Most leaders develop skills in managing performance, communicating effectively and leading teams. But how much focus is placed on developing their ability to coach and grow the people around them?
There's a difference between leading a team to achieve results and building a team capable of achieving those results with greater independence.
A leader might be highly capable in their role, confident making decisions and experienced in managing people. But that doesn't automatically make them an effective coach.
Coaching is knowing when to provide direction and when to ask questions. When to step in and when to let someone work through a challenge. When to provide an answer and when to help someone find their own.
Without these skills, even experienced leaders can become the person their team relies on for every decision, problem or next step.
What’s the difference?
Example: An employee approaches their leader with a problem.
Leader One:
Listens to the problem, identifies the solution and tells the employee what to do next.
The problem is resolved, and the employee gets back to work.
Leader Two:
Listens to the problem, then asks:
What have you tried so far?
What do you think is causing the issue?
What options have you considered?
What would you recommend as the next step?
What support do you need from me?
The employee works through the problem, develops a solution and takes ownership of the next steps.
Both leaders have supported their employee.
But only one has used the opportunity to develop the employee's confidence, critical thinking and problem-solving skills.
Of course, there are situations where immediate direction is essential, particularly when safety is involved. Effective coaching also means knowing when to step in.
But when there's an opportunity for an employee to think through a challenge, these everyday interactions can become valuable development opportunities.
Multiply them across a team, week after week, and the impact can be significant.
The Connection Between Coaching and Self-Leadership
In our recent article, Are You Unintentionally Creating Teams That Depend on Their Leaders?, we explored the benefits of developing self-leadership across the entire workforce, not just those in formal leadership positions.
Self-leadership is about employees taking responsibility for their decisions, actions and performance without needing constant direction.
But developing these behaviours isn't solely the responsibility of employees.
Leaders play a critical role in creating the environment and providing the coaching that helps self-leadership grow.
If an organisation wants employees who take initiative, think independently and hold themselves accountable, its leaders need the skills to develop those behaviours.
That means moving beyond managing performance to actively coaching people to improve it.
Coaching Happens in Everyday Conversations
Coaching doesn't have to be a formal conversation or a scheduled development session.
Some of the most valuable coaching opportunities happen during everyday work, whether that's on-site, on the tools, during a job handover or while working through a challenge.
It's about how leaders approach conversations with their team.
When an employee asks what to do next:
Instead of immediately giving instructions, a leader might ask, "What do you think the next priority should be, and why?"
When something goes wrong:
Rather than simply correcting the mistake, they might ask, "What do you think contributed to that outcome, and what would you do differently next time?"
When an employee is struggling with a task:
Instead of taking over, they might ask, "Which part are you finding challenging, and what support would help you move forward?"
When reviewing a completed job:
Rather than focusing only on the result, they might ask, "What worked well, and what could we do differently next time?"
These conversations don't need to take long.
But they encourage employees to think critically, reflect on their decisions and take ownership of their development, with the leader providing guidance and support.
Over time, these small changes help build more confident, capable and accountable teams.
Making Coaching A Part Of Daily Work
When coaching becomes part of everyday leadership, the benefits extend beyond individual employee development.
Employees become more confident making decisions, solving problems and taking ownership of their work.
Leaders spend less time answering the same questions, resolving routine issues and following up on tasks their teams are capable of managing.
For organisations, this creates greater capability across the workforce, reduces unnecessary dependency on managers and builds a stronger foundation for future leadership development.
It also helps create a culture where development isn't limited to formal training programs or performance reviews.
It becomes part of how people work, communicate and learn every day.
The goal isn't to just develop better leaders. It's to develop leaders who develop better teams. That’s what makes a wider impact on your organisation.
Is Coaching the Missing Piece in Your Leadership Development?
As organisations review their leadership development priorities and look ahead to the new year, it's worth considering whether their leaders have the skills to not only lead their teams, but actively coach and develop them.
At Lead with Purpose, we help organisations build practical leadership capabilities, including the communication, feedback and coaching skills leaders need to develop more confident, accountable and capable teams.
Interested in strengthening your leaders' coaching skills so they can develop the people around them, not just manage their performance?
Get in touch here to explore how we can support your leadership team.