Why Great Leaders Coach Their People (And How You Can Too)
If you're a not for profit leader (or leading anyone) you've probably been told that you should be coaching your team. But with never-ending meetings, KPIs, and the daily juggle, coaching can feel like a “nice-to-have” rather than a non-negotiable.
The truth is, regular coaching isn’t just a fluffy add-on to leadership—it’s one of the most powerful ways to build capability, boost engagement, and get results.
Think of coaching as shifting from telling to developing. As getting a better balance between focussing on results and focussing on your people. Instead of solving everyone’s problems or having all the answers, great leaders ask questions, listen deeply, and help their people think for themselves. It’s not always about formal sit-downs either—coaching can be informal, on-the-go, and part of how you lead every day.
Here’s why it matters:
It builds confidence and independence. When people are coached, they’re more likely to take ownership and back themselves. That’s a win for everyone.
It helps surface better solutions. Coaching draws on your team’s ideas—not just yours. More brains, better thinking.
It strengthens relationships. Regular coaching creates trust, connection, and a sense that you’re genuinely invested in their growth.
So how do you start being a better coach? Here are three practical ways:
1. Ask more, tell less.
Next time someone brings you a problem, resist the urge to jump in with a solution. Instead, try asking:
“What have you thought of so far?”
“What’s the real challenge here for you?”
“If you had to decide right now, what would you do?”
These types of questions spark thinking and shift the focus from you as fixer to them as capable.
2. Make coaching part of your rhythm.
Coaching doesn’t have to be a big event. Build it into what you’re already doing—1:1s, project debriefs, even quick chats after meetings. It could be as simple as:
“What worked well for you there?”
“What would you do differently next time?”
When coaching becomes part of everyday leadership, it feels more natural and less like a “task.”
3. Be curious, not judgmental.
Good coaches create psychological safety. That means asking questions with genuine curiosity—not with an agenda or critique hiding underneath. If someone senses they’re being judged, they’ll shut down. If they sense you’re truly curious, they’ll open up and explore.
The coach approach doesn’t mean you don’t have to step up to accountability conversations when called for. Regular coaching will ensure you don’t have as many of those ‘difficult’ conversations as you used to because you can pick things up when they are small and continuous learning becomes the norm. Creating a learning culture within your team reduces defensiveness and will encourage people to learn with and from each other.
The best leaders aren’t the ones with all the answers—they’re the ones who grow people who can find their own. So if you want a high-performing team that’s motivated, resilient, and ready to tackle the tough stuff, coaching regularly isn’t optional—it’s essential.
Become more ‘coach like’. Start small. Ask a better question. Listen a bit longer. Try a bit more positive feedback. You might be surprised how much shifts when you do.
Leaders as Coaches is a high impact, practical course that will enable you to think and act like a natural coach and show you how to take a coaching approach to the wide range of conversations you have in the course of your day, week or year. It covers coaching, difficult conversations and how to deal with difficult personalities in the workplace. It runs over two, half day sessions and is a live, online course delivered via Zoom.
Upcoming training
Leaders as Coaches is a high impact, practical course that will enable you to think and act like a natural coach and show you how to take a coaching approach to the wide range of conversations you have in the course of your day, week or year. It covers coaching, difficult conversations and how to deal with difficult personalities in the workplace. It runs over two, half day sessions and is a live, online course delivered via Zoom.
