Improving team communication

• What prevents us from speaking out to each other?
• Why is it that we understand each other so badly?
• Why don’t we manage to hold effective meetings?
• Why does this team talk more about each other than with each other?
• How come that we are so often persuading each other?
• Why can’t we make decisions together?

If you recognise the above in your team, team coaching can offer a solution. With me as your team coach, you will discover what your limiting patterns are, where your blind spots are, what goes on in “undercurrents” and how you can communicate this more effectively with each other.

In a team, there are many lines of communication: between the team members, as well as to and from the manager. In these lines of communication, formal, informal and personal matters are discussed. It is therefore not surprising that things can easily go wrong in communication, for example, when specific information is not shared with everyone or decisions are made when not everyone feels heard. This can lead to loss of support and demotivation among team members.

In addition, differences in personalities, and therefore differences in working styles, can cause misunderstanding and miscommunication. This can lead to conflict, disagreement among team members or between team members and their manager.

In team coaching, the first step is an extensive intake with the client. In most cases, this will be the manager. This is usually followed by interviews with the team members, on the basis of which the coaching question and goals are properly defined. On the basis of my analysis, I will draft a plan of approach for the team process. Once it is approved, we will begin work.

As a team coach, I will guide the team in:

• Understanding the different styles and needs of team members
• Tools to deal with this and how to communicate with each other
• Breaking out of ineffective patterns in communication
• Giving and receiving feedback in a connection-oriented way
• Having a dialogue with each other
• Harnessing the wisdom of the group
• Getting all viewpoints, angles, opinions, beliefs and perspectives to the table
• Dealing constructively with conflicts within the team
• Actively listening to each other
• Positively reinforcing each other

Working on good communication creates mutual understanding and respect, ultimately creating more pleasure and success in team cooperation.

The effects:

• Open communication
• Peace within the team
• Pleasure in cooperation
• An inspiring working environment
• A team that is prepared to face conflicts
• Effective team meetings
• Supported decisions and adherence to agreements made
• Team members who act in a solution-oriented and effective way

Depending on the questions and if required, I will use various tests. For example, in the areas of emotional intelligence, drives, personal communication, leadership style and conflict management.