Moving Beyond Tasks: An Introduction to Coaching for Performance
What separates a project manager from a true leader? Perspective. A leader builds perspective across the entire team, and this is where skilled coaching plays a vital role: it's about creating a high-performing team where the people, the deadlines and the resources all click into place so that senior leadership members are free to focus on the big picture.
A leader who coaches for excellence doesn't just chase deadlines; they empower their team to own the results.
Coach Your Team to Protect and Prioritize Focus
Many professionals see their job as protecting their manager's time. A coach-leader expands on that idea; you use sharp questions to align the team's focus on what matters. You become the thinking partner who asks, "Is this the most valuable thing we can be doing right now?" or "If we say yes to this, what are we saying no to?" Suddenly, you've moved the team from being reactive to being strategic.
The ultimate goal: every person on the team sees how their piece of the puzzle connects to the larger mission. A leader with a coaching mindset makes these connections impossible to ignore. They're constantly asking questions like, "How does this task push our quarterly goal forward?" or "Who else needs to see this for the project to win?" This habit creates a sense of ownership.
Develop Your Strategic Thinking with UVA's Mentor Coaching
A good supporter reacts to requests; a great strategist anticipates them. In the UVA Organizational Leadership Coaching Program, students get certified in the DRiV assessment training in the CSI 2 assessment tools, both of which help reveal what intrinsically motivates people. When you know what energizes one person and what drains another, you can predict friction points and spot opportunities for growth, often before anyone else does.
The UVA coaching program is designed to build this mindset. It pulls you from day-to-day execution into strategic coaching through a mentor coaching segment. You bring your real-world challenges to your mentor and then workshop a coaching plan. A mentor will push you with questions like, "How can you give your team the tools to solve this themselves?" or "What system could you build so this problem doesn't happen again?" It's like a workout for your strategic brain.
From Saving Time to Building Capacity: The Impact of a Coach-Leader
When you get good at coaching for operational excellence, you do more than make things efficient; you build your organization's capacity. You become the partner who makes the entire team - and its leadership - smarter, more focused and more effective.