Why Every Manager Needs Coaching Skills (And What Science Says About It)
- Bahaa Malaeb
- Sep 2
- 3 min read
In today’s workplace the best managers are more than decision makers. They are coaches who help employees grow adapt and stay committed. Coaching is not just encouragement. It is a scientifically studied practice that improves performance engagement and wellbeing. Here is why coaching skills are essential for managers and what the research tells us.
Coaching improves performance and learning
Academic research shows that managerial coaching positively influences employee performance and workplace learning. A study in the Journal of Management Development found that managers who use coaching behaviors improve their employees’ capacity to learn on the job and take responsibility for results (1).
In fact managers who actively coach can improve team productivity by more than 20 percent compared with directive styles.
Coaching increases engagement and reduces turnover
The quality of managerial coaching is strongly linked to employee engagement and retention. Ellinger, Ellinger, and Keller found that coaching oriented managers contribute to higher levels of job satisfaction and lower turnover intention (2).
Global surveys confirm this. Gallup reports that employees who feel supported by coaching managers are 67 percent more engaged and 21 percent more likely to stay long term (6).
Coaching enhances wellbeing
Coaching is not only about results. Research published in the International Journal of Evidence Based Coaching and Mentoring shows that coaching reduces stress and increases resilience and self efficacy (3).
Evidence from the Institute of Coaching indicates that 80 percent of people report improved self confidence and 70 percent report better work performance and communication after coaching (5).
Coaching builds leadership capacity
Coaching is not only about helping employees. It develops leaders themselves. An article in the Journal of Applied Behavioral Science highlights that coaching enhances self awareness and emotional intelligence both of which are critical for effective leadership (4).
Managers who engage in coaching behaviors become better at feedback empathy and long term vision.
Coaching is grounded in psychology
Modern coaching draws on established psychological frameworks. The GROW model for instance guides managers through goal setting, reality checking, exploring options, and defining the way forward. Coaching psychology combines positive psychology and adult learning theory to create measurable impact (7).
Final Thought
Managers who coach do more than manage. They transform. By asking questions instead of only giving orders they build trust. By supporting rather than directing they create stronger teams. By adopting coaching skills they prepare organizations for resilience and growth.
A Note from Brightfields: The CPLC Program
At Brightfields we believe coaching is the future of leadership. This is why we created the Certified Positive Leadership Coach (CPLC) program: https://www.brightfields.co.uk/cplc
The program equips leaders and managers with science based coaching skills that enhance performance engagement and wellbeing. Brightfields works actively in the Middle East with programs in Dubai Abu Dhabi and Qatar supporting leaders in both corporate and government sectors.
If you want to learn more or integrate coaching into your leadership journey please visit:https://www.brightfields.co.uk/cplc
Coaching is no longer optional. It is a leadership imperative. And in the Middle East the need for agile and people focused leaders has never been greater.
References
Ladyshewsky, R. K. (2010). The manager as coach as a driver of organizational development. Journal of Management Development, 29(10), 813–831.https://www.emerald.com/insight/content/doi/10.1108/JMD-11-2012-0140/full/html
Ellinger, A. D., Ellinger, A. E., & Keller, S. B. (2003). Supervisory coaching behavior, employee satisfaction, and warehouse employee performance. Human Resource Development Quarterly, 14(4), 435–458.https://journals.sagepub.com/doi/10.1177/1523422307313400
Green, S., Oades, L., & Grant, A. (2006). Cognitive behavioral, solution focused life coaching: Enhancing goal striving, well being, and hope. International Journal of Evidence Based Coaching and Mentoring, 4(2), 142–164.https://radar.brookes.ac.uk/radar/items/df9a4ef5-9c7a-4c21-8dd5-67653f57f886/1/
Coutu, D., & Kauffman, C. (2009). What can coaches do for you. Harvard Business Review. Also cited in Journal of Applied Behavioral Science.https://journals.sagepub.com/doi/10.1177/0021886304270339
Institute of Coaching, Harvard Medical School. Coaching Benefits.https://instituteofcoaching.org/coaching-overview/coaching-benefits
Gallup. The Right Culture: Not Just About Employee Satisfaction.https://www.gallup.com/workplace/236441/right-culture-not-employee-satisfaction.aspx
Coaching psychology overview.https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Coaching_psychology
