Building an Internal Coaching Development Program

Anthony Randall • April 11, 2025

Best Practices for Organizational Leadership By Dr. Anthony Randall 

Organizational leadership is the art and science of developing, promoting, and retaining talent by aligning personal growth with organizational objectives, values, and outcomes.  For the first time in history, the marketplace is filled with five generations of employees and leaders.  Boomers, Gen X, Millennials, Gen Y, and Gen Z. Implementing a holistic leadership development and coaching process enhances communication, culture, cohesion, and company success.  


One of the most repeated comments we receive from leaders who participate in our ICF Level 1 Vanguard Professional Coaching Course after Day 1 is, “Wow, I thought I was coaching people, but what I was really doing was consulting, mentoring, or counseling my employees.”  Consulting, mentoring, and counseling all have their time and place.  Today’s leader likely has to wear all three hats, however, learning how to professionally coach your team, your peers, and even those you work for is a talent development paradigm shift. 

What are the benefits to developing an internal coaching program for your business, government agency, athletic department, sports teams, or school district? Partnering with an external ICF-credentialed coaching company to build an internal program, like Vanguard XXI can realize significant gains. Consider these five benefits: 


1. Enhanced Leadership Capability and Self-Awareness 


Professional coach training and accreditation accelerates character development, critical thinking, decision making, and emotionally intelligent leaders. Research shows that coaching is a highly effective leadership style for building self-awareness, teamwork, cohesion, and conflict resolution, all emotional intelligence attributes.  Coaching empowers the client to develop their own solutions through evoking awareness and facilitating client growth.  This leads to more adaptable leaders who tap into their true potential to lead with initiative and creativity rather than waiting around to be told what to do.  


  • Check this out: Lash, S. Unleashing the Coaching Leadership Style. British Army – Centre for Army Leadership Insights, No. 38 (2022) army.mod.uk 
  • Chang, J. Cultivating a Coaching Culture. Military Review (Nov-Dec 2022)  
  • armyupress.army.mil 

Q: What would improve in your organization if leaders two levels down executed on mission and intent without having to be told what to do?   


2. Improved Organizational Performance and ROI 

Coaching directly contributes to more cohesive individual, team, and organizational performance. Employees feel valued and respected when the organization invests in their professional growth. Companies that implement coaching report substantial gains in productivity and results; one study found executive coaching delivered an impressive 788% return on investment by boosting productivity and employee retention.  

In corporate, educational, or military environments, these improvements translate into higher efficiency and mission success.  

Check this out: Team output can also improve significantly – coaching has been linked to about a 50% increase in team effectiveness and a 48% improvement in overall organizational performance on key metrics. american.edu 

 

Q: How would vertically integrated businesses, school districts, and military formations improve in their leadership development, evaluations, and promotions if their leadership team used a common coaching language and created a coaching culture?   

 


3. Greater Employee Engagement and Retention 


Internal coaching programs demonstrate organizational commitment to people development boosting basic employment needs, psychological safety, and professional growth goals. Coaching conversations provide confidential personalized support and career development increasing talent retention. 


Q: How would implementing a professional coaching program in your organization keep high performers in your business vs a competitor, your school district vs another, and increase reenlistment and career military personnel?   

Check this out: American University – The ROI of Executive Coaching. american.edu 

 


4. Stronger Culture of Continuous Learning and Trust 


A coaching language and coaching culture foster continuous learning, trust, and collaboration. A coaching-style leadership approach encourages open communication and growth mindsets rather than command-and-control. In educational settings, for example, coaching has been shown to strengthen team relationships by building deeper trust and rapport.   


Q: How would student performance, school spirit, and academic extracurricular success increase when school administrators, counselors, and teachers are committed to a coaching language and culture for their staff, faculty, and student wellness?   


Check this out: Over time, such a coaching culture leads to more innovation, better knowledge sharing, and a positive environment where people at all levels feel empowered to learn and improve. files.eric.ed.gov. 


5. Robust Talent Pipeline and Succession Planning 


Finally, partnering with expert ICF-certified coaches to develop internal talent strengthens the leadership pipeline. Coaching accelerates the growth of high-potential employees and prepares them for greater responsibilities. It also helps to identify and develop future leaders, closing succession gaps.  


Partnering with Vanguard XXI provides your organization with five ICF Level 1, 2 and 3 Coaching certification courses.  We are a force multiplier that partners with you to build your internal coaching program.  We also provide external ICF ACC, PCC, and MCC level executive coaches to partner with your C-Suite, HR, and Leadership Development professionals for individual, team, and group coaching.  We are the accelerant in your leadership development fuel.   


Check this out: Building a coaching language and coaching culture within leadership development increases your talent management and organizational leadership process.  https://coachingfederation.org/become-a-coach/why-become-a-coach/ 


Q: How can you trust the Vanguard XXI process?  Our world class leadership development and coaching curriculum has trained over 17,000 people.  We are trusted by more than two dozen companies from Fortune 100 and 500 to family-owned businesses, college and professional sports teams, and the US Department of Defense. Let’s get started today!  

Cultivating a Growth Mindset in Your Organization: Where to Start

By Anthony Randall • April 25, 2025
In today’s ever-changing world, organizations that thrive are not just those with the best strategies or tools—they’re the ones that foster a mindset of continuous learning and adaptability. That’s where a growth mindset comes in. Coined by Dr. Carol Dweck, a growth mindset is the belief that abilities and intelligence can be developed through dedication, feedback, and effort. It stands in contrast to a fixed mindset, where people see talent as natural and unchangeable. If you’re looking to bring a growth mindset into your organization, here’s where to start: 1. Model It from the Top Change begins with leadership. Leaders must show what it looks like to take risks, make mistakes, and learn from them. Share stories of setbacks and lessons learned. Celebrate progress (no matter how small), not just results. When leaders admit what they don’t know and demonstrate a willingness to grow, it gives permission for others to do the same. 2. Make Feedback Normal (and Safe) Organizations with a growth mindset don’t just tolerate feedback—they search for it. Create a culture where feedback flows in all directions: top-down, bottom-up, and peer-to-peer. Safety is key. People need to know they can speak up, ask questions, or try new things without fear of embarrassment or retribution. 3. Recognize Effort and Learning, Not Just Outcomes Growth doesn’t always show up in numbers. Recognize behaviors like perseverance, curiosity, collaboration, creativity, and problem-solving—even when the results aren’t perfect. Shift your praise from “You’re a natural at this” to “Your hard work, determination, and strategy really paid off.” 4. Invest in Development Support your people’s growth with meaningful learning opportunities: coaching, mentorship, stretch assignments, and accessible leadership training programs. Give them room to expand their skills and explore new paths. And don’t just develop your top-level leaders. Develop your managers as they are often the ones who shape team culture day-to-day. 5. Reframe Failure In a growth mindset culture, failure isn’t the end—it’s data. As Thomas Edison once said, “I have not failed. I've just found 10,000 ways that won't work.” Ask: What did we learn? What would we do differently? What systems or assumptions need to be challenged? When teams are encouraged to experiment and iterate, innovation follows. Who knows what “lightbulb” is waiting to be discovered. Final Thoughts Cultivating a growth mindset in your organization isn’t about motivational posters or buzzwords. It’s about creating an environment where people are safe to learn, motivated to improve, and empowered to contribute. Start small. Start real. Start now. Because when your people grow, your organization grows with them.

The Intersection of Ethical Leadership and Executive Coaching: Why It Matters

By Anthony Randall • April 22, 2025
For emerging and established leaders alike, stepping into positions of influence is both thrilling and deeply challenging. The pressure to perform, the responsibility to inspire, and the drive to create lasting impact demand more than skill—they require ethical clarity, emotional intelligence, and a deep commitment to character. At the core of ethical leadership lies trust. Trust that is earned, not assumed. Trust that is cultivated, not commanded. And just as vowels are essential for language to function, ethical principles are essential for leadership to resonate. Without them, communication falls flat, teams fracture, and progress stalls. Executive coaching, when grounded in ethics, becomes the catalyst that reinforces and sustains character-driven leadership. It equips leaders to move from reactive management to intentional influence—where every decision reflects integrity, empathy, and long-term vision. Here’s a coaching framework, built on the A, E, I, O, and U “vowels” of leadership, that illustrates this intersection: A – Assess with Integrity Great leaders don’t just assess performance—they assess influence. Ethical leadership starts with knowing who truly shapes the culture. Titles don't equal trust. Coaching helps leaders identify the quiet influencers who embody values, drive morale, and align with the mission. E – Enlist Trusted Allies Every ethical leader needs a circle of truth-tellers. A coaching culture fosters the development of teams grounded in integrity—people who challenge, support, and protect the mission. These “allies” speak truth, hold space for growth, and serve as a sounding board in complex decisions. I – Identify and Address Toxicity Ethical leadership doesn't mean tolerating destructive behavior under the guise of development. Some individuals undermine cohesion and values. Coaching empowers leaders to draw clear boundaries—develop the willing, but protect the whole by removing what threatens trust. O – Observe with Empathy Observation is more than oversight. It's the practice of empathetic leadership. Through coaching, leaders develop emotional intelligence to read both spoken and unspoken dynamics, understanding how culture is shaped in the hallways, not just in the handbooks. U – Utilize Coaching as a Culture When leaders utilize coaching as a daily practice—not just a program—they cultivate environments where feedback flows, growth is constant, and hierarchy gives way to empowerment. Ethical leadership thrives where coaching transforms how people think, communicate, and grow. Final Thought:  Ethical leadership and executive coaching aren’t separate ideas—they’re interconnected disciplines. One without the other creates gaps. But when combined, they build resilient teams, aligned cultures, and enduring trust. Buy the vowels. Lead with character. Coach with purpose. And build a legacy defined not just by success—but by how you got there.