The Modern Manager · 2026-06-02 · 32 min
Most managers think their job is to have the answers. But the managers who create the strongest teams often do the opposite: they ask better questions. The challenge is that under pressure, most of us default to fixing, advising, and jumping in with solutions. And while that may feel efficient in the moment, it can unintentionally shut down ownership, confidence, and independent thinking on our teams. Fortunately, this week’s guests explain why coaching doesn’t have to mean hour-long development conversations or formal mentoring sessions. Instead, they share how small “coachable moments” in everyday work conversations can transform the way people think, learn, and perform. Laura Ashley-Timms and Dominic Ashley-Timms are leadership experts, executive coaches, and authors of The Answer Is A Question . Their work focuses on helping managers use operational coaching techniques to develop more confident, capable, and engaged teams through the power of purposeful inquiry.
414: How to Create Space for Strategic Thinking with Howard Tiebel58 / 100
413: What to Do When a Meeting Gets Heated
412: How Great Managers Create Accountability Without Micromanaging with Molly Rodau
411: 3 Types of Team Conflict and How to Resolve Each One
409: The Feedback Conversation Managers Avoid (And How to Finally Have It)