Three Key Takeaways from my Team Coaching Experience: Trust, Delegation, and Vulnerability

As the head of my team, I always had a nagging sense of insecurity that led me to micro-manage every aspect of my team’s work. I didn’t understand the importance of empowering my team, or how the diverse qualities of each team member could complement each other to achieve great results. I was always overprotective and tended to talk over my team, which made it difficult for them to develop their leadership skills and grow.

To overcome my insecurities and learn how to step back and trust my team, I hired a team coach. Within a period of 6 months, we worked together with the coach for 2.5 hours a week, and the experience was truly transformative. Here are three main insights I learned from this collaboration:

• The importance of active listening: One of the most important things I learned from my coach was the importance of active listening. I realized that I wasn’t really hearing what my team members were saying because I was too busy trying to control everything. Through regular exercises and guidance from my coach, I learned to listen to my team members actively, understand their perspectives and ideas, and build on them to achieve our shared goals.
• The power of delegation: Another key insight I gained was the power of delegation. I learned that by delegating tasks and responsibilities to my team members, I could free up my time to focus on more strategic aspects of my work. This also gave my team members the opportunity to take on new challenges and develop their skills, which helped them grow as leaders and contribute more effectively to our team.
• The benefits of vulnerability: Lastly, I learned that vulnerability is a strength, not a weakness. By sharing my knowledge, mistakes, and weaknesses with my team, I could create a culture of trust and openness that allowed us to work together more effectively. I also learned that by being vulnerable and honest about my own insecurities, I could create a space for my team members to do the same, which helped us build deeper connections and work more collaboratively.

My collaboration with the team coach was an incredibly valuable experience that transformed how I lead my team. Not surprisingly – after working with her, I realized that my passion for leadership and team development could go beyond just being an HR manager. I decided to become a team coach as well, and use my skills and experience to support not only my team, but also other teams out there trying to figure out how to work and grow together. As team coaches, we, at TeamUp help leaders and their teams overcome their insecurities, develop their skills, and achieve their full potential. So, if you’re a leader looking for a team coach to help you and your team, don’t hesitate to reach out to us. Let’s work together to create a high-performing team that achieves great results while growing and learning along the way.

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