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Description

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

Letting go of providing the answer and helping the team member build their own, without giving up the manager's role

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

An experienced manager answers quickly: they know the business and can supply the solution faster than their team member would find it. Work moves forward, but the team keeps coming back to them and autonomy never really grows. Adopting a coaching posture means changing that reflex, while remaining the person who sets the framework and assesses results.

This two-day intermediate programme introduces six coaching tools that can be used in one-to-one meetings: listening, questioning, reframing, feedback, objective agreements and development plans. Each tool is practised in groups of three on real situations, then placed back within the boundaries of the managerial role.

Learning objectives

  • Distinguish situations that call for coaching from those that require a managerial decision
  • Conduct a coaching conversation by asking questions rather than providing answers
  • Reframe a request in order to surface the real issue
  • Establish an objective agreement accepted by the team member
  • Build a development plan with scheduled review points

What makes this programme different

The six tools are practised in sequence in groups of three with an observer
Each participant works on a real team member they currently coach
The boundary between coaching and managerial decision-making is examined through borderline cases

Programme

1Positioning the coaching posture

Role and boundaries

  • Differences between explaining, training and coaching
  • Situations in which coaching is not appropriate
  • Effects of the instant-answer reflex on autonomy
  • Interaction between coaching and appraisal of the team member

2Listening and questioning

The first two tools

  • Listening without preparing your answer while the other person is speaking
  • Open questions oriented towards the search for solutions
  • Questions to avoid because they lead to a predetermined answer
  • Silences and prompts in a coaching conversation

3Reframing and giving feedback

Two clarification tools

  • Reframing the initial request to reveal the real issue
  • Reflecting back to the team member what has been observed
  • Wording feedback in a way that opens up reflection rather than closing it down
  • Handling disagreement about the observed facts

4Agreeing objectives and tracking progress

Two commitment tools

  • Wording a development objective accepted by the team member
  • Breaking it down into observable stages
  • Building a development plan with scheduled review meetings
  • Running the review meeting when commitments have not been met

Who is it for

Experienced managers who wish to develop their individual coaching practice.

Prerequisites

Hold a management position and conduct one-to-one meetings on a regular basis.

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.