Sections of this topic
Introduction
Purpose of This Information
The following information and resources are focused on the most important guidelines
and materials for you to develop a basic, practical, and successful PCG. The
information is intended for anyone, although it helps if you have at least some
basic experience in working with groups.
All aspects of this offering are free, including guidelines and materials.
The offering is sponsored by ActionLearningSource
(ALS) as a free community service to citizens around the world. The founders
of ALS have been providing long-lasting, and highly successful peer coaching
groups (PCGs) since 1995.
The following basic information is adapted specifically from the peer coaching
group format of Authenticity Consulting’s Authenticity
Circles. Those wanting more advanced information and materials to customize
peer coaching groups for specific applications and/or cultures should consider
ALS’s
advanced group coaching. The information on this page is provided in accordance
with the terms of a creative
commons license.
What is a Peer Coaching Group (PCG)?
People have been solving complex problems and achieving challenging goals for
1,000s of years — by counting on each other. They form close communities of
support in which each member gets help from the others.
Help can be in the form of ongoing advice and materials — and especially thoughtful
and respectful questions (coaching). This is most useful when people also share
support and accountabilities to actually apply the help that they get
from others in the group.
Getting that kind of help is much easier than you might think. Here is how
you can conveniently arrange that help, with even one or two other people —
and it can be done over the Internet. In your group, you all are equals — or peers
— in coming together to support each other’s progress and learning.
Would You Benefit From a Private PCG?
History and research have shown there are many benefits of PCGs, including
for personal, professional, and organizational development. This webpage is especially
about using them for the personal development of yourself and your group members.
PCGs are useful for each group member to work on a current and important priority
that each member selects themselves. For example, do you need help with:
- Getting ongoing support to solve a problem or achieve a goal?
- Responding to the coronavirus crisis?
- Better manage your time and stress?
- Achieving a personal or professional goal?
- Improving a certain skill?
- Applying guidelines from a favorite article?
- Others?
The PCG framework has been used many times over many years to help members
solve problems, achieve goals, and cultivate confidential networks. As long as
the members are caring and curious about each other, the results from the framework
can be transformative.
PCGs are based on a powerful peer-based process called Action Learning that
is used around the world in numerous types of organizations. Other benefits of
PCGs are listed at
Results
from Action Learning
First, Watch This Video to Orient You to PCGs
The very practical, 30-minute video An
Overview of Action Learning: Peer Coaching Group Format teaches you all
about a common format of a peer coaching group, including about:
- The peer coaching group process
- How to select a priority to get coached on in your group
- Doing the coaching in the meetings
- The types of useful follow-up after each meeting
- Useful activities to do between meetings
- How to know if you are “doing it right”
- Where to learn more
The video refers to “Circles,” which is a common term for peer
coaching groups. The video also refers to two key tools for conducting a successful
peer coaching group meeting, including the Authenticity Circles Quick
Reference and the Session Management Form that each
member of a group gets. You might print out those tools to have them available as
the video references them. A PDF of the slides for the video can also be downloaded
from An Overview of Action Learning: Peer Coaching Group Format.
Then, Draft the Initial Design of your PCG
Key Considerations
- What is the common goal or challenge that each of you wants to address?
- How many members will you have (Four to five is typical, but no more.)
- How many group meetings will you have? (Six is typical.)
- How long will your meetings be? (Ninety minutes is typical. See the suggested
agenda below.) - How often will you meet? (Every two to four weeks is typical.)
- How will you communicate among yourselves (in-person or virtual)?
- Who will facilitate each meeting? The Circles Quick Reference includes the
tasks of the facilitator.
Consider These Ground Rules
These ground rules have been used in many meetings. They are listed in the
Circles Quick Reference that each member gets. They are mentioned at the beginning
of each meeting.
- Start and end on time.
- Confidentiality is assured.
- Keep the session process highly focused.
- Manage your time slot; help the Circle to help you.
- All opinions are honored.
- One can disagree with other members and the facilitator.
- Contact the facilitator and other members if you cannot attend the next
session.
Then, Organize and Train Your Group Members
- Select at least one additional person who might have a similar interest
or need as you. - Share this web page with them.
- Encourage them to see the video.
- Ask them if they have any questions or suggestions about the information
on this page. - Ask them if they would like to try forming your own peer coaching group.
It doesn’t have to be perfect. You can improve it as you go along. - You all could plan your progress in the group by each of you having a personal
Learning
Plan. - Hold your first 90-minute meeting in which all of you:
- Share your confidential contact information with each of you.
- Share your impressions of the information in the video.
- Share your introductions.
- Schedule your next six 90-minute meetings.
Consider This Agenda for Each Group Meeting
The recommended step-by-step agenda is itemized in the section “Circle
Session Agenda” in the Circles Quick Reference that each member gets. Notice
that peer coaching groups are not training or discussion groups. Instead, they
are structured meetings intended to meet the current needs of each member of
the group.
Opening (7 minutes)
-
- Review values and ground rules in the Circles Quick Reference
- Each member selects a priority to get coached on.
- Do a brief check-in with each member.
- Quickly share any materials suggested in the previous meeting.
- Review guidelines for coaching and coaching others (in the Circles Quick
Reference).
Sharing Help (up to 75 minutes)
In the round-table approach, each member gets 15 minutes to:
-
- Share the status of any actions that they took from the previous group
meeting, and what they learned from those actions. - Share a current priority that they’d like to get help with.
- Get help from other members in the form of advice, materials, and especially
thoughtful questions. - Select at least one realistic action to take toward addressing
their priority.
- Share the status of any actions that they took from the previous group
With four members instead of five, each member would get 18 minutes. Even though
coaching sessions are 15-18 minutes, all members learn during the entire meeting.
Closing (8 minutes)
- Each member documents learning and results from the meeting.
- Members optionally share out loud what they have learned.
- Each member shares out loud, a rating of the quality of that meeting from
“1” (very low) to “5” (very high), and what could be done
to improve future meetings. - Verify the date and timing of the next meeting.
Consider These Actions for Members Between Meetings
Each group member conducts the action(s) that they selected when they were
coached. They also might share questions, answers, and suggestions to help members
address their priorities and improve their meetings. They also update their
Learning Journals. Here is a sample Learning
Journal in which each member can document their own new learning from the
meetings.
Frequently Asked Questions
Frequently
Asked Questions About Peer Coaching Groups
General Resources
About Facilitation
About Meeting
Management
How
to Improve Your Listening Skills
Skills
in Questioning
Numerous
Activities for Learning
Forming Your Own Study Groups
The above agenda for a support group could be slightly modified to form a study
group, as well. During each member’s time in the meeting, he or she can get
help, especially with understanding and applying the content from some source
of expert knowledge about a topic, for example, a lecture from a class, a chapter
from a book, or content from a podcast. Here is more information about forming
study groups.
Five
Tips for an Effective Study Group
How
to Form a Successful Study Group: Tips and Strategies.
How
To Create an Effective Study Group
How
to Run a Successful Study Group
Forming Your Own Coaching Group
The above agenda could be modified to form a peer coaching group, as well.
During each member’s time in the meeting, he or she can get help, especially
in the form of thoughtful questions about the member’s perceptions, assumptions
and conclusions.
Ultimate
Guide to Coaching Groups
Effective
Group Coaching 101
Group
Coaching: Benefits and Key Characteristics
All About
Coaching
For the Category of Personal Development:
To round out your knowledge of this Library topic, you may want to review some related topics, available from the link below. Each of the related topics includes free, online resources.
Also, scan the Recommended Books listed below. They have been selected for their relevance and highly practical nature.
