When Team Coaching Isn’t the Fix: Sign #1

Sometimes the team isn’t the problem, it’s an individual problem that needs an individual solution.

We love executive team coaching (we built an entire business around it), but there are moments when it’s just not the right decision. And trying to coach an entire leadership team around one person’s performance issue? It isn’t going to work.

This is the first sign your team might not be ready for team coaching, because what’s needed is an individual solution, not a team-wide shift or intervention.

A Common Mistake: Coaching The Team Around 1 Person

We’ve seen it before. A team is hitting friction and leadership’s instinct is to “fix the team.” Maybe you’ve said something like:

“Let’s get everyone in a room to reset.”

“We’ll do a team offsite—work it out together.”

If the root issue is really about one person’s behavior or lack of skill, then team coaching won’t solve it. In fact, it might make things worse.

Why?

Because it sends the message that the team is responsible for something they can’t actually change and it avoids addressing the real issue.

What To Do Instead

Start with an individual coach. And if needed, bring in executive coaching that’s 1:1 that is focused specifically on that individuals development.

Now once that shift happens, then you can talk about building stronger dynamics across the whole team.

How To Know What Kind Of Support Your Team Needs

At Bamboo, we’re not here to sell you on team coaching if it’s not the right fit. We help senior leaders figure out:

• Where the friction is really coming from

• Whether it’s individual or systemic

• What approach is going to move the needle

Still not sure what kind of support your team needs?

Let’s Talk.

We’ll help you decide what type of solution will actually create momentum.