Recognizing everyday opportunities for feedback, development, and growth.

The Coaching Opportunity Happening Right in Front of You

In the private club environment, there is rarely a shortage of things competing for a manager’s attention. Members need assistance, service is moving quickly, and unexpected challenges seem to appear just when the day gets busy. With so much happening, coaching can easily fall to the bottom of the priority list.

We tell ourselves we'll address an interaction later or revisit a missed standard when things slow down. Sometimes we do. Often, the moment passes, and the opportunity is lost.

Yet some of the most meaningful coaching opportunities happen in the middle of an ordinary workday. A team member struggles to explain a menu item, a supervisor gives unclear direction, or someone misses an opportunity to anticipate a member's needs. These moments offer a chance to reinforce expectations, build confidence, and help someone approach a similar situation more effectively next time.

Coaching doesn't always require a scheduled meeting or formal conversation. Sometimes, it starts with recognizing a moment that could help someone grow.

When we see an opportunity to help someone improve, we have a choice: address it while the experience is fresh or allow the moment to pass and hope it doesn't happen again. Too often, we choose the latter.

What keeps us from having these conversations when we know they could make a difference?

Why We Wait to Coach

Sometimes, the hesitation has less to do with time and more to do with discomfort.

We may worry about how a team member will react, whether our feedback will discourage them, or whether an issue is worth addressing. If we're frustrated, we might delay the conversation until we've had time to cool down. Sometimes, we wait so long that the opportunity has passed.

We may also assume people will figure things out on their own. But what seems obvious to an experienced manager may not be obvious to someone still learning. Without clear feedback, a team member may not understand what needs to change or why it matters.

When we delay coaching, we risk allowing a correctable mistake to become a repeated behavior. What could have been a brief conversation may eventually require a more difficult discussion because the pattern has continued.

Not every issue needs to be addressed immediately. Timing, setting, and the individual matter. But it's important to recognize the difference between choosing a better time for a productive conversation and avoiding a conversation that needs to happen.

Recognizing that difference is an important part of becoming a more effective coach.

Coaching Is a Gift, Not a Criticism

As leaders, we coach because we want our team members to succeed. We see their potential and want to help them develop the skills and confidence to do their jobs well. Yet even with the best intentions, coaching doesn't always land the way we hope.

A conversation intended to help someone improve can feel like criticism if the message isn't delivered thoughtfully. This is why both our intention and our approach matter. When we offer feedback with respect and clarity, we communicate that someone's growth matters and that we believe in their ability to improve.

Effective coaching also requires us to understand what the situation calls for. Does the team member need instruction, clarification about an expectation, or accountability for a standard they already know? Repeating an instruction won't solve unclear expectations, and providing more training won't necessarily address a pattern of failing to follow established standards.

Before jumping in with feedback, take a moment to understand what's behind the situation. A thoughtful question or brief conversation can help you identify what the team member needs and respond accordingly.

Coaching is a sign of respect. The goal isn't simply to correct a mistake. It's to help someone learn, grow, and become better at what they do.

Coaching Is a Practice

The more we coach, the more comfortable we become recognizing opportunities to help others grow. Like any leadership skill, coaching takes practice. It requires us to be intentional about how we communicate, how we respond to mistakes, and how we help others learn from their experiences.

I try to practice this in my own life, including at home with my family. We have a saying: “It's not what you say, it's how you say it.” It's a simple reminder that our intentions matter, but so does the way we communicate them. Whether we're helping a team member improve or navigating a conversation at home, how we deliver a message can make all the difference.

There's another important part of coaching that we sometimes overlook: our willingness to receive it ourselves. As we become more intentional about helping others improve, we should also become more open to feedback about our own approach. Great leaders don't have all the answers. They remain willing to listen, learn, and make adjustments.

Don't Let the Moment Pass

The coaching moments that make the biggest difference aren't always the ones we schedule. They're the everyday opportunities we recognize and use to help someone grow.

As club leaders, we have an opportunity to make coaching a natural part of how our teams learn, improve, and support one another. It starts with being intentional, having the conversations that matter, and remembering that growth is an ongoing process for all of us.

Sometimes, the most meaningful thing we can do as leaders is take a moment to help someone become better at what they do. Don't let that moment pass. 

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About the Author: MacKenzie Triana, CCM