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Team Coaching Model™ July 2017

Team Coaching Model™

1. Introduction

This paper introduces the TOWARD Team Coaching Model which has been developed through a process of research, experience and review of practice with senior teams across a range of industries and sectors around the globe since 2006.

Team Coaching Model™

2. Background

2.1 TOWARD TOWARD has been working with senior teams from a range of industries around the world for more than ten years. Many of these teams are Executive or Executive Minus One level, with wide ranging financial, strategic and people responsibilities. They are often leading through continuous change, uncertainty and ambiguity. All our work with senior teams is bespoke and based upon a robust diagnostic process that generates timely and relevant data. It is upon this data that we design and deliver a staged process over a period of time. We are not prescriptive in our responses; we don’t believe there is a single ‘answer’. The TOWARD Team Coaching Model is grounded in our own experience, organisational expertise and relevant contemporary literature around team development. 2.2 The Team Development Landscape Senior teams often spend most of their time together creating and implementing strategy. Time together is absorbed with transactional detail and decisions, and as a result, attention to team dynamics and relationships can be neglected. The impact of this is that team effectiveness can be reduced as a result of not paying attention to these relational aspects of team performance. Traditional team development is defined as ‘interventions or activities that aim to help individuals with varied strengths, roles and responsibilities, develop in to an effective and efficient working unit.’ (Prabhakar, 2008). In academic literature and organisational training resources, much has been written about approaches to team development and how to build effective teams. Approaches are extremely varied (Klein et al 2009) and differ significantly depending on the context in which they are deployed. This can range from outdoor team-building activities to social team-bonding events. In our experience, the impact of some of these interventions on long-term team performance can be limited.

Team Coaching Model™

Models for Benchmarking There are a number of well-known models used as a basis for team development and effectiveness interventions. In addition, personality testing tools have been regularly used to develop self-awareness in individuals in a team setting to improve overall team performance. For example, Belbin (1981) identified a series of nine behaviours people display in work environments and developed nine accompanying team roles which, when all present, are associated with high performing teams. The importance of developing balanced teams where all required roles are fulfilled has been highlighted in a number of studies after Belbin’s original hypothesis (Aritzeta et al, 2005), and this type of research and its accompanying resources has been used regularly by a range of by organisations to help improve team performance. Another classic model is Tuckman’s (1977) model of group development which suggests that teams move through four stages: Forming, Storming, Norming, Performing. The Myers Briggs Type Indicator (MBTI), along with other forms of personality testing (e.g. DISC, Insights), is a popular tool in team development. These tools are regularly used to help individual team members develop self-awareness and awareness of other team members to improve interpersonal relationships and performance. Another useful model is Patrick Lencioni’s ‘The five dysfunctions of a team’ (2002), which identifies core reasons as to why teams do or don’t perform well, and provides accompanying resources for team development activities. Lencioni’s five dysfunctions are:

1. Absence of trust 2. Fear of conflict 3. Lack of commitment 4. Avoidance of accountability 5. Inattention to results.

Team Coaching Model™

Google’s research on effective teams, Project Aristotle (2012) identified the core components of high performing teams within the organisation as:

1. Psychological safety: Can risks be taken without insecurity or embarrassment? 2. Dependability: Can members rely on each other to deliver a high quality of work

on time? 3. Structure and clarity: Are objectives, individual roles, and strategy for

execution clear? 4. Meaning of work: Are members engaged in work which is personally important

to each of them? 5. Impact of work: Do members fundamentally believe that what they are

doing matters?

However, our review and experience has found that the mix of skills and personality traits are less important than how members engage with each other, organise their workload and how they see their own contributions. This being the case, we believe that traditional models and approaches to team development in isolation will not bring the best out of teams. A more flexible and integrative approach is required. 2.3 Team Coaching

An alternative to the use of traditional team development approaches is the adoption of a team coaching methodology. While there is no one standardised definition of the term (Hicks, 2010), David Clutterbuck (2009) defines team coaching as ‘the use of reflection and dialogue to help a team improve their performance, and to help improve the processes by which this performance is achieved’. Team coaching differs significantly from standard approaches to team development by focusing on improving relationships and quality of thinking and dialogue in teams. This impacts all areas of a team’s performance. Team coaching models and approaches are generally much broader and longer term than traditional approaches to team development.

Team Coaching Model™

Team Coaching Approaches While there is a range of approaches to Team Coaching used in organisations, some specific models are worth referencing. Peter Hawkins (2014) argues that what organisations need most is what he refers to as Systemic Team Coaching, which he defines as follows: ‘A process by which a team coach works with a whole team, both when they are together and when they are apart, in order to help them improve both their collective performance and how they work together, and also how they develop their collective leadership to more effectively engage with all their key stakeholder groups to jointly transform the wider business.’ Systemic Team Coaching (AOEC, 2014) helps teams to reevaluate and improve how they relate to the full scope of their business environment, prioritising relationships and interactions with external stakeholders just as much as internal team functions. Hawkins highlights five disciplines of team effectiveness (Clarifying, Commissioning, Co-Creating, Connecting and Core Learning) and argues that if a systemic approach is to be successful, teams must be coached in each individual discipline and also on how the disciplines connect and interrelate (see diagram overleaf).

Team Coaching Model™

Bath Consultancy Group, 2017

Peters and Carr (2013) recommend a similar model, which they refer to as High Performance Team Coaching (HPTC). Similar to the Hawkins model, it advocates a whole system approach to team coaching and provides clear steps and strategies to coach teams through their entire life cycle. The model also retains some flexibility to ensure the needs of individual teams are met and this is important to note given the variety of contexts in which team development activities will take place. HPTC aims to maximise the resources and abilities that exist within teams to help them realise and even exceed the objectives and goals of an organisation.

Team Coaching Model™

2.4 Effective Team Coaching The particular model or approach to team coaching used is of course an important factor in ensuring success, but there are also a number of general principles identified in the literature (e.g. Hackman and Wageman, 2005; Hawkins 2014) which are important when planning and developing effective team coaching interventions. We can summarise these as:

1. Ensuring a clear purpose for the coaching. Team coaching may address issues around motivation, performance, and skills or knowledge to achieve maximum benefits. Interventions should also be broad enough to encompass organisational context and all relevant stakeholders.

2. Timing. When designing a coaching process, the coach should be cognisant of where the team is at regarding its development, and the current context in which it operates.

3. Nature of Task. Coaching interventions should be focused primarily on improving the processes that will lead to successful completion of tasks.

4. Structure of Team. If teams are poorly structured and lack support, team coaching will likely have limited success.

Team Coaching Model™

2.5 Impact of Team Coaching Team coaching has been shown to have positive effects in organisations, facilitating greater efforts from individuals and an improvement in skills and knowledge, which in turn improve the effectiveness of the team they are part of (Liu et al, 2009). A 2008 study (by Wageman et al) also identified that the highest performing teams experienced much more coaching from team leaders and team members than poorly performing teams in the same organisations and contexts. Where performance is concerned, team coaching transcends the traditional approach of focusing primarily on individual performance management, encouraging a greater sense of understanding in teams of the challenges each member is facing. If there is a shortfall in performance, team coaching interventions can help teams to think and reflect on their current approach and allow the discussion and debate necessary to develop innovative solutions to problems and improve performance. In addition, team coaching can help develop social, intellectual and emotional dialogue between members, which improves the quality of communication and helps build rapport (Clutterbuck, 2009). However, despite this, Hackman and Wageman (2005) noted that team coaching is not usually a priority of team leaders or members. Large consulting firms have also been slow on the uptake in terms of design and development of team coaching models (Sherpa Report, 2012). As a result the full impact of this approach to team building and team effectiveness is by no means fully realised. While the models and studies referenced in this paper are helpful for context, there are relatively few studies available in the literature that provide empirical evidence of the successes and benefits of team coaching (Hicks, 2010). In response to this, in 2016 we carried out an analysis of 26 senior team coaching assignments. This research identified four key outcomes from our team coaching interventions, which we have termed:

• Relational Flow • Purposeful Clarity • Breathing Space • Depth of Commitment

Team Coaching Model™

3. TOWARD Team Coaching Model™ We use a coaching methodology that moves away from an intellectual discussion about the strategic direction and operational plan of the team and towards a knowledge-based, experiential process that allows the team to talk openly about the things they need as members of the team. We use our experience and skills as coaches to challenge the confluence that may exist in the team and support each individual to strengthen their adult state. When a team works with us, they will experience stimulation, laughter, challenge and insight. There will be moments of impatience and frustration followed by movement, clarity and progress.

Team Coaching Model™

In our experience, senior teams are requesting processes that address certain needs that they are struggling with. This model is a response to the needs that we have encountered both in the diagnostic phases of the work and whilst in the room with senior teams. At a high level, what we have noticed is that relationships that are generally of a lower quality than hoped for, often don’t have enough time/space to discuss and prepare for the important things, they often lack clarity about purpose, plan and roles and all this can impact negatively upon execution. Therefore, we build our work on four important cornerstones:

• Relational Flow • Breathing Space • Purposeful Clarity • Depth of Commitment

Team Coaching Model™

3.1 Relational Flow

The success of a team rises and falls on the quality of the relationships. If the relationships don’t function and flow effectively, the team’s ability to perform will become impaired. Relationships in teams are often of a poor quality. For a variety of reasons, people get hurt, become angry and frustrated, withdraw and become passive, externalise blame and seek to disrupt. They pull back, construct unhelpful ‘fantasies’ and rationalise their reasons to remain disengaged. Many of these people are highly intelligent, well-paid, experienced leaders. In our team coaching model, we elevate relationships as the most important priority to be addressed in any senior team. We create methods and approaches that enable team members to reflect upon the quality of their relationships and take action to improve relationship flow. We believe that there are four aspects of relational flow (ECOS):

1. Emotional capacity (how much space is there in the relationship for a range of emotions to be displayed? Are difference, disagreement and difficulty ok and managed well?)

2. Clear exchanges (requests & offers, seeking clarity, negotiating, contracting, feeding back, reviewing, learning, etc.)

3. Openness to feedback (giving and receiving.) 4. Strengthen the Adult (Assuming equality, ownership, managing self

(your own support), ‘I want’, ‘I feel’, ‘I need’, etc.)

Team Coaching Model™

3.2 Breathing Space

One of the words that most often occurs in our diagnostic process is ‘time’. The majority of senior teams we work with observe that they don’t have enough time and yearn for more of it with the assumption that it’s out of their gift. Without adequate time, priorities are unclear, purpose is forgotten, decisions are short-term, strategic issues are overlooked, opportunities are bypassed, etc. Time is one of the most important resources that a team needs. It’s the oxygen that sustains life and the central nervous system of the team. However, the request for time isn’t just about creating space for yet more transactional exchanges; it is also about wellbeing. Many teams we work with talk about the high levels of exhaustion, fatigue, stress and the impact this is having upon the relationships and their engagement. Breathing Space is also about making sure that everyone is healthy and energised and has the resources/support they need to cope with the demands and get the job done. When we work with a senior team, we demand time. We hold the team to account in relation to their commitment to each other and their purpose, therefore, we have meals together, we set aside the phones, we ‘check-in’ with each other, we slow things down. We create space to breath. 3.3 Purposeful Clarity

Many senior teams have a lack of clarity about their purpose, plan and roles. Often, the leader feels exhausted by repeating what he/she feels is a crystal clear plan for the team and despite this effort, some team members remain unclear. Often the lack of clarity that exists with some team members is a coded way of them communicating that they don’t have buy-in. Maybe they have not been consulted about the plan, and because they haven’t been involved in it’s creation, they feel it is out of touch. It is important that the personal values of team members are aligned to the team purpose. We want to support senior teams to have clarity that is in touch and within reach. We want them to collectively discuss and understand their purpose, to translate this into a simple and articulate plan and to know who is responsible for the delivery of various aspects of the plan.

Team Coaching Model™

3.4 Depth of Commitment

Once relationships are functioning well and in flow, the team has regular breathing space, and there is clarity about the purpose, plan and roles, it is our experience that the execution will be more precise, targeted and effective. This is the result of a deeper level of commitment to each other, their team purpose, and the energy required to deliver on this. During our work, we create regular time for each team member to reflect upon the process and discover tangible actions that they can quickly apply. Our role is to build individual and collective commitment and accountability to execute on actions agreed through the team coaching process. We challenge team members to consider their level of commitment to action and how they will hold each other to account on an ongoing basis. TOWARD applies this model uniquely to every senior team we coach. We are committed to releasing the brilliance of every team.

Team Coaching Model™

APPENDIX Possible Exercises/Processes (Relational Flow)

• Small group and large group feedback exercises (breaking confluence) • Relational matrix and 1:1 conversations • R&O’s • Psychological contract • Drama Triangle • State management • Constellations • Strengths assessment

Possible Exercise/Processes (Breathing Space)

• Check-in and Check-out • Reflection pre and post exercises • White space in templates • Dinners, reasonable breaks, long(ish) lunches • 8.30am start time at earliest • Control the controllables • Review of operating rhythm

Possible Exercises/Processes (Purposeful Clarity)

• Diagnostic work (asking about clarity in advance) • Constellations (about roles) • Imaginary on-boarding of new staff • Purpose workshop • Team strengths, resources and challenges assessment

Team Coaching Model™

Possible Exercises/Processes (Depth of Commitment)

• Action focused (opportunities to reflect in packs/processes) • Future focused (time line work) • Systemic data (asking stakeholders about team delivery) • Business application • Alignment with company strategy and language • Clear contracts • Operating rhythm • Agreed ways of working

Team Coaching Model™

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