How Working from Home Led to an even Greater Connection with Team Members

The challenge

Maja’s Marketing LAB is a Slovenian digital marketing company that works with one of the largest companies in the Slovenian and European markets, specializing in the e-commerce sale of dietary supplements. The Marketing LAB team consists of 6 young people between the ages of 25 and 35. The team has grown over time and all members work remotely from their homes in Slovenia or from different countries while they are exploring the world. They value relationships and make sure that each team member feels noticed and can develop in their professional field.

The process

The team was already set up for growth before the High-Performing Team program. At the beginning, the coach had a conversation with the team leader to understand what she wanted from the team and the company. The team leader was already inherently interested in the growth and development of each team member and wanted to give the team the freedom to grow through the work.

They adapted the High-Performing Team program and focused on leveraging talent throughout the program. They were interested in learning how some of their raw talents were hindering progress, and how to mature those talents.

Although most of the sessions were remote, they were well led and interactive. Sessions were well done and allowed them to get to know each other better. They participated actively and attentively.

A classic HPT program was conducted mostly remotely with one in person session. They addressed:

• Personal goals
• The importance of communication within the team
• How to feel more connection within their team, even when working remotely, and have more drive to achieve their goals and share the vision.

The HPT program lasted 4 months. Sessions were mostly held remotely, except for the last session, which included a team-building activity and dinner, making it longer and more cohesive for the team.

Minor changes were made during the program. They quickly recognized their strengths and connected them to their way of working.

There were many "AHA" moments in understanding how talents work. For example, "Aha, my Arranger always wants to change something." Especially with things that were holding them back, they stopped and thought, "I stopped when I hit an obstacle; now I need to change how I approach achieving that goal."

They began to observe and understand how other team members go about it.

Now they use the CoffeeSync technique to solve challenges and save time by not getting tangled up in problems. The High5 tool has been adopted; they are now more aware of each other's contributions and recognize them more purposefully than before. They are open to adopting new habits. CoffeeSync and High5 have brought them a step forward.

They have learned not to set themselves too many goals at the beginning of the week. They can now better assess what the most important goal or thing is for that week. They now know how raw talent can hinder them and how to better set their aim for the next week based on reflection.

The results

They now feel more connected as a team, even if they don’t work in the same office, and have more drive to achieve their goals and share the vision.

• CoffeeSync and High5 have significantly improved communication and recognition within the team.
• They have learned to better recognize and leverage their strengths, which has led to better problem solving and aim setting.
• Personal growth and trust within the team has increased, resulting in a more cohesive and productive work environment.

They have gained valuable insights into their progress and obstacles, enabling them to make better decisions and adapt their strategies. Overall, the team has significantly improved their performance, communication, and collaboration, leaving them well positioned to achieve their business goals of increasing sales and expanding into new markets.

Testimonials

Participating in the e2grow High-Performing Team program was an extraordinary experience for both our marketing team and for me. As a team leader, it is important for me to understand the needs and goals of my colleagues and their desires for growth and development. I also strive to support them where it is needed most and to constantly improve my leadership and other skills. The program has helped me discover and utilize the talents of each team member, which has been instrumental in achieving our common goals. In practice, we have seen improved communication, greater trust, and increased team efficiency. I am incredibly pleased with the results and highly recommend this experience to any team that wants to achieve excellence and realize a shared vision. (Dolores Carl, Chief Marketing Manager)

With Kaja's coaching, we ran a program in our company on the e2grow platform, where we got to know each other and our colleagues better. I enjoyed the program and the meetings as I learned a lot about my colleagues' characteristics and discovered my own. I now have a better understanding of my colleagues' needs and know who I can turn to depending on what I need at any given moment. As a result, we have grown closer as a team and strengthened our relationships. (Iva – member of Maja’s Marketing Lab team)