Coachees are forming cliques in your group coaching session. How can you effectively address this dynamic?

Regularly rotate group dynamics and encourage participants to interact outside their comfort zones, fostering a collaborative atmosphere and diverse perspectives.

Find out the basis on which the clique was formed and address it. Remind them the importance and necessity of working together as one group. Create an all coachees inclusive task or activities.

To address cliques in a group coaching session, start by fostering an inclusive environment. Facilitate activities that require collaboration among different members, breaking up established groups. Address the issue openly by discussing the value of diverse interactions and the negative impact of cliques on group cohesion. Encourage open communication and mutual respect. Use icebreakers and team-building exercises to mix group dynamics. Monitor interactions and intervene gently if exclusion persists. Highlight common goals and emphasize the importance of collective growth, ensuring all members feel valued and included.

Encourage active engagement by prompting quieter participants to contribute and ensuring dominant voices allow space for others to share their insights.

Coachees form cliques within group coaching sessions, which can lead to an environment where some participants feel left out or undervalued. To address this, actively work to foster a sense of inclusion. This can be achieved by facilitating activities that require everyone to participate and share their experiences or perspectives. Ensure everyone has an equal opportunity to contribute to discussions using breakout groups that rotate members. You can introduce norms that emphasise respect, collaboration, and the importance of each member's contribution. By making inclusivity a core part of the group’s culture, you discourage clique formations and promote a more cohesive and supportive environment conducive to everyone's growth.

Begin each session with structured icebreakers or team-building exercises that encourage personal connections and foster a sense of camaraderie among participants.

It is crucial to set clear expectations at the onset of the group coaching sessions. Establish guidelines that promote open communication and teamwork, emphasising the value of diverse perspectives in enriching everyone's learning experience. Communicate these expectations consistently and visibly, perhaps through written agreements each participant signs. Regular reminders about the importance of inclusivity and teamwork can reinforce these expectations. IDo not hesitate to revisit these guidelines in your sessions, reminding participants of the agreed-upon norms and their reasons. When consistently upheld, clear expectations can mitigate the negative impacts of cliques and encourage a more open and collaborative group dynamic.

Encouraging personal reflection can be a powerful tool in addressing cliques in group settings. Facilitate sessions or provide prompts that encourage participants to reflect on their behaviour and its impact on the group dynamics. Reflection helps individuals recognise their roles in contributing to or disrupting group cohesion. Reflection activities can be structured in regular feedback sessions or through individual reflective journals. Offering structured reflection exercises helps participants internalise the importance of inclusivity and self-awareness in maintaining a healthy group dynamic. This addresses clique behaviour and fosters a more introspective and mature approach to interpersonal relations within the group.

Adjusting the structure and types of activities used in sessions can help break down cliques and promote a more integrated group dynamic. Implement collaborative tasks that require new teams to form each time, ensuring that participants interact with different members throughout the program. Designing these activities requires various skills and contributions. Activities could include problem-solving tasks, role-plays, or projects requiring diverse input and collaboration. The key is to be intentional about activity selection to promote engagement across different subgroups within the larger group continuously.

As a coach, take the time to speak individually with members who seem to be isolating themselves or dominating clique formations. Discuss your observations and express your concerns in a supportive and non-confrontational manner. Additionally, reaching out to those who may feel excluded by cliques can be equally important. Support and encourage them to share their thoughts and feelings about the group dynamics. This not only helps them feel valued but also provides you with insights into how the group can better support all its members. Personal outreach fosters a deeper connection between the coach and the participants, facilitating a more cohesive and supportive environment conducive to effective coaching.