Coaching Over Criticism: How a Simple Shift Transformed One Leader’s Approach
Emma had always been a results-driven leader. As a high-D personality (Dominance) in the DISC model, she thrived on efficiency, quick decision-making, and high expectations. To her, success was simple: set aggressive goals, demand excellence, and push her team to perform.
But there was a problem.
Her employees weren’t responding well to her leadership style. Turnover was increasing, and the ones who stayed seemed disengaged. When she gave feedback, they shut down. The final straw came when one of her top employees, Jake, resigned unexpectedly.
“I just don’t feel valued,” he told her before leaving. “I know you want us to do well, but it always feels like we’re failing, never improving.”
For the first time, Emma questioned whether her leadership style was hurting instead of helping.
The Coaching Mindset Shift
Determined to improve, Emma attended a leadership training on Coaching Over Criticism. She realized her mistakes:
🚨 She focused on what was wrong instead of how to improve.
🚨 Her feedback felt like commands rather than guidance.
🚨 She didn’t recognize small wins, only pointing out failures.
The training introduced her to the coaching model, which emphasized:
✔ Asking instead of telling – Encouraging employees to find solutions on their own.
✔ Framing feedback as growth, not failure – Shifting from “You did this wrong” to “Here’s how we can improve.”
✔ Recognizing effort and progress – Celebrating small wins to boost confidence.
The Transformation
Emma put the coaching approach into action. Instead of saying, “This report is sloppy. Fix it,” she tried:
💡 “What challenges did you face while working on this? Let’s go through it together and find a way to strengthen it.”
Instead of dismissing ideas, she started asking:
💡 “How do you think we can approach this differently?”
And instead of waiting until things went wrong, she made time for regular check-ins, offering guidance before mistakes happened.
The change was immediate:
✅ Employees opened up more – They felt safe sharing ideas and challenges.
✅ Morale improved – They felt supported rather than criticized.
✅ Performance skyrocketed – With guidance instead of fear, they took ownership of their work.
One of her employees even said, “I feel like I’m learning so much more now. You don’t just tell me what’s wrong—you help me get better.”
By choosing to coach instead of criticize, Emma not only transformed her leadership style but also created a stronger, more engaged team.
Take Action: Shift from Criticism to Coaching Today!
Are you struggling to get the best out of your team? Harsh feedback might be holding them back. Try coaching instead of commanding, and watch your team grow.
👉 Start by replacing one critical comment with a coaching question today!
Looking forward to helping you step into your full leadership potential.
Best regards,
Checree Bryant
CEO Actuate Consulting
