The Four Conditions That Support Coaching Based on team effectiveness research, workplace psychology, and coaching implementation data, we can distill the conditions for coaching cultures into four foundational areas: Condition Description Why It Matters Psychological Safety Team members feel safe to speak, fail, and challenge without fear of retribution Trust is the bedrock of vulnerability, learning, and feedback Role Clarity Individuals understand their responsibilities and where they have discretion Without clarity, coaching creates confusion rather than growth Time and Space Leaders and teams have dedicated time for coaching and not just task management Coaching cannot flourish in reactive, overloaded environments Trust in Intent Team members believe coaching is meant for development, not control Coaching requires goodwill; people won’t grow with someone they don’t trust Visual: Coaching Conditions Framework Coaching Culture Enabler What It Looks Like Leader Action Psychological Safety Team members speak up without fear; mistakes are learning opportunities Normalize failure, ask for feedback, model vulnerability Role Clarity Clear responsibilities, expectations, and accountability structures Define decision rights and align roles to outcomes Time and Space Time is protected for one-on-ones, reflection, learning, and coaching dialogue Schedule coaching rhythms and de-emphasize reactive firefighting Trust in Intent Team members know feedback is for growth, not punishment Lead with care, reinforce intent, avoid weaponizing feedback