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Description

The Manager as Coach: Questioning, Prompting Reflection and Building Autonomy

Helping a team member build their own solution rather than handing them yours

  • 2 days — 14 h
  • In-person or virtual
  • Foundation
  • Up to 6 participants

A manager who is constantly called upon to decide eventually becomes the mandatory checkpoint for the whole team. People wait for the answer, stop looking for one themselves, and the manager's workload keeps growing, even though most situations could be handled by those who encounter them.

These two days focus on the coaching posture. You learn to distinguish situations that call for a decision from those that call for coaching, to run a conversation structured in clear stages, to ask questions without steering the answer and to formalise commitments that can be verified.

Learning objectives

  • Distinguish situations that call for coaching from those that require a decision
  • Run a coaching conversation structured in clear stages
  • Ask questions that open up the team member's thinking
  • Reformulate what is said without steering towards an expected answer
  • Formalise a measurable commitment together with the team member
  • Identify the limits of a coaching posture held by a line manager

What makes this programme different

Conversations are practised in trios with an observer tasked with spotting closed questions and disguised advice
Each participant works on a real situation from their own professional context
A stage-by-stage conversation framework is used from the first half-day and refined in every sequence

Programme

1Coaching or Deciding

Choosing the right register

  • Situations that genuinely require a managerial decision
  • Situations better handled by the team member
  • The real cost of the reflex to provide the solution
  • What makes a coaching posture credible in the eyes of the team

2The Conversation Framework

A structure in clear stages

  • Clarifying what the team member is actually asking for
  • Exploring the situation and the attempts already made
  • Letting the team member generate options
  • Selecting an action and defining the success criterion

3Questioning and Listening

The technical moves

  • Open questions versus questions that suggest an answer
  • Reformulating both facts and feelings expressed
  • Using silence and managing the pace
  • Spotting your own directive interventions

4Embedding the Practice

Limits and follow-up

  • Situations where coaching is not the appropriate response
  • Interaction with performance reviews and career decisions
  • Following up on commitments made by the team member
  • A coaching rhythm that remains sustainable for the manager

Who is it for

Team managers who wish to develop the autonomy of their team members, as well as professionals who support others without direct line authority.

Prerequisites

No prior knowledge required

Dates & locations

36 scheduled dates between November 2026 and December 2027. Seats are confirmed in the order enquiries are received.

November 2026

December 2026

January 2027

February 2027

March 2027

April 2027

May 2027

June 2027

September 2027

October 2027

November 2027

December 2027

None of these dates suit you? We open additional sessions on request, and any programme can be run privately for your team.

Practical details

Before the programme
Online positioning questionnaire. Your development objectives are shared with the trainer, who tailors the practical case studies to your context.
Teaching methods
Theoretical input, workshops and practical case studies. Digital course materials and method sheets provided.
Assessment
Multiple-choice tests and role-play exercises. Assessment of learning at the start and end of the programme, with immediate and 60-day follow-up evaluations.
After the programme
One year of access to the e-learning platform. Self-assessment of the skills acquired and a 30-day follow-up session with your trainer.
How to register
Registration online or on the basis of a quotation.
Lead time
11 working days after confirmation of registration.
Accessibility
Accessible to people of determination. Contact our accessibility coordinator to design a suitable solution: contact@mpf-academy.ae
Start dates
Rolling intake: in addition to the scheduled sessions, this programme can start on request.