Relational Coaching: Shifting from Individuals to Ecosystems

One of the concepts that has expanded my understanding of coaching is that we don’t just coach individuals, but we coach individuals who are part of a system. Coaching typically focuses on individual development, but a broader perspective recognizes individuals as integral parts of a larger system. As one person observed, “It is time to move from egocentric coaching to ecosystem coaching.”

I am not yet sure how to do that effectively, but a recent article on the Fast Company website stimulated further thinking on my part.

In his new book, You and We: A Relational Rethinking of Work, Life, and Leadership, Jim Ferrell focuses on helping people apply relational approaches to leadership and organizational life. This certainly has implications for effective leadership coaching and for coaching teams.

Ferrell observes that, “The idea of a separate individual is a myth, and because it’s a myth, the strategies that mistake it as true generate systematically poor advice. . .. Every individual you think you are seeing is relation in disguise.”

He emphasizes that the most crucial aspect of any organizational chart is the "space between" names and boxes – the realm where collaboration either thrives or fails. This relational space is not merely a metaphor but a quantifiable and changeable reality, collectively forming the "relational field" of an organization. The level of connectivity within this field is a strong predictor of organizational success.

To see and measure this space, we first need a way to differentiate between levels of relation. To effectively understand and influence this relational field, Ferrell proposes five distinct levels of relation:

Division: People or teams that get in each other’s way are dividing.
Subtraction: Those who resist or avoid others are subtracting.
Addition: People or teams just focusing on their own work are adding.
Multiplication: Those who are collaborating with others are multiplying.
Compounding: People who care as much about others’ success as their own and integrate their work in deep ways to advance their collective success are compounding.

With these levels of relation in mind, you can map team and organizational connectivity levels and decide which relational intersections across the system need to be addressed. When you can see and track these levels of relation, you can start improving them intentionally and systematically.

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