Transforming Organizational Culture Through Systemic Coaching

Transforming Organizational

Culture Through Systemic Coaching

A leader serves as the lynchpin of organizational culture, guiding the team towards desired outcomes through vision and skill. Systemic coaching integrates and aligns business objectives, leaders and teams, fostering the development of skills essential for alignment and collective success. This coaching approach emphasizes taking a systemic view of the opportunity to enable and empower the team through gaining clarity of purpose and alignment. to achieve common goals collaboratively.

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Context & Challenge

Early in 2023 , one of the prominent Big Four accounting firms engaged uExcelerate's leadership development platform for one-on-one coaching for their senior leaders. Having gone through a transformational coaching journey personally, one senior leader decided to bring in their 'A-Team' of high potentials into the coaching fold. This empowerment of the “A Team” was a significant lever to drive substantial growth for the business while growing the team size and managing the dynamics of new people induction on organizational culture during this period of flux.

The opportunities identified included breaking down silos, enhancing collaboration and communication, fostering vulnerability, and building trust within a psychologically safe framework. Additionally, the team needed to integrate new members smoothly during periods of growth.

Approach:

The senior leader, having personally experienced the benefits of coaching, took a pivotal role in initiating the team coaching effort. This leader’s commitment and vision set the stage for the entire process.

Introductory Call

The senior leader organized an initial call with the coach to introduce them to the team, sharing their own coaching journey to illustrate the positive impacts and set the context for the team.

Individual Conversations

The senior leader organized an initial call with the coach to introduce them to the team, sharing their own coaching journey to illustrate the positive impacts and set the context for the team.

Over a dozen team members participated in the team coaching, which employed systemic coaching focused on specific organizational initiatives and outcomes. This method ensured that the coaching was not just about individual growth but aligned with broader organizational goals.

Psychological Assessments

The process began with a psychometric assessment, assessment for values and character strengths for each team member. This assessment individually and collectively provided a detailed understanding of individual and group dynamics, identifying common strengths and potential trigger points. This assessment served as a crucial tool for tailoring the coaching process to address specific needs and leverage existing strengths within the team.

The coaching process addressed several key components designed to foster collaboration, trust, and effective communication within the team.

One-on-One Calls

The coach conducted one-on-one calls with each team member before the workshop to gain deeper insights into their individual perspectives and challenges. These calls were essential for building an appropriate approach that addressed the development of team as an entity while integrating individual’s development.

A holistic solution was devised to manage these objectives, integrating regular touchpoints and structured interventions to ensure sustained progress.

Quarterly Team Coaching Sessions

Team Coaching sessions were held every three months face to face, providing a structured environment for the team to develop and own a plan to go from A to B in this growth journey. Accountability partnership was developed to help the team to hold each other accountable. These sessions allowed the team to collectively work on identified areas of improvement and reinforce their commitment to the coaching process.

Checkpoints

Between workshops, a few checkpoints were established. These checkpoints served as interim evaluations to monitor progress, address any emerging issues, and maintain momentum towards the set goals.

Through this structured and comprehensive approach, the team was able to gain clarity of purpose, align their efforts, enhance their collaboration, and build a strong, cohesive unit dedicated to achieving their shared objectives.

Impact

The leader's advocacy for a coaching culture was instrumental in its successful implementation within the team. This strong endorsement from a senior leader not only validated the coaching initiative but also motivated the team to fully engage with the process.

Surpassing Targets

The team's dedication to the coaching culture led to them surpassing their performance targets. The structured coaching process helped the team to streamline their efforts, effectively utilize their strengths, and address any weaknesses.

Enhanced Cohesion

Through regular workshops and ongoing conversations, the team developed a deeper sense of cohesion. The coaching sessions facilitated open communication, trust-building, and collaboration, which are essential components of a cohesive team. Members became more supportive of each other, breaking down previously existing silos.

Improved Business Performance

The alignment and improved teamwork directly translated into better business outcomes, as enhanced communication and collaboration enabled the team to execute tasks more efficiently, leading to superior performance.

Sustaining the Culture

The team's consistent participation in workshops and related activities demonstrated their commitment to the culture. This ongoing engagement was critical in maintaining the momentum of the coaching initiative and ensuring its long-term success.

The implementation of a coaching culture, championed by a senior leader, created a positive ripple effect throughout the team. The leader's active involvement and genuine endorsement of the coaching process set a powerful example, encouraging the team to embrace the change wholeheartedly. This commitment was reflected in their willingness to engage in the workshops, participate in one-on-one conversations, and apply the learnings to their daily work.

Sustained Progress

The regular checkpoints and quarterly workshops ensured that the team remained focused on their goals and continuously improved. These structured touch points provided opportunities to celebrate successes, address challenges, and recalibrate strategies as needed.

Long-Term Benefits

Beyond immediate performance improvements, the coaching culture instilled lasting benefits in the team. The skills and behaviors developed through systemic coaching, such as effective communication, collaboration, and trust-building, became ingrained in the team's way of working, laying a strong foundation for future growth and success.

In summary, the leader's strong advocacy and the team's enthusiastic participation created a powerful synergy that drove the success of the coaching initiative. This approach not only delivered immediate performance improvements but also established a sustainable coaching culture that will continue to benefit the team and the organization in the long run.

Reflections

The leader's perspective was instrumental in championing the coaching culture, significantly enhancing the effectiveness of team coaching. This experience highlighted the importance of frequent checkpoints, consistent communication of the purpose behind each activity, and balancing support and growth within the team.