In today’s complex business environment, the role of an executive goes far beyond setting direction and making high-level decisions. Leaders are now expected to inspire, empower, and develop their teams while navigating constant change. One game-changing way executives can elevate their leadership game and drive measurable results, is by becoming a certified leadership coach.
Despite all the titles, KPIs, and quarterly wins, most organizations are drowning in disengagement, burnout, and mediocre performance. And at the top? A sea of executives clinging to outdated leadership models that just don’t work anymore, especially with likes of Gen Z and Gen Alpha who require an elevated level of leadership – Human Centric Leadership.
If you’re still leading with command-and-control tactics, giving top-down directives, and thinking your role is to “fix” people, you’re not leading… you’re managing. And in today’s world, that’s not enough.
The most effective leaders today are not the loudest in the room or the first to offer a solution. They’re coaches. They know how to draw out greatness in others, build real trust, and drive performance without micromanagement.
The Leadership Lie: “They’ll Figure It Out”
Without batting an eyelash or a second thought, most companies will take a top performer, hand them a title, toss them a team to lead and then expect magic. “You’re a leader now.” No coaching. No development. Just a title that gives them the authority to lead without teaching them “how” to lead.
And when that new leader inevitably struggles? The organization blames them. Not the system that threw them into the deep end without a life jacket.
This is the leadership trap – assuming people know how to lead just because they were good at their last job.
But leadership isn’t a promotion. It’s a responsibility. A skill. And when you skip the training, you don’t just risk one person failing, you risk entire teams getting stuck, demoralized, and burnt out under someone who was set up to fail.
And here’s the kicker, it’s not their fault. It’s the business that is accountable for assuming they’d “just figure it out.” Leadership isn’t learned through osmosis. It’s learned through training, intention, feedback, and skill-building.
That’s why executives who become certified coaches have the upper hand.
They don’t just manage – they develop.
They don’t just guess – they guide.
And more importantly, they stop repeating the cycle of promoting people without intentionally preparing them for the challenge that lies ahead.
So, how do we fix this broken outdated model? Get your executives and people leaders CERTIFIED!
First and foremost, what Is a Leadership Coach, really?
Let’s clear this up. Leadership coaching is not mentoring, cheerleading, or giving advice with a smile. It’s a science-backed, results-driven approach to developing people by not giving them all the answers.
A leadership coach is someone who helps individuals grow in their leadership capacity by asking powerful questions, offering structured feedback, and guiding them to discover solutions rather than simply providing them. Leadership coaching is grounded in active listening, emotional intelligence, and a commitment to helping others unlock their full potential.
It’s not about having all the answers, it’s about facilitating growth in others through intentional conversations. Certified leadership coaches are trained in methodologies that enhance performance, build trust, and drive alignment across teams.
When an executive becomes a leadership coach, they don’t just add a skill, they shift their entire leadership philosophy from command-and-control to empower-and-elevate.
And when an executive becomes a coach, everything changes…for the better.
Uncomfortable Truths (and Benefits) About Becoming a Leadership Coach
1. Most leaders ARE NOT self-aware, and it’s costing you.
It all starts with YOU.
According to Harvard Business Review, 95% of people think they’re self-aware, but in actual fact only 10–15% of people are. That gap is massive and can be especially dangerous at the executive level.
A coaching certification forces you to confront your blind spots, challenge your ego, lead with intention (not impulse), build a high level of emotional intelligence, and challenge your own assumptions. The result? smarter decisions, sharpened self-leadership, less damage control, and stronger influence for themselves, their teams and the business.
2. Micromanagement in Leadership is a Cop-Out
Still checking every detail? Still solving your team’s problems for them? That’s not leadership, it’s insecurity.
Coaching is one of the most effective tools for unlocking individual and team potential. When executives coach their people instead of managing them, it signals trust and respect. Team members feel heard, empowered, and accountable.
Coaching gives you tools to build actual ownership in your team. Gallup found that managers account for 70% of the variance in employee engagement, and coaching-based leadership is the fastest way to flip that stat in your favor.
Bottom line: micromanaging is lazy leadership. Coaching takes skill, and it works.
3 – Stronger Culture and Talent Development
A lot of workplace cultures are built on fear, passive-aggression, or silence. You can feel it in the meetings when no one wants to speak up in and the turnover you pretend is “normal.”
Here’s the truth: companies with strong coaching cultures are 51% more likely to have high revenue growth (HCI + ICF). Coaching creates psychological safety. It turns feedback into fuel. And it forces leaders to be accountable to humans, not just numbers.
In companies where executives are also coaches, leadership development doesn’t sit in a separate HR initiative, it becomes embedded in everyday conversations and a part of the company “growth “culture.
Becoming a leadership coach enables executives to build a pipeline of confident, capable future leaders and retain top talent who want to grow.
4. Leadership Isn’t About Control, It’s About Multiplication
Real talk: you’re not the smartest person in the room anymore. And you shouldn’t be. Your job is to multiply brilliance, not hoard it.
Becoming a certified leadership coach trains you to stop centering the world around you and start developing other leaders. It’s not just good for business, it’s the ONLY WAY to scale sustainably.
Executives who coach leave a legacy. The others? Leave behind turnover and missed potential.
5. Improved Business Outcomes
At the end of the day, leadership coaching isn’t just about being “nice” or “supportive.” It’s about driving results.
According to a study by the International Coaching Federation (ICF):
- 86% of organizations report that they recouped their coaching investment
- 70% of individuals report improved work performance
- 61% report improved business management
When leaders are equipped to coach, they foster accountability, creativity, and resilience, all of which directly impact performance.
6. Your Strategy Is Useless Without the People to Execute It
You could have the best product, the sharpest vision, and the most stacked strategy deck, but if your people aren’t empowered, it’s all just paper.
Coaching teaches you how to get the best from your team, and not through pressure, but through purpose. Coaching-based leaders build resilience, agility, and initiative at every level of the business.
And that? That’s how you win.
Why Formal Training Matters.
Just because you have a title doesn’t mean you know how to coach. Coaching is a skill. And like any skill, it requires training.
While many leaders think they’re coaching, what they’re often doing is advising or directing. A formal certification teaches the difference and ensures the coaching is impactful, ethical and equitable, and aligned with professional standards.
The Benefits for the Executive
- Increased self-awareness – Identify blind spots and lead with intention
- Stronger emotional intelligence – Improve communication, empathy, and influence
- More effective decision-making – Think more strategically and ask better questions
- Greater executive presence – Lead with clarity, confidence, and authenticity
- Enhanced credibility – Coaching certification adds professional legitimacy
- Stronger personal fulfillment – Contribute meaningfully to others’ growth and success
- Future-proof leadership – Adapt to modern leadership demands rooted in human-centered skills
The Benefits for the Team
- Higher engagement and motivation – Team members feel heard, valued, and empowered
- Improved performance – Individuals grow through ownership and accountability
- Stronger trust and communication – Coaching creates psychological safety and openness
- Accelerated development – Team members evolve faster under coaching-based leadership
- Reduced turnover – People stay where they grow
Benefits for the Business
- Increased productivity – Coaching culture drives performance at every level
- Faster innovation and problem-solving – Teams operate with agility and initiative
- Healthier culture – From fear-based to growth-based environments
- Better talent retention – Strong leaders attract and keep top talent
- Higher ROI – 86% of organizations report full return on their coaching investment (ICF)
Final Thoughts: Coaching Is the Future of Leadership
Leadership is no longer about being the smartest person in the room, it’s about unlocking the “smarts” in the room.
Executives who become certified leadership coaches are better equipped to lead in today’s world: a world that demands adaptability, emotional intelligence, and human-centered leadership. By investing in coaching skills, leaders elevate their own growth while building a more resilient, high-performing organization.
Learn. Certify. Lead.
Coaching isn’t a soft skill. It’s a power skill. And it might just be the smartest move you make!
P.S The Legacy Leadership 2.0 Certification – AVAILABLE NOW!
Contact me for more details
Welcome to the grind!
Shelley West | High Performance Leadership Coach
