What is Team Coaching ?
Teams are the vehicles that carry an organisation's businesses on the ground. An organisation's ability to deliver value depends on the effectiveness of teams. Many factors contribute to team effectiveness, but the crucial aspects are psychological safety, dependability, structure and clarity, purpose and impact. Furthermore, For a team to be effective, it must navigate the organisation's complexities. Many modalities like training, consulting or mentoring may help teams perform highly, but team coaching goes deeper than other modalities.
The core of Team Coaching is to explore the dynamics of groups, sub-groups and the personalities of individuals that contribute to the team's effectiveness. Unlike individual coaching, the focus is on the team.
Team coaching involves working with teams to develop their capabilities and attitudes to achieve their goals. Some common focus areas include goal setting, building trust, promoting mutual accountability, fostering a culture of continuous learning, and developing a culture of innovation.
In our experience, Agile Team coaches use a variety of tools like Team Assessments (Comparative Agility), Communication Style assessment tools (DiSC), Coaching Models(GROW), Facilitation tools (Liberating Structures) etc. While the modalities are different, the aim is to help teams become self-sufficient. Partly, these tools help to enhance transparency and help in team-building processes. In contrast, team coaching rests on the premise that team coaches' effectiveness is high when the coaches remain objective and aware of team dynamics and patterns.
According to a survey by the International Coach Federation (ICF), 41% of respondents reported that team coaching is the fastest-growing niche.
"United we Conquer, divided we fall" - this phrase highlights the importance of teamwork and unity while emphasising the consequences of not working together effectively. It also highlights that success is not just about individual effort but also about working together as a team towards a shared objective.
Many coaches have the same question: ‘As a team coach, where do I start? I have to focus on several areas and ensure that it is a simple-to-follow approach for my clients (internal or external). Are there any guidelines?’
