Great Organizations are Coaching Organizations
Why Every Organization Should Be a Coaching Organization
In nearly every room I’ve been in lately—whether with clients, team members, or peers—one word keeps surfacing: coaching.
And not in the sense of whistle-blowing, sidelines, or locker-room pep talks. I’m talking about something deeper and far more essential to the culture of any thriving organization.
Coaching is not simply another leadership tactic. It's a posture—one that reshapes how we lead, learn, and grow together.
Coaching vs. Teaching
There’s a vital distinction here. Teaching imparts knowledge. It’s structured, informative, and necessary. But coaching? Coaching is transformational.
Coaching isn’t about having all the answers. It’s about asking the right questions. It’s about igniting motivation in others and, in the process, reminding them—and ourselves—of the tools we already possess. (A great coaching resource is Michael Bungay Stanier’s book, The Coaching Habit. Within the book, Stanier suggests seven questions that can spark conversation and help guide someone to greater potential.)
Great coaches don’t let us coast. They push us, not out of criticism, but out of belief. They raise our expectations of ourselves because they already see what we’re capable of becoming.
The Best Leaders Are Coaches
The best leaders aren’t cheerleaders. They aren’t critics either.
They’re coaches.
I was reminded of this recently while rewatching a short video from organizational psychologist Adam Grant. His words echoed something I’ve felt deeply for a long time: great coaches recognize your strengths without letting you get complacent. They help you see your blind spots without letting those weaknesses define you.
And most importantly? They make you believe.
“I’m giving you this feedback because I have high expectations—and I believe you can meet them.”
That kind of feedback doesn’t shame. It calls you up. It’s surprisingly easy to hear hard truths from someone who’s clearly committed to helping you succeed.
Coaching Builds Confidence
We often think of growth in terms of competence. Learn more. Do better.
However, Adam Grant states it this way in his book Hidden Potential: "Teaching may build competence, but Coaching builds confidence.”
And when both are present in a culture, something powerful happens: individuals grow, teams transform, and organizations gain a steady momentum that’s built on belief, not just skill.
A Coaching Culture Is Intentional
In my current organization, Fast Slow Motion, coaching is an integral part of our operational framework.
Every month, each team leader in our organization schedules a one-on-one coaching call with every team member. This is not a time for tactical review, but for coaching through curiosity, with the purpose of helping a person reach their full potential.
I also have the responsibility and honor of having these types of conversations, and it is my joy to see a person become more aware of their potential that is hiding just below the surface.
There is another benefit for me personally, as a result of these conversations: I am becoming a better coach, leader, and listener. I am learning to lead with curiosity rather than opinion, which allows the coachee to discover and own their growth.
The Coach and the Coached
The best organizations are coaching organizations. They…
Hire people who are coachable—people who are willing to be shaped, stretched, and sharpened.
Coach one another through a lens of humility and vulnerability—not because we’re lacking, but because we know we can grow.
Invite coaching from outside resources, recognizing that wise counsel often comes from beyond our walls.
Guide clients through coaching conversations—helping them gain clarity, confidence, and courage to make wise decisions.
That’s the kind of culture that lasts. That’s the type of organization that will continue to be productive.
And it will be made up of people who are fulfilled and thriving.
