If we focus on coaching instead of delivery then the outputs take care of themselves

When I look back at my younger years in business, I sometimes wonder how much more confident, effective, and decisive I could have been if I’d had someone around me who genuinely coached and mentored me.

Leadership programmes often talked about coaching, but in reality it rarely became a natural part of leadership behaviour in the workplace.

The culture was mainly focused on delivery: KPIs, speed, competitiveness, and results. Feedback was often centred around mistakes rather than development. During difficult times, training and development budgets were usually among the first things to be reduced.

With experience, I came to understand where this culture came from. Many managers grew up in workplaces where coaching was not part of everyday leadership. They were expected to deliver results, manage pressure, and solve problems - not necessarily develop people through coaching conversations.

That is why one finding from our latest research caught my attention:

📊 86% of Gen Z actively seek coaching and mentoring from their managers
…but only
📊 13% of managers regularly dedicate time to it.

What I find encouraging is that Gen Z clearly understands the value of guidance, personal growth, and development.

Gen Z has grown up during a period of economic uncertainty, rapid technological change, AI disruption, and the lasting effects of lockdowns. Yet many are still ambitious, adaptable, and eager to learn.

Perhaps the real question for leaders is:

How much time do we genuinely dedicate to developing people, rather than simply managing tasks?

And what could change inside organisations if coaching became a more natural part of leadership culture?

This post was written by Maryna Harrison. You can follow her here: https://www.linkedin.com/in/maryna-harrison/