Ask managers and their employees what coaching in the workplace looks like, and they’ll probably describe a formal scenario: a weekly calendar reminder that pops up midtask, a stiff conversation about performance during an annual review, or a manager stepping in to solve an employee’s problem.
For managers, coaching feels like a time-consuming, uncomfortable, and high-pressure responsibility.
That may help explain why managers struggle with it.
According to a Gallup study that assessed how managers lead their teams based on a list of 20 responsibilities, both managers and individual contributors identified coaching-related behaviors as areas where managers need the most improvement. Stewart Leadership’s internal data tells a similar story. Based on 12 years of 360-degree assessments from 1,776 leaders and 27,329 evaluators, direct reports rated their leaders lowest on coaching.
But coaching becomes a lot easier when you broaden the definition to include all of the coaching opportunities managers have available to them.
1. Reframe what coaching means
Coaching isn’t limited to annual reviews, weekly 1:1s, or formal conversations. There are dozens of everyday workplace interactions that are ripe for growth and learning.
That’s the idea behind in-the-moment coaching. It’s weaving real-time feedback into the fabric of the workday, turning small wins into confidence boosters and minor setbacks into lessons that help employees get better.
This type of spontaneous coaching happens in the hallway after a challenging meeting or during a quick coffee break. It’s saying “great job” after someone nails a presentation with senior leaders or asking a thoughtful question about a project they’re struggling with during a 10-minute gap between meetings.
Unlike traditional coaching conversations that reflect on past events or plan for future scenarios, these brief, timely interactions catch people when they’re most ready to learn and adapt.
2. Spot it, say it
Coaching moments come in all shapes and sizes, but they share common signals. Managers can tune their antennas to pick them up, like when expected actions don’t happen, when employees ask for help, or when obstacles arise.
Problems create opportunities to probe deeper and challenge employees to reframe the issue and rework their approach.
Celebrating wins, even small ones, is just as important because it reinforces behaviors that lead to success.
In addition to spotting these coaching opportunities, managers must act on them to build a daily habit of coaching. In other words, “Spot it, say it.”
3. Focus on good questions
At a time when managers oversee more direct reports and technology like AI rapidly changes the workplace, it can be difficult or impossible for one person to have all the answers.
Everyday coaching doesn’t require managers to have all the answers. In fact, when managers feel they need to have the right answer or always offer their answers first, they can prevent employees from thinking for themselves and asking the questions that ultimately contribute to their growth.
Asking open-ended questions like “What are you learning?” or “What suggestions do you have in mind?” creates coaching conversations and allows employees to try to solve their own problems.
This approach is also a win for busy managers because they don’t need to take on every problem an employee has.
4. Use a 6:1 praise-to-criticism ratio
At some point, coaching involves confronting issues head-on or criticizing someone’s work. That can be uncomfortable because it risks damaging relationships and runs counter to our internal drive for social connection, making it harder to turn coaching into a habit.
One way to make coaching more approachable, especially in the beginning, is to intentionally deliver more positive than negative comments. Research has shown that the best-performing teams use a 6:1 praise-to-criticism ratio. Managers don’t need to hit that exact number, but the idea is clear: Heap more praise on employees than criticism.
Plus, the act of giving compliments actually improves our mood.
When you reimagine what coaching looks like and see that it doesn’t require another meeting on the calendar or having all the answers, and that it can even feel good, it becomes easier to do. You may even be able to turn a weakness into a strength.