Why great leaders make great coaches

Have you ever thought about it?

The difference between a manager and a leader?

Managers—they get things done. They drive outcomes, they make sure people hit their marks, they execute on projects. All of that is good, right?

It is, until you know what a leader does. Leaders don’t just get work done—they truly INSPIRE and EXCITE their team to not only finish tasks, but excel at them. 

I see this often in my coaching practice. People who rely solely on authority and direction can succeed in leadership roles for a while, but they eventually hit a ceiling. Their teams do just fine, but they don’t really exceed expectations. There’s competence in spades, but enthusiasm is lacking. Work gets done; innovation stagnates. 

Then there are leaders who approach their role differently. They don’t just tell—they ask. They don’t just assign—they develop. They don’t just evaluate—they empower. And they don’t just act—they challenge their own thinking before making decisions. 

What separates these two types of leaders? One critical skill set: coaching.

The new wave of leadership 

I remember a time when people thought leadership was about command and control. Leaders were expected to have all the answers and direct their teams accordingly. Run a tight ship. Get your ducks in a row. Make them fall in line!

That time is long, long gone. Why? Because it doesn’t work.  

Today, people see through leaders like that. And if they can see through that—if people feel like they’re being treated as productivity machines and not bright, creative, competent colleagues—then you can’t lead them effectively. 

The most effective leaders I’ve encountered have evolved beyond traditional management. They’ve discovered that their greatest impact comes not from what they personally achieve, but from what they enable OTHERS to achieve.

Think about it: When your team members face challenges, do you jump in with solutions, or do you ask questions that help them discover their own answers? When someone makes a mistake, do you focus on correction, or do you see it as a development opportunity?

Your approach makes all the difference in how your team will grow—or stagnate.

And that approach starts with learning a critical skill that you’re already primed to develop: COACHING.

Why coaching skills are non-negotiable for today’s leaders

Here’s what I’ve observed after working with thousands of leaders across industries: coaching skills aren’t just “nice to have”—they’re essential. Here’s why:

1. Coaching creates ownership 

When you provide an answer, you own the solution. When you coach someone to find their own answer, they own it—and they’re infinitely more committed to its success.

I once worked with a technology executive who was frustrated with his team’s lack of initiative. His habit was to quickly solve problems as they arose, thinking he was being efficient. What he didn’t realize was that he was creating dependency instead of capability.

By shifting to a coaching approach—asking powerful questions instead of providing ready-made solutions—he saw his team’s engagement and ownership skyrocket within weeks.

2. Coaching makes teams resilient 

Every time you solve a problem for your team, you create a temporary fix. Every time you coach them through solving their own problem, you build permanent capacity.

The math is simple: as a leader with coaching skills, your impact multiplies. Instead of being limited by your own capacity to solve problems, you’re creating problem-solvers throughout your organization.

3. Coaching reveals “belief blind spots”

Here’s something that traditional leadership training rarely addresses: the thinking patterns that drive behavior. Both yours and your team’s.

When you develop coaching skills, you learn to recognize how thinking patterns affect performance. You become adept at identifying your team members’ limiting beliefs and helping them trade up to more empowering ones.

You ALSO learn how to recognize which of YOUR thinking patterns aren’t helping you lead. Hidden insecurities, bad mental habits—all of it comes out. And once you’re able to observe what’s going on in your head as an objective outsider, you can actually address the issues at hand, instead of continuing to lead by outdated instincts. 

This is where true transformation happens. Not just in what you do, but in how you think about what you do.

4. Coaching helps your team speak up

In environments where the leader “has all the answers,” team members are often hesitant to speak up or take risks. But when leaders coach rather than command, they create psychological safety—the foundation for innovation, creativity, and exceptional performance.

By asking questions instead of making statements, by exploring options instead of dictating solutions, by challenging BELIEFS instead of focusing on ACTIONS, you signal that you value your team’s thinking. This builds trust and encourages the kind of workplace culture that leads to breakthroughs.

Making the shift

So, what does this shift from traditional leadership to coaching-based leadership look like in practice?

It starts with curiosity. Instead of approaching situations with the mindset of “I need to fix this,” great coaching leaders approach with “I wonder what’s really happening here?”

It continues with powerful questions. Rather than “Here’s what you should do,” they ask, “Given your strengths in this area, what do you think would work best in this situation?”

And it’s sustained through genuine belief in people’s potential. Not just their potential to execute your vision, but their potential to create and achieve their own vision that aligns with organizational goals.

This shift isn’t always easy. It requires patience (coaching takes longer than directing in the short term). It requires humility (acknowledging you don’t have all the answers). And it requires skill (knowing how to ask the right questions at the right time).

But the results—engaged teams, innovative solutions, and sustainable growth—make it well worth the investment.

Developing as a leader-coach 

The good news is that coaching skills can be learned. They’re not mysterious talents that some leaders naturally possess while others don’t. They’re concrete approaches and techniques that anyone committed to growth can develop.

The key is to understand the principles behind effective coaching, practice specific strategies, and receive direct feedback on your approach.

When leaders commit to developing these skills, the transformation can be remarkable. I’ve seen frustrated, overwhelmed leaders become energized and effective. I’ve watched disengaged teams become passionate and productive. I’ve observed organizations stuck in mediocrity find their way out of a forest of unknowns into a bright, clear field of exceptional performance.

All because their leaders learned how to coach.

If you’re interested in turning your leadership skills into powerful coaching skills that transform both your team and your organization, let’s talk. The journey from manager to coach is one of the most rewarding transitions you can make as a leader—and it starts with a simple decision to evolve your approach.