Team Coaching: a literature review

Hicks B | HR Network Paper MP88 | Institute for Employment Studies | Sep 2010

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The economic climate in 2010 had led to cuts in budgets and rapid organisational change, leaving organisations looking for new ways to engage their teams and maximise the efficiency of their employees to remain ahead of their competitors.

A survey by Hay of 350 HR directors, found that more than one-third of respondents were now complimenting individual coaching and 360-degree feedback with dedicated team coaching (Personnel Today, 2003).

Whilst many consultancy and coaching providers were keen to offer their version of ‘team coaching’, there was very little empirical academic research to explore fully what it actually was, the most appropriate time for its implementation, and the benefits for organisations and employees.

This literature review aimed to draw on emergent empirical academic evidence, where possible, as well as on practitioner articles and case studies, to answer five questions on team coaching:

  1. What is team coaching?
  2. How is it different from other team development techniques?
  3. When is it appropriate to use?
  4. What is the evidence that it works?
  5. What is the future for team coaching?