From Boss to Coach: Reinventing the Role of the Manager

The path to autonomy

“Your team doesn’t need a boss—they need a coach.”

Gone are the days when managers were expected merely to oversee and control. The contemporary workplace, characterized by rapid change, innovation, and complexity, calls for a new type of leadership: coaching. Middle managers, traditionally gatekeepers of information and executors of commands from above, now find themselves shifting roles—from being authoritarian supervisors to becoming empowering facilitators. This transformation is not only desirable but essential for organizations aiming for sustainable growth, employee engagement, and agility.

The Shift: From Control to Empowerment

In the traditional hierarchical structure, a manager’s primary function was to ensure that employees completed their tasks, followed instructions, and met organizational targets. This controlling approach often limited creativity, decreased motivation, and stunted growth. Today, middle managers are expected to evolve from directive leadership to a supportive role, guiding their teams toward autonomy and mastery. As Michael Bungay Stanier (1) famously illustrates in The Coaching Habit (2016), “Coaching is unlocking a person’s potential to maximize their own performance. It's helping them to learn rather than teaching them.”

Coaching means managers must move from a stance of providing answers to one of asking powerful questions. This fosters critical thinking, enhances problem-solving skills, and boosts the confidence of team members.

What Does It Mean to Be a Manager-Coach?

A manager-coach facilitates rather than dictates. Julie Carrier (2) renowned coach and author, emphasizes that a coaching mindset prioritizes employee growth and self-directed learning. Managers embracing coaching see their role as enabling employees to become independent thinkers and decision-makers. They view success as developing capabilities within their teams, rather than merely hitting short-term targets.

Priscilla Gill (3) reinforces this idea, noting that effective manager-coaches consistently create environments where feedback is normal, mistakes are opportunities, and learning is continuous. Jesse Hsu (4) extends this by highlighting the importance of emotional intelligence, stating, “A manager who coaches is aware of emotions—both their own and their team's—and knows how to channel them positively to build resilience and foster team cohesion.”

Practical Techniques for Manager-Coaches

Middle managers can implement several practical coaching techniques to enhance their effectiveness:

1. The GROW Model

One of the simplest yet most effective coaching frameworks is the GROW model, popularized by Sir John Whitmore:

• Goal: Clarify precisely what the team member wants to achieve.

• Reality: Understand the current situation and challenges.

• Options: Explore different possibilities and solutions.

• Way Forward: Agree on actionable steps forward.

This approach encourages structured, solution-focused conversations, turning everyday discussions into opportunities for development.

2. Active Listening

Active listening is fundamental in coaching. It involves fully concentrating, understanding, responding, and then remembering what is being said. Michael Bungay Stanier suggests adopting a posture of curiosity, summarizing key points, asking open-ended questions, and avoiding premature judgments. This builds trust, ensuring team members feel valued and understood.

3. Feedforward Instead of Feedback

Marshall Goldsmith’s concept of feedforward shifts the focus from past mistakes to future possibilities. Unlike traditional feedback, feedforward is oriented towards solutions and future actions rather than dwelling on past errors. Managers practicing feedforward help their teams focus on improvements without the defensive barriers often raised by critical feedback.

Challenges and How to Overcome Them

Transitioning from boss to coach isn't without challenges. Managers often grapple with relinquishing control, fearing a loss of authority or respect. They might worry that empowering employees could lead to mistakes or inefficiencies. However, research by Priscilla Gill shows that the benefits of fostering autonomy far outweigh these risks. Teams managed by coaching-oriented leaders demonstrate higher levels of motivation, innovation, and adaptability.

To ease this transition, managers can start small, introducing coaching incrementally in their interactions. Regular one-on-one meetings, brief daily check-ins, or informal team huddles are excellent settings to practice coaching skills without dramatically altering established workflows.

Real-World Impact: Coaching in Action

Consider a middle manager overseeing a marketing team. Traditionally, the manager would define tasks, monitor closely, and solve problems themselves. With a coaching approach, this manager might instead begin by asking questions such as, “What approach do you think we could take on this campaign?” or “What support do you need from me to make this successful?” Such shifts empower team members, encourage innovative thinking, and foster deeper commitment.

As Jesse Hsu illustrates, managers who have adopted coaching report tangible improvements in team dynamics, reduced turnover, and enhanced productivity. These outcomes clearly demonstrate the value of investing in coaching competencies.

Embrace the Coaching Revolution

The shift from being a boss to becoming a coach is a profound, impactful evolution for middle managers. It transforms their role from merely controlling performance to truly empowering their teams. As Michael Bungay Stanier insightfully notes, the measure of great leadership is not in directing others, but in enabling them to lead themselves. By adopting techniques such as the GROW model, active listening, and feedforward, managers can significantly enhance their teams’ effectiveness and satisfaction.

In today’s rapidly evolving business landscape, your team doesn’t need a traditional boss—they genuinely need a coach.

(1) Michael Bungay Stanier, The Coaching Habit, 2016

(2) Julie Carrier is renowned for her dedication to youth leadership development and empowerment, particularly focusing on young women. She serves as an Advisory Board Member for the United Nations Foundation’s Girl Up program, aiming to scale equitable, evidence-based leadership coaching globally. 

(3) Priscilla Gill has over 25 years of multidisciplinary leadership experience, notably at the Mayo Clinic, where she led the Coaching and Mentoring Center of Excellence. She initiated the Internal Leadership Coaching Practice for physicians and has authored multiple publications on coaching and leadership development. 

(4) Jesse Hsu is a bilingual executive coach with nearly three decades of experience in coaching and facilitation. He specializes in areas such as executive team development, cross-cultural management, and emotional intelligence.