Coaching Engineers Is Not the Same as Managing Them
- Kjell Moens
- Jul 22
- 1 min read
Managing is about accountability.
Coaching is about growth.
Too many leaders think they’re being “supportive” when they avoid holding engineers to clear standards. They confuse niceness with effectiveness.
But here’s the truth:
✅ A manager sets direction and follows up.
✅ A coach listens deeply and challenges assumptions.
✅ A leader must be both — but never at the same time.
If your team has hit a plateau, ask yourself:
👉 Are you managing outcomes, or just coaching effort?
👉 Are you guiding their next sprint — or helping shape their next leap?
🧠 Great engineers don’t just need empathy.
They need someone who believes they can grow — and pushes them until they do.
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