Findings

Four key themes emerged from the analysis of participants’ experiences, highlighting transformative changes in their leadership skills and behaviors.

• Greater confidence in leadership capabilities
• Greater mindfulness and strategic thinking/action
• Ability to micromanage less and delegation more
• Adopting coaching to empower staff

Coaching helped school administrators overcome self-doubt, improve their decision-making, and feel more confident in their leadership roles. Participants reported reduced second-guessing, better communication, and a greater willingness to tackle challenging situations head-on. One participant shared,

“I have been forced to face the difficult issues. I’m not incapable of addressing them….[I realize] not only do I have to lead my organization, but I also have to make hard decisions.”

Coaching encouraged administrators to slow down and reflect before making decisions. This pause allowed them to prioritize long-term goals and focus on the bigger picture rather than responding impulsively to immediate issues. Another participant noted,

“I appreciated that coaching forced me to set aside time.…Sometimes you’re just going, going, going, but coaching allowed me to slow down and consider and think and focus on administration instead of constantly putting out fires.“

Through coaching, participants gained the confidence to delegate tasks effectively, which enhanced both collaboration and productivity. By shifting from micromanagement to trust and empowerment, leaders found that delegation not only reduced their workloads but also improved their work-life balance. One participant commented,

“I was very much involved in almost every detail….I now realize I’m not being a neglectful principal by not being hands-on in everything.…I can be supportive [of teachers and staff] by trusting them, and if they come to me with any challenges, I can do my best to help find resources to support them [while] still empowering them to do the work because I do believe that they’re capable.“

The coaching experience not only transformed the administrators’ own leadership approaches but also inspired them to adopt a coaching stance to empower their staff. Nearly every participant began using coaching techniques to develop their teams, fostering a culture where staff were encouraged to lead and solve challenges independently and confidently. One participant described,

“I’m asking [my teachers] the questions. I’m digging more for [them] to tell me how we’re going to fix [the problem]. [They’re] not coming to me and asking me to find the solution. I’m here to support [their] process in finding the solution.“