Four Critical Success Factors for Team Coaching

This fall I was asked by participants at the Team and Group Coaching Intensive what were the critical

success factors for team coaching engagements. Given that team coaching engagements are often longer in length with more touchpoints and time involved, it is critical that we get things right.

A critical success factor is something that is essential for success. That's a pretty strong statement, and after dozens of team coaching engagements, I shared the following four as critical success factors for the teams I have coached whether they have been in customer service, health care, financial services or consumer goods:

1. Leader Engagement and Openness - The engagement and buy in of the leader is absolutely essential. Without their active participation and openness to not only the team coaching process, but supporting change and crreating n enabling environment is key.
Sometimes team coaching points to areas the leader needs to take responsibility for. As such, it is important for us to spend time with the leader preparing them, and priming them, for potential change and their role.

Without leader engagement and openness, even the best team coches can only have limited impact on the team and its' system.

2. Linkage into regular/ongoing team practices - Teams have a lifespan outside of our work with them. Therefore, it is important that as coaches we have team members make the connection back to their work with the commitments and practices they want to undertake. For example, if the team is committed to having more direct conversations, a great starting point might be their regular team meetings. Check back with the team regarding what structures they already have in place to support new behaviors, accountability and action/.

3. Masterful team coaches have a variety of tools to pull from. Our ongoing professionl development is key. Acquiring skills, techniques and approaches from a variety of sources can help to build our tolbox. As you think to the new year, what new skills do you want to add? Look to other professional associations outside of the ICF for potential learning opportunities - ATD, the Institute for Performance and Learning,

4. Metrics - Measurement is key starting wiht the begining of the team coching assessment where the team defines that their success measures are. As coaches continue to ask those involved, how can ou measure this? When will be measure this? Given that many team coaching engagements are longer term (i.e. 3 to 6 months or more), consider how you can build in with the team measurement points (i.e. start, mid-point, end point). Be aware of the potential fricition which can exist between measurement, evaluation and confidentiality.

There are definitely more Crticial Success Factors fr this work such as trust, connection and mnay more. What do you see as critical success factors in the work you undertake?

Have a great week,
Jennifer

Jennifer Britton, MES, CPT, PCC
Group Coaching Essentials | Potentials Realized  
Author of Effective Group Coaching (Wiley, 2010) and From One to Many: Best Practices for Team and Group Coaching (Jossey-Bass, 2013)
Join me at the Learning Lab and Design Studio for ongoing group and individual coaching support during 2016. Six and twelve month packages now available.