I have had the pleasure of working with two different teams this week. This is the fourth time my colleagues and I have worked with them in a 7/ 8-month period.

Although very different in structure and seniority, there have been some similarities. To begin with the individuals in both teams understood their own roles but lacked a clear understanding of the purpose of the team and their role within it. They had a working familiarity of the people in the team but had not built up real connection and trust in each other.

Patrick Lencioni talks about Team No.1 or Home team. He says if we are clear about the purpose of our home team and prioritise this over our own function team, it enables us to work together for the greater good of the organisation rather than using the home team as a space to lobby others for the good of our functional team.

It’s been interesting and rewarding to see our teams in action this week. Both seem to have reach a positive tipping point. Relationships have strengthened enabling them to really be able to listen to each other and have those more challenging conversations that will make a difference in the organisations. There is now a level of honesty in their communications and an appreciation that the team is aiming to make the best decision that will move the organisation forward rather than just to get through the next crisis. Lastly there is an understanding and clarity of what that home team is there to do, and as a consequence we are observing more collaborative working, innovative solutions, strategic decisions and longer term thinking going on.

So, for all you team coaches out there, I wanted to say keep at it. The journey along the way has not been without its challenges and it’s taken time, but four sessions later we are seeing a shift in behaviours. Good luck!