Clients / Case study
Building leadership teams in the youth sector
How do busy leadership teams find the space for reflection and challenge?
The brief
When a leading UK youth organisation asked for our support, we were happy to help as we had already established a strong relationship with this key client over time, collaborating on multiple projects such as the transformation and implementation of new learning systems.
To help their Executive Leadership Team, we developed a team coaching approach with the emphasis on creating a space for reflection and challenge, enabling deeper and faster transformation. All this was happening against a backdrop of the importance of being adaptable when navigating complex situations influenced by societal, market, and technological changes.
The challenges
We knew this wouldn’t be plain sailing. It required a good deal of frank self-reflection and a willingness to foster a culture of healthy open debate and challenge. The leadership team largely came together during the Covid period, which limited opportunities for them to connect both personally and professionally. Along with typical logistical challenges, throughout the 12+ months of collaboration they faced numerous internal pressures and external challenges, providing no shortage of real-world scenarios.
The solutions
Beginning with individual discovery interviews with each Executive Team member, we developed a conversation around the StrengthscopeLeader profiling tool. This provided powerful insights into individual strengths as well as a comprehensive Team profile, which served as a valuable foundation for discussion. During the initial kick-off session, the team explored key priorities, setting the focus for the bi-monthly coaching sessions.
Our experienced team coach introduced several frameworks and tools to help the team uncover dynamics, values, and decision-making approaches. When external challenges arose, the team were given space to pause, later resuming with opportunities for reflection and personal storytelling. The team also gained awareness of their working styles, levels of trust, and the wider stakeholder environment. The final session allowed for a collective review of the programme, sharing of feedback, assessment of outcomes, and planning for future steps.
The results
As Val Stevenson (our leading team coach) explains:
“The senior leadership team certainly gained a deeper understanding of themselves as both individuals and leaders, recognising their collective strengths, values, and working styles. Now adapting to and embracing challenging times, I have witnessed them supporting one another and fostering collaboration across teams. The team now functions cohesively both in group settings and within their respective roles.
On a practical level, the team refined their approach to meetings, making them far more efficient (an early success) and committed to staying out of the detail. By exploring Purpose, Vision, and Trust, this Executive Team definitely achieved greater awareness of their identity as a team and the broader system within which they operate.”
