Team Coaching and Effective Team Leadership

Abstract

Over the years, first individual and then, increasingly, team coaching has attracted practical and research attention. Team coaching is now becoming an integral part of the repertoire of external coach professionals as well as being considered a part of effective leadership. In this essay, we offer a framework for the question: When should an organization hire an external team coach vs. “do it yourself” as a team leader? The foci of transformational team leaders and external coaches are combined and we address the similarities and differences between the roles of effective leaders and professional team coaches. A coach’s experience in group dynamics, combined with knowledge, good judgement and independency, can create added value in the development or maturing of a team, especially in turbulent or conflictual situations. Transformational leaders can enhance their team coaching skills, but it is an art for effective (higher) management to call in, at the right time, a team coach.