A few weeks ago, I was ready to kick off a workshop on “Developing Coaching Skills in Leaders” for a group of senior leaders at a tech organisation.
The energy was high, but so were the challenges these leaders were grappling with. When I asked them about coaching their teams, the responses were candid and honest:
“I just don’t have the time to coach. We’re too busy delivering.”
“It’s faster for me to just give the answers instead of asking questions.”
“I know more than my team—why wouldn’t I provide the best solutions?”
These statements aren’t unusual. In fact, they echo what I’ve heard time and again from leaders across industries. Coaching, while recognized as a powerful tool for developing teams, often fails to deliver the outcomes leaders want.
But the surprising part? By the end of the workshop, these same leaders were committed to changing their approach. They had realized that coaching isn’t a “nice-to-have” — it’s essential for building high-performing teams, empowering individuals, and driving long-term success.
Why Does Coaching Fail?
Through the discussions and insights shared during the workshop, it became clear that four key barriers often hold leaders back from effective coaching:
1. Listening Is Harder Than You Think
When we think of “listening,” we assume it’s passive. But real listening — the kind that builds trust and fosters growth — is active and intentional. It means parking your own preferences, opinions, and assumptions to get genuinely curious about the other person’s perspective.
Most leaders are problem-solvers at heart. When faced with a challenge, their first instinct is to respond, fix, or advise. But coaching isn’t about giving the answer — it’s about helping others find their own.
As one leader in the workshop said: “I didn’t realize how often I interrupt or jump to conclusions. I thought I was listening, but I wasn’t really hearing my team.”
Reflect on how deeply you listen to your team members.
2. Quick Answers Feel Faster — And They Cost You Later
We’ve all been there: deadlines are looming, pressures are mounting, and someone on your team comes to you with a problem. The easiest path? Provide the answer yourself.
And in the short term, it works. The task gets done, and everyone moves on.
But over time, this approach leads to:
Over-reliance on the leader (people stop thinking for themselves).
Overwhelmed leaders (you become the bottleneck).
Low accountability (if something goes wrong, it’s your solution that failed).
A quick answer might save you a minute today, but it costs you hours in the future.
Coaching takes longer initially, but the return on investment is huge. As your team builds confidence, ownership, and problem-solving skills, you gain back time, and they gain autonomy and confidence.
Reflect on how fast you offer solutions to your team.
3. “I’m Too Busy to Coach”
Time is the most precious resource leaders have. Coaching requires time and patience, and for leaders juggling multiple priorities, it can feel like a luxury they can’t afford.
But here’s the truth: leaders don’t have time NOT to coach.
When you skip coaching, you end up:
Repeating instructions.
Solving the same problems over and over again.
Micromanaging instead of delegating.
Effective coaching creates independent team members who can take ownership, freeing up your time to focus on strategy and growth.
One leader shared this realization during the workshop:“I used to think telling was faster, but I see now it’s a short-term fix. If I want to scale my team, I need to coach.”
4. The “Expert” Trap
Many leaders rise to their positions because they’re experts in their field. They have more experience, more knowledge, and higher standards than the people they lead.
This makes it tempting to jump in and provide the “right” answers to deliver high-quality work.
But when you always act as the expert, you send an unintentional message to your team:
“I don’t trust you to figure this out.”
“Your ideas aren’t good enough.”
“I’ll always have the final say.”
Over time, this stifles creativity, erodes confidence, and limits team development.
One leader put it beautifully: “I thought I was helping by giving solutions. I see now I was holding my team back.”
The Turning Point: Why Coaching Matters
Despite these challenges, the leaders I worked with left the workshop with a renewed sense of purpose. They understood that coaching isn’t about speed, perfection, or having all the answers. It’s about:
Empowering team members to solve problems independently.
Building a culture of trust, growth, and accountability.
Creating long-term success for individuals and the organization.
And it’s not just anecdotal. According to the ICF (International Coaching Federation) report:
78% of senior executives and 73% of employees appreciate and value coaching.
This isn’t a coincidence. Teams thrive when leaders invest in their growth.
How to Start Coaching—Even When It’s Hard
If you’re a leader who wants to build better coaching habits, start with small, actionable steps:
Ask before you tell: Next time someone comes to you with a problem, resist the urge to give the answer. Ask:
“What have you considered so far?”
“What do you think is the best approach?”
“How can we find the best solution for our client?”
Listen deeply: Challenge yourself to listen without interrupting or jumping to solutions. Focus on understanding their perspective first.
Be patient: Coaching takes time but it pays off. Trust the process, and give your team space to grow.
Summary of Coaching Strategies
Coaching isn’t just a skill—it’s a leadership mindset. It’s the difference between telling your team what to do and empowering them to figure it out.
Yes, it’s hard and takes time. But the results are worth it:
Stronger teams.
Greater accountability.
Leaders who are no longer the bottleneck but the enablers of success.
So, the next time you’re tempted to jump in with the answer, pause. Ask a question. Listen. And watch your team rise to the challenge.
Bio: Smriti Chandra is an International Executive Coach and Leadership Facilitator with over 21 years of experience. She specializes in helping leaders—from first-time managers to C-suite executives—build high-performing teams, navigate organizational changes, and develop executive presence. Having worked with global organizations such as Amazon, Google, Salesforce, and McKinsey & Company, Smriti brings a multicultural perspective to leadership coaching, gained from living and working in India, Paris, and London. Her tailored coaching programs have helped 90% of her clients enhance their confidence and leadership abilities, creating lasting organizational impact.
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