So, you want to start a group at CTC.  Review the following questions to see if this group fits into the CTC community:

What is your passion?

What type of format do you envision this group?
What is the topic, purpose, focus?

Does it fit CTC core values?
What quadrant does this fall under?

• Communal – having fun together
  life story group, self awareness, games/trivia night
• Contemplative – introspective
  centering prayer, meditation
• Learning – educational
  enneagram, weekly messages, what are you thinking
• Serving – in service to others
  ONEWake, community service, community care

Do you want to lead this group?
Groups need someone in charge, someone who handles stuff that comes up, etc. We have training for leading a group.
Note: our people HATE telling people what to do.

Who do you think will be interested?
See module one for how to gauge interest using the tools. But really: personal invitations. You can’t always count on tools to get the job done.

What kind of timeline or schedule do you foresee?
Weekly/monthly; one month or more

What kind of logistics are needed?
Location, online/in-person/hybrid, childcare

Open versus closed enrollment?
Can people join late and or leave early, come and go, etc.

Is there going to be a cost to members?
Example: Are you meeting at a restaurant or is food required, etc.

→ Rethinking Our Story
→ How We Talk to Our Kids About ...

Handling Dominating Talkers
See Doug’s tips (video/document) for how to handle dominating talkers during a group meeting.

Address the elephant in the room before the group even happens/starts and get it out on the table. “It’s sometimes a part of group dynamics that this happens. As the leader, you may see me step in occasionally and … (deal with, handle, etc.) this issue. I want to be open and upfront about this as we begin.”

Don’t be afraid to interrupt them if you can find a suitable pause, and say “Thank you for your thoughts, does anyone else have some thoughts on this topic?” Don’t be afraid as a leader to invite other people into the conversation.

If you have set up the expectations for the whole group, you will have said, it’s the aim of the group to have everyone’s voice heard. So do a personal check-in on yourself about your own participation level, if you know you tend to be a dominant talker or a non-talker. Good self-awareness practice!

We have found using a cue of sorts can help in the early meetings of an ongoing group… nothing so harsh as Doug’s bell(!), but a timer with a singing bowl sound or something can be set in circumstances where you want to be sure everyone gets equal time. Start out doing this the first few meetings, and then the group will be trained to keep their thoughts succinct.

Handling Non-talkers
Doug shares tips on how to help your reserved or introverted group members feel more comfortable opening up.

Leader to non-talker: “What are your thoughts on this {insert name}?” or the classic, “What do you think {insert name}.”

The leader needs to watch for opportunities to look for these non-talkers. Don’t ever assume a non-talker doesn’t have something to share, they usually always do!

At the beginniong, let people know they have the option to pass, so if a non-talker is feeling particularly vulnerable if you ask them that question, they can, without guilt, pass, or say, “I’d like to just keep listening.”

“Would you like to share your thoughts on this?” or “Interested in letting us know what you’re thinking?” These phrasings have the answer “no thanks” built in as an option.

Handling Overshares and Bombastic Reveals
Doug shares how to handle a situation in which a group member over-shares or has a bombastic reveal.

Handling Emotions and Conflict Resolution
Doug shares how to handle emotional issues and conflict when it arises.