Section 3 – Session Preparation

Facilitation Tips for Virtual Groups

1. Set-Up

Zoom settings: Familiarize yourself with your Zoom settings (waiting room admit button, interaction buttons, chat box, camera, on/off mute, sound, and monitor share).

Lighting: Ensure that light comes from the front, whether natural light, a ring light, or video/studio lights. It is essential that your face can be seen. Do a couple of test runs.

Background: Use a non-distracting backdrop that creates an atmosphere of professionalism. Always remember the purpose of the meeting.

2. Time Management

Honor your clients’ time; be on time! Press the record button to open the waiting room at least 5 minutes before the meeting. Encourage your participants to be on time and give them some buffer time in case of technical difficulties.

3. Create a routine for your meetings

The meeting routine will be the same throughout all meetings. You can see it in the following chapters.

4. Appearance

Positioning: It’s time to shine! Be aware of your head positioning. Your camera should be at eyebrow level to avoid a view into your nostrils. Sit up and maintain the posture of an Elite Coach Professional. Your clients will follow your lead.

Outfit: How you do one thing is how you do everything. When meeting people online, you want to give them the impression that you care and are your priority and give them undivided attention. Dress accordingly, from top to bottom!

Distractions: Make sure all distractions are taken care of. This is the time your client is paying for your valuable presence! Prepare 10 to 15 minutes before the meeting to focus on changing lives. If you have a day where it seems too “hard” to focus on your client’s needs, have a mirror in front of you to regain focus and be aware of how you mirror your client. It can also help to hold an item with a different textured surface in your hand to bring your focus back.

5. Be prepared

Have your Group Coaching Questions handy and a notebook for extra notes and questions. Keeping a coaching journal will help you improve your performance.

6. Smile!

Weight Progress & Standings

The cast will Marco Polo their weight on Monday morning before 10 a.m. Once they weigh in, you will put their weight into an Excel spreadsheet to get their Weight Standings to see who has lost the most so far.

The standings are not based on weight; they are based on percentage.

To get the individual standing, you take how much they have lost divided by their starting weight.

Standing Weight Formula:

Divide the amount of lb lost by starting weight and multiply it by 100.

Example: Starting Weight: 200lb

Weight Lost: 5lb

5lb (lb lost) divided 200 (starting weight) = 0,025 0,025 x 100 = 2,5%