In the latest in this column on team coaching curated by the Team Coaching Studio, Lisa Sammon, Caroline Souto, Zoe Egerickx and Tom Cross explore the ‘we’ of co-coaching
Team coaching can at times feel daunting and confusing. Issues related to the coach’s self, the dynamics in the team, and/or the complexities of the context can generate many topics to work with, which makes team coaching more challenging for a coach working on their own.
As we embarked on our diploma in team coaching, we were initially focused on fostering psychological safety within teams to enable them to flourish. However, through our discussions, we discovered the significant impact that the relationship between co-coaches can have on this psychological safety and, consequently, on the team’s development.
This article is an invitation for you to join us in reflecting on the ‘we’ of co-coaching, approached from a place of curiosity rather than expertise.
In a co-coaching relationship, coaches work side-by-side, which is distinct from facilitation or training where leaders manage different sections of an agenda in a planned manner (Woudstra, 2021, p.165)
But what does it truly mean to ‘work side-by-side’? To answer this, we invite you to explore your own coaching philosophy – your world view, deepest values and beliefs. Throughout our coaching journey, we’ve formed a belief that working side-by-side involves fully seeing and understanding our co-coach, and investing time and energy in building and nurturing this relationship before, during and after the coaching process with the team.
To gain deeper insights into what constitutes a successful co-coaching relationship, we conducted a survey with 21 coaches. Their responses highlighted several key principles:
- Trust
The foundation of the co-coaching partnership.
- Shared responsibility
A genuine partnership involves both coaches managing the process together and exchanging ideas openly.
- Philosophical alignment
Clear understanding of roles, responsibilities, and agreement about what to do when things don’t go well.
- Role modelling
Co-coaches’ actions serve as a model for the team.
- Complementary vision
Leveraging diverse perspectives can enhance the coaching process.
- Transparent dialogue
Open communication is crucial.
- Collective courage
Striving to create something greater than the sum of individual contributions.
The responses underscored the human side of the co-coaching relationship, particularly the balance of power and authority. It’s an essential reminder that we role model something to the team in everything we do. At the same time, the co-coaches may reproduce the same pattern of the team’s behaviour through a parallel process.
We can’t finish this article without sharing one of our greatest insights: the concept of Ubuntu (‘I am because we are’). This African philosophy, which is becoming more widely known, has guided us from the beginning. Through our analysis of the survey responses, observation of Georgina Woudstra and Allard de Jong’s co-coaching partnership, and reflection on our own experiences, we expanded this concept to ‘I am because we (co-coaches and team) are.’ This broader perspective emphasizes the interconnectedness and mutual influence within the coaching process.
- If this topic interests you, join us for a webinar in the TCS community on 10 September at 4pm UK time. We’ll delve deeper into the ‘we’ of co-coaching and share our insights on building effective co-coaching relationships. For more info go to: https://teamcoachingstudio.com/community/
Reference
- Woudstra, G. (2021). A Comprehensive Guide to Unleashing the Power, Purpose and Potential in any Team. Team Coaching Studio Press.
About the authors
Carol, Lisa, Tom and Zoe are executive and team coaches who are graduates of the Team Coaching Studio (TCS).
- TCS is an organisation founded to provide a pathway to mastery for team coaches. For accredited training in team coaching, please visit: www.teamcoachingstudio.com