The Difference Between GroupCoaching and Team Coaching

Coaching arrives in two distinct rhythms.Group coaching invites individuals into a shared space where personal insight sparks, peer reflection deepens understanding, and new habits begin to stick.Team coaching tunes an intact group to a single rhythm, aligning purpose, clarifying roles, and turning collaboration into momentum.

At Erickson Coaching International, decades of practice show us how each rhythm creates different kinds of movement. Choose the right rhythm and coachees and teams find direction faster, work together with more ease, and turn potential into lasting results.

Let’s discuss the difference between the two.

GroupCoaching vs Team Coaching

What Is Group Coaching

Group coaching is when a coach works with agroup of individuals who share a common interest, goal, or developmental need.The participants may not interact professionally outside the coaching context.

Typical applications include:

• Personal or professional development

• Skill building

• Peer learning

• Shared growth

What Is Team Coaching

Team coaching is when a coach works with an existing team whose members already collaborate toward shared goals. The team is treated as a single entity, with the focus on improving collaboration, alignment, and performance.

Typical applications include:

• Enhancing team dynamics and trust
• Aligning team goals and values
• Improving communication and accountability
• Driving collective performance

Key distinctions:

• Group coaching: focuses on individual growth within a group
• Team coaching: focuses on collective growth and how the team functions together

Key Differences: Focus, Purpose & Outcomes

Focus

• Group coaching: Individual development within a group context
• Team coaching: Collective growth of the team, improving collaboration and performance

Purpose and Goals

• Group coaching: Develop personal or professional competencies and support transitions
• Team coaching: Enhance team performance, alignment, shared accountability, and outcomes

Accountability and Interdependence

• Group coaching: Participants may act independently beyond the coaching setting
• Team coaching: Team members are interdependent, sharing responsibility for achieving collective outcomes 

Dynamics and Relationships

• Group coaching: Emphasizes peer support, reflection, and shared learning

• Team coaching: Focuses on team dynamics, communication patterns, roles, relationships, and trust

When to Use Group Coaching vs Team Coaching

Use Group Coaching When

• Individuals from different parts of an organization or outside it share similar developmental needs such as leadership skills or personal growth
• You want a scalable, cost-effective coaching solution
• The focus is on personal or professional development rather than team deliverables

Use Team Coaching When

• You have an existing team working toward shared goals
• The objective is to improve how the team functions, including collaboration, communication, and alignment
• The team faces challenges such as conflicting roles, unclear objectives, or inefficient processes

Benefits and Potential Challenges

Group Coaching Benefits

• Peer support and shared learning
• Exposure to diverse perspectives and experiences
• Scalable approach that allows more coachees to participate
• Cost-effective compared to individual coaching

Group Coaching Challenges

• Less individualized attention
• Participation levels may vary among coachees, affecting outcomes

Team Coaching Benefits

• Improves collaboration, trust, and alignment
• Supports better collective performance
• Builds shared accountability and collective responsibility

Team Coaching Considerations

• Requires commitment from all team members; interdependence means one weak link may slow progress
• May not address individual development needs outside team goals

How Coaching Training Programs Differ

Group Coaching Training and Certification

Focuses on developing skills for facilitating diverse individuals, managing peer dynamics, and structuring programs that support individual growth within a group. These programs are ideal for coaches who want to run group coaching sessions for multiple coachees, either within or across organizations.

Team Coaching Training and Certification

Emphasizes expertise in team dynamics, collective accountability, and working with intact teams. Coaches learn methods to support collaboration, communication, shared goal-setting, and team performance. Learn more about High-Performance Team Coaching and Maximizing Team Potential With Group Coaching.

Choosing the Right Path

Coaches evaluate whether coachees require individual or collective development. Consider:

• Is there an existing team or independent participants?
• Are the goals individual growth or team performance?
• What are the desired outcomes and scalability needs?

Why the Distinction Matters

Understanding the difference ensures that organizations and coaches align the coaching method with objectives. Using group coaching when team dynamics need improvement may not produce desired outcomes, and using team coaching when individual growth is needed may leave personal development gaps.

For coachees, knowing which approach applies to their context helps maximize the value and impact of the coaching experience. Selecting the right format supports sustainable growth, accountability, and meaningful results.

Integrating Both Approaches

Organizations may combine group coaching, team coaching, and even individual coaching to form a holistic development strategy.For example:

• Group coaching for individual development
• Team coaching for improving collaboration and alignment
• Optional one-on-one coaching for deep personal support

A hybrid approach is flexible, scalable, and tailored to both personal and collective development goals.

Group coaching and team coaching are not variations of the same approach. They are distinct instruments, each designed to create a specific kind of movement. One accelerates individual insight through shared reflection. The other reshapes how an intact group thinks, decides, and performs together.

When the distinction is clear, coaching becomes precise. Coachees receive the support that matches their context, and organisations stop applying well intentioned solutions that miss the mark. The result is faster alignment, stronger accountability, and development that translates into real world performance.

At Erickson Coaching International, we train coaches to work fluently across both modalities. Our programs build the discernment to choose the right approach, the structure to apply it effectively, and the confidence to guide growth at both the individual and collective level. Because impactful coaching is not about doing more. It is about doing what fits, at the moment it matters most.

Frequently Asked Questions

• What is the main difference between group coaching and team coaching?
  Group coaching focuses on individual development within a group, while team coaching focuses on improving the collective performance and dynamics ofan existing team.
• Can I use group coaching programs for a team in an organization?
  While possible, group coaching may not address team dynamics effectively. Team coaching is better suited for existing teams working toward shared goals.
• Does team coaching training differ from group coaching training?
  Yes. Team coaching training emphasizes working with intact teams, facilitating collective goal-setting, and improving team collaboration. Group coaching training focuses on managing group dynamics while supporting individual growth.
• When should an organization choose group coaching over team coaching?
  Group coaching is ideal for individuals across departments sharing developmental needs. Team coaching is appropriate for pre-existing teams aiming to improve collaboration, communication, and performance.
• Can group coaching and team coaching be combined?
  Yes. Hybrid approaches that combine group coaching, team coaching, and individual coaching provide comprehensive development for both personal and collective growth.