Discover collective coaching, which can also be called team coaching or group coaching, and which explains how the strength of the collective sublimates the sum of the individuals.
Contents
- What is group coaching?
- What are the advantages of group coaching?
- What kind of group coaching should you do depending on the team's maturity?
- When is group coaching NOT appropriate?
- Which teams should benefit from group coaching?
- What is successful team coaching?
What is group coaching?
Group coaching is a type of coaching that aims to take into account the whole group and not just the individual members of the team. It is a complex approach because it must take account of all individuals and the group as a whole. To achieve this, professional coaches work "on dynamics and relationships, encouraging team members to maximise their abilities and potential to achieve their common goals" (International Coaching Federation, ICF).
Group coaching, or team, these are 3 ways of describing the same professional support approach.
Team coaching can have an impact on 2 dimensions at the same time:
- The team's collective maturity (what happens within the group, the quality of interactions)
- The team's collective performance (easily quantifiable and comparable with other teams and entities)
To be truly effective, support for the team must continue over time and be steered by the manager/leader. Whatever the methods used, it is an ongoing process, integrated into the team and the culture of the organisation.
In short, team coaching makes it easier to alignment of organisational objectives and individual contributions. The aim is to achieve win-win development for both the company and its teams, with greater team commitment.
What are the advantages of group coaching?
Good teams don't just happen. You need good leaders, effective and committed team members, and a shared vision and inspiring goals that everyone can rally around.
Team coaching is a powerful tool for (re)creating a collective dynamic which enables teams to :
- (Re)mobilising around a new vision, values and a shared project
- Develop team cohesion and co-responsibility for successful change
- Optimising team operations and decision-making
- (Re)developing their relationships with their environment (other entities, etc.)
It's a time to reflect together and take the time to :
- Settling down and being present to yourself and others
- Meeting differently
- Nurturing a relationship of collective trust
- Take a step to the side and step back before taking action
In short, group coaching enables team members to get to know each other better and develop the quality of relationships with everyone, which strengthens team cohesion and improves the working atmosphere.
What kind of group coaching should you do depending on the team's maturity?
Every time a team is formed, it goes through several stages. At each stage, professional coaching can be relevant, depending on the pace of development. At each stage, with adapted objectives and action plans, and concrete tools.
1. Team creation stage
Context: individuals discover and project an image of themselves. They pay attention to their exchanges and carry out the manager's requests.
At this stage, team coaching is used to: help team members get to know each other; ignite the collective dynamic; facilitate individual autonomy.
2. Confrontation / negotiation stage
Context: tensions are beginning to arise. Members of the team want to assert themselves and take their place. Clans may emerge. Some may focus on their own success and harm the group.
At this stage, team coaching is used to: gain a better understanding of each person's skills and working styles to encourage collaboration and communication within the team; defuse any conflicts to cultivate calm in teamwork.
3. Team-building stage
Context: relations are deepening, constructive exchanges and compromises are now possible. How can we maintain this good communication?
At this stage, team coaching is the answer to: enhancing the team's value; nurturing collaborative relationships within the team to achieve collective success, by learning to cooperate, not just collaborate.
4. Full effectiveness stage
Context: team members respect and value each other. They get pleasure and satisfaction from working together. Everyone has their place and contributes to collective performance. How can performance be maintained over time? Do certain members have an impact on the group's ability to move forward through their resistance to change?
At this stage, team coaching serves to: maintain the team's full effectiveness by uniting around renewed objectives that are in line with the company's evolving strategic vision; identify any obstacles and resistance to the team's full success.
5. The departure of one or more employees and the re-forming of a new team
Context: during changes such as a departure, the cards are reshuffled. The team may lose some of its energy and motivation, and morale starts to drop. The team may find it difficult to make strategic or operational decisions.
At this stage, team coaching helps to: breathe new life and inspiration into the team, so that it is motivated to work together again; redefine everyone's roles and responsibilities in this new configuration.
When is group coaching NOT appropriate?
Team coaching is NOT about :
- Give the results for the year, the SMART objectives or the KPIs for next year : a facilitation is all that is needed to run this type of team meeting
- A group activity lasting a few hours: the aim is to team building
- Provide new knowledge in management or interpersonal communication: to do this, you need to training the team needs
Which teams should benefit from group coaching?
The team being coached may be a permanent or temporary group with a limited lifespan. Different types of corporate team can benefit from coaching, in particular executives and senior managers:
- Management teams, management committee
- Board of Directors
- Functional teams
- Project teams
Depending on their needs, professional coaching is useful for teams :
- under change
- newly formed or newly merged
- who urgently need to improve their efficiency
What is successful team coaching?
Successful team coaching enables a team to work together more effectively to achieve its objectives. Here are some of the key characteristics of successful team coaching:
- Successful team coaching starts with a clear definition of the team's objectives. Professional development objectives must be specific, measurable, achievable, relevant and time-bound (SMART). Coaches help the team to identify and clarify objectives to ensure that all team members adhere to the common goals, and to the resulting changes.
- Successful team coaching must include an honest and constructive assessment of the team's current situation, the ways in which it operates and the collective issues at stake, with a systemic diagnosis and the necessary tools. Team coaches must help the team to identify its strengths and weaknesses, to stimulate good team dynamics/mutual trust, a sense of belonging and effective modes of communication.
- Team coaches must help the team to draw up a concrete action plan to plan and implement actions, detailing tasks, operating rules, responsibilities and deadlines.
- Skills development can include training sessions, team-building exercises and activities to enhance collective intelligence and communication.
This type of professional coaching can include regular monitoring and evaluation of collective performance, mirroring the team diagnosis. Team coaches can help the team to measure progress against coaching objectives and identify areas for continuous improvement and new responses.
