Podcast Summary: HBR On Leadership - "Don’t Just Coach Your Employees—Teach Them"

Episode Overview In the episode titled "Don’t Just Coach Your Employees—Teach Them," released on May 28, 2025, Harvard Business Review's HBR On Leadership features an insightful conversation between host Sarah Greene Carmichael and Sidney Finkelstein, a management professor at the Tuck School of Business at Dartmouth. The discussion delves into the paradigm shift from traditional coaching to a more comprehensive teaching approach in leadership, emphasizing that effective leadership encompasses a set of teachable skills rather than inherent traits.

1. The Teaching Leader Mindset Sidney Finkelstein begins by contrasting traditional management with the approach of teacher leaders. He emphasizes that successful leaders recognize the necessity of surrounding themselves with great talent and are committed to investing time in their team's growth. Finkelstein states:

“Leaders who coach give clear feedback and invest in their direct reports’ growth, have better relationships and stronger performing teams.” [01:18]

This investment involves personalized attention, even if not daily, ensuring that each team member feels valued and motivated to elevate their performance.

2. Types of Lessons Great Leaders Impart Finkelstein categorizes the lessons that effective leaders teach into three main areas:

• Professionalism and Ethics: Leaders instill values related to ethics, credibility, and professionalism. For example, Ralph Lauren taught his team the intricacies of merchandising, while Larry Ellison focused on software architecture and technological nuances.

• Technical Skills ("Points of Craft"): Leaders provide specific, job-related skills that are crucial for business operations. This specialized training ensures that team members excel in their respective roles.

• Life Lessons: Beyond professional skills, leaders also guide employees in personal development areas such as time management and goal setting. Finkelstein shares insights from Bill Frist, former CEO of Hospital Corporation of America, who emphasized the importance of setting and regularly updating short-term, intermediate, and long-term goals to enhance personal and professional growth. [02:17]

3. Benefits of the Teaching Leader Approach Adopting a teaching mindset offers multiple advantages:

• Enhanced Team Performance: Continuous learning leads to improved skills and better overall team outcomes.

• Master-Apprentice Dynamic: Leaders, akin to masters, mentor their team, fostering deep learning and mutual respect.

• Strengthened Team Bonds: Teaching creates meaningful connections, as team members appreciate the leader’s commitment to their growth. Finkelstein remarks:

“You’re not only improving the content skill set of people around you, but at the same time you’re tightening the bonds between them and you and creating a real team.” [03:40]

4. Real-World Examples of Teaching Leadership Finkelstein shares compelling stories illustrating the impact of teaching leadership:

• Case of a Coffee Chain CEO: A CEO invested time in mentoring a young employee with a criminal record, using the situation as a teaching moment to challenge assumptions and foster a supportive team environment. This approach resulted in an exceptionally tight-knit team that valued the leader’s non-judgmental stance. [04:54]

• Renowned Chef Rene Redzepi: The chef took his entire staff to another country to run a pop-up restaurant for several weeks, providing immersive learning experiences that strengthened team cohesion and expertise. [09:32]

5. Implementing Teaching in Various Industries Finkelstein underscores the universality of teaching in leadership, noting its applicability across diverse industries and cultures. He highlights that teaching is a fundamental aspect of human development globally, emphasizing its critical role in professional settings where continuous learning is essential to avoid imposter syndrome and ensure ongoing competence. [06:03]

6. Leading When Managing Subject Matter Experts For leaders managing individuals with specialized expertise, Finkelstein advises adopting a reciprocal learning approach. He suggests that leaders should respect and learn from their experts, fostering a two-way learning street that enhances mutual respect and team effectiveness. [07:15]

7. Integrating Teaching into the Workday Addressing time constraints, Finkelstein recommends optimizing existing time allocations, particularly by improving the efficiency of meetings. By repurposing unproductive time and fostering meaningful discussions during interactions, leaders can seamlessly incorporate teaching moments without needing additional time slots. [07:54]

8. Navigating Sensitive Mentoring Situations In the context of heightened awareness around sexual harassment, Finkelstein acknowledges the challenges men may face in mentoring female colleagues. He advises maintaining professionalism by focusing mentoring efforts within the workplace environment and seeking appropriate opportunities to support and teach without overstepping boundaries. [10:26]

9. Ensuring Lessons Stick To make lessons impactful, Finkelstein emphasizes the importance of real-world application and continuous feedback. He outlines a three-step process essential for effective learning:

1. Great Content: Providing valuable and relevant information.
2. Application: Encouraging the practical implementation of lessons.
3. Feedback: Offering constructive feedback to reinforce learning and facilitate improvement. [11:50]

10. Rethinking Feedback Through Teaching Finkelstein suggests reframing feedback as a teaching opportunity can alleviate the discomfort managers often feel when delivering critical feedback. By positioning feedback within the context of teaching and development, it becomes a more natural and productive interaction. [13:52]

11. Assessing and Enhancing Teaching Effectiveness Leaders should regularly evaluate the effectiveness of their teaching methods by observing whether team members are absorbing information and applying it successfully. Finkelstein recommends seeking feedback from peers, coaches, and the team to identify areas for improvement. When faced with team members resistant to learning, leaders should first evaluate their own teaching methods before considering changes to team composition or addressing performance issues directly. [14:47]

12. Ensuring Clear Communication Effective communication is paramount to successful teaching. Finkelstein advises leaders to confirm understanding by having team members articulate the lessons in their own words and to seek continuous feedback to refine and reinforce messages. This approach ensures that lessons are not only heard but also comprehended and retained. [16:30]

13. Potential Challenges and Mitigation While the teaching leader approach offers numerous benefits, Finkelstein acknowledges potential challenges, such as cultural resistance or mismatches in team dynamics. He recommends customizing teaching methods to fit the team’s culture and being patient during the transition. By attentively managing time and adapting to team needs, leaders can mitigate risks and maximize the benefits of this approach. [17:50]

Conclusion The episode "Don’t Just Coach Your Employees—Teach Them" presents a compelling case for adopting a teaching-oriented leadership style. Sidney Finkelstein elucidates how teaching not only enhances team performance and cohesion but also fosters a culture of continuous learning and mutual respect. By integrating teaching into daily leadership practices, managers can effectively guide their teams toward sustained success and personal growth.

Notable Quotes

• "Leaders who coach give clear feedback and invest in their direct reports’ growth, have better relationships and stronger performing teams." — Sidney Finkelstein [01:18]
• "You’re not only improving the content skill set of people around you, but at the same time you’re tightening the bonds between them and you and creating a real team." — Sidney Finkelstein [03:40]

Additional Resources For more insights on leadership and management, visit hbr.org and explore a wealth of articles, case studies, and expert discussions.