The PSC Approach to Team Coaching
The” Leadership Team Coaching” process is similar to individual coaching in that specific team goals will be established (i.e. targets for behavioral changes and organizational results) and appropriate measurements for reaching these goals will be identified. The team coaching sessions will focus on building team member relationships, improving team cohesiveness and communications, as well as increasing the team’s overall effectiveness and individual working relationships. This team coaching is appropriate for current members of the leadership team as well as integrating new senior level hires to the team. As part of the on-boarding process, new hires would quickly become familiar with team goals, the team's operating agreement, the organization's culture, and how critical collaboration is as part of the his or her role on the executive team. Determining how to meet the needs and demands of the organization and how each team member can best contribute to the high performance of the leadership team will be a priority.
Monthly sessions are recommended for a minimum of six-months to build and support continuous high performance for any leadership team.
The objectives and outcomes of the Leadership Team Coaching sessions include:
Build and enhance trust in the relationships of all leadership team members and identify the behaviors that inspire the trust that is needed
Address any issues/conflicts identified by the team that are barriers or obstacles to the team’s success
Evaluate one’s own credibility as a leader to inspire trust among peers and direct reports and create an action plan of how he/she will contribute to the executive leadership team’s progress
Improve communications, collaboration and engagement for a 'one team concept' and gain commitment to enhance or change individual behaviors that will contribute to achieving a high performance leadership team
Enhance the working relationship with all leaders of the executive leadership team (including the new senior level hires) to establish confidence, credibility, teamwork and collaboration under the terms of the Team Operating Agreement (to be developed)
The actual content and design of each team coaching session is based upon the data analysis of the information gathered from interviews and team or individual assessments. The focus will be on resolving identified team issues, enhancing individual and team communications skills, and developing an action plan for follow-up from the team coaching sessions. Because developing a high performance team is an on-going process, the team will be coached to create, commit to, and hold each other accountable to a ‘team operating agreement’ (based on the agreed upon team values) for use in daily interactions with each other. Continuous review of the team’s progress in adhering to the use of this operating agreement will be a basis for measuring the team’s ongoing progress.
The following are examples of session content and activities that PSC uses to facilitate the leadership team reaching the stated team coaching objectives.
9 Square Exercise – captures team members perceptions of the team, itself and their individual relationship/role on the team
Team survey results - diagnosing any team dysfunctions that need to be addressed
Determining team values - permission to play, core and aspiring values
Human traits and Nine Ground Rules for Cohesive Team Behavior (9GR)ä
Development of a Team Operating Agreement to be implemented by the team
The Gift of Feedback – identifications of current individual contributions and development needs that benefit the leadership team
Evaluation and discussion of the “Traits of a High Trust Leader”
On Your Own Assignment – accountability exercises to be implemented prior to each team coaching session
