The Coaching Question

In this episode we talk about team coaching and discuss the difference between team coaching and team facilitation. We share some stories about how team coaching can help teams be more effective. Examples that may indicate a team needs coaching include things like, a team being dysfunctional, not getting the results needed or finding that decision making is problematic.

Peter M. Senge, the author of The Fifth Discipline says “It is amazing how often you come across teams with an average intelligence of over 120, but the team at a collective intelligence of about 60.” So it’s rare that you come across a leadership team that won’t benefit from coaching.

We discuss why team coaching can be so powerful in shifting the performance of an organisation. It has been said that team coaching is the future, and we reflect on how coaching an entire leadership team – getting them really aligned around their purpose and working effectively together – can help shift an organisation more quickly than coaching individuals separately.

We touch on some of the norms that it is regularly productive to work on, such as operating rhythm, decision-making and accountability and some simple exercises that any team can adopt. We also explore how HR might identify the need for and justify the investment for team coaching.

We also look at the practicalities of team coaching. One or two coaches? Does the team coach work with the individuals in the team? Is there specific training and accreditation?

Resources:

• Information about Team Coaching - https://courageousdevelopment.co.uk/coaching/team-coaching/
• Bruce Tuckman: Model of Team Development - https://www.mindtools.com/pages/article/newLDR_86.htm
• Ruth Wageman: Senior Leadership Teams - https://www.amazon.co.uk/Senior-Leadership-Teams-Takes-Common/dp/1422103366
• Amy Edmondon: Psychological Safety - https://hbr.org/podcast/2019/01/creating-psychological-safety-in-the-workplace

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In this episode, Sarah Turner, an experienced maternity coach and diversity and inclusion expert talks about how maternity coaching works in practice and why it matters. We examine the fundamental changes that a woman experiences during this time and the value of coaching in supporting a new mother as she adjusts her motherhood mindset to the realities of working again.  This is often a time when women lose confidence, and coaching can provide a safe space for women to adjust, explore and work through this transition. 

Maternity coaching is a valuable retention tool for any organisation that cares about having an inclusive work culture that enables diversity to really, truly thrive.

Resources:

• Research by Talking Talent - https://www.talking-talent.com/en/working-parents
• Information about Maternity Coaching - https://bloompeople.co.uk/coaching-programmes/maternity-coaching-for-organisations/

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In this episode we talk about how coaching can help career and talent development. We discuss the transitions that people make within organisations, whether that is the first step up to management or taking over leadership of a whole function or business unit. So often talent decisions are made on the basis of knowledge, skills and experience. In our experience, utilising the Leadership Pipeline model to inform these decisions can be transformative as it asks us to consider the shift that is required of that individual in terms of values, identity and time in addition to knowledge, skills and experience.

The Leadership Pipeline is seen as one of the most influential leadership models. Built around the common leadership ‘passages’ all leaders go through, it helps nurture leadership through a six-step leadership pipeline model.

We explore how this model can provide a shared language for HR and Executive coaches when defining the transition that individuals need to make. As coaches we are often asked to support a client as they step up to take on management responsibility, lead a bigger team/function and the leadership pipeline offers a useful framework for examining the shift that is required across values, time application and skills.

Oftentimes managers and leaders are put on a training programme to help them acquire the leadership skills required, but a training programme cannot help a leader work through the shifts in work values and identity and time management that is required as they transition into a different role.

So many organisations want to develop their own talent internally rather than needing to recruit externally, and they may have an established talent management and succession programme to support this. Join us as we share stories and examples of how the Leadership Pipeline can provide a simple, but effective perspective on talent development.

Resources:

• The One Minutes Manager Meets the Monkey - shorturl.at/iAKMY
• Managing Transitions - shorturl.at/xGPS6

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In this episode, we reflect on what we believe are the important things to consider when choosing an executive coach, and we dig a little deeper into what we feel really matters when selecting a coach to work with.

We identify five different criteria which, in our experience, are the things that any experienced coach would be able to demonstrate to a potential client.

Part of our conversation is sharing examples of how we co-create coaching conversations with our clients, check in with different stakeholders to ensure we are all aligned around the goals for the coaching and keeping HR connected with the process when working with organisations. Join us as we guide you through the process of finding a great coach to work with.

Resources:

• Coaching Container - https://www.3dcoaching.com/blog/tag/coaching-container/

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