Build Leaders, Not Followers

Modern leadership is evolving. It’s no longer enough to direct responses—truly transformative leaders ask powerful questions that help direct reports discover their own answers. This approach requires more effort upfront, but it's a strategic investment in building leaders, not followers.

Why Shift from Directing to Empowering?

• Short-term effort for long-term gain
  Directing can yield quick results today—but only coaching builds resilience, autonomy, and leadership capacity for tomorrow.

• Stronger relationships, smarter teams
  When you ask questions instead of providing answers, your team feels heard, valued, and capable—boosting motivation and retention. As OMT Global points out: coaching isn't about telling someone what to do—it’s helping them come up with their own answers by asking the right questions at the right time.

• Cultivating critical thinking
  Leaders who think and solve problems independently will innovate, adapt, and ultimately lift the entire organization.

Introducing the GROW Framework for Coaching

One of the most widely adopted coaching models—from Graham Alexander, Alan Fine, and Sir John Whitmore—is the GROW model. It structures coaching around four key phases: Goal, Reality, Options, Will or Way Forward.

Let’s break it down with example questions that both guide and empower:

1. Goal — Where are you headed?

Help your team define what they truly want—not what you want. Sample questions:

• “What do you want to achieve?”

• “What would success look like for you?”

• “What would it mean to you personally to reach this goal?”

• “How much control do you have over this?”

• “How will you know when you’ve achieved it?”

Encourage specificity and personal meaning—these make goals more motivating and clear.

2. Reality — What’s the current situation?

Once the goal is clear, shift attention to understanding where the coachee stands now:

• “What is the current reality you find yourself in? What is happening?”

• “What’s working well, how do you know?”

• “What is not working?”

• “What have you tried so far?”, and “How did that go?”

This step builds awareness and sets the stage for thoughtful planning, rather than jumping to easy answers.

3. Options — What could you do?

This phase is all about opening up possibilities, not narrowing them:

• “What could you do to change the situation?”

• “Tell me all the possibilities you see—realistic or not.”

• “What is another approach you could take?”

• “What if you had more time, resources, or support?”

• “Who might be able to help?”

Let your team explore bold, creative, even imperfect ideas. You can guide later—but first, let them generate.

4. Will / Way Forward — What will you do?

Now anchor their insights into action:

• “What are open to trying? What will you do next?”

• “What would success look like?”

• “When precisely will each step start and finish?”

• “What obstacles might arise—and how will you handle them?”

• “What support do you need and from whom?”

• “On a scale of 1 to 10, how committed are you? What would make it a 10?”

This solidifies accountability and clarity around the next steps.

Coaching in Practice: Leading Through Questions

What You Might Say What It Avoids What It Achieves

“What do you want to achieve? ” Dictating a goal Clarifies personal motivation and direction

“What's working well so far?” Assuming deficiencies Highlights strengths and builds confidence

“What could you try?” Fixing the problem yourself Invites ownership, innovation

“When will you take the first step?” Leaving plans vague Creates structure and accountability

Beyond Questions: Inspiring with Vision

While coaching questions empower your people to find their own solutions, your role as a leader also includes lighting up a vision of what good work looks like. Inspiration is the spark that keeps people motivated to apply their insights and push through challenges.

• Paint the bigger picture: Connect individual goals to the organization’s mission OR to your own vision of what is possible. When people see how their work contributes to something meaningful, they lean in with more energy.

• Model possibility: Use stories, examples, or metaphors to illustrate what “great” can look like in practice. This helps people imagine themselves stepping into new levels of performance.

• Balance autonomy with inspiration: Questions open doors; vision provides direction. Together, they give people freedom to create their own path while staying aligned with shared purpose.

By combining coaching questions with inspiring vision, leaders create a workplace where people don’t just solve problems—they grow into leaders who are motivated by possibility, aligned with purpose, and lit up by the idea of doing great work.

Final Thoughts: Invest Now, Reap Leaders Later

Shifting from directing to coaching is not shortcut management—it’s an investment. It may take more time initially—but the payoff is enduring:

• A team that thinks for itself and solves problems innovatively

• Greater engagement, motivation, and buy-in

• A coaching culture—one that cultivates future leaders at every level

You’re not simply managing tasks; you’re raising the next generation of leaders.