From Silos... to Collaboration and Shared Accountability 

Client Challenge

This national organization was led by a team of seven including the Executive Director. They were a gifted group of creatives, community builders and fundraisers, dedicated to their mission and genuinely fond of each other. But they operated in individual silos, often depending on the ED to solve their problems. They left important matters unsaid. And they rose to the occasion as a team in a crunch, but not consistently enough to deliver the ambitious strategic plan they were tasked with.

Q Approach

A team coaching approach was taken, beginning with a team assessment. Margaret and an associate coach led confidential interviews with each team member, resulting in an integrated ‘team narrative’.

The team then participated in a series of workshops that combined new tools and frameworks, real world exercises, dialogue and reflection time – all designed to help the team accelerate toward their goals. By creating and holding a safe place for open and authentic expression, the team’s collective wisdom, creativity and resourcefulness were revealed.  

The focus was on the team’s capacity to build relationship – whether by designing team agreements, recognizing toxic patterns of communication and choosing to behave differently, initiating difficult conversations, or understanding and appreciating each other’s roles and dependencies. With this deeper level of trust, the team could more easily tackle organizational challenges and opportunities.

At the heart of coaching is a bias for action: using discovery and awareness to create new behaviours, and a cycle of ongoing learning and transformation.

At completion the Executive Director was coached through his plan for sustaining the change and the team’s journey.

The Results

For this team, the results have been conversations that are more real and honest. They have a new appreciation for each other’s strengths and accomplishments, are optimistic about what lies ahead, and have renewed energy and inspiration.

Instead of struggling alone or running to their leader, they figure things out together and have tight agreements that engender trust and accountability.