The Team Coaching Toolkit

whether groups of people work together effectively, or simply drift through their working lives waiting for something better to happen?

Figure 1 – The foundation layers of an effective team
Figure 1 identifies many of the features of an effective team. The people engagement processes can be grouped into metaphorical blocks which can then be used to build the team’s commitment and accountability. These blocks form the foundation stones upon which strong teamwork is built. Like the foundations of a building, they are out of sight and therefore invisible to the uneducated eye. We know that it may be possible to assemble a wooden shed upon some hardened ground, but if we want to build something bigger that needs to survive unstable ground conditions then good foundations are essential.
Layer
Function
Environment
Early assessment of a range of systemic factors enabling a leader to understand the influences imposed on the team by the cultural and social conditions in which the team will operate.
Set-up
Setting up the team to establish the desired behavioural norms. Includes the activities and processes that have been found to be critical in building motivation, stability and interdependence.
Communication
Sets the mechanisms for the effective interaction between team members and with those in the team’s periphery.
Resilience
Activities that will support and sustain the team through periods of difficulty. Builds trust within the team and sets up the protocols needed to withstand the pressures of unplanned and adverse changes.
Learning and improvement
Developing the habit of periodically reviewing what the team has recently achieved, what has worked well, and what can be improved in the next iteration.
Table 1 – The foundation layers of the team building process

Figure 1 – The foundation layers of an effective team
Figure 1 identifies many of the features of an effective team. The people engagement processes can be grouped into metaphorical blocks which can then be used to build the team’s commitment and accountability. These blocks form the foundation stones upon which strong teamwork is built. Like the foundations of a building, they are out of sight and therefore invisible to the uneducated eye. We know that it may be possible to assemble a wooden shed upon some hardened ground, but if we want to build something bigger that needs to survive unstable ground conditions then good foundations are essential.
Layer
Function
Environment
Early assessment of a range of systemic factors enabling a leader to understand the influences imposed on the team by the cultural and social conditions in which the team will operate.
Set-up
Setting up the team to establish the desired behavioural norms. Includes the activities and processes that have been found to be critical in building motivation, stability and interdependence.
Communication
Sets the mechanisms for the effective interaction between team members and with those in the team’s periphery.
Resilience
Activities that will support and sustain the team through periods of difficulty. Builds trust within the team and sets up the protocols needed to withstand the pressures of unplanned and adverse changes.
Learning and improvement
Developing the habit of periodically reviewing what the team has recently achieved, what has worked well, and what can be improved in the next iteration.
Table 1 – The foundation layers of the team building process