Category Archive: Teamwork

Business Team Coaching Works

Posted by Henry Barbey

The goal of business team coaching is to produce a successful team of people who work well together. The members develop a sense of belonging. They often call it a family. They have clear shared goals and recognize that it will take teamwork to achieve those goals.

In business team coaching, we teach how to build a successful work team by choosing the right people and making sure they have the right information before the project begins. In order to choose the right people, the leaders need to know a little bit about them.

Generally speaking, loners do not do well on teams. On the other hand, the social butterfly might not be able to stop talking long enough to get the project done. People who are serious and able to focus on the project at hand make good team members.

Teammates need to know exactly what is expected of them. There will probably be some general things that are expected of all teammates and some specific things that are expected of individual members. What are their responsibilities?

In executive coaching, we emphasize the importance of communicating with individual members so that they know why they were chosen to participate in this group. Why were the members chosen for their teams? What special abilities do they have?

Communicating with the members in this way ensures that they recognize why they are an important part of the group. People who know they are important feel responsible. They work harder. They don’t skip meetings or show up late because they understand the importance of what they have to contribute.

Another thing that we talk about in executive coaching is recognition. Sometimes companies set up teams but fail to give recognition to the members for what they are accomplishing. Everyone needs a pat on the back or the occasional “good job”.

In order for executives to be able to give honest recognition, they need to be aware of what is going on. The “good job” is hollow if all of the members know that the executives have no idea what the group is actually doing.

Successful business team coaching can take time. Some people might need to leave the group. New members might need to be added.

In executive coaching, we point out how successful professional football teams work. They are not stagnant groups. They are constantly changing.

Introducing someone new to the group can create excitement that contributes to business team coaching. Change can be a good thing.