Coaching Over Commanding: My Leadership Philosophy
In almost every interview I conduct with potential hires, one question inevitably arises: “What’s your management style?” My answer is always the same: I see myself more as a coach than a traditional manager.
To explain this philosophy, I often draw from sports analogies. Take baseball, for example. The manager oversees everything, but specialized coaches in pitching, batting, and fielding work beneath them, each focusing on a particular skill set. This hierarchical model is effective, but it doesn’t fully resonate with me.
Instead, I prefer the football coaching model, centered around a head coach supported by a team of assistant coaches, each bringing distinct expertise. Being a football fan, I admire how this leadership style blends strategy, motivation, and adaptability. Think of NFL greats like Andy Reid, a master strategist and innovator; Dan Campbell, a fiery motivator with firsthand playing experience; Sean McVay, a data-driven tactician; and Mike Tomlin, a stoic leader who commands respect through calm confidence. Each embodies a different coaching style, but all unlock potential within their teams.
That’s the essence of coaching and the approach I bring to leadership. Great coaches don’t simply give orders; they unlock potential that individuals didn’t realize they possessed. In my teams, I set ambitious goals, sometimes tasks people haven’t tackled before. I’m always available for guidance, but avoid micromanaging or handing out easy answers. Truth be told, I often don’t have the answers myself. Instead, I trust in my team’s ability to figure things out, for their growth and the success of the organization.
At the core of this approach is a fundamental belief: every person has hidden potential waiting to be unleashed. When someone struggles repeatedly without growth, I don’t lose faith because of a single failure but because of a failure to learn and adapt. Leadership is about finding ways to help people grow, but sometimes the right “coach” for someone is another leader. I celebrate when people flourish under different mentors — even if that mentor isn’t me. But nothing compares to the satisfaction of helping someone break through barriers and surprise even themselves.
Over time, I’ve noticed that the individuals who thrive in this coaching environment often share four key traits: they ask insightful questions, respond promptly to challenges, thrive in high-pressure, fast-paced environments, and maintain composure when stakes are high. These are the qualities I seek and cultivate in my team, as they foster resilience and continuous improvement.
Leadership as coaching requires patience, trust, and an unwavering commitment to growth. It’s about empowering people to take ownership of their challenges, supporting them along the way, and celebrating their achievements. By embracing coaching over commanding, I aim to build teams that are not only high-performing but also adaptive, motivated, and confident in their abilities.
References:
Gallup, State of the American Manager: Analytics and Advice for Leaders, 2015.
Harvard Business Review, The Coach Approach to Leadership, 2019, https://hbr.org/2019/03/the-coach-approach-to-leadership
Kouzes, J. M., & Posner, B. Z. (2017). The Leadership Challenge: How to Make Extraordinary Things Happen in Organizations.
Gallo, C. (2017). The Coaching Habit: Say Less, Ask More & Change the Way You Lead Forever.
Zenger, J., & Folkman, J. (2014). The Extraordinary Leader: Turning Good Managers into Great Leaders.
