For a team that wanted to lead and transform the organisation culture and stakeholder relationships and be more resilient in their roles.
The team’s situation and need
This Executive team had members who had been part of a culture and team that was investigated for possible fraud and unethical conduct and aspired to transition from that “toxic’ time to a more resilient team to take the organisation forward.
There was residual fear and absence of trust in the organisation and between some team members resulting in a closed rather than open system characterised by protective and guarded behaviours like “cover yourself” emails regularly sent and with departments in siege mode to stay safe.
What we did together
Early on we undertook a diagnostic assessment to help us understand the styles and preferences of team members and then debriefed and coached each team member with the aim of supporting an increase of self awareness around what they may be doing to help or hinder the Executive team work and development and clarifying their objectives in participating in this work together.
Demonstrated measures of success were also discussed with the CEO and each team member. These included:
- EMT members crafting their shared purpose and focussed objectives for this team in work and development;
- Increasing communication, being open and vulnerable to increase trust and understanding, supporting and challenging each other constructively and resolving problems;
- Sharing, acknowledging and celebrating small steps of progress and achievements in a challenging context;
- Undertaking personal actions to build resilience;
- Taking more risks with each other.
We designed an individual and team coaching program that could meet the needs of the individuals and the team. Each team member participated individually with their own Coach over a 6 month period.
Early on we observed a team meeting and members in their own office and teams to gain an appreciation of day to day interactions and relationships.
Together we addressed communication systems for improvement.
We enabled the team with opportunities for
- Understanding what was working and not working in regard to having shared robust conversations about challenging issues.
- Giving and receiving feedback
- Managing emotions, strategies for managing strong emotions in particular
- Making decisions and problem solving at own level of responsibility and knowing when to inform the CEO about potential risks and opportunities for the organisation
- Holding transformational meetings that enable team members to respect, share, support with empathy and make decisions together thereby creating an inclusive and safe psychological space for rolemodelling and leading throughout departments.
We reviewed and evaluated together after 6 months, celebrated and created a benchmark with future planning.
Their progress and outcomes
The team has a new lease of life making progress around the communication and interpersonal skills needed to progress and to lead into a future process of team coaching.
They then worked on strategies and action for living and leading an inclusive and safe space.
Each team member had work in progress around establishing a similar team space with clearer accountability and boundaries for people in their own departments.
There marked improvements in work motivation and enjoyment, resilience, productivity and stakeholder relationships and management.
We welcome your enquiries about how you can develop and grow your team and their performance with team coaching. See our information on team coaching.