Most organisations say they want managers who coach. Far fewer can say what that looks like how it is assessed, or whether it affects who gets promoted. Without that clarity, coaching depends on personality, and it is the first thing to go when the pressure rises.
What coaching looks like day to day
A coaching culture is not a one-off course or a few certified coaches working on their own. It is a description of how leaders behave week to week. In organisations where coaching has become normal, managers tend to:
- ask for the other person's view before offering a solution
- talk about development throughout the year, not only at review time
- give timely, specific feedback on what worked and what did not
- delegate stretching work and stay close enough to help
- run a short debrief after successes as well as setbacks
Employees respond by bringing ideas forward, asking for feedback and taking more ownership of their own growth. Problems surface earlier and people learn faster.
UAE workforces are diverse and mobile, and people arrive with different expectations about how directive a manager should be. A shared definition of good coaching gives everyone a common reference point without demanding one personality style.
Make it an expectation, not an option
Coaching sticks when the organisation asks for it and assesses it fairly. The usual route is to include a competency such as "developing others" in your leadership competency framework, described in behaviour that can be observed. Once it is there, coaching becomes part of how leaders are hired, reviewed and promoted.
The expectation should rise with seniority. Here is an illustrative description at three levels.