You Can't Be A Good Leader If You're Not Intentionally Coaching Up Your Team

  

 

 

 

 

 

 

"Leadership happens one conversation at a time. So make every chat count and have fun with it!"

If you can only remember one golden nugget of wisdom about leading, let it be this: the most energizing and motivating thing people feel at work is making progress on something that matters to them. If you’re in charge of leading others, here’s your mission: help your team experience wins—big or small—on work that lights them up inside. That’s right, your daily superpower is guiding people toward meaningful progress!

To make this happen, tune in to what drives each teammate, connect their work to your company's bold mission, share feedback like it’s confetti, and support their nonstop growth. Regular chats about development—aka deliberate and "fun" coaching conversations—are where the magic happens. In fact, research says the very best managers are coach-like, not just taskmasters.

Here’s the twist: most companies don’t even expect their managers to be coach-like, even though employees crave learning and career growth more than anything else in a job. Some managers hesitate, thinking they don’t have the time or know-how. But guess what? Over two-thirds of learning happens right on the job—not in a classroom! If managers skip these conversations, everyone misses out: growth slows, motivation drops, and business results take a hit. That’s no fun for anyone!

Can you teach even the most old-school, results-driven manager to become coach-like? Absolutely. The best part? Coaching boosts performance for both the manager and the team. It’s an uplifting experience to connect with someone, help them achieve something meaningful, and watch them become more of who they want to be. Real talk: nothing beats the positive energy sparked by a great coaching conversation. Real leaders everywhere have told me that helping others grow is the most rewarding part of their job.

Why wait? Starting today, you can become a more effective—and happier—manager by sprinkling regular coaching chats into your week. And here’s a bonus: these conversations don’t need to eat up your whole day! Ready to kick off your coaching adventure? Try these five fun and powerful tips:

·    Listen mindfully. Imagine what it feels like to talk to someone who’s busy and distracted—now flip the script! Give your team member your full attention, listen with an open mind, and show you care. Kick things off with a playful question like, “What would you love to learn this month?” The magic is in your intention to truly connect.

·    Ask more, tell less. Sure, you’ve got lots of wisdom to share, but coaching is about guiding, not dictating. Ditch the answers and get curious. Open-ended questions help team members discover their own path, set their own goals, and come up with creative solutions they’re excited to tackle.

·    Create and sustain a developmental partnership. Cheering your team on is key! If someone wants to explore user experience by joining a site visit, help her make it happen—and celebrate her initiative. Shine a light on her achievements and keep the support coming. Consistent follow-through shows you’ve got their back, making your partnership stronger and more fun.

·    Focus on moving forward, positively. It’s easy to get bogged down in frustrations, but let’s keep our eyes on what’s possible! Acknowledge the challenges, then encourage your teammate to brainstorm solutions. Ask, “Which activity would make the biggest splash for your growth?” or “How can we carve out time for your development dreams?” Turning obstacles into opportunities is where the magic happens.

·    Build accountability. Follow up on your promises and encourage your team to do the same. For example, if someone plans to look into a training course, ask them to share the details (cost, time needed, etc.) by a certain date. This way, everyone stays on track and coaching becomes a game-changer for your team.

To take your leadership journey even further, consider enrolling your team of leaders with a professional leadership coach. A seasoned coach brings fresh perspectives, proven strategies, and a supportive environment where leaders can practice new skills, tackle real challenges, and unlock their full potential. 

By investing in expert coaching, you empower your leaders to develop coach-like habits, cultivate growth mindsets, and create lasting impact throughout your company or department. This commitment to ongoing development not only accelerates individual growth but also strengthens your team's collective performance and culture.

So, what’s in it for you? Coaching builds stronger, more energized bonds, empowers your team to own their learning, and helps everyone reach new heights. Plus, it’s actually fun! At a recent team training session, a manager told me that coaching “felt like a bungee jump”—he showed up at the meeting tired and left smiling ear to ear. He wasn’t alone; the whole team was buzzing from the experience!

So go on—take the leap! You’ll love coaching conversations that spark growth and bring out the best in your team. Let’s make work an adventure!

Check out these related posts:

Channel Your Inner Yoda: Unlock Coaching Power in Every Moment (3 min)

Unlock Your Potential: The Transformative Power of Leadership Coaching (2 min read)

Coach in Real Time: The Playful Power-Up Edition (2 min read)

 To your greater impact and well-being!

Peter Mclees, Leadership Coach, Trainer and Performance Consultant
SMART DEVELOPMENT

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contact: Email: petercmclees@gmail.com  or  Mobile: 323-854-1713

Smart Development has an exceptional track record helping service providers, ports, sales teams, restaurants, stores, distribution centers, food production facilities, wealth management services, third-party maintenance providers, real estate services, nonprofits, government agencies and other businesses create a strong culture, leadership bench strength, coaching skills and the teamwork necessary for growth.

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