Why a Coaching Culture Is Integral to High Performance

I’ll never forget my first coaching course over 10 years ago when working at the Borough of Poole. The organisation made the bold decision to shift to a coaching culture, mandating that every manager attend a 3-day experiential coaching programme. I had already done some reading, been part of a working group to review the full employee lifecycle and contributed to a coaching mindset within our processes and documentation. But this course forever changed me as a leader and OD practitioner transforming my perspective on growth and performance.

I came away eager to try out my new coaching toolbox. I’ll be honest: my initial results were pretty mixed. But over time, I noticed my team becoming more self-sufficient. I restructured our team meetings to give them more control and space for reflection. As they took greater accountability, I gained more time, and they grew more confident. Next, I supported the development of our extended leadership team, co-creating an action plan for how we could improve performance and to do this, could coach their teams better. Twelve months later, people reported a 20% increase in the feedback they received to improve their performance. I was forever changed.

Later, while pursuing my CIPD Level 7, it was an easy decision to select the coaching and mentoring module. I remember gleefully practicing my skills, coaching a friend’s husband toward his goals and celebrating with him when he achieved them. After I transitioned to the private sector, however, I was surprised to discover that this mindset wasn’t widespread. Coaching for senior leaders and emerging talent was taking place, but where was the concept of manager-as-coach? What about employee-led performance processes or frameworks to embed a learning culture?

Last year rereading coaching for performance when completing my executive coaching diploma reaffirmed to me the importance of coaching as a lever in a high performance culture. Coupled with the feedback report for the experiential coaching programme I sent 16 leaders on and the most useful part of the manager development programme our leadership community attended every person said the coaching as manager module. That along with the 30% drop in attrition presented compelling data in my own experience that coaching skills and a plan to shift to a coaching culture is essential for a high performing culture. Let me tell you why.

 “Coaching is unlocking a person’s potential to maximise their own performance’’ as defined in Coaching for Performance.” shifting leadership from directing to enabling. Dale Carnegie’s research shows organisations that embed coaching into their culture find it pays across engagement, performance, and adaptability. Whitmore’s model of Performance = Potential – Interference reframes how we approach high performance: When we embrace a coaching mindset, we’re encouraged to consider, What interference is present in the system?, sometimes Are we, as leaders the interference? By reducing barriers, we can better tap into individual potential and drive results.

This approach aligns with Mihaly Csikszentmihalyi’s work on flow state, where people achieve peak engagement when they work on meaningful tasks that challenge their abilities. A coaching culture helps enable this flow by letting individuals use their strengths in ways that create purpose and fulfilment, thereby building the conditions for meaningful, high-performance work.

Michael Bungay Stanier’s book The Coaching Habit builds on this, emphasising that coaching doesn’t have to be a formal process—it can be an accessible, everyday skill. He  advocates for “saying less and asking more,” urging leaders to take a step back and let employees unlock their own insights. When integrated across an organisation, this habit becomes the foundation for a high-performance culture.

So, how does a coaching culture create high performance?

1. A Coaching Culture Fosters Autonomy and Accountability

When people are coached rather than directed, they gain the autonomy to make decisions, explore their strengths, and develop self-reliance. This autonomy, combined with a sense of responsibility, naturally drives higher performance.

2. Focuses on Growth, Not Just Outcomes

Traditional performance cultures often prioritise immediate results, but a coaching culture values long-term growth as well. With coaching, setbacks are reframed as opportunities to learn and adapt, building resilience and adaptability in individuals and teams. Whitmore emphasised that “Awareness and responsibility are key to performance improvement.” Which ar cultivated through coaching.  Dale Carnegie’s research reveals that companies with coaching cultures see a 37% improvement in employee satisfaction, directly influencing productivity. Operationalising this means creating structured coaching frameworks and making space for reflection within everyday workflows.

3. Enhanced Communication and Trust

Coaching is built on open-ended questions, active listening, and empathy—all essential to building trust. In a coaching culture, communication becomes a tool for understanding and mutual growth rather than mere task delegation.

Whitmore advised leaders to “ask more and tell less”, leaving space for listening, really listening meaning genuine dialogue. According to Dale Carnegie’s research, employees who trust their leaders are 50% more likely to feel engaged. Operationalising coaching creates consistent practices for feedback and listening, strengthening trust organisation-wide.

4. Develops Adaptive, Future-Ready Teams

In today’s fast-paced world, adaptability is crucial. A coaching culture encourages continuous learning, enabling teams to navigate change and innovate effectively. Employees who are coached to think critically and solve problems are better equipped to face new challenges.

Whitmore’s philosophy, that “The best solutions come from within, not from an external source,” if we then integrate coaching into decision-making processes, ensuring employees feel empowered to contribute their ideas and solutions proactively.

5. Sustains Employee Wellbeing and Performance

A coaching culture values individual wellbeing as integral to organisational success. Through coaching, employees feel empowered to address challenges in a balanced way, without fear of judgment.

Coaching supports personal growth in alignment with values. Dale Carnegie’s findings, show a 45% reduction in turnover in organisations with coaching cultures. Operationalising coaching means integrating well-being into performance conversations, reinforcing that growth should be holistic and balanced.

Creating a Coaching Culture: From Vision to Action

Establishing a coaching culture takes commitment, patience, and structure. Leaders must embody a coaching mindset, empowering employees at every level to take ownership of their development. But to truly embed it, organisations must operationalise coaching by integrating it into processes, decision-making, and day-to-day interactions.

A coaching culture is more than a strategy—it’s a commitment to continuous growth, shared accountability, and high performance that benefits everyone. In today’s complex world, who can argue that they don’t need it?

Are you ready to see the benefits at your organisation? Book a call with us today!

Joy Coaching and Consulting offers personal, team and executive coaching, leadership development and culture consultancy in Poole, Bournemouth, London, and across the UK. We also can happily deliver all our work online, for remote and hybrid teams.