What a Leadership Coach Actually Does (And How to Know If You Need One)

When I tell people I'm a leadership coach, I often get asked what that actually means in practice. Is it like therapy but for work? A bit like mentoring? Am I there to tell people what to do?

The reality is much more practical. Leadership coaching is a structured partnership that gives ambitious leaders the space to think, reflect and grow. It's not about fixing problems, but about helping already capable professionals perform at their best, navigate transitions successfully, and create the impact they want to have.

Whether you're stepping into a new leadership role, hitting a roadblock in your development, or simply want to be more intentional about how you lead, coaching provides the time and frameworks to accelerate your progress. In a world of constant operational demands, it's dedicated time for the thinking work that often gets pushed aside.

What Does a Leadership Coach Actually Do?

The best way to understand what a leadership coach does is to look at what happens in a coaching relationship. While every coach has their own approach, there are some common elements that make coaching different from other forms of support.

Creates Space for Strategic Thinking

If you've ever felt caught on the hamster wheel of back-to-back meetings and constant firefighting, you'll know how rare quality thinking time can be. Research from Harvard Business School showed that professionals who spent just 15 minutes reflecting each day performed 23% better after ten days. That's a significant return on investment.

As a leadership coach, I create a confidential space where you can step back from the day-to-day and think more strategically. We focus on the questions that matter but never seem to make it to the top of your to-do list. What's working well? What patterns keep repeating? What assumptions might you be making? Where could you be getting in your own way?

Builds Self-Awareness Without Judgment

One of the most powerful benefits of coaching is self-awareness. Not just understanding what you do, but how you do it and the impact you have.

Coaching creates space for honest reflection, done with self-compassion rather than self-criticism. In many leadership roles, the instinct is to prove yourself, not improve yourself, and recognising where change is needed can trigger those familiar “mind monkeys”.

But self-awareness isn’t about fixing flaws. It’s about understanding your natural strengths, recognising the patterns that hold you back, and finding your authentic leadership style. Confidence grows when you lead in a way that feels like you, not a version of someone else.

Offers the Right Balance of Support and Challenge

Your boss might be too busy to give detailed feedback. Your peers might hold back to avoid damaging relationships. Your team members might not feel safe being completely honest.

A good coach helps fill this gap by offering observations and asking questions that others might avoid. They'll challenge your thinking when needed, while maintaining an environment where you feel completely supported to explore, experiment and grow.

This balance is crucial - enough challenge to stretch you beyond your comfort zone, but enough support that you feel safe to try new approaches and learn from the results.

Accelerates Your Leadership Development

Top performers, from athletes to senior leaders, work with coaches because an outside perspective helps you grow faster than going it alone.

I bring tools, frameworks and real-life insights from supporting other leaders through similar challenges, so you can make progress more efficiently, developing new capabilities and approaches that might take years to discover on your own.

Coaching offers tailored support specific to your context, challenges and goals. It's the difference between reading a book about leadership and having someone work directly with you on applying those principles to your unique situation.

Common Coaching Topics for Established Leaders

While coaching is highly personalised, there are common themes that emerge for leaders I work with:

Strategic Transition Management

Whether you're stepping into a new role, taking on broader responsibilities, or navigating organisational change, coaching helps you:

Create a structured approach
Build relationships and influence with key stakeholders
Shift from tactical to strategic thinking
Balance quick wins with long-term vision

Leadership Identity and Executive Presence

As your career progresses, how you're perceived becomes increasingly important:

Developing a leadership brand that feels authentic yet impactful
Building confidence for high-stake situations and conversations
Managing the emotional aspects of leadership (imposter syndrome, perfectionism)
Creating visibility without uncomfortable self-promotion

Team and Organisational Impact

Individual brilliance only takes you so far—leadership is ultimately about enabling others:

Building high-performing teams and developing your people effectively
Managing complex stakeholder relationships and organisational politics
Leading through times of ambiguity and change
Creating the right balance of challenge and support for your team

Career Strategy and Progression

For ambitious leaders, coaching provides space to think strategically about your career:

Positioning yourself effectively for promotion or new opportunities
Developing the capabilities needed for your next role
Building networks and relationships that support your progression
Making confident decisions about your career direction

How It Feels to Work with a Leadership Coach

Coaching is a two way relationship, not just a service. The right coaching partnership feels like having a trusted thinking partner who's completely in your corner, yet unafraid to challenge you when needed.

It creates a rare space where you can:

Speak candidly about challenges without fear of judgement
Test ideas before implementing them
Explore different perspectives and approaches
Acknowledge uncertainties without undermining your leadership position
Receive feedback that's focused solely on your development, not organisational politics

Unlike management training or reading leadership books, coaching is tailored to your specific context, challenges and learning style. It evolves as you do, focusing on what's most relevant and impactful at each stage of your leadership journey.

5 Signs It Might Be Time to Consider Leadership Coaching

Not sure if coaching is right for you at this stage? Here are five indicators that suggest it could be valuable:

1. You're Navigating a Significant Transition

Whether you've recently been promoted, changed organisations, or taken on new responsibilities, transitions are when coaching adds the most value. The first 90 days in a new role are particularly crucial—mistakes made early can be difficult to recover from, while a strong start creates momentum.

2. You're Feeling Stuck in Your Development

If you've plateaued in your leadership effectiveness or career progression, coaching can help you breakthrough. Perhaps you're getting feedback that's too vague to act on ("just keep doing what you're doing"), or you're unsure how to translate your delivery excellence into strategic leadership.

3. Your Impact Doesn't Match Your Intention

You're working hard and have the right intentions, but something's not landing as expected. Maybe team engagement is lower than you'd like, stakeholders aren't buying into your vision, or you're not having the influence you need at senior levels.

4. You're Facing Complex Challenges Without Clear Solutions

Some leadership challenges don't have textbook answers. When you're dealing with ambiguity, competing priorities, or situations where there's no obvious "right" way forward, coaching provides a structured approach to finding your own best solution.

5. You've Hit a Confidence Wobble

Even the most accomplished leaders experience moments of self-doubt. If you're questioning your capabilities, feeling like an impostor, or finding yourself holding back in key situations, coaching can help rebuild your confidence on a solid foundation.

The Bottom Line: Is Leadership Coaching Worth It?

Leadership coaching isn't a quick fix or a magic solution. It's an investment in your professional development that compounds over time.

The most tangible ROI often comes from:

Faster, more successful transitions into new roles
Increased confidence handling complex leadership challenges
More effective stakeholder management and influence
Better decision-making when faced with ambiguity
Enhanced ability to build and lead high-performing teams

But perhaps the most valuable outcome is less measurable: the clarity and confidence that comes from knowing you're leading in a way that's both effective and authentic to who you are.

Ready to Explore Whether Coaching Could Support Your Leadership Journey?

If you're curious about how leadership coaching might benefit you or your organisation's leaders, I offer no-pressure initial conversations to explore whether we'd be a good fit to work together.

This isn't a sales call—it's a genuine exploration of your needs and whether coaching is the right solution at this time. It’s also a chance for both of us to consider whether my style and coaching approach might be right for your situation. You'll come away with clarity regardless of whether we decide to work together.

Book a virtual coffee chat to discuss how coaching could support your leadership development.