Building Top-Performing Teams

Lucy Widdowson MSc PCC is an accredited executive and team coach, Director of Performance Edge, and a lead tutor on team coaching at Henley Business School. During her 30 year corporate career she has worked as a HR Director and is a UK board member for team coaching for the ICF. Paul J Barbour MSc is an accredited executive and team coach, with 20 years prior experience leading businesses and teams in Kerry Group plc. A writer and speaker with strong interests in human collaboration and conflict resolution, he is also a lead tutor on team coaching at Henley Business School.

Chapter - 01: Introduction - why the world needs top-performing teams and the argument for team coaching;
Chapter - 02: Beyond tools and techniques - why is a team coach’s ‘way of being’ so important?;
Chapter - 03: Team coaching frameworks, models and approaches - introducing the ‘Creating the Team Edge’ framework;
Chapter - 04: The purpose driven team - why does being purpose driven matter so much?;
Chapter - 05: Team identity - why is team identity so important?;
Chapter - 06: Team values and beliefs - why are team values and beliefs so important?;
Chapter - 07: Team awareness - why is it important to develop awareness both within and beyond a team?;
Chapter - 08: Team relatedness - why is building trust and connection so important?;
Chapter - 09: Team ways of working - how can teams keep reinventing how they work together?;
Chapter - 10: Team transformation - what do teams need to do to become transformational?;
Chapter - 11: Conclusion - what does the future require of team coaching?

"Grounded is a word that springs to mind when I think of the potency of this book. As a new and burgeoning practice, Team Coaching - what it is and how it works - still eludes many. This book clearly situates the discipline and rightly positions it amongst the many modalities that support team efficacy. The authors ground us in the literature over the first three chapters which in and of itself is no mean task but the effect on the reader is comfort. I know where I am. They then share their own proprietary model that underpins their work with teams in an incredibly accessible manner, littering the pages with ideas/examples/exercises all generously shared. This book is a re-read, over and over again. You will feel extraordinarily guided as you move through your own practice or work with teams with this book as your companion."

"Never before have teams been so important to our future as the problems of the world today will only be solved by greater collaboration and teamwork. This new work is a welcome contribution to the literature on teams./ Whether you are a leader, team coach or facilitator, this is packed full of useful tools and techniques that will expand and enrich your team development toolkit."

"If you're looking for a comprehensive overview of team coaching that balances theory and practice, then look no further. Widdowson and Barbour have created a thorough overview of the doing and being of team coaching structured around important team topics. Whether you are an aspirant or experienced team coach, this book has something to offer you."

"Widdowson and Barbour have delivered a powerful and practical guide for team coaches to help them connect more deeply with their 'way of being' as a coach and with the teams they are coaching. This is an important book for team coaches supporting teams on their journey to transformational performance."

"If you want a comprehensive companion of current thinking and practical applications to unlock the collective power of teams this book is it."

"Lucy and Paul's guide to team coaching is my blueprint for creating top team performance. It builds upon the critical team foundations of purpose, identity, values and beliefs. I have applied the knowledge and experience shared in this book across my organization, and it has delivered continuous improvement and outstanding resutls for our business, our customers, our many other stakeholders, and in the lives of the inspired and motivated members of my wonderful team."

"This is a compelling and important contribution to the team coaching literature that is extremely clear and easy to follow. There is a genuine appreciation for value and important of supervision as an integral element to support the team coach."