Marita Fridjhon and Faith Fuller

Organization and Relationship Systems Coaching (ORSC) is a groundbreaking model for coaching relationship systems in organizations, groups, teams, partnerships, and couples.

The breakthrough paradigm shift in this work is that is provides coaches with a model to work directly with the relationship that forms between the individuals in a group, rather than focus on working individually with each member of the group. In this way, the relationship is treated as the client and all the work that is done, is in service of the relationship.

This subtle shift has a profound impact on the results that are possible for each group, and requires a very different skill set from that of facilitating individual work within a group setting.

Traditional Coaching vs. Systems/Team Coaching

• Traditionally, coaching or training of the individual members of the team focuses on the personal development of each individual.
• In this approach, the aim is to increase the performance of the team by improving the performance of the individual. This may lead to the individual performance improving, however, the team’s performance may or may not improve.
• In contrast, Relationship System Coaching works with the relationship that forms between the individuals of a team, (or Third Entity) and leverages the creative and problem solving capacity of a team or organization as a whole
• In this approach, the aim is to strengthen the relationship between the individuals by improving communication, trust and collaboration in a group, which in turn will positively impact the overall performance and output of the group

Benefits of Relationship Systems Coaching for organizations and teams include:

• The development of a powerful sense of team spirit which enhances organizational culture, productivity and retention
• Improved inter-departmental cooperation through the reduction of “silos”
• Empowers people to be naturally creative and resourceful to find solutions that they own
• Improves relationships and communication thereby minimizing misunderstanding and mistrust
• Leads to natural collaboration through the development of conflict resolution skills, leading to more rapid resolutions and productive outcomes
• Increases appreciation and respect for each other’s views
• Stimulates creativity in the organization
• Minimizes the negative impact to organizational change by allowing all voices to speak and be heard
• Reveals the system to itself, thereby enabling it to self corrects

What will Your Return on Investment Be?

• Increase of productivity, quicker turnover and higher outputs by staff
• Retention of quality talent and therefore reduction in recruitment, visa and training costs
• Reduction in time taken for decisions to be taken and information shared across department
• Ownership of problem solving and the creation of solutions that will result in increased efficiencies
• Reduction of resistance to change and increase in percentage of change effectiveness
• Overall reduction in operational costs

To learn more about CRR Global, visit their homepage.

(Contributed by Linda Berlot and others)