Coaching for Growth: How Leaders Unlock Their Team’s Potential

As leaders, our job isn’t just to deliver results—it’s to help our people grow. That’s where coaching comes in. It’s not about always having the answers; it’s about asking the right questions and helping your team see what they’re capable of.

And let’s be honest, coaching takes effort. It’s easier (and faster) to jump in and solve a problem yourself. But when you take the time to empower your team, the payoff is huge: they become more confident, more capable, and more creative.

Why Coaching Matters

Think about your own career. Someone—maybe a manager, mentor, or colleague—probably took the time to coach you, helping you grow into your role or take that next leap. Those moments stick with us because they’re transformative.

I’ve had the privilege of coaching team members through challenges, decisions, and stretch opportunities. And what I’ve learned is this: people don’t need you to hand them the solution—they need you to believe they can find it themselves.

Balancing Coaching and Directing

Coaching doesn’t mean hands-off leadership. Sometimes the moment calls for clear direction—especially when urgency is high. The key is knowing when to coach (to grow) and when to direct (to deliver):

• Coaching: Ask questions, spark reflection, and let them discover the way forward.
• Directing: Be decisive, provide solutions, and follow up later with a coaching conversation to help them learn.

It’s a balance, but when you get it right, you unlock growth and performance simultaneously.

Coaching in Action

I’ll never forget a conversation with a team member who was hesitant to step into a stretch opportunity. They were overwhelmed, unsure if they were ready. Instead of trying to convince them, I asked:

• “What’s holding you back?”
• “What would success look like for you in this role?”
• “What support do you need to feel confident taking the leap?”

By asking these questions and listening (really listening), they realized they were ready—more than they thought. We built a plan together to address their concerns, and they went on to not only thrive in the role but lead others.

That moment taught me a critical lesson: coaching isn’t about me having the answers—it’s about helping my team find their own.

Practical Coaching Techniques

Here are a few techniques I use to keep coaching conversations meaningful and focused:

1. Ask powerful questions: Shift from telling to asking:
2. Focus on growth, not perfection: Celebrate progress—even the small wins. Growth happens in the effort, not just at the finish line.
3. Make coaching a habit: Use one-on-ones for more than just status updates. Take time to ask questions that help your team reflect, learn, and plan their next steps.
4. Be transparent and vulnerable: Share your own growth moments (and missteps). It shows your team that learning never stops, no matter your title.

Coaching Builds Stronger Teams

Coaching takes patience, but the impact is worth it. I’ve seen team members grow into leaders, take ownership of challenges, and exceed their own expectations—all because someone took the time to ask, listen, and guide.

The Leadership Challenge

As leaders, we have a choice: We can solve today’s problems for our teams, or we can empower them to solve tomorrow’s.

So here’s my challenge to you: What’s one way you can coach your team this week? What question can you ask to unlock their potential?

Let’s share ideas and keep learning from each other.

#LeadershipGrowth #CoachingForSuccess #EmpoweringTeams