In an ideal world, our best leaders stay with us for their entire careers. But the reality is far different. They change companies. They make career pivots. Some eventually retire.
Without a clear succession plan to fill these gaps, organizations put their future success in jeopardy. This isn’t just talk: research shows we’re fast approaching a talent shortage. As the labor market becomes more competitive, organizations must get to work to retain and develop their leadership pool.
By incorporating coaching, organizations can equip their people with the tools, capacities, and mindsets needed to lead effectively. Let’s dive more into its benefits of coaching for succession planning below.
The Benefits of Coaching for Succession Planning
1. Coaching provides development in context
When you think about the greatest athlete of all time, you might picture Serena Williams with her explosive arm strength, or Lionel Messi with his sharp field awareness. But if you asked Messi to pick up a tennis racket—or Williams to join a soccer match—they probably wouldn’t play at the level you’re used to. This is because they each developed the unique muscles and mindsets needed to succeed in their respective sports.
Leadership follows a similar premise. Leaders must strengthen specific “muscles”—or capacities—that matter in the context of their organization. When this doesn’t happen, they fall into the trap of leaning into old behaviors or clinging to tactics from previous roles that don’t mesh with their current environment.
Many leadership development programs employ a “one-size-fits-all” approach, assuming that every leader needs the same capabilities across the board. According to McKinsey, this lack of context is why many leadership programs fail.
Coaching offers a more tailored approach by helping leaders identify their unique strengths and growth areas, as well as the capacities that will make them effective in their new environment. They can adapt sessions to address challenges in real-time, enabling them to adjust their strategies and practice the skills they need in the moment.-
2. Coaching meets the demands of modern leadership
It’s common for leaders to step into bigger roles by excelling at execution—or by having the technical ability. But as leadership evolves, companies now seek leaders who are both deeply human and good at execution.
Leaders must have the capabilities to lead both projects and their people to success–to both direct and empower their teams. In fact, a recent survey found that 70% of HR professionals believe it’s crucial for leaders to master a wider range of capacities, with social and emotional intelligence among the most critical.
Unfortunately, that kind of leader is a rare blend, which is where coaching comes into play. Coaching plays a crucial role in helping rising leaders adopt a more people-first approach. Through coaching, individuals learn how to shift from a task-focused mindset to a people-centered one, while deepening relational skills like communication, active listening, and empathy.
With a coach, leaders can work through real-life challenges and roadblocks, helping them appreciate diverse perspectives, handle conflict, and practice crucial conversations. This not only makes the development experience relevant but also immediately actionable.
3. Coaching fosters confidence and growth
Stepping into a more senior role is an exciting step in one’s career. But it’s also daunting. New expectations, challenges, and pressures can leave even the most seasoned leader with self-doubt.
Coaching provides a confidential, supportive environment where leaders can openly discuss these challenges. But it goes deeper than that: coaching offers leaders the psychological safety to honestly talk about their concerns, fears, and insecurities. And unlike confiding in a mentor or colleague, a coach is a neutral third party, offering unbiased guidance and perspective.
This reflective process is especially powerful for building confidence, resilience, and adaptability. Through reflection, leaders gain clarity into their strengths, blind spots, and decisions. In fact, leaders who make time to reflect perform 23% higher than those who don’t.
4. Coaching creates a supported path to leadership for more people
For decades, climbing the corporate ladder to the executive level was the ultimate goal for working professionals. But times are changing.
Attitudes toward leadership are shifting, and many people see leadership roles as too demanding and lacking support. Women, in particular, report higher levels of concern about balancing leadership responsibilities with other life roles, while younger employees are avoiding managerial roles altogether.
This trend poses a big challenge for organizations wanting to build a healthy, diverse leadership pipeline. To avoid weak spots in their leadership bench—such as a lack of diversity or generational turnover–companies must make leadership more accessible, appealing, and supported.
Coaching offers an ongoing, supportive learning experience that many HiPo programs lack. In fact, research shows that coaching is one of the most unmet needs of HiPos. This type of development is especially impactful because it equips HiPos not only with the skills they need but also with ongoing support to help them feel prepared, empowered, and ready to take the next step.
5. Coaching creates a ripple effect of learning
New leaders often feel pressured to hit the ground running, not learning. But effective leadership is a lifelong pursuit. Coaching supports continuous learning by encouraging leaders to connect their growth directly to on-the-job projects. This ensures learning isn’t abstract but immediately applicable.
But the benefits of coaching extend far beyond the individual. 91% of direct reports observe positive changes in their own skills and mindsets as a result of their manager being coached. Coaching has also been shown to foster a growth mindset within teams: 67% of direct reports report being more likely to seek out skill development opportunities, while 61% are more likely to see mistakes as learning opportunities.
On an organizational level, this ripple effect positively affects business outcomes like employee engagement and retention. 40% of organizations that use coaching or mentoring report better retention of desired talent, compared to 24% of those that do not.
The Benefit of Coaching in Succession Planning: A CEO’s Perspective
The path to leadership can feel like a lonely one. Yet, when CEOs reflect on their journey, many recognize all the people who supported them along the way—a manager who gave them their first break, an impactful mentor, a supportive friend. For Heather Conklin, CEO at Torch, her coach tops the list.
“Coaching is the whole reason I am in the CEO role.”
Conklin began her coaching journey over six years ago, and it quickly became a transformative experience. As she continued working with her coach, she felt such a profound personal transformation that she wanted to share what she was learning with others.
“In doing that, I saw the way it also impacted their lives—and that’s when I say I got ‘bit by the coaching bug,’” she explains. Her passion for coaching eventually led her to join Torch, and her coach has supported her all the way to the top.
Navigating New Challenges and Complexities
Conklin acknowledges that leading an organization comes with a heavy dose of pressure and uncertainty. In her own words, “It’s a roller coaster and completely new territory.”
For anyone stepping into a bigger role—whether CEO or not—this is a familiar experience. For Conklin, her coach has been an invaluable source of support in navigating these new challenges and complexities.
“My amazing coach, Lara, has helped me navigate all of those feelings, gain clarity on the circumstances I now find myself in, and continually root into my identity as a leader,” she says. With Lara’s support, Conklin has been able to ground herself in her unique strengths to guide Torch forward.
Interested in coaching for succession planning?
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