From Problem-Solving to Leadership Coaching: The Toughest Shift for Senior Leaders
- Jaya kashyap
- Jun 3
- 5 min read
Senior leaders get where they are by solving problems. But as they rise in leadership, the skill they most need is not solving problems, it is helping others solve them. That requires shifting from a directive approach to a leadership coaching one, a core part of effective leadership development.
Why Senior Leaders Struggle with Leadership Coaching
The Pressure to Have All the Answers
One of the biggest challenges for senior leaders is feeling like they always need to have the answers. Many have built their careers on being the go-to person for solutions, which has reinforced their authority and credibility. When they step into more senior roles, the expectation shifts.
They are no longer expected to solve every problem themselves but to develop others to do so, a critical aspect of leadership development. However, letting go of that problem-solving mindset is not easy. It can feel like a loss of control, and some leaders worry that if they are not the one providing the answers, they may no longer be seen as valuable. But trying to hold on to this role creates a dependency in their teams, where team members wait for instructions instead of taking the initiative. This slows down organisational progress and leaves leaders feeling overwhelmed, wondering why their teams are not taking more ownership. Learning to let go and trust others is a crucial step for emerging senior leaders on their leadership coaching journey.
Coaching Takes More Time Than Giving a Solution
For leaders operating in fast-paced environments, the idea of spending extra time on leadership coaching rather than simply telling someone what to do can seem inefficient. It also requires discipline and practice when shifting between urgent problem-solving and slower, developmental coaching conversations. In the early days of embracing a coaching approach, both the leader and their team members might find it frustrating.
Being coached instead of simply receiving an answer can feel inefficient to employees who are used to quick directives. But over time, as both sides adjust, the benefits become clear, teams become more independent, engaged, and capable of handling challenges without relying on their leader for every decision. This is the kind of capability leadership development seeks to instil.
Worrying About the Quality of the Coachee’s Decision
Another barrier to leadership coaching is the concern that the coachee might make the wrong decision. Senior leaders often feel the weight of responsibility for outcomes, and the idea of handing over decision-making authority can be uncomfortable. They may fear that mistakes could have major consequences for the business or that an employee’s approach will not be as effective as their own. However, learning from mistakes is a key part of professional growth. The shift from fixing problems to enabling others to make decisions, even imperfect ones, is essential for long-term leadership development success. A practical way to bridge this gap is for leaders to share their concerns openly, rather than simply rejecting an idea. Asking the team member how they plan to address risks or challenges allows for constructive dialogue without undermining the individual's ownership of the decision.
Never Having Been Coached Themselves
Many senior leaders struggle with leadership coaching simply because they have never experienced it themselves. If their own career progression was shaped by directive leadership, they may not fully understand how coaching works or why it matters. Without a personal reference point, coaching can feel abstract or unnecessary. This is why structured leadership development programmes, coaching workshops, and leadership labs are so valuable. They give leaders the opportunity to experience coaching first-hand, helping them internalise its benefits and build the skills to apply it effectively in their own leadership coaching practice.
How to Make the Shift
Moving from problem-solving to leadership coaching is not an overnight transition. It requires developing new habits, shifting mindsets, and practicing coaching in real-world situations until it becomes a natural part of leadership development.
Learning the Basics
Training is often the first step, where leaders learn about core coaching skills like listening, open-ended questioning, and encouraging people to find their own answers. However, knowing the theory is not enough. Leadership coaching is a practical skill that only improves with use. Leaders must practice these techniques in real conversations, becoming comfortable with the discomfort that often accompanies them.
Practising Through Role Play
A useful way to build confidence in leadership coaching is to start with structured practice in a safe space. Role plays with feedback allow leaders to refine their approach and identify where they struggle—whether it is dealing with silence, knowing what to ask next, or resisting the urge to provide a solution. This is often when leaders realise how much they rely on giving answers rather than guiding others to find their own.
Coaching in Real Situations
Once leaders have had some practice, they need to start using leadership coaching in everyday situations. This could be in one-to-ones with their team, with peers, or in structured leadership labs where they practise coaching with support from a facilitator. The key is consistency. Coaching should not be reserved for annual development conversations but should be woven into daily leadership development interactions.
Experiencing Coaching Themselves
One of the most effective ways for leaders to develop coaching skills is to experience being coached themselves. Leaders who have been properly coached often develop a deeper appreciation for its impact. It also helps them realise how hard it can be to sit with a problem rather than have someone step in with an answer, making them more patient and empathetic as a leadership coach.
Addressing Common Barriers
Feeling Uncomfortable With Silence
Silence makes many leaders uncomfortable, and they often feel the need to fill it with another question or suggestion. But silence in leadership coaching is powerful—it gives the other person time to think. Learning to hold back and resist jumping in is a key step in developing coaching skills.
Knowing What to Ask Good leadership coaching is not about bombarding someone with questions but about asking the right kind of questions that help them move forward. The challenge is learning to ask questions that open up thinking rather than leading the coachee toward a particular answer.
Holding Back From Giving Advice Many leaders are used to solving problems, so holding back from offering advice can feel unnatural. But leadership coaching is about helping others develop their own thinking and problem-solving skills rather than telling them what to do. It takes practice to get comfortable with that shift.
Managing a Coachee Who Is Not Engaged Not everyone responds to leadership coaching in the same way. Some employees might not engage fully at first. Leaders need to learn how to build trust and adjust their approach so that coaching feels helpful rather than something being forced upon the coaches.
Embedding Coaching into Leadership
Making leadership coaching a leadership habit is about more than just learning techniques; it requires ongoing reinforcement. Organisations that want coaching to stick need to do more than just train leaders; they need to give them opportunities to practise, support them in overcoming challenges, and make coaching a normal part of everyday leadership development.
Some of the ways to make this happen include:
Providing ongoing leadership development rather than just a single training session.
Creating spaces where leaders can practise leadership coaching, like leadership labs.
Encouraging leaders to share their experiences and discuss what works and what does not.
Supporting leaders in working through their coaching challenges.
Giving feedback and recognition when leaders use coaching effectively.
When coaching is embedded properly, it does not just help leaders develop their teams, it changes the way conversations happen across the organisation. People feel more empowered, more accountable, and more confident in their own abilities.
Esendia can help your senior leaders move from problem-solvers to powerful coaches. [Let’s talk.]
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