Traditional coaching just isn’t cutting it for middle and senior managers anymore, in fact it’s leaving them feeling frustrated and like it’s a waste of their time.

There are plenty of stats to prove it.

The International Coach Federation says coaching contributes to a 70% increase in performance for individuals, 50% in teams, and 48% for the organisation.

But even figures like that can’t stop the eye rolls from mid-level managers when they hear the word ‘coaching’, and here’s why…

When your leaders are in the trenches trying to figure out how to motivate team members, have difficult conversations, or prepare for a big presentation to the board, they don’t want to wait 3 or 4 weeks for their monthly coaching session.

And they sure as heck don’t want to get to that session looking for advice and instead be asked, ‘What do you think you should do?’. They don’t know, that’s the problem!

What most organisations haven’t recognised is that in the two decades or so since coaching became a thing, our work environments have gotten even faster, more pressured and performance driven.

And the monthly coaching model hasn’t kept up – it’s a dinosaur design that just can’t cope with today’s AI-fuelled speed of work.

So what leaders, particularly middle managers, need and thrive on isn’t big-picture strategic coaching, but more day-to-day, tactical, problem-solving support – and real-time guidance.

This is what we’ve seen is far more effective for the hundreds of leaders that have moved through our leadership coaching programs.

Because it’s those accumulated day-to-day challenges that are what leave many leaders feeling isolated, on their own, and overwhelmed because they don’t know where to go for help.

They don’t want to go to their direct manager because it makes them feel vulnerable admitting they don’t have the skills or capabilities, or they simply can’t get time with them.

They don’t want to go to their team because they want to maintain a position of authority and respect.

So who do they go to when they feel nervous about presenting to the board, or need to talk through a performance management conversation, or need help to prioritise because their workload has just doubled?

A coach’s support in these daily challenges is what makes the difference between a leader who struggles in their new role and one who gains confidence and traction fast. 

It’s the kind of support that truly moves the needle – not big picture, not strategic, but tactical guidance and real-life suggestions from people who’ve been there and done it.

At Tactician we call it On-Demand Coaching, and describe it like you have a skilled, experienced confidante in your back pocket you can call when you need to, and not have to keep struggling until your next scheduled appointment – because that helps no one.

Our On-Demand Coaching is a flexible mix of coaching, mentoring and advising designed to help people swiftly solve day-to-day problems that would have kept them stuck if left on their own.

And we structure it in a way that ensures it is tailored, tactical and timely.

Our On-Demand Coaching includes things like:

• Flexible call times and lengths – we offer calls as short as 15mins and some of our coaches are available out of hours too.
• Different ways of connecting – Zoom, phone calls, texts or Whatsapp for quick exchanges. 
• A team of experienced coaches – who can share from professional experience
• Coaching sprints – that focus on supporting someone through a particular project or outcome.
• Additional expertise – one person doesn’t know everything, so we have a team of coaches with a variety of experiences that can be called in as subject matter experts if you need it.

And that’s what we see leaders not only need – but thrive when they receive.

So why are we still investing in the traditional coaching model? It has its place for C-suite execs who are driving the organisation and all need to be on the same page.

But it’s not helping middle or senior managers hit their KPIs, lead their teams better, or feel capable and confident in a new role – fast.

The first 3, 6, or 12 months in a new role is when a leader tends to sink or swim. In last month’s newsletter, we shared the stat that a whopping 49% of people who are promoted within their own companies underperform up to 18 months after the move.

Here’s the thing…

Your leaders want to do a great job. They are ready for challenges. They want to push themselves.

But they’re not being given the kind of support they need to do that and truly succeed in their role. Instead, they’re being left to ‘figure it out themselves’ and their manager is surprised when they didn’t ‘fulfill their potential’.

Those leaders you admire and look up to? They weren’t born that way and they didn’t get there on their own. They had help. Lots of it.

So let’s stop operating on the principle that people know how to manage, plan, prioritise, organise, have challenging conversations, communicate effectively, give performance reviews, fire someone – or any other skill we assume a leader ‘should know’.

Instead, let’s work on the assumption that all leaders will need tactical, practical support to grow their skills and confidence, and deliver it to them in ways that work and don’t leave them rolling their eyes.

If you want to shake up the way leadership coaching is delivered in your organisation, you can read more about our On-Demand Coaching here. And as always, please reach out at any time to have a conversation about how we can support you and your team. Simply call us on 1300 110 165.