Tips to create peer coaching opportunities

In the past, we talked about peer coaching and why it’s important. As a reminder, peer coaching is all about learning with and from others in a similar life situation or work context and level… But this doesn’t just happen!

For peer coaching to work, group coaches need to be adept at creating a safe space that allows for risk-taking, weaving the thread of connection and stepping back to allow the group to co-create its members’ and its own transformation.

Peer coaching affords the members time and space to help each other create awareness on their current reality, reflect on their vision and create clear actions. In this process, they ask each other questions, offer observations and share perspectives.

Tips to create peer coaching opportunities

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1. Teach group members how to do it.

At the start of your group, take a moment to remind them what coaching is and isn’t. Share powerful coaching questions as examples for your group members to refer to.

2. Call it out explicitly

Put a label on any peer coaching moment. By naming it you are creating an intentional space where group members understand expectations and objectives.

3. Create space for it

Hold time in every meeting to allow for peer coaching. Turning an individual challenge into a universal conversation is not just beneficial for the member working through the challenge, but also for the group. This could happen as a full group or in smaller breakouts, depending on how many participants are in the group.

4. Time it

Adjust the amount of time spent peer coaching based on what works best for your group's needs. The point of this isn’t to limit the amount of support members get but ?to ensure the whole time is not monopolized by one person’s unique challenge.?

5. Reflect on it

What was created? What was the impact? How can they continue and expand? How might they use those skills outside of the group?

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As a general rule, reminding all participants to go from an advice-giving mindset to a curiosity mindset is the way to go.

The last and not least aspect to remember is that peer coaching trains your group members to adopt a coaching mindset in and out of sessions and who wouldn’t want that?

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