
Coaching skills for managers: Unlocking potential in your team
04 Feb 2025
You don't have to be the hero with all the answers. The real power of coaching lies in being the kind of leader who helps your team find their own.
Coaching is about recognising potential, sparking new ideas and helping others reach their full capabilities. When your team wins, so do you.
Today, we're diving into the skills and strategies that will help you lead like a pro — how to listen, guide, challenge and empower your people to become the best versions of themselves.
Why coaching matters
As a coach, you are a catalyst for transformation. Your role is no longer about assigning tasks or enforcing rules; it's about helping your team discover the potential within themselves.
Forget control and shoot for connection. A coach's job is to ignite creativity, build confidence and create a ripple effect of growth and achievement to empower others to solve their challenges. In this light, coaching magnifies your authority by gearing others up to thrive.
Core coaching skills
Great coaching is a skill that anyone can cultivate. To tap into the potential of those around you, you need three core tools:
- Active listening: Give your full presence and try to hear not just the words, but the meaning behind them. Deep listening builds trust and opens doors to breakthrough ideas.
- Asking open-ended questions: A well-placed question can expand someone's mind. Open questions require more insight than a one-word response. They spark insight and self-discovery — both far more powerful than simply offering solutions.
- Providing constructive feedback: Feedback shines a light on the path forward. Frame it as an opportunity and focus on elevating efforts. Shared with empathy and clarity, your guidance becomes a bridge to greater potential.
Empowering through goal-setting
Goals are like fuel stops rather than checkpoints. But, to truly empower your team, goals must resonate deeply with individual and organisational missions.
Ask team members about their ultimate visions for their role and what energises them, then connect their vision to broader priorities. For example, if someone wants to develop leadership skills, pair them with opportunities where they can mentor others or lead a project.

Use frameworks like SMART goals (specific, measurable, achievable, relevant, time-bound) to keep their aspirations grounded, but remember — goals should inspire action, not feel like chores. Regularly revisit and refine them, celebrating progress along the way.
Addressing challenges through coaching
When a team member faces challenges, it's an opportunity to coach them through it, not around it. To do that, I aim to understand what lies at the core of the issue. Is it a lack of clarity? A missing skill? Fear of failure? Ask the questions that reveal the true barriers. Once you uncover them, guide your team to co-create a plan to overcome them.
For example, if someone hesitates to take on a new challenge, explore their concerns. "What's holding you back? What would it take to feel more confident?" Your belief in their potential can help them see possibilities they might have missed.
Creating a coaching culture
Make coaching a daily practice. Celebrate learning moments and encourage collaboration and knowledge-sharing among team members. Model curiosity, humility and the courage to admit when you're learning too.
When coaching enters your team's DNA, it transforms everything. You'll see stronger relationships, greater innovation and a team that's not just surviving, but growing together.
Ready to take the leap?
The potential in your team is limitless, and you hold the key to unlocking it. Want to take your coaching skills to the next level? Check out our Coaching for Performance course and start transforming your leadership today.