Teams consist of people; people who in turn all have their own frames of reference, no matter how similar their backgrounds. Coaching needs to bear this in mind first and foremost. A 'one size fits all’ approach is a great way of alienating the group at the project start line.

At the Cape Leadership Centre, we believe – and know from experience – that a coach can help teams jell more quickly, objectively identify obstacles to performance, and exceed company expectations.

Team coaching actually requires team membership. The coach first needs to be accepted through earned respect and walking the talk. There are no short cuts when it comes to winning the attention of a team; the hard yards involve involvement, visibility and contribution.

There are similarities between corporate team coaching and sports team coaching; team members are looking to be inspired and heard, they want to express themselves and show off their talent. They need leaders and coaches. A leader to lead the way and share the vision, and a coach to be the glue that facilitates core disciplines, helps each individual unlock their potential, and celebrates the team’s successes! 

As with sports coaching, it is often difficult for a team leader to take on both positions. The leadership role requires a level of detachment and expectation while also involving a host of responsibilities at other levels in the organisation. The coach role requires an individual approach where performance - initially - takes second place; it requires taking the time to help each individual understand the role they play, finding the perfect position for each player, and moulding the team such that they ultimately become a high-performance team and exceed expectations.

Team coaching differentiates from performance coaching in the following ways:

• Team coaching focuses on the “soft skills” that impede performance rather than on processes and systems.
• Team coaching consists of regularly scheduled coaching sessions whereas performance coaching often requires a dedicated on-site resource.
• The team coaching process is often accomplished in a shorter timeframe and interventions are client-driven.

When embarking on a team coaching process, we use Insights Discovery to gain insight into the personal preferences, management styles, learning preferences and/or sales effectiveness of the individuals within the team.