As Humans, we are social beings that need to communicate. Our minds and ideas are the construct of inputs deriving from various interactions. Connecting with others provides us with diversity and enriches our experiences, becoming a catalyst for growth.

How does this manifest in the work environment ? 

More and more corporations are realizing the importance of highly connected teams and collaboration, prompting a desire to switch from an IQ and EQ focused environment to a WeQ mentality. However, to do so, they might require the help of specialized coaches.

What is Team Coaching?

According to the Holmes report, poor communication has caused over $37 billion in profit losses, while communication barriers can cost, to the average organization, up to $62.4 million per year in lost productivity. 

Team Coaching helps prevent such issues. 

In practice, Team Coaching educates participants on how to perceive and understand what others  are thinking and doing. It helps establish a more natural and open communication flow, increasing trust levels and enabling them to become more connected and inspired. This, in turns, improves the performance and atmosphere of the Team, thus bringing high value to the organization.

The Coach is   supporting the Team through this transformation. Nevertheless, they will need to take a slightly different path from normal coaching.

Coaching vs Team Coaching

There are many aspects of Coaching that can be directly transferred to Team Coaching. However, there are also significant differences:

• Team vs Individual. In Team Coaching, the objective of the Coach is to facilitate learning for the Team as a whole: you will need to consider them as an interconnected organism rather than a selection of individuals. This also translates in having to adapt coaching techniques to work in a group setting, especially from the point of view of the time required.
• Power Balance. One important aspect of Team Coaching is understanding the Team dynamic. Who invited you as a Coach? Are they present? Who are the stakeholders? How can you create a safe and open environment for all participants? You may need to adapt your approach based on these questions.
• Adaptability. No Team Coaching session will ever resemble another. The dynamics of a Team, its peculiar situation and specific needs will often require you to be reactive and find solutions that are not only timely but creative as well. 
• Neutrality is key. As a Team Coach, you will find yourself having to cover many different roles during your sessions. You may need to be a facilitator or moderator of discussions, as well as a reconciliator in grave cases. What will be of the utmost importance is for you to remain neutral, so as to create the perfect environment for your audience to express themselves.

How to level up and become a Team Coach?

You can become a certified Team Coach by undertaking an ICF’s credited Coaching class, such as Erickson International’s High Performance Team Coaching.

This course examines and defines the structure and principles of innovation within the team dynamic resulting in clear, consistent, and measurable outcomes. It also explores how to encourage team members to shift out of their competitiveness to truly acknowledge, trust and stand for each other.

It does so with an experiential approach, providing aspiring Team Coaches not only with a variety of tools but also with the chance to experience first hand the different techniques in play, to really understand the why and how of the process. 

If you would like to learn more, you can check our High Performance Team Coaching Course starting on June 15th, 2021. The training will take place online and will be led, in English, by Dr. Zerrin Baser, MCC.