The Three Coaching Questions Every Leader Needs

You solved three problems before 10 AM.

Your team is grateful.

You should feel accomplished.

Instead… you feel drained.

Sound familiar?

Most leaders don’t burn out because they’re carrying everyone else’s thinking as well as their own.

That’s where coaching comes in.

Coaching Breaks the Dependency Cycle

Coaching stops the “I’ll do it” spiral and replaces it with shared ownership.

It sends a new message:

“I believe you’re capable. Let me help you think, not take over.”

This one shift transforms your leadership:

1. Your team grows faster

2. Your workload shrinks

3. Your team becomes more proactive

The Three Coaching Questions Every Leader Needs

These questions work in corridors, stand-ups, crisis moments, and “got a sec?” drop-ins.

1. “What do you think is going on here?”

This moves them from reporting to analysing.

Instead of:

“Delivery was late and the client is upset.”

You get:

“I think there’s a communication gap in our handover process.” Small shift. Big difference.

2. “How could you approach this?”

You get their ideas before adding yours.

Instead of:

“I don’t know what to do.”

You get:

“Well, I could clarify expectations with the client, review the process with the team, and reset the timeline.” Suddenly they have options.

3. “When will you do that?”

This turns ideas into movement.

Instead of:

“Yeah, I’ll look into it.”

You get:

“I’ll speak to the client by 2pm and update you after.” Confidence. Commitment. Clarity.

The A-Ha Moment (and Why It Feels Uncomfortable First)

Here’s a coaching tip to keep in mind.

Before someone has an insight, they look confused, stuck, or uncertain.

You ask a coaching question ….they pause.

That pause is uncomfortable.

Your helper/fixer/people-pleaser instincts kick in. You want to rescue.

But that pause?

That’s the moment right before their breakthrough.

If you jump in too soon, you take the insight away.

Before & After: What Coaching Looks Like in Real Life

Before (Solving):

Team member: “This customer is angry. What should I do?”

Manager: “Tell them you’re looking into it, check the delivery notes, and get back to them by COB.”

Result: Manager carries the load. Team member stays dependent.

After (Coaching):

Leader: “What do you think is really going on here?”

Team member: “I think we didn’t confirm the revised delivery time.”

Leader: “What could you do to move this forward?”

Team member: “I’ll call them now, apologise for the confusion, confirm the timeline, and update the team.”

Result: Ownership. Confidence. Capability.

Start Here: One Small Coaching Move Today

You don’t need to overhaul your leadership style. Try this one sentence:

“What do you think your options are?”

You’ll be amazed how quickly your team shifts from passive → proactive.

Coaching Makes Leadership Easier

Coaching isn't adding to your workload. It's the solution to your workload.