Developing Teams: Enhancing Leadership Impact Through Meaningful Communication – Coaching and Feedback
ByStefan Werdegar
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There’s a noticeable shift happening in organizations today. The leaders who once relied on process, direction, and oversight are realizing those tools alone no longer work. Teams expect something more: a leader who listens, empowers, and challenges them to grow. True success as a leader depends on helping those around you grow, and in building trust.
Retention, engagement, and development have become inseparable. A recent LinkedIn Global Talent Trends report found that 83% of organizations cite developing leaders who can coach effectively astheir top workforce priority. In other words, the future of leadership depends on a leader’s ability to engage their team members, better communicate, and foster growth.
There are a lot of blurred lines among leaders and in organizations about communicating through feedback and coaching. Sometimes those words are used interchangeably, but they really shouldn’t be, and each has its place in the toolbelt of the leader. When a leader provides feedback, they direct communication.
Coaching brings its own dynamic and has its right fit. It requires a bidirectional relationship. The goal for coaching is to gain ownership from the individual in impacting their development. The goal is to help them see new approaches to solve challenges. To guide them in their own process of achieving a goal and navigating an obstacle. The role of the leader should should be centered on questions and supporting the individual, rather than simply providing feedback, to unlock their potential and find new ways to solve challenges.
A true coaching culture shifts a leader’s mindset from, “How do I get my team to deliver?” to, “How do I help my team grow so they want to deliver?” Furthermore, “How can I remove obstacles and help my team be all they can be?” That subtle difference creates stronger performance, greater accountability, and longer retention.
Leaders who coach do three things consistently:
They build confidence. They help people see what they’re capable of—often before the individual sees it themselves.
They ask, rather than tell. Instead of prescribing solutions, they spark discovery.
They connect the dots. They link daily tasks to long-term purpose.
When that kind of leadership takes hold, people don’t just show up for the work…they show up for the leader.
Understanding What Drives Your Team
Engaging with each teammate as leaders requires curiosity. Every person on your team is motivated by something different – autonomy, recognition, challenge, collaboration. Leaders who take the time to understand those motivations create trust and engagement, create a higher performing culture.
Diagnostic tools like can help uncover these drivers, but it’s the follow-through and 1:1 engagement that matters most. Leaders should use that insight to tailor how they communicate to bring the most out of their direct reports. When people feel understood, they become more open to feedback—and feedback becomes growth.
Small Steps That Lead to Big Change
Behavioral change doesn’t happen in workshops, it happens in moments. The way you respond in a meeting, how you deliver feedback, how you model vulnerability, and build a connection signals to your team what kind of leader you are.
Try starting small:
Schedule short “development check-ins” with your team once a month.
Begin team meetings with one learning or win from the week.
Ask open-ended questions like, “What would success look like for you in this project?”
Reflect weekly: “How did I help someone grow this week?”
These small steps add up. Over time, they transform not only your team’s performance but their belief in themselves.
If you are exploring effective ways to unlock the potential of your team, and enhancing your leadership effectiveness, I would love to hear from you. I would be happy to schedule a complimentary 30-minute call to learn more about your goals and share insights.
Get in Touch:
Stefan Werdegar – Director, Client Solutions, Talent & Leadership Consulting
