What Team Coaching Taught Us
At Graydin, we are champions of curiosity. We teach genuine curiosity in our Anatomy course, and we also try to bring this playful state to our work as a team. So when Quinn saw a posting from Lori Shook looking for a team to coach, she was instantly curious.
When we first met Lori, she described herself as an Elder of coaching, and as an author of several master-level coaching training programs and a book on applied neuroscience, she truly has been a pioneer of coaching for nearly twenty years. Lori had been approached by WBECS to do a live team coaching webinar and was on the lookout for a team. We happily volunteered. Our team had two coaching sessions with Lori, with the third culminating in the live webinar. Over 600 people attended, watching an introduction on Lori’s coaching tool called BE SAFE & CERTAIN, and then observing 45 minutes of coaching, where Lori lead our team through the tool.
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As mentioned, our collective curiosity drew us to Lori. We weren’t sure where team coaching would lead, what we would learn and how it would benefit us, but we were eager to find out. Curious to hear what we learnt? Here are the biggest takeaways from each of our team members.
McKenize Cerri, Co-founder
Now more than ever, safety is at the forefront of my mind. It’s a lens through which I navigate this pandemic, and now it’s a lens through which I view our team. Team coaching provided me this opportunity, reinforcing my belief that safety is a joint responsibility. When I or another team member feels unsafe, Lori taught us that the primal response is to either freeze, fight or flight. I freeze—a response I’ve had for as long as I can remember. I’ve always assumed that my response was a weakness, and yet this work has shifted my perspective. I now understand that my response is natural, and that when I do freeze, I can call on my team to help me ‘defrost’. It is simple yet profound, and it would not have happened without the support of team coaching.
Quinn Simpson, Co-founder
I’ve spent many years coaching people and myself through the experience of being triggered. After years of awareness, I have the language I always wanted and needed. Working with Lori has helped me evaluate how I respond when I’m at my worst and how to step into my best more often. The work we’ve done as a team has proven the power of deeply understanding each other’s frustrations and motivations. Now we can consciously move towards the truest and purest form of collaboration and generative thinking.
Amy Cusack, Administrative Coordinator
It's incredibly enlightening to see where everyone is in terms of the BE SAFE & CERTAIN model. That awareness provides a different level of empathy and understanding in our interactions. This exercise has given me a great deal of insight into myself as well and what helps me thrive and what can trigger a downward spiral. I am incredibly thankful to be a part of a team that values its members so wholeheartedly and our team coaching has shined a very bright light on that.
Priya KOURTIS, finance manager
As the newest member of the team I haven't had many opportunities to work with the wider team. Team coaching gave me insights into the team members and what is important to them quite quickly. Now I have more awareness for when we do work together.
I have always struggled with self-confidence and voicing my opinions. Through the coaching, I have heard the team speak with openness and honesty which has given me courage and confidence within myself. I am have also been able to manage the assumptions and the stories I tell myself which has reduced my anxiety and allowed me to carry out my work in a more efficient and positive way.
Kate Peer, Creative Strategist
As enlightening as the actual coaching session was, something hit home for me while reading the comments in the Q+A box. Over 100 people thanked us. This outpouring of gratitude was lovely, but what they thanked us for was interesting. They said words like humility, authenticity, honesty, vulnerability. If we’re taught to think that showing emotion is akin to showing weakness, this feedback proved differently. Being open, communicating honestly, and showing vulnerability is power. And it’s a reminder that it’s our superpower that we possess, both as a team, as individuals and as an organisation.
learn more
If you are curious to learn more about Lori and her approach, check out her team coaching program called Rewire your Team. You can also watch the live coaching demonstration to learn more about BE SAFE & CERTAIN and see our live coaching session for yourself.