8 Key Tips for New Leadership Coaches to Succeed
Leadership coaching is a dynamic field that demands both skill and insight. This article presents essential tips for new coaches looking to make their mark, drawing from the wisdom of seasoned experts in leadership development. From embracing curiosity to creating space for inner wisdom, these strategies will equip aspiring coaches with the tools they need to guide and empower future leaders effectively.
- Prioritize Curiosity Over Expertise
- Embrace Beginner's Mind in Coaching
- Create Space for Inner Wisdom
- Listen Deeply to Guide Growth
- Lead with Genuine Curiosity
- Hold Space for Client Discoveries
- Deliver Unique, Authentic Services
- Develop a Universal Leadership Model
Prioritize Curiosity Over Expertise
One piece of advice I'd give to new leadership coaches is this: prioritize curiosity over expertise. You don't have to have all the answers--you need to ask the right questions. Clients aren't looking for someone to fix them; they're looking for someone who can help them uncover what's already within.
What's essential for success in this field is trust-building through presence, active listening, and consistent follow-through. Your ability to create a safe, judgment-free space where leaders can reflect, wrestle with uncertainty, and grow--that's the foundation of transformational coaching. Tools and certifications are valuable, but who you are in the room matters more than what you know on paper.
Embrace Beginner's Mind in Coaching
One piece of advice I'd give to new leadership coaches is: don't try to be the expert--be the one who stays curious. As a coach, your value doesn't come from having all the answers. You're not there to consult, or to prove that you know their industry better than they do. In fact, the less you try to be the expert, the more powerful your presence becomes.
The real magic of coaching happens when you stay in a beginner's mind. When you ask the so-called 'dumb questions'--the ones no one else has thought to ask, or that the leader hasn't dared to consider in years--you unlock entirely new insight. Those are the questions that cut through the noise, challenge assumptions, and stir something awake.
Leadership is often a lonely place, and leaders are surrounded by people who either defer to them or expect things from them. You're one of the few people who doesn't need anything from them--only to see them clearly, hold space for their truth, and ask the kinds of questions that help them become more of who they truly are.
It is essential for you to stay humble and stay curious. Your presence, not your expertise, is what facilitates your clients to become the best leaders they can be and makes you indispensable.
Create Space for Inner Wisdom
The most profound leadership coaching is not about providing answers, but about creating a sacred space where clients can access their own inner wisdom. Your greatest power as a coach is not in telling leaders what to do, but in helping them discover the leader they already are—guiding them to uncover their core values, challenge their limiting beliefs, and build an internal compass that transforms self-doubt into purpose, and potential into authentic, purposeful leadership.
True coaching is an art of gentle provocation and deep listening—a delicate dance of asking the right questions that illuminate the path hidden within, helping leaders see beyond their current constraints and step into the fullest expression of their potential. It's about creating a transformative journey where vulnerability becomes strength, where inner critics are transformed into trusted advisors, and where personal values become the foundation of powerful, conscious leadership.
Listen Deeply to Guide Growth
For anyone just stepping into the world of leadership coaching, the most important thing is to really listen. I'm talking about truly hearing what your clients are saying, and what they're not saying. It's about picking up on the subtle cues and understanding the underlying issues they might be facing. People come to you for guidance, but they also need someone to help them figure things out for themselves. Being a great listener builds trust and allows you to ask the right questions, which is key to helping them grow.
Success in this field isn't just about having all the answers; it's about guiding others to find their own. In addition to this, remember that every leader is different, and what works for one might not work for another. Be adaptable, be patient, and always be learning. The best coaches are those who are constantly seeking to improve their own skills and understanding.
Lead with Genuine Curiosity
One essential piece of advice for new leadership coaches is to lead with curiosity. As a coach, your job is not to provide all the answers but to create a space where your clients can discover their own insights. This requires deep listening, asking powerful questions, and observing before making any assumptions. By genuinely understanding your client's perspective and challenges, you can help them uncover the best solutions for themselves, which builds trust and fosters more meaningful change. Cultivating this mindset allows you to guide your clients more effectively and empowers them to take ownership of their leadership journey.
Hold Space for Client Discoveries
How much time do you have to read?
Seriously though, there's one piece of advice I wish I had fully understood early on: coaching isn't about having all the answers (that's consulting), it's about knowing how to hold the space for others to find their own answers. You don't need to prove your value by jumping in with fixes. Your real power is in being fully present, listening without an agenda, and asking the kind of questions that stop someone mid-thought in the best possible way.
It also helps to let go of the pressure to sound polished or perfect. Some of the best breakthroughs that I have seen happen when you show up as a real person, naturally curious, grounded, and transparent. Clients connect with your authenticity more than your credentials. The relationship is everything, and trust grows when they sense you're in it with them, not just passing the time for a payout.
Stay close to your own growth. Get coached. Reflect often. This work will stretch you in ways you didn't expect, and the more you're willing to do the inner work, the better coach you'll become. You can't take someone where you haven't gone yourself!
And finally, pace yourself. It's easy to compare your beginning to someone else's middle. Focus on becoming the kind of coach people remember not because you gave the best advice, but because they felt more capable, more seen, and more confident after talking with you. That's the real win.
Deliver Unique, Authentic Services
There are hundreds of thousands of leadership development professionals in the world (maybe more), so in order to really excel in this sector, you must deliver a product or service that is not only unique but also one that allows you and your special gifts to flourish and shine through.
You and your brand have to show up authentically and consistently in order to really grow a client base. Providing services that meet your clients' emotional, physical, and financial needs will ensure that you not only retain your clients but also grow your base as they tell all their colleagues and friends about you!
That said, you'll also need to develop a thick skin because this is a competitive sector, and there will ALWAYS be someone else to whom you're compared or against whom you're pitted. Just remember, competition can prompt your growth and confidence!
Develop a Universal Leadership Model
Leadership coaching is more than just sharing best practices and leadership theories. Although there is no "one right way" to be a leader, you will stand out as a coach if you have lived experience and/or can speak from a model of leadership that is universally applicable.
For example, I developed the Eden Model after my years of being an HR Executive and coaching hundreds of people all over the world. Combining that experience into a model that applies to the situations my clients are facing is invaluable.
Success leaves clues, and if you can figure out the patterns to that success (often in a repeatable model), you will be a valuable advisor/coach to your clients.
You can learn more about the Eden Model in my book, "How We See Ourselves."
