Coach the manager, not the team, when signal gets messy
Distinguish between coaching a manager layer and taking over the team below it.
The situation A director hears the same complaints in skip-levels about one manager: actions drift after meetings, priorities feel fuzzy, and strong performers are starting to work around the manager instead of through them. Why direct rescue is tempting It is faster in the short term and visibly lowers friction for the team. The risk is that it teaches the team to bypass the manager and teaches the manager that you will absorb the consequences. What makes this coachable The signal is operational rather than ethical: weak follow-through, unclear commitments, and fuzzy priorities. Those are often improved with standards and…
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