For teams to function at a level that is more than the sum of their parts does not happen automatically. It needs to be worked at - regularly. In sport there is a general recognition that a team of individual stars, thrown together, do not between them make a great team. High quality team coaching, and time on the training ground, is essential for improving the team's success. Increasingly the same process is being recognised in the world of organisations.

Bath Consultancy Group has worked with a wide range of senior executive teams in the private, public and not-for-profit sectors. Our approach is based on our own research, as well as that of Jon Katzenbach and Douglas Smith, on how to create 'High Performing Teams'.

They found that high performing teams had the following characteristics in common:

• Shared and owned purpose and objectives
• Shared specific performance goals
• Shared approach
• Mutually accountable
• Strong effective interpersonal relationships
• Complementary skills:
 -  technical/functional
 -  problem solving/decision making
 -  interpersonal

We have developed a number of phases for successful team coaching:

Diagnostic phase

The work usually begins with exploratory meetings with all the key members of the team in semi-structured one-to-one meetings. This is accompanied by the use of our 'High Performing Team Evaluation Questionnaire' which all team members are asked to complete. Sometimes we also carry out a 360° feedback on the collective team performance from all the key stakeholder groups. 

The team coach will study relevant background data and reports on the team and the organisation, to understand the historical and political culture, organisational context and the strategic goals of the organisation.

Development phase

From this initial phase of joint diagnosis of the strengths, weaknesses and aspirations of the team, the coach meets with the whole team and presents back an analysis of what has emerged, and explores with the team options for how the development of the team might be undertaken. 

At this stage the team sets the measurable success criteria for the development work, and contracts both with the coach and each other on what is necessary to achieve that success. Most commonly, the development phase involves a mixture of some of the following:

• Facilitation of a series of off-site events for the team, where the team works both on their strategic agenda and on their development.
• Attendance at some of the regular weekly team meetings as a process consultant, making a small number of process interventions to raise collective effectiveness.
• Working with the team on designing and rehearsing important presentations to staff or key stakeholder groups.
• Facilitation of important individual conversations that need to be moved on for the team to be more effective.
• Facilitation of review meetings with key external players such as Board members or key partners.

Review phase

As we mentioned it is important that executive team coaching is regularly revisited. In all learning and change cycles, the team should be prepared for the fact that they will discover more about their team culture and the systemic dynamics, when they try to change things. They need to pre-empt the unavoidable disappointment that will arise when they discover the actions they plan at a team workshop will not work out the way they expected, once they are back in the ever-changing world of their work system.

We review progress against the success criteria and of the relationship with the coach after three, six and twelve months. This gives the opportunity for the contract to be reviewed and where necessary changed.

For further information on Executive Team Coaching contact Bath Consultancy Group on 01225 333737.