by Laura Rennie | Jun 6, 2020 | Personal Development, Professional Development
Life looks a bit different these days, doesn’t it? Our calendars, once full of happy hours and networking events, now list Zoom call meeting reminders. Social groups are turning to virtual meet-ups — from business masterminds, book clubs, and trivia teams… even Wholistic Woman Retreats!
I’ve been attending Wholistic Woman events in-person for the past 3.5 years, but I hesitated to join in when their events went virtual. I wondered how the meeting would translate online. Thankfully, I was pleasantly surprised by my first virtual evening retreat experience, and thought I’d share some key things I noticed along the way:
- You won’t feel out of the loop if you’re new – I think I would be especially hesitant to join in on a virtual retreat if I had never attended a Wholistic Woman event in the past. I assumed the call would start with a few “hellos” and then move right into the materials, but instead the coaches took time to introduce themselves. I was happy to note that the coaches’ warm and friendly nature (a big part of why I enjoy their events) came through despite the lack of in-person connection. Then, one coach shared the mission of the Wholistic Coaching Coalition. Though I’m very familiar with the group, starting out the call this way helped ground the evening in purpose. Then, at the end of the meeting, they briefly discussed their next event — Know Your Money Story with coach Jane Helm. I was relieved to know that if I were to invite a friend, she wouldn’t feel out of the loop as they made everyone feel included and in-the-know no matter how many events they’ve attended.
- You’ll receive quality teaching and helpful resources – I attended “Radical Love” with coach Kat Middleton, and was curious if listening to one speaker on Zoom would become tedious after a while. While Kat did teach during the majority of our 90-minute call, she used slides to illustrate her message, requested that attendees use the chat tool to answer questions, and lead everyone in a group activity. She also shared several resources that attendees could look more into on their own, should they want to further their knowledge of self-love. If you want to be able to focus and learn during a virtual meeting, I suggest turning on the “active speaker” setting on Zoom. This will allow you to give your full attention to the speaker. You can easily switch to the “gallery” layout during the portion of the meeting that involves the entire group. Do your part to help the other attendees focus, too! Keep yourself muted (unless told otherwise) and turn your camera off if you need to do anything that could potentially distract the rest of the group.
- You’ll have the opportunity to connect in small groups – If you’ve attended an in-person event with Wholistic Women, you know it’s typical to be split into groups or asked to turn to someone next to you in order to discuss the materials presented. My most-pressing question going into the virtual call was, “How will we have quality conversation about what we’re learning?” Thankfully, Zoom has a feature I wasn’t aware of — separate chat rooms! After being given instructions on what to discuss, the call monitor split up the group and suddenly I went from looking at a grid of 28 people to only two other women. We all turned off our microphones and had a vulnerable conversation about the distorted thought processes we often find ourselves in. Then, we offered one another practical suggestions on how to love ourselves through those thoughts. This relatively short activity was incredibly impactful, and truthfully just as valuable as the in-person conversations I’ve had at previous events.
Needless to say, it was a great event and I’m glad I attended! While I hope it won’t be too long before we can start meeting in-person again, I hope you’ll join us for our next virtual event, Know Your Money Story. Click here to register for this event, happening on June 24.
by Laura Rennie | Apr 29, 2020 | Retreats
Whether you’re part of a religious group, wellness club, parenting co-op, or business cohort, you and your peers likely want to work together to meet mutual goals. Perhaps you want to raise money for a cause, learn how to communicate better, or bring in new members. One of the best ways your group can reach those goals is by attending a group retreat.
A group retreat can be as low-key as attending a workshop in a nearby town, or can be as intensive as a weekend getaway. The most effective group retreats will offer hands-on activities, group coaching, and flex or free time for free-flowing conversation. There are several benefits of group retreats. These include:
Group Retreats Improves Morale
When was the last time your group bonded over a shared experience? Offering your group a morale-booster, such as going on a hike, playing a new game, or cooking a meal together, will help everyone feel more relaxed around one another. This is especially beneficial for groups that have a clear leader or “boss,” because it evens out the playing field. Who wouldn’t love to see their pastor try ziplining for the first time, or listen to their wellness coach share a personal story?
Group Retreats Create Cohesion
One of the best aspects of a group retreat is that it gets everyone out of their comfort zone. This might intimidate some people at first, but it won’t take long to break the ice. If you’ve never attended a group retreat before, commit to being open to new experiences. Make a point to engage with everyone in your group. You never know, you might find that your coworker you’ve hardly spoken to shares your favorite hobby, or that the younger woman in your wellness group is looking for accountability from a more seasoned person such as yourself.
Even if everyone in your group already knows one another, a group retreat will encourage deeper personal connections. Through workshops and team-building activities, your group will grow closer and learn how to work more effectively together.
Group Retreats Promote Personal Growth
Group retreats don’t simply benefit the group as whole — they also impact each individual. A person can learn a lot about themselves when they’re with a group of people. One person might find it uncomfortable to try new things, while another person might blossom from being put in a strange environment. Ideally, the person heading up the group retreat will ask everyone ahead of time what they aim to get out of the experience. You might find yourself learning something new, making friends, or teaching others about your areas of expertise.
Is your group ready to try something new? Maximize the full potential of your team by booking a group retreat!
by Laura Rennie | Mar 10, 2020 | Group Coaching, Laura Hall
Have you heard of group coaching? (Or, are you interested in learning more about group coaching?) If so, you might be wondering what the difference is between group coaching and team coaching. There are many similarities between the two. Both types of coaching involve a facilitator working with a set of individuals. In both cases, individuals are looking to grow professionally through increasing leadership skills, learning ways to effectively communicate, and more.
But, there is a key difference between group coaching and team coaching. First, let’s define what each type of coaching entails.
What is Group Coaching?
In a group coaching setting, people who have a common interest gather together to work on individual goals. Each person has the opportunity to share his or her goals, and is held accountable by other members of the group. While a facilitator guides the conversation, members of the group are encouraged to share their perspectives and experiences. Thus, peer learning is accomplished.
Benefits of Group Coaching
Group Discussion
Do you ever feel stuck? You might be approaching your issue from the wrong angle or mindset. Group coaching provides a platform for each individual person to receive input from the rest of the group. Plus, you might be an expert on a subject that another individual needs help with!
Accountability
Never underestimate the power of accountability! With group coaching, both the facilitator and fellow group members will check in to see how you’re moving forward towards meeting your goals. While you will note your progress at each meeting, you also have the opportunity to create check-ins outside of the structured group meeting. That brings me to…
Mutually beneficial relationships
You might find yourself in a group with another person who has a similar goal to yours. You could be in a similar line of business. Regardless of the reason why, you’ll likely find yourself connecting with one or more members of your group. If this happens, look for ways to meet up outside of the group coaching setting.
What is Team Coaching?
Like group coaching, team coaching involves increasing the professional development skills of participants involved. However, instead of working on individual goals, participants work together to set goals and make decisions. This is a great option for workplace teams who have undergone a change in leadership or who are still getting to know one another. In a team coaching setting, each person’s individual skill set is seen as a valuable and vital part of the team’s success.
Which Type of Coaching is Right For Me?
Are you looking to meet goals you’ve established for yourself as an individual? Would you like to receive input and accountability from other people? If so, give group coaching a try.
Are you part of a team of coworkers or managers who would benefit from establishing shared goals? The success of team coaching is based on each person working together.
Still not sure if group coaching is right for you? We’d love to help!
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Our next group coaching session will discuss how strengths and money relate to one another. Financial Coach Jane Helm and Executive Coach Carol deLaski will lead a small group of women in exploring and applying two powerful tools, Money Personality and Strengths Finder. Learn more and register here!
by Dawn | Nov 11, 2019 | Finances
Six Common Money Mistakes That Keep You from Building Wealth
If you’ve been trying to build wealth and falling short, it may be that you need to think about what decisions you are making that actually cost you money! I am an expert in these mistakes, as I made them myself, and I experience these with my clients, too!
Building wealth takes time-for some of us, a very long time! But by addressing some of these mistakes, you can enjoy an immediate upward trend in your net worth!
- Not having enough money saved: I am a huge fan of savings accounts! I recommend having your savings earmarked in several accounts, with the most important one being your emergency fund! The emergency fund is foundational in building a life of security, as we never know when the unexpected may happen. If you don’t have enough in an emergency fund, you may find yourself dependent on credit cards do get you through a time of crisis, which can lead to further stress in a time of overwhelm.
- Not having a budget: I have never liked the word “budget” as it sounds restrictive. Having a Saving and Spending Plan allows you to know how much you have to spend on your committed expenses, your discretionary expenses, and savings amounts. Following a plan will help you to feel empowered and stay on track with spending and
- Overspending: this is a biggie! We are all being subjected to marketing numerous times a day. We may have signed up for a discount from a retailer, and now get daily emails with promotional prices. Or maybe you’ve looked at a particular item online, and now are seeing those same items appear on your social media feeds. The temptation is real! Learning to recognize that you are making financial decisions when parting with your money and that each of these decisions will have a consequence is an important step in resisting temptation. Remember, you are in control-not the retailers!
- Using credit cards: Credit cards are not a bad thing if you use them and pay them off as you go. However, the mistakes I see happen when people use them, begin building a balance that they can’t manage and begin digging themselves into a pattern of increasing their debt because of the interest that is being charged on each purchase. If you do use a card, only charge an amount you know you can pay off! Otherwise, the money you want to go towards building your wealth is going to a bank and making them richer!
- Not Understanding Your Numbers: Do you know your specific numbers-your total income, debt, investment totals, and your savings amounts? All of these numbers are important factors in determining your Net Worth. Simply stated, your net worth is calculated by subtracting your liabilities from your assets. To build wealth, the assets should be greater than your liabilities and continue to grow, while your liabilities should decrease whenever possible! Understanding your numbers can help you stay motivated when building your wealth!
- Avoiding talking about finances: after working with a lot of couples, I can say that this is a very common challenge. Money is an emotional topic! If you have difficulty talking with your partner about your finances, start by talking about how each of you grew up with money. It will provide some clues as to the approach each of you has with money management. This can lay the groundwork for future conversations that will eventually involve numbers. Being able to have these conversations will help you to build wealth, as you can build teamwork around your goals.
We are all capable of building a life of abundance! It’s our everyday habits, lack of communication and denial around our numbers that keep us from accelerating the process of building the wealth you deserve!
Today’s Author: Jane Helm is the Principal of Money Mentor Group. As a wealth coach, Jane combines decades of financial services experience with a degree in social work and psychology to bring positive financial change to her client’s lives. She is a Partner Coach with the Wholistic Coaching Coalition and co-founded the Build Your Own Business networking group. Jane can be reached via email at [email protected]
by Jane Helm | Sep 9, 2019 | Professional Development
Planning a retreat can be a daunting task! There is a myriad of details to map out, including the theme for the retreat, the venue, the schedule, and marketing. Whew!
Once these particulars of your retreat are taken care of, it’s time to select a facilitator-the person who will represent your company’s values and make certain that the attendees get the most out of their experience.
Facilitators become “the face” of a single session or group of sessions, and have a major impact on the success of your retreat. So, how do you find the best candidates for such a big role?
DO YOUR HOMEWORK!
In selecting a facilitator there are some key factors to consider:
Experience
Have they done this type of work previously? Facilitating is a unique skill that involves leading a group of people around a specific topic. The person in this role should feel comfortable in front of the number of people attending. The larger the group, the more experience may be warranted in making your selection.
Subject matter
Does the potential candidate have any experience leading discussions about the content of the session? Choosing someone who understands your topic or theme may need less training than other potential facilitators.
Your audience
Can the facilitator create a rapport with your attendees? Selecting someone who can easily establish trust and relate with the participants will be a key factor in making sure the retreat is a success!
Skill Level
The person in this role should have some key proficiencies in facilitation:
Time Management
Making sure your group is working through the agenda in a timely fashion.
Neutrality
An experienced facilitator will understand the importance of remaining impartial while leading a session or group. This allows the participants to be more open to sharing.
Communication
There are several key skills that should be considered:
- Can they express the key talking points eloquently?
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- Do they have Active Listening Skills? These include the ability to paraphrase and ask relevant questions to the audience.
- Can they read the body language of the audience?
- Can they recognize when there may be a need for an unscheduled break?
- Is there a need to include someone who appears to be feeling left out? Or is there someone who is dominating a conversation?
- How would they handle conflict within a discussion?
There is certainly a lot to consider when selecting the facilitator for your upcoming retreat. Their role is significant and can elevate your retreat to creating an uplifting experience for your attendees. By doing your research, vetting the right candidate you can rest assured that your event will be a success.
Today’s Author: Jane Helm is the Principal of Money Mentor Group. As a wealth coach, Jane combines decades of financial services experience with a degree in social work and psychology to bring positive financial change to her client’s lives. She is a Partner Coach with the Wholistic Coaching Coalition and co-founded the Build Your Own Business networking group. Jane can be reached via email at [email protected]
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