Team coaching works for any kind of team in an organisation, from hospitality and housekeeping to banking and law firms, and can benefit everyone throughout the company. The most important asset in any business is the people, and that means at all levels. Every person in a company has a role and needs to be looked after, listened to and respected.
Teams don’t always function well together. Businesses are formed of a mix of people who are very different in personality, strengths and ability, and might not always reach their potential as a team. Team coaching can help address individual insecurities and help establish where each person fits in the team. Communication is key in teams, and vital for every business. Team coaching can aid with this as well as reducing the risk of mis-communication.
Having an environment where everyone can get together and talk, without judgement, is enormously beneficial. Providing a safe place where people feel able to speak their minds can’t be underestimated. Talking is also a direct method of communication with little room for misunderstanding, as can be found in written comms. It also allows people to have the opportunity to focus on growing and developing as a team, working creatively together, assisting team cohesiveness and ultimately aiding productivity.

Individual coaching has been around for some time and team coaching is now gaining traction. During lockdown and since the arrival of hybrid working, it has been increasingly important to focus on teams. How do they feel as individuals and as a team? Team members often work in isolation even if they’re in the same office, but the hybrid situation has removed the ability to chat and ask quick questions. This can lead to greater feelings of isolation. Team coaching can help establish some boundaries and routines to improve inclusivity. And once established as a ‘safe’ environment, if some don’t want to talk in the group sessions, they can speak to the coach outside the group or at a different time.
When individuals feel comfortable within their teams, social events can really add to the mutual feelings of respect and add a new layer of understanding. We all tend to behave differently away from work which can help build new bonds.

Team coaching revolves around the three principles of awareness, communication and evolvement. Once the awareness of the team is established - its dynamics and potential - then it becomes possible to open new channels of communication, eventually leading to evolvement of the team and positive results.
Team coaching can work by itself or alongside individual coaching. Where individual coaching focuses on specific problems and overcoming them, leading to improved confidence at work, team coaching brings those individuals together to form a great team with improved effectiveness and new found mutual respect. It gives them the chance to pinpoint and work through any problems they are facing as a team. It also allows everyone a greater understanding of what each other does, leading to an increased chance of work being covered during absence.
There’s no guarantee that teams will work well. Not all the team members know how to collaborate or communicate effectively. The rate of change within companies is now faster than ever and it follows that team dynamics are constantly shifting. If a team isn’t functioning to capacity – or anywhere near capacity – then there is a tendency to pinpoint individual members and replace them. Not only does this keep resetting the team dynamics, but it doesn’t solve the main issue, which is more likely to be that the team doesn’t know how to work together.
Team coaching is most valuable when delivered in a planned and measured way, with accountability. We’ve all been on training days where everything you learn is forgotten almost instantly and rarely put to use. But if team coaching results in useful and actionable steps that are then followed up with check in sessions, the results are much more likely to be effective. With everyone’s input, new actions can be highlighted and if accountability is a factor, they are more likely to become new practices.

The first step is for the managers to buy in to coaching of any kind. If they have had coaching themselves, they are more likely to know the benefits. Most companies are keen to invest in their people and team coaching is the perfect way to do this. It shows how much staff are valued and in turn results in greater loyalty as well as productivity.
It’s so important for businesses and managers to be able to look at the bigger picture, in terms of productivity and staff satisfaction. I can help with any questions you might have about team coaching as well as showing how I can assist your teams. Please contact me with any questions about team coaching or any other business coaching matters.