Coaching & Team Building: What Are They ReallyAbout?

Type “coaching” into any search engine, andyou’ll get hundreds of millions of results in under half a second. But what do professionalcoaching and team building actually involve? What are their goals,and who are they for? How are they applied in the Moroccan and global markets?And what are the critical success factors?

What Is Coaching?

According to the International CoachingFederation (ICF), the global standard-setter for the profession, professionalcoaching is:

“A partnership between the coach and the client(individual or team) to help them effectively achieve their vision and goals.”

Coaching encourages deep reflection, elevatesawareness and responsibility, and provides structured support and constructivefeedback.

The coach ensures the process, tools, andethics of the engagement—but is not responsible for outcomes. Thecommitment is to the method, not the result.

Types of Coaching

There are many forms of coaching—life, career,executive, transition, team, group coaching, and more.

This article zooms in on:

• Team coaching
• Group coaching
• Team building (or cohesion building)

What Is Team Coaching?

Team coachingsupports a group in building a shared vision and achieving a commongoal. Unlike individual coaching, the focus here is on team dynamics,harmony, and collective performance.

Example:

A coach supports the sales leadership team inco-developing a unified business vision and improving results.

The coach tailors the approach based on adiagnostic of the team’s current state. Together, the coach, manager, and team co-createaction plans through a structured, multi-session process.

📣 Team coaching is not training or consulting.
It's a participatory process initiated by a clear request from leadership.

  Does It Work?

Yes—when the process is respected andsupported by:

• The coach’s adherence to ICF’s 11 core     competencies
• The manager’s full involvement
• Clear goal-setting and co-ownership

Team coaching may include a team buildingday to reinforce the work.

What Is Group Coaching?

Group coachingbrings together individuals with similar challenges but different goals orbackgrounds.

Example:

A group of professionals across departments (e.g.,Marketing, IT, Sales) is coached on public speaking.

Here, each participant works on a personal goal,but benefits from collective reflection and feedback.

The coachcreates a safe, structured space that encourages peer exchange, sharedlearning, and personal development.

Group coaching often improves cross-functionalcollaboration and problem-solving in organizations.

What Is Team Building?

Often misunderstood, team building (TB) is atime-bound event (1–3 days) aimed at strengthening team spirit and cohesion.There are two main formats:

1. Recreational Team Building

Organized by event agencies, this format includes:

• Fun activities
• Outdoor retreats
• Energizing games

Goal: Reward and recharge employees.

2. Strategic Team Building

Led by a certified coach, this formataddresses real organizational challenges using:

• Pedagogical workshops
• Collaborative games
• Systemic and collective intelligence tools

The coach ensures that the intervention isgrounded in real needs and results in sustainable team growth.

Coaching Is a Living Practice

Each group, each team, and each coaching session isunique. That’s why:

“One request = one case = one unique solution.”

Drawing on years of experience, I’ve found thatworking with diverse teams is the best way to deepen coaching practice.Every session challenges the coach’s situational intelligence,creativity, and adaptability.

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