Adult Learning Theory and Group Coaching

What makes coaching such an incredible vehicle for growth?

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If we were in person, we’d love to see everyone jumping in with a ton of answers! For now, we’ll give you some of ours:

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• Coaching is self-directed and follows the client’s thought process

• Coaching values the person’s experiences, values, belief systems

• Coaching is relevant to what’s happening in the person’s life TODAY

• Coaching is solution-focused, it provides a springboard for action

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We could keep going… but we chose the responses above because they are precisely related to Andragogy, an adult learning theory developed by Malcolm Knowles in 1968. These responses also align with adult learning principles, emphasizing the unique needs and approaches required for effective adult education.  

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Below, we’ll explore how each of the principles translate to group coaching.

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Principle 1: Adults learn better from experience (even if they make mistakes)

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In group coaching, we constantly ask participants to refer to their previous experiences and what they learned from them. This approach is a core element of adult learning principles.  

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Examples:

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• You might ask group members to reflect on previous group experiences when creating norms.

• You might ask group members to turn their experiences into questions for others

• You might ask group members to think about an experience that brought up a certain behavior or emotion

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In order to support growth in our group members, we must consistently ask them to reflect on previous experiences and we must validate those.

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Principle 2: Adults favor a pragmatic approach that can be used to solve a specific problem

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Adults have a reason for joining a program  — be it training or coaching . They are usually seeking an outcome and have picked the learning experience intentionally. In group coaching, we help them create insight and solutions that are personalized. This pragmatic approach is a key aspect of adult learning principles.  

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Examples:

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• You might ask throughout the session what each person is learning about themselves

• You might challenge each person to create actions throughout the session

• You might have laser peer coaching sessions, aimed to help each member dig into what might be helpful for them

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Principle 3: Adults are most interested in learning things that have immediate relevance

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In group coaching, we are always in the moment! While we might refer to previous experiences, it’s always in the interest of moving from A to B and to support growth around something they are currently experiencing.

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This immediate relevance is emphasized in adult learning principles. ‍

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Examples:

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• You might ask each person to choose an intention for themselves at the start of the session

• You might encourage group members to define an area that they would like coaching on during the session

• You might refer to the group’s common context and ask what themes each of them would like to explore in relation to the topic and then agree on a common thread

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Principle 4: Adults need to be involved in the planning and evaluation of their instruction

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With group coaching, the agenda belongs to the client, i.e. the group! This involvement in planning and evaluation is central to adult learning principles.  

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Examples:

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• Co-create a list of themes to be explored with the group

• Decide how to approach each session with the group (e.g. will you do laser-coaching? Peer coaching?)

• Guide group members to create their own goals and actions

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Our goal in this post was to highlight the importance of agency and self-direction in adult learning. The next time you ask yourself whether you are “performing”, “sharing good value” or simply, being a great coach… Ask yourself whether you are giving each group member agency and letting them guide the experience!

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