Who Coaches the Coach?
- Robert de Loryn
- Jul 16
- 2 min read
Who Coaches the Coach?
One of the questions I am asked most often is, “Who coaches the coach?”
The answer should always be the same.
A great coach never stops being coached.
The moment a coach believes they have all the answers is the moment their effectiveness begins to decline. Leadership evolves. Organisations change. People think differently. Every coaching conversation presents new perspectives, new challenges and new opportunities to learn.
The best coaches remain students of their profession.
Selecting the right coach is equally important. Qualifications, experience and credentials certainly matter, but they are only part of the equation. The real question is whether that coach will help you become the leader you need to be, not simply the leader you are comfortable being.
A strong coaching relationship is built on four foundations.
Connection. You need someone you trust enough to have honest conversations.
Respect. Your coach should have the credibility and experience to challenge your thinking while earning your confidence.
Stretch. Growth only occurs when someone helps you move beyond your current beliefs, behaviours and comfort zones.
Courage. The right coach will not choose the easiest path. They will choose the pathway that leads to meaningful and sustainable leadership transformation, even when those conversations become uncomfortable.
Too many people mistake coaching for encouragement alone. While support is important, coaching is not about making someone feel comfortable. It is about helping them become better.
Sometimes that means asking difficult questions.
Sometimes it means holding up a mirror.
Sometimes it means challenging excuses that have quietly become accepted behaviours.
Research published by the International Coaching Federation consistently shows that organisations investing in quality coaching report improvements in leadership capability, communication, confidence and employee engagement. The difference is rarely the coaching framework itself. It is the quality of the relationship and the willingness of the individual to embrace honest feedback.
At RDL, we believe coaches have the same responsibility to keep growing as the leaders they support. That is why we coach coaches.
Our own development comes from multiple sources. We invest in formal education and research. We challenge each other through peer coaching and professional discussion. We learn from respected colleagues across industries and disciplines.
Most importantly, we learn from our coachees.
Every coaching conversation provides another opportunity to refine our thinking, test our assumptions and strengthen our ability to help others succeed. Great coaches listen as much as they guide.
Leadership is a journey of continuous learning.
The same is true for coaching.
The best coaches are not defined by how much they know today.
They are defined by their commitment to becoming even better tomorrow.
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