The Coaching Process: A Practical Seven-Step Framework for Leaders

Coaching is the real work of leadership once you start managing other people. In modern workplaces—especially post-pandemic and in hybrid teams—your job isn't just delivering results; it's building capability so results keep happening even when you're not in the room. This guide breaks down a Seven Step Coaching Process leaders can use to develop team members through everyday, on-the-job coaching, not just HR training programs. It's designed for busy managers in SMEs, multinationals, and fast-moving teams where skills, tools, and customer expectations change constantly. How do leaders identify coaching opportunities in day-to-day work? Coaching opportunities show up through observation, self-awareness, external feedback, changing business needs, and sudden situations. Leaders who wait for formal training cycles miss the daily moments where performance can lift quickly with small, targeted coaching. In practice, there are five classic triggers. First, you notice a gap—someone lacks a skill, hasn't been trained, or is moved into a new task with no reps. Second, the staff member flags it themselves, either because they're stuck or ambitious and want growth. Third, customers, vendors, or outsiders complain or comment, which is often the clearest real-world signal that training hasn't landed. Fourth, the business changes—new technology replaces old ways (think "Telex to email" as the metaphor), so yesterday's competencies become irrelevant. Fifth, situations force change, like promotions, role shifts, or remote work onboarding. Do now: Create a weekly "coaching log" with 5 headings (Boss, Self, Customer, Change, Situation) and write one example under each. What's a real example of a "customer complaint" coaching trigger? Customer feedback often reveals tiny skill gaps that quietly damage trust—especially in service culture. Leaders should treat complaints as coaching gold, not just quality problems. A simple example is telephone etiquette in corporate settings. In Japan, one common frustration is when staff answer the phone by stating only the company name, without their own name—creating awkwardness for the caller if they ask for someone and discover the person answering is that individual. The fix is not expensive training or a big workshop; it's a repeatable micro-skill: answer with "Company name + your name." This is the essence of practical coaching—catch a pattern, define the desired behaviour, practise it, and reinforce it until it becomes normal. This same principle applies across markets. In the US or Australia, the equivalent might be email tone, response time, or how staff handle returns. In B2B environments, it might be meeting preparation or follow-up discipline. Do now: Pick one customer friction point from the last 30 days and turn it into a 2-minute coaching drill. What should the "desired outcome" of coaching look like? Coaching only works when both people can clearly picture success and agree it matters. If the outcome is fuzzy—or owned only by the boss—it becomes compliance, not growth. A strong coaching outcome is behavioural and observable: "They can do X task independently, to Y standard, in Z timeframe." That clarity matters even more in remote or hybrid work, where leaders can't rely on informal monitoring. The outcome should also be jointly owned: the team member needs to want it, not just tolerate it. That means the leader's role is to define what good looks like, show why it matters (customer impact, team efficiency, career growth), and confirm the person buys in. In startups, outcomes often focus on speed and adaptability. In large organisations, they may be tied to compliance, brand, or consistency. Either way, "success" must be visible, measurable, and shared. Do now: Ask: "What would 'great' look like here in two weeks?" Write the answer as one sentence you both agree on. How do you establish the right attitudes for effective coaching? Coaching accelerates when the leader understands the person's motivations and role fit. Without that, even good advice lands badly—or gets ignored. Attitude isn't about pep talks; it's about context. How well you know your team determines how quickly you can judge whether you have the right people in the right roles—"the right bus and the right seats." Some people are motivated by mastery, others by recognition, autonomy, stability, or future promotion. A leader who understands this can tailor coaching so it feels supportive rather than corrective. This is especially important across cultures. In Japan, people may avoid direct self-promotion, so ambition can be hidden. In Australia or the US, staff may be more comfortable stating career goals openly. In both cases, leaders need genuine curiosity: "What do you want to get better at, and why?" Do now: In your next 1:1, ask one question: "What part of your job gives you energy, and what drains it?" Use the answer to guide coaching. What resources ...