For Jihane Labib, founder of Coachinglab Academy and academic director of internationally accredited coach certification programs, the renewed interest in team building is evident — not only from companies already familiar with such activities, but also from those seeking to reconnect fragmented teams.

Have you been able to organize team building events during the past two years marked by a special context?

In Morocco, corporate coaching activities experienced a significant decline between 2020 and 2022, whether for individuals or for teams.

First, I’d like to clarify the difference between team building and team coaching. Both fall under team development activities, but with distinct objectives and approaches.

According to the International Coaching Federation (ICF), team coaching is a co-creative and reflective process conducted in partnership between the coach and the team, designed to influence team dynamics and relationships. The goal is to encourage team members to maximize their potential and achieve common objectives.

In practice, the team coach works with the team as a system, rather than a group of individuals. It’s a continuous process that supports long-term transformation, unlike team building, which is typically a short-term event.

On the other hand, team building is an activity aimed at enhancing relationships within a team through fun and engaging exercises, usually facilitated by an external host. These events typically last from 1 to 5 days.

The teams I worked with prior to the pandemic initially paused their coaching, hoping things would quickly return to normal. Later, realizing the situation was lasting, they resumed their coaching digitally. These were primarily multinationals and large Moroccan corporations.

However, team building events were halted altogether.

Are we now seeing a strong comeback for team building after months of remote work?

Yes, there’s a clear awareness of the need to relearn how to work together and to reconnect after extended periods of remote work. We’ve been receiving more inquiries and consultations since health restrictions were eased this year, particularly for team building organization.

What are the needs or challenges that companies face when they reach out to you? Are there any new trends in terms of topics?

Many teams express the need to conduct an assessment as a team, to be supported through the ongoing changes, and to help members reconnect with their collective mission and sense of purpose.

In terms of trends: Managers and employees are more aware of their human limitations and vulnerabilities, especially the psychological impact of the pandemic.

The phase of denial around emotional well-being at work is now behind us.

In your opinion, how can we maintain team dynamics — and above all, ensure the success of a team building?

Indeed, organizing outdoor activities with some team members present and others remote is a real challenge. But one positive outcome of this disruptive period is that it pushed professionals to reinvent themselves and introduce new ways of working.

On my side, I always insist on tailoring the support process to each team’s specific needs, maturity level, and organizational ecosystem before suggesting any intervention. And I remind my clients that team building is only one step in a broader team development process.

Blended teams (remote and in-person) have existed for a long time. For instance, some of my global clients have been using team coaching services for years.

In Morocco, the widespread adoption of remote work during COVID-19 helped break down certain cultural barriers and psychological resistance to services like coaching and training in digital formats.

Published on July 25, 2022
Formation & HR Development, Interview