Systemic
Solution-Focused
Team Coaching
For teams that want to (re)discover their resources and strengths
and apply them strategically to meet their challenges.
Even a half-day workshop can help teams develop new perspectives, concrete solutions, and a genuine sense of optimism. Team development through systemic, solution-focused coaching is ideal for groups that have recently formed, have a new team lead, or are experiencing friction in their collaboration.
If you feel like something isn't quite right in your team either, let's take a look together at your current situation and your doubts.
Actually, people like their jobs, everyone on the team is competent, responsibilities are clearly defined, and everything is discussed in meetings.
And yet there’s always a sense of tension in the room; harsh words seem to come out of “nowhere,” and some coworkers go out of their way to avoid each other.
Small silos form instead of a sense of teamwork. People talk behind backs instead of discussing things openly.
This can be an undesirable development in an existing team, but these issues often arise after just a few months, especially in new teams or teams with a new team lead. It drains everyone’s energy, leads to frustration, and noticeably reduces engagement.
Throughout my career, I have repeatedly observed that many managers only consider team coaching when teamwork has become unbearable, sick leave and employee turnover have risen dramatically, or performance has clearly plummeted.
By that point, many valuable months had often already been wasted while the team underperformed. Many of these situations could have been avoided if the problems and conflicts within the team had been addressed constructively at the very first sign.
Effective teamwork can lead to 48% greatercommitment,
a 69% higher solution quality, and up to twice the effectiveness.
Source: Why Culture & Leadership Matter – Proving the People–Performance Connection (Shaun McCarthy)
© Human Synergistics New Zealand Ltd and Human Synergistics Australia Pty Ltd.
The Benefits of my team coaching
Quick implementation with immediate results
The solution-focused approach brings about a complete shift in perspective in just a few hours, encourages people to take responsibility, leads to very specific next steps, and fosters a strong motivation to actually implement these measures in everyday life.
A tangible sense of ease instead of getting stuck in problem analysis
By consistently focusing on an attractive future, the team’s existing resources and strengths, and past successes, the team’s self-confidence and optimism grow. The workshop feels lighthearted, and the team grows as a whole and feels more positive.
Sustainable solutions from your team, for your team
We work together with all team members to address your specific challenges and goals, while also ensuring the commitment of everyone involved. This means that the solutions are truly tailored to you and are widely accepted.
Curious what these insights could mean for your team? Let’s find out in an initial conversation.
Here's How Team Coaching works
Goals & Initial Alignment Meeting (approx. 1.5 hours)
We’ll discuss your specific challenges and goals, and define the scope and focus of our collaboration.
Workshop Planning and Preparation (approx. 2–4 weeks before the workshop)
We’ll align on the duration, location, specific methods and approaches. If needed, any required materials will also be ordered in advance.
Workshop Session (4–8 hours)
This is where the actual team coaching takes place (defining the desired future, gathering resources, a scale exercise on the status quo and next steps, concrete actions, and commitment). Depending on the assignment, we may also conduct a survival simulation and/or a Group Styles Inventory™ analysis.
Follow-up and Consolidation (as needed)
I will provide you with a report on the results. Depending on the assignment, individual coaching sessions may follow.
A team workshop can be held virtually or in person, in German or English, and ideally lasts one day, though it can also be condensed. If necessary, 1–3 targeted one-on-one coaching sessions may be beneficial afterward to address individual issues.
The ideal group size is about 6 to 15 people, including the team lead. But we can find a good solution for teams of any size.
Additional Offer: Team Analysis with Human Synergistics®
Optionally, the team workshop can be conducted using the tools from Human Synergistics® .
Team Simulation (Survival Scenario)
The Human Synergistics® Survival Simulations have a game-like, team-building format. The team works together to overcome a survival challenge. Teamwork is simulated, and common patterns and disruptions become apparent under stress. Simply solving the task can yield interesting insights and “aha” moments, for example, regarding psychological safety within the team. We reflect on these together.
Group Styles Inventory™ (GSI)
The Group Styles Inventory™ (GSI) from Human Synergistics® was developed specifically for teams and is best administered immediately following the Survival Simulation to reflect the most current situation. It is the only research-based tool that can validly and reliably reveal the extent to which group members interact with one another and work together as a team to solve problems. This is illustrated clearly and concisely through 12 different behavioral styles. Is there a strong competitive mindset, or do members support one another? Do people avoid uncomfortable topics and remain silent, or can everyone contribute constructively? Is the team highly perfectionist, or does it focus on real added value?
Based on these results, specific measures to improve team culture and collaboration can then be identified.
The Circumplex as a Visual Model
The Human Synergistics® Circumplex illustrates thinking styles and behavioral patterns in terms of their intensity and how they relate to one another. It distinguishes three clusters:
Constructive behaviors promote the achievement of organizational goals, teamwork, and synergy.
Aggressive-defensive behaviors prioritize individual needs over those of the group and lead to stress, high turnover, and inconsistent performance.
Passive-defensive behavior leads to subordination and stifles creativity and initiative.
Costs for Human Synergistics® Tools
The following recurring costs are incurred per project (price list as of April 2025):
€250 setup fee
€20 for the GSI online questionnaire per team member
€17 for access to the simulation per team member
Example: For a team of 10 people, the program can be organized for as little as just under €2,500–€3,500. After the initial appointment, you’ll receive a transparent offer.
Team Coaching at Practice
Following a reorganization, a new team was put together within the company. To help the team quickly establish effective collaboration, a one-day team kick-off was organized. The goals were to get to know one another, build trust, clarify expectations, and address any concerns .
After a brief introduction to the reorganization and an outlook from management, we worked together to shape our shared future and pool the team’s resources. Through a scaling exercise, we made the team members’ opinions and positions transparent and open to discussion. It was also important to consider what we wanted to keep. This fostered a deep, mutual understanding.
On this basis, we were able toreflect on a step toward the future and identify specific actions. At the end, all team members expressed their commitment to implementing these actions.
In parallel, I combined the workshop with a few low-threshold but very effective exercises designed to strengthen interpersonal connections. The participants gained surprising insights about their colleagues and gave each other appreciative feedback.
As the workshop progressed, the initial uncertainty and slight tension gave way to palpable optimism, a sense of ease, and a strong team spirit.
Who is accompanying you?—Learn more about Claudia Winkler
Throughout my professional career, I’ve often heard people say there’s simply too much to do to take a day off for a team workshop. However, this completely overlooks the fact that even the smallest hiccup in the gears of collaboration costs the company valuable time and productivity. Many of these issues don’t resolve themselves; instead, they intensify over time. We need the space and the brief team break, just like a necessary maintenance check. I promise: the newfound strength you gain as a team will often more than make up for the time invested.
I have been working with systemic, solution-focused coaching since 2018, and I have witnessed many times how the atmosphere in the room has noticeably changed. Seemingly simple interventions give rise to a strong sense of optimism; people feel empowered again, and a sense of lightness spreads throughout the room.
In addition, in 2023 I became familiar with the Human Synergistics® tools designed specifically for teams as interesting supplementary methods, after having used their solutions for individuals and leaders for several years and having become convinced of their effectiveness.
In my workshops, participants regularly appreciate: my keen eye for the big picture, my genuine interest, my professional pragmatism, and my ability to create space for deep insights.
Here's what customers and participants have to say about my team coaching…
Who can benefit from team development through coaching?
Team coaching can be used in a variety of ways: for a permanent team within a department, a work group, or a project team.
Typical use cases include:
A newly formed team wants to build strong bonds to foster effective collaboration, identify their shared goal, and move quickly to implementation
A team gets a new team lead and must realign itself as a group
An existing team is experiencing various minor tensions and conflicts that drain energy when working together
Effective teamwork doesn't happen by chance, it can be deliberately cultivated. During an initial conversation, we'll take a look at your situation together and determine which approach is best suited for your team.
Frequently Asked Questions
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Since each coaching session is tailored individually to your specific needs, there is no flat rate. The scope depends, among other things, on
your request,
the scope of the requested support, materials used, location, etc.,
as well as whether a Human Synergistics® test is used and their current price list.
For a team of 10 people, the event can be organized for as little as just under 2,500 €.
After our initial appointment, you'll receive a transparent, personalized offer.
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The duration of the team coaching depends on your goal, the methods used, and the scope of the support provided.
A full day is recommended, as is personalized coaching, if needed, consisting of 1–3 sessions over approximately 2 months; however, initial beneficial results can be achieved in as little as 4 hours. Even a half-day is better than not working on the team at all.
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The result is essentially the same; it’s just the approach that differs: In purely solution-focused coaching, we start directly with your desired future and quickly move on to the next steps, it’s concise and suitable for any team. The Human Synergistics® tools, on the other hand, first reveal your existing behavioral patterns within the team and are particularly well-suited if you’ve been working together for some time and want to specifically measure your collaboration or identify areas of friction. Following the analysis, the next steps and actions can be developed through solution-focused coaching.
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A good team size is 6–15 people. The key question, however, is: Who works closely together on a regular basis? We can find a good solution for teams of any size, for example, by bringing in a second coach from my network or by holding staggered sessions. Let’s take a closer look at your specific situation.
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I usually work alone, but depending on the situation, it may be helpful to bring in a second coach from my network. In that case, however, you’ll receive a profile, or even several profiles, in advance to choose from.
The consultants at Human Synergistics®—when we use their tools—work solely in the background as my subcontractors. In this case, the confidentiality of our collaboration extends to them as well.
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In short: yes, absolutely.
Team coaching can also be used, for example, as a kickoff for a new project or to realign a workgroup. So even if you think you have an unusual team structure, we’ll find a good solution.
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Nationality doesn't matter when it comes to coaching —it works just as well in international groups.
If possible, a face-to-face meeting is recommended for this occasion to strengthen the bond even further and avoid being limited by time zones. But team coaching sessions also work well online. The general rule is: it’s better to work on the team in a less-than-ideal way than not at all.
Tell me what you need, and ideally, when you're best reached, and include your contact information, and I'll get back to you as soon as possible!
Alternatively, you can book an appointment to get to know each other right away: