Comments Off

By Katie Duckworth, April 17, 2013

Love her or hate her, not many people would say that Margaret Thatcher was a great team player.

These days even top leaders recognise they need to be team players to get the most out of their people.

Team working really matters. Tensions and conflict from poor team playing wreck havoc on productivity and take up valuable management time. Collective energy undoubtedly increases productivity but in the charity sector, where not everyone in a team necessarily works on the same programme, extra effort is needed to ensure a high-performing and engaged team.

Everyone will say they’re a good team player when asked the classic interview question, but what does it really take to be one? My experience of coaching both leaders and team members suggest some key factors:

1. Absolute clarity about team objectives and then reliability in delivering what you said you would.

2. Being available to each other. Yes, you have to focus on your prinicple role, but when I go into an organisation where heads are down, and there’s a lot of ‘don’t talk to me!” body language at 9 o’clock in the morning, alarm bells ring. Team members who help each other out with time, information and resources will trust each other more, care about each other more – and end up getting more help back.

3. Giving credit where credit is due. Great team players acknowledge each others’ contributions within the team and more widely. Resentment builds quickly when individual efforts are not recognised

3. Talking up the team. Not in an aggressive way or in competition with others – but using ‘we’ instead of ‘I’; celebrating successes such as a fundraising target met; having a team newsletter or notice board which members take turns to update

5. Listening  Great team players listen to each other. They make space for each other to be heard and acknowledge what’s been said with praise for a good idea or a positive constructive comment

6. Knowing yourself Team members who know there strengths, values, learning style and team role, are more supportive and valuing of colleagues who contribute in a different way. They’re better able to work to their strengths for the good of the team.

I can support you and your team, or others in your organisation, develop great team player skills though individual and team coaching. Contact me here or call 0208 772 7808 for a no-obligation chat about how I can help.

Comments (2)

By Katie Duckworth, May 28, 2012

When’s the right time to get coaching for your third sector staff?

When David is under-performing so badly he’s about to lose his job? When Leila is totally fed up, demotivated and desperate to leave? When tensions and disagreements in the team are taking up hours of your precious time?

Certainly, organisations often bring in a coach “to sort things” out and it can be very effective. Performance improves. Disillusioned staff rediscover their purpose and energy. Calm is restored.

But the very best time to bring in a coach is before any of this happens. Early coaching can save your organisation money and help you meet organisational goals faster.

Basically, coaching helps people to be better at their jobs – to thrive, to contribute their very best to the organisation – in short, to shine. You can help them do this from Day One.

A great time to coach your people is:

- when they love their job!

- the first 90 days in a new leadership or management post

- when they have a specific deadline-driven project coming up

- when a staff member has risen to a few challenges and seems to have what it takes to do even better

- if they are performing well, but need to work on a specific area such as confidence or life balance

- as a reward for talented staff members to keep them motivated and on board.

When you see coaching as an investment (rather than a sticky plaster) you will reap massive rewards for your organisation. Instead of waiting for failure, keep your eye out for success and help your people create even more of it.

Coaching can help you and your staff meet specific goals, upgrade overall performance, develop leadership skills, increase confidence and improve communication, and more.

If you would like to talk to Katie Duckworth about investing in you or in your third sector team please contact me here for a no-obligation chat.

Comments (0)

By Katie Duckworth, October 31, 2011

There are absolutely no tricks in coaching.

In fact, when you get your third sector staff coached, you’ll experience a bag-load of treats. Here are just five of the reasons my current clients are committed to coaching their staff:

1.  It encourages people to take responsibility for their own learning and actions
2.  Coaching improves individuals’ performance and therefore results
3.  Coaching makes people feel valued and appreciated by the organisation, so boosting morale and commitment
4.  Managers can trust their staff so don’t spend precious time micro-managing and hand holding
5. Challenges and difficulties can be addressed before they become serious problems.

I coach third sector staff individually and in groups, as well as offering training for charities who want to take a more ‘coachly’ management approach. To have a chat about how coaching can help your third sector organisation, call me on 0208 772 7807 or contact me here.

Happy Halloween!