Resources / The leader-coach posture: a concrete lever for developing performance and talent on a daily basis
The leader-coach posture: a concrete lever for developing performance and talent on a daily basis
Coaching provided by professionals external to the organization brings real value. It allows for stepping back, opening up new perspectives, and often accelerating profound transformations.
To better understand how we support leaders at The Laughing Willow you can discover a behind the scenes from a recent coaching engagement with a leader operating in a complex international environment, with strong stakes in influence, alignment, and performance.
Through my coaching experiences, I often observe the same thing: external coaching triggers powerful insights, creates breakthroughs, and accelerates certain developments.
But what really makes the difference in the long run is what happens next.
In everyday interactions. In the relationship between an employee and their manager.
This is where the leader-coach stance becomes particularly powerful.
The professional coach provides a space for reflection, an outside perspective, and a specific support framework.
The leader-coach intervenes on a different level. They are present in the reality of the activity: during moments of doubt, decision-making, tension, or progress.
Between coaching sessions—and often long after—the collaborator continues to experiment, learn, and solidify new practices. The leader-coach then plays a key role in supporting this progress, encouraging autonomy, and guiding realizations into concrete actions.
As a professional coach, I can only encourage leaders to develop this mindset. The two approaches are not opposed. They complement each other.
External coaching drives and accelerates. Internal leadership coaches support, anchor, and multiply transformations over time.
Today, I am pleased to see more and more organizations investing in coaching skills development. And it's no coincidence.
When leaders adopt this stance, they create the conditions for growth, engagement, and sustainable performance.
What is a coach-leader?
I like to talk about empowering leadership – or, in English, The Empowering Leader.
It is a leader who:
- serves his team
- create a stimulating environment
- promotes accountability and collaboration
- develop talents
- and unleash collective potential
A leader-coach creates the conditions for others to reflect, take initiative, and fully express their value. They open doors. They create connections.
It develops autonomy and decision-making ability.
A very simple exercise to test your leader-coach posture
Next time a colleague comes to you with a problem, resist the urge to immediately give them the solution for a few minutes.
Try asking a few questions instead:
- “What have you already considered?”
- “What do you find most relevant?”
- “What would you need to move forward?”
The discomfort that can be felt at the beginning (for the employee too!) reflects that habits are changing. And I agree, it's not an easy practice to adopt, especially when everything is moving fast and we think we're saving time by responding immediately.
In reality, these few minutes help develop autonomy, confidence, and decision-making ability.
And that is precisely where the leader-coach creates lasting value.
Develop coach-leaders
I can already hear you:
“How can we adopt this posture when schedules are already packed?” The good news is that coaching doesn't necessarily require more time.
It integrates naturally into everyday conversations.
Three simple reflexes to activate today
1. Replace a responsive reflex with a question
Instead of saying:
“Do it like this.”
Try this instead:
“What would you do?”
2. Encourage reflection before directing
For example:
- “What options do you see?”
- “Which one seems most relevant to you?”
- “What would be the impact of this solution?”
3. Allow for real thinking time
Who is afraid of the void?
All of us! In ever-faster work rhythms, silence often disappears from exchanges. Yet, a few seconds are sometimes enough to allow the other person to structure their thoughts, clarify their ideas, and truly engage.
A simple structure that works
In my coaching sessions, I often propose this guiding principle:
Question → Contribution → Involvement
- Question open the discussion
- Apport Share the experience or seek impact if you see a collaborator going down the wrong path
- Commitment empower
For example:
“When do you think you can get this in place?”
“What do you wish to achieve?”
“What would success look like for the implementation of...?”
“What would be the benefits/advantages of such an approach?”
“What is your next step?”
“What resources would you need?”
The 5 Pillars of Coach-Leaders
According to Harvard Business Review (Successful leaders are great coaches), leader-coaches rely on five essential pillars:
To take care
Build trust and truly understand the person.
Organizer
Put each in their area of strength to maximize their impact.
Aligner
Connect individual actions to a clear vision.
Stimulate
To encourage, challenge, and bring out the best.
Support
Support during key moments and celebrate successes.
Two particularly useful models
1- The G.R.O.W. Model.
Developed by Sir John Whitmore, it's a model I regularly use in formations management You Laughing Willow.
Simple, concrete and very effective for structuring a conversation:
- Objective Clarify the objective
- Reality understand the current situation
- Options explore the possibilities
- Will Define a concrete action plan
2- The L.A.C.E. Model.
More recently, I discovered the L.A.C.E. model proposed by the Center for Creative Leadership. I appreciate its simplicity and its immediate applicability in everyday conversations.
Listen to understand
Listen to understand, not to reply.
Listen to facts, emotions, values.
Also observe the tone, words, and body language.
Ask potent questions
Ask powerful questions... open and simple.
For example:
- “What options do you see?”
- “Who can help you?”
- “What impact do you want to create?”
Challenge and support
Stimulate reflection while maintaining a safe environment.
Establish next steps and accountability
Clarify concrete actions:
- “What is your next step?”
- “When?”
Want to go further?
I support leaders and HR managers to:
- develop leader-coaches,
- Structure a feedback culture,
- Strengthen collective performance.
With short, immediately actionable formats adapted to real-world conditions.
I would be happy to discuss your challenges and explore together the appropriate support for your organization. Contact me at !