5 Major Mistakes to AVOID in Your Group Coaching Contract Template
Are you getting into group coaching? These are the major mistakes you must AVOID in your group coaching contract template to protect your energy, time, and sanity!
Starting a group coaching program is so exciting, but if you're anything like me, you want to ensure that you avoid any mistakes that could turn it into a bad experience. As a lawyer myself who drafts group coaching contract templates for coaches like you, I am here to protect you from all the common mistakes you must avoid in your group coaching contract template.
You will learn about the critical mistakes you must avoid in your group coaching contract template, regardless of whether you are using a standard ICF coaching contract or a simple coaching agreement template you found online.
After learning all about the major mistakes you must avoid in your group coaching contract template, you'll avoid losing unnecessary energy, time, and sanity, so you'll have a successful and sustainable group coaching program!
This post is all about the common mistakes every coach must avoid in a group coaching contract template to protect their boundaries, money, time, and energy.
Fundamental Group Coaching Contract Template
Mistakes to avoid in any simple coaching agreement template for group coaching
Mistake #1: Failure to clarify that group coaching does not include personal coaching
The first mistake that I have come across in many templates is that the scope of the group coaching contract template does not clarify that one-on-one coaching is not included in the group coaching program.
Despite the fact that group coaching involves coaching a group and not one person may be obvious to you, that will not be the case for everyone. Some people expect that personal coaching will be included for their own specific coaching needs. Therefore, it's extremely important that you define in your group coaching contract template:
what services are included in your coaching program, like group coaching meetings for both the client and the other participants in the program, and
what services are not included, and explicitly including "individual or one-on-one coaching".
As much as you may want to, it is pretty much impossible to give every single participant in your group coaching program the personal attention they need. But you can't in any way promise or even imply that you will tend to each individual's personal needs. Realistically, some require more attention than others. For some, group coaching is actually not the right fit, but the decision to participate in group coaching is on them. But if you have the proper scope in place and detail what is out of scope, like one-on-one coaching, then it's clear to each client what they sign up for. Ultimately, they know what they signed up for, and if it does not fit, then it's on them, not you, that it does not work out for them.
Mistake #2: Failure to set responsibilities on the client for participation
Another mistake I have seen is that the group coaching contract template does not include clear responsibilities for the client regarding the client's participation.
Even worse, I have also come across templates that include statements that the coach will endeavour to acknowledge and accommodate all participants as much as possible and try to include everyone. Of course, you are going to try to make your group coaching program suitable for everyone and give some clients some extra guidance here and there. But you should never put any sort of obligation toward the client in your contract to do so. Why?
For one, it's hard to measure how much effort you put in.
For two, as I already mentioned, some clients will need a lot of help to the detriment of your other clients.
Therefore, your group coaching contract template should:
not include any sort of implication that you will take any responsibility for the client's participation in the group,
include the schedule for the group coaching meetings and a statement that you will not cancel or reschedule any meeting because the client can't make it, and
include a disclaimer that you are not responsible for the client's outcomes, decisions, and results; only the client is responsible for that.
Mistake #3: Failure to include solicitation restrictions
Another mistake I commonly see coaches make is to not have a non-solicitation clause included in their group coaching contract template.
The coaching business is very lucrative and has exploded over the past few years. That increase in popularity has also attracted many opportunists who want to do the same thing you do or something similar.
Now, most coaches will have intellectual property provisions in their contracts, which basically state that their clients can't steal their intellectual property. Thus, the clients are prohibited from copying their strategies, methods, workbooks, graphics, etc. That is extremely important for your group coaching contract template to include.
But what if you have a (former) client who is not exactly copying your coaching strategies or your workbook? Or, at least, not that you know of because you are not signed up for their coaching program.
But you notice that some of your (former) clients are now suddenly signed up to that (former) client's (cheaper) coaching program, or maybe they call it a "consulting service". That former client of yours is perhaps not stealing your coaching strategy (which they probably are, but you can't prove), but they are stealing your clients!
Therefore, you must include in your group coaching contract template a prohibition for your clients to solicit or entice away:
other participants in your group and your other clients, customers or business relationships, and
anyone who was your client, customer or business partner 12 months prior to the termination of your contract with that client.
That way, you are protected not only from copycats but also from sly foxes stealing your business.
Mistake #4: Failure to prohibit promoting oneself to other participants
Another mistake I have seen in every simple coaching agreement template is that the contract does not include a prohibition on the clients to promote themselves or their business.
This occurs not only in group coaching programs of business coaches (where clients promote their business in the coaching meetings) but also in those of other niches.
That is not only annoying, but it also affects the credibility of your coaching program and the trust of your clients. Your clients do not want to be subjected to opportunists like that, especially when they have paid for your coaching program. It's crucial for the success of your group coaching program that every single person is genuinely there to be coached and that everyone feels safe and does not feel like they are prey to other participants looking for business.
Therefore, your group coaching contract template must include a prohibition on promotional activities, including:
verbal promotion during group coaching meetings,
written communication on any of the group platforms, like your Facebook group, and
any other means of communication facilitated by or through your group coaching program.
Mistake #5: Failure to exclude responsibilities for acts of others
Another common mistake I have seen in group coaching contracts is that they include no statements or disclaimers regarding the coach's responsibility for the acts and behaviours of other participants in the group. Or worse, the contract included an obligation on the coach that the coach will aim to stop or even prevent any participants from discriminating against, disparaging or in any way hurting the client.
Of course, you are going to do your very best to make your group coaching program a positive experience for everyone. Your group coaching contract should have all the tools you need to immediately terminate or suspend the contract and any access to any part of the group coaching program, including your Facebook group.
However, you can't control what others will do in the group. You can only respond in a way that you think is best. You should not in any way be responsible or held liable by any of your clients for the actions and behaviours of the other participants.
Thus, your group coaching contract template should include:
disclaimers stating that you are not responsible nor liable for the acts and behaviours of others, and
an indemnity that your client will hold you harmless for any damages they may incur due to the acts and behaviours of the other participants.
These were all of the most common mistakes, but of course, this is not an exhaustive list. There are also many group coaching contracts that do not include what I consider the key must-haves for your group coaching contract template.
Key must-haves for any online coaching contract template for group coaching
Want to know what the key terms you must have in your group coaching contract template? Read this blog post on the 7 Crucial Protections Every Coach Needs in a Coaching Agreement Template.
Are you using an ICF coaching contract?
The ICF coaching agreement is a free contract template made available by the International Coach Federation. But this simple coaching contract template has its limits. For one, it's only made for one-on-one coaching and does not contain clauses specific to group coaching. For two, it does not contain all the protections you need as a coach. For three, it does not contain alternative clauses that are specific to different niches.
A proper group coaching contract template should not only be tailored to group coaching (instead of one-on-one coaching) but also have the necessary wording and protections for each specific niche.
So, when using the ICF coaching contract, you must:
tailor it to your specific niche,
transform it to be suitable for group coaching, and
include all the necessary protection you need.
Want a group coaching contract template free of fluff?
Are you looking for a group coaching contract template that includes all the protections and boundaries you need to avoid the mistakes coaches commonly make?
Check out my group coaching contract template on this page of my contract shop!
With my online coaching contract template, you are assured of avoiding the common mistakes other coaches make.
My template also includes disclaimers for specific niches, such as business, health, fitness, real estate, and life coaching. No matter what niche you are in, my group coaching contract template has all the alternative clauses you need for your niche, payment preference, and situation.
Also, this template comes in the form of terms and conditions that you can easily implement in your application form.
This post was all about the major mistakes every coach must avoid in their group coaching contract template to protect their time, money, energy and sanity.
Are you considering using online coaching terms and conditions instead of an online coaching contract template your clients have to sign? Read this blog post on the 5 Reasons to Use Online Coaching Terms and Conditions Instead of a Contract.
Want to know how to implement your online coaching contract template in the form of terms and conditions? Read this blog post on the 7 Simple Steps to Implement a Coaching Terms and Conditions Template For Easy Onboarding.
Get your group coaching contract template (to avoid all the common mistakes coaches make) on this page of my contract shop!
