Manager-as-coach mini course

Being a good manager today means more than setting targets and running meetings. It means knowing how to have real conversations that help your team think, grow and cope. This mini course is built for exactly that.

What it is

The manager-as-coach mini course is a practical, short programme for team leaders who want to shift from only directing and problem-solving to also coaching. Coaching is a way of talking that helps someone work through a challenge themselves, using open questions and active listening, rather than the manager simply giving instructions. It is not therapy and managers are not expected to become counsellors. The aim is to build everyday skills that support performance conversations, career development chats and check-ins when someone on your team seems to be struggling.

Signs to notice

You may benefit from this course if you notice, in yourself or your team:

• One-on-ones that feel rushed, one-sided or purely task-focused
• Team members who go quiet in meetings or stop raising concerns
• Repeating the same advice to someone without their situation changing
• Feeling unsure how to respond when a team member becomes upset or discloses a personal struggle
• High turnover, disengagement or burnout signs across the team
• Wanting to support wellbeing but not knowing where the line is between managing and overstepping

What helps

• Learning the GROW model (Goal, Reality, Options, Way forward) as a simple structure for coaching conversations
• Practising open questions like 'what have you tried so far?' instead of closed ones like 'did you do X?'
• Active listening: reflecting back what you hear before jumping to solutions
• Recognising the difference between a performance issue and a wellbeing issue, and knowing when to involve HR or the EAP
• Setting a regular, protected time for one-on-ones that is not only about deadlines
• Learning simple language to check in on wellbeing without diagnosing or prying, such as asking how someone is managing, really
• Knowing your organisation's referral pathways so you can point a struggling team member to the right support quickly

When to reach out for help

If a team member discloses something serious, such as thoughts of self-harm, abuse, or a crisis, your role is to listen calmly, take it seriously, and connect them to professional support immediately, not to manage it yourself. Managers who feel overwhelmed by the emotional weight of supporting others should also reach out for their own support. Coaching skills help conversations go well, but they are not a substitute for professional care.

Getting help in South Africa

Cleared Mind offers this mini course to managers as part of the EAP, along with guidance documents on when and how to refer a team member for support. Managers can also access confidential counselling for themselves. SADAG's Mental Health Line, 011 234 4837, is available for general support. In an emergency or crisis, the SADAG Suicide Crisis Helpline is available 24 hours a day on 0800 567 567 or SMS 31393.