Coaching Isn’t Just a Tool for Developing People
For the Best Leaders, It Becomes the Modus Operandi
You can spot the difference a mile off. Some leaders treat coaching like a wrench they grab when something’s broken, morale, performance, mindset, and then they put it back in the box. Others live it. For them, coaching isn’t an intervention. It’s how they show up every day.
That’s what makes them worth following.
They don’t hoard answers or pretend to know everything. They ask questions that pull you forward. Because they know unlocking potential isn’t about handing out solutions, it’s about helping people figure things out for themselves.
Let’s be clear: coaching isn’t some delicate art you save for big moments or executive sessions. Sure, those have their place. They matter. But most of the real work happens in the ordinary stuff. The quick questions in the hallway. The “hey, got a minute?” interruptions. That’s when you decide what kind of leader you really are.
You have a choice. You can default to solving. It’s faster. It feels good. Makes you look competent. But it’s a short game. The more you hand out answers, the more dependent everyone becomes. And pretty soon you’re the bottleneck for everything.
If that’s what you want, fine. But don’t pretend it’s leadership.
Making coaching your modus operandi means you do something different. When someone brings you a problem, your first move isn’t to diagnose or prescribe. It’s to ask. Even something simple:
“What’s happening?”
"This."
“What should it be doing?”
"That."
“What options have we got to stop it doing this and get it to do that?”
That’s it. No performance. Just curiosity.
Sure, sometimes you need to give direction. You can’t coach your kid to tie their shoelaces. Sometimes people need clarity, not questions. When that’s true, you give it. But you can still teach by showing how you think.
That’s the part most leaders skip. They either default to control or disappear behind the excuse of “empowering people.” Coaching isn’t either of those. It’s meeting people in the middle and refusing to be the hero.
If you look closely, you’ll see it’s not about technique. You can learn GROW, OSKAR, all the frameworks you like. They’re fine. But the real shift is simpler and harder: you stop measuring your worth by how many answers you can give. You start measuring it by how many people you’ve helped think for themselves.
When you treat coaching as your default, a funny thing happens. People step up. They bring you better problems. They trust you more because they know you’re not waiting to catch them out or prove how smart you are.
That’s why coaching isn’t a tool to keep on the shelf. It’s how you lead.
If you only coach when it’s convenient, it’s a hobby. If you coach unless there’s a clear reason not to, it’s your modus operandi.
Leaders in the Labyrinth get to learn this up close. They practice it until it feels natural, even when it’s uncomfortable. After all, it’s Leader’s place. And this is how it works here.
Leader’s Wisdom: Five Takeaways
Ask before you answer. Most problems don’t need your solution. They need your curiosity.
Share your thinking. If you do have to give an answer, teach by showing how you got there.
Hold the pause. One extra beat of silence does more than a ten-minute lecture.
Don’t coach everything. Some moments call for direction. Just be honest about which is which.
Make it the default. If you only coach when it suits you, it’s a hobby. If you do it unless there’s a good reason not to, it’s who you are.
Call to Action:
If you’re ready to lead this way, join the Leader’s Labyrinth community. It’s not leadership development; it’s leader development. And here, that’s the point.