started my first coaching groups in 1983 and since then, have worked with 100s of groups and taught hundreds of others how do design and coach/facilitate the groups. I’ve also read much of the literature about group and team coaching. Here are some of my lessons learned — sometimes painfully.

1. The most important initial consideration, by far, is not whether a program is for group coaching or team coaching. It is answering the question, “What ultimate outcome(s) should the program help the members to achieve?” The answer to that question will drive all aspects of a program.

2. The conditions for the success of whatever you want to call it (team or group coaching) occur in the program design, well before the members even meet each other. Too often, the literature writes as if the members have already been selected and are coming together.

3. There are at least 9 different formats of the group or team: where 1, some or all get coached, or where 1, some or all do the coaching. It is not always a professional coach doing the coaching 🙂 The format (the structure) is determined by the desired outcome.

4. The vast majority of the considerations that the literature asserts are different between group and team coaching are actually much more in common between the two, for example: Is the program for solving problems for each person or for the entire group? Will members be from the same organization or different? Will the members’ supervisors support their involvement? Who will do the coaching and who will get coached? Will coaching be only questions or include advice, brainstorming and materials? How will trust be built between members? Will the program be integrated with other programs? How will the program be marketed? How will it be evaluated?

5. Approaching a program initially with the question “Is it team or group coaching?” can too often impose a binary framework that can detract us from initially focusing on the ultimate outcome and it also can blind us from appreciating a variety of secondary outcomes.

6. When designing a program in an organization, there usually is not nearly the freedom of design, agenda and flow of the process that the literature suggests. It’s far better to start out very specifically, and change it later on (if the client permits 🙂

? What have you learned about group or team coaching?

Also see:

Carter McNamara, MBA, PhD, is a co-founder of Action Learning Source.

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How to get your clients to participate in their consulting projects (Part 3 of 3)

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As we clarified in Parts 1 and 2 of 3, if your clients don’t participate in the consulting to improve their organization, then you are faced with the dilemma: “Should I just do the work for the client, or should we keep slipping deadlines in the project”. However, long-lasting change will not occur in their organization if the client does not have strong understanding, commitment and participation in the changes. So if you do the client’s work, it is not likely that your project will be successful. Here are some additional suggestions for getting your client to participate:

9. Use techniques of personal and professional coaching to move things along.

Coaching can be a powerful means to help your client identify obstacles to the project, the real reasons that those obstacles exist, and what can be done to remove the obstacles. Coaching includes asking thoughtful and empowering questions, such as “What would success be in this situation?” “Then what can you do with your limited resources to get the project back on track again?”

10. Resort to the “Sanity Solution.”

In situations where project activities seem stalled, especially because of a lack of resources, you and your client can always attempt one or more of three strategies: a) get more resources, b) extend deadlines to get things done, and/or c) decrease the expectations. Present the “sanity solution” to your client and help them decide which alternatives to implement.

11. Decide if you should cycle back to the Contracting phase.

It may be that the activities in the project so far have combined to identify or create another or new priority or problem to address. For example, project activities thus far may have helped the Chief Executive Officer (CEO) to realize that his or her approach to working with the Board of Directors is ineffective. Consequently, the CEO may want Board development to occur as soon as possible. The Engagement and Agreement phase revisits the goals of the project and, thus, is an opportunity to update the direction of the project. It might be useful for you and your client to consider repeating some or all of the activities in that phase

12. Be willing to suspend the project.

Sometimes that can be a very powerful strategy because the client is promptly faced with the original problem that was the reason for the consulting project in the first place.

? What do you think?

Carter McNamara, MBA, PhD, is a faculty member in the Consultants Development Institute.

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How to get your clients to participate in their consulting projects (Part 2 of 3)

Two-bussiness-men-discussing-together

As we clarified in Part 1 of 3, if your clients don’t participate in the consulting to improve their organization, then you are faced with the dilemma: “Should I just do the work for the client, or should we keep slipping deadlines in the project”. However, long-lasting change will not occur in their organization if the client does not have strong understanding, commitment and participation in the changes. So if you do the client’s work, it is not likely that your project will be successful. Here are some additional suggestions for getting your client to participate:

  1. Realize that your client’s lack of participation may be a form of project resistance.

If your client is experiencing discomfort about the project, but is not admitting it to themselves or to you, then it may lead to resistance. Often, their discomfort shows up, for example, in their lack of participation. It is important for you to effectively recognize and address resistance. Otherwise, your project will lose the momentum necessary for successful change. Be authentic in your response to the resistance.

  1. Remind your client that choices about the project affect the entire organization.

Many times, clients are so busy reacting to the day-to-day demands that they forget about the importance of their project. They sometimes end up treating the project as if it is a nuisance to be tolerated. It is important for you to remind your client of the difference between working harder and working smarter – working on the project is working smarter. By avoiding the project, your client is not investing in the overall health of their organization. If they expect to “cut wood all the time, they have to take time to sharpen the saw.” Ask them what they want to do about the situation, then be quiet and let them respond. Listen and be authentic.

  1. Continue to recognize accomplishments in the project so far.

Projects are not “all or nothing” events that are either complete successes or failures. If your client gets pulled away to address another priority, the project might have to adjust to a change in plans. Work with your client to keep perspective on what has been accomplished and what remains to be done in the project.

  1. Work with a subset of key members of the organization.

If all key members of your client’s organization cannot participate in a particular project activity, consider forming a smaller group of participants to conduct that particular activity. The small group will provide its results, including specific and clear recommendations, back to the larger group when finished.

In part 3 of 3, we’ll finish with our suggestions.

? What do you think?

Carter McNamara, MBA, PhD, is a faculty member of the Consultants Development Institute.

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How to Get Your Clients to Participate in Their Consulting Projects (Part 1 of 3)

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A common question that we get is “How can I get my clients to participate in the consulting project when they seem too busy to even attend our meetings?” This question is relevant whether you are an internal or external consultant.

In those situations, you are faced with the dilemma: “Should I just do the work for the client, or should we keep slipping deadlines in the project”

Research suggests that long-lasting change will not occur in an organization if the client does not have strong understanding, commitment and participation in the changes. So if you do the client’s work, it is not likely that your project will be successful.

In these posts, we’ll share some ideas about how you might respond to the situation where your client seems to want you to just fix their problem by yourself — and then go away.

Be authentic with your client.

Notice that your client is not participating in the project, such as not doing what they said they would do, when they said they would do it. Mention your observation to your client. Do not judge them. Be quiet and let them respond.

Remind your client of the importance of their participation.

In the midst of the day-to-day challenges of leading an organization, your client may have lost perspective on the overall importance of the project. The project may have been replaced by another top priority. Talk with your client to come to a conclusion about importance of the project for now.

Recognize the other priorities of your client.

There will be times during a project when your client suddenly needs to attend to other matters. You will need to recognize those times and, with your client, adjust your plans accordingly.

Integrate your project plans into your client’s current activities.

Identify opportunities to include project tasks into the activities that your client is already doing. For example, use current staff meetings and status reports to communicate about the project. Use current evaluation activities as part of the project’s evaluation.

We’ll soon post the Parts 2 and 3 of this Series in this forum.

What do you think?

Carter McNamara, MBA, PhD, faculty member of the Consultants Development Institute.

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What really motivates you as a consultant? What really motivates your clients?

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Different people are motivated by different things. It’s very important to know what really motivates you. Otherwise, the quality of your work will suffer. When helping another person, it’s very important to know what really motivates them, as well, so that you can build those motivators into your work with them.

Consider from among the following typical motivators. Rank the motivators, starting with “1” as the highest. You might have several that you rank as a “1”. Don’t worry about getting your ranking to be “perfect”. The point is to go through the process of thinking about what really motivates you. Consider discussing the results with others who know you.

__ Career Development / Success

__ Caring For / Supporting Others

__ Comfort / Relaxation

__ Fun / Recreation

__ Health / Balance / Energy

__ Influence / Leadership

__ Learning / Knowledge / Discovery

__ Materials / Possessions

__ Recognition / Praise

__ Security / Money / House

__ Social / Affiliation / Popularity / Acceptance

__ Status / Prestige / Stand Out / Reputation

__ Task Accomplishment / Problem Solving / Achievement

__ Teaching / Guiding Others

__ Vitality / Energy

__ Others? __________________

Questions and Suggestions for Reflection:

  • Are there other comments you could make that would help you (and maybe others) to more clearly understand what really motivates you?
  • What can you do to include more of the motivators in your job or other roles?
  • How would you have ranked your motivators a year ago? 5 years ago? 10?
  • Have others complete this checklist about you, e.g., friends, family, peers, employees, etc.

What other comments would you like to make?

Carter McNamara, MBA, PhD, is faculty member of the Consultants Development Institute.
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How Can I Market My Consulting Business (Part 1)

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There are numerous sources of online information about how to market a consulting business, for example, use your browser to search at inc.com, marketingsuccess.com and entrepreneur.com. We have been teaching consulting skills for many years, and the advice that we hear from our students about what has been successful for their marketing often does not closely match the advice in the online information. In this post Part 1, we share the first five of the 10 most suggested strategies for successful marketing.

#1 — Have a Passion for Helping People

Without that passion, your marketing efforts will seem overblown or insincere – and the quality of your consulting will get poorer.

#2 – Don’t Spend Too Much Time on Word-Smithing

Rather than endless hours on words in your website or advertisements, spend more time getting experience and networking with colleagues and potential clients.

#3 – Volunteer Your Expertise to Local Nonprofits

That’s often a quick and effective way to get even more experience in the type of consulting that you want to do.

#4 – Offer Free Information Sessions During Lunch

Many companies allow local consultants and experts to present non-sales-oriented information about topics relevant to their companies.

#5 — Marketing is About Your Client’s Needs, Not About Yours

This is the first painful lesson that new professionals learn. Write about how your services meet the needs of clients, rather than about how your services work.

Here is a link to numerous, free, online sources about marketing your consulting.

What other ideas do you have?

Carter McNamara, MBA, PhD, faculty member of the Consultants Development Institute.org .

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Checklist to Terminate a Consulting Project

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If you and your client decide to terminate the project because it was satisfactorily completed, or for a technical reason, or because of a sudden interruption, then be sure to terminate it in a way that maintains a respectful relationship. Consider these guidelines.

Produce a Final Project Report

Both you and your client should complete a final project report. It might describe the outcomes of the Project Evaluation, and your decisions as a result. The report might reference your Project Plan.

Conduct a Final Meeting

You both should arrange a final meeting, in which you discuss the results of the Project Evaluation, including to acknowledge – and celebrate – the project’s accomplishments. Be prepared to share each of your own versions of “goodbye.” That is very important.

Complete a Formal Letter of Closure

You should follow up the meeting with a formal correspondence that affirms your mutual agreement that the project is formally over. In that correspondence, you should mention the date that you both agreed as the official end date, if it is not the ending date on the signed contract.

Organize Your Administrative Files

You should attend to administrative matters to close the project, for example, final invoices and closing the file for that client.

Arrange to Stop All Meetings About the Project?

You might consider stopping any further meetings about the project itself. That might seem a bit arbitrary, but it can actually be a very healthy practice, to avoid project creep and to avoid an ongoing, unhealthy dependency between you and your client. If your client wants to continue meeting with you about the project, then consider cycling back to the Contracting Phase to start a new project.

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Carter McNamara, MBA, PhD — Authenticity Consulting, LLC. This article was adapted from one of the many downloadable handouts in the Consultants Development Institute’s online series Collaborative Consulting Training.

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Pro bono, online program to learn strategic planning facilitation

A woman taking notes from an online program

The Consultants Development Institute is offering a complete, online series to teach how to facilitate strategic planning for any type of organization. The series Facilitating Strategic Planning includes a pro bono Audit Track with unlimited enrollment.

In that Audit Track, you get free access to all of the courses, tools, assignments and discussion forums with faculty and other participants — everything to learn how to customize and facilitate strategic planning for any type of organization.

Faculty members in CDI have extensive experience in teaching strategic planning and in online education. We have 30 students nearing the end of the series and feedback has been quite positive. Students include both experienced and inexperienced facilitators.

CDI’s mission is to provide highly affordable and accessible consultant training, especially to people and organizations in need. So we want to offer the series especially to service organizations and professionals that focus on very under-served areas and people.

I invite you to take a look at the series’ website to learn more. If you are interested, you can enroll in the pro bono Audit Track and experience the series for yourself. The enrollment period ends January 31, 2016.

Please tell others who might benefit from this pro bono service to provide highly accessible strategic planning training for organizations around the world.

Carter McNamara, CDI Faculty

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Single-Project and Multi-Project Formats of Action Learning

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In the early 1980s, I started facilitating Action Learning where all set members were working on the same problem or project (single-project Action Learning, or SPAL). My bias in Action Learning has always been to cultivate self-facilitated groups, somewhat in the spirit of Reginald Revans’ preferences for those kinds of sets, too.

However, at least in those days, it was often a struggle to get SPAL set members to continue attending meetings, especially after the 1st and 2nd meetings, much less to even have them self-facilitate.

So in the early 1990s, I started experimenting with having every set member be the presenter in every meeting and the other members posing generative questions to the presenter. I wondered if individual attention to each member would further enrich the Action Learning experience and sustain attendance. I began referring to this as multi-project Action Learning (MPAL). (I don’t know if I invented that phrase or if someone else … whatever.)

I realized that, rather than the deep dive of clarifying and framing that comes from focusing on one presenter in one meeting (SPAL), the framing in MPAL would have to come from repeated framing over subsequent, but well-attended, meetings.

To my surprise I found that, if each member got, e.g., 30 minutes to be questioned by other members (I now refer to that questioning as getting coached) about a current and real problem, then those members still got some framing during that time – and sustained, strong framing occurred over subsequent meetings.

The process basically used laser coaching to guide each member through a format somewhat like the GROW model of coaching, including to select realistic actions to take between meetings. Learning comes from continual reflection on the questions and the actions that were taken.

The MPAL process includes six elements:

  1. a set/group of 4-8 members
  2. each works on a current and real problem (or priority)
  3. facilitation (a set of tasks, rather than a certain role)
  4. coaching (this is our preferred term, rather than questioning)
  5. commitments to actions
  6. commitments to learning

Since then, we’ve had an increasing number of clients spawning new groups from around the world – many of them have been with us for several years and some for almost a decade. Most of our groups are done virtually.

The tool of the SPAL model of Action Learning is particularly useful for a deep dive of powerful framing on a complex problem, and is very powerful for solving a complex problem (rather quickly, at times), team building and various forms of leadership development.

The MPAL model is particularly useful for solving concurrent problems (taking longer than SPAL), teaching coaching skills, cultivating strong networks, sharing support and ensuring transfer of training. It’s also very useful for cultivating self-facilitating and highly sustainable sets.

There are standard outcomes from the SPAL and MPAL formats, including skills in listening, presenting, questioning, problem solving, innovating, facilitating and systems thinking.

The selection of the problems that MPAL members work on, the nature of the coaching, the membership of groups and their frequency of meetings, and the types of actions taken between meetings depend very much on the particular purpose of the MPAL.

As with any field or profession, there will likely be strong opinions about which format is best and which is the “true” Action learning or not. I’ve learned over the years, to let the clients decide that matter.

What do you think?

Written by Carter McNamara, Action Learning Source.