Coaching Ecosystem #4:
Rethinking Leader as Coach — From Skills to Mindset
Nicholas Wai
(27 May 2026)
The final session of HKICC’s Coaching Ecosystem series brought together two of Hong Kong’s most respected coaching educators, Margie Poon Edmonson of Paradigm21 and Tony Dickel of Transcend International, for a thought-provoking exploration of one of the most important questions facing organisations today:
What does it really mean to be a Leader as Coach?
Over the past seven months, our Coaching Ecosystem series has explored the perspectives of executive coaching clients, internal and external coaches, HR and L&D leaders, and coaching intermediaries. This concluding session completed the picture by examining how coaching becomes embedded within organisations through leaders themselves.
One of the strongest themes to emerge from the evening was that becoming a Leader as Coach is not simply about acquiring coaching skills. Both speakers emphasised that the real challenge lies in developing a coaching mindset.
As Tony observed, many leaders know they should coach, yet under pressure they often revert to familiar habits of directing, solving problems, and providing answers. The challenge is not a lack of knowledge but what he described as the “knowing–doing gap”—the distance between understanding coaching principles and consistently applying them in the moments that matter.
Margie reinforced this by highlighting the importance of intention before attention. Coaching begins not with techniques but with a genuine belief in people’s potential and a commitment to developing others rather than becoming the bottleneck through constant problem-solving.
The discussion also explored why adopting a coaching approach can be particularly challenging for leaders. Unlike professional coaches, leaders wear multiple hats and must constantly decide when to coach, when to mentor, when to direct, and when to make decisions. Developing the judgment to navigate these boundaries is itself a critical leadership capability.
Another powerful insight was the importance of organisational culture. Both speakers noted that coaching cannot thrive in isolation. Psychological safety, trust, and senior leadership support are essential if coaching is to move beyond a set of skills and become part of how people work together.
Looking ahead, the conversation turned to the impact of AI and the future of coaching. While artificial intelligence is rapidly democratising access to knowledge and information, both speakers argued that uniquely human capabilities—empathy, presence, judgment, relationship, and the ability to help others grow—will become even more valuable.
As Tony noted, AI may level the knowledge playing field, but it cannot replace the transformative experience of being deeply understood by another human being.
The evening ended on an optimistic note. After more than two decades of advocating for coaching in organisations, both speakers agreed that coaching has moved beyond the early awareness stage. Increasingly, organisations are no longer asking “What is coaching?” but rather “How do we embed coaching into our culture and leadership practices?”
For coaches, leaders, and organisations alike, the message was clear: the opportunity is here. The future belongs not simply to those who know more, but to those who can create environments where people learn, grow, and thrive together.
As we conclude this Coaching Ecosystem series, we leave with a deeper appreciation of how the many parts of the coaching profession connect—and how leaders, coaches, educators, sponsors, and organisations all have a role to play in shaping its future.