In what way is a group more powerful than one-on-one coaching?

I experience game playing on part of a client much more in a one-on-one setting than in a group setting. Here is an extract from Daniel Kahneman’s 'Thinking, fast and slow" that may explain why that is so. He says, “It is much more easier, as well as far more enjoyable, to identify and label the mistakes of others than to recognise our own. Questioning what we believe and want is difficult at the best of times, and especially difficult when we most need to do it, but we can benefit from the informed opinion of others.”

When I get stuck with a person, I often invite others to share what they see. The sharing of the others is a powerful reinforcer to what I attempt as a coach. It also gives me some time out to look at the conversation in a detached way and approach it from another angle.

Another thing I have seen is the as each person is working through an issue, every other person in the room is connecting with it. It is a powerful permission to talk about one’s own difficulties. People often report feeling more empathetic. They are able to understand the motivations behind what they would otherwise label as difficult behaviour. Most of all, the fact that they are not alone in what they experience, reduces the struggle and leads to an acceptance of the situation. Without the struggle, the issue is a lot more manageable. That is why I love group coaching.