In a recent post, I wrote about reclaiming 1:1 meetings as spaces for growth, trust, and alignment—not just polite check-ins or project updates.
At its heart, managing is largely about coaching. And those regular 1:1s offer a powerful opportunity to practice.
In her recent article, “4 Styles of Coaching—and When to Use Them” (Harvard Business Review, March 18, 2025), executive coach Ruchira Chaudhary shares a beautiful quadrant that managers and employees can use to quickly orient themselves to the most effective coaching approach.
She describes four coaching styles, based on how much push (directive guidance) and pull (open-ended support) a leader brings to the conversation:
- Telling (high push, low pull): clear instruction and expertise-sharing
- Hands-off (low push, low pull): stepping back and offering autonomy
- Asking/Listening (high pull, low push): facilitating self-reflection
- Collaborating (high push, high pull): blending inquiry with guidance
It’s a powerful reminder: there’s no single “right” way to coach. Skilled leaders shift their stance depending on context, urgency, and the needs and strengths of their team member.
If you’re looking to deepen the impact of your check-ins, Chaudhary’s push-pull lens can be a useful self-check:
Am I showing up the way this person most needs right now? Am I helping them play to their strengths? Am I getting in the way – or too hands-off? What might I dial up—or down—in this moment?
Often, the most effective coaching move isn’t offering advice or solving the problem. It’s creating the conditions for someone to stretch, reflect, and access their own resourcefulness and wisdom.
Chaudhary’s full article is well worth a read—you can find it in Harvard Business Review (March 2025).
Suzanne Hawkes 