BOSSING OR COACHING?

What’s Your Preferred Style?

Before diving into leadership preferences, it’s crucial to distinguish between a boss-like leader and a coach-like leader.

A boss-like leader relies heavily on top-down management, focusing primarily on giving directions and achieving results. The needs of the team take a backseat, with the sole goal being to maximize output with minimal input. This leadership style has worked for many companies over the years, providing clear chains of command and consistent results. However, in today’s 21st-century workforce, employees are pushing back against authoritarian leadership, seeking a more human-centered approach.

In contrast, a coach-like leader prioritizes the team’s needs, viewing each person holistically, beyond their role or task. Coaching challenges the traditional leadership model by urging leaders to engage with their team members emotionally and psychologically, addressing the core needs that fuel human motivation. This approach is akin to a ship’s captain who is responsible for every crew member’s safety and well-being.

Key Differences Between Bossing and Coaching

Let’s explore the key differences between these two leadership styles through three essential distinctions:

1. Task vs. Rapport

A boss-like leader is primarily task-focused. Their concern is getting the job done, often overlooking the challenges and struggles the team may face. While tasks might get completed, creativity and personal investment are lacking because employees feel disconnected.

On the other hand, a coach-like leader builds relationships. They actively engage with their team members, offering support, encouragement, and presence both verbally and through actions. This style may take time to develop, but it naturally fosters an environment where people feel motivated to give their best. Employees under a coach-like leader tend to experiment more, stretch their capabilities, and invest personal responsibility in their work, resulting in innovative and high-quality outcomes. They work not just because they have to, but because they want to.

2. Crisis vs. Calm

In times of crisis, boss-like leaders tend to struggle. The immense pressure to maintain control during chaotic situations often leads to frustration, miscommunication, and a loss of trust. Leading in isolation, they try to control the uncontrollable, which worsens the situation.

A coach-like leader, however, thrives in crises. They keep the team unified under a shared mission, maintaining a calm and resilient approach. The strong relationships they’ve built with their team allow them to lead with confidence. As a result, their team remains loyal and focused, demonstrating solidarity and going beyond their usual roles to support one another.

3. Deadline vs. Growth

The third key difference lies in the focus. A boss-like leader is deadline-driven, pushing for immediate results without much consideration for long-term growth or development. Their focus is on the “here and now.”

In contrast, a coach-like leader prioritizes long-term goals. They invest time in nurturing their team’s skills, ensuring sustainable growth. Quality takes precedence over quantity, as they recognize that empowered, well-developed employees are the key to the organization’s future success.

So, What’s Your Preferred Style?

After years of helping leaders transition to a coaching style, I’ve found three compelling reasons why coaching is the better choice for many managers:

1. Maximum Employee Engagement

“The best executive is the one who has sense enough to pick good people to do what he wants done, and self-restraint enough to keep from meddling with them while they do it.” – Theodore Roosevelt

Managing people is more challenging today than ever before. According to the International Coach Federation (ICF), companies with active coaching cultures see 8% higher employee engagement compared to those with a boss-like culture.

A coach-like leader engages employees by focusing on their strengths and understanding their capabilities. They assign tasks that match an employee’s skills with the right level of challenge, creating an environment where employees feel engaged and valued.

In contrast, a boss-like leader often misses the potential of their team members, relying on performance records and safe decision-making, leaving employees feeling stuck in repetitive roles with little room for growth.

2. Greater Responsibility and Ownership

By involving teams in decision-making, coaching fosters responsibility and ownership. Every team member feels valued, and hierarchy takes a back seat to collective effort.

Boss-like leaders tend to micromanage, spending too much time on surveillance and control. This leads to burnout not just for the leader but also for the team, as they are never fully trusted to take charge.

3. Openness to Learning and Development

Coaching opens the door to continuous learning, not just for the team but for the leader as well. Bossing, on the other hand, can create a superficial image of perfection that stifles growth. Genuine leadership is about ongoing development, not maintaining the illusion of expertise.

Growth Opportunities in a Coaching Culture

In a coaching culture, mistakes are not punishable offenses but opportunities for growth. Employees feel safe to experiment, take risks, and discuss their challenges openly without fear of negative consequences. Leaders in this environment encourage learning from errors, which helps foster creativity and problem-solving. Instead of reprimanding mistakes, coaching leaders guide employees through the process of improvement, turning setbacks into valuable learning experiences.

This mindset cultivates a growth-oriented atmosphere, where individuals are motivated to turn weaknesses into strengths. By embracing mistakes as part of the journey, employees become more confident, resilient, and open to continuous development. As a result, the team collectively grows stronger, driven by a shared understanding that progress comes through learning and adaptation.

Conclusion

While both bossing and coaching have their pros and cons, today’s workforce—especially Generation Y—seeks leaders who are more coach-like. They value growth, innovation, and flexibility, traits that a coach-like leader naturally embodies. So, what’s your leadership style: bossing or coaching?