Tools for Managers: The Coaching Mindset

Inside organizations coaching has become

common practice to address issues such as

developing talent, ‘onboarding’ key leaders and

supporting senior executives. Yet, there is clearly

widespread opportunity to integrate some of the

skills and competencies inherent in coaching into the

roles of managers and contributors at all levels in an

organization. We call this: the Coaching Mindset.

In the coaching mindset, you aren’t necessarily

engaged in a highly structured, long-term coaching

arrangement. But instead of being overly committed

to solving everyone’s problems and to listen to

everyone gripe at you, you are hosting a one-time

conversation in the hall, or an ongoing conversation

as part of your management of others where a

coaching mindset can have a meaningful impact in the

moment and over time.

The coaching mindset equates to a paradigm

shift in the manager’s approach to working with

teams and individuals. And while this approach is

situation specific, the coaching mindset creates a

framework for ongoing development collaboration,

and empowerment among teams, direct reports

and peers. And most importantly, it goes beyond

the inherent problems of managers engaging in a

structured coaching engagement with a direct report

even for managers who are thoroughly prepared and

who are gifted at coaching.

Often times the manager finds her/himself in the

time-consuming role of mediator, problem solver,

solution build, and the driver of the latest initiatives

and deadlines – all roles that generally result in

predictable tensions (and often disempowerment),

with a short-term solution often being drawn into

a long-term issue. Through the coaching mindset,

the manager has another way of approaching the

development of a member of his/her team. This

new approach produces a sense of empowerment

and encourages the employee to contribute to

developing solutions and approaches to any number

of issues and challenges. For the managers with

a coaching mindset, team tensions become an

opportunity for individual and group development

as well as the chance for members to take a role in

resolving friction. 1

W H I T E PA P E R

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W H I T E PA P E R

Rather than stepping in to quickly resolve the situation at hand, a coaching mindset provides the

manager with a fresh approach that over time yields greater benefits to team members and creates

a stronger sense of ownership and involvement in the solutions. An important step in developing this skill

is to build awareness of the differences between a ‘managing perspective’ and the coaching mindset. The

following table provides a brief comparison.

Manager’s Perspective

Coaching Mindset

Creates a quick solution. Helps the team members develop their own solution.

Mediates staff differences. Queries team members about their role in the disagreement.

Tells the team what to do. Asks the team to create a solution and present it to the manager.

Tells the team members how to manage the issue.

Listens to the issue.

Steps ahead and out front of the team when it comes to solutions and strategies

Leads from behind, asks questions before creating solutions and strategies for team members. Seeks to empower team members and develop a sense of their own contribution to the issue at hand.

Get it done. Managers are under the gun to meet deadlines, numbers and projects, so inviting collaborative thinking often seems time-consuming. And while it may not always be the best choice in the moment, it will most often produce the best results over time.

Thinks collaboratively, invites the team to join forces and develop strategies and solutions through the synergy and combined efforts of the team.

Naturally, the coaching mindset won’t be the appropriate managing style all the time. But it does give

the manager additional tools. There are times to direct, times to lead without discussion, and times to

use a coaching mindset. To introduce this new technique, try to incorporate initial steps into the manager’s

daily routine and see how the results positively impact the engagement and initiative of your work teams.

Here are some suggested introductory steps.

Ask Managers to Notice:

o Opportunities to shift from providing solutions to helping others develop their own

o How quickly you move from an ill-disguised attempt to listen to a solution- building stance

o Opportunities to invite collaboration and fresh perspectives

o Moments to celebrate the team’s successes and your own!

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CW H I T E PA P E R

Case StudyJane is a young manager in the health industry and her subordinates include a team with members that are

both younger and older than Jane. Some have been with the organization much longer than Jane, while

others are new to the organization and the world of work. Tensions in the team are a regular occurrence

and Jane finds herself spending much of her time ‘putting out fires’ and attempting to reduce the tensions

on the team enough so that some work can get done! Blame and finger pointing are the standard

reactions to any disagreement among team members. And Jane is constantly finding herself in the role of

authoritarian, problem-solver, peace-keeper and negotiator. She is exhausted and often frustrated at the end

of each day.

With a coaching mindset, Jane brings a new approach to many of the team issues. The coaching mindset

reframes the problem and shifts some of the responsibility for problem solving to all parties and asks them

to take responsibility for their own roles. With the coaching mindset, all are asked to help build the solution

instead of defaulting to blame and finger pointing. This shift in approach ultimately leaves team members

with a sense of competence and mastery in creating some of their own solutions.

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