|
5 Steps to Team Coaching
Go back to the last time you joined an organization or new department. You walk into the building, and locate your hiring manager. After a 15-20 minute chat, she shows you to your office or cubicle and says "have a good day." You have your phone, laptop and email account. The toolbox of the 21st century! You are ready to roll.
I've been accustomed to this approach during my corporate years, and frankly, I have experienced it during my business coaching life, too. Now, in each instance, there is always some planning, and I understand the expectations of those who have enlisted my help. From there, here's the path I take, and you can too, when coaching a team.
I call it the 5 Steps to Team Coaching. Here we go!
1. Learn About the Team - understand their backgrounds including strengths, communication styles, motivations, and sense of business value.
2. Create a Shared Vision - yeah, sometimes this sounds like fluff, but it really is an important step. Develop a core reason for the team's existence (why you are all here), and identify how the team will work together to offer the best products and services.
3. Develop and Agree Upon Team Values - determine which values are found in each person, and which ones the team will regard as the most significant or worthy. Engrain these values among the team members.
4. Establish Goals - act as a guide, and work with the team to develop goals that are focused on the creation of business value.
5. Go! - you know the team, all of you know why you are here, you are taking advantage of each person's respective strengths, the playing field has been defined, and you know the definition of success. Why wait? Now's the time to go with it.
Make sure you get involved. In many instances, there isn't a need for you to perform the tasks and assignments required to create the product or service. However, you do need to hold the team accountable, create business value thinking, celebrate success, and identify what wasn't accomplished and why. If things slow down or go off path, bring in some of those coaching questions we identified in the July newsletter. Ask "what steps are you taking to achieve your goals?," "what obstacles are in your way?," and "what would you do if the obstacles were removed?"
Ultimately, you want to create an environment where your team delivers great results without you riding or driving them. Don't worry about being too hands off. The skillful implementation of the 5 Steps is far from being hands off. It just feels that way! |
