Hi there,

I've been running coaching sprint workshops with managers over the past few months, and there's one pattern I keep seeing that honestly breaks my heart a little.

When we start, everyone shares their goals. They want to be a confident, respected leader. They want their team to step up. They want to stop drowning in the day-to-day and actually do the strategic work that matters.

But then when we talk about coaching, about asking questions instead of giving answers, the same objection comes up: "I just don't have time for this."

And I completely get it. You're already stretched. Your calendar is back-to-back. Your team is waiting for you with the latest challenge the second you come out of a meeting. It feels faster to just tell them what to do and move on.

But here's what I've realised: this is a false economy.

That communication habit, being the answer person, is exactly what's trapping you in the busyness cycle. It's the same habit that got you promoted in the first place, but it's not the skill set that will get you to where you want to be as a leader.

Every time you jump in with the answer, you're trading 30 seconds now for hours of dependency later. Your team doesn't learn to solve problems themselves. You become the bottleneck. And that strategic work? It stays untouched in your calendar, week after week.

The managers who break out of this pattern are the the ones who learn to coach instead of solve. Their teams come to them with solutions, not problems. They reclaim three to five hours every week. They build trust, confidence, and capability in their people.

And the best part? Coaching isn't just useful in one-to-ones, it changes how you communicate everywhere, whether you're managing up, collaborating cross-functionally, or navigating tricky conversations.

This is why I'm such a believer in the GROW framework. It's a simple four-step structure (Goal, Reality, Options, Will) that gives your brain a roadmap to follow so you stay asking questions instead of jumping to answers. And the best thing? You can start practicing it immediately in your everyday conversations.

I won't lie, it feels uncomfortable at first. You're changing a deeply ingrained communication habit. But what I've seen time and time again in these coaching sprints is that when managers commit to practicing GROW for just 12 weeks, it becomes natural. And their teams transform.

I've just recorded a video breaking down the exact framework with three key questions for each stage that you can use in your very next one-to-one. It's practical, it's actionable, and is all you need to try it out.

​Watch: Stop Solving Everyone’s Problems: The GROW Framework for Managers →​

This skill set is so valuable. Not overnight, but steadily, surely, over the course of a quarter.

Here's to reclaiming your time and becoming the leader you actually want to be.

Helen x

P.S. If you're wondering how to add coaching into your overall development as a leader, I've also created a free coaching guide to guide you over the quarter. Get it here →​