Group Coaching Nuggets #20.14 – The One Percent Rule

As we celebrate our 20th anniversary with the Group Coaching Essentials CCE program, I'm taking a look back at key "nuggets" coaches, leaders and learning professionals have taken out of our programs. I'm kicking us off with one of my favorites that spans both coach training and the work we do with solopreneurs as part of the Flow Flex Scale™ Lab - The One Percent Rule that I first introduced back in 2009. Its actually become the foundational philosophy of all our business supports.

So what is the One Percent Rule?

At its core, the One Percent Rule is about taking small, consistent actions toward meaningful goals—especially the ones that feel overwhelming or easy to delay. Instead of waiting for the perfect time, full clarity, or a big block of time, the focus shifts to: What is the smallest step I can take today?

In group and team coaching, this principle is powerful. It helps participants move from insight to action, reduces overwhelm, and builds momentum across the group. In leadership and organizational contexts, it supports sustainable change by encouraging progress over perfection.

For solopreneurs and coaches building their businesses, the One Percent Rule is equally transformative. Daily visibility, one conversation, one outreach, one piece of content—these small steps compound into real traction and revenue over time.
Why does this matter in today’s landscape?

Because complexity, uncertainty, and competing priorities can stall even the most capable professionals. The One Percent Rule offers a practical, accessible way forward.
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Try this:
Identify one goal you’ve been putting off. What is your 1% step today?
Because in coaching—and in business--momentum is built one small action at a time.

Historically I have offered a 12 Days of Holidays to share some of our most poplular content from the year.

This year I wanted to mix it up a bit and created an Advent Calendar for Group and Team Coaches

Each day when you open the "window" and click the box, you'll get access to a daily resource - a video or blog post on something related to group or team coaching.

I hope that you enjoy this fun way to explore different topics related to group and team coaching.

Please note, with the way tech works, this advent calendar works better on some browsers that others.

Here's a link - enjoy!

Warm wishes,
Jennifer

ps - We are gearing up for 2026 programming with most progarms starting the 2nd week of January including

Group Coaching Essentials - Fridays 10:15 - 11:45 am ET starting Friday January 9th - 5 weeks (with Evana - 10 CCEs)

Team Coaching Essentials - Mondays 9 - 10:30 am ET starting January 12 with Jennifer (6 weeks - 14 CCEs)

Advanced Practicum - 10 CCEs - Fridays 12-1:30 pm ET - Jan 2 - Feb 27 - with Evana (6 weeks)

Coaching Diverse Teams and Groups with the Work Styles - with Jennifer - Fridays 10:05 - 11:35 am ET - staring Jan 9 - Feb 13 - 14 CCEs

FLOW FLEX SCALE 90-Day Lab - Join us to March 31, 2026 - Monday and Friday calls with a weekly focus on your business withe Jenn. Join when sign up until March 31 2026. 

"Connection is why we’re here; it is what gives purpose and meaning to our lives." – Brené Brown

Topic:
Whether you’re coaching a new group of professionals or a long-standing intact team, creating connection is essential to the success of group coaching. From trust and openness to deeper learning and collaboration, connection forms the foundation of everything we do as group and team coaches.

In Effective Group Coaching, I write about the importance of creating a safe, inviting space that enables group members to bring their whole selves. Safety doesn’t happen by chance. It’s deliberately cultivated, session after session—and often begins in the first few minutes of a call or meeting.

Yet for many coaches, that opening moment can feel challenging. Icebreakers can feel awkward, overdone, or worse—irrelevant. But when used with intention, a well-designed warm-up can quickly shift a group from “I don’t know anyone” to “I belong here.”

This post offers seven meaningful, flexible, and fun ways to open your group sessions and deepen connection—without forcing it.

Top Tips for Creating Connection in Group Calls or Sessions

1. Choose Depth Over Dazzle.
Keep icebreakers simple and connected to the purpose of the session. A well-placed question that links to a theme of trust, learning, or creativity can be more powerful than an elaborate activity.

2. Offer Options for Participation.
Not everyone will want to speak up immediately. Provide choices—respond via chat, share with a partner, or use a poll or reaction. This respects different comfort levels while fostering inclusion.

3. Use Visual Prompts.
Photos, icons, or even objects can spark engagement. In From One to Many, I talk about using visuals as “conversation starters” to unlock metaphor and insight. Consider tools like photo cards or our Conversation Sparker deck to create an entry point for dialogue.

4. Acknowledge the Virtual Space.
Online sessions require extra intention. Turn cameras on early, welcome participants by name, and create an arrival ritual. A simple “Where are you logging in from today?” in the chat helps people connect geographically and personally.

5. Make it Thematic.
Align your opening question with the topic of the day. If you’re focusing on change, ask “What’s one change you’ve successfully navigated this year?” If you’re exploring vision, ask “What’s one thing you’d love to create in the next quarter?”

6. Invite Story, Not Status.
Avoid intros that focus on title or job role. Instead, invite stories. “What’s one project that’s lit you up recently?” or “What’s your favorite way to recharge?” These reveal more than job descriptions ever could.

7. Build Connection Across the Group.
Encourage peer-to-peer interaction. Breakout rooms, small group conversations, or chat-based sharing promote relational trust beyond the coach-client connection.

Try This
Here are two opening activities that are both fun and purposeful:

The Object Story: Ask participants to bring an object that represents how they’re showing up today. Have each person share its meaning. It creates instant insight and allows for metaphor to enter the room.

Map Your Moment: Share a blank map or visual background and ask: “If you could be anywhere in the world today coaching or leading from, where would you be?” Let people annotate, chat, or voice their answer. This playful activity quickly reveals values, aspirations, and geography.

Inquiry
What helps you feel safe, seen, or included in a group setting? How can you design that experience intentionally for others?
If you think about your best group coaching experience—what was it that helped you feel like you belonged?

Wrap Up
Creating connection doesn’t require grand gestures. It’s built moment by moment, with curiosity, care, and clarity of purpose.

As coaches, our role is to create the container—not to force connection, but to enable it. Whether it’s through a thoughtful prompt, a playful image, or a shared silence, the way we begin sets the tone for everything that follows.
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Start strong. Connect with purpose. And remember—every spark of connection is an invitation to go deeper.

Check out these recent Coaching Many Podcast episodes to go deeper around the topic of Connection:

Episode 13 - Connection

The mantra of "Daily Steps and Consistent Action creates Momentum" first emerged in 2018 with the publication of Coaching Business Builder and PlanDoTrack. They are the philosophy which has supported my work as a business owner for the last 20 years, and also as a leader managing complex, global projects for 15 years before that.

What are the daily steps and consistent action you want to get into around your most important goals for 2025?

What are the daily steps and consistent actions which will help you be at your best for 2025?

What are the elements you want to track so you can notice, and celebrate your daily steps and consistent action in 2025?

If you have a copy of the Coaching Business Builder or PlanDoTrack I hope that you will take some time in the coming weeks to start your Annual planning. This was a big focus for us at the recent 2025 Coaching Business Booster. If you missed it, I am going to be making the program available asynchronously in the next few weeks. You will be able to go through the 8 hours of business reflection and annual planning on your own. For now (since the order form is not yet ready), send me an email and I'll invoice you directly.

The resource that I want to share with you, which you can find below is last year's Annual Planning session which you can use for building onto the 2025 Vision Session as a part 1. Find the 2025 vision here and scroll down for part 2 of annual planning (from last year but same idea for 2025)

Enjoy some R and R in the coming days  as you think about the value of activating daily steps and consistent action in the new year -

Jennifer

 As we step into day 6 of the 12 Days of Holidays I wanted to spotlight some of the top episodes from the first 6 months of the Coaching Many Podcast. This podcast is  about creating empowering and thought-provoking spaces for conversation which strengthen relationships and enhance results. Throughout the Coaching Many podcast we’ll share best in class tools, practices and approaches to support your group and team coaching conversations, what I coined as Coaching Many in 2013 with my book, From One To Many: Best Practices for Team and Group Coaching.

Here are our top performing episodes from the last six months (as per both Apple Podcast listing and our YouTube Views):

EP001- What is Coaching Many. Listen in here OR Watch it on YouTube

EP002 - Mastering the Basics- 4 elements. Listen in here or Watch it on YouTube

EP003 - Triad of Trust, Safety & Connection. Listen in here or Watch it on YouTube

EP004 - Results and Relationships Listen in here or Watch it on  YouTube

EP006 - Unlocking action. Listen in here.

EP 009 - The importance of Goals in Group and Team Coaching (one of the top 5 on YouTube). Watch it here.


My favorite this year has been sharing the Six Layers of Connection (Episode 11)  - you can watch it here -

The one I think people will benefit most from at this time of year is the episode on Working with Vision in Group and Team Coaching



Enjoy the listening and watching - we've heard from many coaches how much you like taking this on the road!

With best wishes,
Jennifer

Curious about how this can support your business growth? Check out Day 4 of the Fall 2024 Coaching Superpower Challenge here:

Join us in January for a 6 week journey into the Coaching Superpowers in the 14 CCE ACTIVATE Your Group and Team Coaching Superpowers program - you can learn more about it here.

Enjoy!

Welcome back to Day 4 of the 2024 12 Days of Holidays series. So far we've explored:

Day 1- 12 Year End Questions - Read them here
Day 2- Creating Your Vision - Read and view it here
Day 3 -  21st annual group and team programs call - Read it here

Today's Blog post gets you thinking about your INTENTIONS for the new year. What do you want to bring in, and take a stand around, in the upcoming year?

Intentionality is an important part of the landscape of work and life in an ever-changing landscape. Earlier today we had a great presentation on Intentions by one of our coaches in the Neuroscience, Learning and Experiential Approaches (NLEA) program. It made me realize that while we've talked a little about VISION already in this series, we haven't explored your INTENTIONS for the new year.

I'd like to invite you today to listen in or watch Episode 5 of the Coaching Many Podcast where co-host Evana Valle and I sit down to talk more about Intentiaonality in Group and Team Coaching.

I also want to leave you with three questions to  journal on today:
1. What are your intentions for the new year?
As you think ahead to the new year, consider these questions as a future focus:

• What do I want to cultivate more of in my life this year, and why is that important to me right now?
  (Encourages reflection on values, priorities, and focus for the year ahead.)
• What habits, mindsets, or practices am I ready to release or let go of to create space for growth and change?
  (Promotes awareness of what no longer serves you and supports making room for new opportunities.)
• When I look back at the end of this next year, what do I hope will stand out as my proudest moments or achievements?
  (Fosters a forward-looking perspective, aligning current intentions with future aspirations.)
  
  Enjoy the reflection and be sure to check out Episode 5 on Intentions in Group and Team Coaching at the Coaching Many Podcast.
  
  With best wishes,
  Jennifer
  
  
  
  

Earlier this week we held the 21st annual year end group and team programs call. This is an annual event I have hosted each year since opening the doors here at Potentials Realized. We take a look back at some of the themes of the year as well as trends for the year ahead.
The format of the calls remains pretty similar to where I started back in 2004 - a chance to connect, share ideas and also explore emerging trends as well as best practices.

Here are some of the main areas we explored in the call:
•Celebrating Your Wins
•Coaching Many Podcast
•Looking back and looking ahead to the landscape of group and team coaching  – 2024 – 2025
•Thriving Through Change
•The Nonad of Group Coaching™
•Resourcing You: Superpowers

Enjoy the conversation!
Jennifer

What's important for you to note for 2025? What are you most excited about?

Enjoy the reflection and consider what you want to do to regularly refer to this.

Enjoy - 
Jennifer

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Every year I do a 12 Days of Holidays series, geared to zoom into some key questions and resources to support you with the wrap up of this year, and transition into a great new year.

I thought it would be fitting to start our series this year with 12 questions you might journal on for your work:

Year End Reflection Questions:

1. What were your accomplishments and WINS this year?
2. What was your biggest learning?
3. What didn't work the way you thought it might? What was important about that?
4. Thinking about your relationships this year, what's important to note?
5. What habits supported you?
6. What is different now, than at the start of the year?
7. What lessons learned do you want to carry forward into 2025?
8. As you look ahead, what are you most excited about with your vision for the new year?
9. What habits and relationships are you looking forward to leaning into?
10. What are your top priorities for the new year?
11. What are you going to say a resounding YES to? What will you say NO to?
12. What will you do to regularly pause, reflect and celebrate your progress?

Join us TUESDAY December 10th for the Virtual Holiday Party 2024 - GroupCoachingEssentials
It will run 12 - 1 pm ET. Hope to see you there! Be sure to sign up for the virtual swag bag at the Party page above.

Best wishes,
Jennifer

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