Coaching Is a Core Leadership Competency
The Rise of Coaching
Executive Coaching, Organizational Coaching, Leadership Coaching, Life Coaching, the term coach has moved from the sidelines of sports into the mainstream of business, leadership, and personal development. While the concept of coaching has always existed informally for centuries through mentors, advisors, and apprenticeship, it became more formalized in the late 20th century emerging in corporations in 1980 with the rise and creation of professional certifications and governing bodies, such as the International Coach Federation (ICF) which established coaching as a distinct discipline with standards, methodologies, and ethics. Today, coaching has become one of the fastest-growing professions and a central conversation in organizational life.
In today’s rapidly changing workplaces, the role of a leader is no longer confined to command-and-control, boss/subordinate relationship. Directing tasks and managing outcomes is no longer the most important skill of the leader. We now operate in a VUCA environment, defined by volatility, uncertainty, complexity, and ambiguity, where disruption has become the norm rather than the exception. In last week’s blog, I highlighted how these changes are reshaping the worker experience, and the role of the leader must adopt. Stephen M.R. Covey states in his book “Trust and Inspire” that command-and-control leadership falls short of what today’s employees want from leadership.
Employees want meaningful feedback, that leads to development and growth in their current and future roles. The most skilled and effective leaders have discovered that leadership is not just about authority, it’s about developing others. The most powerful way to do that is by embracing the skill and role of coaching.
Moving from Boss to Coach
Traditional managers often see their primary role as telling people what to do, setting deadlines, and monitoring performance. But coaching leaders understand that lasting performance comes not from compliance but from commitment.
A coaching mindset shifts the leader’s role from giving answers to asking questions (Insideout approach), from directing to guiding, from controlling to empowering. Leaders who coach act as thinking partners who unlock potential rather than gatekeepers who guard it.
Coaching as a Core Responsibility
Many leaders view their coaching role as a “nice to have” or something reserved for HR or external consultants. When I have asked leaders why they don’t coach, the response is “By the time I do everything else, there is no time,” or “I really don’t have time for soft skills stuff.” The reality is coaching is a non-negotiable leadership responsibility. Every direct report looks to their leader not just for direction, but for development.
A coaching leader:
- Builds trust by investing in the growth of others.
- Clarifies expectations while encouraging ownership.
- Creates a space where people can safely reflect, experiment, and learn.
When leaders neglect this responsibility, employees often feel unseen, stagnant, and eventually disengaged.
The Power of Coaching
The impact of coaching is both personal and organizational:
- Performance improves. Coaching provides clarity, confidence, and skills that allow employees to deliver stronger results.
- Engagement deepens. People feel valued and supported, which fuels the use of discretionary energy.
- Retention strengthens. Employees rarely leave leaders who are invested in their future.
- Leadership multiplies. Coaching develops the next generation of leaders, expanding the organization’s capacity.
When leaders coach, they create more than followers, they invest in future leaders.
Why Leaders Must Lean into Coaching
The demand for coaching has never been greater. Today’s workforce craves growth, feedback, and meaningful development far more than directives or empty slogans. Leaning into coaching matters because:
- No leader has all the answers, complex challenges require empowered problem-solvers at every level.
- Coaching reinforces trust and psychological safety, encouraging innovation and risk-taking.
- Organizations with a coaching culture are more resilient and change agile.
Ultimately, coaching is what transforms leadership from a position of control into a platform for empowerment and growth.
Coaching is not optional; it is a leadership imperative. Leaders who see themselves as coaches don’t just manage tasks; they shape careers, inspire confidence, and build organizations that thrive in today’s VUCA world. Transforming organizations to go beyond talking about development to building a true coaching culture. That means skilling up leaders to coach effectively, holding them accountable for this behavior, and making coaching a visible part of how work gets done. When leaders coach, they don’t just manage, they inspire, grow, and transform. The sooner organizations embrace this responsibility; the sooner they unlock the full potential of both their people and their leadership.
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About Dr. Ollie G. Barnes III
Dr. Ollie G. Barnes III is an organizational performance consultant, keynote speaker, and author of Diagnosing Toxic Leadership: Understanding the Connection Between Personality Disorders and Toxic Leader Behaviors. As the founder of Impact Performance Consultants, he brings over 25 years of experience helping organizations transform workplace culture, improve leadership effectiveness, and build psychologically safe environments. Learn more at ImpactPerformanceConsultants.com