In this article we explore the dynamics of coaching a team of people rather than just one or two individuals. If you view an executive team in the same light as a sports team, it makes good sense to have a coach working with the whole team. When you coach at the team level you can create a seamless and very effective organization.
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2005
Coaching Beyond the CEO – the Challenge of Building Business Teams
C H R I S L O N S D A L E & A S S O C I AT E S LT D . Copyright 2005, Chris Lonsdale
Coaching Beyond the CEO – the Challenge of Building Business Teams
A s coaching within companies becomes more popular, especially for very senior One Coach or Many?
executives (i.e. GMs’, MD’s, CEO’s), an If the answer to the coaching question is “yes, interesting dilemma is being created. Senior you also have to coach the next level” you are leaders take on a coach for one of two main faced with another quite thorny problem. Do reasons – either remedial, or generative. This you use the coach who is working with the distinction is discussed in an earlier article titled CEO to coach his (or her) direct reports? Or, “To Coach or Not to Coach”. do you get different coaches engaged with the direct reports? For the purposes of this article, suffice it to say that remedial coaching is used when you “hit In the work I do, I frequently hear a number bottom”, and generative coaching is used of reasons for selecting different coaches to when you are at the top of your game. In either work with the different levels within an case, of course, when a senior leader makes organization. Even different levels within the the changes needed to go to the next level he management team. The main reasons can be gets better. And that’s where the dilemma gets summed up as “confidentiality” and “chemistry”. created. Once you begin enhancing the top, what do you do with the rest of the Confidentiality organization? The issue of “confidentiality” centres on whether Before senior leaders make significant strides or not people feel that their issues and concerns themselves, the issue of developing the next will be kept within the confines of the coaching level of managers is left somewhat on the back relationship, or allowed to get back to the burner. However, when a senior leader “boss”. It’s easy to think that if a coach is improves, an increasingly large gap is created working with the “boss”, as well as people between the leader and the next level. This is reporting to the “boss”, then there is a real 1 inevitable. And, just as inevitably, the question danger that there will be “leakage” of must be asked: “How do we develop the next confidential information. Because of these level?” And then, “Do we use coaching?” concerns about leakage, often a decision is
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Coaching Beyond the CEO – the Challenge of Building Business Teams taken to use one coach for the boss, and one with her each time she cried. Now while there or more different coaches for the boss’ direct are occasions that call for sympathy, getting reports. the best out of someone often requires that you do not sympathize when a person falls Chemistry back on old patterns. In the case of the lady mentioned here, the willingness of a coach to “Chemistry” is also used as a very important sympathize was used as evidence of whether filter when deciding on a coach. Clearly, if a or not there was chemistry. Ultimately, the coach and the person they are coaching are individual concerned was not well served by unable to communicate or unable to work this. Neither was the company. together, then the relationship won’t be a very productive one. However, falling back on the In the context of a senior team an additional chemistry argument is fraught with some problem gets created when you only use the danger. For instance, when the “chemistry” chemistry (comfort) filter. People often think filter is used, often you end up with a situation that the coach who is working with the “boss” where the “boss” has one coach, and the will make them uncomfortable because the direct reports choose different coaches coach is working to the boss’ agenda. So because the “chemistry is better”. This may they select somebody different. In fact, they not be a very healthy outcome, either for the go beyond this. They make friends with their individuals or the organization. own coach. Before you know it, you have the boss’ coach working with the boss’ agenda, Let’s look at the individual case first. and the direct reports’ coach working with the agendas of the direct reports. Individually Often, “chemistry” is used as a euphemism people feel comfortable, but as a team you to describe “comfort”. Now, people don’t really have increasingly complex multiple agendas. like to go outside their comfort zones. This is What’s worse is that the different coaches can as true when you are selecting a coach as it end up taking sides. And that in itself is an is for any other area of endeavour. Because important problem. of this principle, however, frequently people will select coaches with whom they feel You can overcome this problem, of course, comfortable and then end up with a situation by having some way of coordinating the efforts where they are not challenged. The relationship of the different coaches. This might involve is pleasant, but generally unproductive. having the coaches meet together occasionally to ensure that they are all on the same page Some years ago I knew of a middle level vis-à-vis organizational goals. Or, a central 2 manager who was asked to take on a coach. coordinating figure (possibly from HR) can She was quite skilled at crying at just the right meet with the coaches frequently to ensure time and, whether consciously or not, she that they are all working to the same underlying ultimately selected a coach who sympathized goals and principles.
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Coaching Beyond the CEO – the Challenge of Building Business Teams
Creating Breakthrough the leader needs to go beyond that – to issues Performance of strategy, group dynamics, motivation and other aspects that the leader alone needs to While there may be good reasons for having pay most attention to. one coach working with the boss, and different coaches working with the boss’ direct reports, An Organizational Intervention in this article I argue for taking a more holistic approach. Much more value can be created Why do football teams have one coach for when you have one coach working with the the whole team? It’s because, when you really entire executive team. This is especially needed analyse it, coaching creates much more value if your goal is not just to get marginal when it’s used as an organizational intervention improvements, but to create breakthrough rather than simply as a tool for individual performance with an executive team and the development. When you coach a whole team, business that they lead. If you believe in you are working to improve the functioning of synergy, and the ability of teams to create the team as a whole, as well as each and extraordinary results, the one coach approach every individual on the team. is definitely worth seriously considering. And, there are many precedents. It’s important to realize that, while there are aspects of performance that can be addressed Take great football teams for example. You by working just with individuals, we are all generally don’t find different players on a profoundly affected by the context in which football team all working with different coaches. we find ourselves (see Deixis Vol 7, December Rather, you have one coach who works with 2004: “Bound to Not Change”). So, the the whole team. And the team coach also behaviours and patterns that you see in any does work with each of the individual players. group of people are NOT just caused by the That individual coaching is intended to make individual personalities of people. Rather, there each player better while, at the same time, are “emergent properties” of every group that helping all the players to fit together much dictate the behaviour of the group and the better in a team. individuals within the group. Certain communication patterns, unspoken rules, The individual coaching also extends to the double binds, beliefs that the group uses, are team leader. In coaching the team leader, the all “emergent properties” and they can affect focus is somewhat broader than the coaching the individuals quite profoundly. Trying to “fix” for team members. There is some focus on individuals without addressing the context is the tactical skills needed for the game, but in fraught with difficulty and quite likely to fail. 3 most cases the team leader has the role because of a basic level of mastery at the In order to help individuals improve, and the tactical and physical level. The coaching for group as a whole, these “emergent properties” need to be addressed directly.
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Coaching Beyond the CEO – the Challenge of Building Business Teams To give an example, many performance issues attitudes that a person has accumulated. in a senior executive team are caused by the Skills can be technical or business, as can nature of the relationships between the knowledge. For instance, in the finance different team members. You know, of course, industry, data collection and organization is that certain business problems can ONLY be a valuable skill, and knowledge of financial solved by people working together. It goes tools and techniques is also very important. without saying, then, that enhancing the quality Individuals who have high level of mastery of of relationships and communication on a team all of these can add significant value to the will underpin any improvement in performance company of which they are a part. of the team. Attitude is slightly more complex. The word Obviously, you can’t address these issues of “attitude” is not particularly useful because it relationship by just coaching one person. You is a general description used to cover more need to coach each of the individuals to specific things that are generally not well master their own part in the dynamic AND understood. For instance, the beliefs that you need to coach the entire group to someone has will “cause” certain behaviours understand and master the rules of effective and reactions. The same is true of values. communication and shared action. Then you have automatic emotional patterns. These are often more important than Simultaneously, of course, the way that each consciously chosen beliefs and values, and individual thinks, speaks, acts and reacts also frequently drive the behaviours that you see contributes to the group dynamic. Hence, in an individual. ignoring individuals and working just with the group is also not an option. You need to work Now, when you have a person who has at both the individual and the group level. transformed their own automatic reactions, who has aligned their internal values and What Creates Breakthrough beliefs, and who has mastered the key skills Performance? and knowledge of their chosen field you have a very powerful combination. It probably To create breakthrough performance, you first sounds too good to be true, but it’s not. With need to understand what creates such focused coaching it is very possible to rapidly performance. As mentioned above, this is a develop most people to have mastery of all function of both individuals AND of emergent the key elements of personal excellence. phenomena in a group. The Group: 4 The Individual: In a group context, of course, looking only On the individual level, performance is at individual performance is by no means generated by the skills, knowledge and enough. You need to create the conditions
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Coaching Beyond the CEO – the Challenge of Building Business Teams for the group to excel. At the group level, the models of all the team members and create conditions underpinning breakthrough a shared understanding of both the challenges performance can be placed into two major being faced, and the best approach to dealing categories: Team Hygiene, and Alignment. with those challenges. This is not a trivial exercise. Rather, it is probably one of the most Team Hygiene refers to all elements that lead important, and difficult, tasks for any team to to a sense of comfort and ease in a team. It take on. includes high levels of mutual trust (up, down, sideways, diagonally); the ability of the team The team also has to create an effective way to address difficult issues openly and of communicating that assists understanding reasonably; and active, ongoing feedback. rather than blocking it. And, quite frequently, it has to address and resolve contentious Alignment refers to having a commonly agreed issues. Often teams are stuck in certain goal, a commonly understood language, patterns of ritual behaviour that prevent the shared protocols (beliefs and values) and creation of either hygiene or alignment. A group disciplines such as creative processes, coach can play an invaluable role, working rigorous idea testing, error checking with the dynamics of the team as a whole to procedures and the like. create the conditions for breakthrough performance. The role is a complex one, and A team which has high levels of alignment, involves a mix of many things. For instance, and good team hygiene, can pack a real often the coach needs to facilitate conflict punch. When that team is made up of resolution on the team. Later, there is a training individuals all of whom are masters in their role, helping the whole team to be able own right then you have an explosive and to observe, in real time, the team dynamics. powerful combination. And, once again, using And, the coach continues to act as a mirror appropriate developmental approaches it is and source of feedback to the whole very possible to create such a team. team on most aspects of the team’s performance.
Coach the Team The work with the team naturally extends to the individuals. Often, the automatic reactions One of the quickest ways to create a team of the individuals help contribute to less than with breakthrough performance is to coach optimal performance at the team level. The the whole team, both at the team level AND coach’ work with individuals often begins with at the individual level. At the team level the helping each person modify their own 5 coaching is focused on a number of critical automatic reactions so they are better able elements. In certain cases there is an to handle the changes that are happening at immediate need for conflict resolution. In every the group level. Beyond that, the coach works case the team needs to explore the mental in different ways with each individual on the
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Coaching Beyond the CEO – the Challenge of Building Business Teams team, helping each person develop their own coach works with the leader to build presence, strengths. personal power, and confidence. Attention is also given to issues such as messaging, so At the same time, attention is being given to that the leader is more able to engage and the “interfaces” between the individuals. We create alignment in the wider team. And, the are all different, and working together isn’t coach provides feedback to the leader on the that easy. In a high performance team, overall group dynamic, helping the leader get however, the ability to work together the necessary perspective to make what are seamlessly is key to success. So, as the coach often difficult choices. The ability of the coach works on the individual level a great deal of to remain neutral in terms of content, and attention is given to how each person can focus on the process, is extremely useful to work more effectively with all the different the leader who (very naturally) has a stake in people on the team. specific outcomes.
The Leader-Coach Partnership The coach also works with every individual on the team, playing a very complementary It’s important to understand that when a coach role to the leader. The leader is expected to, works with the whole team, the leader and needs to, work with the team to set goals included, the role of the coach and the leader and outcomes and ensure that the team’s are very different. In many ways, the work of efforts are focused and coordinated. Often, the coach frees up the leader to focus on the of course, to meet the goals individuals need more critical elements of the leadership role. to change and grow. Generally it’s better to have the coach support individuals on the The leader’s role is to be a source of passion, changes needed to achieve the goals. This and a holder of the vision of the group. The is because it’s too easy for people to see the vision may or may not come from the leader, leader as having a vested interest when but the leader has to be the person who advising on the changes that an individual ensures that the vision is clear, focused, and needs to make. The coach has a unique always visible to the group. advantage in that the advice is truly given for the benefit of the individual, and is perceived The leader is also called upon to be an “icon” in that way. It may be exactly the same advice of the standards to which the group aspires. that the leader would give. The difference is When the leader lives up to standards that that, when the leader gives the advice, there are needed and expected, others will find the is often a perception of conflict of interest. energy to drive for those standards as well. This is generated simply by the role definition 6 of the leader. The coach does not have this The coach’ role, at least in part, is to support problem. the leader in achieving and maintaining the personal state and charisma needed. The Because the coach understands the direction
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Coaching Beyond the CEO – the Challenge of Building Business Teams that the organization is going, the overall the situation. This allows the wisdom to come “culture” of the group, and the issues and out of the group, and overcomes the problem problems faced by each individual, he (she) whereby one or two strong individuals hold is able to advise each person on the best the group hostage. ways to enhance performance in the context in which they find themselves. Controlled Leakage:
Another benefit of having one coach for the The Benefits of a Common Coach whole team is what I call “controlled leakage”, necessitated by a fascinating dynamic that There are a number of benefits for having a happens in most groups. You will find that, single coach working with the entire group. while people say they want confidentiality, often they really do want to communicate Neutral Perspective: what they feel. They need confidential information to be released. The issue is One aspect that can’t be overstated is that, whether or not this communication is going when a coach works with the whole group, to be safe. For instance, there are times when there is an understanding of the subtle a team member has feedback that they really dynamics that are playing out in the group. do want to give to the boss. However, because Any group has conflicts and differences of of social taboos and the natural fear level opinion which, if not addressed properly, can created by differences in status they choose get out of hand. The coach is able to take a not to do so. neutral, constructive position around these sorts of issues. In these situations the coach plays a unique role – the controlled leakage of relevant During the coaching process the coach is information. On understanding the situation, then able to work with each individual to help the coach is able to provide feedback to the them gain the necessary perspective to resolve boss in terms of how he or she might change the differences that exist on the team. The certain communication patterns. Or, it could coach does NOT take a position, but rather be the other way. In the case of a team helps everybody expand their own awareness member, certain stylistic issues can be in order to be able to work with multiple addressed in more general terms rather than perspectives. being simply something that the company or the boss want to happen. Just as importantly, because the coach is 7 seen to be neutral, in group situations input In the same way, issues raised with the boss from the coach can help to bridge differences can be positioned as being of general and move the group as a whole to have a relevance, thereby protecting people’s broader, more integrated perspective about identities as necessary. In a slightly different
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Coaching Beyond the CEO – the Challenge of Building Business Teams approach, the coach can recommend that provide neutral advice on people management the senior person initiate a conversation about issues that can contribute to the overall health a certain topic with one of the team members. of the group. Safety is maintained because frequently the senior person is already thinking about the What about Chemistry? issue concerned, but feels that it is not appropriate to broach the subject. The coach We’ve discussed the issue of confidentiality, provides input on how best to begin and concluded that controlled leakage is addressing the issue, using knowledge of all actually an important part of the process. The the different people and their positions on the key is that everyone’s safety is always kept in issue. mind.
Layers of Trust: But, what about the chemistry issue? As with other elements of the coaching relationship, Another benefit that comes from everybody when you approach the situation on a team in the team working with one coach is that level and as an organizational intervention the trust is built up around the organization. The chemistry question becomes much less coach comes to be a trusted confidante in important. the group. When this is done well, people make use of the coach to work through their For one thing, it doesn’t necessarily matter if thinking on certain issues before going public. one individual chooses not to engage. The With the coach they can test ideas as engagement of other members of the team passionately as they want, knowing that they will always change the context, and this in will be able to refine those ideas without itself can often be enough to move any criticism. recalcitrant participants. Some people learn from the changes in others, and some decide Subsequently, the ideas can be presented that they want to engage anyway. In some more widely in the group, and are much more cases, when the boss and other key people likely to be accepted because many of the change, the need for certain “difficult” people bugs have already been ironed out. to be coached sometimes evaporates. That’s when you know that the symptom was actually Ease of Management: a consequence of organizational dynamics. As soon as the organizational dynamic From a practical point of view for the people changes, the symptom disappears. responsible for managing the process, having 8 a single point of contact is also very useful. Another aspect to consider is that, when you A coach who knows and understands all the approach the situation as a team development personalities and the politics, but who is not intervention, group work gives everybody the beholden to any particular position, is able to opportunity to witness the coach acting
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Coaching Beyond the CEO – the Challenge of Building Business Teams neutrally and in the best interests of the entire publicly test and evolve those mental models, group. Often this will remove the “chemistry” adds even further value. block, if there is one. The end result is a group of people, individually Finally, any coach with the necessary skills to powerful and collectively brilliant, who work with a team should be able to interact consistently communicate and act seamlessly. effectively with a very wide range of people. Together, they do the right things more often One of the basic components of a coach’ than not, and the rate of value creation – in toolbox is the ability to create rapport and all senses of the word – begins to accelerate. understanding with most people. This means Stakeholders and shareholders alike have that, in terms of ability to relate to another good reason to smile. As for the competition person, a good coach would most often not – be afraid! be faced with “chemistry” issues. And, if “chemistry” became part of the discussion, both the coach and the team would be looking very closely at whether this was a genuine problem, or an attempt to avoid responsibility. Depending on the answer to that question, effective solutions would be found.
Promise of a Seamless Team
In conclusion, having a coach to work with a whole team, collectively and individually, can create significant value. The coach supports people to grow personally and professionally, and also has an active role in helping to create the context that will support that growth. The value of creating context while simultaneously working with individuals should not be underestimated.
Over time, using this approach, you build what I have come to call “gossamer ware” – the invisible threads of connectivity in a group 9 that ensures everybody works for the same ends, and people increasingly start bouncing off each other to generate emerging value. Shared mental models, and the ability to
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Coaching Beyond the CEO – the Challenge of Building Business Teams
A CASE STUDY In one situation where team coaching was in the team. For instance, in team meetings he used to very good effect, we started with what would cut people off without hearing them out, turned out to be a tense and somewhat and this led to a general unwillingness for dysfunctional situation. The group concerned people to contribute. Live observation of the was responsible for business throughout the boss in action, coupled with behavioural and Asia-Pacific. Revenues were flat, and no matter “mental model” feedback, led to a gradual what people tried, the group was not able to softening of the boss’ style. He began to get anywhere near the double-digit growth become more participative, and the team targets that were being imposed. responded by stepping up to the plate.
The situation had a number of characteristics The “problem child” was actually a very intense, associated with it. On the one hand, the boss creative person who was generally had a rather directive style that erred on the misunderstood throughout the management side of micro-management. There were many team. The coaching with this person initially historical conflicts between people in different focused almost entirely on “acceptance”. The parts of the region, and e-mail “wars” were not coach’ role was simply to understand and uncommon. And, different individuals in the accept this person, and help him to get clear group had different personal and leadership on his own strengths. At the same time, issues. One manager was prone to emotional problems that he had which related directly to outbursts, whereas another tended to avoid the boss’ style, were fed back (in general terms) conflict at all costs. Yet another was the to the boss. Also, the boss was encouraged quintessential politician, and a forth was to engage in a more constructive way with the basically viewed as “too nice”. “problem child”. Ultimately this led to a much stronger relationship between the two, which Clearly, every manager on the team had different then led further to the “problem child” beginning needs for development. So, this was to address fundamental issues with his own approached as a team coaching process. style and approach.
Initially, I worked with the boss and one other From there the coaching moved towards the 10 manager who was labelled “problem child”. group as a whole. A series of business meetings The coaching with the boss focused very much were held, focused on getting the entire team on the role he was playing in creating problems aligned around management protocols and
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Coaching Beyond the CEO – the Challenge of Building Business Teams
the goals of the business. A number of seamless team that was able to talk and work outcomes were achieved. For the first time in together very effectively. Problems with many years, everybody knew what the goal execution that had existed in the group for a was, and their role in getting there. Immediately long time were resolved, and projects were many conflicts and misunderstandings simply completed. And, the double-digit growth goal evaporated. was achieved and exceeded.
Communication dynamics in the team that were contributing to problems were quickly highlighted. With input from the coach, the group agreed to a number of conflict resolution processes and began to use these tools as an integral part of their daily business. The energy released was then focused on building more business.
The coaching then looped around to several other individuals. In each case, individual work focused on helping each person overcome personal barriers and developing new skills for their leadership role. A tailored programme was developed for each person. Some people focused on how best to think strategically as leaders. Others focused on the problem of “defensiveness” and “posturing” in front of their peers. Yet others focused on the thorny problems of building excellence and succession in their own teams. All were exposed to information and tools that supported them to work much more effectively with their peers, thereby creating synergies throughout the 11 group.
Within nine months the group had become a
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Originally published 2005-04-02 · Legacy CMS article #7103