Why Team Coaching is Important for Organizational Success | College of Executive Coaching
Coaching Article

Why Team Coaching is Important for Organizational Success

October 23, 2024
By Jeffrey E. Auerbach, Ph.D., MCC, NBC-HWC

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Why Team Coaching is Important for Organizational Success

Teams are widely known as the engines that drive organizational success. However, the dynamics within a team can often make or break its effectiveness. That's where team coaching comes in—a targeted approach that enhances communication, collaboration, and productivity by focusing on team dynamics. Here, we'll explore why team coaching is not just a benefit but is increasingly considered necessary for organizations striving for excellence.

Enhanced Communication

Effective communication is the cornerstone of any successful team. Yet, many organizations struggle with communication breakdowns that lead to misunderstandings, delays, and conflicts. Research from Gallup underscores the importance of communication in the workplace: companies with well-implemented communication strategies outperform others by 147% in earnings per share. One of the benefits of team coaching is that it generally focuses on building constructive, open lines of communication, ensuring that all members can express themselves effectively and understand others. This clarity leads to better decision-making and more cohesive teamwork.

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Improved Collaboration and Conflict Management

Conflict is common in any team setting, especially when dealing with diverse personalities and viewpoints. A Center for Creative Leadership (CCL) study found that teams aided by trained professional coaches are better equipped to navigate conflict constructively. Team coaching creates a safe environment for open dialogue, helping members understand different perspectives and manage disagreements productively. Rather than avoiding or escalating conflicts, coached teams develop the skills needed to resolve them collaboratively.

Increased Accountability

Accountability is essential in high-performing teams. However, it can be challenging to establish without a clear understanding of roles and responsibilities. Research from the International Coaching Federation (ICF) highlights that team coaching often helps by clarifying each member's role, fostering a culture of accountability. When team members have a shared understanding of expectations, they are more likely to hold themselves and each other accountable for their contributions to the team's success.

Greater Innovation and Creativity

Innovation thrives in environments where creativity is encouraged and valued. However, many teams struggle to demonstrate their creative potential due to rigid structures and unspoken norms. Team coaching nurtures a culture of innovation by encouraging creative thinking and risk-taking. According to a study published in the Harvard Business Review, teams that collaborate effectively produce better outcomes, showing how team coaching helps establish the psychological safety needed for innovative thinking.

Stronger Team Cohesion and Trust

Building trust is critical for team success, and team coaching directly addresses this challenge. A cohesive team is likelier to share information, support each other, and work towards common goals. Research by Harvard Business Review Press shows high-trust teams are more engaged and perform better. Coaching sessions that help members build trust and understanding, as well as shared experiences, help create a solid foundation for team cohesion.

Leadership Development

Effective leadership is key to a team's long-term success. Team coaching often supports leaders in developing skills vital for managing diverse teams. A key benefit of team coaching is that the leaders participating can observe tools to better manage team dynamics, contributing to a collaborative culture. Leaders often improve their leadership techniques because of team coaching and learn to guide their teams more effectively, leading to better overall performance.


Case Example

Coaching a Start-Up Tech Team to Success

Here is a case example from one of our coaches whose names were changed for privacy.

A fast-growing tech start-up, InnoFlow, was facing increasing challenges as it rapidly expanded. The company's project team, composed of software developers, designers, and a project manager, struggled with internal conflicts, communication breakdowns, and a lack of unified direction. Deadlines were slipping, and tensions were rising. Team members had divergent communication styles, causing clashes that impacted team morale. Developers leaned towards structured, data-driven communication, while designers preferred open-ended brainstorming sessions. These differences often resulted in frustration, and sometimes heated debates, causing delays in decision-making and eroding trust.

Lisa, the Director of Product Development, recognized the situation's urgency. With a couple key product launches on the horizon, she knew that the team had to come together quickly to meet the company's ambitious goals. After a particularly contentious meeting where team members disagreed about project priorities, Lisa decided to seek external help. She reached out to our organization for team coaching services to realign the team and establish a more cohesive and productive working environment.

The Approach

To start, the team coach conducted individual and team assessments using the Myers-Briggs Type Indicator (MBTI) Step II. This comprehensive tool not only identified each member's MBTI type but also delved deeper into their specific communication and decision-making styles. For example, some team members were identified as needing detailed project timelines, while others preferred flexibility and creative autonomy. This insight allowed the team to appreciate the diversity of thought within their group.

The process involved a mix of brief educational workshops and team coaching sessions, emphasizing team-building and effective communication. A key component of the intervention was creating a team charter—a guiding document that the entire team contributed to. This charter outlined their shared vision, the values they agreed upon (such as transparency, respect, and flexibility), and a structured plan for handling conflicts. During the coaching, the team developed specific norms, such as setting aside dedicated time for structured brainstorming and having a cooling-off period when disagreements arose. They also established a plan to acknowledge and address tensions that arose.

One approach used in some of the team coaching sessions was for the coach to facilitate the team practicing constructively giving and receiving feedback using scenarios from their recent projects. Lisa played a pivotal role in these sessions, demonstrating a commitment to transparent leadership by sharing her challenges in managing the diverse team.

Outcomes within Nine Months

  • Improved Project Completion Time
    Within nine months, the team showed a 30% improvement in project delivery, consistently hitting deadlines. The clarity around roles and communication styles minimized delays and kept projects on track.
  • Reduction in Damaging Internal Conflicts
    Understanding each other's communication preferences significantly decreased escalated conflicts. The team reported that they could now discuss disagreements without becoming personal or unmanageable. The conflict resolution process outlined in the team charter became a regular part of their meetings, allowing the team to move forward with greater agility.
  • Greater Employee Satisfaction
    Employee satisfaction scores, collected via internal surveys, rose by 40%. The coaching experience led team members to feel more respected and heard, improving morale. Many cited establishing a shared vision and clearer communication as key reasons for their increased motivation. Lisa, in particular, noted that the team seemed “energized and aligned” in a way she had not seen before.
Through targeted coaching, InnoFlow's project team transformed from a group struggling with conflicting approaches into a high-performing, united team ready to tackle ambitious goals. Lisa continued to use the tools learned in coaching to facilitate ongoing development, ensuring the team's growth and alignment with the company's expanding mission.

Conclusion

Team coaching is a powerful tool for any organization that aims to improve communication, resolve conflicts, enhance accountability, and develop leadership. By investing in team coaching, a more collaborative culture that drives productivity, innovation, and employee satisfaction, can be fostered. If your organization faces similar challenges, or if you want to become a team coach yourself, consider exploring how team coaching can help you build stronger, more cohesive teams.

Reach out for a consultation to discover how team coaching certification training or team coaching services can benefit your needs.


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References

  • Center for Creative Leadership (CCL). (2018). Navigating the top 5 team challenges. CCL. Retrieved from https://www.ccl.org
  • Cross, R., Rebele, R., & Grant, A. (2016). Collaborative overload. Harvard Business Review. Retrieved from https://hbr.org/2016/01/collaborative-overload
  • International Coaching Federation (ICF). (2020). 2020 ICF global coaching study. ICF. Retrieved from https://coachingfederation.org/research/global-coaching-study
  • Gallup. (2013). The state of the American workplace: Employee engagement insights for U.S. business leaders. Gallup, Inc. Retrieved from https://www.gallup.com/services/176708/state-american-workplace.aspx
  • Harvard Business Review Press. (2018). Building a high-performance team. Harvard Business Review Press.

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