Contact First: Creating the Conditions for Transformation
With special guest Matthew Broderick
Episode 20 of the Teams Transformed Podcast
Teams Transformed is the podcast for courageous coaches, curious leaders, and anyone passionate about unlocking the true power of teams. Hosted by TCS Founder and Senior Faculty Georgina Woudstra and Allard De Jong, listen to explore transformational insights on how to coach teams with presence, depth, and emergence, diving into not just the tools, but the art of team coaching itself.
About this Episode
In this episode of Teams Transformed, Georgina Woudstra and Allard de Jong welcome Matthew Broderick, coaching psychologist with RocheMartin, to explore moments of emergence through the lens of connection, contact, and emotional intelligence in team coaching practice.
Matthew shares a recent experience where a simple but intentional check-in transformed the energy of a group. Prompted by supervision, he moved beyond treating check-ins as routine and instead used one as a meaningful intervention, asking participants what had truly landed for them. What followed was a shift in the room: deeper listening, stronger connection between team members, and an unexpected lift in energy. For Matthew, this moment reinforced how structure, when used with intention, can create the conditions for genuine contact and insight.
In a second story, Matthew reflects on working with a team exploring their values. When two contrasting perspectives emerged, one valuing relational connection and the other focused on task and structure, the energy in the room dropped. Rather than immediately naming the tension, Matthew observed the shift and supported the team in working through it. Later reflection revealed a deeper learning: the importance of naming what is happening in the moment, even when it feels uncomfortable. This became a powerful moment of emergence in his own development as a coach.
Together, Georgina, Allard, and Matthew explore the nature of contact as an ongoing process, not a one-time event, and how meaningful connection forms the foundation for effective teamwork and transformation. They discuss the balance between relational and strategic work, the courage required to name what is true, and the role of the coach’s presence in shaping the field.
This episode offers a rich and human exploration of how transformation emerges through contact, awareness, and the willingness to stay with what is unfolding.
About our guest
Matthew Broderick is a coaching psychologist with RocheMartin, specialising in emotional intelligence and its application in leadership and team development. He is passionate about helping leaders and teams realise their true potential by deepening awareness of their internal landscape and how it shapes external behaviour and relationships.
Matthew is a Senior Practitioner with the EMCC and a Graduate Member of the Psychological Society of Ireland. His work is grounded in a person-centred approach, creating safe and supportive spaces where individuals and teams can think, reflect, and grow together.
His coaching style is empathetic, curious, and warm, combining encouragement with thoughtful challenge. He places strong emphasis on deep listening, cultivating a growth mindset, and asking insightful questions that draw out personal and collective strengths.
Working globally, Matthew supports clients across cultures, recognising both the diversity of expression and the shared human need for connection, understanding, and collaboration.
Key Themes Explored
Emergence Through Intentional Structure
Matthew’s experience with check-ins highlights that even simple structures can become powerful when used intentionally. A well-held check-in can foster connection, insight, and energy in a team.
Contact is the Foundation for Change
At the heart of Matthew’s work is the belief that meaningful change happens through contact. When people truly connect with themselves and each other, new possibilities emerge.
Energy as Data
Matthew demonstrates the importance of paying attention to shifts in energy. A drop in energy is not a problem to fix, but information to explore and understand.
Naming What Is Happening
A key learning for Matthew is the value of naming what is present in the room. Even when uncomfortable, putting words to what is happening can unlock deeper awareness and movement.
Relational Before Strategic
The conversation challenges the tendency to prioritise tasks over relationships. Strong relational foundations are essential for any strategic work to succeed.
Contacting as an Ongoing Practice
Rather than a single moment, contact is a continuous process. Teams must keep checking in with themselves and each other to maintain alignment and connection.
Inner Awareness Drives Outer Impact
Matthew emphasises the importance of understanding one’s internal landscape. Greater self-awareness enhances the ability to support others and navigate complex team dynamics.
Disagreement Without Disconnection
The episode explores how teams can hold differing perspectives while maintaining contact, allowing for richer and more generative dialogue.
Small Moments, Big Impact
Emergence does not always come from dramatic interventions. Often, small, intentional actions create meaningful shifts in teams.
Key Takeaways
🌱 Make It Intentional: Even familiar tools like check-ins can create transformation when used with purpose.
👂 Listen Beyond Words: Energy shifts often reveal what is really happening in the team.
🪞 Name the Moment: Saying what you observe can unlock deeper awareness and dialogue.
🤝 Prioritise Connection: Strong relationships enable effective strategy and execution.
🧘 Stay Present: Your presence as a coach shapes the space and the outcomes.
🔄 Keep Contacting: Connection is not a one-off event but an ongoing practice.
⚖️ Hold Differences: Teams can disagree and still remain connected.
✨ Trust the Process: Small moments of awareness can lead to meaningful change.
🌍 Do the Inner Work: Understanding yourself enhances your impact on others.
Why listen?
This episode offers a thoughtful and grounded exploration of how connection and emotional intelligence shape effective team coaching. Matthew Broderick brings warmth, depth, and honesty as he reflects on both his client work and his own learning journey.
Listeners will gain practical insights into how to use simple interventions with intention, how to read and respond to the energy of a team, and how to navigate the balance between relational and strategic work.
Whether you are a team coach, leader, or someone interested in human dynamics, this conversation is a powerful reminder that real transformation begins with contact, awareness, and the courage to stay present to what is unfolding.
About your hosts
Georgina Woudstra is the Founder and Senior Faculty of Team Coaching Studio, an ICF Master Certified Coach (MCC) with over 20 years of experience. Georgina is recognised globally as one of the leading lights in team coaching and was among the first coaches to receive ICF's Advanced Certificate in Team Coaching.
Allard De Jong is a seasoned leadership development expert with two decades of experience solving organisational 'people problems' and accelerating leadership development. He brings a unique perspective on transformative inquiry and divergent thinking to team coaching practice.
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