When Team Coaching Won’t Work (Yet): Why the Team Leader Roadblock Must Be Solved First
If the team leader is not open to being coached in a team setting, this is a non-starter.
When executives come to us about team coaching, one of the first things we’re listening for is whether the leader wants us to help “them” work better together. If it’s “them,” not “us,”—that’s a red flag. Translation: “It’s their problem, not mine. I’ll sit back and watch.”
Here’s the truth: Executive team coaching is a team sport, and the team leader is at the helm. How the leader shows up sets the tone for everyone. If the leader doesn’t want to play, the rest of the team gets the message. Team coaching is dead on arrival—it becomes performative, frustrating, and can actually make performance worse.
Watch out for the Team Leader Roadblock:
Don’t waste your team’s time and investment on team coaching if the leader isn’t all in.
Executive team coaching works only when the leader is ready to lead transformation from the front—not hide in the back.
Get to the root with the leader: Are they skeptical, too busy, or not ready to hold up the mirror and see their own impact on team dynamics? Build your approach around that reality.
What actually works when the leader isn’t ready?
One-on-one executive coaching with the leader—often including real-time observation in team settings and private debriefs to help them see their impact.
Targeted, facilitated touchpoints with the team (but not full team coaching yet) to start moving the needle—without demanding full vulnerability or commitment from everyone right away.What To Consider Before Jumping Into Executive Team Coaching
Need to figure out the best way to move your team forward? Let’s talk about the right starting point to drive real team results.
