What is Team Fitness Coaching?
Team Fitness Coaching (TFC) develops a campus team, or Cohort, and its individual contributors, called Coach Leaders, through a virtual thought-provoking and creative experience that maximizes individual potential, enhances team synergy, and supports institutional agility and ROI.
TFC is designed to drive three high impact outcomes for your school, division, or department:
- Fulfillment of specific individual goals of each Coach Leader,
- Increased awareness, connection, and purpose within the assembled TFC Cohort,
- Cultivation of a culture of coaching for your school.
Who Benefits from Team Fitness Coaching?
Higher education is changing at a more rapid pace than ever before. Just in the last three years, the way in which campus communities operate has been transformed. Teaching, learning, and campus operations have all pivoted, and with little warning. For many in administrative, student service, and teaching roles, their day-to-day workplace experience has been significantly disrupted by the Covid-19 pandemic as well as ongoing political, economic, climate, and racial unrest.
The Team Fitness Coaching framework responds to these challenges by integrating the aspirations of individual, group, and institution — and in the midst of dramatic change. TFC provides a shared language and understanding of what people are experiencing right now, while resourcing them with optimal habits for the future.
Nominated TFC Coach Leaders can represent a diverse complement of directors, deans, department chairs, professors, advisors, counselors, and other campus contributors. Coach Leaders will benefit if they can relate to any of the following statements:
- My role has become increasingly stressful in the last few years.
- My responsibilities have shifted significantly.
- Our campus hiring freeze means I am struggling to accomplish more with fewer resources.
- I am navigating work and life challenges associated with social isolation, child care, and other hybrid realities.
- I am not feeling as connected to the mission of my institution as I once did.
- I am stepping into a new role for which I feel apprehension.
- My office, department, or division is being reorganized.
- I am looking for professional development in the absence of traditional opportunities (i.e. conferences, training programs, retreats).
- I want to improve my engagement with students, colleagues, supervisors, direct reports, and even family members.
- I want to leverage this moment in time by jump-starting my creativity and adding fresh new value in the rapidly changing world of higher education.
- I want to ignite my motivation and realize renewed alignment with my values.
- I want to develop new habits to support my leadership aspirations.
Team Fitness Coaching Foundations
Team Fitness Coaching integrates 5 individual coaching sessions, 3 all-team professional development experiences, and a variety of coaching methodologies to achieve desired individual and organizational results. The curriculum is grounded in five foundations.
Team Fitness Coaching Learning Features
The entire cohort meets for approximately 3 hours on 3 different occasions throughout the curriculum, either via Zoom or on site.
TFC Launch, Midpoint, and Completion Experiences
The entire Cohort meets for an hour via Zoom 3 times throughout the curriculum.
- An initial Launch Experience breaks the ice for the newly established Cohort, establishes program parameters, designs their alliance with one another, and addresses initial questions.
- A Midpoint Experience explores workplace styles for individuals and the cohort at large, utilizing the results of the Everything DiSC assessment.
- A Completion Experience enables the experienced Cohort to reflect together on TFC outcomes for the campus, the Cohort, and the individual Coach Leaders.
Each of the professional development experiences are customized to support the unique priorities of the TFC Champion and Cohort.
Coaching Anchor Goals
Each Coach Leader will identify two Anchor Goals that will provide focus and energy for their individual coaching sessions:
- A position- or institution-specific linked goal of strategic value to the Cohort or institution.
- A personally-selected goal representing an aspirational area of personal/professional growth for the Coach Leader.
Self-Awareness Assessments
To bolster the foundations of insight, capabilities, and habit, Coach Leaders will complete a variety of assessments, including the Everything DiSC Workplace Assessment and the Positive Intelligence Saboteur Assessment.
Coach Leader Conversation Pods
Two- to four-person Coach Leader pods will be formed at different times during the curriculum to discuss specific prompts provided by the Certified Coach.
Curated Resources
The coaching arc for each Coach Leader will be different, depending on their Anchor Goals and self-awareness assessment results. Throughout their private coaching experience, they will benefit from a variety of resources made available by the Certified Coach, including thematic reflection guides on subjects including resilience, integrity, passion, creativity, wellness, intention, and gratitude.
Team Fitness Coaching Calendar
TFC will be launched and completed over the course of 10 weeks.
WEEK 1
Cohort Launch Experience
(virtual or live)
(virtual or live)
WEEK 2
First individual coaching sessions with Certified Coach
WEEK 3
Coach Leader Pod Conversations
WEEK 4
Second individual coaching sessions with Certified Coach
WEEK 5
Cohort Midpoint DiSC Workplace Assessment Experience
(virtual or live)
(virtual or live)
WEEK 6
Third individual coaching sessions with Certified Coach
WEEK 7
Coach Leader Pod Conversations
WEEK 8
Fourth individual coaching sessions with Certified Coach
WEEK 9
Fifth individual coaching sessions with Certified Coach
WEEK 10
Cohort Completion Experience
(virtual or live)
(virtual or live)
Frequently Asked Questions
Why should I champion Team Fitness Coaching for my staff at this time?
This is an optimal time to champion Team Fitness Coaching. Higher education has undergone unparalleled disruption in the last few years. Individuals, workgroups, committees, and teams are seeking ways to ignite creativity and improve their performance in a virtual, hybrid, and traditional workplace setting. TFC is an excellent team development initiative for times of volatility, uncertainty, complexity, and ambiguity. It cultivates insight and habit formation while building a cohort of trust, self-awareness, and collective aspiration.
Is there evidence that coaching actually improves performance?
Yes. In 2018, the Human Capital Institute and the International Coach Federation partnered on a research study of 432 participants across a multitude of industries to test the hypothesis that coaching is a powerful tool to develop employee potential, modify behaviors, and drive organizational success. The study validated the hypothesis and justified additional coaching benefits:
- Coaching helps individuals explore their resistance, enhance their communication, and promote resilience in the midst of change.
- Coaching effectively addresses leadership style as well as personal strengths, blind spots, agility, and habitual habits (good and bad).
- Bottom line: Coaching delivers cost-effective results through increased self-awareness, higher levels of engagement, completion of goals, greater personal fulfillment, and positive organizational impact.
How is TFC a better professional development investment than a one-day retreat?
There is always value in one-off professional development events, even virtual ones. But once-and-done events yield limited organizational improvement over time. Team Fitness Coaching creates an arc of engagement over the course of the 10-week curriculum to support the professional growth of the individual Coach Leaders, the Cohort, and the institution. It also shapes a culture of coaching as Coach Leaders move together through the curriculum and put into practice what they learn.
How is TFC a good use of limited funds?
As many institutions adopt more flexible work-from-home and hybrid schedules for their staffs, it has been harder for leadership to set the desired team culture they hope to nurture. TFC is less expensive than traditional conference attendance. It can be delivered in a hybrid fashion or completely virtually. TFC ensures dedicated attention to individual staff while meeting the broader needs of the organizations they serve. It is also scalable; up to 12 Coach Leaders can participate at the same time.
Can more than 12 members of my community participate in TFC?
The maximum for the full 10-week experience is 12. There is an opportunity for others in a campus community to participate in the spirit of TFC. The Midpoint Experience, during Week 5, is an interpretation of the Everything DiSC Workplace Assessment. This provides an excellent opportunity for up to 12 others who are not enrolled in the TFC cohort to engage with the cohort through a shared assessment experience. (additional fee applies)
How will you ensure confidentiality with each Coach Leader?
The designed alliance between the Certified Coach and each Coach Leader is guided by the ethics and standards of the International Coach Federation (ICF), in which Andy Ceperley holds active membership and certification. All coaching conversations are confidential.
As a Champion for this project, how can I ensure that I am appropriately involved?
The role of the TFC Champion is vital, and not just as the leader who approves the financial commitment and nominates the TFC Cohort. An important outcome of TFC is that of a culture of coaching, a shift in how the organization feels to its members and how they engage with one another. As a Champion, you may choose to participate fully as a Coach Leader. At the very least, you will work with the Certified Coach and Coach Leaders on a linked coaching goal, one shared by all in the cohort and one of strategic interest for the campus. You will meet with the Certified Coach at various points throughout the curriculum to check on progress.
What if my campus feels there is no time for TFC?
Team Fitness Coaching takes effort, dedication, and focus, but it is not a time-consuming program. Coach Leaders can expect a time commitment of 1 hour per week for 10 weeks, plus Fieldwork as agreed between them and their Certified Coach. That said, because TFC is about growing individual and team fitness, those Coach Leaders who create the most space for this experience will likely experience the most growth and in turn provide the most long-term impact for the campus.
Will TFC compete with professional growth programs already offered through Human Resources or other campus offices?
Although there is a framework in place for TFC, the program is fully customized for each institution and can be co-created with the campus to support and enhance existing professional development offerings.
What if I can’t identify six people on my campus to participate?
Experience has shown that it takes the engagement of six individuals to create high-impact outcomes for the campus. Individual coaching is also available and described fully here.
Feedback from Former University Coach Leaders
Team Fitness Coaching is the result of two years of piloting. Originally titled Professional Success Coaching, early versions were longer, 5+ months, and the team aspect and shared experiences were less developed. Team Fitness Coaching is briefer, more precision focused on the three desired impacts (individual, cohort, and campus), and significantly more budget-friendly.
Previous Coach Leaders shared these sentiments:
“I can definitely feel the progression on each of my coaching focus areas. I recognize how each area is central to my values and that assist me in making decisions on a daily basis.”
“I have made good progress in work/life balance, dedicating time each day to complete necessary tasks while ensuring I reserve time to focus on my big picture.”
“I am learning the importance of self-management—of when to eagerly say yes, when to pause, and when to diplomatically say no.”
“Coaching has helped me expand beyond the day-to-day work and to better understand and articulate how I can serve my institution years in the future.”
“Just last week, I assumed that I had made marked improvement because I was being more honest communicating at work, and doing well with challenging team members while not feeling the ‘disease to please’ when it happened.”
“These sessions have helped me to hone my leadership skills, to think creatively, and to think big in both my professional and personal life. It has assisted me in focusing in on what a strong leader would do and to emulate that.”
“I am learning the importance of self-management—of when to eagerly say yes, when to pause, and when to diplomatically say no.”
About the Coach
As Founder and President of Andrew T. Ceperley & Associates, Andy builds on an extensive record of contribution in higher education leader development, organizational realignment, team engagement, and program innovation—by delivering a variety of integrated coaching, assessment, and strategic positioning services to organizations and individuals seeking to strengthen their impact and realize their boldest vision.
Andy travels regularly to events and client sites throughout the world. He is a Professional Certified Coach (PCC), speaker, facilitator, and member of several associations, networks, and coaching organizations—including the International Coach Federation (ICF), the PQ Positive Intelligence Community, and the Co-Active Training Institute (CTI) where he earned his credential as a Certified Professional Co-Active Coach (CPCC). He is an authorized trainer for the DiSC Workplace assessment through Wiley Professional Learning. Andy is also a past president of NACE (National Association of Colleges & Employers).
Andy is working on a book for higher education leaders, titled Tone Setters in the Academy, scheduled for release in early 2024.