Several areas typically emerge wherein groups struggle in the Group Coaching process and wherein powerful learning ultimately occurs:
In the beginning, group members view with the process with skepticism. “Is this worth my time?” they ask. Resistance surfaces. Over time, group members feel more natural in the process and grow exponentially in Group Coaching abilities. At this point, it is important for group members to understand that the learning process continues and expands.
Advice-giving is a behavior that is difficult for people to cease, since they are accustomed to this form of helping. People don’t often ask thought-provoking, open-ended questions in their daily interactions, and they must practice becoming comfortable with this new communication style.
Maintaining a balance between supporting and challenging their fellow group members is also a struggle for many groups. Support is a necessary precursor for creating an open, trusting environment, but challenging individuals to stretch themselves and look at issues from different perspectives is necessary for effective action planning and rich learning.
Focus on process over content is an additional area of struggle for group members. They become so engaged in the stories of their fellow group members that it can feel anti-intuitive to discuss group process, though this is where much of the learning takes place!