The Power of the Team:

Leadership and Team Dynamics at De Lijn

The Flemish Transport Company De Lijn focuses on team development to create strong, dynamic teams across various locations, from management to drivers. De Lijn supports teams to perform at their best, which requires a continuous focus on collaboration and team dynamics to achieve organisational objectives.

Birgit Victor, Manager of Organisation & Change, an indispensable role in this. Together with her team, she fosters a culture of development and change. Seeking additional knowledge and tools to strengthen teams and leaders, they turned to the team coaching training from Coaching The Shift.

"I am convinced that there is enormous potential in teams. Teams are constantly in motion. Every action has an impact, both within and outside the team. It is therefore a huge added value for organisational development to focus more on ‘teams’ rather than solely on individuals."

Desired Shift

De Lijn aims to be an agile organisation that can quickly respond to customer needs. This is a strategic goal in which the Organisation & Change team plays a key role. They seek to strengthen teams, and, by extension, the entire organisation by continuously fostering a team development- and change-oriented culture. They believe this not only benefits the teams but ultimately also the customer, the traveller, for whom they work every day.

With this in mind, Birgit sought an approach that supports people-focused change, resulting in three key objectives:

• Supporting leaders in their role as coaches: enabling employees to take ownership and develop their own solutions.
• Facilitating open dialogue and collaboration: improving team dynamics within and between teams, while preventing miscommunication and conflict.
• Increasing ownership and motivation: so teams at all levels can proactively contribute to organisational goals.

Obstacles: From Advising to Coaching

The diversity of teams and the geographical spread at De Lijn naturally bring unique challenges. To address these effectively, De Lijn aims to strengthen communication while also promoting team development and self-reliance, both at the leadership level and within teams spreading throughout the entire organisation.

From this focus, three potential obstacles emerged:

• Advice-driven culture: Leaders and change consultants are used to solving problems themselves. Giving advice or intervening directly is counter to coaching, and it takes effort and persistence to maintain a new, coaching-focused approach.
• Lack of tools: The Organisation & Change team sought practical coaching tools and techniques to professionalise their approach and further support the growth of leaders and teams.
• Teams working in silos: Different departments or teams often operate in separate locations and/or at different times, complicating communication and collaboration.

“The shift from an advice-driven to a coaching approach was not always easy. We noticed that teams were not used to taking responsibility themselves, and that leaders sometimes hesitated to let go of their old ways of working. As a result, our interventions did not always produce sustainable change.”

Our Approach: Co-Creation Together

After several exploratory discussions with Coaching The Shift, Birgit decided to embark on a comprehensive programme with her team, consisting of 3 days of ‘Coaching Skills Fundamentals’, followed by the renowned ‘Masterclass Teamcoaching training’.

This training not only develops skills but also focuses on creating a safe learning environment, where participants can experience the impact of interventions firsthand and apply them in practice.

• Interactive Training Days: The parallel process between the training and the workplace was remarkable. Experiencing this firsthand and then attempting to apply it was a revelation for the team.
• Individual Coaching: Beyond professional and team development, this is also a journey of personal transformation. Even today, I notice a shift in mindset when approaching new challenges.
• Tools and Models: Models such as the SHIFT! method and Glasl’s Escalation Ladder provide valuable frameworks to actively engage in (team) coaching.

“What appealed to us most in this collaboration was the full partnership. We truly felt heard and guided through the process. It was more than a team coaching training—it genuinely set us in motion, even beyond the programme. A seed was planted that we continue to nurture daily so it can grow and flourish. Coaching The Shift also remains involved after the training to co-facilitate some team coaching sessions, which is an enormous added value and learning opportunity.”

Achieved Shifts: From Intervening to Understanding

"There is so much power within the teams!" This key insight enabled the shift from intervening and proposing solutionsto listening and asking questions.

This shift helps De Lijn introduce new and improved dynamics in their team development:

• From Advice to Coaching: Both the change team and leaders at De Lijn increasingly apply a coaching approachto guide people and teams.
• Culture of Ownership: By returning responsibility to the teams, employees take more initiative and ownership. Involving them in solutions leads to greater engagement and proactive behaviour.
• Improved Collaboration: With the new team coaching techniques, teams are better able to reflect and work through open dialogue to enhance team dynamics!

“The biggest change is that we don’t always have to provide the solution. The team already has so much strength and knowledge, and we are now using that much more. Leaders also gain these insights through our interventions.”

Key Insights: The Power Lies in the Team

By investing in a team coaching training for the Organisation & Change team, not only did the approach change, but so did the awareness around team development.

The strength of the team is once again recognised and leveraged. By shifting the focus from problem-solving to coaching, both leaders and employees are better able to contribute to a successful workplace. Teams are full of capabilities and untapped potential, it’s up to us to bring these to the surface! Autonomy and responsibility are once again placed with the team.

“The programme not only strengthened our leadership capabilities but also had a lasting impact on the way we collaborate and grow as a team.”