Why would a small business owner want Team Coaching Outdoors?

28 Nov

Laurianne Enos is a Director of Talking Heads, a translation agency with a 12-strong management team.

In spring 2020, Laurianne will be taking her management team outdoors for team coaching. After years of conversations in meeting rooms this would be the teams first expereince of team coaching outdoors. I was curious about what had led her to consider the outdoors and Laurianne kindly shared her answers which you can see below.

Lesley: “Your business is office-based, mainly offering digital services (translation) what has drawn you to consider working outside with the team?”

Laurianne: “Well firstly, for that exact reason - we face our computer screens for the majority of the day in our work and I feel that a change of view would be massively beneficial. If you look at the picture above it’s like ‘Hadrians wall’ exists between the team which can’t be good! We could use our meeting room or to a local hotel, but another reason is that to move somewhere completely different (and new) is exciting and changes the dynamic completely.”

Lesley: “What do you think the change in dynamic will bring?”

Laurianne: “The team will see each other in casual clothes! Strange that that is my first thought but it is important - to see a team member dressed in something other than their ‘work uniform’, again denotes a ‘change’ but also allows insight into a different part of their personality. It will bring the team together. Secondly, I think the quality of the conversations will be different and that people will learn things about each other that they didn’t know before. I know that when I walk with friends outside, it just seems a better conversation somehow, perhaps because we are less distracted. Oh and I hope they simply have a lovely day out!”

Lesley: “What specific benefits are you hoping that the outdoor environment will bring?”

Laurianne: “As well as thinking about the team having a development day, it seems that ‘I’ll get two birds with one stone’ if we work outside. I’m conscious of the wellbeing agenda and so this is a win:win for us - an investment in my teams development with the added wellbeing benefits from being outside.”

Lesley: “Have you any concerns about being outdoors?”

Laurianne: “The team are concerned with what to wear!”

Lesley: “Have any of the team expressed concerns about going outside for coaching?”

Laurianne: “Honestly, yes. But they were easily overcome when I explained that they would not be uncomfortable (or cold!) and that no one would be asked to do anything that was outside of their physical abilities. I think that is one of the main areas I have been concerned with - that each team member will feel comfortable enough to contribute fully and that the outdoors would support the team not distract from the conversations.”

I’m looking forward to working with the Talking Heads team in the spring and very grateful to Laurianne for her allowing us to share our conversation here. To find out more about how we could support your team just click the link below.