Episode 39: The Team Debrief: A Coach's View

A few weeks ago, Ben Cohen shared an interesting post on LinkedIn (https://www.linkedin.com/posts/ben-a-cohen_team-meetings-are-fine-but-lets-be-honest-activity-7344322353796915201-x2Ni?utm_source=share&utm_medium=member_desktop&rcm=ACoAAABhWwQBX3mz5m5t2IWD6ppNmuXB7Yhuka0) where he discussed how he manages his team meetings that occur every other Friday. He introduced a new concept for his teams called “Fuck Yous and Thank Yous.”

During these meetings, each team member is allowed to express one “Fuck You” to something that’s bothering them. However, before they can share their “Fuck You,” they must also give a “Thank You.”

This approach made me reflect on the thousands of debriefs I have conducted with my case-solving teams over the years and how they have generally improved over time. The key element for me in these meetings is to ensure that the discussion benefits everyone involved. My goal is to reinforce the learning from these sessions and integrate that knowledge into our future efforts.

For context, many things go wrong during practices and most competition presentations. The purpose of the debrief is to capture these issues and determine how to improve in the future. Practice debriefs typically occur immediately after the practice presentations, allowing participants to provide an immediate reaction. In contrast, the debriefs at competitions happen over various timelines, depending on the competition's structure.

What were the commonalities in all these debrief sessions:

1. A chance to vent
2. A chance to learn
3. A chance to build relationships
4. A chance to have some fun

These common elements are essential for conducting successful debriefs and, ultimately, for building effective teams. Throughout my experience, I have observed a significant number of successful teams, and while many factors contribute to their achievements, the debrief process consistently ranks among the most important. Over the years, my approach to these debriefs has evolved significantly, yet they have consistently included the four key elements mentioned earlier.

Notably, the chance to express frustrations has become increasingly important as my coaching experience has grown and as teams have spent more time together. The first question typically posed is, "What did not work?" This question allows team members to vent their frustrations, and in many cases, it allows the coach to share their thoughts as well. This is where I have learned the most as a coach, managing the debrief process effectively.

When I first started coaching, I struggled with managing debriefs and often relied on conventional feedback methods, such as the sandwich technique. However, I found these methods to be inefficient. The most important insight I discovered early in my coaching career was that my team members were much more interested in finding out how to improve than in hearing what they had done well. I also realised that my feedback skills were lacking. At best, I was better at providing an open-faced sandwich approach rather than a complete one.

After discussing with my teams, I decided to change the structure of our debriefs. They now begin by allowing team members to express their frustrations and discuss what went wrong. These reflections serve as a foundation for exploring how we can improve and learn.

A crucial aspect of this process is fostering an environment where team members feel comfortable with each other, which helps build stronger relationships. While they don't need to become friends, they must respect and trust one another. This mutual respect and trust enable effective communication in the resolution room, during presentations, and, most importantly, during the debriefs.

By cultivating respect and trust in the debriefs, we create a stronger sense of connection that can benefit other situations. During this developmental stage, I focus less on the content presented and more on helping the team evolve into a cohesive unit.

Once trust and respect have been established, I encourage discussions about what didn’t work, the reasons for those failures, and how we can improve moving forward. It’s also important to recognise the successes we achieved during the process, and as a coach, I make it a priority to ensure these successes are acknowledged. Particularly in the beginning, it is crucial to ensure that everyone has a voice and that team members don’t take feedback personally; the goal is to strengthen the group as a unit. I find this process tends to be easier with undergraduate students than with MBA students, as MBA students often come with larger egos. I often joke that my first task with MBA students is to deflate their egos; the sooner this is accomplished, the quicker we can focus on the actual work.

A key element that contributed to my teams' success and fueled my passion for coaching many teams was the incorporation of fun. Having fun and being able to laugh at ourselves and each other respectfully helped ease the stress and made the process more enjoyable. This atmosphere of lightheartedness was also a sign that the team members were comfortable with one another. According to the team members, this comfort came from a foundation of respect and trust among them.