WHAT COACHING IS & ISN'T
- Feb 12
- 3 min read
Insights from the
entrepreneurial journey
When leaders hear the word coaching, many leap to ideas of someone solving all their problems, giving direct orders, or offering stock answers to every challenge. But that’s not what coaching is, and confusing these myths with reality can hold ambitious leaders back.
At Lions Pride Leadership, coaching is defined as a thinking space, a structured partnership in which the entrepreneur is invited to think bigger, clearer, and more strategically. It’s not a mentorship program where someone tells you what to do. It’s not therapy, and it’s not a fallback for weak leadership. Instead, it’s an intentional collaboration that empowers you to unlock your own insights, energy, and direction.
What Coaching Isn’t
It isn’t someone running your business for you. Coaching doesn’t replace leadership; it strengthens it.
It isn’t a quick fix or a directive checklist. Business growth doesn’t come from doing more tasks; it comes from doing the right tasks with clarity.
It isn’t remedial training for “struggling” leaders. The world’s top performers, from CEOs to athletes, seek coaching before problems surface, not after.
It isn’t mentorship. Coaching isn’t based on shared experience or advice-giving. It’s a process of drawing out your best thinking so you can lead with clarity and conviction, regardless of your coach’s background.
What Coaching Is
A deliberate thinking space.
Real coaching creates space for focused reflection, an entrepreneurial pause, where assumptions are questioned, and paths forward become clear.
A catalyst for strategic growth. When done well, coaching helps leaders identify blind spots, refine priorities, and act with confidence. Studies show that 80% of people who receive coaching report increased self-confidence, and over 70% report improved work performance and relationships.
A mirror that reflects your potential. Instead of providing answers, coaching helps leaders find their answers and take ownership of them.
Take the story of Sara Blakely, the founder and owner of Spanx.
Sara turned a $5,000 idea into a globally recognized brand, not because she had all the answers, but because she learned how to ask better questions. She persisted through rejection, refined her thinking, and continually sharpened her vision and approach. When Spanx launched in 2000, it became profitable in its very first year and ultimately grew into a company valued at over a billion dollars, not because someone handed her a blueprint, but because she learned to think deliberately, act strategically, and adapt willingly.
Blakely also cited Tony Robbins and Zig Ziglar, whose teachings influenced her thinking and personal development. Over time, she engaged in mastermind groups and leaned on key strategic advisors and board members at Blackstone, building a support system that challenged her thinking, accelerated her growth, and expanded her leadership capacity.
Sara Blakely’s journey is a powerful reminder that greatness is rarely accidental. It is the product of intentional thinking, self-awareness, and leadership coaching - combined with the humility to recognize that others help us see what we cannot see alone.
Notable Entrepreneurs Who Used Coaches
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Why This Matters for You
The leaders who move fastest are the ones who pause long enough to think.
Too many leaders push forward without pausing to think, and that’s where momentum turns into missteps. Coaching isn’t about being told what to do. It’s about discovering what you’re meant to do next, with confidence and clarity. It’s the difference between reacting and leading.
If you’ve ever sensed that a bigger breakthrough is possible, but aren’t sure how to get there, coaching might just be the game changer that multiplies your impact, sharpens your vision, and accelerates your growth.
Would you like to explore how this kind of thinking space can transform your leadership and enterprise? Let’s talk about it.
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