Coach Class No More: Upgrading Your Leadership to First-Class Coaching
Discover how coaching transforms leadership by fostering independent thinking, smarter decision-making, and a culture of continuous growth
Aarav’s phone buzzed for the third time in ten minutes. He barely glanced at the screen before declining the call—another request from his team to approve a hotel substitution for a last-minute itinerary change. He sighed, running a hand through his hair. It was a pattern he knew all too well. His inbox was filled with Slack messages and emails from team members seeking his go-ahead on everything from airline rebookings to refund policies.
As an operations manager at GlobetrekGo, a fast-growing online travel booking platform, Aarav was used to the constant stream of decisions. But lately, it had become overwhelming. Leadership had just set an ambitious new goal: increase international package bookings by 20% within the next two quarters. This wasn’t just a stretch goal—it was critical to staying ahead of competitors like JetSetNow and NomadEase, two rival platforms that were aggressively pushing AI-powered itinerary planners.
The problem? Aarav’s team was paralyzed when it came to making independent decisions. Even simple judgment calls were being escalated to him, creating a bottleneck that slowed down customer response times. In an industry where travelers expected near-instant itinerary adjustments, these delays were costing the company valuable business.
Aarav prided himself on being a hands-on leader, but he could feel himself drowning. His team’s hesitation wasn’t a matter of incompetence—they were capable, detail-oriented professionals. Yet, something was holding them back from stepping up and taking ownership of their decisions. He knew that if he didn’t change something soon, neither he nor his team would survive the company’s aggressive growth plans.
The Pressures That Created a Leadership Logjam
GlobetrekGo had spent years building its reputation as a reliable travel service, offering personalized itineraries and seamless customer support. But now, the market was shifting under its feet. Travelers were no longer willing to wait hours—or even minutes—for an agent’s response. Competitors were using machine learning to provide instant recommendations, and customers were getting used to that level of speed.
Aarav’s team wasn’t equipped to operate at that velocity. They followed internal protocols diligently but hesitated when customer situations fell into gray areas. If a traveler’s flight was canceled and they needed an urgent alternative, the team would pause, waiting for Aarav’s sign-off. If a hotel overbooked rooms, they’d escalate the decision rather than negotiate a comparable solution themselves. The team wasn’t lacking information; they were lacking confidence.
Compounding the issue was the fear of making the wrong call. The travel industry was unforgiving when it came to mistakes. A single poor decision—choosing the wrong alternative flight, miscommunicating refund policies, or failing to appease an irate customer—could lead to bad reviews, refund disputes, or even legal consequences. With so much on the line, it was safer to wait for Aarav’s approval than risk being responsible for an error.
But the reality was that Aarav couldn’t be everywhere at once. He had his own strategic responsibilities: forming partnerships with airlines, negotiating with hotels, and analyzing expansion opportunities. Instead, he found himself spending his days rubber-stamping decisions his team should have been making on their own. His inbox was a revolving door of approval requests, and it was only getting worse.
As if that wasn’t enough pressure, Aarav also knew that burnout was looming—not just for him, but for his entire team. The never-ending need for validation was exhausting for everyone involved. His team wasn’t growing; they were stuck in a cycle of dependency. And that dependency was stalling the company’s growth.
What Happens When Teams Can’t Make Decisions?
If nothing changed, GlobetrekGo’s ambitious expansion plan would be dead on arrival. The company’s ability to scale depended on efficiency, yet Aarav’s team was moving at a pace that couldn’t keep up with customer expectations. The longer it took for travelers to get decisions on booking changes, the more likely they were to abandon their purchase and switch to a competitor offering faster service.
The warning signs were already there. Customer support tickets were piling up. Negative reviews were creeping into the company’s feedback channels, with complaints about slow responses and frustrating delays. Aarav was putting out fires every day, but without addressing the root cause, those fires would only keep spreading.
Internally, the risk of burnout was undeniable. The team’s morale was slipping, and Aarav could sense their frustration. They wanted to be trusted to do their jobs without second-guessing every decision. But without the right tools and mindset, they didn’t know how to break free from the cycle of over-reliance.
For Aarav personally, the implications were even more severe. If his leadership style didn’t evolve, he wouldn’t just miss the company’s booking targets—he’d stall his own career growth. A leader who couldn’t develop an independent, high-functioning team wouldn’t be considered for bigger leadership roles.
Something had to give. Aarav needed to rethink his approach, not just for his own sanity, but for the future of his team and the success of GlobetrekGo. The company wasn’t just competing on price or destinations—it was competing on speed, adaptability, and customer experience. And that meant building a team that could move fast and make smart decisions, even without his direct involvement.
It was time for a shift. But how do you turn a team of careful executors into confident decision-makers? And how does a leader let go of control without letting go of accountability?
Empowering a Team to Make Smart, Independent Decisions
Aarav knew that his team wasn’t struggling because they lacked competence. They were smart, capable professionals. What they lacked was the confidence to trust their judgment in the face of uncertainty. He realized that if he wanted to break the cycle of dependency, he had to stop being the answer key for every decision and start coaching his team to think like decision-makers themselves.
The challenge wasn’t just about delegating—it was about shifting the entire team’s mindset. Instead of seeking approval for every decision, they needed to build the ability to evaluate situations, weigh options, and take action on their own. The goal wasn’t reckless independence, but a structured, strategic approach to problem-solving that didn’t require Aarav’s constant input.
The more he thought about it, the more he realized that this shift wouldn’t happen overnight. It wasn’t enough to tell his team to "just make the call." He needed to equip them with the mindset, tools, and support system to make decisions effectively. That meant embracing coaching—not as an occasional conversation, but as an ongoing way of leading.
Building Decision-Making Muscles Through Coaching
Aarav started with a fundamental question: What was really stopping his team from making decisions? The more he listened, the clearer it became. It wasn’t that they didn’t know the policies or understand the options—they just feared making the wrong choice. The fear of failure was paralyzing them.
To counter this, Aarav made a conscious decision: instead of providing answers, he would start asking better questions. When a team member came to him with a decision, he wouldn’t immediately approve or reject it. Instead, he’d respond with, “What do you think the best course of action is?” or “If I weren’t here, what would you do?”
At first, his team was caught off guard. They were so used to being given directives that they hesitated. But as he persisted, something interesting happened. They started pausing to think. They began analyzing situations more thoroughly before coming to him. Some even took the initiative to make small decisions on their own, testing their ability to operate without approval.
Aarav reinforced this shift by creating a simple framework for decision-making. He encouraged his team to evaluate choices based on three key questions:
Is this decision aligned with our customer experience principles?
Does it follow company policies and industry regulations?
Will it enable a faster, smoother experience for the traveler?
By providing a structured way to assess decisions, he helped them feel more confident about taking action independently.
Creating a Safe Space for Growth
Shifting a team’s mindset requires more than just frameworks and nudging—it requires psychological safety. Aarav knew that if his team felt like they would be punished for mistakes, they would never truly embrace independent decision-making.
To address this, he began normalizing the idea that mistakes were a natural part of growth. When a team member made a poor decision, he resisted the urge to reprimand. Instead, he turned it into a learning opportunity:
What did you learn from this situation?
How would you handle it differently next time?
What assumptions did you make that turned out to be incorrect?
By focusing on learning rather than blame, Aarav created an environment where his team felt safe experimenting with decision-making. The result? They became more willing to take ownership.
Embedding Coaching in Everyday Interactions
Aarav also realized that coaching wasn’t something that needed to be confined to formal performance reviews or training sessions. It had to be embedded in daily interactions.
Instead of simply approving changes to customer itineraries, he used these moments to ask, “What was your thought process behind this choice?” Instead of dictating the right response to a customer complaint, he asked, “What outcome are you aiming for?”
This shift wasn’t just about teaching skills—it was about rewiring how his team approached problems. The more they engaged in these reflective conversations, the more they started internalizing the decision-making process.
Over time, his team became more proactive. They started anticipating issues before they escalated. They took the initiative to resolve customer concerns without waiting for approvals. And most importantly, they began trusting themselves.
Aarav wasn’t just coaching his team to handle today’s challenges—he was preparing them to be stronger leaders in the future. By investing in their growth, he was creating a culture where decision-making wasn’t something to be feared, but something to be owned.
Unlocking a High-Performing, Independent Team
Aarav began to see tangible changes in his team. Decision-making no longer felt like a bottleneck. Instead of waiting for approvals, his employees started taking ownership of their choices. More importantly, their choices were thoughtful, aligned with the company’s mission, and driven by sound reasoning.
For the first time in months, Aarav wasn’t drowning in routine decision-making. His inbox wasn’t flooded with messages asking for validation on minor issues. Instead, his team members were leading initiatives, identifying process improvements, and handling complex customer concerns with confidence.
One of the most striking transformations came when a high-stakes issue arose: a major weather disruption had stranded thousands of travelers. In the past, Aarav’s team would have escalated nearly every case, afraid of making the wrong call. This time, however, they acted decisively. Agents adjusted bookings, secured hotel accommodations, and proactively communicated with customers—all without waiting for a checklist of instructions. The result? Faster service recovery, fewer complaints, and a surge in customer satisfaction scores.
This shift wasn’t just about efficiency—it was about empowerment. His team no longer felt like cogs in a machine. They were trusted professionals, equipped to navigate uncertainty and make smart decisions. Aarav realized that the greatest measure of a leader wasn’t how many decisions they made, but how many decisions their team could make without them.
How a Coaching Mindset Strengthens Leadership
For Aarav, the transformation wasn’t just about his team—it was about his own growth as a leader. He had always prided himself on being knowledgeable, decisive, and hands-on. But he came to see that true leadership wasn’t about having all the answers. It was about enabling others to find the answers themselves.
The coaching approach had changed his entire leadership philosophy:
He listened more than he spoke. Instead of immediately responding with solutions, he let his team work through their own reasoning.
He shifted from problem-solving to problem-framing. By asking better questions, he helped his team develop structured thinking rather than rely on him for solutions.
He created an environment where learning was prioritized over perfection. His team felt safe experimenting, failing, and improving.
This mindset shift didn’t just help his immediate team—it built a culture of resilience throughout the organization. As coaching became part of daily interactions, other managers noticed the change. Soon, Aarav’s approach was being adopted across departments, helping the company become more agile at every level.
Lessons That Endure Beyond the Workplace
The most profound takeaway from this experience was that coaching wasn’t just a leadership tool—it was a mindset that extended beyond the workplace. Aarav found himself applying the same principles in all aspects of life. Whether mentoring junior professionals, advising friends on career decisions, or even guiding his own children, he realized that coaching was a universal skill.
His key lessons were clear:
Independence isn’t about letting go—it’s about setting people up for success. By providing the right structure and support, leaders can empower their teams without creating chaos.
Asking the right questions is more powerful than giving the right answers. People grow not by being handed solutions, but by learning how to arrive at solutions themselves.
A culture of coaching creates a ripple effect. When leaders model a coaching mindset, they inspire others to do the same, strengthening the entire organization.
Looking back, Aarav realized that his biggest accomplishment wasn’t reducing his own workload—it was seeing his team thrive. By investing in their growth, he had built something far more valuable than efficiency. He had built a team that could lead itself.